Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog

"Big Wine" really is BIG

Hoyt Hill, wine writer for the The City Paper, reports the following information:

--Thirty percent of the wine sold in the United States is distributed by one wholesaler, Southern Wine and Spirits, and, in the states where Southern Wine and Spirits actually does business, they distribute more than 70 percent of the wine sold?

--Approximately 80 percent of the wine produced in Australia is made by three companies? Approximately 70 percent of the wine produced in California is made by five companies? And that Foster’s is one of those three Australian companies and one of those five California companies?

--One man, Michel Rolland, is the winemaker at more than 200 wineries?

Hill has some very good suggestions for how consumers can address this "Big Wine Biz" trend.

However, It's important to point out that given the choice available on the Internet as well as in metropolitan areas, the wine drinker can easily indulge in artisan wines, rather than wines pumped out by the big boys and girls. And they should. I'm not a big business foe. Rather, I find it far more interesting, more educational ad more fun to drink from the hose of individuality than the well of homogeneity.

The Arnold Schwarzenegger of Wine

Blake Gray, the SF Chronicle's ubiquitous wine writer, made note of the fact that he's pretty sure he's tasted "Pinot Noirs" with Syrah blended into them:

"Blending up to 25 percent of a varietal different from the one on the label is already legal in the United States. I've never seen a Pinot Noir/Syrah combination listed on a front label, but I'm pretty sure I've tasted plenty of them, especially in the bargain price range."

Blake, I think, is being kind. The character of Pinot Noir has changed drastically over the past decade. I was a wine you could count on to be merely moderate in body with that intriguing nose unmistakable as anything other than Pinot. Yet today, Pinot in California often does not resemble this kind of beauty. I can't tell you how many Pinots I've tasted that I could only guess were Pinot were they served to me blind. I'm not expert taster, but I can usually identify a classic pinot simply by the process of elimination. Not any more.

Interestingly, Blake makes note of the bargain price Pinots that he's questioned. I'd reckon that I've tasted many more "high-end" Pinots that must have something hefty in them besides Pinot Noir. I've also had a few industry types confirm that this happens.

In California, as Blake points out, if it has only 75% of one variety in the wine, then that's what you call it. This bit of slight of hand reminds me of Governor Arnold in CA. While technically he is a politician, all the evidence points to him as really being an actor.

Whine, Wine, Wien

I don't get it. Do French politicians think we can't read, don't read, or do they just not care?

Jean-Claude Martinez, a politician and member of the extreme right wing French party National front from the south of France had this to say yesterday:

"We have been making wine since the Roman Empire, and not for a couple of hundred years like the Americans. Wine is a civilization, it is a fine art."

Fine art? Some of that dreg that his own constituents produce would suggest that stick figures qualify as "fine art" in the south of France.

Martinez was reacting to the provisional trade pact with Washington that, if enacted, would lead to an easing of restrictions on exporting wine to American and to the European Union.

The deal takes tentative steps to outlaw many European place-names on American wines. But it does more than that. The deal would recognize each region's winemaking practices. In the case of American wines that means the allowance for small amounts of water to the wine as well as adding oak chips to wine to flavor it, rather than using the more expensive oak barrels to add that oak essence. In the case of France, that would mean we would have no problem with wines that have sugar added to them.

The Europeans don't like this very much. They feel it puts them at a competitive disadvantage because their wine producing laws prohibit much of what we allow. So what do they do? Disparage Americans and American winemaking. I would expect that from a National Front politician. That brand of politicians is among the most retrograde on the continent...racist and xenophobic to their core.

But now we have to deal with German nincompoops (sp?) too.

Christa Klass, a leader of the European "People's Party" and representative of the Mosel region in Germany also didn't like that Americans could add oak chips and small amounts of water to wine:

"Water in wine is something which is unimaginable for us and unacceptable to our consumers We don't need artificial wine.

Most of the European wine countries, and the French in particular, are getting their hats handed to them when it comes to sales of wines. I'm not sure they really should be the ones explaining what their consumers want. The Australians should probably do that for them.

Huge over at Huge Johnson's World of Wine Blog has a good deal to say about this outburst by the European whiners. I suggest you read it. As always, Huge nails it.

If you are a wine drinker, this pact that is being worked out between the EU and America is of very little consequence. It won't really change your access to wines nor will it lead to any real change in the quality of wines your are drinking, nor the price you are paying.

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The King of Wine Chooses

If you were the Wine King of California and were tasked with dictating rules about which grape variety could be grown in different regions how would you  lay down the law?

In most area's of Europe it's hard to get away from the notion of one or two grapes defining a particular growing region. They have laws that say you must use particular grapes to put the place name on the label. In America it's different.

We put varietals on our labels here. People don't buy a "Napa Valley" and necessarily know what they are getting. They buy a Cabernet and that's what they get.

But this doesn't mean that various wine regions and appellation associations around California don't try, and try hard, to associate themselves with a particular varietal. Some areas become associated with certain varietals by default too.

How would you lay down the grape laws if you were Wine King? You may choose no more than three grapes allowed per region. Here's one fake king's response:

Anderson Valley:
Pinot is grape for which this cool region is best known, and for good reason. They locals have worked hard to promote their Pinot, but the competition for top Pinot region is tough. What they should and are doing is push equally hard for Anderson Valley to be known for Alsatian and German varietals such as Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, and Riesling. Without question the Anderson Valley is making the best examples of these varietals in California. Problem is, you usually don't get as much for a bottle of Gewurztraminer as you do Pinot.
RULING: Pinot Noir, Gewuztraminer, Riesling

Dry Creek Valley.
They make a lot of great wines in this northern Sonoma appellation but clearly Zinfandel is king of the hill and the varietal most associated with the region. It seemed at one time that Sauvignon Blanc would become associated with Dry Creek Valley. There are still great versions made, but SB can't top Zin. And by the way, who wouldn't want to see an annual Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Conference?
RULING: Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc

Napa Valley
Everything in Napa is about Cabernet. Yes, yes. I know...lovely wines of all sorts. But Cabernet and Napa Valley are about as closely associated as Mercedes is with Benz. Interestingly, the Napa Valley Vintners have not pushed Cab as the grape of Napa Valley.
RULING: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc (some wineries secretly plant Malbec and Petit Verdot)

Russian River Valley
Clearly this large Sonoma County appellation is best known for Pinot Noir. In fact, you can make a pretty compelling argument that it is the best known Pinot Noir appellation in the world after Burgundy. Yet, the size and diversity of what is known as the Russian River Valley appellation means you've got a number of other varietals that create wines that are at the same high caliber as their Pinots. I'm thinking of Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and Petite Sirah in particular. The key to understanding Russian River Valley is understanding it's subsections. Green Valley, for example is really extraordinary Pinot country. The part of the appellation east of highway 101 is all about Zinfandel in my opinion.
RULING: Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Chardonnay

Alexander Valley
Here it's mainly about Cabernet. This warm region of Sonoma County is home to the likes of Silver Oak and Jordan, two Cabernets that really helped put Sonoma County on the Cabernet map. You'll see other varietals such as Merlot, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. But if you have to pin one varietal on the region, it has to be Cabernet
RULING: Cabernet Sauvignon,  Syrah, Chardonnay

Sierra Foothills
This stunningly beautiful region doesn't get as much traffic as Sonoma and Napa. But if it did, you'd have more people appreciating its Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc. But because there is not nearly as much wine being grown here as in other areas, you don't see it associated as often with these varietals.
RULING: Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc

Santa Barbara County
Pinot Noir (Thank you, "Sideways") Even before "Sideways" made its impact this region was becoming  stiff competition for Russian River Valley. The movie and the collection of artistic winemakers is making that competition. even stiffer.
RULING: Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay

Monterey County
Monterey has had its ups and downs. It's a large region that originally planted huge swaths of land to Cabernet. Of course it was too cool and the region got a reputation for producing herbish tasting cab. Today the region does not have a reputation for any particular varietal. However, give it a few year and Monterey and Pinot Noir will be closely associated. There are some marvelous and serious small vintners chasing lots of Pinot in this area as well as some top notch Pinot vineyards.
RULING: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay

Carneros
Again, Pinot Noir...But also Chardonnay.  Carnerso is one of the original "pinot regions" and with good reason. Acacia, Carneros Creek, Saintsbury, Schug all began here with a real belief in the areas potential to grow outstanding Pinot. And they've proven this. Site selection is really key here.
RULING: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay

Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain, Mount Veeder
All the mountains surrounding Napa Valley are or should be associated with Cabernet. It's very special fruit.
RULING: Cabernet Sauvignon

Santa Cruz Mountains
Probably the best kept secret in California. Most would say that this region is all about Cabernet. And how could it not be. When you consider that a number of outstanding Caber nets come out of these hills you have no choice. Hell, the Monto Bello vineyard's existence in this area is enough to peg is a a Cabernet region.
RULING: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay

Sonoma Coast
Yes, I know, Pinot Noir. But the problem is that his "appellation" is so gigantic and diverse that you really can't say that the region as a whole is suited to any one appellation.
RULING: Free for all

Sonoma Valley
Perhaps the best know wine region after Napa Valley, yet no one varietal has become associate with this long valley to the west of Napa
RULING: Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Any White

Atlas Peak
Here you have an appellation that was once known for being a source of average Sangiovese. That reputation is slowly going away as more and more wineries produce Cabernet from the hilltop region. Give it five years and it will be all about Cabernet
RULING: Cabernet, Syrah, Chardonnay

Chalk Hill
You could argue that the region is associated with Chardonnay if only due to the fine Chardonnays that have been produced by Chalk Hill Winery. However, so little has been produced, by so few wineries, there just isn't enough to justify any particular association.
RULING: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon

Temecula
The sorry thing is that this Southern California region is mainly associated with a flying insect that devastated its vineyards. It really hasn't distinguished itself with an association with any primary grape.
RULING: I have no idea!

If I were king.....

Hey Everyone...Let's put small wineries out of business!

Rep. Chis Ward is a Michigan politician that takes contributions from the Michigan Wine & Beer Wholesalers then writes laws for them. Ward has been the lead legislator when it came to revamping Michigan's wine shipment laws in the face of that state's defeat in trying to defend its discriminatory laws with regard to shipping wine to consumers.

Ward finally sat for an interview with someone who knows wines, loves wine and sees through the blatant payoff that is the new wine shipping bill authored by the legislator.

One of the key provisions in the new Michigan bill that has not yet received passage in that state's Senate, is the prohibition on Michigan wineries from selling their wines directly to retailers and restaurateurs, as they've been able to in the past. It means that instead of selling a Chardonnay that retails for $20 to a restaurant for $15, they must sell it to a wholesaler for $10. For Michigan's mainly small, family wineries, this is a massive financial hit. The kind of hit that puts you out of business.

Why is this change in Michigan's laws necessary?

The answer is, it's not....unless you are bent on giving monopoly status to an in-state industry of wine wholesalers who in-turn, give you money for passing such a law.

In her interview with Ward, wine columnist Sandra Silfven asked about this blatant giveaway to the Michigan wine wholesalers:

Q. New York’s recent wine shipping law did not take away the right of wineries to self-distribute. Why take it away here?

A.  I don’t see how we can do this given the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which called for equal treatment of in-state and out-of-state wineries. If there is a way that can be carved out that we won’t allow Napa Valley wineries to self-distribute here, I will take a look at it. I do have a lot of sympathy for the wineries in the state. But we have to make our laws consistent over state boundaries. Did New York allow out-of-state wineries to self-distribute, too? (Note: The answer is no. I have subsequently found out that New York wineries are the only ones that can self-distribute in that state, and it has not been challenged. – S.S.

Why is it a problem to let out-of-state wineries to "self distribute" their wines to Michigan restaurants and retailers? This is clearly the implication of Ward's comments. He simply does not explain this. But he does not have to. The idea of wineries distributing their wines themselves, bypassing wholesalers, is the single greatest fear wine wholesalers across the country have. The fear is not necessarily of smaller wineries distributing wine themselves to wine shops and restaurants around the country. Rather their fear is that the BIG BOY wineries with the means to set up such a distribution system will get into the game. And frankly, wholesalers should be afraid of this possibility. (Huge at Huge Johnson's
World of Wine covers this issue nicely)

My question is, why should they be protected from this possibility?

The Supreme Court of the United States told us that wineries that are allowed by state law to ship to its wine drinking residents must also live with the idea of out-of-state wineries shipping to their state's residents. Discrimination was unconstitutional. Many legal types have also suggested that there must be no discrimination at any level of the wine distribution if the implications of the Supreme Court decision is to be followed. So, if Michigan winery can sell and ship to a Michigan restaurant, then an out-of-state winery must be allowed to also. Or, if a Michigan retailer can ship to Michigan consumers, then out of state retailers must be allowed to also.  This analysis of the Supreme Court's decision has not been tested in any court. Though I would not be surprised if it is at some point.

Still, the issue with regard to Michigan remains: Why must Michigan's small, family wineries be put out of business to protect the large Michigan wholesalers?

While we know the answer is partly, "because the wholesalers demand this kind of protection and in fact pay for it in the form of contributions to politicians. The other explanation is the apple cart. For years now wholesalers in most states have efficiently interacted with state regulatory agencies to carry out regulations related to taxation. Many believe this is the most efficient way to achieve an well-regulated market. Is it? Or is it just a combination of tradition and well spent campaign contributions?

Knowing what I know about wine wholesalers and particularly about their trade organizations complete disrespect for anyone or anything that can't help their bottom line, I have to conclude that the new Michigan law is nothing more than payoff to the wholesaler monopoly. There is no good reason why a winery in California could not also interact well with Michigan's regulators.

Michigan's Rep. Chris Ward is a shill for the Michigan wine wholesalers. In another part of his interview with Silfven you see his duplicity in the service of this shilling:

Q. Do you feel guilty about accepting money from the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association, who stand to benefit from the bill you introduced?

A. No, because their original bill (banning shipping for all wineries) was rewritten to allow unlimited direct shipping to consumers. They (Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association) weren't’t happy about the changes.

Not happy? The wholesalers are getting a guarantee from the State that they will never have any competition. And they aren't happy?

The number of things wrong with Michigan's approach to regulating alcohol, and wine in particular, would take it's own separate blog to deal with (THERE'S AND IDEA). The power behind the regulating, from the legislature, to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission and hits head Nina Somona, to the wholesalers, all seem to be conspiring to put Michigan wineries out of business.

 

Wine....Haiku...Review

Writing good Haiku is not an easy task. It's much easier to communicate a message using 1000 words than using 100 words. And it's very difficult to communicate impressions with about 20 words.

This fact alone makes "The Red Wine Haiku Review" something to see.

The Red Wine Haiku Review is a wine blog that reviews wines....using Haiku. For example:

Panarroz Jumilla 2003 (Spain)
Fat luscious droplets
Another Spanish hat trick
Three grapes & five stars

or

Red Bicyclette Syrah 2002 (France)
Uncomplicated
And as fresh as a spring rain
I'm common, sue me

This approach recalls the Wine X approach to wine reviews, which clearly worked its influence throughout the wine reviewing community. Will Red Wine Haiku Review have a similar influence? Will we read more wine haiku being published? No. However, this is one fun diversion and I hope more haiku comes from the author, Lain Steinberg

An Evolution in Wine Blogging

I received an e-mail from Mark Fisher, the wine writer for the Dayton Daily News in Ohio. Mark wrote to let me know that he, though the Daily News, had launched "Yet another wine blog" they are calling "Uncorked".

It's not "just another wine blog" for a number of reasons. In fact, it's significant  for a number of reasons.

To my knowledge, "Uncorked" is the first wine blog begun by a true Main Stream Media entity. On one level this is surprising. Consumers of MSM who are also interested in wine would be among the most reliable "come-backers", those people willing to return day after day to a media product. Wine lovers tend to be relentless in pursuit of knowledge. A wine blog is a natural product for progressive MSM members to begin. Yet, this is the first.

Second, I believe UnCorked is the first blog begun by a recognized wine writer: Mark Fisher, the Dayton Daily News' wine writer. This is more understandable. Wine writers get paid to write. Giving it away isn't really what they do. While it's true that Mark is likely being paid for his efforts, it seems an important development in the world of wine blogging that a professional wine writer has taken it up.

But to the important stuff: Mark's very good at communicating his passion for wine with words and UnCorked clearly deserves a place on your newsreader or in your book marks. His most recent post is a great one: "Top Ten Reasons Wine is Better than Beer". My favorite reason: You've never heard of a "Wine Belly."

Uncorked has a lot going for it. It has the power of a publishing house behind it. It has a wonderful writer and passionate wine lover behind it, and Mark seems dedicated to posting on a very regular basis.

Mark Fisher's Uncorked....Check it out.

Weekly FERMENTED Wine Links

WEEKLY FERMENTED WINE LINKS -- SEPTEMBER 22, 2005
A Weekly Digest of Wine Links Old and New Worth Pursuing

A Short History of the Corkscrew
Comes with cool drawings

What Are "Old Vines"
Staying with the historical theme, we have an interesting article from Ridge Vineyards on the nature of Old Vines.

Need Wine Grapes of Juice? Here's Your List of What's Available
Winebusiness.com's listing of grapes available for purchase

Winery For Sale
Now that you've got grapes, you'll need a winery. Here's one.

Pinot's California Roots and Terroir
Steve Pitcher's excellent 1999 article on great Pinot ground in CA, published in WINE NEWS

Where Do Wine Grapes Come From?
Saintsbury's David Graves Talks to Viticultural Hero Carole Meredith about wine grapes' origins (warning: Saintsbury is a Wark Communications Client)

An Academic View of Wine Ratings
MIT Professors Digs Deep Into Wine Ratings (Attention: Deep stuff)

Wine Advertising: What's Right, What's Wrong
The Wine Institute's Code of Advertising Standards

Wine Slogans
Going Beyond: "We Will Serve No Wine..."...A compendium of wine slogans

Wine Blog of the Week — "Winery Website Report"
Mike Duffy Dishes up great ideas and thoughts and services for wineries concerned with the state of their website.

Grape Ripeness, Flavor and the 2005 CA Vintage

I've always envied Dan Berger's insightful mind. Clearly one of America's best wine writers, he is also one of the writers willing to address the complex and often controversial subjects. He most often does this via his weekly newsletter, "Vintage Experiences," a must for any serious student of wine or anyone in the wine business.

Dan doesn't disappoint with his last issue that arrived via email this morning. In the latest issue, Dan asks if vintners will pass their own test during what is turning out to be a challenging 2005 Harvest. To-date, sugar levels in the grapes are unusually low for this time of year. This is due to the relatively low temperatures we've seen this summer. September has been unusually cold with only a few days in September rising above 80 degrees.

This is a problem for the generation of vintners in California who have been preaching that high sugar levels and physiological maturity go hand in hand, a theory that underpins many vintners decisions to wait until the grapes are ultra ripe before picking and thereby delivering staggering alcohol levels in their wines along with what many understand as prunny flavors.

Dan however points out that science tells us that flavor maturity comes at a much lower sugar level and that the real reason many vintners wait until the grapes are ultra-ripe is to "ripen-out" any hint of herbal flavors in the wine.

In any case, Dan points out that for that level of ripeness to be achieved this year vintners will probably have to wait until late November to pick. Anyone ever look into the eyes of a vintner or grower whose crop is still hanging on the vine on November 1st? It's pretty scary. The threat of rain, and with it the potential of complete destruction of the crop, is always there. These vintners have a deer in the headlights look about them. They stare up into the sky. They pray a lot.

Will vintners wait that long to capture their high levels of sugar? Can the sugars even get that height if they choose to wait? Or will they give into the mindset that controlled the CA wine industry for decades and pick at lower sugar levels?

If you are not a subscriber to Vintage Experiences,become one. It's $58 per year for 48 weekly issues. Dan's articles and this one in particular are important

Sonoma Wine Awards

One of Sonoma County's really great wine events is the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. The fair itself is a 3 day event beginning September 30. However, it's the Harvest Fair Award Night Gala Celebration on September 24 that is the real wing ding.

Wineries from across the county set up tables and pour, pour, pour and pour some more. They pour those wines they've entered in the accompanying wine competition. However, they have no idea if any of the wines they are pouring have won any medals. About half way through the pouring the lights go down and the overhead screen lights up thereby commencing with the announcement of the awards for Gold, Best of Class awards and Sweepstakes Winners.

Vintners and attendees, many dressed to the nines, wait and watch, anxiously. For the vintners it's important. The Best of Class, Sweepstakes and many of the Gold medal winners receive a real boost in sales as a result of the medals and awards mainly because so many Sonoma retailers heavily support them. For attendees, the awards are a chance to taste on the spot the best of Sonoma County.

The awards presentation also include recognition of the best breads, jams, culinary creations and other food products, most of which are also sampling at the Gala Awards Night.

This is really a fantastic event. Check out the website to see if tickets are still available.

25 Great U.S. Pinot Noirs...plus 3

Love Pinot Noir? Just getting into it?

Then you need to read the latest excellent article on that most flirtatious of wines from Forbes wine columnist Nick Passmore who offers up "25 Great American Pinot Noirs" to his readers.

Nick takes on the really thorny question: Just what is the difference between California and Oregon borne Pinot Noirs. I like his answer. I'll let you read the story to get at it.

But, what does Nick love about pinot? "Pinot's magic, it's irresistible charm, its occasional flashes of brilliance, is its ability to combine in one glass two seemingly mutually exclusive flavors.

Nick's list of 25 great Pinots is a beauty. Prices range from $18 to $85. Eight of the wines come from Oregon. And I was very pleased to see him include three from Anderson Valley.

However, not wanting to be left out, I'll offer up recommendations for some of my favorite Pinots:

For those loving BIG, bold, chewy Pinot
For those wanting balance and elegant Pinot
For those seeking appellation-defining Pinot

Effective Wine PR = Counting the Cash

Measuring the success of your publicity efforts is a difficult task. There are various tools. If a winery is looking for coverage in the media the it might be as simple as county the number of times your winery shows up in the media then counting the circulation of each of those media outlets. This is the traditional way of quantifying the effect of your efforts.

But winery publicity is not always about getting your winery name in the paper. It is often about slowly building an image or reputation for your efforts. This is particularly true for a new, small winery focusing on making high quality wines. Suppose you are a small, say 2,500 case winery producing Monterey Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. And suppose you are new to the game. With so much competition in this category the aim of your publicity efforts may be simply to get the right members of the wine trade to recognize you as doing something worthy and unique, either I the way you make your wines, the vineyards you use or some other seemingly minute differentiation. In this case, you might measure your publicity efforts by the way the trade reacts to your message.

But there is another way to measure the success of your publicity efforts: Count your money in the bank.

This method of measuring publicity results was driven home recently when we at Wark Communications saw the results of our publicity efforts on a client’s behalf payoff with significant coverage in the Wall Street Journal and other publications more proximate to the client’s main market.

This particular client opened a new tasting room that is entirely unique: offering seven reserve wines, each served at a table with seven chef-prepared food pairings. And we aren’t talking Mozzarella sticks with Viognier. We are talking Viognier served with Panchetta and bee pollen-crusted grilled scallop lollipop with mango-honey coulis. And each pairing is just as unique. All for $20.

Once the impact of the publicity efforts took affect, business at this client’s tasting room increased 100%. Quantifying the effect of the clients’ and our efforts became simple: Count the cash.

The point is not, “gosh, what a great job we’ve done.” Clearly this is a case of having a client with a great idea and simply riding that brilliance. The point is a winery reading this should take away is that you can’t ALWAYS count the cash to measure the effects of your publicity efforts. Often times the publicity work done takes time to build and pay off. However, it does pay off. As long as you understand what you are aiming for in your publicity efforts, you can in fact set benchmarks and measure your effectiveness.

The Purple Liquid Wine Blog

Catherine Granger is the author of "Purple Liquid", a wine and food blog that got my attention today for its interesting content and good writing.

What bothers me is that I've not come across Purple Liquid before. Catherine has had the blog for about a year now. That's longer than most. her content is often place related and boy can she post. Long, interesting in depth posts with good reviews and interesting insights.

But she doesn't post often. Alas....

Nevertheless, the quality of the posts and writing gets her on the FERMENTATIONS Wine Blog's blogroll.

Speeding Up Your Wine Education

You like getting good deals on interesting, hard to find wines. Good.

Do this:

1. go to: http://www.winebid.com
2. Click on the "advanced search" in the upper left hand corner
3. Make the maximum price $25
4. Choose "United States".
5. Click "Search."

.......................Cool, eh?

What you are looking at is the perfect way to taste through past vintages at a reasonable price and see for yourself what age does to California wine. You've got lots to choose from at this wine education bazaar:

1999 Carneros Merlot
1886 Sonoma Caberent Sauvignon
1997 Santa Cruz Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
1990 Mountain Grown Napa Chardonnay
1996 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
1994  Sonoma County Sparkling Wine

It goes on and on up to over 200 lots of older and newer CA wines all at a bid of currently at $20 or less. You can do the same search for French, Italian, Australian or any other country's wines.

I used to work at Winebid.com. It was for about a year or so at its beginnings. I was in marketing. And though I'd worked in wine for nearly a decade at that point, rarely had I had the opportunity see, let alone taste, many of the top wines I'd read about all those years. So, when I would go out into the Winebid warehouse and be confronted with great and interesting wines sitting in boxes all over the floor and on shelves of this temperature controlled building, I never failed to be stopped in my tracks. Basically, you droll. There's no other way to describe it. All top auction houses have this embarrassment of riches in their storage areas. And I'd be willing to bet that those who work in the auction business never get tired of being around these gems and curiosities.

But the great thing about a market like Winebid.com, Winecommune.com and the brick and mortar auction houses is the access they give us to things you simply don't see outside your cellar. Most of this stuff is on very few shelves around the country. But at the auction house, it's basically all they got.

But what you have at Winebid.com is the chance to buy single bottles of older wines. Your aren't forced to buy entire lots of various bottles that would price you out of the market. Winebid allows you to spend $40 or whatever for a couple interesting wines, pay the shipping, and boom....2 bottles of 1995 Sonoma Valley Cab land at your door.

Spend some of your monthly wine budget on this sort of thing. Buy the occasional 10 year old wine or 15 year old wine and risk the money on your education. It might not be a great tasting wine though. In fact, you may end up dumping it. But, you are more like to get  your hands on an aged bottle of something that most wine drinkers never indulge in until they've been buying and storing wine for eight years or so. Think of buying older "value wines" as a way to soup up your wine education and move ahead faster.

Rock n Roll Wine

You visit wine country for the drink. We all know this. It's pretty and all. The trinkets in the tasting rooms can be cool. But mainly it's for the drink. Some wineries give us far more reason than just the wine to stop in. Mumm Napa has one of the best reasons I've seen in a while to head off to the tasting rooms:

MUMM NAPA's "THE LEGENDS OF ROCK" PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT
Sept 17 to March
120 images of America's rock musicians taken by 10 photographers.
Mumm Napa - 707/967-7700 for more info

This looks like a great show if you are into the history of Rock. And it strikes me that this is more than just fancy wine tourist marketing on the part of Mumm. Looks to me like a real commitment to exposing people to art beyond the glass.

Biodynamic Grape Growing is HUGE

I think it's safe to say that Huge Johnson (not his real name?) of Huge Johnson's World of Wine Blog is becoming America's biggest and best critic of Biodynamic viticulture...or at least of the claims made by it's adherents.

Biodynamic grape growing is certainly gaining a higher profile among American vintners and probably among American wine drinkers. However, if you are the type to support and defend a trend simply because it seems more green, Huge's comments on the subject really should be closely read by you.

His latest investigation into the claims made by the proponents of biodynamic grape growing can be found in THIS POST. Read.

100 Wines Under $25...Good Idea

I've been critical of, well, anyone who chooses to dis the wine lovers, wine professional, and wine enthusiasts who utilize the vocabulary of wine and the intricacies of wine to explain their passion for it. These so-called snobs are ridiculed for "making wine inaccessible." It's as though the critics of the wine enthusiasts think wine should merely be drunk, and not contemplated.

But there is a right way to make wine's intricacies more accessible to those who choose to investigate beyond Yellowtail and Vino100 in Portland gets it right.

This new retail establishment Always has at least 100 wines under $25 on their shelves, they are serious about education, plus they provide a "wine barometer" for each of the $25 and under wines to explain the wines character in an easy to understand fashion.

First, I love the the idea of lots of $25 and under wines on the shelves of a store. But I love this "wine barometer idea where each wine is explained by its degree of fruitiness and body.

Whether you are a novice, dedicated learner or wine fanatic, it should be very easy to find what you want. Great retailers assure this. Vino100 is great idea.

Sharing Your Wine Life

I have reason today to think about the idea of sharing with someone else not just the wines you open on a daily basis, but sharing your wine life with another person.

Sitting with a bottle in front of you and corkscrew in hand is an anticipatory experience. There's always that chance you've hit on one of those wines you'll just remember forever. Of course, it could be a dud too, a wine you remember because it sunk so far below your expectations that you are actually taken aback.

The funny thing is, no matter what the wine turns out to be, you end up always wanting to find someone to tell about it. Better yet is sharing the anticipation and the experience of discovery with someone. It really is a life's delight to be able to recount those wine experiences, good and bad, with someone who understands your passion; someone who saw your eyes light up, or sink relentlessly; someone who has seen you sip and evaluate so often that they know what those brow furls and eyebrow risings mean.

Today I celebrate Ginny, the person who I share my wine life with and who, unbelievably, answered yes when I asked her to marry me a few years ago on this day. Ginny knows what I like in a bottle of wine. She encourages me, my blogging pursuits, and my wine opinions. She is one amazing wine partner, life partner and wife.

Happy Anniversary, Scooter.

A Great Wine Fest Idea

The Anderson Valley International Alsace Varietal Festival

Now this is an event I can get behind. What a brilliant and appropriate idea for a wine event.

Anderson Valley, probably my favorite appellation in California, is surely the best source of California Gewurztraminer and Riesling and a great source for Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, all the varietals that will be under consideration in this upcoming event.

Anderson Valley is probably best know for its Pinot Noir, for good reason. But with so many other California wine regions producing good Pinot that are far more accessible to wine tourists than Anderson Valley, it is hard for this remote Mendocino valley to get a foothold as one of the top Pinot producing areas.

However, the title as top "Alsace Varietal" appellation is most certainly up for grabs and it looks like Anderson Valley is looking to appropriate that moniker.

The details of this event are as follows:

First Annual Anderson Valley International Alsace Varietal Festival
Saturday & Sunday, November 5 & 6, 2005
Special Seminars - The Varietal Tasting - Open Houses - The Dinner
Cost: $60 for tasting, $125 for The Dinner
Info: www.avwines.com or 707-895-WINE

It appears that more than just Anderson Valley wineries will be in attendance at this event. And this is good news. Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Gris in particular are varietals that can be greatly influenced by specific terroir. However, I was happy to read that Handley Cellars, Navarro and Londer, three wineries that I've tasted great Alsace-inspired wines, will be in attendance.

It's Time for "Adventure Wine"

Constellation Brands is America's largest wine company and, it seems, competing to become number one in the category of "Adventure Wines".

Yes, "Adventure Wines". This is the meaningless name Constellation has given to a category of wines their consumer research has told them seem "non-traditional" to wine drinkers. The giant company estimates that a full 25% of the American wine market is devoted to these Adventuresome bottlings.

Constellation has announced two new "Adventure Wines":

Three Blind Moose and Four Emus
 

It's unlikely that either of these wine could be identified by anyone as being from California or Australia, respectively. However, the origin of the wines, terroir, ageability and authenticity have nothing to do with these new brands. Rather, they are well-designed and well researched brands that have in every way been tested to appeal to the 25 - 35 year old drinker and slightly beyond. From the label, to the wine in the bottle, to the name of the brands, to the marketing, this wine is about case stacks at the end of aisles and about price point and about making sure consumers think about appearance rather than substance.

This is straightforward consumer brand marketing, along the lines of Clorox, Tide, Spam and  Pampers.

And Constellation Brands is very good at this sort of thing. 

What I find most interesting is their definitions, however: "Adventure Wines". Speaking with their public relations person I learned that this category of wines was developed in house based on consumer research. Constellation wanted to know how big the market was for wines that are bought almost completely on the appeal of a funny/unique/non-traditional looking label. Clearly YellowTail falls into this category. But, according to Constellation, so too does Ravenswood and Rancho Zabaco (Gallo).

It appears that another way to define "Adventure Wines" would be "Critter Wines. Ravenswood' has hits bird, Rancho Zabaco has it's bull, Yellowtail has its....and so on.

I think I would be a poor marketer for these type of $8.99 wines whose appeal stops with the glue on the label and the fruity goodness and unacidic wine in the bottle. I simply don't have the the intellectual stamina to get excited about them or the wherewithal to feign excitement. That said, I do see their usefulness and appeal to some for whom wine is merely an alcoholic beverage and to a younger set that wants something "fun" to satisfy what appears to be an increasing desire to swallow wine rather than gin.

Weekly FERMENTED LINKS

WEEKLY FERMENTED WINE LINKS - September  13, 2005
A Weekly Digest of Links Old and New Worth Pursuing

Is Terroir Dead?
Karen MacNeil pursues the question in a great overview article from 2002 featuring the always provocative and insightful Randall Grahm

Wine Marketing on the Internet
A wonderful 2003 article in Wine Business Monthly by PR Good Guy Jeremy Benson that gets into what wineries do well, and not so well

Reviewing The Wine Reviewers
Long time wine writer Steve Pitcher gives a thorough review of the various wine reviewers and wine review publications in a 2003? article for the Professional Friends of Wine

Gang of Pour
A great collection of wine writings from unabashed enthusiasts with sterling pens. Some great interviews included.

Savor: Wine Country
The latest issue of the Santa Rosa Press Democrats quarterly magazine, "Savor". Better presented in print with its glossy pages and beautiful pictures, the on-line version still conveys the intimate relationship the newspaper has with its readership. Great articles on all things wine country.

So You Want To Live in Wine Country?
A nice little site by a local real estate agent (I don't know her) with info on Napa, Napa real estate, costs and listings of all sorts of things (there's 30+ acres available on Mt. Veeder...)

The Devil
Who do you think?

Wine.com: 1997
Wine.com, the best known Internet wine retailer has been around a LONG time. It's been bought and sold and bought and sold. Ever wonder what it looked like in 1997? The Internet Wayback Machine allows you to look up past versions of sites. To give you some comparison, click on the title link above, then click here to see how far it has come.

Airline Wine: Any good?
Fred Tasker, the Miami Herald's wine writer gives a great rundown on the quality of wine served in the air. Required reading before you fly.

Wine Blog of the Week: Lendevours
No one does NY (or Wine Blogging Wednesday) better than Lenn. He covers NY in his very good looking and useful blog that covers the NY wine scene

Rating Wine: Who Should Do It?

I received the following email today:

"Tom, wonderful blog. But I don't understand why you don't review wines. You seem to have lots of wine experience. Why not give us a few reviews to chew (sip?) on?"

Frankly, I've always been one of those people who respect critics. Theater, art, movie, wine, critics of all sorts. There is a special brand of critics that make a profession out of understanding the discipline they review and critique. They understand the history of the art. They understand the techniques involved. They've spent years studying both and then developing an personal and subjective lens they use with their knowledge of the art to finally judge it. The best critics are able to put a piece of art in a cultural and historical context.

These are the best critics and they are few and far between in all types of art...including wine.

I'm not one of those people. And one thing we don't need, in my opinion, is one more person with only a modicum of experience, telling others what is good or bad, what is worthy or unworthy to drink, what is well made or poorly made.

If you've been drinking wine for only five years, I really don't want to read your review of ANY wine.

If you don't have a history tasting and studying the wines from every wine region of the world, I just don't care what your critical opinion is of that Zinfandel you had the other night.

If you've never tasted the balanced table wines from California made in the 1980s, I really can't take your review of the latest 15% alcohol, high pH generic $50 Cab very seriously.

Critics of all sorts are often derided by readers. They are accused of only being critics because they are incapable of being "doers". This is a misunderstanding of the art, but it is, unfortunately, an opinion that becomes more and more appropriate when you have a proliferation of "critics" who have no business critiquing due to lack of experience and lack of knowledge.

But, since this is a wine blog, the obvious questions is, what qualities do, or should, the best wine critics possess?

1. Tasting Experience
I'm talking about deep and broad experience. This is the only thing that can develop in them the kind of palate memory that allows them to judge if a wine tastes like what it presumes to be which allows them to warn their readers or at least give their readers some context

2. Winemaking Knowledge
Along with progress and changes in the vineyard, winemaking is responsible for the final character of the wine. A good critic should be able to articulate what winemaking, or viticultural, techniques were the likely culprit in a wine that, say, is prunny, or overly vanilla in character, or is flabby and fat, or seems exceedingly bright. Again, this gets back to context. The competent wine critics provides readers with context.

3. An Intimacy with Industry Trends
There is no way around this. A great critic is able to understands the trends in the wine industry that play a role in creating that well-structured, brightly fruited Chardonnay with relatively low alcohol and higher than normal acid levels. Is this Chardonnay rare? Or is more common today than it was only a few days ago? The critic should know and they should know why.

4. An Opinionated Palate.
There is nothing more boring than a critic with no opinion. It turns out that everyone likes some wines better than others, but some don't let us know what those wines are. They don't display and defend their preference. Have you ever read a diatribe about a terrible wine? I love them. I love them because they are interesting and illuminating and thought provoking. If a critic doesn't provoke you to think, they just aren't doing their job.

It's somewhat presumptuous to lay down the necessary prerequisites for being a competent critic. I know this. I'm interested in this because we have so many amateur wine critics among us now who possess none of these criteria. More importantly, critics are very important in the artistic direction that winemaking takes, just as the critic is important for the direction that cinema, music, fine arts and other arts take.

We should be able to trust that those evaluating wine know of what they speak. Since there are many others out there far more able than I in that regard, this is why I don't offer reviews on FERMENTATIONS.

New BS For Wine

We tend to think of U.C Davis in California, as well as Fresno State, as being the premier institutions of higher eduction when it comes to wine. And they really are. But they aren't they only ones in the United States and it appears that another prestigious university is getting into the wine and grape game.

Cornell University has announced they will begin a four-year undergraduate program that will confer a degree on viticulture and enology. Cornell will certainly serve the very vibrant New York State  and eastern seaboard wine industries. In New York State alone the wine and vineyard industries generate more than $1 Billion in annual sales as well as employing 18,000.

Good for Cornell!!

The Art of On-line Wine Sales: An Interview

With so much more interest focused on e-commerce and buying wine on-line after the Supreme Court's wine decision in May, the issue of how to best sell wine on line has become a hot topic in the wine industry. How should a winery manage its on-line sales? What do consumers want from a  winery's on-line wine shop? What's the best way to communicate with consumers?

A number of companies exist to help wineries go a good job of selling wine on-line. INERTIA BEVERAGE GROUP is one such company that has an impressive line up of winery clients. INERTIA helps wineries not only manage their on-line presence, but also helps wineries reach out to their customers. They are good at it.

I contacted INERTIA BEVERAGE GROUP's president Paul Mabray to ask him a few questions about the world of on-line wine sales. He has some very astute observations not only on how wineries can best serve wine lovers, but on the future of on-line wine sales and even a prediction that access to wine, the prime motivator of consumers fighting shipping bans, will become an issue for retailers and restaurateurs.

FERM: What are the specific technical requirements a winery looking to engage in e-commerce must take into consideration that, say, a clothing or widget retailer does not?

For a winery the winery it is easy to get on-line using our tools.  However, to build them it has many, many levels of complexity.  The wine e-commerce needs to be able to differentiate wine from normal products in order to follow state shipping restrictions, measure volume limits in certain states for compliant shipping , understand "volumetrics" of wine packing  (for example, wine is packed in quantities of 1, 3, 6, 12) , and age verification prevention tools.   Additionally it needs to integrate with many types of companies (shipping, cash register, accounting, and more).

FERM: Currently, wineries tend to put their store on-line and hope for the best. What are the most progressive e-commerce enabled wineries doing to maximize the profitability of their on-line store?

The best on-line stores are doing incredible things like leveraging syndication (RSS feeds) from their sites, aggressive business development through our programs, and dedicating a 1/2 to full time person for their on-line initiatives.   Some are creating excellent on-line communities (lola wines from Fosters Wine Estates) and others are more customer service centric (Humanitas, Luna).  My personal favorites are those that really leverage the concept of "segmentation" so that they truly understand their customers and reward them according to their purchasing behavior.  We are coming out with other profiling tools next year.

The key is that the on-line store still needs customers and getting customers still means going out and getting them – events (both industry and winery) to gather names/contacts, lots of e-bursts --- and don’t forget the SEO side of this to drive people to the site.  Another very simple item – something we do – is to have a ‘add to shopping cart’ button – many ask you to buy but don’t make it so plain & simple.

FERM: Why would a winery choose a company like Inertia Beverage Group to help them deploy an on-line store rather than simply build it and maintain it themselves?

Inertia Beverage Group is not only the leader in technology currently, but we are the ongoing leaders.  We spend much of our budget on R&D to help drive our software to the next level.  Building a system like ours requires huge resources – time, money & human – that takes away from core goals of sourcing fruit, making wine and selling it.

For example we are ALWAYS enhancing and building our system from the needs and recommendations of our clients and then upgrading our system for free. 

Additionally, as the largest e-business provider in the wine industry, we are aggressively negotiating business deals with large portals and traffic drivers to help increase the sales and traffic to our partner wineries.  This is a KEY differentiator from our competitors.  We truly are the wineries on-line partner.   

FERM: You help wineries manage email offers to their wine clubs as well as mailing lists. What have you learned about this kind of marketing? Are there specific types of offers and emails that consumers respond to best?

We paid for a research project and the result was what we call "the Johnston Report" that identified key factors for people buying wine on-line.  The report specifically focused on non-branded wines or wines that consumers had not tried. 

Per the Johnston Report, wine consumers will buy based upon these key factors:

"On-line wine purchase remains a science and IBG seeks to develop a broad base of programs to test the best mechanisms to understand on-line purchasing behavior.  Most importantly, e-commerce must be easy, safe, and compelling.  Why would a consumer buy wine on-line when it is easy to shop at a neighborhood store?  Generally wine represents an impulse buy which makes on-line wine sales even more difficult.

Factors that help overcome the hurdles of buying wines that have not been tasted or unrecognized brands include:

1) cost or availability relative to local retail;

2) tasting opportunities that drive the consumer on-line;

3) the endorsement or recommendation by a trusted source;

4) brand recognition;

5) a connection to the experience that the brand represents;

6) Free Shipping

FERM: Being involved in e-commerce you’ve likely been watching the court battles surrounding direct shipping. Where do you think the direct shipping issue is right now? What’s next for wineries to be watching out for?

Direct shipping will continue to grow in the wine industry however it may be coupled with more factors regarding quantity restrictions as well as increased measures to restrict underage purchasing.  Additionally the court battles have done two things – raised awareness of wine in general and raised the awareness that you can indeed order on line.  The next logical step in this awareness that consumers were being discriminated against is for restaurants and retailers to realize the same thing – that they too should have access to any wine – not just those available through the local distributors.

FERM: What’s the best method for a winery to guard against underage purchasers?

Set up gates on the check in and check out process (asking for age at different entry points) and work with a very aggressively responsible common carrier (Fed Ex, UPS).  We are aggressively looking into Checkpoint who was the chosen age verification vendor by the Wine Institute to integrate into our software for additional precautions to avoid underage consumption.  This again illustrates another way that we are more proactive than other ecommerce companies for the wine industry.  Also, make sure not to create programs that target or seem targeted towards underage drinkers (games, etc).

FERM: What makes one on-line story better than another?

I think an on-line story is compelling if the offline story is.  Just like with all branding, there needs to be a distinctive message why your brand is different and compelling to the consumer.  Like Humanitas, or Luna, or Whitmore wines, all of them have a key story that resonates with the customer both on-line and offline.  The key difference of on-line is that your story has to be twice as compelling since the customer is not holding or tasting the wine by looking at your site.

The "Wanker of Wine" takes on Snobs

I'm not sure Matt Skinner matters that much that I should write about his opinions. However, his opinions on wine drinkers merit a response. Nay, a rant.

Listen to what this wanker has to say:

"If you think of the wine industry as a pie then the snobs are a tiny slice of it. But they're the slice that f***s it for everyone. Yeah, they've got a bit of a conspiracy to mystify it for everyone, to keep the younger generation out of the club. But fortunately, they're quite old now, so they're literally dying out. But oh God I'd always rather serve a table of women than men. Men - your average Friday lunchtime table of w**kers - don't want to listen, they're competitive with me and they want to get one up on each other by pretending they know the most about wine when blatantly they don't... Tossers."

First thing you need to know is that Skinner is a "celebrity Sommelier" a la the Naked Chef: a young Brit who's full of himself and thinks that the community of connoisseurs who came before him just didn't "get it". His celebrity status might explain the ignorance embodied in the above statement. But I'm not willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I don't think he's just talking to advance his celebrity. I think he's one of those new breed of "wine people" who really believe that it's possible to love wine without appreciating and digging down into its complexity. Of course, that's impossible.

It's true that "snobs/hard core wine aficionados" are a small slice of the wine drinking pie. But museum-goers are a small part of the art consumer. And civil war reenactors are only a small portion of the history lovers. But they are all the same insofar as they all dig down deep into their interests and try to understand them much more completely  than the average person. And they like to talk about their interest and hang out with others that share that intensity of interest.

What's wrong with that Mr. Skinner?

Let's be clear. The "Wine Snob" is nothing more than a straw horse for those who would like to be considered wine knowledgeable but don't choose to do the work to be so. The really ugly thing about Skinner is that he's a Wine Snob. He loves the stuff. He drinks lots of it. He buys it. He evaluates it. Yet, he's willing to bash those other "snobs" who "mystify" to "keep others out". Honestly, the wine snob doesn't really care about others or keeping them out. They just want to be left with their single vineyard syrah and surround themselves with others who think terroir is a philosophical concept that deserves discussion and that cute animals on labels are something better left to the hawkers of Clorox and Ban Antiperspirant.

I say THREE CHEERS for the wine snob and their willingness to indulge in their interest. Skinner can obtusely bash us all he wants. But it won't change the fact that soil composition, hang time, the history of Burgundy and the difference between Never and Allier oak barrels can be pretty darn interesting if you are a snob.

Buzz-Jargon Wine Marketing

Something strange happened yesterday.

I was doing some writing for a client and when I was finished up with it, I realized there was not a single piece of jargon nor a single solitary "buzzword" to be found anywhere in the copy. This is not an easy accomplishment. And I'll admit, it was not something I was trying to do on purpose. It just came out that way due in large part to the message.

But it struck me that, this business is perhaps a greater source of jargon and buzzwording that most others. And it's likely that the use of complicated jargon and often made up wording might be one factor that puts off people to wine.

What are these words we rely on so much to tell the story and sell the pouring of wine?
TERROIR, MALOLACTIC, ARTISAN, HAND-CRAFTED, MAKE A STATEMENT, RESERVE, COVETED, SELECTED, LOTS, PUREST EXPRESSION, DETAILED ATTENTION, BREATHTAKING, ETC, ETC.

How easy is it to get caught up in buzzwords and jargon? This easy:

"Our newest release is the purest expression of the coveted and breathtaking terroir we farm and demonstrates our intention of making a statement about handcrafted wines. Selected lots are set aside for this reserve program, and receive detailed attention including 100% malolactic fermentation and aging in artisan-crafted French oak barrels."

In all honestly, I see somewhat less attention paid to wine jargon and buzzwords in today's wine marketing efforts. In large part this is due to more focus being placed on making wine more accessible to a larger group of consumers.

Still, it's too easy to fall into the trap of buzz-jargon writing.

A "De Facto" Ban on Shipping Wine

Joel Goldberg, one of the founders of  WineCAM (a consumer organization that represents michigan consumers) delivered a comment to an earlier post here at FERMENTATIONS. The information in his comment is important. For that reason I am duplicting it here in a more prominent place.

VIA JOEL GOLDBERG...
After a week of digesting the House-passed bill, one thing is crystal clear: this is NOT a partial victory for consumers. It's a de facto shipping ban via regulation, rather than legislation. For Michigan wineries, it's a total loss.

And for Michigan retailers who currently ship or deliver wine in-state -- there's a BIG surprise buried in the bill's wording that few people yet know about.

First things first: in theory, the bill lets wineries direct-ship a grand total of 500 cases to Michigan consumers annually. In other words, a winery with a case-every-other-month wine club reach its annual quota at 83 people -- and could not ship any additional wine to anyone in the state.

Wineries would need to both get a faxed ID AND use IDology or IDresponse or similar. They need to put not just an age label on the carton, but a pre-purchased MICHIGAN TAX STAMP. They need to report each individual sale, not just cumulative totals, to the state LCC. (In other words, the state will have records of just how much -- and what -- all individual wine consumers are shipping to their homes.)

Now here's the real kick -- unlike every other license issued by the state, the Direct Shipper License has NO FEE specified in the legislation. (Chris Ward originally put a $1000 fee in the bill -- but pulled it at the last minute; I guess it couldn't pass even HIS laugh test...).

Instead -- the license fee would be set at a later date by the Michigan LCC, headed by Nida Samona. Yup, the same Nida Samona who publicly expressed strong support for a total shipping ban -- and is an appointed bureaucrat, unaccountable to the public. Any guesses what sort of fee we're looking at -- for the right to sell and ship 500 cases of wine?

In other words, it's likely that a few Michigan wineries would be desperate enough to jump through all the hoops because they would need those sales. It's highly unlikely that any out of state wineries would bother, or any Michigan wineries that could possibly avoid the hassle.

The bill would also ban Michigan wineries from wholesaling to retailers and restaurants, which they have had unlimited rights to do for the past 35 years. The repercussions from this section alone are likely to do in a number of marginally-profitable wineries, or those whose business models rely heavily on self-distribution.

I mentioned up-front that the bill also had a hidden kicker for retailers -- and here it is: this wholesaler-drafted bill BANS MICHIGAN RETAILERS FROM SHIPPING OR DELIVERING ANY WINE ORDERS, EXCEPT THOSE PLACED IN PERSON, AT THEIR STORES. If this becomes law, no Michigan consumer could legally telephone a local store for a delivery that includes wine. No consumer could go to a Michigan wine store's web site and order a case to be sent anywhere in Michigan.

The bill accomplishes this by a definitional sleight-of-hand: it defines a Direct Shipper as the entity that actually MAKES the wine, and then says that only a licensed Direct Shipper can accept orders for shipment or delivery to consumers by means of fax, phone, computer, etc. Voila -- the retailer delivery business is out of business.

This fact has not hit the press yet, nor are most retailers aware of it. Consider it their early Christmas present from the wholesalers!

So now we're off to the Senate, where prospects appear much brighter. The leadership there is pro-shipping, and unlikely to pass the self-distribution ban; the challenge is crafting a bill that reasonably satisfies the consumers and wineries without creating a stalemate with the wholesaler-dominated House. We shall see...

Top Five Sonoma Valley Secrets

Often times wine lovers visit a wine producing region and end up spending their entire visit driving from one tasting room to another. Nothing wrong with this. But it can be monotonous, particularly for those in the car that are not hard core wine lovers.

It's with this in mind that I offer a few alternatives to those who would visit my Sonoma Valley and who might want to look behind the wines and get a little closer to some of the lesser known but worthy places to visit.

TOP FIVE SONOMA VALLEY SECRETS

1. The Overlook Trail

With its trail head in walking distance from the Sonoma Plaza, our Overlook trail offers a the chance to take in an extraordinary view of the town of Sonoma and the surrounding area. The trail is easy to navigate and surrounded by manzanitas and oaks. You pass by vineyards and at the right time of year encounter amazing wild flowers. The treasure is at the top of the trail. There you'll encounter that amazing vista of the valley looking southwest. At the summit you will also find a nice bench that has a coffee can tied to it. In the can is a note book and pencil. Visitors sit and write their impressions of the trail or the vista. Some indulge in poetic meanderings. From the Sonoma Plaza, the round trip is no more than an hour and 45 minutes.

2. The Mountain Cemetery

Located near the trail head of the Overlook Trail, Sonoma's Mountain Cemetery is everything you want from such a place. Graves date from the Mid 19th century. Tall oaks drape the terraced resting place in shade. Old stone graves and crypts are off kilter. Spanish Moss hangs from the trees. While it might seem haunting to some, there is a romantic quality to this remarkable location.

3. Nonna's Eastside Market

You have to want to get to this little market located about 10 blocks off the Sonoma Plaza on Napa Street East. It is in the middle of nowhere. Howeve