Spending It
Learning about Wine
While it's certainly true that wine can make a fantastic investment, to most of us it's just the wet stuff we wash our Sunday roast down with. So if you fancy educating your palate and getting some tips on how to spot and enjoy great wines, or maybe even learning the best way to invest in them, perhaps it's time to hit the bottle.
So, where should you start? If you don't know anything about wine at all, there are a few simple ways to get a grasp of the basics: begin by picking up a few wine magazines, for example. Tasting wines and getting to know what you like is even more important - after all, when it comes down to it, wine is all a matter of taste.
Cutting costs
This can be an expensive business, but there are ways to help keep costs down. For a start, suppliers such as Majestic Wines offer free tasting events at their branches. But one of the bests ideas is to join a local wine club where you can take part in tasting events, exchange tips and experiences or even share the purchase of more expensive wines. You could even set up your own club with a bunch of friends - if everyone chips in a little each month, you could soon have a budget big enough to begin purchasing expensive bottles that would otherwise be beyond your budget.
Wines on the web
The web is also a great way to taste! Join one of the numerous online wine discussion groups, for example. Sites such as The Sunday Times Wine Club and 12 Bottles offer a great way to buy good wine, combined with discussion forums that are just the place to exchange recommendations or pick up tips on the latest discoveries or finest vintages.
Wining and dining
You can also enjoy weekend breaks or longer holidays dedicated especially to wine tasting. For example, wine writer Andrew Jones runs weekend breaks around Britain (starting at about £170) that include dinner, wine tasting and advice and discussion sessions.
Cutting costs
This can be an expensive business, but there are ways to help keep costs down. For a start, suppliers such as Majestic Wines offer free tasting events at their branches. But one of the bests ideas is to join a local wine club where you can take part in tasting events, exchange tips and experiences or even share the purchase of more expensive wines. You could even set up your own club with a bunch of friends - if everyone chips in a little each month, you could soon have a budget big enough to begin purchasing expensive bottles that would otherwise be beyond your budget.
Wines on the web
The web is also a great way to taste! Join one of the numerous online wine discussion groups, for example. Sites such as The Sunday Times Wine Club and 12 Bottles offer a great way to buy good wine, combined with discussion forums that are just the place to exchange recommendations or pick up tips on the latest discoveries or finest vintages.
Wining and dining
You can also enjoy weekend breaks or longer holidays dedicated especially to wine tasting. For example, wine writer Andrew Jones runs weekend breaks around Britain (starting at about £170) that include dinner, wine tasting and advice and discussion sessions.
