Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog

Will Dedicated Wine Lovers Support Quality?

The best source of independent, web-only wine writing will no longer be free beginning July 6th.

That's right, Appellation America recently and quietly announced it would be transitioning to a subscription format on that date. Though this move will significantly reduce its readership, it undoubtedly will have a much more active and dedicated readership and one that demonstrates real appreciation for outstanding content.

And yet the bottom line is that the work of Appellation America, including its features, tastings and database of wineries, will no longer be available to anyone and everyone.

The move by Appellation America introduces an important question: Will the most dedicated wine lovers and wine industry folks, those who have always devoured and craved and praised high quality wine reporting and prose, put their money where their mouth is?

The cost to subscribe to Appellation America, according to its announcement, will be $49.95 for an annual subscription—or, $4.16 per month.

But let's layout what we are talking about here. Appellation America is the most significant and serious vessel for wine journalism to emerge this decade. From its beginning it offered the somewhat unique argument that the wines of Texas, Missouri, New York and Michigan were equally important and deserving of attention as those of California. It made the positive case that "place" is more important to the consumer than brand, varietal or winemaker. And it backed all this up by going out and assembling one of the most impressive collections of wine writers ever placed under one masthead.

If there was ever an online wine publication that was worthy of $49.95 per year, I suspect it is this one.

Yet, I also suspect that 96% of those of you reading this won't break out your credit cards on July 6th.

Why?

Sure the economy is tough. But many people will happily walk into Starbucks and pay their $4.00 for a super duper coffee drink on a daily basis, even in the bad economy. The fact is, I think, that the availability of free content is more persuasive to people than is the quality of content. And this is so, I think, whether we are in a boom or bust economy. It's also an ugly truth.

I personally can't afford to not have access to the Appellation America content because my ability to do my job as a member of the wine industry and as a wine publicist and my need to continually educate myself and my need to have real intellectual stimulation depends on having access to great ideas and great coverage of my industry.

The Bleeding Potential of the Petaluma Gap

I sat and had lunch today in the middle of a region of Sonoma that MUST obtain its own AVA status.

The Petaluma Gap is, I think, everything and more that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) demands of an American Viticultural Area. For the record, the TTB demands that applicants for AVA status show that their region 1) locally known by the name specified, 2) that the boundaries of the proposed AVA have current or historical evidence demonstrating their validity and 3) that there be evidence of growing conditions such as climate, soil, elevation and physical features that distinguish the region.

This defines the "Petaluma Gap".

Currently the Petaluma Gap region sits primarily within that monstrosity of an AVA known as "Sonoma Coast". While the Sonoma Coast has gained some fame among aficionados for its Pinots, the appellation is so large as to be meaningless. Carving it up, starting with the Petaluma Gap region would go a long way toward fixing the problem that is "Sonoma Coast".

The region is located in southern Sonoma and runs on a rough west to southeast direction from the coast to the Sonoma Mountains with the Marin County border to the south and the northern edge running up to Santa Rosa.

As is written on the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance's website, "Wind and fog define the area, giving the term "micro-climate" real meaning."

And there is no question this is true. Most of the region is well below the fog line and is covered in fog in the morning and the night, unlike much of Sonoma Coast that is above the fog line. This is Pinot, Chard and Syrah Country. And there is even some riesling planted that I can't wait to try.

I was sitting on the veranda of a beautiful estate, Azari, that has yet to release its first wine. When it does, wine folks will flock to it. But for now, the wines are still in barrel and we sat above them eating a quiet lunch, the owners and I. We talked wine, history, the industry and about our pasts and looked out at what are already golden hills.

The growers in the Petaluma Gap region primarily sell their wines to top wineries that put "Sonoma Coast" on their labels for lack of a better, more defining term. I'm not sure how the members of the Petaluma Gap Association feel about seeking AVA status. But I know that if they did it would be good for the whole American Viticultural Area program since the uniqueness of this area would demonstrate that the TTB can grant AVA status to a meaningful and deserving region.

It is very easy to become jaded about terroir, appellations, new wineries and even the magnificent landscapes that define Sonoma County after working in the wine industry for 20 some odd years. But then you are find yourself amongst fine people, eating fine and authentic homemade food on a lovely day, in a beautiful region that bleeds potential all while sitting above a collection of barreled wine that demonstrates that potential and the cynicism melts away.

The Foundation of Winegeekdom

Here is why Steve Heimoff is a good reporter and a compelling commentator.

Today Steve wades into the issue of the theory of American Viticultural Areas and the process by which the TTB approaches the creation of these appellations. In this case, Steve ponders the implications of the TTB rejecting a petition to create a new sub-appellation of the Paso Robles AVA that would have designated the Westside of Highway as "Paso Robles Westside".

This is a critical subject because in theory an AVA or sub-AVA is supposed to identify and codify a well defined area that has distinctive growing conditions that set it apart from its neighbors. Such a well defined region should, in theory, deliver something distinctive to the character of the grapes grown within its boundaries. This idea that a region's specific climatic and geographic characteristics can deliver something specific to the grapes forms the basis for the notion that wines from a specific area should themselves have specific characteristics that the above average wine consumer can look forward to enjoying when they pop a cork on a wine made with grapes from said region.

This important notion forms the foundation for all Winegeekdom.

This writer believes that for Winegeekdom to have confidence in the American AVA system, that system must put much more emphasis on identifying much smaller, much more well-defined growing regions than it has in the past. American Viticultural Areas such as "Russian River Valley", "Sonoma Coast", "Paso Robles", "Napa Valley", and the like are way too big and way too encompassing of varied climates and geographic landscapes to have any meaning at all for the consumer. What we need are more appellations like "Green Valley", "Atlas Peak", "Howell Mountain" and "Sonoma Mountain": relatively small, well defined regions that DO deliver specific characteristics to the grapes grown there.

I'm hoping that Steve Heimoff continues to dig into this topic.

Humor, Wine & The Internet

If anyone wants to know why I've always loved the Internet, all you have to do is look at these three quotes, all published in various places on the Internet yesterday. This medium is always  source of great humor and fascination for me.

“'The updated information paints a portrait of an effective system that operates in every corner of the country and contributes mightily to the American economy,'said WSWA President and CEO Craig Wolf."

The head of the Wine & Spirit Wholesalers Association on Wine & Spirits Daily refers to a study showing that alcohol wholesalers make an impact on the American economy and are everywhere. Kinda hard not to if your business model, outdated as it is, remains mandated by the states, regardless of its necessity. What next? An announcement by the National Association of Stop Sign Producers (AASSP) "that all across this great land stop sign makers create products that everyone continues to pay attention to"? The only thing the WSWA's Craig Wolf needs to do now is deliver up a new definition of "effective".

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"This is not science. This is hippie, dippy, wacky commune back to the Earth zeitgeist. It reminds me of stoned university students wanting to go back to the 13th century and dance around the maypole during the full moon and then sacrifice an animal at midnight to please the gods."

Stu Smith of Smith-Madrone Winery commenting in a most colorful way at Peg Melnik's Blog at the Press Democrat on how he views Biodynamic Farming. I'll say this for Stu, who has made wonderful wines for years without dancing around a maypole—he sure has a way with words. I'm positive there is a tune around which we can wrap the lyrics "hippie-dippy-wacky" and make a fortune.

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"looking at that Bloggers Conference, it does look like a big and free sloppy kiss and then some from the California wine industry...with much more than minimal hospitality offered...love to see some transparency from the bloggers(how many of them are paying for travel,car rental,hotels and meals?)...or should I say blobbers since they are the source of much of the misinformation,distortion,and egegious falsehoods spread with reckless abandon on the internet..."

Robert Parker Jr, commenting on the Wine Bloggers Conference and bloggers in general at the eRobert Parker bulletin board..I'll give Robert Parker this: He's got one of the greatest palates in the history of wine and has has about as much impact on the American wine culture of any human being in our history. However, it appears he also harbors an unctuous and massive conspiratorial streak.

Wet Paint & Wine

It's important for me to note that I endorse THIS in no way. THIS only minimizes the serious nature of wine and wine drinking. In fact, THIS purports to be humor, but in reality THIS is just another blow to the industry when the industry needs nothing like THIS.

Is THIS really what people want to read?

Only a few years ago THIS sort of thing would never fly. THIS would have been condemned. THIS really is harmful to a serious pasttime.

Again, I don't recommend you read THIS.

It's THIS I'm talking about.

Praying Hands at World of Pinot Noir

I admire those grapegrowers and winemakers who employ organic and biodynamic methods of grapegrowing with the goal of making better wines and being better stewards of the land. I admire them the same way I admire the bagger at the check out line who makes the extra effort to double bag my groceries if my purchases are hefty enough to cause an accident on the way back to my car under single-bagged conditions. And I admire them the way I admire those who say grace at the table in a genuine, rather than rote way.

But I've never felt like the conscientious bagger or those who earnestly say grace at dinner believe they are ethically or morally superior to those who would rather single-bag my goods or simply want to dig into the meal in front of them without any heavenly communication.

So why is it that when I read the words of or listen to the evangelists of organic grapegrowing or biodynamic grapegrowing I feel like I'm being told they hold the moral and ethical high ground? That they are better than the rest of us.

It's that feeling that I came away with at a seminar on Organic, Biodynamic and Sustainable Farming Practices that was presented at World of Pinot Noir. Five American and one Austrian grapegrowers and winemakers sat on the stage and essentially described how they were doing the right thing.

They talked about their responsibility to the planet, about leaving the land in good shape for their descendants, about the spiritual nature of the organic/biodynamic approach to grapegrowing and they talked a little about the benefits to the wines that are eventually produced by using organic or biodynamic techniques.

I should be clear about a few things that I think are undisputed:

1. Organically made wines or wines made from organically grown grapes are not better tasting, longer lived or higher quality than wines that have no connection to the rigors of organic approaches.

2. Biodynamic farming is based in part on a mystical notion that has little with and no grounding in science or research.

3. Organically grown grapes produce are likely to produce healthier soils for grapes to grow in

4. The judicious and careful use of a few chemicals here and there in the vineyard, if not overdone, can be a winemaker's and grapegrower's  best friend and do very little harm to the environment.

I don't have anything against organic farmers. I believe them when they tell me that they have, in large part, turned to organic farming because they feel a responsibility to the planet and they think it makes their land better suited to grape growing. And I appreciate Richard Sanford of Alma Rosa for admitting that "It's very hard to make a qualitative evaluation of wine before and after conversion to organics".

But what makes me really think is when I hear Biodynamic growers apologize for what are truly the loopiest of the requirements of the Biodynamic Religion, yet continue to insist that they are making better wine and hint that they are doing more than others to preserve and extend their spiritual nature of Planet Earth.

Many will justify their own ordination into the Biodynamic creed and others will justify this cult by explaining that "anything that gets a grower closer to their land and vines is likely to result in better wines because they better understand their environment." Hard to argue with that. And I'll even buy that.

But in the end, there remains the same sort holier than thou attitude among these folks that I think needs to be pointed out for the fraudulent attitude it really is.  The suggestion is that if you aren't farming organically, if you are using any pesticides or herbicides at all, no matter how little, you are making unauthentic or perhaps immoral wines. And this comes from folks who have no problem displacing the natural environment that once existed where their holy vineyard not sits. It comes from winemakers who have no problem putting their wines in oak casks made from trees that were planted where a different ecosystem existed before oak-for-barrel trees once sat. It comes from winemakers that extend their carbon foot print as they ride their machinery around their vineyard.

Grow your grapes organically. Put on your tin foil hat and become a member of the congregation of the Biodynamic. But let's not pretend you are making better wines than others and let's surely not suggest, insinuate or even hint, that you are holier than me or your neighbor who kills pests with things other than other pests.

Why Pinot?

John Winthrop Haeger reigns supreme in the world of North American Pinot Noir publishing. His latest from last year, "Pacific Pinot Noir: A Comprehensive Winery Guide for Consumers and Connoisseurs", along withhis earlier work, "North American Pinot Noir",  have made him the very largest of fishes in a very small pond of authors investigating the world of Pinot Noir on the North American contitnent.

I've always contented its easier on the soul and the ego to be a big fish in a little pond than a big fish in a big pond. Fewer sharks.

So, it's no surprise that Haeger would open the World of Pinot Noir with a talk to the members of industry, trade and consumer set that dragged themselves downstairs at the Cliffs Hotel at 8:30am to kick off a few days of Pinot indulging.

Haeger's topic: "The Origins of UNsustainable Viticulture and Where Pinot Noir Is Grown Now".

I've often pondered the virtues of different sorts of titles for talks. You can take the "Haeger Approach" and go for "explicit directness". Or you can take the indirect approach. That would look something like: "Pinot Noir: The Viticultural Screw Up Factor."

Either way, it is not surprising that Haeger's talk would be primarily a history lesson (beginning with talk of viticultural projects dating to 10,000 BC). Haeger is a trained historian, specializing in Chinese history and language. Not so much any more. Today Haeger is a terrific presenter of wine information.

Haeger ran through 12,000 years of vinticultural history in about 40 minutes, ending by placing special emphasis on the Pinot Noir grape. His talk was fascinating. But most interesting of all was the observation that for the past 40 years, the number of acres under vine world wide has been decreasing. Yet, Pinot vines and pinot production have both been increasing.

Why Pinot? That's what I'm wondering?

I suppose there is a good reason or a set of reason that tell exactly why Pinot Noir has increased its acreage while other, better known varieties have not. But I don't know what that set of reasons is. But I have some theories;

1. Pinot, given its modest body, is easy to drink. The explosion of new wine drinkers want "easy to drink."

2. Pinot is a "Prestige" wine. A great deal of the new Pinot vineyards have cropped up in areas that are relatively new to winemaking and there is a desire to make a mark on the winemaking world.

3. It started from a relatively small amount of plantings to begin with.

Too simple?

Roger Dial and the Convergence of Wine & Substance

Appellation America's founder has left the on-line publication. And it doesn't really matter why.
 What matters is that the North American wine industry's most committed and dedicated voice for wine diversity in this hemisphere will no longer set the tone for the only substantial publishing vehicle dedicated to wine diversity in this hemisphere. It feels a little wrong.

A few years ago I was asked to come on board and help with the company's communications and public relations efforts. I thought about it, cleared my throat, and said, "ok!!". The decision took that long.

I don't know if Appellation America is currently the most substance driven wine publication on the Internet. But I think it is. And this little gift of substance to wine lovers and the North American wine industry is due entirely to Dial's vision. Consider the expertise he brought to the publication's editorial side: Berger, Goldfarb, Aspler, Daniel, Ensrud, Heald, Smith, Thompson, Colman, Elkjer, Danehower, Greggut, Murphy, etc, etc. You don't create a staff of writers like this in order to guarantee a continuous flow of content. You create this kind of staff to guarantee substance and authority. And that's exactly what happened under Dial's tenure.

Not too long ago I point readers to a two part essay penned by Dial that at the time I called "Required Reading". It remains such for anyone who works in the wine industry and anyone with a substantial interest in the future of the North American Wine Culture.

My hope is that Appellation America makes a Gazillion Dollars by continuing the editorial direction set by Roger Dial.

The FERMENTATION 2008 Wineogram

Faith and Dirt

The issue and idea of faith has always confounded me.

I envy those people who walk with faith like it's a natural appendage that is so fully a part of them they don't even notice it. I notice it though. It's really a beautiful thing. I possess only enough faith to radically notice it at every turn and to question it constantly, and thereby diminishing even more the small bit that I have. 

I write all this in advance of quoting this comment made on an earlier post:

"if what is in the soil is not as important as your lifestyle, your house or your working the market, you are just going to make a different kind of wine...it seeps into the gestalt."

To be clear, "different kind of wine" means inferior to the wine you would make if soil is as important to you as everything else.

But back to the comment. It's a faith statement. That's of course what makes it more beautiful than a factual statement such as "very few people can taste a wine and identify the terroir and even fewer care to."

This fact is not very pretty, particularly to those of us who want to believe that a piece of ground and type of climate provide a distinctive profile in a wine that instills it with authenticity and makes it matter because the wine would then represent a melding of the human spirit and the natural world.

This idea of the melding of the human spirit with the natural world is important for serious wine drinker and winemakers for the same reasons that Christianity has been so important to the west and why paganism was so important to those the Roman conquered: The ambition to live a meaningful life can't be sustained for the lifetime of an individual and a people can't create a foundation to build upon confidently for their own ends without access to and connection with an idea that offers objective warrant for their deeds. Grounding our tastes in otherworldly notions of good and bad, right and wrong, authentic and unnatural is necessary to sustain a person and a people that seek meaning in their lives.

The idea of terroir, like the idea of the Holy Ghost or the Trinity, is a pretty sketchy idea that requires belief to make it work. This is not to say that flavor, aromas and texture of a wholly unique kind can't be coaxed into a wine from the elemental properties of a particular piece of turf and even identified with a degree of certainty by a well trained drinker. I suppose it can sometimes happen and I suppose there must be as little interference between the elements and the wine as possible...just the human spirit would be best.

In the end, I think we MUST believe in terroir. If we don't, at least those of us who find in wine a life defining paradigm, we abandon the objective warrant we've latched on to for our devotion to the product; make it a commodity of colored sauce and nothing more. We abandon the drink's meaning and with it an explanation for our taste.