Wine Snobs

I had dinner last night with some friends. A few were in the wine business like me, and one person was not in the business but is an avid wine drinker.
She said she feels overwhelmed and under-informed about wine and she makes jokes about her 'fancy pants' friends who work in the wine business.

The elitism surrounding wine is dissipating slowly. It is an organic outcome of the millions of Millenials and women who have become regular wine drinkers.
Wine consumption is no longer the exclusive domain of older white males.

Savvy wine producers and marketers have taken note. They are starting to listen, even if many companies haven't quite nailed how to communicate with these powerful demographics as of yet.

My suggestion is to include these groups in your process, don't sit around your conference room theorizing about what Millenials and female consumers want...have them represented in your company. Your bank account will thank you.

Below is a link to a Devour TV interview with the authors of The Wine Snobs Dictionary. I really like some of the content on Devour TV. They keep it short and fresh for the most part. It's a shame they only give links to their videos instead of providing the embed code so we can spread their content around the web with ease.
This book and it's authors will appeal to existing wine snobs who enjoy having a knowing laugh at their own expense.

http://www.devour.tv/video/show/vid/327

The organic trend is official...and growing fast

The growing interest in wines made from organic grapes shows no signs of abating any time soon. Consumers are forcing this niche category's expansion into mainstream territory and savvy winemakers and marketers are paying close attention.

In addition to being listed in Tom Wark's Top Ten Wine Stories for 2008, organic wine has been getting plenty of press lately.

I got this update from Charles Communications today.
"This November our own Kimberly Charles was invited to speak on the top trends in dining, design and drinks for 2009 at the San Francisco Trends Think Tank. In case you missed this event, we wanted to be sure you had access to this great resource. Some of the top trends to watch for in beverages next year include "old is new again" and being green (as in eco-friendly AND budget-friendly). Here are some highlights:

• Going Green "Organic, Biodynamic, Fair Trade and Sustainable offerings are continuing their upswing. It’s becoming more of a standard than a specialty..." "

And this from Capico International.

"In October 2008, the National Restaurant Association surveyed 1,609 American Culinary Federation member chefs, asking them to rate 208 individual food/beverage items, preparation methods and culinary themes as a "hot trend," "yesterday's news," or "perennial favorite" on restaurant menus in 2009.
Various types of alcohol will also heat up restaurant menus next year, both as a cooking ingredient and on the drink menu. Micro-distilled liquor, culinary cocktails (created to complement specific foods and dishes, savory drinks, etc.) and organic wine top the list of trendy alcohol. Among non-alcohol beverages, specialty iced tea, organic coffee and flavored/enhanced water will be the top trends."

After the new year, I will be running feature posts on the wizards behind the curtains, the winemakers and importers who specialize in wines made from organic and biodynamic grapes.

But here's a great wine made from organic grapes for right now.
Jo Landron Muscadet Sevre et Maine Fief du Breil
$15
Refreshing white with cleansing minerality. Big, lush mouthfeel for a Muscadet, with some definite honey and lush melon flavors in the middle, closing with crisp citrus notes.

Organic. Come on, everybody's doing it.

We truly hit the tipping point with organic produce this past year. Due to the power of consumer demand, mainstream and affordable shopping outlets such as WalMart greatly increased their organic produce offerings this past year.
And again, thanks to the forces of the market and natural selection, organic produce has become both less expensive and higher quality.
These are not the days of paying triple cost for a shrunken, worm eaten apple at Wholefoods. Although kudos to Wholefoods for being early supporters of organic produce and products.
No, mainstream grocers around the country have gotten the message loud and clear that Americans want fresh, local, chemical free food at reasonable prices.

Accordingly, wines made from organic grapes have quickly entered the spotlight and have become a category that industry insiders are closely watching.
Along, with their difficult to understand but easy to love cousins, Biodynamic and natural wines.
Every retailer I spoke to this year said they had increased their organic wine offerings. Of course, the restaurant sommeliers often drive new category growth and many have been filling their lists with natural or biodynamic wines for at least two years now.
And yes, much like organic produce, wines made from organic grapes have become higher quality and less expensive.

Perfect example.
Chiusa Grande Tommolo Montepulciano d'Abbruzzo 2006 - great little casual night at home wine. Medium bodied red wine that finishes dry. Good typical Montepulciano style with dark berry flavors. Great with spaghetti with spicy red sauce.
$5 at Trader Joe's!!

This is a good Organic Wine 101 video.

Women & Wine

Yesterday, I was lucky to have lunch with Julie Brosterman, founder of Women & Wine. She is a whirlwind of energy and ideas. Julie is melding her impressive business background with her love for wine.
She has created a wonderful online playground for women to explore wine, food and travel. She caters to the female demographic in a meaningful and entertaining manner.
In other words, she gets it. And all those stuffed suits sitting around corporate marketing offices trying to figure out the female consumer should study her every move....not that I think they will catch up anytime soon.
She says it best in her own words below.

"Traditionally, the world of wine, from making and teaching about it, to shopping for wine in stores and restaurants, has been male dominated - a "men's thing." Yet in the past decade or so, women have become increasingly prominent as winemakers, winery owners, sommeliers and wine educators. And now, for the first time among consumers, women are making 60% of all wine purchases in the United States.

Women & Wine offers women a better way to experience wine, whether shopping for it, connecting with other women about it, entertaining with it, learning about it or visiting destinations, hotels and restaurants that specialize in wine. Through wine and wine-related experiences, Women & Wine invites savvy successful women from 20 somethings to boomers, wine afficionados and novices, to share a lifestyle that values good taste and want to experience the best. In other words, to create a bond while enjoying the best of everything."


Nuff said. Check out the action at Women & Wine.

Sustainable Vine Wine Tours

The folks from Sustainable Vine have a pretty timely business model.

They chauffeur small groups around to several wineries in the Santa Barbara area.
You can meet the winemakers, taste the wines and find out firsthand what organic grape growing and sustainable farm management are all about.

I have not taken the tour yet but plan to soon.
But I will attest that the wineries they have on their itinerary are well worth a visit.

Presidio Winery makes a killer Pinot Noir for the price. Made from organic and biodynamic grapes from Santa Barbara county.
Great everyday drinker with some nice earthy aromas to balance out the bright red currant fruit flavors, just a touch of charcoal on the nose. Great value for the price!
$14

Sustainability and wine

Most of the time, this is the response I get at trade shows when I ask whether they farm organically. "No, but we are sustainable".

This is my internal thought process when they say the above to me.
1. I was asking about the use of chemical pesticides and fungicides on your grapes.
2. What the heck does 'sustainable' mean to that individual winemaker/grapegrower?


There is an interesting article in the North Bay Business Journal on the first Green Wine Summit.

"Next year the wine industry, in conjunction with other specialty crops in the state, will set industry-wide goals for improvement in areas such greenhouse gas reduction, energy efficiency, water use, waste reduction, biodiversity and work force training and retention."


I am a fan of third party verification and environmentally friendly business practices. The California Association of Winegrape Growers and the Wine Institute are set to become those verification engines and are putting finishing touches on a pilot voluntary certification program.

It's about time too. Even enthusiasts like me have become leery of winemakers or their marketers running fast and loose with the definition of sustainability.
And it is not entirely their fault since there has been no attempt at definition until now.


I am all for the intentions behind the 'green' and 'sustainable' movements but they need authentic, credible definitions.

Here is Michael Honig giving his short overview of what sustainable means.

The attack on Biodynamic Wine

The upcoming interview in Decanter with Gerard Depardieu was a perfect example of old school thinking. According to Gerard, if you have money, of course you will chemically treat your vines ( the big implication is that this is much better).
Reminds me of the belief in 1950's America that canned food was better for you because it cost more than fresh!
Mr. Depardieu is correct, chemical based pesticides are expensive to buy and ultimately more expensive for everyone when rain causes the toxic chemicals to spread throughout the surrounding ecosystem.
He also repeats the often heard attack that Biodynamics is a sect or cult of some sort.

I was emailing back and forth earlier this week with a wine industry colleague about this very issue.
I am not a religious person. Organized religion and it's attendant rituals brings me no sense of peace or knowledge. But I duly acknowledge that organized religion has been beneficial for many millions of people around the world.
I try to hope and believe that their religious beliefs appeal to their better or higher selves.
I don't understand it but I believe it is called faith and following one's beliefs ( even if your beliefs seem crazy to a non-believer).

Biodynamics is somewhat similar for me. I don't fully agree with or understand the need for seemingly outlandish rituals but I like the eventual outcome.

Speaking of chemical free grapes. Here is another organic grape goodie to check out.
Champagne Launois Cuvee Reservee Blanc de Blancs Brut $30
Tastes of toasty, yeasty rolls with some delicious pear flavors. Bright mineral finish with a cleansing acidity.