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August 17 2010
It’s true; I have never been affected by a wine book as I have been by Terry Theise’s “Reading between the Wines,” a book that invites both searching introspection and external exploration (review here). Therefore, when Theise waxes philosophic about Scheurebe (SHOY-ray-beh) in his book, a heretofore-unknown German varietal wine that has just 4,400 acres under vine in Deutschland, I take the sleuthing challenge.
And, so too should you …
Now, I am not always so moved to search out answers, particularly when you consider that my consumer jade-o-meter realizes that Theise has a stake in inviting intrigue about such things. Yet, when Theise describes Scheurebe in his book as, “… Riesling just after it read the Kama Sutra,” the intrepid wine explorer in me becomes curious.
Then, when Theise notes, “Put another way, (Scheurebe) is what Riesling would be if Riesling were a transvestite. If Riesling expresses all that is Noble and Good, (Scheurebe) offers all that is Dirty and Fun. It is Riesling’s evil, horny twin,” I’m called to action …
And, I’m called to action not because I have a particular fondness for panty hose and transvestites, but because I do have a curiosity about the fringes of societal norms, understanding, expectations and the neglected margins in any subject matter, Adam’s apples, razor burn, lipstick and stilettos notwithstanding. That, and, well, anything that contextualizes wine as more “reverse cowgirl” than “missionary” is intriguing …
The fact is Scheurebe is on the fringe, a niche before anybody knows it is a niche. It’s Harvey Fierstein in Hairspray to the layperson.
Scheurebe might not be as obscure as a transvestite in Indianapolis, but it’s obscure nonetheless … In fact, according to a Google keyword search analysis, the keyword, “Scheurebe wine” garners just 36 global searches a month. And, near as I can tell, the only domestic bottling of this mercurial grape is a late harvest dessert wine from Joseph Phelps. So slight is the awareness of this grape varietal in the pantheon of varietal esoterica, the Wine Century Club, known for highlighting esoteric grape varietals, doesn’t list Scheurebe on its varietal worksheet.
Developed by German viticulturalist Dr. Georg Scheu in 1916 as a cross between Riesling and an unknown wild vine, the science experiment was an attempt at developing cold hardiness by creating a Riesling hybrid.
The resulting wine is aromatic (as you might suspect) and has a reputation for picking up aggressive and unpleasant grapefruit aromas and flavors if picked underripe, or if it’s planted in the wrong location – Riesling sites being the top choice for plantings, obviously a conundrum for a varietal that is scarcely known. It makes little sense to rip and replace the proven for the quirky. That is, unless Theise has his way.
In a Wine & Spirits article by Peter Liem, Theise is quoted as saying, “I liked it from the first sip I had, because I thought there was something joyful in its gaudiness.”
And, indeed, the Scherebe you’re likely to run across would come from Theise’s portfolio, significantly mitigating the chance of picking up a wine that is a drag (pun intended), with the aforementioned under ripe grapefruit notes.
As commerce goes, so to goes plantings. If Theise is successful, he may single handedly create a category of interest amongst wine enthusiasts.
That said, finding this rare German wine is difficult. Based on Theise’s description, you might think you could find the wine in the classifieds of your local alternative weekly. Close, but not quite.
According to Wine-Searcher.com, unless you are a habitué of online wine retailers in NY, NJ and CA, it is doubtful you’ve ever run across a bottle, or seen it at your local bottle shop.
I purchased three different bottles of the reasonably priced wine ($13.99 - $19.99) from Chambers Street Wines in New York City, a wine shop known for its selection of natural, artisanal and quirky wines.
• Darting 2008 Pfalz Durkheimer Spielberg Scheurebe Spatlese ($19.99)
• Gysler 2009 Rheinhessen Scheurebe Halbtrocken ($13.99)
• Geil 2009 Rheinhessen Bechtheimer Heiligkreuz Scheurebe Kabinett ($13.99)
While it’s an outlier to actually review the wines because I have so little frame of historical reference and Theise is a part of the anti-points brigade, suffice to say that Scheurebe merits your own investigation and inquiry making it a wine varietal that is a part of your vocabulary – honeyed, with predominant stone fruit flavors, balancing acid and a subtle herbaceousness that is completely in tune with its larger surroundings.
Scheurebe is, indeed, a wine, that may be, “Riesling after it read the Kama Sutra.” More important (and fun) for the curious wine enthusiast, however, is the ability to describe a wine as, “Riesling’s evil, horny twin” and have the wine deliver for you. Scheurebe does ... in spades ... or pantyhose, as it were.
August 16 2010
Trend watching in the wine world is something of a sport as Sommeliers, writers and pundits observe, parse, distill and then explain what is happening in the wine zeitgeist as the stories develop at the micro-trend level. Reporting on the ripple in the pond, something that can penetrate the wine lover’s consciousness over the coming years as the story grows larger, influencers act as an agent for isolating and highlighting what is next.
Sometimes this subtle focus from influencer’s and wordsmiths is noticed, other times not so much (witness: Riesling’s status as the next big thing for the last decade, consumers never quite receiving the memo). Yet, this never-ending exploration of what’s new and interesting ends up being a self-fueling machine that fosters and builds intriguing storylines until the ideas become acknowledged reality, or are replaced by the new, new thing.
An example in the realm of wine (and an emerging trend to pay attention to) is the contrast between declining Bordeaux wine sales here in the states at the same time that Old World-styled California wines grow in mindshare and sales. I call it the “Nü California” style – fruit forward, food-friendly, and dimensionally blended wines with a component of place evident.
Not only is there a restrained “Old World-ish” style of California wine taking shape, but there are also specific nods that vintners are making to Left and Right Bank-style blends from Bordeaux. Left Bank-style blends lead with Cabernet and Right Bank-style blends lead with Merlot and/or Cabernet Franc.
What we are seeing in a post-Sideways world, related to Right Bank-style wines, are an increase in blends that lead with the formerly forsaken Merlot along with Cab Franc (sometimes taking center stage), despite long ago being given a Scarlet Letter as a, “blending varietal.”
Here are three recent press examples highlighting the emerging trend of Right Bank-influenced wines done in a “Nü California” style (example one, two, and three).
Of course, emerging trends do not occur in a vacuum. Sometimes, they are given lift.
The Meritage Alliance has been working to grow mindshare and influence regarding Bordeaux-style blends since 1988.
Started by a group of winemakers who wanted to acknowledge the vintners art form of blending, paying homage to Bordeaux-style blends, yet creating a new name to be respectful of names and origins, Meritage, a made up combination of the words “merit” and “heritage,” has become wildly popular, joining the English lexicon in ways not normally associated with marketing-oriented naming conventions.
In an interview with Bill Smart, Director of Communications for Dry Creek Vineyard (DCV) and a marketing contributor to The Meritage Alliance helmed on a volunteer basis by Kim Stare Wallace of DCV, he noted:
“(We’d) like to have (wineries) use the term Meritage, whether it’s on their label or not to describe their blend. Using the word Bordeaux to describe these wines is incorrect in my opinion. Sure, the wines incorporate the Bordeaux varieties; however, that is where our similarities with Bordeaux end. We are California wineries, producing wines in our style, to our taste, using the noble Bordeaux variety grapes. In my opinion, the correct name for these wines is Meritage blends or Meritage-style blends.”
With firsthand experience with the Mariner, a consistently fabulous Left Bank-style Meritage blend from DCV, Smart knows that which he speaks …
The Meritage Alliance boasts 220 members in the organization. In 2011, they are poised to launch a consumer-oriented tasting in San Francisco similar to ZAP and the Family Winemakers of California tastings, increasing awareness of Bordeaux-styled California blends as a “Meritage.”
Of course, an emerging trend must have an upstart hero, as well. Within the scope of growing awareness of Meritage blends and the niche of Left and Right Bank-styled wines, a pre-launch wine company called Virage is focusing on Right Bank-styled Nü Californian wines.
Named for the French word meaning a “turn in the road,” that’s exactly what has happened as a former investment banker and assistant to Karen MacNeil, Emily Richer, has swerved right and teamed with winemaker Aaron Pott of Quintessa and Blackbird fame.
Focused on the cooler climate growing areas of Napa Valley, Virage will highlight blends based predominantly on Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
The Virage blend won’t be released until the fall of this year. I received an early, unlabeled bottling from Richer. If early tastings hold true, you’ll be hearing a lot about this upstart. Priced with a value sensibility at $45 a bottle with initial production slated at 900 cases and focused on re-shaping the perception of Napa as a hot weather Cabernet Sauvignon playground, Virage is poised to be a breakout star of 2010.
In addition, unbelievably, the Virage matches up with Pott’ bold quote in the San Francisco Chronicle when he told writer Jon Bonné that, “The best expressions of Cabernet Franc are much more interesting than the best expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon.” The Virage, offering layer upon layer of nuance, is a tapestry compared to a Napa Cabs afghan of primary flavors.
Pay attention to Meritage blends and Left and Right Bank styles coming from California. Below are reviews of the Virage and a Left Bank-styled wine from Napa compatriot Beaucanon.
Illustration #1 and #2 credits: Christophe Vorlet and copyright holder(s)
Interested in California Meritage/Bordeaux blends? Buy Wine Online: Purchase 6 or more bottles and get 50% off shipping with coupon code “grape35”
August 13 2010
There is a cottage industry of people writing self-help books and giving trade show speeches about following your passion. “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life,” goes the mantra. But, if you’re a wine enthusiast is following your passion crazy talk?
In fact, there’s a perfectly easy way to enjoy the fruit of the vine and it doesn’t require masochistic tendencies … it’s mostly at the kitchen table with a glass … as a consumer after work from a day job that presumably pays you commensurate with your capabilities. It’s a lot easier that way, surely.
Yet, the notion of jumping into the wine business has been top of mind lately … I’ve been thinking about it because there are precious few wine enthusiasts who are passionate enough to write online or engage in leading social media activity who don’t have a desire to make their way into the wine business either as a member of the media, on the production side, in marketing, or in the supply-chain.
That’s a lot of people ready to pounce on an opportunity if it presented itself.
Some have acted on it; others are attempting to act on it. I’ve already made a sojourn in and out of the business and I still think about it. It’s the genteel nature, the collegial spirit, the rhythm of the seasons. It’s the unfolding drama of watching something grow from nothing in between bud break and harvest and then turn into something magical during the winter quiet, the end result fostering conviviality and joy.
However, despite the mind’s eye mental picture of idyll, the question about going into the wine business has to be asked: Why invite the agony?
It’s not like it’s easy. In fact, I know it’s hard—harder and less lucrative than the industry and job that most people are coming from.
I’ve been reading the stories about the difficult sales environment that persists for most small vintners.
I’ve been reading the stories and watching acquaintances with marketing chops hang their own shingle.
I’ve been reading the stories about the weather in California and the stress of whether grapes will ripen, Mother Nature’s sub-plot this year.
Privately, I’ve been talking with a Mendocino vineyard owner who has 120 tons of very good fruit ripening at this moment. Its 120 tons that’s separate from what goes into his own luxury wine from the same vineyard—and he can’t find a buyer this year after contracts weren’t renewed.
Production in California is “rightsizing,” as they say.
Here’s the math he gave me:
A ton of Chardonnay costs about $1300 to grow and get to market. If he’s lucky, on a contract, he can sell it for $1100 a ton – it’s a paper loss, but a loss that can be rationalized as profitable against hard costs, but certainly not good business by any standard; it’s not “get ahead” living, more “get by” living.
However, if he makes wine from the tonnage, that creates another set of circumstances that has to be dealt with—there isn’t a market for expanded volume with his luxury label so he has to look at a second label. One ton of grapes will yield about 60 cases. So, our grower/vintner has a potential 7200 cases on his hands. This grower can produce an exceptionally high quality wine from these grapes, but would have to forsake oak barrels for oak by-products. Why oak at all you ask? Because the price point and style of wine that’s selling right now requires it.
If he has $4 in costs per bottle and he sells the wine for $8 a bottle wholesale so the wine can go on the shelf at $12 a bottle he has a chance to earn a nice return on the grapes.
But, here’s the rub. The second label hasn’t been created yet and creating a brand takes time and money. Nor is there a sales channel for this to-be-created wine, either.
This marketing and sales activity is outside of his manpower and capabilities, so he would have to get outside assistance – branding, web development, marketing, sales activity. Those are all costs with uncertain returns.
Of course, forget about bank financing because that has become exceedingly difficult to earn, especially for efforts that can’t be associated with hard assets like land or buildings.
It all adds up to this – take a total loss on the grapes by not doing anything with them OR take a huge financial risk by making wine that doesn’t have a brand and doesn’t have a sales destination.
These sorts of stories aren’t isolated to one person, or one segment of the wine business. Every aspect of the wine business supply-chain has a similar tale of woe where getting ahead of “getting by” meets consequential risk.
Yet, undaunted, the allure of the wine business holds steadfast for most.
Getting into the wine business? Crazy talk? Not unless you have an iron stomach, a penchant for hardship, a love for “poker chips in the middle of the table” risk and an opportunity for success that that gives the house a material edge.
Me? I just might simply open a bottle after a hard day’s work of doing something else, passion notwithstanding.
August 10 2010
On a daily basis the wine world has its own bizarre but true “news of the weird.” It could be another celebrity wine, another wine-related health benefit, or more madcap antics from the French. What we don’t always get however are clear signals that society is careening off the tracks. Without further ado, I present to you two examples of society lurching perilously close to the cliff’s edge.
Wine Flavored Swisher Sweet Cigarillos
Rumor has it that Winston Churchill used to dip his cigars in port. Somehow, I’m guessing that modern day dignitaries aren’t buying up the already flavored Swisher Sweets, though. The only people I know smoking them are wayward Jr. High kids and people that think Purple Haze is something you put in a bong and not on the stereo.
I fancy myself a culturally literate guy even though my frame of reference for these sorts of things ended at the keg in college, and I’m guessing that a Brand Manager at Swisher International determined that women who smoke blunts need a wine flavored cigarillo ... no word on whether James Suckling has bridged his dual passions and reviewed the smoke ...
Psychological Warfare in the HR 5034 Campaign
A couple of months ago, the advertising community had a “great idea” smack to the forehead moment when an enterprising creative talent named Alec Brownstein bought Google adwords next to the names of five Creative Directors at advertising agencies he wanted to work for.
When the Creative Director Googled their name there was a Google ad that said, “Googling yourself is a lot of fun. Hiring me is a lot of fun, too.” The ad linked to Brownstein’s portfolio site. From the five ads, Brownstein had interviews with four of his targets and earned two job offers. He now works for Young & Rubicam, one of the largest agencies on Madison Avenue.
Clever idea, right?
It’s so clever that it has been copied.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about a change in leadership at WineAmerica. At the time, what I alluded to, but didn’t explicitly state is that WineAmerica was getting seriously outworked by Tom Wark, author of Fermentation, wine Public Relations pro and the Executive Director of the Specialty Wine Retailers Association. In the fight against HR 5034 Tom has been a one-man wrecking crew. And, when the dust settles and the HR 5034 story ends happily (hopefully) every wine lover in the country can thank Tom for acting as the pivot in fomenting consumer awareness and coalescing industry wide support.
A guy like Tom, who already wakes each morning with intentions of fighting the good fight for wine shipping, has risen to the occasion in regards to creating awareness around HR 5034.
Other people have noticed, as well.
Without further comment, I’ll direct you to Google in order to do a search for “Tom Wark” and see the Google Adwords that our friends from the National Beer Wholesalers Association have purchased.
if you feel particularly mischievous go ahead and click on the link and charge the NBWA a nickel for the ad placement.
Keep at it Tom. Like a cornerback jamming a wide receiver at the line scrimmage, you’re in their head!
August 9 2010
Last week, Wine Spectator and several international news outlets reported on recent developments in Bordeaux that merit watching.
In a long line of plans and gambits intended to restore worldwide luster to the wine and the brand that is Bordeaux, changes are afoot … again.
In the latest attempt to stanch the bleeding of the diminished value of Bordeaux worldwide (economically and intrinsically), Bordeaux’s Wine Council (CIVB) unveiled a new strategy designed to address the stark dichotomy between the two polar realities of their wine market: the increasing value of classified growths into unobtainable and precious territory (driven by China and Japan), and the rest of their wine which is seemingly viewed like a trip to Great Grandma’s house – interesting as an antiquity, a little dusty, and not entirely contemporary (nor relevant).
Of course, it’s not a marketing program unless it has a name. This one is called, “Bordeaux Tomorrow: The Reconquest” which has a certain James Bond girl double entendre ring to it.
Addressing an issue that has bedeviled French imports since time immemorial, and taking a significant page from the Aussie playbook, Bordeaux’s Wine Council is attempting to thin the herd (so to speak) by reducing poor quality wine at the very low-end while simultaneously stratifying quality into four categories and upping the friendliness of their labeling which is notoriously impenetrable to the casual wine drinker.
If the category development works and the image categories of “Art,” “Exploration,” “Fun” and “Basic” take hold, then the CIVB anticipates that production and revenue will grow correspondingly – 12 percent and 28 percent respectively with the increased revenue attributable to higher price points from higher quality.
According to the Wine Spectator reporting from the CIVB report, the Bordeaux team believes that their image needs to be more “fun,” competing more effectively with New World marketing.
Personally speaking, I view Bordeaux and Old World wines in a similar frame of reference as I do Notre Dame Football – love it or hate it, college football is better off when Notre Dame Football is winning and a part of the national conversation, even if that conversation is side taking. You cannot truly know college football until you know the tradition of Notre Dame. And, despite the polarizing feelings Notre Dame provokes, they make college football better for everybody.
Likewise, the wine world is better off when Bordeaux wine means something to the majority of wine drinkers, and knowing the cradle of the Old World, where Mother’s Milk comes from, is an imperative even if wine drinkers have mixed feelings.
The Bordeaux marketing challenge is daunting, however – particularly in its current construction. With the goals sketched out and determined to be achieved by 2018, is seven years enough time to acquaint wine drinkers with Bordeaux in its complexity, even if distilled into four categories?
The odds are long.
Other countries like Chile, New Zealand, and Argentina aren’t going to roll over. And, this is to say nothing of countries like Greece that want their own U.S. mindshare and slice of the sales pie.
That said, I think the CIVB folks might have their sights on treating symptoms instead of treating the root problem, at least in the states.
While the program is focused on more countries than just the U.S., the challenge state side, in my opinion, is getting wine drinkers to think of Bordeaux and Old World wines as the touchstone – Notre Dame in college football. Anecdotally, the current day reality is actually the reverse of that. Wine drinkers may eventually graduate to French wines, but not before they go through a long list of New World countries.
Therefore, the Bordeaux challenge is to flip that notion and create the impression that a growing interest in wine starts in Bordeaux (or ‘BDX’ as wonks on Robert Parker’s message board call it) and then grows personalized with awareness.
However, the key to doing so is in message simplicity. The French marketing message has always been obfuscated in a maelstrom of mixed priorities.
Take for example the Planet Bordeaux initiative. Intended to bring awareness in the U.S., the goal of the program according to marketing organizers is, “…show Americans that Bordeaux is about more than classified growths and wine reviews. It’s about the people who make the wine, the land that grows it and the lifestyle that surrounds it.”
Of course, these are all good goals, but the way that Planet Bordeaux is doing so is a little incongruent with the message – they are focusing on the “ABC’s” – appellations, blends and class of Bordeaux at reasonable price points. This, of course, doesn’t completely jive with “people,” “land” and “lifestyle.”
I’m hoping for the best for Bordeaux. Any sub-culture is better off when derivations of traditions that are co-opted are balanced by a market understanding that can pay homage to the source material. To paraphrase Terry Theise, the New World is a movie and the Old World is the book the movie is based from – a distilled script from the nuance of a novel. In fact, that’s the Bordeaux marketing message right there. Repeated over and over. Then, let consumers decide whether they want to align themselves with the glamorized Hollywood treatment, or the source material, a classic.
Most would agree that the book is always better than the movie. Let’s hope that the Bordeaux “Reconquest” is able to achieve the same – the wine world will be better off for it.
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