Finding the Sweet Spot: Exploring Wine's Price to Pleasure Ratio

By Mary Margaret McCamic MW | General Manager, Karolus Wine Imports

We’ve all either heard it or said it: “Is it worth it?”  

Maybe it’s a bottle of Grand Cru Burgundy that cost $3,000 that ended up disappointing you on a special occasion when you really wanted something to make your heart sing. Or it could have been a $25 bottle of Gruner Veltliner that tasted like nothing more than lemon water on a Tuesday night when you just wanted something different yet interesting. The letdowns are not isolated to expensive bottles. 

As wine drinkers and lovers, we want to enjoy a wine as much as possible for the best possible value. To be honest, this is true of most things in life – fashion, art, automobiles – there is a point of diminishing returns at a certain price point for each and every one of us. Our pleasure is dependent on a variety of variables that intertwine uniquely; quality and price of course play critical roles, but just as important is the “hunt” – we derive extensive pleasure from finding a rare gem that we can then share with others. The ability to treat others to such joys often only adds to the pleasure of a great bottle of wine. Indeed, many of the most exciting bottles that I have enjoyed were the result of the generosity of collectors.

Let’s examine the quality component of pleasure for a moment. As a Master of Wine, I of course believe that there are tangible, objective ways to evaluate the quality of a wine. Its balance, length of finish, complexity and intensity coupled with some other element of sheer beauty makes a wine stand out above others. But wine can get dicey, especially at the very high end, because objectivity and subjectivity become a bit blurry. I’ve tasted with enough collectors to know that an objectively outstanding wine just does not hit the sweet spot of pleasure for all palates. This is what makes the study of vintages in Burgundy, for example, so exciting. A bottle of 2006 Grand Cru Corton may objectively be better than some expressions of the 2005 vintage, but it lacks the “hype” so it may, therefore, be worth more to us as individuals or to most collectors. As much as we try to escape it, drinking wine is an exhilarating, impassioned experience. It can be about so much more than what a glass actually tastes like. Wine lovers are sentimental, after all. Most collectors and true wine lovers drink to quench an emotional thirst as much as they do to please their taste buds. 

So what is “value” in an objectively expensive bottle of wine anyway? It varies drastically depending on income level, wine budget, personal preference, and tasting experience. I remember a time when a village level, négociant produced Puligny-Montrachet was revelatory. Today I find such bottles pleasurable, but I seek out my favorite premier and grand cru bottlings from vintages that I love for something that stirs my soul. We evolve as wine lovers, both in terms of what we like and how we react from a psychological standpoint. It’s a fascinating study.

I recently thought about this concept as I admired some original photographs taken by beloved environmentalist and photographer Ansel Adams. They range in price from around $6,500 to close to $20,000 per print. There are also retouched images that come down to a modest $300-$600 depending on the size, which arguably could bring one just as much viewing pleasure depending on their appreciation for photography, emotional connection to the art, and of course, discretionary income. And then of course, there are the $30 poster prints you can buy on Amazon which could do the trick for someone who likes pretty images but doesn’t have the desire or means to collect authentic images. 

Yet for me – a person with strong personal ties to many of the landscapes that Adams photographed, especially with the Pacific Coast of California – a poster image simply does not evoke the sense of true, unadulterated pleasure that I get when viewing an original. The rarity of a photo, its authenticity and true connection to its image is what makes it so special, and ultimately what makes it worth its cost. 

Truly great wine is a bit like consumable art. I’d rather drink something exceptional that costs far more than drink something mediocre for less to the extent that I’m able. 

In times like these, where emotional comforts are what may get us through a pandemic, it’s a good time to start exploring what your price to pleasure ratio is when it comes to great wine. Don’t settle. Your taste buds, and your soul, will thank you for it.