Buying direct

Europe has been far slower to develop the commercial possibilities of direct sales than the New World where the practice is highly developed, particularly in California. Much depends on the size of the winery - a small winery may have no facilities to sell directly to the public and may choose to sell by mail order and to dealers, but most medium or large wineries have well-equipped tasting rooms.

Not all wineries, however, do allow you to buy the wines they produce. For example, in Burgundy, France or Piedmont, Italy, the best estates tend to sell out quickly to established customers; they may be happy to show you around, but they will not be able to sell you wine. In Bordeaux, most wine is sold to négoçiants and cannot be bought directly from producers. So before making a trip to a winery or château, check that the wine is for sale.