Rare Red - 100% California Grapes!

Selling wine along with enjoying it, has been a strangely enlightening experience. Personally, I enjoy sauv blancs, pinot noirs, and a variety of red Italian blends. That is, in the 6 months that I have been drinking wine. When purchasing wine, I am always looking for something different, whether it’s a domestic wine for a great value or an imported varietal that I’ve never heard of before, I am always looking for a new experience.  However, as a wine seller, you begin to notice several types of wine buyers. Being from California and working near wine country, I encounter people who are solely looking for domestics, especially local ones. Then there are the customers who are completely open to any new and interesting wine that we suggest. I love hand selling in general, but the latter are usually the most talkative and provide the more fun interactions. Then there are the people who won't drink certain varietals or types of wine, whether it’s oaked Chardonnay, white wine, or blends. Then there are the customers who just want good, cheap, under ten dollars, bottles of wine; and are very serious about it as well. Recently, I have been most surprised at one wine in particular that seems to have captured the attention of these types of customers completely.

Rare Red claims to be a four grape blend, 100% California, retails for $6.99, and is flying off our shelves. I’m not completely sure why I’m so fascinated with this wine. I think it has to do with my perception of the typical wine buyer, focused on varietal, vintage, and value. But Rare Red has broadened my view of the average buyer. Further research on this wine has shown that it has been a great seller for about a year now. Some bottles have the varietal breakdown included on the label, however the bottles we sell do not. Customers are buying this bottle without knowing anything about the wine inside, only that it’s affordable. Whether these customers are of the younger generation of wine buyers, or wine lovers of the older generation; I don’t think it matters. People are buying it because it’s good and cheap. There’s no superiority or judgment.   Rare Red has shown that if a wine is good, drink it.