Same wine. Same vintage. Two different prices.
That is the quiet reality of buying wine by the case, and once you see the numbers side by side, it is difficult to unsee them. Most people assume case buying is for restaurants, weddings, or serious collectors. In practice, it is simply the cheaper way to buy the wine you already drink.
Here is the short answer before we go further. On wines we offer in both formats, the case price usually works out around 10% to 25% less per bottle than buying singles. Take the Calusari, Pinot Grigio, Feteasca Alba, Viile Timisului, Romania, 2025 (Case). The case of 6 x 75cl is £52.95, and the page lists it at £8.82 per bottle. The same wine bought as a single bottle is £9.95. That is £1.13 saved on every bottle, or £6.75 across the case.
That Calusari is made by Cramele Recas in Romania's Viile Timisului region, blends Pinot Grigio with Feteasca Alba at 12% ABV, sits under screw cap, and is marked vegan and vegetarian friendly. It is a useful benchmark, because the same comparison works on any wine we list in both formats.
When a case makes sense, and when a single bottle is smarter
A case is the obvious choice for a wine you already drink regularly. The figure beneath every case price, labelled "Sold by the Case Only, Price Per Bottle", tells you immediately what you are paying against the single-bottle listing. The saving is not automatic on every wine, which is why that line is worth a glance before you buy.
Cases also make sense when you need volume rather than variety: a party or a family gathering, where a case of six or twelve covers the evening without a second order.
Then there are wines where the case is the only route. Much of our range is sold by the case only, stated plainly on the product page, so if a particular producer or vintage has caught your eye, that is simply how you buy it.
A single bottle is the smarter move in two situations: when you are meeting a producer for the first time, and both formats are listed, and when you genuinely only need one, for a gift or a single evening.
Timing matters as well. Lead times differ by wine, from next business day on selected bottles through to seven to ten business days on others, so check the product page before you commit to a date.
Four worked examples, four budgets
Everyday drinking: Les Mougeottes, Pinot Noir, 2025 (Languedoc-Roussillon)
Black cherry and raspberry on the nose, precise rather than showy, then a medium body, sappy red fruit and a long, silky close.
The Les Mougeottes, Pinot Noir, 2025 (Case) is 13% ABV under screw cap, sold as a case of 6 x 75cl at £59.95, or £9.99 per bottle, against £12.95 for a single bottle. That is £2.96 off each bottle and £17.75 across the case, close to 23%. Its product page also lists it for next business day delivery if ordered by 12 noon.
The twelve-bottle case: McHenry Hohnen Vintners, Rocky Road Cabernet Sauvignon, 2022 (Margaret River)
An easy-drinking take on a regional classic, showing dark fruit, silky tannins and a savoury edge.
This is the widest gap we found among our dual-format wines. The Rocky Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (Case) comes from Margaret River in Western Australia at 13.5% ABV, under screw cap, vegan and vegetarian friendly. A case of 12 x 75cl is £214.95, listed at £17.91 per bottle, against £23.95 as a single. That is £6.04 saved per bottle and £72.45 across the twelve, just over 25%. Lead time is three to five business days.
The weekend upgrade: Fontodi, Chianti Classico, 2022 (Tuscany)
Sour cherry and plum give way to leather and tobacco, and the palate is deep and juicy, with supple tannins, a silky texture and a mineral note on the finish.
The Fontodi, Chianti Classico, 2022 (Case) is Sangiovese at 14.5% ABV under natural cork, marked organic and vegetarian. A case of 6 x 75cl is £179.95, or £29.99 per bottle, against £36.95 for a single bottle. That saves £6.96 a bottle and £41.75 across the case, a little under 19%.
The serious end: La Spinetta, Barbaresco, Vigneto Valeirano, 2017 (Piemonte)
Black pepper, blackberry and cassis sit alongside coffee, tobacco, vanilla and a floral lift. It is full-bodied and dry, noticeably oaked and still firmly tannic, with a long finish.
The La Spinetta, Barbaresco, Vigneto Valeirano, 2017 (Case) is 14.5% ABV under natural cork, vegan and vegetarian-friendly. A case of 6 x 75cl is £729.95, listed at £121.65 per bottle, against £150.00 for a single bottle. You save £28.35 per bottle and £170.05 across the case.
The percentage varies from wine to wine. What changes most as you move up the range is the amount of money involved.
The other saving most people miss
Per-bottle price is only half the story. Delivery charges are the rest.
UK mainland delivery, excluding the Scottish Highlands, starts from £7.95 for orders up to £200 and is free on orders over £200. A single case of the Fontodi at £179.95 sits just under that line; adding one case of the Calusari takes the order to £232.90 and clears it. Delivery to the Scottish Islands and Northern Ireland starts from £16.95; free delivery does not apply to Craft Beers and Ciders or to non-mainland UK addresses, and we are currently unable to deliver outside the UK and Channel Islands.
Most orders are delivered within 3 to 5 working days, with the exact lead time shown on each product page. Deliveries are made Monday to Friday, and selected wines are available for Next Business Day Delivery when ordered by 12 noon, Monday to Friday. Northern Ireland and some parts of the Scottish Highlands and Islands operate on a 2-working-day service instead.
If you are local, you can avoid the delivery charge entirely. We offer a free Click and Collect service from our store in Portobello, Edinburgh, EH15 1AR: select "Collect from store" at checkout, and you will be notified by email or text once your order is ready.
Practical tips before you buy a case
Read the per-bottle line first - it is the number that tells you whether the case beats singles on that particular wine.
Check the case size - six and twelve bottles look similar on a page but are very different commitments.
Check the lead time - ours range from next business day on selected wines to seven to ten business days, so order early for anything time-sensitive.
Try before you commit - where a wine is offered as a single bottle, that is the low-risk way to meet a new producer, then move up to the case once you know you like it.
Store the spares properly - keep unopened bottles in a cool, dark place away from direct light.
Common questions about buying wine by the case
How much do you save buying wine by the case?
Usually somewhere between 10% and 25% per bottle. Les Mougeottes Pinot Noir 2025 saves £2.96 a bottle, Fontodi Chianti Classico 2022 saves £6.96, and La Spinetta Barbaresco Vigneto Valeirano 2017 saves £28.35.
How many bottles are in a case?
Most cases are 6 x 75cl. Some are 12 x 75cl, such as the Rocky Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 at £214.95, and a few come in smaller formats. The Quantity line on each product page confirms it.
Can I buy a single bottle instead?
On some wines, yes, where both a Bottle and a Case version are listed. Much of our range is sold by the case only, which is stated on the product page as "Sold by the Case Only".
Do I get free delivery if I buy a case?
Free delivery applies to UK mainland orders over £200. It does not cover the Scottish Highlands, Craft Beers and Ciders, or non-mainland addresses. Below £200, UK mainland delivery starts from £7.95, and Click and Collect from Portobello is always free.
Can I collect a case in person?
Yes. Free Click and Collect is available from our store at Portobello, Edinburgh, EH15 1AR.
A final thought
Buying wine by the case is rarely about stockpiling. It is about paying less for the wine you were going to drink anyway, and having it in the house when you actually want it.
Find a wine you like, compare the per-bottle figure with the single-bottle price, and let the arithmetic decide. Browse the full range of premium wines to start, and as always, please enjoy wine responsibly.