Buying Expensive Wines - E.g. Penfolds Grange. Why?

Why do you buy expensive wines?

Isn't the $20 Penfolds good enough?

Comments

  • -1

    It's just a social statement.

    There have literally been books written on the justification of expensive wines! You won't find an answer here.

  • +7

    If you need to ask, then stick with the $20 jobbie. We're spoiled for choice when it comes to Australian wines. You don't even need to spend $20 for a decent drop.

  • +5

    Why does anyone do anything ? If you can afford to buy it why not.

  • People ask why I pay $5 for a mangosteen…

  • -1

    Isn't the $20 Penfolds good enough?

    Because it tastes like rusty water. $90 Penfolds is so velvety and delicious.

  • Why stay at good enough if you can afford better?

  • Some people spend 30 bucks on jocks… I just get alpha jocks from Kmart, last just as long

  • +7

    I don’t think multi-hundred dollar wines are good value, but I also wouldn’t buy a car that depreciates $10000 in a year - but plenty in the forums here do.
    Buy a more sensible car and you can tip a bottle of grange down the sink every month and still come out in front.

    The comparison can be made with whatever your extravagance is. It’s just another hobby/Veblen good/status symbol depending on your motivation.

  • +2

    Good for cooking with.

  • +2

    The $20 penfolds are horrible.

    Download Vivino. It’s a great app.

    I’ve used it to discover great wines in the $20-50 range.

    Mollydooker Boxer Shiraz will change your life. And it’s $30 per bottle.

    • Highly rate vivino!
      Also Heartland Directors Cut Shiraz if you are looking for recommendations

  • You never know when you might want to send one to a Premier.

  • Because you are not on oz bargain and have too much money to spend. There are cheaper wines that are very good and only cost a few hundred a bottle. I have only had these at work functions when suppliers have put on a dinner otherwise I get $6 to $20 bottles depending on what I am going to use the wine for.

  • Same reason a person would buy a jet instead of just flying first class. Or a person buys a stupidly expensive Range Rover instead of a cheaper Hilux.

    They have the money and they can.

    Silly comparisons, but the principle is there.

    Why get average, when you could get (what is socially perceived) better.

    There would be quality differences, but to the average Joe they wouldn’t be very noticeable.

    I’ve had some red wines in the mid hundreds that rate about the same as a $20 in my books.

    • Average joe would notice difference between private and first class. A blind test of sommeliers usually wouldn’t pick the difference.

      • Examples listed are for the reason why people do it.

        Answer = often, simply because they can.
        Does the same job as a cheaper wine but has a “higher” quality.

        It’s an unnecessary purchase for most, purely for show.

  • It depends how wealthy you are.

  • As a winemaker I can tell you I enjoy wines at all price points. There's a certain amount of joy in nearly every wine and, in Australia, you'd be hard pressed to find a poor wine.

    We make a 99pt James Halliday Cab Sauv that retails at three figures and a 97pt Shiraz that also retails at a similar price point. Do I drink them regularly at home though? No. Why, because one, I'd like to sell them but, more importantly, I don't want to drink at that level every night! Sometimes a $25 bottle of Cab Sauv from McLaren Vale is what I crave!

    Each to their own. Happy drinking! :-)

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