Archive for the 'Industry Issues' Category

These days, everything seems to be a little easier thanks in large part to the internet. What used to take days, weeks, even months of digging through dusty papers and fragile microfiche in the library is now at your fingertips via online archives and resource sites. The phone book I had delivered to my house last week?… a good fire starter considering I have a handy app on my smartphone that doesn’t leave my fingers black. And of course it’s almost too easy keeping up with friends and family through the use of email, blogs and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.

But one of the best reasons to love social media these days is the opportunity to follow people and events all over the world without leaving the comfort of your living room.

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Disclosure—no, not the Demi Moore-Michael Douglas 1994 movie that made Pahlmeyer Chardonnay a star—is one of the buzzwords of the Internet age. Everyone wants it, and everyone seems to feel like they’re not always getting enough of it.

Today, rather than rattling on about what levels of disclosure I feel are appropriate in wine criticism/journalism, I want to know what levels of disclosure you, our readers, expect.

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The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) has recently come up with a PinotG Style Spectrum, which is supposed to tell consumers what kind of Pinot Gris they’re getting, on a scale that ranges from “crisp” to “luscious.” As an industry response to the multitude of Pinot Gris styles now being made in Australia, it makes sense as shorthand, so that prospective purchasers don’t have to actually read descriptive back labels or know how to interpret technical notes.

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One of my favorite things to come out of the rise and proliferation of social media is the online or synchronized tasting. Whether it’s for wine, beer or spirits, online tastings have become one of the best ways to share the same bottle and informative experience with hundreds or even thousands of people simultaneously all over the world. Through the use of networking sites like Facebook and Twitter as well as personal blogs and organizational sites, people can share comments and opinions about a beverage and learn from participating representatives or producers all from the comfort of their home. Aside from being there one on one with the respective producer, what could be better than that?

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I’ve always had a soft spot for Cabernet Franc. To me, it’s one of the more seductively refined yet pronounced grapes used to make great wine. It speaks of its terroir like few others, painting a landscape of its origins through varying characteristics and intensity. It is a significant component to some of the world’s greatest and most sought-after wines, particulary Bordeaux blends, like Château Cheval Blanc and Château Ausone. It can also be used to produce a single-varietal wine, of which there are stunning examples made throughout the world including California, Washington, New York, Italy and Canada, among others. Given its prominence and permeation, why does the grape get such little respect?

It’s time for us all to Franc-ify ourselves. But where to begin?

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A friend sent me a YouTube link to a “Make Your Own Video” skit that hilariously tackles the myth and romance of starting one’s own winery and/or becoming a winemaker.

Once I stopped laughing, I started to really think about what it takes to be happy and successful in those endeavors (other than a ton of money in the case of starting a winery, incredible patience and a work ethic of steel). As the video spoofs, it’s not often about glam and glitter, but a serious, grass-roots devotion to creating an agricultural product that speaks of the place in which it’s grown and made. That’s no easy feat.

I turned to some sage voices in the wine business to ask them what kind of advice they would impart to a person seriously interested in pursuing a life as a winery owner or a winemaker. Here’s what they said:

“Winemakers and winery owners must have extreme passion and a huge connection to the wine. It’s a tête-à-tête relationship with a living organism, and like a human, it evolves over time. Through this personal, in-depth relationship, you’ll also get to know yourself better. Approach it artistically and do not cling too much to concrete objectives.” -Jean-Charles Boisset, owner, Boisset Family Estates

“Winery ownership is not easy. Pleasurable sometimes – but not always. Glamorous, maybe – but not as a rule. Winery owners are pretty hard. They like to go camping and sleep on the ground. They like spinach. They love young Cabernet Sauvignon. There is always a little pain to go with the pleasure. “ –Mike Ratcliffe, owner Warwick Wine Estate

“Vino is mother nature’s precious gift but to produce a beautiful wine is only one step in the process. The challenge is to get the fruit of your labor onto the tables of wine lovers across the globe. In a world full of great wine and thousands of labels, the focus is not on the wine you want to make but one that consumers will enjoy. Next, how to bring it to market with great value? Making and sharing wine is romantic but achieving distribution, brand building, marketing, and investing time, resources and finances is decidedly less so. Worth the ride? Yes, by the glassful!” –Cristina Mariani-May, owner, Banfi Vintners and Castello Banfi

“My advice to an aspiring winemaker? Know what you want. Are you interested in Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir or Verdelho? To make volumes of good wine; or small amounts of great wine? Do you want to incorporate both the vineyard and the winery? Go work at a winery doing what you aspire to do. And work overseas, too. To an aspiring winery owner: First, know how to sell the wines you want to make. Find the best site to make them. Focus on vineyards that can produce them. Use your capital carefully. Or, buy a winery that does what you want, and manage it carefully. For most, winery success requires persistance.” -Zelma Long, pioneering California winemaker and winemaker for Vilafonté Winery

“You must really love and be passionate about what you do, otherwise when the hours get long you will start to hate the job. It definitely is not a 9-5 job (more of a 5 -9 and that is on a good day in the harvest). Be prepared to put in many extra hours, not only during the vintage (6-8 weeks of the year) or when one needs to blend and bottle a wine, but when marketing and promoting your wines throughout the rest of the year. The upside of the job: all of the above if you love wine and live and breathe it, as well as the ability to travel for and with your wines. We have met wonderful people and made many friends through the common bond of wine. Wine is beautiful! –Cathy Jordan, Owner, Jordan (Jardin) Wines

What in your mind is the right approach for the aspiring winemaker or winery owner? Is it more grit than glamour, or a romantic ride?

As a wine critic, I taste and review a lot of wines without ever seeing the label. What’s in the glass is what counts, and that’s something wine writers have espoused for decades, if not centuries. If a wine tastes good to you, it shouldn’t matter what a critic says…or what the label looks like.

Or does it? Obviously, wineries spend a lot of time, energy and money developing labels for their bottles. The label is the first point of contact for many consumers and gives the producer a unique chance to make an impression.

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Many beloved cocktails have earned their place in our hearts with thanks due to the incredible, edible egg. Classic drinks like the Ramos Gin Fizz get their special frothy texture and creamy meringue flavor from egg whites. So I was floored when I read in the New York Times, that the New York City Department of Health had been cracking down on the use of egg whites in drinks at popular cocktail establishments. While raw egg whites may make some precious sippers squeamish, the drinks simply wouldn’t be the same without them.

The issue occurred at Pegu Club, which serves a drink called the “Earl Grey MarTEAni” made with earl grey-infused gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and raw egg white. The ingredients are clearly listed on the menu, with a warning. Nevertheless, the Department of Health issued Pegu a violation requiring a court appearance, because the bartender failed to explicitly inform the customer about the raw egg whites. Pegu immediately stopped serving a drink they’d served for years, though nobody had ever gotten sick. Other bartenders chimed in with the same reports of serving egg-white- laden drinks for years, with nary a sick patron.

I’d prefer to have laws of full disclosure than to have these beloved concoctions banned entirely. But are they necessary?  How would you feel if you consumed raw egg without your knowledge? The stats say that only 1 in every 20,000 eggs is contaminated with salmonella and some argue that the alcohol in the drink knocks it out before it could cause harm. And it’s not just drinks that use raw egg whites, plenty of sauces do too. What’s next, a hollandaise hysteria?

The issue at Pegu Club made me think about some of the proposed new laws regarding wine labels.  New labeling laws may require wineries to disclose the products used in fining be they egg whites, bentonite, animal gelatin or anything else. This is already the case in Australia, where all allergens are listed on the label.

On the one hand, transparency is a good thing. People with dietary restrictions appreciate having the knowledge to make an informed buying decision. On the other hand, I sympathize with the winemaker who resists sharing too much. Wine is confusing enough to consumers, do we want to scare them away? Plus, changing the labels is expensive.

I’m not sure what the answer is, but I imagine the issue is here to stay. Where do you side? The more info, the better? Or is ignorance bliss?

Wine is one of the few subjects where the story behind the product is as fascinating as the wine itself. Intriguing visionaries, brave business choices, a breakneck pace of dynamic action—the world of wine business is both inspiring and sometimes unbelievable.

Wine itself inspires passion: people love to talk about it, sometimes they travel specifically to learn or experience more, often they immerse themselves in it and often participate in some form as amateurs, whether tasting, making it, or discussing it with friends. But the stories of what goes on beyond the glass can be as integral a part of the enjoyment of wine as what we drink.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine attempts to bridge the gap between pure enthusiasm for wine as a delicious drink and accompaniment to food and the added interest in the wine industry’s news and developments. Sometimes in planning our editorial calendar, the editors and I ask ourselves: are we covering the subject matter well enough by providing our readers with enough direction and information to make informed decisions about what to drink, where to visit and who to see? To what degree are our readers interested in hearing about changes in the wine business world such as acquisitions and mergers or new laws relating to appellations and people in wine?  Is the business of wine as important to our readers as their passion for wine itself? Should we be covering more trade-related subject matter such as Vanity Fair or Sports Illustrated does with their subject matter?

Magazines that are designed to satisfy readers’ wine passion will devote portions of their editorial not only to the nuances and joys of the subject matter but to the behind-the-scenes business aspects of these industries.  It is obvious what fascinates people about these subjects and turns them into fans, but what is it that creates the desire to learn more about the business aspects of the industries?

With a printed magazine we have limited space so we have to pick and choose what we emphasize. I am curious as to what is more important to you when you receive the magazine: the passion for wine (wine recommendations and regional profiles, tastings, food pairing suggestions etc.) or the business of wine?  Should our magazine be hypothetically, 65% consumer- oriented and 35% trade- oriented?

What do you think would be the best balance for our coverage?

Adam Strum is the Founder and Chairman of Wine Enthusiast Companies and Editor and Publisher of Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

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There are not many negatives commonly associated with the job of wine reviewer. Sure, we often walk around with red wine-stained teeth, may develop terrible manners like spitting in front of just about anyone while tasting and perhaps could be a bit of a wine snob on occasion (you’re all thinking, “Me? A wine snob? Never!”… but you know deep down I’m right). But truthfully, the less-than-awesome aspects of the occupation are frequently far outweighed by the delicious, creative and immensely pleasurable task of tasting.

However, while receiving shipments of samples last week, I realized one significant downside that I have never noticed before… I fear that I have lost touch with being a wine consumer. Don’t get me wrong, I do my fair share of consuming, but I don’t buy wine the way that I used to out of sheer lack of necessity for it. Sure, I still buy the special bottle for cellaring here or there, and purchase specific labels for folks as gifts, but I don’t really shop the way that I used to. And I think, for me personally, I might be better off this way.

Wine marketing is something that never really made complete sense to me. It made me feel awkward inside, like a good episode of House or Twin Peaks or the concept of imaginary numbers in math (really… imaginary numbers??? How is that allowed in something as solid and fact-based as math!?!?!). Wine marketing, including packaging and labels, was something that always perplexed me and left me feeling confused and unsettled.

I mean, I get it, people are trying to sell specific products to a certain group of people, but whenever I looked at the products that I assumed I should be interested in, or were clearly directed at my demographic, it just turned me off more. It all just seemed so artificially forced. Take for instance Little Black Dress; the wine is absolutely solid and has even garnered some Best Buy awards from us, but the second I see the fem-centric label and dare to read the back blurb of women-centric verbiage, I can’t help but want to slam the bottle on the ground.

I know I’m not the only one who feels like this, but I also know that there are others who don’t share my nausea in such kitschy marketing. The wine still exists and sells well, right, so obviously people are buying it. But why? I wonder what turns people on to buying products like these; solely because the label says little black dress do women see it and think, “I own a little black dress, so I should like this wine”? Like the Sopranos wines, do people just purchase them because it bears the name of a show they liked? Or are they all just gangster wannabes, trying to get one step closer to being a part of the family and somehow this fulfilled that fantasy for them?

I also know sometimes clever works, because I have purchased those bottles before as well. Arrogant Frog totally makes me laugh at myself for any time even the smallest part of me was behaving like a wine-snob, and at every other stuck-up wino out there too who wouldn’t even dream of drinking such a silly wine with an upright frog in a beret on it (too bad for them – an excellent value wine perfect for company and large dinners). There’s also the Goats do Roam Wine Co, whose adorable plays on words (like Goat-Rotie as opposed to Côte-Rotie and Bored Doe for Bordeaux) are just so fun and clever they make a great choice for gifts or hanging out with friends.

What do you think? What attracts you to purchasing one bottle over another when shopping for wine? Do you like those directed marketing campaigns, or does it more often than not leave you unsettled like me?