Hazy Memories of Strawberry Hill

Not long ago, I asked a friend why we drank Boone’s Farm in high school. “Because we couldn’t afford anything else,” he replied—an answer I was somewhat relieved to hear, because at least it provided a rationale for an otherwise irrational act. Back in the day, Boone’s Farm cost a dollar a bottle. Bear in mind that we’re talking about a 1972 dollar, which is the equivalent of five bucks and change today. However: If wine-searcher.com is a reliable guide, a bottle of Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill today costs anywhere from $2.79 a bottle in Sacramento to—dig this—$6.94 a bottle in Saratoga, NY. But that number is an outlier. The typical highest price is $4.99 a bottle… read more >