Fresh from its recent grand opening, Upland Village Grocery Outlet Bargain Markets, operated by owner Juanito “Tito” Villegas and son Jerome, offers a large selection of interesting wines at prices well below what you might expect.

Taste and value: Some 70 percent of bottles retail for below $5, and others under $10. Selections change often and many labels are from winery overstock productions.

“I’m here looking for imports – we usually carry about 250-plus wines in our stores – some stores a bit less, others a bit more,” said Cameron Wilson, director of wine, beer and spirits. “The majority of the wines we carry are from California, but we also have a robust selection of imported wines as well as some Oregon and Washington wines too.”

“We buy at a deep discount that we pass on to our customers. For that reason, our store selection changes quickly. Our team tastes everything before we buy. We work very hard to make sure that every bottle we sell is in good shape, and is a great value. We stand behind the wines we sell. If a customer is not satisfied, they can bring the bottle back for a refund.”

Jerome Villegas enjoys meeting customers and sharing news about the wines. “It’s always great to learn from this group of wine enthusiasts,” said Jerome. Grocery Outlet makes efforts to support local community charities in Upland and Ontario areas as well.

Shoppers at the two stores – Upland and Ontario Grocery Outlets – find quality and variety: Moscatos for the sweet palates, core varietals (cabernet, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, merlot, pinot noir), popular red blends and sparklers including Prosecco. A recent pleaser is a tasty and simple Bordeaux red (merlot) from Château Moulin de Beausejour, under $8.

Upland Village Grocery Outlet is located at 176 S. Mountain Ave. The Ontario location is 2275 S. Euclid Ave.