What Makes a Wine Premium? 7 Things to Look For Before You Buy
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What makes a premium wine truly stand out? Here are 7 things to look for before you buy.
Premium wine is one of those phrases that gets used rather liberally.
You'll see it on wine websites. On restaurant lists. On glossy advertisements. Sometimes even on bottles that seem to think a heavier bottle and a gold label automatically make the wine better.
They don't.
And that's the interesting thing about premium wine.
There isn't a magic price point that makes a wine premium.
A £50 bottle isn't automatically better than a £20 bottle. A famous name doesn't guarantee a great bottle. And spending more doesn't necessarily mean you'll enjoy the wine more.
So what actually makes a wine premium?
At Wineslut, these are the things we'd look for.
1. The producer matters
Before worrying about the price, grape or fancy label, find out who made the wine.
A producer's experience, philosophy, vineyard practices and approach to winemaking can have an enormous influence on the finished bottle.
Some producers are making wine on an enormous commercial scale.
Others are working with small vineyards, lower yields and a much more hands-on approach.
Neither automatically means better.
But knowing the producer gives you context.
A good wine merchant should be able to tell you why a particular producer is worth your attention.
That's something we care about at Wineslut.
We're interested in the people behind the bottle.
2. Where the grapes are grown matters
Wine starts in the vineyard.
Climate, soil, altitude, exposure and rainfall all influence the grapes before they ever reach the winery.
This is part of what wine lovers mean when they talk about terroir.
It's a rather grand French word, but the basic idea is simple:
Where a wine comes from helps shape how it tastes.
A cool-climate vineyard may produce wines with more freshness and acidity.
A warmer climate can produce riper fruit and fuller-bodied wines.
A vineyard at altitude can behave differently from one near sea level.
These differences are part of what makes wine so fascinating.
3. Yield and attention to detail can make a difference
Not every grape grown in a vineyard ends up in the bottle.
Some producers deliberately keep yields lower, meaning fewer grapes are harvested from each vine.
Why?
Producers can focus more on the fruit by prioritizing quality over high production volume.
It isn't a guarantee of quality, but it can be one piece of the puzzle.
The same goes for everything that happens in the vineyard.
Hand harvesting.
Careful selection.
Sustainable farming.
Old vines.
Small parcels.
These details can all contribute to the character of a wine.
4. Winemaking matters too
Once the grapes arrive at the winery, the producer still has plenty of decisions to make.
Fermentation.
Temperature.
Yeast.
Oak.
Ageing.
Blending.
Filtration.
Bottling.
Every decision can influence the final wine.
Some producers want to make a wine that expresses the vineyard as clearly as possible.
Others have a particular style they want to create.
Neither approach is automatically right.
The important thing is that the winemaking suits the wine.
5. Complexity is more interesting than simply being powerful
One of the biggest misconceptions about premium wine is that it should be big, rich and powerful.
Not necessarily.
Some of the world's most highly regarded wines are incredibly delicate.
What they can have instead is complexity.
You might taste fruit first.
Then something floral.
Then spice.
Then earthiness.
Then a different flavour as the wine opens in the glass.
The wine changes.
That's complexity.
And it's one of the reasons a genuinely interesting bottle can keep you coming back for another glass.
Premium doesn't have to shout.
Sometimes it whispers.
6. Balance is everything
This might be the least glamorous word in wine, but it's one of the most important.
Balance.
A great wine needs its different components to work together.
Fruit.
Acidity.
Alcohol.
Tannin.
Sweetness.
Body.
Oak, where appropriate.
Nothing should feel completely out of place.
A wine can be powerful without being heavy.
Fresh without being sharp.
Rich without being clumsy.
And elegant without being boring.
When everything works together, the wine feels effortless.
That's usually a very good sign.
7. The most important thing is whether it's actually good
Here's where we come back to the beginning.
You can have the perfect vineyard.
A famous producer.
Old vines.
Hand harvesting.
Oak ageing.
A beautiful label.
And a price tag that requires a small lie-down.
None of it matters if the wine isn't enjoyable.
Wine is ultimately about what's in the glass.
Do you want another glass?
That's a pretty good test.
And that's why we don't think buying premium wine should involve blindly chasing famous names or expensive bottles.
It should involve finding wines that are well made, distinctive, interesting and worth drinking.
So, is expensive wine premium wine?
Not necessarily.
Price can reflect many things:
- Land costs
- Production costs
- Ageing
- Scarcity
- Reputation
- Demand
- Packaging
- Transport
- Taxes
- Import costs
Some wines are expensive because they're genuinely exceptional.
Others are expensive because lots of people want them.
And some brilliant wines simply haven't become fashionable yet.
That's where independent wine producers can get particularly interesting.
You can sometimes find serious quality without paying entirely for the name on the label.
What about the bottle?
This deserves a mention.
Because we've all seen them.
Heavy glass.
Foil capsule.
Gold lettering.
A label that looks like it belongs in a country house library.
It might be brilliant.
It might also be marketing.
Don't judge the wine by the weight of the bottle.
A beautifully presented wine can be excellent, but packaging isn't proof of what's inside.
Responsible producers are reducing unnecessary packaging. They also lower the environmental impact of production and transport.
The bottle doesn't need to impress you.
The wine does.
Does premium always mean better?
Here's the slightly awkward answer:
Better for whom?
Wine is subjective.
One person's dream bottle is another person's "I'll have a beer".
A £15 bottle you love is more valuable than a £100 bottle that leaves you cold.
That's why we prefer the idea of better wine rather than simply more expensive wine.
Better for the occasion.
Better with the food.
Better for your taste.
Better because you've discovered something new.
How to spot a premium wine when buying online
If you're shopping online, you don't have the advantage of holding the bottle and reading the back label in person.
So look for information.
A good wine listing should tell you:
WHO
Who made it?
WHERE
Where was it produced?
WHAT
Which grapes are involved?
HOW
How was it made or aged?
WHY
Why is the wine worth your attention?
If a wine merchant can't tell you much beyond:
"Rich, smooth and delicious!"
you probably haven't been given enough information to make an informed choice.
This is where Wineslut comes in
We don't want Wineslut to be another website with thousands of bottles and very little to say about them.
We're interested in the stories behind the wines.
The producers.
The places.
The grapes.
The decisions that make each bottle what it is.
We search for wines from independent producers and smaller vineyards that we think are worth discovering.
Some are familiar grapes from unexpected places.
Some are from regions you might never have considered.
Some will become instant favourites.
And some might completely surprise you.
That's the fun of wine.
So what should you look for?
If you're trying to decide whether a wine is genuinely worth buying, forget the gold foil for a moment.
Ask:
Who made it?
Where did it come from?
How was it made?
Does the producer have something interesting to say?
Does the wine have character?
Does the price make sense for what's in the bottle?
And most importantly:
Would you actually like to drink it?
If the answer is yes, you're onto something.
The Wineslut verdict
Premium wine isn't about showing off.
It isn't about knowing the right pronunciation of every French appellation.
And it definitely isn't about spending the most money in the room.
It's about finding good wine made by people who care about what goes into the bottle.
Sometimes that means spending more.
Sometimes it doesn't.
The best bottle is often simply the one that makes you reach for another glass.
That's what we're looking for at Wineslut.
Good wine. No nonsense.
For the love of good.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a premium wine?
Premium wine is generally associated with quality, provenance, careful production and distinctive character rather than simply price. The producer, vineyard, winemaking, balance and complexity can all contribute.
Is premium wine always expensive?
No. While some premium wines command high prices because of scarcity, reputation or production costs, price alone doesn't determine quality.
What is the difference between expensive wine and premium wine?
Expensive wine costs more. Premium wine is generally positioned around quality, provenance, production and character. The two aren't necessarily the same thing.
Are small wine producers better?
Not automatically. However, independent producers can offer distinctive wines and more individual styles that are worth discovering.
How can I tell if a wine is good before buying it online?
Look for information about the producer, region, grapes, winemaking and style. Reviews and recommendations can also help, but ultimately taste is personal.
Does a heavier wine bottle mean better wine?
No. Bottle weight and packaging aren't reliable indicators of wine quality.