Boutique Wines vs. Commercial Wines

Ever wonder what the big deal is about boutique wines? Why certain people or groups of people flock to boutique wineries, but never mention the big commercial wines. The truth is most of the people that flock to the boutique wineries have already experienced the mass produced wines. Every single wine produced by each commercial winery has been in circulation for decades are unimpressive. Sure, it is a source for the inexperienced, but truly good wine is made at the smaller businesses, the boutique wineries.

A boutique wine is a treasure. The reason is they tend to the grapes as if they were their babies. I can’t say that about all the small wineries in the world, but it is true of most of the wines I have tasted. Granted there have been some bad vintages and some I would just rather I forget I have ever tried, but for the most part, some of the best wines in the world come from the small wine boutiques.

What qualifies as a boutique winery? A boutique winery is usually a family owned small business, only producing from a few hundred cases to less than 10,000 cases per year. Usually in these small family owned business, the owner is the winemaker.

The word “boutique” means, a small business offering specialized products or services. In the wine business, this is very true, but it also means rare or exclusive. This is because the wines produced at a specific winery are rare and will only be exclusive to that winery. Each wine that is produced has its own unique flavor and this is why it is so popular to a wine collector. When a good vintage is produced, it won’t be around forever. That bottle is purchased and held onto until a special occasion arises.

Are all boutique wines good? In my experience, not even close. Winemaking is a mastery that requires many years of experience, knowledge, and skill. For most wineries, some years will be just a horrid result due to weather, but during good climate years, some wineries will yield the best crops ever.

Half the adventure of finding a good boutique winery is doing the research. Reading wine reviews, listening to other people talk about the wines they’ve experienced, and taking trips to different wine regions and discovering what fancies your palate.

Why don’t commercial wineries get any respect? Some do, but most of them don’t. It’s mainly due to the fact that the majority of winemakers are not even involved in the winemaking process. To them, it is about mass production and the yield of the dollar, not the grape itself.

Plus, there are almost no surprises when you drink a commonly known wine. You know what you are getting before you even open a bottle. Most of these commercial wines appear lifeless and without any charm. Some companies alter their wines so much, that it’s not even wine any longer.

Before you purchase your next bottle of wine at a local store and you see a bottle that seems appealing. Write it down and then look it up online or in a recent wine reference book. See what other people have written about it. If no one has mentioned that wine in a wine review, you are taking an unnecessary risk into your own hands. This is why we (the wine reviewers) are here. To help guide you to a bottle of wine that has little to no surprise. If the wine is a surprise to you, it’s a welcomed one.