Availability of wines in costa rica

[BARBARA T.]

I know that in some countries, all wine must be imported so it is more expensive. My husband and I are curious if that is the case in Costa Rica. We enjoy a good bottle of wine but don’t know how available or expensive it is there.

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi!

As a wine lover, you might have a tough time in Costa Rica. 🙂

The average Costa Rican just doesn’t drink wine and that’s reflected in what’s available.

The most widely available wines, the ones you’ll find in the regular grocery store, are from Chile and Argentina – most are mid-range or below as far as quality. The price isn’t horrible for those. $6 – $8 and up for a bottle of mass produced but drinkable stuff.

But if you’re into nicer wines from Spain, Italy, France, California… etc… you’ll end up in a specialty shop or grocery store specializing in imported foods (generally in and around the capital San Jose) and there won’t be much selection compared to what you can find in North America. And the price will be about $12 for a decent wine and it just goes up from there.

So in general, less selection and higher prices – though not out of control.

[Author]

Posts