When they offer in store tastings. When I run into this I always buy a new glass. Then try the wine that they are sampling.

Price.

If you're talking about wine you can't taste first, definitely friends with recommendations you respect. Labrats in the context of wine woot accomplish this. Let the Corporate Overlords know! (We know WD is trying to get it working again)

Assuming we're talking about wines you cannot taste first: other than point scores - which can be helpful in a very general sort of way - descriptions, numbers (alcohol, pH, TA, Brix at harvest, etc.) and the recommendations of trusted palates all can be important, and their relative importance will vary with their quality.

For woot, I would have to say the recommendations of trusted palates are most important, followed by the numbers, followed by knowledge about the winery and winemaker. The importance of quality labrats is underscored when one does not know the winery or the winemaker.

This underscores why the demise of the labrat program is so important: without a reliable benchmark or touchstone, it's often not worth a flyer with $50-100.

I'm one of the 1%, I guess, since I went with the history option.
I can measure my tastes against specific other tasters, if I have a strong idea of their personal preferences. I like Pinot Noir that is light and complex over the "fruit bomb" style that gets higher scores/more fandom. I still like the bombs, but prefer to invest in another style.
But the winery info can tell me a lot - if the winemaker spent three years in Burgundy, and the owner selected a cool microclimate in Oregon, then I am more likely to go for a buy than with a winemaker from Napa and a site in Sonoma.

catfishhunters99 wrote:I'm one of the 1%, I guess, since I went with the history option.
I can measure my tastes against specific other tasters, if I have a strong idea of their personal preferences. I like Pinot Noir that is light and complex over the "fruit bomb" style that gets higher scores/more fandom. I still like the bombs, but prefer to invest in another style.
But the winery info can tell me a lot - if the winemaker spent three years in Burgundy, and the owner selected a cool microclimate in Oregon, then I am more likely to go for a buy than with a winemaker from Napa and a site in Sonoma.

And you might be wrong: some of the best Pinot in California has been made in a very Burgundian style from various Burgundian clones grown in Carneros (straddling Sonoma and Napa counties).

I've been known to buy wine based on the name or what the label looks like. Found some decent ones that way, but have also wound up with some terrible ones.

rpm wrote:And you might be wrong: some of the best Pinot in California has been made in a very Burgundian style from various Burgundian clones grown in Carneros (straddling Sonoma and Napa counties).

Sure, but in my example I used Sonoma, not Sonoma Coast or Carneros AVA. I'd wager the vast majority of wines carrying a straight Sonoma are bigger in style.

Has to be a tasting. Otherwise, its a shot in the dark. Fortunately, I have relatives and friends in the business.

how sweet it is!

jewlz313 wrote:how sweet it is!

...to be loved by Woot!

I usually go by the picture on the box.

I live in Carmel Valley and this wine is by no means the best the valley has to offer. Notice California buyers are scarce need I say more..not worth the price of admission.

grape variety, growing location and, of course, price

My buying level has definitely dropped without the lab rats. I rarely taste much of what's in a wine's description - those are written by people whose palates are way more developed than mine. If I get a good recommendation from an "average Joe" wine aficionado, it goes a long way in making me push that big gold button.

gholt121 wrote:Price.

[edit: My comment if for those who buy on price and only price... Woot is great for QPR]

Then you shouldn't be purchasing wine here...

If you only want cheap wines: 2 buck chuck, Carlo Rossi, and others can be found conveniently at your local store.

Alternately, If you only want expensive wines I have a good line for you on some Ten Thousand Buck Chuck with good purveyance... PM me for more information.

Price (plus points for the label!)

It's all about the price.

Price baby.
And I hate to admit it, but I'm occasioanlly a sucker for packaging too.

It's all about the packaging. Have you heard of Plunger Head Chardonnay?

It's all about the label.

theslt wrote:I usually go by the picture on the box.

How can you lose?

The label and the bottle. That way if the wine sucks, you at least have a cool bottle.

The first thing I go by when I purchase here on woot is rattage or everyone's input. Who has had it?... do I like wines they like?..... also winery participation.... a Big thing for me when deciding....

If I am at a store... usually the Label draws me in... varietal another Biggie,..... origin? I don't buy wines from some countries....and of course price.... no matter how pretty the bottle or how good everyone rates the wine... if it is out of my price range...I can't get it....

first, i'd look where the wine is produced and then the year. example, a 2008 russian river valley pinot is going to pretty similar regardless of the vineyard.

For me, things like percentages, RS , and the like influence me most. A lot of people on here tend to like their whites less sweet than I do, and their reds more tannic. So those numbers help me figure out if I'm likely to actually enjoy the wine, or if it's being added to a sangria pitcher instead.