Don't Miss Out This Year
Tips for Buying Better Wine and Saving More Money In 2007
Ed Young's January 2007 Wine Newsletter

A friend who once worked in a bookstore claims that a customer came in at Christmas time looking for a specific book. She didn’t know the title or the author, but she remembered the cover was yellow! The wine guys frequently have similar experiences. People come in not knowing exactly what wine they are looking for, but “it starts with R”, or “it has a butterfly on the label”, or “it has black in the name”. Sometimes they can help, but often they can’t, and it pains them to see customers go away unsatisfied. We want to start the New Year with some tips for enhancing your wine shopping.

• Keep a wine log! Write down each wine you drink and what you liked or disliked. Knowing the vintner, and the grape, and the country, can make all the difference in finding something. The year helps too, as some wines can vary considerably from one vintage to the next. When you taste a wine you like at a restaurant or a friend’s house, write it down!
• Shop early. Buy your holiday wines in October, or even earlier, when the shelves are full. So many times this Christmas we had to tell customers we were out of something that was in plentiful supply earlier.
• Try new wines right away. This is really important. So many times customers purchase something recommended by one of the wine guys and put it in the rack and they forget about it. Maybe a month later they open it and think it is wonderful. But everyone else thought it was wonderful too, and the supply is gone by the time they get to the store again. Remember- when a vintage sells out, it is gone until the next vintage comes out.
• Learn to recognize a great deal. Last spring, a new line of Australian wines came out with the odd name of “Molly Dooker” (slang for a left-handed person). There was a Shiraz (Boxer), a Cabernet Sauvignon (Maitre d’), and a blend (Two Left Feet). All were rated “94” or “95” by Robert Parker; all were priced under $25; and all were absolutely superb wines! Our supply of these flew out of the store so fast it made our heads swim! If you got left out on these wines, you really missed something.
• Check all the shelf prices. Over the holidays we had a $19.99 wine on sale for $15.99. A $20 wine for $16 is generally a better deal than a wine that is $16 all the time. When a customer likes a label, and the price is right, they are prone to just toss it in the cart without looking to see what else is available.
• Don’t hesitate to ask. The wine guys are creative, love challenges, and they have a wide knowledge of alternatives. We remember one customer who needed a present for his boss, and left with a gift that was imaginative, unique, and thoughtful- - something he hadn’t considered when he came into the shop.
• The best tip of all is to establish a continuing relationship with someone who is knowledgeable. A wine guy will put you onto wines that you would otherwise miss. Believe me, there are incredible wines and great bargains during the year that people who don’t heed this advice will never know about. Our wine guys have sampled almost every wine on the shelves, so they know their stuff.

Although Frugal’s has the largest selection of wines in Middle Tennessee, it is impossible to stock everything. No store could have room for all the wines of France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, Germany, Spain, and California. Napa Valley alone has more than 400 wineries! We’re talking literally thousands of separate labels. Some brands change as wineries are sold. Some varietals are discontinued as vineyards change plantings to meet market demands. Five years ago, a Gruener Veltliner would have been hard to find anywhere; now it is one of the hottest wines around. Some brands don’t move, for one reason or another, and we stop selling them. Sometimes we may stock a winery’s Merlot, but not their Cabernet Sauvignon. Remember too, that Frugal Macdoogal is a low price, high volume shop. The merchandise moves, and what is on the shelves is constantly changing. It is a continuing struggle to decide what to stock, what to discontinue, and what to ignore. We do our best to offer what you are looking for, and we succeed more often than any other shop in town.



We do stock an impressive array of wines for differing tastes. Just this holiday season, we sold bottles from offbeat wine countries like Canada, Israel and Greece; a sparkling white from New Mexico; some good red table wines made right here in Middle Tennessee; and even a French wine with a label in Braille! We have lots of customers who drive several hours from other cities, and even nearby states, to do their shopping at Frugal Macdoogal, and that says a lot about them, and us.

Here are some things we promise. If we don’t carry something, or are sold out, we’ll recommend a substitute or help you find it at another store. We promise to help you find that most elusive point where your taste and your budget intersect. We want every customer to leave the store with a smile and a feeling of anticipation. And finally, we promise to treat you with courtesy whether you come in for a $4.49 bottle of Mogen David or a $100 bottle of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.

The wine guys (Jeff, Jack, Bob, and Jerry by email) want to improve your wine buying experience in 2007. Take these tips and give them a try!

Photo credits: Jerry Hall


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