These type of infographics reveal the actual cost of the materials used to make a bottle of wine, but fail to take into account everything else (similar to that forwarded email about the cost of the actual active ingredients in Medication), like the overhead of the winery including building/office cost, staff salaries and benefits, marketing, distribution mark up, taxes, and so on. However, it does reveal how all these years Fred Franzia has been able to produce a wine for only $2 and turn a profit. Small margins paired with huge volume and the cheapest materials possible.

So using the average numbers from the graphic, a bottle of Australian wine not aged in Oak costs $3, whereas a California Cabernet aged in Oak runs around $12 to produce.

Would it be cost efficient for more wineries to offer refillable large jugs/bottles for tasting room patrons? The Wine Garage in Calistoga does this already. I tasted the Bordeaux blend from them and it was quite delicious. Could they be on to something?

View [Snooth.com]