Fine Wine on a Budget

Whether we’re buying wine for a dinner party or for “me time” at the end of a long day, we all want to get the highest-quality bottle that won’t break the bank. Last year alone, wine sales in the U.S. totaled $78.4 billion, and Americans drink more wine than any country in the world. We’re spending a lot on wine — how do we know when we’re getting a good deal? What should we be looking for when we walk into the wine shop? 

Enter Victoria James, who is a sommelier, the director of beverage and a partner at Cote restaurants, and author of Wine Girl: The Trials and Triumphs of America’s Youngest Sommelier. She’s here to answer all of our questions about choosing affordable wines, and also share her insights about working in the restaurant industry. Jean and Victoria talk about the bare minimum we have to pay for good wine, the regions and varieties that are often the greatest steals, and how to best pair wine with food and stemware so we can get the most out of our drinking experience. 

You can find out more about Victoria and her work by looking into her line of wine glasses, her nonprofit Wine Empowered, and the Cote Wine Club.