Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog

The Ultimate CA Wine Blog

I've not done the looking around to see if wine bloggers tend to be men. My guess is that they are since it's far and away a "man thing" to talk about and discuss wine.

However, I could easily be convinced that women are better natural tasters than men. In fact I've heard compelling arguments that women make better natural winemakers because they are natural nurturers best demonstrated by their child birth responsibilities. In fact, it was a female winemaker I worked with who made this claim. And it was hard to argue with her wines.

That said, Carolyn Tilly is an accomplished writer and wine enthusiast who has undertaken the responsibilities of wine blogging. Her new blog, The Ultimate California Wine Blog, has so far delivered two really very good reviews of a couple Napa Valley wineries.

I'm looking forward to reading much more from Carolyn. I hope she posts often. You've got to like the bar she's set for herself with the very name of her blog.

The Story Behind Robert Parker

The London Review of Books has published a very thoughtful article by Steven Shapin on the controversy that seems to forever follow Robert Parker...that of the influence of his palate on world wide winemaking trends.

Ostensibly Shapin is reviewing Parker's guides in the context of the swipes and accusations made at him in the movie, Mondovino. The notion is that the influence of Robert Parker's reviews have led to the devaluation of unique, terroir-driven wines throughout the world and the emergence of a monolithic "new world style" that emphasizes big fruit, soft tannin and varietal supremacy over individuality.

I think I've admitted before that this controversy interests, inspires and fascinates me on a number of levels. There is so much going on here that spill over into so many areas of the wine industry. There are the issue of exploding quality in the New World wine regions, lower consumption in France, whether the impact of Parker's palate affects the vintners and trade or if it's a consumer-driven impact, the questions of whether or not wineries should make wine for Parker's palate, and many more issues.

I for one think that Robert Parker's influence has been a good one.

This article is well worth spending time with. It encapsulates the issues surrounding the influence of Robert Parker quite well.

Lose Your Sense of Decency...for only $19.95

"How to Sound Like a Wine Expert - In 10 Minutes Or Less"

I think this is a great one line value proposition, especially if aimed at people who have decided they want to learn more about wine. But it also strikes me as indicative of the overblown expectations too many people have adopted when it comes to learning a new skill or talent.

But the problem is that this offer isn't aimed at people who want to learn more about wine. It's aimed at people who believe that if you can fool someone into believing you are an expert, you are, by default, an expert. There are some pretty deep philosophical implications to this idea having to do with reality vs. perception, language as a constructive path to the creation of reality, and the maleability of morals and ethics.

This offer of becoming an "instant Wine Expert" by sounding like one comes from Stephen Reiss,Ph.D, author of WineEducation.com and a Certified Wine Educator. Reiss is the author of "Juice Jargon: How to Sound Like a Wine Expert."

In a press release he offers this opportunity to fool people if you only purchase his book for $19.95 plus shipping and handling.

Based on Dr. Reiss' website, there is every indication that he has a very deep understanding of wine. And though I've not read his book, his description of its contents and what it can teach indicate he understands how to communicate, write and educate.

What bothers me, and should bother anyone who values the time they've taken to understand wine or any other discipline, are two things: 1) His willingness to support and encourage the idea of shortcuts to success and 2) his apparent belief that success is achieved by fooling people into believing something that just isn't true.

Reiss understands that there are significant barriers to being comfortable talking about wine. He understands that these barriers can be intimidating. What he doesn't understand is that by going around a barrier, rather than over it, you simple leave more barriers behind for the next person to have to overcome. 

Wine Terms for Those Who Care and Those Who Don't

Andrew over at Spittoon found an interesting article that explores the meaning of a new word, "Linearity", that seems to be coming into vogue among professional tasters and winemakers for describing a wine. What's interesting is that there is immediate debate about what the word means.

I think what we have here is an example of a French academic applying his intellectual interests (linguistics and philosophy) to wine descriptions. It sounds fun to me.

However, it's important to remember that there are two types of wine writing and wine descriptions: One set of wine language for those who care, and another set for those who do not. For those who care, the term "linearity" is a new toy. For those who don't it's confusing and useless.

I Take No Responsibility...Now, Give me Money!!

Where does personal responsibility end and corporate responsibility begin? For me, this question has always been answered by determining who was primarily responsible for causing the effect. So, if I drink too much zinfandel, walk to my car, get in, start the ignition, drive away, then break my neck when I drive into a tree I pretty much have to identify myself as the causing the effect. I mean who else could be responsible for this?

Do I point to the person who first introduced me to Zinfandel? What about the car manufacturer who didn't create a way for my vehicle to recognize that I was unfit to drive? Then there is the vendor who sold me the Zinfandel. No....this doesn't work. I caused the effect. I'm responsible.

We who tend to fall on the moderate to liberal side of the aisle usually keep a close eye on corporations. Many have a history of screwing consumers, shareholders and employees. Yet, holding large corporations or whole industries responsible for the irresponsible acts of youth seems hardly fair.

Yet, this report demonstrates that a number of lawsuits filed against large alcohol companies seek significant damages for the companies' alleged roles in alcohol related accidents and alcohol-related stupidity.

Most of these lawsuits claim that alcohol companies are aggressively marketing to youth and are therefore in violation of a number of state laws and responsible for the effects of alcohol-induced stupors that come when minors drink.

"The suits seek court-ordered limits on beverage promotion, such as restricting ads on TV shows and publications with large youth audiences.      They also seek damages for parents or kids who paid for alcohol illegally consumed by minors."

I had to read this last sentence three or four times. Does this mean, according to those who filed these suits, that if they win this lawsuit all I have to do is claim I've bought alcohol for minors and I'll get a payout.

Does this seem...well...ludicrous?

The wine industry likely has little to worry about. You'd be hard pressed to find any marketing or ads that speak to anyone under 45 years of age. But many of those companies involved in these suits, while exposed mainly for their marketing of beer and spirits, do have interest in wine. Diageo is one such company having to defend it's marketing practices from the purveyors of the "No Responsibility Have We" view of the world.

Cork Taint Is Too High at 8.5%

How is this not a reason for despair?

According to Cyril Penn , Editor of Wine Business Monthly and contributing writer to the San Francisco Chronicle 8.5% or one in every 12 bottles entered into the 2004 Macquarie Bank Sydney Royal Wine Show were corked...Contaminated by trichloroanisole, or TCA.

While TCA can get into a wine without the help of a cork, it is the cork that is the culprit in the vast majority of cases.

8.5%???

Everytime studies like this emerge winemakers and winery owners give more and more thought to how they can introduce screwcaps or other alternative closures to their wines without driving away customers who think such closures equal cheap wine. They don't of course, but too many casual consumers think so.

The first step is usually to introduce screwcaps or fake corks to early drinking white wines. But it's not easy for a marketer to put a screwcap on a $30 Cabernet.

It's an easier move if you are making relatively little of this wine and you sell a majority of it to a loyal following through a mailing list rather than at retail or in restaurants.

Still.....8.5%??? That's got to make it easier to abandon cork.

The Power of Robert Parker and The Wine Spectator

I've always contested the notion that Robert Parker's and the Wine Spectator's reviews have too much power to move consumer habits. Usually you hear this from consumers who don't like the wines these reviewers like or from vintners who haven't gotten the scores from them they think their wines deserve.

Rather, it has always been my contention that it is with distributors and retailers where Mr. Parker's and the Wine Spectator's power is really manifested. Here is a tale that explains this.

Yesterday, I was ringing up a sales managers at a client's various wholesalers and brokers. Our intent was to improve on the monthly email that is sent to them. Now, in this email we deliver news from the winery, sales tools, background on vineyards and winemaking, and a great deal of information we would not release to the public. The basic idea is to give them news and tools the sales staff at the distributors can use to help make more placements of the brand.

My question to all the distributors around the country (I spoke with 20 yesterday) was: "what kind of information can we provide you with regularly that will help in your sales efforts."

All but three Sales Managers, owners or off-premise managers had the same response:

"Give us a great review from Parker or the Wine Spectator"

What can I tell them?: "Well, we'll see what we can do, but is there any thing else, maybe different case cards or shelf talkers or sales materials or in-market visits?

Half of those who wanted a good review responded, "No, just get us reviews from Parker and Spectator."

Add to this the fact that at 6 of the distributors I spoke with sales were not going well. When I asked why, 5 of them said because we didn't have a score of 90 or above from Parker or The Wine Spectator.

I've been known to express the opinion that too many distributor "sales people" are nothing more than order takers. I can add to that that too many of them are "pathetic order takers".

This client has wines that once on the shelf, regardless of scores and ratings, sells well. The wine is dynamite. Yet at the distributor level too many "sales people" believe in only pushing wines with the top scores. This client has had quite a few wines that scored very well both with the Wine Spectator and Robert Parker. And guess what? When these scores have appeared, the wholesalers have pushed the wines and taken credit for a job well done. Without the scores they say things like, "well, it's tough out there...you need to do more than just make good wine."

The consolidation at the Wholesale level has created huge books of different wineries at many distributors; so huge that it's impossible for sales people to adequately represent their winery clients. So, they choose to only push those that have 90 points or above. They do this for three reasons: 1) generally sales skills at this level are pathetic 2) too many retailers and restaurauteurs have become used to being presented with wines that either have high scores or are discounted and 3) generally sales skills at this level are pathetic.

There are a number of markets in which my clients wines are selling briskly. Very briskly. Guess what's different about these markets. The distributor's book of clients is relatively small and their sales staff is composed of veterans in the business.

Robert Parker and the Wine Spectator are both good for the wine industry. They are good for consumers. But the fact is much of their power to move the market is based on a generation of sales people having been taught to focus only on score.

Riedel Is Watching

It's not enough that Riedel has convinced me that their glassware is the best in the business. Now they can keep an eye on where I'm using their glassware.

When Riedel named Sonoma's Wine Country Party & Events here their West Coast rental distributor they did so in large part because Wine Country Party utilizes GPS technology to track where their delivery trucks and what's in them. It's a web-based system that allows Riedel in Austria to track where their glasses are being used.

The privacy advocate in me stops for a moment and thinks about that concept. But I move on because I'm really not bothered. If Riedel wants to know if I'm using their glassware at a winery event or at my own private party, I can't imagine how that matters.

You've got to give it to Wine Country Party, though. Very cool use of new technology. So cool it apparently got them a great account.

Top Ten Reasons To Visit Sonoma Valley

For those of you who are not aware of it, I'm lucky enough to live in Sonoma. Specifically, I live in the small town of Glen Ellen. This area is a wine and food lover's paradise. But, there's more than just wine and food that recommends Sonoma Valley. I've wanted to do this for some time. So here it is:

THE TOP 10 REASONS FOR VISITING SONOMA VALLEY

  10. World Championship Pillow fights

Every Fourth of July, in the Valley town of Kenwood, the best pillow fighters in the world gather to determine who slings the sack best. Straddling a metal poll that lies across a mud-filled crevice, competitors whack one another until one takes the mud dive. Spectators lounge on the grassy inclines surrounding the "pit", drink wine, eat barbecue and judge that they could easily win if only they entered. It's one of those things like the Tour de France, World Series and the Super Bowl that we all should experience in person once in our lives.

9. Driving Trinity Road in a Sports Car

There is a special road that takes one from Sonoma Valley, over the Mayacamas Range and drops you into Oakville. Trinity Road is a curvy up and down experience that only driving aficionados can truly appreciate. Trinity road winds its way through oak groves, redwood tree groves, around hairpin turns, past mountain vineyards and finally down a steep slope into Napa Valley. It was once named one of the best driving roads by Car & Driver Magazine. The trek is best taken in a small sport car, top down around 6:30 in the morning in the summer.

8. Sonoma Plaza

It's been the heart of the town for more than 100 years. Today, the plaza is a tree-filled oasis of soft grass, playgrounds, paths, duck ponds and shade that make it the perfect place to hang for a couple of hours with a bottle of wine and a picnic lunch. Surrounding the plaza on four sides are shops and restaurants. Sonoma was not always a tourist stop. Though much of the commerce that goes on there today is tourism related you can still find the old mens clothing shop, the banks, a grand old theatre and more that has served locals for years. But in addition, it's filled with eclectic shops, great restaurants and a numerous places to sit outside and watch people stroll by. The Sonoma Wine Exchange is a must stop. It has a great collection of local wines, many very hard to find gems.

7. Restaurants

The number of really outstanding restaurants in Sonoma Valley is startling and diverse. While there is a decided leaning toward "wine country" cuisine you'll also find raw bars, great Mexican food (both trendy and dives), Portuguese, authentic Italian, Steak houses, ranch food, and great little holes in the wall. Among my favorite: Meritage (Sonoma), Girl and the Fig (Sonoma), Saddles (Sonoma), Kenwood Restaurant (Kenwood), The Glen Ellen Inn (Glen Ellen), Cafe Citti (Kenwood).

6. Glen Ellen

Jack London made Glen Ellen his home and today his former ranch is a State Historical Park. There was a time when this tiny town boasted 8 different bars and saloons. Before that it was a resort spot where San Francsicans would come for the summer to enjoy the two creeks that come together here, to hike, to fish and to drink. Today, most people like to describe Glen Ellen as "quaint and funky". And it is. Downtown, such as it is, holds a funky bar, a great upscale market, a number of B&Bs, a auto repair shop, 4 restaurants, a bank, real estate offices and that's about it. It's off the main highway and a great place to spend an afternoon strolling before getting a bite to eat.

5. Sonoma Valley as Base Camp

If you want to plan a trip to "Wine Country" Sonoma Valley is perfect. If the Valley and nearby Carneros won't satisfy your wine tasting desires, Napa Valley is 20 minutes away, Russian River Valley is a half hour away, Dry Creek about 40 minutes away, Alexander Valley 40 minutes away and San Francisco is only 45 minutes away. The Valley is a perfect place to base yourself if you are looking for a Wine Country vacation.

  4. Heart of the Valley Barrel Tasting

The Heart of Sonoma Valley Association is a group of wineries in the Valley towns of Glen Ellen and Kenwood that work cooperatively to promote their part of the Valley. The Association is made up of about 20 wineries. Each March they roll out the barrels for 2 days and give you a taste of what's to come. It's really a great event. But because it's two days long, you can take your time at each winery, enjoy the wine, talk to the winemakers, sample the copious food that is set out and get to know this northern part of Sonoma Valley. This event still flies under the radar compared to the bigger weekend events in Russian River Valley and Carneros. So it still has the "friend-to-friend" feel about it.

3. History

Sonoma Valley is one of those areas where you can still see and even feel the history as you familiarize yourself with the region. We still have the Mission Sonoma. Remnants and memorials to the "uprising" that was called the Bear Flag Revolt and that led to California independence is still on view. The east side of Sonoma is filled with older homes, some 100 years old others built in the 20s and 30s and 40s that are stunning pieces of architecture. Stone walls seen throughout the valley look back on a day when property lines were not made up of wire fencing. Old wineries and ghost wineries still stand.

2. Back Roads

When I first moved to Glen Ellen I familiarized myself by getting out in my car and driving. Sonoma Valley is filed with amazing backroads that take you up steep hills, into the hinterland where cows and horses graze. Warm Springs Road, Bennett Valley Road, Cavedale Road, Dunbar Road, Henno Road, Nun's Canyon Road, Adobe Creek Road, Lawndale Road. As you drive these little two lane, tree-line beauts you come around corners to find ancient vineyards, old farm houses, redwood groves, open fields. It's invigorating. A day could be taken just driving slowing, off the beaten path.

1. The Wineries

Makes sense right? The combination and diversity of wineries in Sonoma Valley is impressive. We have a few big boys as well as a number of small boutique efforts. It really is impossible to go after them all even in a three day trip. However, there's nothing wrong with giving that a try. That said, I do have some favorite tasting rooms and wineries that you really should get to:
Chateau St. Jean (Kenwood-great variety and incredible quality for a large concern), Mayo Family Winery (Glen Ellen-the epitome of the small, boutique winery. They make only small lot, vineyard designated wines), Sebastiani (Sonoma-Impressive history and a renewed emphasis on high quality wines that has paid off immediately), Kaz Winery (Kenwood-A micro winery offering some of the most eclectic blends and varietals in California), Schug Carneros Estate (Sonoma-PINOT!!), Benziger Family Winery (Glen Ellen-A great family that delivers a wonderful winery experience for the visitor from its wines to the education you get when visiting).

GET MORE SONOMA VALLEY INFO

Wine blogging Wednesday: Wacky Wine Names

Not so much a "Wacky Wine Name" but rather a Wine with a Wacky Tale.

The 1988 Clos Pegase Napa Valley Hommage was the winery's high-end, reserve Cabernet. Each vintage owner Jan Shrem chooses a painting from his enormous and amazing collection of modern art and slaps it on the label. Well, when he slapped this label on his wine, the BATF slapped him back.

The BATF told Jan that the wine label was "obscene". Now keep in mind the art on this particular wine was 'Nu Chamarre" or "Bedecked Nude", created by the great Jean Dubuffet. That didn't matter to the BATF. The jewels were in plain sight and that was a "no no", regardless of the fame of the artist or the work.

At the time I was handling Close Pegase's public relations. When the BATF told us the label had been denied approval for its obscenity, well, we almost flew to Washington to give each and every member of the BATF staff a kiss on the mouth. Was there anything they could have done to give us more publicity?

In the end, Jan actually "castrated" the label by reprinting it, but cutting it off just above the you-know-what. We released the wine and then we sent off a press release to everyone with an address and a typewriter. To this day, that press release remains the only time I've ever used the word "castrated" in a headline. Probably in a story or press release for that matter.

Finally, in 1993, the BATF approved use of the full artwork for a wine label. Clos Pegase released a 1998 Cabernet with the approved label.