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Palate Bottle Shop in Shoreham, UK.
(Image credit: Katy McPhedran)

There are people in the world who always bring an interesting bottle of wine to a party. You’ve never seen the label before, let alone heard of the grape variety, and the back of the bottle is written in a different language.

You just know that these wines won’t be the kind you can add to your basket at the end of an online supermarket shop.

If you’ve read how to buy wine at an independent wine merchant and how to buy wine online, you’re probably halfway to cracking the code.

But, if you really want to buy wine like a pro, there are a few more things you need to know.

1.Visit vineyards and buy bottles from the cellar door

If you’re in a wine-producing country (the UK included), you might be surprised to find how close you are to a vineyard. Visiting a vineyard is a fun day out, but it’s even better when you can take away a souvenir and share it with (read: show off to) your friends and family.

Sometimes there are bottles that haven’t even made it into the shops. If you want something rare and original (that hasn’t been marked up) then a vineyard cellar door is a great place to buy wine. You’ll be supporting a local business, too.

2. Eat in bistro-come-bottleshops

What came first: the bistro or the bottleshop? Whichever way around it is, there are eating establishments that also sell bottles of wine (or there are wine shops that also serve food). These are fun places to hang out and pore over the list of wines.

Most importantly, chat to the staff about their recommendations and new discoveries. Service is normally attentive and enthusiastic in these places. During quieter moments, you might even get a few free tasters thrown your way if you’re showing a genuine interest.

3. Go to wine tasting events

Not only are wine tastings good for enjoying a selection of wines, but the host will often be a font of knowledge for all things wine. Talk to them: why did they choose this selection of wines and where did they get them from?

There are big consumer wine tastings, too, where you get access to a huge array of wines and the people who make them. You’ll be able to find out about who imports the wines you like and where they are sold.

4. Read articles by people in the trade about their top wines

If you want to buy wine like a pro, find out what the pros are buying – or at least tasting and rating. There are numerous trade tastings every month. Each one will be written up by wine writers, journalists and sometimes wine buyers, who are responsible for stocking our shop shelves and restaurants.

Read the articles and find out what’s hot – and who’s importing it and selling it.

5. Sign up to newsletters from merchants, wine membership clubs and magazines

A low-effort way of staying in the know and gaining some insider tips is receiving a newsletter in your inbox every now and again. It will usually detail what’s going on in the world of wine, what people are drinking, what the winemakers are up to and who’s producing what.

At the very least you’ll get an idea about what to seek out and most likely uncover some hidden gems.

Sign up to a Decanter newsletter today

Sophia Longhi
Sophia Longhi
Sophia is an awarded wine communicator, writer and wine judge. Her work can be found in The Guardian, Condé Nast Traveller and Telegraph Travel, as well as numerous wine trade publications, and she regularly shares her wine tales on Instagram at @skinandpulp.