With $5 Bottles, Walmart Makes Sure You Can Rosé All Day
In June 2018, Walmart—possibly clocking the rise in shoppers sporting "Rosé all day" apparel—debuted Winemakers Selection, a line of affordable yet elegant wines sourced from the U.S., Italy, and France. Though each bottle cost between $10 and $16, the idea was that these wines would "drink like a $30 to $40 bottle of wine," according to Nichole Simpson, Walmart's senior wine buyer. Now, Walmart is introducing the Winemakers Selection Classic Series at even more locations than the original lineup, and at a notably lower price point—just $5 a bottle.
According to a press release, the new series features bottles only from California, and they come in five varieties: Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Rosé, Red Blend, and Cabernet Sauvignon. They'll be available at more than 2,600 Walmart locations, and in addition to the wine itself, Walmart "plans to offer more opportunities for customers to learn about wine and will continue making investments in quality and premiumization while offering everyday low prices our customers expect." Does this mean Walmart shoppers might soon be able to attend in-store tastings hosted by big-box sommeliers? Who knows! Most likely, it means the superstore is looking to lure Trader Joe's wine shoppers with a slick-looking alternative to Two-Buck Chuck. For those of us who can't tell the difference between a $10 and a $50 bottle and mostly just want a glass of something mildly fruity that won't leave us with a headache afterward, this could be a very promising development. And hey, even if you're a wine snob, you're bound to have guests like me over at some point, and trust me, your fine vintages would only go to waste.