Tag Archives: wine blog

November 10, 2023 · 11:04 AM

Will Wineries/Distributors Listen to Consumer Feedback on Restaurant Wine Service?

Auditorium of Wine2Wine Business Forum

Wine2Wine Symposium Tackling the Difficult Issues

The purpose of this survey was to discover the importance of wine selection and wine lists to the dining experience in North America. The survey results match my understanding of the average consumer at an average white tablecloth dining restaurant here in the U.S. (high-end fine dining is a different category). Why did this feedback take so long? Anyone connected to your local restaurant scene could have shared this information. At least in Italy, the wine industry is attempting to understand what the U.S. wine consumer is asking for. When will the industry in the U.S. follow suit? See if this matches your wishes/wants:

  1. The food menu is the most important factor for a significant majority of respondents (81.13%) when choosing a restaurant.
  2. The wine list is important to a minority of respondents (9.43%) when choosing a restaurant.
  3. Most consumers (95.83%) want to see less than 100 labels on the wine list.
  4. 57% of consumers favor an average price of below $60.
  5. 50% of restaurant workers think chefs create menus without thinking about wine.
  6. Consumers prefer winemakers’ dinners (15.51%) and seated wine and food paring events (18.18%) rather than wine classes (9.63%) and cooking lessons (7.49%)
  7. At wine and food pairing events 40% of respondents thought the pairings weren’t great.

(recent survey on behalf of Quench Magazine discussed at Wine2Wine symposium)

Wine and the Typical U.S. Dining Experience

These answers represent something closer to the typical dining experience in Europe and reflect the disconnect between the U.S. wine industry and the average U.S. consumer. In Europe, the average table wine at under $30 USD/btl is pretty darn good. In the U.S., under $30 USD/btl (roughly $15 USD/btl retail) is typically undrinkable. In my opinion, the lack of focus on quality at this price-point is killing overall demand for wine in the U.S. and causing the current increasing imbalance between production and consumption. The only demand growth in the U.S. marketplace is in the over $60 USD/btl retail off-premises wine category. There is a story in this data that is being completely overlooked, to the detriment of the industry.

Customer Feedback

I wonder how insulted your favorite dining restaurant would be if you shared this press release? This topic is one of my personal great frustrations with dining out and pushes me to BYO restaurants and payment of corkage fees, rather than purchasing from on-premises inventory. The selection of restaurants in AZ that offer this option is controlled by local beverage laws and is very limited. It is quite disappointing.

Future of On-Premise Wine Sales in the U.S.

Now that we are seeing more consumer feedback, perhaps the industry will respond. I wonder if distributors will evaluate the value proposition and push production there. Distribution is much more influential in driving restaurant demand than producers, due to three-tier wine, beer & spirits laws. For those of us that enjoy a bottle of wine with dinner while dining out, one can hope.

Link to Wine Industry Network coverage of the press releases at this link: Wine2Wine Symposium Link

Comments Off on Will Wineries/Distributors Listen to Consumer Feedback on Restaurant Wine Service?

Filed under Fine Dining, Food Pairing, Restaurant, Wine Industry

Tagged as , , , , , ,

October 22, 2023 · 1:57 PM

21 Value French Bordeaux Wines Tasting / Comparison

23 wines were tasted in this gathering. All except one wine was from a Right Bank Bordeaux French producer and all were either 100% Merlot, or more commonly, Merlot dominated wine blends. All were tasted blind (covered in paper bags) and it was encouraged to identify the two higher cost “ringer” wines from Bordeaux and Napa, before the reveal. The average bottle price of the 21 wines was $30 USD retail. The wines were tasted in rounds of six, with a short rest of our palates between and paired finger foods were available to clear the palate. This is the list of wines tasted on this night by a panel of 10: one experienced wine Judge, one Sommelier II, one winery Owner, several WSET III Certified and several wine Collectors. (There is a link to a spreadsheet below with more detailed information about the wines)

  • 2018 Chateau La Vieille Cure – Fronsac
  • 2018 Chateau Fontenil – Fronsac
  • 2019 Chateau Cap De Faugeres – Cotes de Castillon
  • 2019 Clos Lunelles Cotes de Castillon
  • 2019 Chateau d’Aiguilhe – Cotes de Castillon
  • 2016 Chateau Fombrauge – St. Emillion
  • 2019 Clos de l’Oratoire – St. Emillion
  • 2019 Chateau Sansonnet – St. Emillion
  • 2019 Chateau Grand Corbin – St. Emillion
  • 2017 Chateau Clarisse Puisseguin – St. Emillion
  • 2016 Chateau Fonplegade – St. Emillion
  • 2018 Chateau Cote De Baleau – St. Emillion
  • 2016 Chateau Haut Rocher – St. Emillion
  • 2019 Chateau Siaurac – Lalande de Pomerol
  • 2019 Chateau La Fleur de Bouard – Lalande de Pomerol
  • 2015 Chateau Grand Ormeau – Lalande de Pomerol
  • 2019 Chateau Taillefer – Pomerol
  • 2019 Chateau De Sales – Pomerol
  • 2018 Chateau Puygueraud – Cotes de Francs
  • 2018 Chateau Marsau – Cotes de Francs
  • 2018 Chateau La Prade – Cotes de Francs
  • Ringer – 2014 Paloma – Napa
  • Ringer – 2014 Chateau Clinet – Pomerol

I had been looking forward to doing this kind of tasting for some time. I chose Right Bank area producers, as these wines would be relatively young and I wanted to be fair. If I had chosen Left Bank wines, they would have been less likely to be mature enough to evaluate them reasonably. I wanted to include a couple more expensive similar wines to see if we could identify them easily as being of greater(?) quality.

GENERAL IMPRESSIONS

Palate fatigue was a bit of a challenge for me roughly mid-way through, but I believe all of us began taking a bit more time between flights at that point and I feel it did not ruin the evaluation. The tasting took about three hours, so it would seem we took our time. The group felt, all but the last couple of wines were easily of good daily-drinker quality, or better (quite a surprise). Since the wines were merlot dominated, as a whole, they were more fruit-forward than most cabernet sauvignon dominated French wines. Based on a general domestic wine comparison, all of these wines had at least medium tannins and acidity, making them more balanced wines than many domestic labels and a better pairing with food.

WINE RATINGS

Our top-rated wines (without the “ringers”) were viewed as exceptional values by the group. These were the six top-rated wines of the night, based on averaging the scores across the group:

  • 1) 2018 Chateau La Vieille Cure – Fronsac
  • 2) Ringer – 2014 Paloma – Napa

Tied for 3rd:

  • 3) Ringer – 2014 Chateau Clinet – Pomerol
  • 3) 2019 Chateau Cap De Faugeres – Cotes de Castillon
  • 3) 2016 Chateau Fombrauge – St. Emillion
  • 3) 2019 Clos de l’Oratoire – St. Emillion

I would say the top wines were in the 92 – 94 score range (100 pt scale). I agreed with most of the group averaged ratings, although I rated a couple differently. You can see the difference between my personal ratings and the group’s average via the link below. The fourth rated wines were a grouping of six and I scored those wines in the 90 – 91 range. The fifth rated wines were a group of five that I scored around 89 points. There were a few of us (with more Old-World palates) that felt the New-World Wine (Paloma) didn’t belong, as the flavor profile definitely had more fruit, the most oak, less acid and a rounder mouthfeel. A very enjoyable wine, but more what I call a cocktail wine to be drunk on its own, rather than paired with food.

WINE TASTING NOTES

All of these wines had a similar flavor profile for typical merlot and merlot/cab franc blends. The fruits were typically black plum and blackberry, the secondary flavor was dark chocolate. Some had tertiary flavors of bramble, or a finish of white or black pepper. Consistently, these wines had a medium-to-high acid and tannin profile. The majority were aged in either American, or French Oak for up to 18 months. Most were aged in neutral, rather than new oak. I thought the Paloma tasted as if it had the most oak character. Several of the wines had a lengthy finish. In all, most were fairly balanced, but generally fruit forward. So, I think friendly to the general U.S. consumer palate.

CONCLUSIONS

This tasting was so much fun and confirmed for all of us, imported French Bordeaux wines did not have to be expensive to be good. Although, the majority did not reach the quality of many of the best, aged Bordeaux Grand Cru wines I have tasted in the past. These are not typically labels you will find at the grocery store, or even at Total Wine & Bevmo (altho a few are). All of these wines were purchased from online retailers originally. I would encourage all of you to investigate these and other value French wines further… especially if you enjoy drinking red wine with meals. The value is undeniable, and it is difficult to find good U.S. made red wines in this price range.

Here is the link to download the spreadsheet with more information on the wines and their rankings: RB Bordeaux Rankings – Final.

Comments Off on 21 Value French Bordeaux Wines Tasting / Comparison

Filed under Bordeaux, Bordeaux/Meritage Blend, French Wine, Wine by Varietal, Wine Collecting, Wine Education, Wine Tasting, Wine Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , , , ,

October 2, 2023 · 11:43 AM

Fine Dining Wine Pairing Review

My wife and I had a beautiful celebratory dinner for her birthday recently at Atlas Bistro in Scottsdale, AZ. The dishes served were all complex with layers and layers of flavor. It is always a culinary journey with a Todd Sawyer run restaurant experience. This location is one of the only fine dining restaurants operating as a BYOB in AZ. We selected the wines from our cellar for the pairings. The wines and the detailed menu are shown below.

What Worked

The salad and seafood dishes were a compilation of flavors that were meant for each other and paired well with the Champagne – over the top fabulous. The Maitake and Lobster mushrooms in the seafood spaghetti dish tasted like rich, earthy butter. The beef steak dish was prepared medium rare and was a great match for a very complex vintage of Ch. Montelena Cab. The Cab leaned towards Old World and was very welcome. The soft cheeses with the aged Sauternes may actually have been the highlight of the evening. The service was excellent as always.

What Did Not Work

The lamb was too heavy with Caribbean spices, particularly nutmeg. There was a spicy-hot mouthfeel coming from the nutmeg that did not work for me. Would have been better to skew toward cayenne/paprika (jerk style) for the heat and use the nutmeg as an accent. I am not sure any wine could have paired well with this. I am all about fusion style cuisine and big flavor, but this dish was less successful. My wife had the extra foie gras course and it was very unusual… it was served with a layer of quince jelly and peanuts, sweet cherry tomatoes and a sweet/savory sauce. My wife loved it. I did not think this was the best combination of flavors. The traditional Sauternes pairing would not have worked here and I would need help to arrive at a proper wine choice.

Overview

Some of these dishes were truly fabulous, others could have been better, but overall it was a culinary exploration and journey through a myriad of layered flavors. The wines selected paired superbly with several of the dishes. I would recommend seeking out Atlas Bistro and giving the experience a try. Without wine, or corkage fee, the five course prix fixe meal is $110/pp and changes seasonally. If you don’t have a wine cellar to pair your own, the owner has a wine shop adjacent where wines can be purchased and served with a corkage fee.

Prix Fixe Menu with Paired Wines

With aged Gosset Grande Reserve NV Champagne

First Course

Salad – Grilled Peach, Ruby Grapefruit, Golden Beets, Poppy Chevre, Crispy Prosciutto, Arugula, Strawberry Ver jus Vin

Second Course

Spaghetti alla Chitarra with Baja Bay Scallops & Manila Clams, Oregon Lobster & Maitake Mushrooms, Toasted Nori, Tarragon Miso Butter, Tomato Dashi

Supplemental Course

Cast Iron Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Foie Gras Canape, Almond Butter, Quince, Gelee, Honey Roasted Peanuts, Noble Toast Points

With 2012 Chateau Montelena Cab

Third Course

New Zealand Lamb Bacon Pastrami, Caribbean Savory Doughnut, Persian Cucumbers, Cilantro, Caraway Seed Dressing

Fourth Course

Black Garlic Basted Linz Prime N.Y. Strip Steak with Grilled Stuffed Zucchini, Brussels Sprouts, Pink Peppercorns, Braised Cabbage, Thyme Beef au Jus

With 2014 Suduirat Sauternes

Fifth Course

Beignets with Poached Black Plum, Orange Blossom Foam, New Zealand Freeze Dried Manuka Honey & Mandarins, Almond Soil

AND

Cheese plate of various cheeses and sweet/savory jellies

Comments Off on Fine Dining Wine Pairing Review

Filed under Restaurant, Restaurant Review, Wine Tasting

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

December 31, 2022 · 11:38 AM

Sulfur & Wine – Misconceptions about Causes of Headaches and “Natural Wines”

Really well-written article on sulfur inclusion and the misconceptions surrounding the discussion. It is not the sulfur that causes headaches! Wines with zero sulfur inclusion are just a fad from the so-called “natural wine” trend being marketed today! For those that have not seen a fact-based explanation on this topic, enjoy:

Biogenic Amine Toxicity: A Reality for Histamine-Sensitive Consumers

Chemistry Does not Support Wine Headaches being Caused by Sulfur Addition

Really well-written article on sulfur inclusion and the misconceptions surrounding the discussion. It is not the sulfur that causes headaches! Wines with zero sulfur inclusion are just a fad from the so-called “natural wine” trend being marketed today! For those that have not seen a fact-based explanation on this topic, enjoy!

Comments Off on Sulfur & Wine – Misconceptions about Causes of Headaches and “Natural Wines”

Filed under Wine Education

Tagged as , , , , , ,

December 7, 2022 · 5:20 PM

Bodega La Rioja Alta – Unmatched Value

I don’t normally go out of my way to write about any particular winery, but I was introduced to these wines several years ago and EVERY bottle I have tasted since has ranged from very good to spectacular. Disclosure: I have NOT been paid by any winery, broker, or distributor regarding this article.

This winery has a few different labels: Vina Alberdi, Vina Ardanza, Vina Arana and the flagship Gran Reservas – 890 & 904. The Alberdi has a street value of about $20-25 and the Ardanza and Arana are any where from $35 to $45/750ml. I have tasted the Ardanza and Arana in the past. Also beautiful wines, but different due to the varying varietal blends and the different aging profiles of Reserva and Gran Reserva. These other two wines represent outstanding value with exceptional quality too. The last two are much more expensive and represent their premium tier. If your not familiar with the Spanish aging classification system, see this link for an explanation: Spanish Wine Classification System.

I am done with over-extracted, high-alcohol fruit bombs from the Napa Valley floor and have moved up to the Napa mountain locations. I am also finding that Bordeaux is now going down that path too. In the past, I was able to find reasonably priced Bordeaux wines that were dependably lighter in body, but lately, not as much. This has led to too much wine poured down the drain. So, when I find wines like this, I want to share the info with other Old World style wine enthusiasts. This winery is no new player on the scene (established in 1890) and if any of you have explored Spanish wines, you will have run across them. I wanted to post this piece, because I feel it is my duty to amplify the word about cooler climate style wines, as they are not always easy to find in the U.S. On that topic, I usually prefer Spanish wines from the North-Western Rioja region, but especially the Rioja Alta around the Oja River Valley where the vineyards have some elevation. If you like more structure (especially acidity), keep an eye out. 2,000-3,000 ft. with a southern exposure is a good place to start. Much higher in this area and the fruit does not ripen properly.

I am rating this wine a bit higher than others, likely due to my preference for bright, fresh fruit. I am not a big fan of red wines with candied, jammy, or stewed fruit flavors. In particular, those wines that are strong with black currant, prune, or fig type flavors.

(I have discontinued my practice of scoring wines. Now, I rate wines as: poor, barely drinkable, drinkable, superior and excellent.)

2018 Vina Alberdi Crianza (Labeled Reserva in the U.S.)

Variety: 100% Tempranillo

Region: Rioja, Sub-Region: Rioja Alta

Rating: Superior

Tasting Note: Aromatic nose of sweet, fresh red fruit, oak, vanilla and earth. The wine is medium bodied, with high acidity and med+ soft tannin. Fruit-forward palate of fresh red and black cherry, black tea and olive tapenade, but not overly extracted. Mid-palate introduces the vanilla and oak and moves to a long earthy finish. Very well made and nicely balanced. Plenty of structure to pair well with red meat and red sauces, but fruit-forward enough to handle lighter fair such as pork, or cream sauces. This is still a young wine and could handle another 3-5 years of bottle age to integrate the oak more… and will improve. If you enjoy Old World style structure in a lighter bodied wine without overwhelming alcohol, at this price… this wine could easily be your go-to.

Comments Off on Bodega La Rioja Alta – Unmatched Value

Filed under Cool Climate Wine, Rioja Alta, Tempranillo, Wine Tasting, Wine Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

December 5, 2022 · 11:02 AM

L’Aventure Estate Cuvee Five Year Vertical Tasting

Background

My personal history with L’Aventure goes back to the first winery visit in 2007, when my wife and I were blown away by the amazing balance and elegance Stephen Asseo (winemaker) was able to achieve with these crazy big Southern Rhone style wines. At over 16% (sometimes 17%) alcohol fruit bombs, he was somehow able to get just the right balanced mix of fruit, structure and alcohol to make it all work… and they were fabulous. The Estate Cuvee is the winery’s flagship wine and almost always a mix of the best estate Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot in varying percentages, depending on vintage. Asseo was one of the first few in Paso to experiment with eliminating filtering/fining and the wines almost always have that opulent mouth-filling feel. This label is aged in 100% new french oak, integrating better in some vintages than others.

Scoring and Tasting Method

I am done with the attempt to achieve a fair systematic scoring method. So, I will continue to follow the WSET/UC Davis process, but I am done with both the 100 AND 20 point systems. Moving forward, I will only be rating (not scoring) wines with a simple five tier description: Poor, Barely Drinkable, Drinkable, Superior and Excellent. The basis of these ratings will be: balance, fruit character, acid/tannin and sugar/alcohol levels. I will always comment when appropriate on specific characteristics, such as harvest timing, winemaking style, cellaring potential, etc.

2013 – 2017 Vintages

I opened these bottles for a group of friends two hours in advance of the tasting, decanted and returned them to the bottle prior to serving. I poured a personal tasting to write my notes prior to the group arriving. I also opened a 2014 L’Aventure Cote-a-Cote as a comparison. All of the Estate Cuvee wines were generally similar in flavors, so I will not get too detailed with the notes. All of the wines generally tasted of blackberry and black currant fruit and had both high tannin and acid (surprising after the years of bottle age). The differences were primarily in character and balance. After developing first impressions, it became clear, these wines were NOT meant for cellaring. On release, I had thought there was plenty of structure to lay these wines down in my cellar, but I was mistaken and I will tell you why after I provide the tasting notes.

2013 Vintage

Rating: Superior

This wine had a very weak nose, with no fruit apparent. On the palate, it was slightly fruit-forward. The mid-palate was complex with savory leather, black tea and dark chocolate. The finish was medium+ in length. The alcohol was a big piece of the profile, but not completely overwhelming. The oak was well-integrated. After nine years in the bottle, the tannin and acid were still both high.

2014 Vintage

Rating: Drinkable

Aromatic fruity blackberry nose. On the palate, it was slightly fruit-forward. The mid-palate was a bit simpler than the 2013, but similar. The finish was medium+ in length. The alcohol was big. The oak showed a bit too much, but was reasonably integrated. The wine filled the mouth more than the 2013.

2015 Vintage

Rating: Poor

Medium fruity blackberry nose. On the palate, it was slightly fruit-forward. The mid-palate was the simpler leather and dark chocolate profile. The finish was long in length. The alcohol was overwhelming. The oak dominated the wine with very strong vanilla and brown butter flavors. The wine texture was very mouth-filling. The oak did not integrate at all in this vintage and this wine was enjoyed the least by us and our guests.

2016 Vintage

Rating: Drinkable

This wine had a weak nose. On the palate, it was slightly fruit-forward. The mid-palate was the simpler leather and dark chocolate profile. The finish was long in length. The alcohol was big. The oak showed a bit too much, but was reasonably integrated. The big mouthfeel was here too.

2017 Vintage

Rating: Superior

The nose was all alcohol, overwhelming any other character. On the palate, it was fruit-forward with blackberry, black currant and black plum. The mid-palate was all savory with leather, black tea and dark chocolate. The finish was very long. The alcohol was a big piece of the profile, but not completely overwhelming. The oak showed a bit too much, with nice sweet vanilla and was reasonably integrated.

2014 L’Aventure Cote-a-Cote

Rating: Excellent

This is L’Aventure’s Grenache dominated Southern Rhone blend (GSM), with: Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah – percentages usually in that order. By the time we reached this wine, the group was a couple hours into the tasting and this wine was very welcome. It was very aromatic on the nose and the palate was fruit-forward, layered and balanced. The oak was very well integrated. The mouthfeel was wonderful: elegant and silky. This label handled the 8 years of bottle age extremely well. A very enjoyable and impressive bottling.

Impressions

When we tasted these wines on release, they all seemed to have enough structure (tannin/acid) to age well, but the balance presenting on release did not last well. The big fruit flavors when bottled dissipated too quickly, changing many of these Estate Cuvee wines into a disjointed jumble after five years. The other challenging element seemed to be integrating all that new oak. In some vintages showing well, in others not so much. I would not suggest holding the Estate Cuvee wines more than five years and would guess, three years would be better. Finally, it is clear the Cote-a-Cote and Optimus bottlings respond better to bottle aging and the one we tasted on this night was excellent!

Comments Off on L’Aventure Estate Cuvee Five Year Vertical Tasting

Filed under Misc. Red Blend, Paso Robles, Wine Collecting, Wine Education, Wine Tasting, Wine Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

November 30, 2022 · 12:46 PM

Are Wine Scores Fake?

This topic has been controversial since the tasting in Judgement of Paris back in 1976 (see movie Bottleshock). A related topic would be the controversy surrounding the “Parkerization” of wine. Read about this issue here: Wikipedia Link. There have been books and movies on both topics. The discussion is certainly fun, but way more controversial in real-life than it should be.

Recent Articles

I had this article brought to my attention recently: https://asteriskmag.com/issues/1/is-wine-fake. With some recent commentary from other wine writers: https://foodandwineaesthetics.com/2022/11/29/wine-tasting-and-expertise/#comment-73146. If you find this topic even mildly interesting, I would take a look at these. The whole issue is really one big joke perpetrated on wine consumers for marketing and profit. It could be a serious topic, but there are none in the industry interested in going down that path. Here is my take…

Wine Judging / Scoring

As a wine enthusiast who usually tastes blind (having a trained/experienced palate), I don’t understand the continuing controversy on this topic. The studies done have all been ridiculously skewed. The controversy seems to rise mostly because the average person simply cannot believe some wine snob in a suit can taste a wine blind and tell you the varietal, location, vintage, vineyard name, etc. I can tell you personally, it is very real, but takes decades of training, experience and practice. Training and experience matter in any profession and yes – wine IS a profession (see Sommelier here: Wikipedia Link). Does that mean this same guy could guess at the wine I would enjoy without him evaluating my taste in wine? Definitely NO! So, why do consumers put so much credence in scores by wine writers? Well, what other measure does the average consumer have to select a wine from thousands available (there are other options)? I buy and consume large quantities of wine and enjoy it very much! Many of us think of great food and wine as a fabulous lifestyle (no denial here). All this wine I drink, training I have had… do you think my idea of a good wine qualifies me to recommend a wine to someone I don’t know? The average consumer sifting through 100’s of wine scores is just wasting time. Perhaps, if you spent the time to learn a particular wine critic’s palate… but how many would take the time?

… But, the Studies!

If you read the articles linked to this commentary above, a big piece of the discussion is price. Are expensive wines necessarily better wines? The unqualified answer is positively NO! Can you impress a guest at a fine dining restaurant by ordering an expensive bottle of wine? Likely yes, and there in lies the rub. Price is often confused with quality in many product categories, but whether you personally would enjoy any given wine has nothing to do with its cost. I have written much on the topic of how to evaluate your own palate in past articles for anyone who has an interest. Just remember an important piece to this discussion, the average consumer is likely to enjoy many average priced wines and could likely not tell the difference. I can tell you definitely, my taste in wine is very, very different from most of my friends. Just because I have wine training and experience, does that mean you should like what I like? Think about it…

Can the Topic be a Serious Discussion?

What really matters in evaluating a wine for the general public is: is it faulted? is it balanced? is it made for cellaring? will it pair well with foods? etc. A few other general measures: is it fruity/savory? is it acidic? is it sweet? is it drying in the mouth? So, why don’t critics talk about these characteristics more generally, instead of sharing a score with a flowery completely worthless description attached? It won’t sell Wine Enthusiast ™ magazines! Personally, I am so tired of pro critics scores and notes! So, spend what you can afford, drink what you like and enjoy the wine with your favorite foods! Here is to hoping the media does not trap you with all this nonsense!

2 Comments

Filed under Wine Critics, Wine Education, Wine Industry, Wine Marketing, Wine Tasting

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

November 23, 2022 · 2:44 PM

Millennials & Gen Z are Changing the Wine Industry

Courtesy of Wine Access

My wife and I enjoyed our first wine trip since COVID recently. We spent a week traveling through the Central Coast AVA in California, focusing on the newer wineries with higher professional critic scores. Having completed a large sampling, I found some interesting trends.

Demand for Boomer Wine Profiles is Diminishing

I asked a couple common questions of each tasting room manager:

  • Are you noticing changing wine preferences recently?
  • What wines are younger customers preferring and why?

Surprisingly, the answers were fairly consistent. By the end of the trip, a wine strategy seemed to be emerging. The typical Baby Boomer generation red wine style was not as popular as in the past… fruity, easy drinking (low-med acid/low tannin), lots of toasted oak and 15% alcohol. What I have come to call the “Caymus Profile”. In response to changing demand, a new profile seemed to be emerging…

Wineries are Changing Wine to Match Younger Palates

Most wineries were developing a two tier offering based on generational preferences:

  • Regular Release wines for Millennials and Gen Z at a lower price point and Reserve Release wines for Boomers at a higher price point. The younger generations were looking for Rose and Sparkling options.
  • The more raucous younger customers were visiting tasting rooms on the weekends and the older customers were staying away at those times and visiting during the week.
  • Wines for Millennials and Gen Z were focusing on a new profile: 13-14% alcohol, high acid, low tannin and no oak. I have never seen so many red wines fermented and aged in concrete as on this trip… or so much neutral oak.
  • The old Boomer wine profile (defined above), was being saved for the older guests, more able to spend on the pricier option.

The younger wine profile worked for me, but would not be appropriate for bottle aging more than five years. The tasting managers laughed at me when I asked about wines for cellaring. Hard to argue, as the numbers are clear: 92-95% of all wine purchased is consumed in less than 48 hours. Any wine where the tannin level went up and seemed more ageable… I found myself wishing for oak.

Boomer Style Wines are not Going Away… Yet

We stopped in at a few of the older profile wineries: Justin, Herman Story, Beckmen. A full line-up of the wines I am used to. The Boomer profile has not been my preference, so the last 10 years my red wine purchases from Italy and France have increased. More along the lines of: high acid, med+ tannin, 25-50% new French or Hungarian oak and 13-14% alcohol. This matches my palate better. Oak barrels are expensive and are usually rotated through a max of three vintages and then discarded, while concrete containers can be re-used virtually forever. Red wines aged in concrete will change the cost calculation for wine substantially.

The Future of U.S. Wine

As Boomer generation wine consumption continues to fall, Millennials and Gen Z palates will drive the industry. Younger generations tend to drink more wine without food, than with… so, the wine industry will come under increasing pressure to compete with hard seltzers, ciders and cocktail beverage options. You would think this trend would be driving per bottle pricing down… but the data shows that Gen Z (especially) is much more adventurous in their wine consumption and is actually spending more per bottle than the current average. These are interesting times for the wine industry and some wineries are responding to these new trends – as growth in wine consumption slows in the U.S. Let me know if any of you are noticing these same trends. Happy Holidays!

Comments Off on Millennials & Gen Z are Changing the Wine Industry

Filed under Paso Robles, Santa Barbara County, U.S. Wines by Region, Wine Education, Wine Industry, Wine Tasting

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 19, 2022 · 6:36 PM

The Simple Solution to Millennials Drinking More Wine

There has been so much published in the media about this issue in the last year, since the last two Silicon Valley Bank reports on the status of the industry. The report is at this link: https://www.svb.com/trends-insights/reports/wine-report. Here is a typical example of media reaction at this link: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/07/dining/drinks/wine-millennials.html. There is such a simple answer, but I never see it being discussed in the industry. Yes, it includes advertising, but not in the way you might think.

Cultural Component of Wine Consumption

In many European countries, wine is thought of as a companion to food, not typically to be drunk as a cocktail on its own. This common viewpoint in many countries places wine on the dinner table to act as a flavor enhancer, much the same way as seasonings, or sauces would be viewed. It is a cultural concept. I did not grow up thinking of wine this way. It was a learned behavior for me, after I was introduced to fine wines and cuisine TOGETHER. The question is: how could you change cultural norms to include this thinking? NOT, how does the industry convince Millennials to drink more wine…

The Answer Is a Focus on Food

This does not seem intuitive, unless you dive into the European fine dining concept a little more deeply. Many countries take pride in and raise their children to think of natural local foods and the local culinary tradition as a part of their identity. I am not suggesting this should be the goal here, but it does give you an insight into how this wine pairing tradition could begin in the U.S. Investing money in a media campaign would be critical, but not to simply advertise wine, strangely… the media content would need to be focused on how the wine enhances the FOOD experience. Currently in the U.S., younger generations view wine more as a “cocktail” to be drunk on its own. With this viewpoint, wine is a poor value compared to Beer, Cider, Hard Seltzers and Spirits/Cocktails. A perception that could have a huge affect on future demand and ultimately wine production. It is all a matter of changing perceptions…

Famous Chefs as Spokespersons for Wine?

I am not an advertising exec, but it seems fairly clear. Think of it this way: a professional chef would never be trained without a wine pairing education. The wine industry must begin creating marketing content around cuisine, with the appropriate accompanying wine. Pay famous Chefs from the Food Channel to be out front, not winemakers. Have them talk about their favorite wine-food pairings and why. I am sure other creatives would have even more engaging ideas for marketing using this theme.

Could Culinary be the Savior of the Wine Industry?

I am no genius. Who knows? It might work. I would think the industry would not find it too difficult to fund a marketing board that could tackle such a large ad campaign… IF it was viewed as important enough to influence wine consumption trends in the U.S. I am curious, can anyone else out there see the merit in this idea?

Comments Off on The Simple Solution to Millennials Drinking More Wine

Filed under Fine Dining, Wine Education, Wine Industry, Wine Marketing

Tagged as , , , ,

May 19, 2022 · 2:47 PM

Wine Tasting AI Software: Possible to Predict Which Wines You Will Prefer?

This pic and the reason for this piece came from a recent article posted at a wine media outlet called the Wine Industry Network here is the link: Predicting Palates: Can Artificial Intelligence Improve Wine Buying? – Wine Industry Advisor. I typically enjoy this website. The author piqued my interest and I decided to dive deeper. I felt the article needed more perspective. This topic really requires an effort to validate the solution, to have relevance.

Past and Future Attempts at Wine AI

This particular software branded as “Tasty” by name is similar in concept to others like “Quini” (if not in process), all have one very major flaw… Very few consumers have the trained palate and sensory awareness required to describe what they are tasting and how they perceive the wine components. I have been approached by software developers before and none had an appreciation for a trained palate and what it brings. These techno driven business models providing wine related services are all smoke and mirrors. Sounds great, until you dive a little deeper and find the missing piece. The idea that a straight chemical analysis, or even an analyzed database of wine tasting notes could provide any real insight into how wine is perceived by the human palate is misguided. Software can certainly accumulate, organize and label wine data, but how does that data have any relevance – unless it is filtered through human perception?

What Is Missing?

I have put some thought into this before and shared those ideas with other software developers in the past. The baseline in the software database must be established with trained professionals first – and not with WSET 4, MW, or CSW certified pros. The calibration has to be with Master Somms (MS) who evaluate consumer palates in restaurants on a daily basis. Once the underlying premise is established and the work is done to connect the human palate (sensory experience) to the chemical evaluation, the concept still requires a short consumer educational program to provide a shared vocabulary. That vocabulary is the vehicle for the shared human wine experience. Which words are chosen to describe each individual sensory experience? Is there a common understanding of what flavors/components they represent? I have yet to be introduced to software that attempts to address these concerns. Without that effort, the whole endeavor is a major waste of time and money.

Am I Biased?

I don’t think so. Regardless of my Somm training, I make my primary living in the technology and automation field. Perhaps that background gives me a little authority here. I most definitely believe the goal of these “AI” software products is achievable, it just requires more trade awareness to succeed.

Comments Off on Wine Tasting AI Software: Possible to Predict Which Wines You Will Prefer?

Filed under Wine Education, Wine Industry, Wine Marketing, Wine Tasting

Tagged as , , , ,