5 Tips for Building a Go-To Case of Wine

One of the great pleasures of shopping for wine is building one’s own case. Having 12 bottles on hand may feel like a luxury (or a necessity, depending on your worldview) but there are practical reasons to shop for wine by the case. Some people are surprised to learn that they can actually mix a case, that it doesn’t have to be 12 of the same bottles. 

If you aren’t sure where to start, don’t forget that you’ve got one of the wine world’s best resources at your fingertips. Here’s a snapshot build-a-case guide from Verve Wine’s in-house Master Sommelier, Dustin Wilson.  

Be Ready For Good Food and Friends 

A case of wine makes us all feel like a grown up, prepared for any occasion that calls for wine. Approach this with a classic 4-4-4 mix of red-white-sparkling/rosé as your drawing board. There’s no need to be a stickler, but think about having a variety of wine styles on hand for pairing with your meal kit deliveries and seasonal produce from the market — with a selection of wines in the cupboard you’ll have something to marry with almost any flavor profile. And entertaining! Don’t forget the polished charm of having a choice of bottles for guests that stop by unexpectedly — an occasion we hope to see much more of in 2021. 

Read More: Perfect Pairings  

Cut Down Your Carbon Footprint

When you buy wine by the case, you are decreasing the steps it takes to get bottles from the shop to your door. With by-the-case shipping, packing materials are consolidated, and depending on the circumstances, this can be a highly impactful reduction. The truck (or your car, if that’s the case) only has to make one trip from point A to point B. “Transportation is where wine makes its greatest carbon imprint,” according to an article in Wine Enthusiast. Choose your wines in one sitting and have them arrive at your home in one go, even if you won’t drink them for a while.

Explore Sustainable Wines

Spend Wisely 

Many wineries and retailers offer discounts on multi-bottle purchases. Look for flat-rate or reduced rate shipping on cases — if you are paying a flat shipping fee, optimize it with a loaded purchase rather than paying each time you need a couple of bottles. Free or reduced delivery on larger purchases can sweeten the deal when you buy from a local shop. One more thing to consider: the weather. Case purchases enable you to stock up what you’ll need for the super hot and super cold weeks. You may not want your bubbly rosé traveling in 90 degree heat, but that’s exactly when you’ll want to drink it. How nice to have it already in your wine fridge. 

Daily Drinkers Are Essential! 

Sometimes, you just want to drink without thinking. The team at Verve Wine has a name for wine that falls into this category: Daily Drinkers. Think of these bottles as your house wine — nothing too costly, nothing too rare, nothing too bold. These are the most reliable bottles that suit your taste and budget to a T. You know you can count on them, so why not buy them case-style? If you are truly serious about living this way (and why wouldn’t you be) get a Daily Drinker case in each category — red, white, rosé, and bubbly. Hint: there are more excellent under-$30 bottles out there than you think, a sweet spot price point for this project.

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Get White Glove Service

Any time you are at Verve Wine, simply ask one of us to help you build a case. A conversation about what you like, your budget, and your needs will result in a set of 12 wines curated just for you. And for a limited time, personal shopping appointments are available in NYC, San Francisco, and Chicago, granting you a socially-distant experience with local team members, and plenty of time to browse without pressure. And questions are good — we love them! Everyone is welcome at Verve Wine, from first-time wine buyers to collectors. Ask away and we’ll tell you what we know, simple as that!

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