Most people, when they need a few bottles of wine, just pop down to their local off-licence or supermarket and pick up what they need for the night. But as with many other things, it often makes more sense to buy in bulk.

With Christmas and the millennium approaching, quite a few bottles are likely to be consumed over the festive period and a little advance planning, as well as being good for the pocket, will ensure you are not caught short.

Discounts are widely available for those buying one or more cases of 12 bottles although these vary from supplier to supplier.

Supermarkets tend to offer a free bottle of wine with every case purchased or to sell 12 bottles for the price of 11.

Superquinn, for example, gives customers a free extra bottle with every dozen bought but this does not apply to wines that are on special offer or promotion. In addition, the free bottle is usually restricted to the same style and price range as the dozen purchased.

Superquinn's Mr Michael Donlon says some European wines are now being sold in packages of six and this is proving very popular with consumers. Anyone purchasing two boxes of six qualifies for the free extra bottle, he says.

Off-licences and wine merchants are more likely to give cash discounts, generally ranging from 5 to 10 per cent, regardless of whether the case is mixed or a single type of wine.

Oddbins, for instance, offers a standard discount of 5 per cent on a case of 12 but also offers special deals on some wines by selling seven for the price of six.

Wine consumption in the Republic has soared in recent years. Between 1990 and 1997 the market for table wine almost doubled, while the number of wine drinkers rose by 57 per cent over the period, according to the Wine Development Board.

Some 8.8 litres of wine was drunk per capita last year, a 66 per cent increase over 1993, as more and more people bought wine and not just for immediate consumption. A growing number of people are buying wine and storing it to drink at a later date when it is fully mature.

Those without sufficient space or suitable storage conditions - ideally, a cool, dark place - should check with their local wine merchant who may be able to provide storage facilities or who can point them in the right direction. It usually costs between £3 (€3.81) to £5 to store a case for a year.

Finally, a small number of people are involved in buying wine as an investment but this can be a high-risk business. Wine merchants tell tales of the price of certain sought-after vintages doubling in the course of an afternoon.

The problem, experts say, arises from the fact that the price of wine is largely determined by supply and demand. Good French vintages often fetch astronomical prices simply because they are in such short supply. It can be a tricky area and novices are advised to steer clear.

"Don't invest in wine unless you are a specialist and know what you are doing," says Mr Keith MacCarthy Morrogh, joint managing director with Findlaters Wine Merchants.

He advises consumers to buy wine they want to drink and that they can afford and says there is plenty to choose from.

"There are plenty of fine wines in the £20 to £30 range and they cost even less from New World," Mr MacCarthy Morrogh says.

For those interested in learning more about wine, the Wine Development Board runs a number of courses and can be contacted on 01-280 4666 or by e-mail on winedb@iol.ie