The Local Drop Jag Singh shares how to choose wine in a bottle shop
How do you know that $20 shiraz is better than the $8 bargain bin option? A Melbourne wine expert gives you tips to get the best value out of your trip to the bottle shop.
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Do you find yourself stumped when standing in the bottle shop on a Friday night after work, unsure of what wine to bring home for dinner?
Liquor stores provide ample choice of wines from all over the globe.
But how sure are you that a $45 bottle of shiraz will taste any better than the $20 variety, or the $5 bargain bin option?
To take the stress out of choosing wine, Melbourne man Jag Singh launched his own wine concierge business — The Local Drop.
His job is to find any bottle of wine his client requests — regardless of the style, region, cost or where it is in the world. And he’s never not been able to source a bottle.
Jag also stocks wine in Coburg’s Pentridge Cellars, the new name for Pentridge Prison’s D Division that’s been flipped into private wine cellars.
To make navigating the bottle shop aisles a little easier, Jag has shared his top tips for choosing wine.
CHOOSE SOMETHING DIFFERENT
The worst thing we do is always buy the same wine, according to Jag.
“I would always recommend ordering wine varietals from regions I have never tried and I’ll do this ever three months,” he says.
“Stop drinking pinot gris and chardonnay and try something from the Loire Valley.”
TRY AUSTRALIAN WINE REGIONS
The Yarra, Barossa and Eden Valley are well known, so next time try a drop from the lesser known Australian wine regions.
Konpira Maru, who source their grapes from Granite Belt and South Burnett regions in Queensland, have made delicious wines, according to Jag.
“It’s just wow and so good for the price,” he says.
ASK FOR HELP …
Never be afraid to ask the shop assistant what they’re drinking and loving at the moment.
Jag says they could have good insight into bottle of red that’s $25 and drinks like a $40 bottle.
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… DON’T FALL FOR THE SALES PITCH
But beware of the sales pitch. Jag warns some staff may be interested in pushing a particular range of wine. Use common sense if you see every other customer being recommended the same thing.
The Local Drop is on Instagram: @thelocapdrop.
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