Splurge vs.steal: 5 wines that are perfect for any occasion

Master sommelier Keith Goldston shares tips to save on great wine.

HOUSTON – “To me getting a great bottle that costs a lot of money is the easiest thing in the world. Finding a really good wine that over delivers for the price, those are the ones where I go, ‘That’s something special,'” said Keith Goldston, one of 250 people in the world with the prestigious title of master sommelier.

His jobs allows him to travel the world to find the best wines and he lives in Houston, where he curates and manages The Cellar, an intimate wine room at the Post Oak Hotel offering a unique private dining space and wine tasting events for groups of up to 20 people.

Goldston gave us a tour of The Cellar and shared some of his favorite wines, that are absolute steals, including a white wine with a retail price of $12 and a rosé with a retail price of $15.

According to him, a good way to save money on wine is picking out grapes from countries that are off the radar, like Portugal, and even choosing wine that is “out of fashion”.

“To find the value on red wine, go for a grape that’s a little 'maligned' right now and thanks to the movie 'Sideways' years ago, merlot is like in the doghouse. But the great thing is, what merlots are left, they are really good,” he said.

If you can afford to splurge for an upcoming special occasion, Goldston suggests going for a Nebbiolo grape for a red wine or a Champagne from a big house, like Krug.

To see his recommendations, watch the video above.

The master sommelier is leading The Cellar’s exclusive dinners, the “Sommelier Series,” which will take guest on a journey through some of the world’s greatest wines and wine regions.

And for more information about the “Sommelier Series,” click here.