Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog

The Velvet Bite

I'm going to buy this wine...because I just think it's terribly cool that a winery would honor one of the greatest jazz vocalists in the history of the genre. (Have you ever heard Ella sing "mack the knife"?!!?)

However, I'm probably not going to drink this Domaine Carneros Sparkling Wine while listening to any jazz, including Ella. Here's why.

I've long believed that even given the range and the diversity of the Jazz genre, the absolutely most appropriate drink to accompany Jazz is something that attacks the senses, throat, palate and body with a Velvet Bite.

No pure wine I've ever consumed possesses this quality.

By "Velvet Bite" I mean, first, that sensation of a subtle sting that warms just as the sting diminishes when the liquid is poured over your palate. You need to feel the relief of the alcohol sting diminishing just as the alcohol also begins to warm the throat and stomach. 

There must be a soft clamping down on the palate that does not linger, but also is not escapable. The sensation alerts the senses in a momentary shock like no wine can do, yet fades away, relinquishing its bite in favor of alertness and warmth.

This state, I think, is best suited for listening to Jazz. Bourbon, Whiskey, Scotch and even cognac and armagnac are the proper drinks to pair with Jazz; best suited to provide a velvet bite.

Further, I believe the full affect of pairing the Velvet Bite with Jazz occurs when a shot of any of the above beverages is taken in advance of sipping on a second round of the same. And, how this shot is performed can affect the pleasure of the pairing even more if done right.

The shot, while it should be taken in all at once, should not be targeted at the throat so that it slips down past the palate with minimal contact. On the other hand, taking time to swish the beverage around the palate will also ruin the experience. Rather, the throat should be half to 3/4s closed when the shot enters the mouth. The partially closed throat will promote a slow movement of the bourbon over the palate, followed in quick order by it slowly sliding down the gullet. The technique delivers the bite, but does not sear the palate. And at the same time, a decent amount of alcohol enters the body and the blood stream in relatively quick fashion.

Yes, I'm suggesting that Jazz is best appreciated with a slight buzz. Not a "drunk". But a warm, comfortable, smirk inducing buzz.

It should be noted that after the initial shot of our preferred beverage, the second round can be sipped, and probably enjoyed even more due to the palate, body and mind having been properly prepared by the initial shot.

Wine is simply too week to stand up to the challenging nature of jazz; the subtle, complex and sometimes jolting nature of jazz rhythms require the body to be properly prepared with an anesthesia that both weakens one's grip on convention, yet provides a bite.

Thus, Jazz is best paired with beverage.

Making the Best of Appellations

The assumption of the American Viticultural Area (appellation) program is that there is something unique about those areas that are granted AVA status—that there is something about Oakville, Anderson Valley, Finger Lakes and Green Valley that make them distinct.

However, the subtext of this quasi-appellation program administered by the federal government and completely embraced by the American wine industry is that the wines the emerge from specifically designated American Viticultural Areas are themselves unique because they somehow contain identifiable characteristics that can be traced to the uniqueness of the AVAs in which the grapes were grown.

This is the assumption that Appellation America has always embraced and promoted in its fantastic journalistic efforts and its the proposition that it hopes to bring real clarity to with its recently announced "Best of Appellation Evaluation Program".

As described, the Best of Appellation Evaluation Program "obliges the [program's] assessors to systematically evaluate the wines, individually and collectively, for place characteristics."

Appellation America's publisher, Roger Dial, goes on to explain, "In the days, months, and years going forward we will be doing what our readers continually ask us to do. We’re going to look at every appellation in North America, building an on-going, ever-developing picture of the mosaic of regional character and diversity that we hope will enrich our wine culture."

This is a monumental task that strikes me as being the kind of effort that will bring as much criticism as it does praise. However, the praise will be deserved and the criticism will simply be sour grapes.

What happens when the regional characteristics of Oakville Merlot are defined in a way that identifies one famous Oakville producer's Merlot as uncharacteristic of the  appellation? This won't make the Oakville Merlot producer very happy. But I think this unhappiness is a natural result of winemaking philosophies that treasure style over regional characteristics. Now, I don't want to suggest that focusing on producing a specific style of wine rather than achieving regional reflection is a bad thing. It's just a thing. It's just not a very interesting thing.

Others have previously used the evaluation processes to focus on regional characteristics. For example, Dan Berger, who runs the respected Riverside International Wine Competition, recently announced that Anderson Valley's Navarro Vineyards won that competition's Terroir Award trophy, given to the winery that displays the best regional character in its wine. It should be no surprise that Appellation America sponsors this trophy.

Down the road, if Appellation America is successful, I expect we'll be able to go to their website and read something along these lines: "Carneros Syrah is a wine that typically displays X,Y and Z aromas with flavors of A, B, and C. These characteristics are best found in the Syrahs of X Vineyard, Y Cellars and Z Estate."

I, for one, hope they succeed in their quest. I'm not positive it will lead to more interest in wine or greater sales of wine or more exploration of different wines from America's many AVA's. But I am positive that it will make the wine world much more interesting.

Fixing Stupid Laws

The somewhat recent revelation that it is technically illegal for home winemakers in California to hold public tastings and even competitions of their wines is one of those instances where a truly out-dated law of little or no value, previously unnoticed, comes to light and makes folks chuckle, shake their heads and get on with getting rid of it for the sake bringing laws and rules into line with reality and good sense.

The move to change the law licketty split is under way. Family Winemakers of California and State Senator Pat Wiggins have joined forces to introduce SB 607, a law that would allow winemaking competition among amateur winemakers.

It's an easy fix to a pretty stupid law and both FWC and Senator Wiggins should be commended for moving it forward.

Changing stupid laws like this is not always so easy, however, Take for example the CA law that makes it a crime for a an out-of-state retailer to ship wine to a CA resident. This one went into effect in 2005 and was supported by Family Winemakers of California, The California Wine Institute, The California Association of Wine Grapegrowers, Napa Valley Vintners and a number of wineries. The bill was opposed by a number of CA retailers who realized that not only was the law unconstitutional as it discriminated against out-of-state retailers, but that it would encourage other states to lock out CA retailers from shipping to their state residents.

There has been no enthusiasm by California's winery organizations, Free the Grapes, or any politicians to change this other example of a stupid law, though they all are well aware of the law. One wonders if it will be "discovered" in a few decades and quickly reversed by legislation because it no longer has any value, rhyme or reason.

It turns out this law is actually on hold because retailers sued the state of CA and were able to get an agreement from the state not to enforce it until the end of 2008. However, that time is quickly approaching. One hopes that consumers, wine organizations and politicians will feel an equal urgency to fix one more stupid law when it comes to light.

The Future of Online Wine Sales

"He said: "I think the market has just tipped. All of a sudden, rather than being driven by 20-year-olds who were the early adopters [of the net], I'm starting to get emails from people saying 'as a pensioner ... The silver surfers have arrived."

This comes from a news story put out by Off License News. Just how significant is this finding that older drinkers are coming to the on-line wine sales channel?

I think it must be significant. Despite the talk about young folks being the one's helping to drive wine's sales accent, it is somewhat older folks that do the real buying of wine. There appearance in any significant number in the on-line world would in fact represent a notable turning point in the on-line wine sales world.

Now get this quote, from the same article:

"Vinitrac research from Wine Intelligence in March 2007 found that 16% of regular wine drinkers in the UK had bought wine online in the previous six months. Internet shopping was marginally more popular among those aged over 55, the survey found, with those under 34 the least likely to buy wine online."

These kind of findings remind me that we are still very much in a transitional phase when it comes to the world of on-line sales and wine. While on-line purchasing has overtaken some industries such as travel and books, this same kind of transition WILL come to the world of wine and completely transform how this beverage is sold. And for those companies that are making full court presses to be at the center of this transformation and who have the funds to keep going and breaking even during the transition, AND who have the ability to either develop or implement "ease-of-use" technology to the sector will find themselves sitting pretty in the years to come.

It also suggests that as this transformation to on-line sales continues, the political pressure to make these virtual transactions easier will become more intense. This is bad new for those who still want to argue that restricting consumer choice in wine is a needed trade off in preventing all those teens from purchasing Paso Robles Syrah and the Austrian Rieslings they are known to crave.

Booze & Presidential Politics

Recently Hillary Clinton strolled into a Fort Wayne, Indiana bar and proceeded to very publicly throw back a shot of whiskey and chase it with a beer.  Call me a political cynic but I'd take even money on the proposition that there was a fairly substantial discussion on the bus with her advisers prior to arriving at the bar as to whether or not the presidential candidate should drink...and if so, what she should drink.

I'm willing to further bet that during this discussion the question of whether or not Clinton should have some wine was not even brought up. I'm willing to bet the question was "Whiskey or Beer?"

Here's the thing: on the campaign trail wine is something of the kiss of death, politically, for its elitist reputation.

I went googling for a photo of Clinton with wine and Obama with wine and McCain with wine. Nothing. Poor Obama is already so associated with elitism I suspect that he'd cancel any campaign stop at this point that even held the possibility of seeing him holding a glass of wine. Hillary has made her "Beveragoligical" proclivities clear with her whiskey throw back and public sudsing. McCain? Well, his connection to beer is pretty strong. His wife, Cindy, sits on the Board of Directors of her family's Arizona Beer Distributorship, Hensley & Company, which has been very generous to his campaign.

There is some evidence that wine drinkers are more likely to vote Democratic and beer drinkers more likely to vote Republican. However, this appears to have more to do with issues of gender and socioeconomic status than real drink preferences.

Nevertheless, don't expect any of the current candidates to make a public display of wine drinking. The image of a candidate swilling Chardonnay just has too many negative, elitist connotations in our culture. You know, the pinky-out, I'm-better-than-you, high-falutin-limo-sitting, down-my-nose-looking kind of image that most candidates rightly understand doesn't go over too well in flyover country, let alone in the less liberal areas of the coastal states.

But that's not to say that candidates don't receive support from drink-associated folks. Obama seems to have the support of this group that wanted to encourage folks to "have a glass of wine on the patio and talk about changing the country." However, no one has produced a wine that celebrates Obama, but they have produced a beer.

Meanwhile, the alcohol industry seems willing to support the presidential candidates, though not show too much partisan support. As of March 1st, the Beer, Wine & Alcohol industry has given Clinton $228,000, McCain 160,000 and Obama $158,000 in donations. This number will skyrocket after the the two parties have chosen their nominees.

I can imagine if any of the presidential candidates came to Sonoma or Napa for a public event they just might, possibly, maybe, perhaps show themselves with a glass of wine in hand, risking national humiliation for the opportunity to connect with locals. However, Napa and Sonoma are so completely democratic in make up that the only reason for a presidential candidate to come to this neck of the woods is to slip behind closed doors and privately scoop up some of that wine-soaked money.

So then, we are left with the old, tired stereotype that wine is elitist and beer/whiskey is "of the people". I'm not sure what it would take to rid us of this stereotype. But I do know that it won't be shaken this political season.

Bloggerview #18: Mark Fisher

Bloggerview #18
Who: Mark Fisher
Blog: Uncorked
Where: http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/wine/index.html

Mark Fisher thinks like a reporter and this is what makes his blog, Uncorked, so relevant and so good. Of course, he is a reporter for Ohio's Dayton Daily News and was their wine writer before he began blogging at that paper's website back in late 2005. Besides good concise writing, you can count on Uncorked to point it's readers toward important questions for the wine industry and for consumers. There is an investigative quality to Mark's blogging the surely is a result of his reporter's mentality, but the other thing that comes through in his writing is a true love of wine as well as an obvious desire to serve his readers. I was very happy when Mark agreed to be Bloggerviewed.

1.  When did you begin blogging and why?
I began blogging in September 2005 because I wanted to be like Tom Wark. Well, that and a couple of other reasons: The executive editor of the Dayton  Daily News at the time encouraged me to start a wine blog. And my reporter colleague who sat next to me in the newsroom had just launched an education blog, and I was, well, jealous of all the damn attention he was getting. We print journalists are very competitive, you know. And perhaps most important, I had been writing the Taste of Wine column for the Dayton Daily News and Cox News Service for 16 years, but it was published only twice a month, and, well, I had a LOT more to say about wine than two dinky little columns a month. A blog meant no editors, no space restrictions – in other words, heaven on earth or a print journalist. Thus, Uncorked was born.

2. In two sentences describe the focus of your wine blog.
Focus? Who said anything about focus? Hey, this is a blog, fercryin’outloud. Okay, here goes: The focus of Uncorked is commentary, opinion, an occasional poke in the eye of the wine establishment and of wine producers and (especially) wine marketers (except for Tom Wark, of course), a place where wine can be fun but not trivialized, a place for discussion, where readers can learn from each other. Oops, too many sentences.

3. What sets your wine blog apart from the pack?
Well, first, see question #2. But in addition, I think Uncorked has a distinctive mix of national and local content. If wine industry types want to see, in a snapshot, what we’re drinking and tasting here in the heartland of America (Dayton, Ohio, is God’s country, after all – at least, for one week in May, the weather’s PERFECT)), they can tune in every Friday to Uncorked to see an astonishing list of wine tastings, dinners and other events that will offer a window to the wine market here in “flyover country.” We might just surprise you. Many other posts are not local at all in content, and they attract comments from all over the country (and on occasion the world, this being the web), so Uncorked offers a bit of everything.

4. How would you characterize the growth in your readership since beginning your blog?
A slow, steady climb, although one particular post just a few short months following the birth of Uncorked, entitled "A Trader Joe's Wine Buying Experience", put Uncorked on the cyberspace map very quickly. The entry speaks for itself, but it demonstrates very clearly how wine blogs can, have, and will, change the future of wine discourse. Not revolutionize it, mind you – I think that would be hyperbole – but change it, yes.

5. Do you accept samples for review?
Sadly – tragically – no. But I like to hear about the new releases, and if something captures my fancy, I’ll go out and buy it on the open market, and will write the occasional wine review, or fit it into something I’m working on.

6. What kind of wine rating/review system do you use and why?
I don’t use a 100-point scale, or any other scale, really, just descriptions, except for very, very occasional instances when I’m covering a vertical or horizontal tasting, and even then, rarely. For all of the reasons that have been covered extensively here on Fermentation and on Uncorked and elsewhere.

7. How do you fit the maintenance of your wine blog into your daily schedule?
Easy – and yet, not so easy. I usually blog first thing in the morning, before I go into the office (My “day job”: I am the food and dining reporter for the Dayton Daily News, and Uncorked is part of the DaytonDailyNews.com web site). But more importantly, I enjoy it. Immensely. And, quite frankly, I’ve become addicted to it. In a good way.

8. Have you utilized any particular techniques to successfully market your blog?
I’m not shy about marketing my blog via email and other avenues. I am a subscriber to a Dayton-based wine listserv, and I routinely let my fellow listserv subscribers know when I’ve posted new content on Uncorked, which is almost daily. And I send occasional (at least I THINK they’re occasional) emails to other folks in the wine industry when (and only when) I’ve written something I think may be of broad interest, or specifically of interest to them. My blog is among those monitored and occasionally featured on Wine Business.com as is Fermentation and many other fine wine blogs, which has helped build an audience.

9. In your view how, if at all, is blogging different than traditional wine writing for print?
First and foremost, wine blogging offers an extraordinary opportunity to interact directly with readers and fellow wine enthusiasts in ways that print journalism can’t match – and keep in mind, I wrote (and continue to write) a wine column for a daily newspaper (sometimes picked up and distributed by a national news service) for 19 years. The instantaneous feedback is very, very exciting, rewarding, gratifying, stimulating – you get the idea. In addition, no space restrictions, no editing … THAT, my friends, is delightfully liberating for us print guys. Throw in a potential audience that literally knows no geographic bounds (as I quickly discovered with the Traders Joe’s entry I mentioned above), and, well … who wouldn’t want to write a wine blog?

10. Which other wine blogs do you read regularly?
Fermentation. You mean there are others? No, really … I read a slew of them, but with great irregularity.

11. Do you believe wine blogs have made any marked impact on the wine industry or wine culture?
Yes. But we’re just gettin’ started.

12. Vacation: Paris or the Caribbean?
Paris. Hey, I’m a food and dining reporter, remember? Good lord, give me a month (or a year), and I’ll eat my way through the City of Lights. Then I’ll wash ashore in the Caribbean as a beached whale -- but I’ll have a smile on my face.

13. Pet: Dog or Cat?
Dog. A thousand times, dog. Okay, nothin’ wrong with cats, but our 7-year-old lab-shepherd mix, Rosie, is the sweetest dog in the world.

14. Airplane Reading: New Yorker or People?
I’m from Ohio. What’s this “New Yorker” publication you’re talking about? Does it have lots of purty pitchurs?

15. Car: Prius or BMW?
Would I have to give up my Honda Accord?  Forget it.

16. Chablis or California Chardonnay?
Chablis. But California chardonnay is getting better. Call me an optimist.

17. Describe what you would have at your last meal?
As a food and dining writer, this question haunts me – it’s sort of like asking a parent, “Who’s your favorite child?” I could fill a book, but suffice to say there would be crablegs involved, and rack of lamb. And don’t even get me STARTED on the wines (okay, French syrah with the lamb, but please, don’t MAKE me say more …).

18. What is Heaven Like?
See question #17.

19. If you could invite 4 people dead or alive to your fantasy dinner party, who would they be and who would you have bring the wine?
My father, who was a martini and Manhattan man for the most part, would most definitely be there. I’d invite John F. Kennedy – I think my dad would enjoy talking with JFK – and I’ll put Thomas Jefferson next to me, so we could talk wine (and perhaps spend a minute or two on the whole founding fathers gig). The four of us would have a helluva conversation, I can tell you that. And I suspect the wine would flow.

20. What advice would you give to someone considering starting a wine blog?
Hate to borrow a slogan from the corporate world but … JUST DO IT. There is ALWAYS room in the blogging pool for one more voice. If you don’t find it rewarding or satisfying, you’ve lost nothing. And if you DO find it rewarding and satisfying, you’ve gained something very important: the chance to be like Tom Wark.

An Ode..To Those You Need To Know'd

An Ode...
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Industry vs. Non Industry & The Internet

One of the most unique aspects of the just closed "Electronic Wine Survey" is the association of the respondents to the wine and food industry. Of the 266 respondents, fully 54% identify themselves as working in, producing a product for, or publishing information related to the wine or food industries. I don't know if other blogs have this kind of high percentage of industry folks, but I doubt it's too many.

This begs the question, how is the relationship with the Internet and wine different for industry-associated folks than those not associated with the industry.

To start with, those associated with the industry are far more interested in looking to the Internet for Wine Business Information than those not associated with it. 82% of industry associated respondents said they look to the Internet for wine business news, while only 30% of those not identified with the wine industry only "business news" as what they look to the Internet for. What do non-industry associated respondents want from the Internet? Wine Reviews. 82% of these respondents cited wine reviews as what they look for on the Internet. This makes perfect sense. On the other hand, it means I'm not serving half those who come to this blog.

It also turns out that folks associated with the industry show more appreciation for wine information published in print publications than non-industry respondents do, while non-industry respondents have greater respect for Internet-based wine information. This strikes me as intuitively rational given the relative importance print publications maintain in helping to sell and market wines.

As for buyng wine online, only 56% of industry-related respondents say they purchase wine online, while 66% of non-industry respondents claim to purchase wine online.

Non industry respondents also buy more wine on-line. 20% of this group reported buying 50% or more of their wine from online sources, while industry only 10% of industry respondents reported buying 50% of their wine online.

And it turns out that when industry respondents do buy wine online they are FAR more likely to buy their wine from a retail wine website than non-industry respondents. Industry folks reported buying from retailer web sites 42% of the time vs 27% of the time from winery websites. Non industry respondents buy from retailer and winery websites in equal amounts.

Another interesting discovery about the differences between industry-associated respondents and non-industry respondents is the number of different websites they buy wine from. Non-industry associated respondents buy wine from a wider variety of websites. 28% of non-industry associated respondents said they purchased wine from 5 or more websites in the past twelve months while only 15% of industry-related respondents were so promiscuous in their online buying habits. I can't quite figure out why this would be other than perhaps prejudice of association. It has been suggested that industry-related respondents likely have unique access to wines that are obtained off line. It may have something to do with the fact that industry-associated folks are somewhat less likely to actually buy wine online.

Now, here is one of the findings I found MOST interesting. When considering the downside of online wine buying, it appears that folks in the wine industry have more trouble navigating websites. 33% of industry respondents had complaints with online wine site navigation while only 23% of non-industry members had the same complaint. Meanwhile, 13% of industry respondents had complaints about checkout difficulties while only 7% of non-industry respondents had the same complaint.

What exactly does this mean? I suppose you could say they are less accustomed to buying wine online and therefore perhaps less familiar with the process. But let's face it, it's not brain surgery.

Finally, there is this nugget. Non-wine industry respondents make more money than industry members. Hmmm!?!

RECAP:
--Industry Respondents (IR) Look to the Net for Business News
--Non Industry Respondents (NIR) Look to the Net for Wine Reviews

--IR Have More Appreciation for Printed Wine News than NIR

--NIR Purchase More Wine On-line Than IR

--NIR Purchase a Larger Percentage of Their Wine On-line

--IR Are Much More Likely To buy From On-line Retailers than NIR

--NIR Use A Wider Variety of Websites To Procure Their Wines than NIR Do

--IR Have More Difficulty Navigating Wine Websites Than NIR Do.

--NIR Make More Money Than IR

 

The Van Morrison Theory of Wine

Having reconciled myself to the idea that there is no such thing as an objective criteria for quality in any category of wine, I began deliberating on what I think we all must do to bring reason to our palate and preferences; to put our preferential house in order, so to speak.

What I began looking for were other artistic (yes, artistic) creations that might serve as a model for my personal beliefs about wine quality. What I was looking for were expressions in other art forms that, for lack of a better word, "touched" me in a way that was inescapably real and visceral. Upon experiencing this unique sort of touch, I then asked myself what it was about the work of art that was able to move me...move me to tears, joy, elation, contemplation. If I could identify what it was that moved me through another art form, I just might have a model for describing what, for me, represents quality.

I found my model, and it wasn't too hard to find: Van Morrison.

Listening all the way through Morrison's "Moondance", "Astral Weeks" and "Hymns To Silence" albums touch me deeply, and they do so every time I listen to them. Absorbing Morrison's eloquent "Rave on John Donne", "Into the Mystic", "Crazy Love", and "On Hyndford Street" always stop me in my tracks.

So what is it about this music and artist that is so arresting for me personally? Authenticity. The authenticity of the sound of Van Morrison, the authenticity of the expressions in the works, the authentic input of unadulterated instrumentation carried out by the hands of man, rather that the 1's and 0's of computer-generated sound. There is Affinity to deal with here too. The connection that Morrison's music makes with me has a great deal to do with the substance of his message and feeling, most of which I clearly have an affinity.

Can a wine touch me in the same way? I don't know. I don't think so. But I do know that the qualities that I find in Van Morrison's music can be found in wine and I'm sure that when I see or taste their expression I'll know that I've come across my version of "high quality" wine.

It's important to begin here with the acknowledgment that there is a real similarity between great wine and great music. There can be no mistaking Van Morrison. No one else sounds like him. He has, as it were, a "house style", a sound that identifies him just as a great winery will also have a voice that comes through in all its wines. Perhaps its a deft touch. Perhaps it's a rustic-ness or a purity of flavor that runs across its wines.

Yet while always being unmistakably "Morrison", the man has investigated and experimented with many different genre of music from R&B and Rock n Roll to Country and Jazz. Wineries too do just this as they work with different varieties of grapes. The resulting wines will carry the voice of the winery, but the character of the grape will also come shining through.

Finally, in listening through Morrison's more than thirty years worth of recordings it's quite clear that the personal changes, tragedies, failure and victories that make up his life are communicated in his various musical stages, be they immensely spiritual in nature, Christian in substance, bound to his Irish homeland or born of his aging voice. Wineries too must reflect the changes they are confronted with and, like Morrison, seemingly unable to direct in the form of vintage variation. The winery will always have a voice and will certainly experiment with different varieties, but they too will be subject to the untamable variation in vintage.

So, we have a solid connection and similarity between music and wine that allows me to use the music model to understand and define my notion of "great wine".

Can then, a wine be, above all, "authentic"? Most certainly it can. A wine can be a representation of a place and people. It can in its origin and treatment be authentically OF a real place. And it can authentically represent the voice and interpretation of a winemaker or winery without losing that authenticity of place. That is to say, aging a wine in oak or whole cluster pressing the grapes or use of particular yeasts that are not native can all be expressions of a winemaker's unique touch or voice, and all the while not necessarily extract what the place from which the grapes came brought to the wine.

I think I need to admit that just as I have developed a certain intimacy with the music and message of Van Morrison, I'd need to develop an intimate relationship or understanding with the winery and its wines' 'places" to be able to say, "Ah, this is authentic". And this of course brings us back the fundamental truth that leads to this uncomfortably long  and indulgent post: that there is no such thing as objective criteria for greatness in wine, but rather only the comfort that comes with familiarity and affinity that lets each of us define greatness.

There is one more final question that all the above begs: Who's familiar experiences and affinities will define your criteria for greatness?

A Selection of Lyrics from Van Morrison's
"RAVE ON JOHN DONNE" From the "Inarticulate Speech of the Heart" Album

Rave on, you left us infinity
And well pressed pages torn to fade
Drive on with wild abandon
Up tempo, frenzied heels

Rave on, Walt Whitman, nose down in wet grass
Rave on fill the senses
On nature's bright green shady path

Rave on Omar Khayyam, Rave on Kahlil Gibran
Oh, what sweet wine we drinketh
The celebration will be held
We will partake the wine and break the Holy bread

Rave on let a man come out of Ireland
Rave on on Mr. Yeats,
Rave on down through the Holy Rosey Cross
Rave on down through theosophy, and the Golden Dawn
Rave on through the writing of "A Vision"
Rave on, Rave on, Rave on, Rave on, Rave on, Rave on

Rave on John Donne, rave on thy Holy fool
Down through the weeks of ages
In the moss borne dark dank pools

What Does It All Mean?

In the next few posts I want to examine the results of the "Electronic Wine" Survey. But in this first post I'd like to look at the overall results. There are some interesting findings when you start parsing the results, but for now let's look at the overall findings.

You can see the overall results of the 266 respondents yourself BY CLICKING HERE.

First and foremost, take note of the fact that nearly everyone that took the survey says they use the Internet to educate themselves about wine. Stunned? Good. I hope not. What they say they use it for is interesting however.While 45% say they use the Internet for "Wine Pricing Information", only 25% say they use the Internet for "Purchasing Advise". Meanwhile, 68% say they they are most likely use the Internet for finding "Wine Reviews". Now, combine this information with the fact that fully 40% of the respondents said they DO NOT use the Internet for wine buying. Perhaps this question was not phrased correctly. But perhaps it means lots of people look use the Internet for wine buying the same way they use it for car buying: They do the research on-line, then buy offline.

I must say, I'm surprised by that 40% saying they don't use the Internet for wine buying. This tells me that there is LOTS of room for growth in the on-line buying world.

Another interesting finding is how respondents view the utility of on-line wine information vs. print wine information. In general, respondents find the two sources similar in quality over a variety of categories. EXCEPT in the area of "Wine Pricing Information" and "Basic Wine Information". By far, respondents view wine pricing information better on the Internet than in print publications. This should be no surprise thanks in large part to folks like Wine Searcher and Snooth and others. But I was surprised to see the Internet get the nod in a significant way over print publications when it comes to "Basic Wine Information". Perhaps it's just the huge amount of Basic Wine Information that exists on the Internet that gives this venue the nod over print.

Now here's something VERY interesting: 60% of respondents said they purchase no more than 10% of their wine on the Internet. Maybe it's just my own experience that makes this a surprise to me. In our house upwards of 80% is purchased on-line. Still, I would have expected more. Again, this tells me there is huge potential for growth in on-line wine sales. And, by the way, take note that it's wine retailers that get a significantly higher percentage of on-line sales over winery websites.

What's wrong with the on-line buying experience. Clearly it's a lack of accessibility. Almost half the respondents cited "Shipping Not Available in My State" as the biggest problem with on-line wine shopping". What does this mean? Combined with the fact that more folks say they buy from on-line retailers than wineries, it means I need to work harder on behalf of the Specialty Wine Retailers Association to get more states into the game and thereby more consumers into the game.

Finally, who are the respondents? Well, we tend to be well-educated males between 40 and 60 years of age who make decent money. Who is surprised?

More interesting analysis coming. For now, take a look at the basic results HERE.

It's Child's Play

I sometimes run by my kids issues I am dealing with at work. I probably shouldn't mention this as clients of Wark Communications are supposed to think that what we do here is a bit more than child's play.

Anyway, this morning over "Eggs in Frame" we were discussing how wineries sell wine. I explained the state-mandated three-tier distribution system to the kids (which, oddly, they seemed to comprehend easily). One of them piped up and said, "I think the middle guys (that's the wholesalers) should have to sell all wines!"

...Duh!  I've thought about this before but when you suggest it to folk in the wine industry they look at you like they've just had a stroke and can't quite comprehend what you are saying. But the fact is, the kid is absolutely correct!

Any wine distribution system must satisfy three demands that are placed upon it:

1. The distribution system must allow access to the wines available in the United States. If it cannot or does not meet this primary goal, then the system is broken and inefficient.

2. It must provide a means for the state to regulate the distribution of alcohol. This means ways by which states can assure its rules and regulations are being followed.

3. It must provide a means by which the state can collect taxes on the sale of alcohol.

Clearly, where ever the state mandated three-tier system is in place, you have a broken system because the first, and primary, goal is unmet. In every state where there is a mandate that wine sales go through a distributor, only a fraction of the wines available in the U.S. are actually distributed by the wholesalers. Hence, broken.

There is a simple way to fix this problem if the states insist on continuing to subsidize the wholesaler tier through a state-mandated three-tier system that demands distributors get a cut of all wine sales.

STATES SHOULD MANDATE BY LAW THAT DISTRIBUTORS REPRESENT ANY WINERY OR IMPORTER THAT WANTS TO SELL WINE IN THAT STATE.

No picking and choosing. No denying wineries and importers distributor representation. No claims that there is no market for the wine when brands are denied representation. If states want to continue to subsidize the existence of wholesalers and to guarantee them profits, then wholesalers should also be forced to represent any brand that wants it, just as all brands are forced to use a wholesaler.

Now there is no guarantee that the wholesaler would actually sell the wines to retailers and restaurants in the state, let alone sample the products, just because they were forced to represent these brands. But that's OK. By guaranteeing all brands access to the state, the brands themselves can do the real heavy lifting and market their wines themselves, using the wholesalers as mere paper shufflers and logistics companies. This way the state and its political representatives are still able to give wholesalers something (a guaranteed profit) in exchange for their campaign contributions, yet also provide something of a functioning distribution system that serves the producers as well as the retailers and restaurants and, ultimately, the consumer.

This is not a perfect system. But it does remove most of the unethical qualities of the current state mandated distribution systems that provide wholesalers with subsidized profits through law, while not actually guaranteeing a rational or fair system of distribution.

Now, this proposal would not allow consumers to necessarily access the tens of thousands of wines currently available in the United States. In order to make the state-mandated three tier system truly rational, a true tax collecting vehicle, truly consumer-friendly and economically efficient, you'd need to provide an exception that allows consumers to purchase and have shipped to them wines from any retailer or winery in the nation.

I've got the kids working on this problem, too.

Totalitarianism and Gigantism in Napa Valley?

James Conaway is wrong about Napa Valley:

While at the California Preservation Foundation Conference in Napa Valley, Conaway said about Napa Valley (Quoting from the Napa Valley Register):

"Conaway said the undoing of the Napa Valley may be the sprawl of boutique wineries by rich newcomers who would sacrifice our natural and architectural heritage in the name of “showing off.”

First, would it be different if the sprawl of boutique wineries were being built by middle class, old-timers? Second, the implication in the idea that our "architectural heritage" in Napa is being sacrificed, suggests there is a style of architecture for wineries that is "better". Really? Better? How? This strikes me as a form of Nimbyism/Elitism/Good-Old-Daysism.

"He cited the architecture of Dominus Estate — a winery covered with stone-filled gabion enclosures — as an example of “totalitarian” design, an “unapproachable” building that serves the “vineyard elite” that now rule the Napa Valley."

Wow..."Totalitarian"?  It "serves the Napa Valley elite"? How is Dominus "totalitarian"? I need to remember this rhetorical tool. Think up all the words that have ugly connotations and use them when I want to criticize someone, regardless of whether or not these words have any relationship to the topic at hand. Maybe something like this: "In a Nazi-like yelp filled with fascist-implications, the author let loose with a sneaky blitzkrieg of commie-inspired accusations!"

"In the same vein, Conaway disparaged the Frank Gehry-design for what will be Hall Winery in St. Helena, a clear case of a building dictated by “fashion, not function.”

Since when is function the only thing to be considered when constructing a building? One suspects that the Palace at Versaille could have been far more functional were it built as a simple rectangle with only straight lines.

"Tourists play into this trend, Conaway said. “They’re attracted by the spectacular.” Be wary of catering to tourists, he said. “Tourism can devour the thing it loves.”"

Indeed, tourism has just killed the wine industry. I mean, imagine a winery actually including direct contact with the customer as part of their marketing plan. What are they thinking?? That's just crazy!!

"Conaway, who is an editor at large for Preservation magazine, said George Yount, the valley’s first white settler, would hardly recognize the place today. The Napa of his day was marked by abundant wildlife, clear-running streams and dense forests on the western hills, Conaway said. If conference attendees were to venture into the hills today, they would find forest “scrapped raw” by vineyard development, he said."

I have to assume this quote is taken out of context or at least the context of this quote just isn't included in the article but that it exists somewhere. George Yount? The implication is that Napa Valley would be better off the way George Yount found it in the middle to late 19th century with its Grizzly Bears running around in mass numbers and not a human being to be found outside of a band of Native Americans. I wish I knew what Conaway was trying to get at here.

"Perversely, the very success of the Napa Valley wine industry — wine grapes are “one of the most valuable legal crops in the country” — has created the conditions that threaten it, he said. The valley is attracting the mega-wealthy who want a piece of the action, he said. Vineyards have been planted on questionable terrain. The homes of the rich are infected by “gigantism.”"

What's the threat? Someone please show me the threat that are vineyards? And someone else has to point me to a time when wealthy folks DID NOT build larger homes for themselves?  "Infected"??? "Infected by gigantism"?  And finally, which vineyards have been planted on "questionable terrain"?

I wish I was at this talk, damn it! The message delivered by these quotes just can't be real. Can they? If these are the real thoughts of Mr. Conaway, then they must lead to his concluding of one of two things: It's just too darn bad what's happened to Napa Valley and we should mourn the loss of pristine wilderness or we should create laws that regulate how wealthy one can be to own a winery or vineyard as well as the style of architecture that is allowed on private property.

Take The Electronic Wine Survey...It's Closing Soon

The "ELECTRONIC WINE" Survey will close  on Monday morning, April 28.

Tell us about you and wine online before it's too late.

UPDATE:
We're closed! THANK YOU To all that took survey!

 

Shipping & The Big Question For Wineries

As executive director of Specialty Wine Retailers Association, I've been thinking a lot recently about who supports free and open markets in wine and who supports retailer to consumer shipping—the only channel through which consumers can actually access ALL the wines on the market today.

We know consumers do. They've written letters to legislators, testified on direct shipping bills, and even donated $1000s of dollars to the work Specialty Wine Retailers Association is carrying out.

We know newspaper editorial boards and wine writers do. They've written scads of editorials denouncing the laws that serve to only protect wine distributors from competition.

The Wine 2.0 community has been vocal about their support of both winery and retailer shipping

And we know retailers support free and fair trade and consumer access to wine. See SWRA.

BUT WHERE DO WINERIES STAND ON FREE & FAIR TRADE IN WINE?

WHERE DO WINERIES STAND ON RETAILER TO CONSUMER SHIPPING? WHERE TO THEY STAND ON CONSUMER ACCESS TO WINE THROUGH RETAILERS? DO THEY IN FACT SUPPORT THE WINE RETAILER—THE GROUP MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING THEIR PRODUCTS IN FRONT OF THE CONSUMER—AND THEIR BID TO HELP ADDRESS THE LEGITIMATE CONSUMER DEMAND FOR ACCESS TO WINES?

The various winery associations and trade groups have been true to their fiduciary responsibility to their members and seen fit to support laws that prohibit consumers from buying wine from out-of-state retailers both in CA and IL. They have opposed laws that would allow retailer to consumers shipping in WA. And in other cases the wineries have simply been neutral on laws that would open shipping to consumers and retailers. In doing this they've supported their members' needs, despite the impact on consumers and wine merchants. OK...I understand this approach that many trade associations believe they must take.

But the more important issue is not how the various wine trade associations conduct themselves with regard to issues of fair trade in wine and consumer access to wines. The real question is HOW INDIVIDUAL WINERIES STAND ON RETAILER TO CONSUMER SHIPPING? Do the individual wineries support their best customers—wine lovers and the wine merchant?

Does CONSTELLATION BRANDS, perhaps the wine producer that benefits most from support by retailers, support the wine merchants bid to engage in direct to consumer sales? Are they willing to say they do publicly? Are they willing to donate a mere $125 a month to support this cause?

Does JOSEPH PHELPS WINERY support real consumer access to wine? Are they willing to say so publicly or show their support by joining the cause to break down barriers to retailer shipping by putting up, say, what they take in for the sale of a single case of Insignia?

Does DON SEBASTIANI & SONS support retailer shipping or just winery shipping? Are they willing to support efforts to bring down unconstitutional restrictions on retailer shipping and consumer access to wine?

Does STAGLIN think that free trade and shipping for wine merchants is worth supporting through publicly standing up and saying so or by joining an organization that is fighting for the right to sell their wines to consumers that want them but can't find them?

Will GALLO take a stand for retailers and donate real cash to the cause to allow consumers to access the wines they want?

Will the folks at ALBAN VINEYARDS take a stand against monopolists laws that keep wine retailers from selling their wines to the folks who want them enough to pay shipping from another state? Will they say so publicly? Will they make even a small donation to actually make this happen?

Will the MENDOCINO WINE COMPANY demonstrate its support for its best customers and its consumers by issue a public announcement of support for real fair and free trade in wine? Can they show their support by making a financial donation equivalent to the retail value of a mere 5 cases of their Paul Dolan Zinfandel?

Is DUCKHORN willing to only support winery shipping or will they publicly state they support retailer to consumer shipping, as well as help the only organization fighting for the right of retailers to market Duckhorn wine through direct shipping with a small contribution...just as "thanks" for the effort?

I wonder if RODNEY STRONG VINEYARDS, which has grown significantly with the support of wine merchants, has consumers in mind and will support retailers' attempts to change wine shipping laws with a small donation to the cause or just a public statement?

What about KORBEL and their family of wineries including Kenwood and Valley of the Moon? Do these folks have any interest in stepping up and supporting consumers and retailers with a monetary donation or public support for retailers who have supported their products for decades?

Do the folks at LORING WINE COMPANY have any interest is supporting the retailers that work to assure their outstanding wines get into the hands to the wine geeks that can't find them locally or from the winery? Can they step up with a show of support?

And then there is FOSTER WINE ESTATES, one of the largest wine producers in the world with a collection of wines that is nearly entirely dependent on wine merchants for putting these brands in front of the public. Can they afford to donate $1500 a year ($125 per month) ($4 per day) to the cause of retailers, who are fighting for the ability to to sell Foster's wines to wine lovers across the country? Or is this not important enough for them?

Is it possible that HANZELL VINEYARDS in the hills of Sonoma, a brand that fine wine merchants have supported for literally decades, can find the time to make a donation to, or public statement about, the retailers and consumers that are fighting monopolists for the right to simply fulfill a legitimate demand?

Is there any room in the PAHLMEYER budget to support consumers who merely want the right to purchase wine without the threat of being fined? Do they have room to make a simple statement to the effect that "we support consumers and retailers in their desire to simply do business together"?

I have to think that the folks at VINE CLIFF support free and fair trade in wine and have enough respect for their consumers that they too would show support through donations or public comment for the work consumers do through organizations like SWRA.

Are the IRONSTONE people satisfied with their retail supporters being left out of direct shipping now that they have their battle won, or are they willing to make even a small donation to the cause of direct shipping by retailers and consumer access to wine. Even a short public statement of support would be helpful if they think the cause is worth supporting.

Is it possible that PACIFIC WINE PARTNERS, the marketers behind brands like Rex Goliath, Hardys, Blackstone and Twin Fin and a company that relies tremendously on retailers to sell their products, might be able to help those friends of theirs with some support for the simple cause of direct shipping, or are they content to sit on the sidelines not get involved and see retailers hurt more and more as Pacific's best customers are shut out of more and more direct ship markets?

Is DIAGEO CHATEAU & ESTATES, a company whose wine such as Chalone, Beaulieu Vineyards, Sterling Vineyards and Acacia, are dependent on retailers, willing to step up and make a small donation to the cause of retailer to consumer shipping or just say out loud, "we support a free and fair market for retailer to consumer sales and shipping"?

There is nothing particularly special about this grouping of wineries other than they, like most other wineries in America, rely on wine merchants to put their wines in front of the consumer. They are a pretty random selection used only to make a point. Each in this group, like most other wineries, COULD afford to support though donations, membership in SWRA or contributions, those retailers and consumers that are working to create a free, fair and accessible market for consumers and retailers alike.

If they choose not to support retailer to consumer shipping, the question is why?

Why let your most important partners work all alone when you can could get involved?

That's the big question for American wineries. And I suspect both wine merchants and consumers do take some notice of how this question is being answered by wineries.

Give Me More Data!

If you've not taken the ELECTRONIC WINE SURVEY yet I urge you to. I want to get a really good sample of readers to make sure the results are meaningful.

The survey on your relationship with wine and the Internet will take no more than 3 minutes. Your response are 100% confidential.

Thanks so much!

Tom...

Nakedness & Having Your Way With Wine Blogs

The following comment was recently posted on the Fermentation post that announced
the American Wine Blog Winners:

You have a very nice blog. I enjoy the information and access to other blogs. I'm a new blogger... have you seen the naked woman on the newest Imagine Wine label? Check out www.imaginewine.com. It is beautiful. I tasted the wines recently at the Santa Ynez Vintners Festival too and the wine is good and a great value, but has to be bought off the internet.

I get this a lot. Folks posting seemingly flattering comments with a suspicious plug for their own winery or wine product or blog, or even not so suspicious plugs but very blatant plugs. I understand why it's done. Believe me, I do.

But here's a hint for those of you who want exposure on Fermentation:

1. If you maintain a wine blog, just email me with the name and URL of your blog and I'll post it in the blog roll.

2. If you are a winery and think there's a really good reason why I should investigate your wines and story, pitch me a story via email with your idea and tell me the most compelling reason why I should let my readers know about your wines and winery.

3. If you produce a wine-related product or have a wine-related service that you think Fermentation readers will want to know about, tell me in an e-mail what is unique, compelling, significant or relevant about your service or product.

Alternatively, you can let me know that there is some element of female nakedness associated with your blog, winery or wine-related service or product and I'll probably take notice.

Bottom Line: Blogs are like any other form of media. They may be interested in what your story is. Interested enough to write about it, even. BUT...assume you need to make the effort to pitch the story in a creative and compelling way.

Offering up female nakedness might work with me at Fermentation, but it's unlikely that other wine bloggers are as easy as I am. Make the effort. Do the research. Pitch the story directly.

Electronic Wine: Take The Survey

What's your relationship to wine on the Internet?
Are you a buyer?
A big buyer?
A reader?
A student of wine using the net?

These are the things I'm curious about when it comes to Fermentation readers and that's why I've created...

THE ELECTRONIC WINE SURVEY

It's a simple, quick survey that will give an indication of just how deep Fermentation readers are into the world of wine on the Internet as well as give an indication of their feelings about the way the Internet delivers wine information and access to wine.

So please...

TAKE THE SURVEY BY CLICKING HERE!!

The results will be posted here for all to see when the survey is closed and your responses are 100% Confidential.

Thanks you,
Tom.....

Bring On the Swim-Up Wine Bar

Ok...so Francis Ford Coppola got shot down on his desire to erect two lovely lighted pyramids on his Rosso & Bianco Winery (formerly Chateau Souverain) in Sonoma County. (Personally, I think the demise of this particular aesthetic element of his new Sonoma winery is a shame...Who doesn't like a lighted pyramid?) However, it's not as though the director of the greatest American movie ever made, winery owner, restaurateur and father of the woman that ruined Godfather III doesn't retain big plans for this new facility north of Healdsburg. Behold the plans:

-Coppola's Rosso & Bianco Winery on four parcels covering 76 acres

-It include a 900-foot bandshell and stage that would host live music, theater and other events

-It will have a 2,000-square-foot dance floor for 128 people

-It will provide a 257-square-foot refreshment bar

-There will be a split-level swimming pool with a capacity of 175 people and 33 cabanas

-The Project includes a 1,430-square-foot outdoor restaurant with 44 seats near the pool

-Allowed are 18 special outdoor events a year, one of which would be for up to 3,000 guests.

I'm sort of hoping that this pool project at the winery will include a swim-up wine bar. One of my favorite past times on Mexican vacations is taking a slow swim up to the bar, saddling up on a submerged stool, requesting a couple shots of tequilla with a nice beer chaser, slowly waddle back through the water to my cabana by the pool, all in preparation for my next visit to the swim up bar about an hour later.

To think that I could do this all in Sonoma County gets me kind of thirsty!

Bring it on, Francis!

Rejoice Ever More

Depending on your spiritual and moral disposition, there may not be anything too wrong with beating a dead horse. This post might reveal my spiritual and moral disposition.

I wonder if the critical establishment surrounding wine is too unforgiving. I wonder if the predilection among the reviewing class is that it tends to oversubscribe to the notion that a wine can be too wrong, rather that right enough for those who will put up with its character.

Oddly I was once again brought back to this issue of reviews, quality, preference and standards in wine upon viewing the last episode of HBO's brilliant "John Adams". The last episode, entitled "Peacefield" is a brave and beautiful meditation on legacy, and that all too human combination of joy and sorrow that appears to be a symptom of the end of life.

I've been very pessimistic lately of the probability that any set of quality standards can be rationally conceived when it comes to wine. And even after taking the counsel of a number of the "Wise Men" of the wine reviewing trade, taking to them my doubts, and having been reassured by them that some measure of standards can be construed if only we have an appreciation of man's unchanging physiology, I find I remain pessimistic on this issue.

In the last episode we see the former President Adams in the last years of his life at his family home. Death and irrelevancy surround him as his dear wife and best adviser Abigail dies, his daughter dies of breast cancer, his revolutionary compatriots slowly wither and die and his own significance in political matters seems to amount to very little other than his symbolic value as one of the remaining founders. And yet, Adams is able to overcome all this and is able to insist to his youngest son, "Rejoice Everymore!" as he takes in the beauty of nature on an early evening stroll.

I wonder if there is a brand of wine connoisseurship and wine writing that places the focus on rejoicing rather than reviewing, even in the face of the competition, the business, the tackiness and the need to be bigger and better? I wonder if the world of wine can be described by its chroniclers more as an adventure, intellectually and sensually, than as a world of ranks and precedents?

This would take a great deal of forgiveness on the part of those who tell wine's story; forgiveness of imperfection, forgiveness for wines being less than we desire, and writers themselves seeking forgiveness from those who have relied on the writer to offer joy, hope and discovery rather than decimals, points, numbers and flaws.

I'm not suggesting that reviews of wines ought to disappear. But I wonder if they might become something more. I wonder if the best writing might be known as that which rejoices in simply finding something new that isn't quite up to our standards but which is best described as surely up to another's standards.

Implications For All Involved

A variety of academic studies seem to have determined quite convincingly that the non-wine expert and even the non-wine interested don't like the same kind of wines that the "experts" and those who have had wine training tend to like.

The corollary to this is that the ratings of wine experts and wine critics seem may have little value for those who are not trained in wine.

The most recent confirmation of this comes from a Working Paper published at the website of the American Association of Wine Economists entitled, "Do More Expensive Wines Taste Better. Evidence from a Large Sample of Blind Tastings."

The basic findings of this working paper are that the average person prefers less expensive wines, while the experienced wine drinker (called an "expert" in the paper) tend to prefer wines that are more expensive. The study included blind tastings by more than 6000 individuals.

At the end of the working paper, the following questions are posed: "is the difference between the ratings of experts and non-experts due to an acquired taste? Or is it due to an  innate ability, which is correlated with self selection into wine training?"

Both excellent questions.

I think the implications of this and similar studies with similar findings is immense, yet I'm not sure I've even come close to wrapping my mind around their meaning. Last week I played with the notion that there can be no such thing as objective quality in wine and that any criteria for quality set down by experts or non experts alike is merely an assertion of preference and not anything that can be called objective, if not mere tradition that is capable of, and has, changed over time.

But there is something else to be considered here. Is it possible that a large percentage of those that eventually find themselves to be either experts on wine of taken by wine in general are also much more likely to be a part of that 25% of the population that are called "supertasters"? This has to be considered. Recently Dan Berger, in an article at Appellation America, took a much closer look at the "genetics" behind wine preference. I sense that what Dan might be on to and what the researchers behind this newest study are confirming, might just need to meet up in the middle.

Something else to consider given these findings is the real world role of the wine critic. Given these studies, is it over the top to suggest that articles in daily newspapers and general readership magazines that review wines would be better off not reviewing wines at all, but rather providing more general interest or business-related wine stories?

Finally, this. Among those of us who are interested in wine, we rarely, very rarely, drink a wine knowing little about its provenance, including the producer, the appellation and the price. And whether we say so or not, I believe we place a strong correlation on price and quality. This leads me to conclude that if we see very similar styles of wines being produced at the higher price categories, we may be in danger of cementing in place that style of wine as the style that is equated with "quality". The implications of this possibility are important to consider.