Photo by Tom Arena
In the last century, wine reached new heights as a luxury product. The rise of mass media, from television to magazines and billboards, followed by the internet, social media and influencer culture, ushered in progressively glossier perceptions of “fine wine” and the lifestyle surrounding it. Collectively, these entities defined what many still feel it means to be a wine lover and what makes for a good bottle.
The worst myth of this century-long marketing campaign? That the best wine is the most expensive.
Wine enjoyment should be based on how a wine tastes and your experience with it, not how much it costs. A luxurious bottle could be $700, or it could be $7. A boxed wine at a barbecue can provide just as much enjoyment as, if not more than, a first-growth Bordeaux. Though, to be fair, that scenario depends less on the wine and more on the barbecue.
