Why Wine Tastings can be Good for your Budget

By Ryan Goldsman, CFP®, PAIP®

            This past weekend, I was lucky enough to be invited to a friend’s home for a wine tasting, followed by dinner. In total, eight people were invited (four couples), and the requirement was for each individual to bring a bottle of wine, preferably red, between $20 and $30. In total there would be eight bottles.

            Once we all arrived, the hosts welcomed us with a glass of white wine, followed by four different glasses of lighter drinking wine. Afterwards, we began enjoying dinner and enjoyed the remaining three bottles, most of which were heavier wines.

            Although we appreciated trying the numerous vintages, not every bottle was enjoyable to each guest. Strangely enough though, most couples seemed to agree on what they enjoyed and what they didn’t. Had we not met with such great company and enjoyed the evening, we wouldn’t have been able to make new friends, catch up with old ones, and try so many different wines. To boot, it cost us no more than $50 for the evening.

            Instead of spending money to try numerous different bottles at home (and have it take many more weeks to accomplish), we were able to discover what each of us preferred over one evening. From there, we were able to visit our local wine store and purchase those which we enjoyed the most without wasting money on the vintages that we didn’t.

            For the many Canadians looking to economize as inflation continues to take a bigger bite out of the pie, there’s nothing better than homemade pie (instead of the expensive deserts offered at the restaurant). For many, finding creative ways to enjoy one’s free time within a budget often translates to more creative evenings. Why not enjoy these evenings with good people?