Buying Wines Online with Ideal Wine Company

The emergence of digital technologies have changed the way we shop. Data from Rabobank suggests that increasingly, we Brits are buying wines online. If you’re looking for a cost-effect wine e-retailer, think about coming to the Ideal Wine Company.

Selecting your vintage

Ideal Wine Company’s online service is incredibly easy to use. All you have to do is head to our website, where you can search for your chosen vintage by region. We feature bottles from some of the most celebrated wine making regions on earth, from old world places like Bordeaux and Italy to new world areas such as California and Australia. You can also find great Champagnes, Cognacs and Ports.

All of the regions featured by Ideal Wine Company are listed on the left-hand side of our website. Click on your desired region and you will be presented with the bottles produced in this area which you can buy from us. Then all you have to do is click your chosen bottle and you will be brought to a page which lists its price and features a picture of the vintage. By hovering your cursor over the picture, you can see an enlarged version of the image, which will allow you to read the bottle’s label.

Buy your wine

Once you’ve selected your vintage, you can buy it quite easily. Let’s say you wanted to purchase the Chateau Petrus 2001, a rich red Bordeaux boasting hints of vanilla, blackcurrants and truffles. Head to this wine’s page, click the ‘buy button’ and this fine vintage will be added to your shopping basket.

After you’ve filled your shopping basket, you can head to Ideal Wine Company’s ‘checkout;’ this button is listed on the left-hand side of our website. Here, you can submit your payment in order to complete your purchase. Note that when you reach the checkout you will also need to utilise our first-rate delivery service, which will ensure your chosen bottles are brought straight to your door!

You will need to know how to pay for your Ideal Wine Company purchase to complete this process. We accept three forms of payment; credit/debit card, bank transfer and cheques. Note that we accept all major credit and debit cards however, any product paid for via card must be delivered to the billing address. There is a 2.5% surcharge for credit card payments and a 3.5% charge for Amex cards, but there is no charge if you pay via debit card.

Enjoy your wine!

It really is that simple! After you have completed the process of buying wines online with Ideal Wine Company, you can sit back and relax. Once your chosen vintages have been delivered, you can crack open a bottle, pour yourself a nice glass and indulge in a fine wine your taste buds are sure to love! 

Explaining the Ideal Wine Company's Fine Wine Delivery Service

We always strive to ensure you receive outstanding service when you purchase a bottle of luxury wine from the Ideal Wine Company. As part of our commitment to excellence, we have a first-rate fine wine delivery service. Road on for more details.

Buying wine online

Data from Rabobank, a financial services group, indicates that people across the UK are increasingly choosing to buy wine online. It’s not hard to see why. E-commerce channels provide consumers with convenience, allowing them to make purchases from the comfort of their own homes.

If you’re looking for an online fine wine retailer, think about purchasing your next luxury vintage from the Ideal Wine Company. We sell bottles produced in some of the most prominent wine making regions on earth, from old world areas like Bordeaux, to emerging new world regions like California.

Fine wine delivery

When you make a purchase from us, you will need to use our fine wine delivery service, where we arrange for your bottles to be sent right to your doorstep. Our deliveries take place between 8am and 5pm on weekdays. No deliveries can be made on a weekend.

There is a charge attached to the Ideal Wine Company fine wine delivery service. We should note that the cost listed in this article is based on UK addresses only, so prices may vary for delivery to non-UK addresses and import duty may apply. We don’t currently deliver overseas. Our minimum delivery charge is a bank balance friendly £15 and this will allow for up to 12 bottles of your favourite tipple to be sent direct to you.

Here at the Ideal Wine Company, we also buy fine wine from consumers, allowing us to widen the variety of products available to our customers. We should note that if we buy a bottle of wine from you, we won’t charge you for collection, ensuring you truly reap the benefits of the sale. It’s important to note however that if the wine you are transferring to us is in a bonded warehouse account, you may be charged a fee by your warehouse.

Value for money

The Ideal Wine Company is committed to providing real value for money. Our fine wine delivery service ensures you receive your purchase conveniently, without having to break the bank! For instance if you buy three bottles of Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT 1990 from us– a great Italian red wine by the way, you can have them delivered straight to you for just £15!

Study Reveals Most Expensive Cities to Buy a Glass of Wine

The results of a new study should prove invaluable to wine tourists. The research has shown the five most expensive cities on earth to buy a glass of wine.

Wine travel

Travelling the world to experience different wine cultures can be an incredibly fruitful endeavour. It can allow you to learn more about grape production, give you the opportunity to sample local varietals and provide you with the chance to visit some of the most famous wine bars on earth. 

Ideal Wine Company previously revealed what we believe are the top five wine destinations of 2016. They included fabulous metropolises such as Porto, the global capital for the Port wine industry and Hong Kong, where you can find some of the most breath-taking Bordeaux's you’ll ever taste.

Expensive cities

The latest version of The Economist’s bi-annual ‘cost of living report’ has shown which cities have the most expensive wine prices. Online industry portal The Drinks Business explains that this study determines a city’s overall cost of listing by considering over 50,000 individual prices throughout more than 400 products and services.

The report looked at everything from the cost of pint of milk to the price of a bottle of wine. Through this analysis the research discovered that overall, Singapore is the most expensive city in the world. This is the third year in a row the South East Asian metropolis has earned this title, “but its lead over the next two cities in the ranking has nearly evaporated.”

Further analysis

Continuing, the report writes: “Zurich and Hong Kong follow closely in joint second place, with Hong Kong climbing seven places up the ranking in the last 12 months. London, New York and Los Angeles also move up the ranking to 6th, 7th and 8th place, respectively, displacing Sydney, Melbourne and Oslo from the ten most expensive cities.

“New York and Los Angeles move up the ranking because of currency headwinds rather than significant local price rises. In fact, the opposite may be true. With the falling cost of oil and a strong US dollar pushing down prices, local inflation has been relatively low across the US. Despite this, New York is in its highest global position since 2002 and has risen by some 42 places up the cost of living ranking since 2011, when it was barely among the 50 most expensive cities, let alone the top ten.”

Take it online

Rather than buying a glass of wine, you may wish to take the more cost effective option of purchasing a bottle online. Figures from Rabobank, a financial services company, suggest that Britons are increasingly buying wine online. At online wine retailer Ideal Wine Company, you can find a great selection of Bordeauxs for prices your wallet is sure to love! 

Celebrate Pi Day with these wine and pie pairings

PiDay is officially upon us. This event may be designed to celebrate the mathematical concept of ‘pi,’ but a lot of people mark it by tucking into a nice tasty ‘pie’ instead. If you want to team one of these gorgeous pastries with wine to create a true culinary experience, stick around. The Ideal Wine Company reveals which wines to pair with some of your favourite pies.

Roast Vegetable pies

This pastry dish can be really varied, so the bottles you choose should depend on your roast vegetable pie’s main ingredients. If it contains things like red onions or coriander, go for a light white. A Riesling or a Chenin Blanc would work really well here. However, a Rhône-style Syrah, like the Hermitage La Chapelle 1985, works fantastically if your pie has elements such as cumin and sweet potatoes.

Chicken pot pies

A total classic, chicken pot pie never gets old. However, if you want to add a new twist to this favourite and pair it with wine, opt for a dry white. This will really complement the chicken. If you pour yourself a glass of Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc before you tuck into your chicken pot pie, you’ll give yourself a treat your taste buds are sure to thank you for!

Steak and kidney pie

These pies can be really weighty, so you might want to go for a heavy wine to achieve the right balance. Steak and kidney pie tastes wonderful with full-bodied reds, particularly those produced in Bordeaux. We’d suggest you buy the Chateau Palmer 1989 here. Produced in Bordeaux’s illustrious Medoc region, this bottle boasts the unique character needed to set off a steak and kidney pie!

Apple pie

Most people say that sweet pies should be paired with dessert wines. This can work well but if you want to be more adventurous, try a Port instead. The caramel-infused flavour of a decent Port basically makes apple pie taste like caramel apples, which is great if you have a sweet tooth! The Fonsecas Finest 1977 Vintage Port, which you can purchase from us, would serve as the perfect choice here.

Experiment with pi

We’ve only just scratched the surface. Pie is a very versatile dish - there are so many kinds! Whatever kind of wine you love, there will be a pie somewhere that matches it; you just have to find the right one! Instead of doing sums this Pi Day, why don’t you do some experimenting, so you can find the right wine and pie pairing for your taste buds! 

Which wines are good for Easter?

Easter’s fast approaching. Now would be a good time to think about which wines you want for the occasion. Whether having a meal with loved ones or simply enjoying an Easter egg to yourself, Ideal Wine discuss the perfect wine accompaniment.  

Pair with chocolate

You’re never too old for an Easter egg, so if you’re looking for wines to drink this Easter you might want to opt for vintages that taste amazing with chocolate. We’d suggest that you learn the key rules of pairing wine with chocolate, so you select a vintage that’ll really complement your Easter eggs.

For example the darker the chocolate, the darker your wine should be. Therefore if your Easter egg has a high cocoa content, you might want to team it with the Chateau Lafleur 1990, which you can purchase from the Ideal Wine Company. The subtle complexities of this robust Bordeaux red will highlight the rich flavours of the chocolate, providing you with a great Easter treat!

Cater to your meal

If you’re holding a family gathering this Easter, you might want to pick a wine that’ll complement your Easter Sunday meal. Some people opt for ham on this family occasion and if you’re planning to do the same, you may want to go for a Riesling-style dry white. These vintages boast enough acidity to bring out the best qualities of ham, without compromising its flavour.

But spring is the time of re-birth, so many people choose to serve lamb on Easter Sunday. If you’re planning on lamb, you may want to pair this succulent meat with wines that boast the fruity hints and acid levels required to highlight its mouth-watering flavours. Reds – especially from Burgundy or the Rhone Valley – tend to go well with lamb. We’d suggest you buy the Le Corton 2002, a rich Burgundy red, if you’re thinking of serving lamb this Easter.

Push the boat out

But this holiday only comes around once a year, so which wines should you select if you really want to push the boat out this Easter? We’d advise you to go for Champagne – this French tipple just screams luxury, making it the perfect choice if you want to celebrate this holiday with style!

If you want to find a Champagne that’ll work well for Easter, but won’t break the bank, visit the Ideal Wine Company website’s Occasion Wines Page. Here, we list the outstanding vintages you can use to ring in the special events of your life. For example, here you can find the Dom Perignon Rose 1996; this gorgeous pink sparkling wine contains a heady array of rich fruity flavours. It’s go down a treat with your family when you serve it to them this Easter! 

How Much Wine Should You Pour in a Glass?

Do you want to get the most out of all your favourite wines? If so stick around, as the Ideal Wine Company asks: how much wine should you pour in a glass?

Complex tipple

Wine boasts so much variety; it’s produced from a wide range of grapes and each type of wine contains a unique balance of wonderful flavours. For instance, if you opt for hearty Pinot Noir you might expect to pick out hints of mushroom, tobacco or caramel as your sip.

Knowledge is power; if you know about wine, you can determine how to draw out its heady mix of flavours as you drink. It’s in your best interest, for example, to pour your favourite tipple into the right glass, because this really matters. A study carried out by Tokyo Medical and Dental University scientists found that the right wine glass filters ethanol out of the product, so you can really appreciate a wine’s amazing aromas and flavours as you consume.

Pouring advice

Also, we’d advise you to ask yourself; how much wine should you pour in a glass? It may seem pointless, but this is really important. Pour too much and you won’t be able to swirl the drink, a great way of unlocking its vibrant flavours and aromas, without spilling it.

Bustle writes that most experts believe that the ideal wine serving is roughly five to six ounces. This sounds good in theory, but those five to six ounces can look very different, depending on the size and shape of glass you’re using. If you’re using smaller wine glasses you may end up pouring way too much!

As a rule of thumb, an expert at Wine Spectator suggests that a wine glass “should be no more than a third full.” This gives you plenty of room to swirl the tipple in the glass without spilling it all over your carpets! It also allows you to dip your nose into the glass and a take a good sniff, so you can enjoy your tipple’s wonderful aromas before you drink!

Test your knowledge

Now you know how much wine you should pour into your new glass, you might want to try out your knowledge by serving yourself a nice glass of red! We’d suggest you buy the Chateau Cheval Blanc 1981 from the Ideal Wine Company for your experiment. This rich, complex Bordeaux red will delight your taste buds with every sip! 

Five Tips for Choosing Wine for Your Wedding

A new study from events company Chillisauce shows that Valentine’s Day is the second most popular time of the year to propose marriage, after Christmas Eve. If you popped the question to your loved one this Valentine’s, you might want to start thinking which wines you’ll have on your big day. Here comes the Ideal Wine Company to the rescue, with five tips for choosing wine for your wedding.

Buy enough

First, you need to make sure you have enough wine for all your guests. Wine buffs estimate that you can pour six glasses of wine and eight flutes of Champagne per bottle. Multiply these by the number of guests you’re inviting and you’ll know how much wine you need for your wedding!

Check with your venue

Wedding venues can set you back a pretty penny, so you might as well get the most out of your investment. See whether they offer wine or Champagne and if they’ll include them in the price of the venue, so you can make some savings on your wedding day. If you decide on wine from your venue, make sure you taste a selection of drinks from the venue’s wine list so you can see which vintages will work best for your special day!

Think of the season

When are you holding your special day? If you’re hosting it in the colder season you might want to go for a hearty red, as they taste fabulous on a chilly winter’s night. In this instance you might want to buy the Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT 1990 from us. Lighter, more refreshing wines are more suited to the summer, so you might want to opt for a white or a rose in this case.

Focus on the toast

When choosing wine for your wedding, make sure you include something that’s appropriate for a toast. If you learn how to give a toast and do so with an excellent Champagne, you can really set your day off right. Here, you might want to purchase the Dom Perignon 2000, which you can secure from the Ideal Wine Company for just £140 per bottle!

Pair with food

Choose the right wine when pairing it with a meal and it can highlight the cuisine. Therefore, you should use your wedding menu to guide which wines you should serve on your special day. For example if you’re wanting to pair wine and cheese and you’ve opted for a strong Camembert, put it with Champagne. The bubbles in the drink act as the perfect foil to the richness of Camembert, wiping your tongue clean so you crave another bite.

Go for the best

Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life, so you need to go for the best vintages. We’d advise you to choose wine’s from the Ideal Wine Company website’s Occasions page. With a fabulous array of luxury tipples, this page includes a number of bottles that’ll help you celebrate the special days of your life in style!