Thursday, March 27, 2008

When Worlds Collide: Sometimes It's Cool!

A few months ago, our crack business team (actual crack use varies) decided that rather than just replicate our wine inventory in both stores, we should allow the inventories to naturally diverge through a series of mutations and adaptations, sort of like Evolution (or Adaptation Over Time, depending upon where your textbooks are printed).

Why pursue this apparently insane idea, which flies in the face of brand continuity? Well, for one thing, instead of hiring moronic clerks who frequently drool, we wasted money by bringing in two wine professionals. Philip and Jane, unlike those idiots Joe and umm....that would be me, actually know what they're doing. So we would be ever stupider than usual to waste their talents.

Secondly, we've noticed that wines sell differently at the two stores. At Elliott Road, we sell a lot more New World wines - stuff from the Americas, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. At the Marlboro store, we tend to sell more Old World wine from Europe.

We could write a dissertation about this for a diploma mill, and probably get a Ph.D., but who cares? As Rudyard Kipling wrote, "Ours is not to reason why. Ours is but to do and die." Okay, that's depressing. Let's change it to "...ours is but to do and thrive!" There, much better. Kipling was a real buzzkill.

Anyhoo, Jane had a great idea today, which I will hereby steal credit for. We should make sure that the top-selling wines at each store are available at BOTH STORES! So we're going to do that, thanks to my fabulous idea.

We'll still have different selections at the two stores, but we'll make sure that the most popular wines are at both. Brand continuity? BORRRRINNNGGG. When it comes to wine, we say "Vive La Difference!"

By the way, a free bottle of wine to whoever can name the dude in the photo.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Well tie me kangaroo down, mate!

People who know me know that I am a little less excited about Australian wine than others seem to be (he says showing a complete mastery of understatement). While this may surprise some people, it is not that unusual for a person with my experience in this business. In fact it is the very characteristics of most Australian wine that appeals to John Q. Public that turns me and other grizzled veterans off; especially when we talk about Shiraz. Most of these wines are just too sweet and terminally lack structure. “Loads of jammy fruit” is the code phrase for me to hightail it in the opposite direction. So imagine my surprise when I tasted not one but two remarkable wines from down under in a recent tasting. Honestly, if there were more beautifully structured wines like this from Australia I would be a big fan. I doubt that will happen, but in the mean time these two are well worth mentioning:

West Cape Howe Chardonnay “Styx Gulley,” Western Australia- The first thing that greets you when you put the glass to your nose is the rich smell of toasted barrel. Thankfully, though, it is a fully integrated aroma that does not overpower. The palate rewards you with focused, dry Chardonnay fruit of a very forthright nature. More to the style of Burgundy, the overall impression is of an extremely well-crafted wine that is a stone-cold value at $20.69/btl. Highly recommended!

Picardy Pinot Noir, Western Australia- Never, ever did I expect to taste Pinot from Australia this focused and balanced. Undeniably in the Burgundy style, this beautifully made wine features earthy terroir in the nose and elegant balance on the palate. This is one of the few wines made outside of Burgundy that captures the true essence of Pinot Noir – a great value at $32.84/btl.

prices subject to change without notice.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Burgundy: Heaven on earth or labyrinth of Hell?

Catchy title, heh? The region of Burgundy, home to the finest expressions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on the planet, is a remarkably frustrating place. There is no question that the best wines from this place are in the top percentile of the world’s great wines. Many critics, collectors, enthusiasts, etc. would say these are the finest wines available. You will get no argument from me. The sight, smell, and sensation of a great Volnay or Grands Echezeaux moving around in your glass is just different than other wine, even other great wine. It’s hard to put your finger on exactly why, and I think that is the point. There is a certain indefinable quality to these wines. Yet there can also be no question that this region has its share of common, often expensive, wines. How does the buyer know what to expect? Burgundy is like buying real estate in a foreign country; local knowledge is everything. You definitely want to do your homework on who the best importers are; they are the people that do the heavy lifting. How frustrating is it for importers? This story gives us an idea- Daniel Haas, second generation American importer of fine wines under the Vineyard Brands label, told me the story of working with a renowned producer of great and expensive wines. Upon the retirement of the Father vineyard sites were divided between two sons. Since I believe there is no direct French equivalent for the phrase “team-player,” a fairly predictable thing happened. Each son set up shop in different caves (wine facilities) and set about making the same wine from the same place - twice. Now when Danny wants to visit this producer to taste and negotiate, he has to do so twice. If you have ever negotiated with a recalcitrant and wily Burgundian it is not something you would want to do twice for the same result. The French are all about art and there is no question that they have raised the family feud to an art-form. Burgundy is rife with fathers that don’t speak to sons, brothers that don’t speak to brothers and even a few women whom nobody speaks to. Add to that that many of these people have the same last name and you can see the problem. And the vineyards themselves? A complete patchwork of individual owners, farmers, and producers exists. It is not uncommon for a small vineyard to have six or more interested parties working the vines, each with their own vine management techniques. Individual rows of vines are owned or leased, meaning your neighbor may own the vines six feet from yours. There are also many different types of producers, from farmers who sell their grapes and make no wine, to small producers who make wine only from vines they own, to large “negociant” houses that purchase most of the fruit they use. And of course there is the vintage.

So why bother with all of this complexity? It’s all in the bottle. There is nothing on earth like the experience of a great Burgundy, and even a good Burgundy can be a real eye-opener. Look on the label for information about the importer. The best importers have long-term relationships with their producers. And of course, develop a relationship with a wine merchant who understands the area. Last, when drinking Burgundy, give it your full attention. These wines are about subtlety and style; if you are multi-tasking while sipping Montrachet I guarantee you are missing the elements that make Burgundy “The wine of Kings.”

Importers to look for: Vineyard Brands, Vintage ’59 Imports, Jeanne-Marie Champs, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Wilson-Daniels, and many others.