Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Wine Buying 101 - Philip Bernot

I think everybody is guilty of this little sin, or would like to be: you are in a store and you see an item that you just know is mis-priced. It should be twenty five dollars, but there it is at $10.99. You want to tell someone “I think the price is wrong here!” but hey, things are going up every day and it harder to make ends meet. You scoop up the item, all of it, and hope you don’t get busted before you get out of the store. The same is true for wine; only different. Two to three times a month I taste something that is wickedly under-priced to its value and I buy it with gusto. I tell the customers who want to hear it about the amazing value, but let’s be honest-not everyone wants to hear it. Some folks buy what they buy strictly on price. Many shoppers, and not just here, are deeply suspicious of items they think are “too cheap.” Three things happened today that made me want to write about this:

One: We have been selling a wonderful wine from Spain; so much in fact that it has become the top-selling wine in the store in the year 2008. I’m not surprised-from the moment I tried it I thought it was an obscenely good value. I just got word that the new vintage is slated for a price increase-up to 90%! Obviously this is more than currency fluctuation and transportation costs. To be honest the new price is really more in line with the quality, but we were happy to sell as much as we did when it was cheap.

Two: One of our customers who knows his Italian wine very well bought an interesting red wine from Southern Italy on our recommendation. The wine was being discounted by our wholesaler for one reason only-nobody there knew how to sell it. It is amazing wine and we are selling it for an even more amazing price. The customer and I came to the same conclusion-this is a fifty-plus dollar bottle of wine-at less than fifteen dollars!

Three: I tasted a line of premium California wines, of which the least expensive would set you back about thirty-five bucks; and it went up from there. The resume of the winemaker is one of very well-known, but commercial, wines. I wouldn’t give you thirty-five cents for all four that I tried.

If you want to know the names of the first two wines, stop by and see me. The last wines I don’t ever want to talk about again!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

More on inexpensive wine - Philip Bernot

Hot on the heels on my previous post is this excellent article in New York Times. If you are passionate about wine then the points in this article hit home. If you are not passionate about wine, but like it for its health and therapeutic effects, then this stuff is still important-maybe more so! Check it out!

http://thepour.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/25/does-your-wine-need-viagra/

Friday, April 25, 2008

Under ten dollar wine - endangered species? - Philip Bernot

Quite understandably we are hearing a lot more of this recently – “You got any nice wine at or under ten bucks?” Yes, but . . . The under-ten-dollar category for wine is disappearing faster than the polar ice caps. There is, and will always be I suppose, wines under ten dollars. But the wine that was nine dollars last November is now twelve to thirteen. This should surprise no one-why should we be immune to global inflation? By extension this means last years fifteen dollar wine is pushing twenty, and the twenty dollar wine is pushing twenty-five. It may help to reshape your expectations or parameters. There seems to be widely held myth that wines from South America are the best values in the market place. That is simply not my experience. They spill more wine in France in a year than they make in all of South America; naturally there are more and better choices. Ditto for Italy & Spain. California? The wine from the Golden State (my home) historically is and will remain more expensive than those of Europe. It is a different business there, and the cost of doing business is higher. Too, it will definitely help if you are open to grape varieties outside of the big names. Eight-buck Chardonnay from the Central Valley of California is usually worth what it costs-or less. The unknown grape variety from France or Italy may be dramatically undervalued in quality to the price.

How about those big bottles? I think there are some really good values to be had in this arena with some pretty solid selections available for around twelve bucks. We will continue to seek out wines that offer the best value for the money spent, but value is relative. A twenty-five dollar wine can be a great value every bit as much as a nine dollar wine; often more so.

We feel your pain-literally! We are in the same boat and paying much more for the same items than we paid last year.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Stand by your brand? - Philip Bernot

No question about it; we are the most “sold-to” society of all time. Madison Avenue has more impact on most Americans than the street that they actually live on. I doubt that most people even realize the role that advertising plays in their decision making process-and that is just the way the marketers want it. When marketing a brand everything is about market share, and when increasing market share everything is fair game. What does this have to do with the price of Shiraz in Barossa? The fact is that the most enjoyable wines in the world are not from “brands,” but from producers, a subtle yet distinct difference. Producers are actual individuals, families and small groups of like-minded, passionate individuals. These people are more often than not farmers. Brands are the domain of behemoth International Spirit & Wine conglomerates. They are frequently also in other businesses such as hotels or fast food. If there has ever been a group less likely to understand the simple joys of a well-made bottle of wine I don’t know who they are. In that end of the business it is all about increasing market share, or “moving boxes.” Quality is collateral damage. Brands are what you find in the supermarket; producers are what you find in ours and other stores that actually taste what they sell.

The reason I make this distinction is to try to put in perspective continuity. I know it can be frustrating for customers to find a bottle of wine that they like only to return and find out it is no longer available. But there is an inverse relationship between continuity and quality. Simply put, the more of a given wine there is the less likely that it is worth drinking. This is not to say we cannot have extensive runs of very good quality wines. It is to say that the most interesting wines, by their nature, are limited in supply. Too, it is important to remember that wine is a product of a finite growing season, or vintage. It is simply not possible to go back and get more of the 2005 Chateau Fillintheblank when the vintage is sold out. This still seems to surprise many people. Also surprising to many is that wines we have confidently sold can be dropped because of quality differences from vintage to vintage. For quite a while we happily sold an under-ten-dollar Spanish red that was my favorite kind of wine-one that was worth well more than what it cost. The new vintage of the wine was decidedly underwhelming. The biggest problem was that the new wine was not just a weaker vintage but represented a dramatic departure in style-and not for the better. It was still under ten bucks, but now it tasted like it.

Lastly on this subject is how a producer can become a brand in a heartbeat. A trip through the wine aisle in the local Acme supermarket can be a painful experience for me. It is there where I see formerly wonderful names that conjure up warm memories of tastings and visits reduced to commodity brands. The California wine industry is littered with these formerly terrific producers who couldn’t resist the economics of selling their label to a conglomerate who then puts any old swill in the bottle and hopes that takes at least five years for anyone to notice the difference.

Now I’m sure that there are readers out there who are already crying foul and thinking, “Phil, you are just a wine snob.” If that’s what I am than so be it – I’m used to it by now. I spent many years in the high-end of the restaurant business and one thing I learned is this: The Chef who seeks out only the highest quality ingredients, who eschews corner-cutting in their preparation, who has exacting standards that will not allow him or her to serve a meal that smacks of mediocrity; that person is a genius. The person who applies the same standards to wine is a wine snob. Go figure!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Chillin' & Grillin'

The warm weather is here, hopefully to stay, and you know what that means: time to break out the grill! And what is the best thing in the whole wide world to match with the first grilled foods of the season?: Italian red wine - especially a zesty Barbera. We are featuring a killer line-up of amazing Italian reds in different styles and prices. Some of these wines are already in stock, others will be here shortly!

D’Angelo Aglianico del Vulture Riserva “Vigna Caselle” 2000, Basilicata
~ Easily those most unusual wine of the group and probably my favorite. This wine is stone-cold old-school with no apologies! The rustic Aglianico grape makes what is essentially the Barolo of the South; D’Angelo is the only producer left making this wine in the traditional style. Fermented and aged in “Botti,” or large, neutral wood casks, the wine presents beautiful spice-scented notes on the nose and robust tannins from the grapes, and not the wood.

Gorgeous wine for true aficionados who cringe at the sweet world-wine paradigm. Serve with goat or other crazy stuff! We got a great buy on this wine and are happy to pass the savings to our customers. About $15.00/btl (Believe me, people pay 4X this much for this quality in Tuscany & Piedmont!)

Bibi Graetz Casamatta 2006, Tuscany ~ This wine is 100% Sangiovese, from various vineyard sites, fermented in stainless steel. Soft, forward fruit makes this a perfect choice for a thick burger or ribs. $16.99/btl.

Bucaro Montepulciano Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2006, Abruzzo
~ Don’t walk. Run down here, RIGHT NOW, and stock up on this delicious wine. Made from organic grapes, this is stand out Montepulciano wine from the grape of the same name. Rich fruit, but even more impressive structure. Make sure you let this wine breathe for 45 minutes or more after opening; it tastes a little fruity and simple on opening but rights itself quickly. VERY LIMITED SUPPLY! $17.99/btl.

Fratelli Seghesio Barbera D’Alba 2006, Piedmont ~ Has there ever been a more perfect wine to serve with roasted yard bird with a spicy-sweet BBQ sauce? The answer is no! Loads of rich, ripe fruit and the crisp acidity you need for tomato-based sauces. $21.99/btl.

Carpineta Fontalpino Montaperto 2005, Tuscany ~ A classically structured wine from a very unusual combination of grapes; this one blends Sangiovese, Alicante, and a little Gamay to excellent results. If you are looking for a fruit-bomb, look elsewhere. This wine has more in common with a top Bordeaux than an overripe Shiraz. Serve with a choice steak. Let it breathe for a couple of hours for best results. $28.79/btl.

Braida Monferratto Rosso “Il Bacialè” 2006, Piedmont ~ Braida is probably the master of Barbera, and this wine is a tour de force (or the equivalent Italian phrase). It may not be typical, but this blend is 60% Barbera, 20% Pinot Noir, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Merlot. This all adds up to 100% delicious! This one should be served with more elaborate grilled dishes to match the complex nature of the wine. $35.00/btl.

Fattoria Montellori Salamartano 1999, Tuscany ~ People happily pay twice this price for Claret-style wines like this from prestigious Bordeaux producers. Equal parts Cabernet and Merlot, this is stylish wine and a great value. Serve this when the grilled fare comes inside to a white table cloth and crystal glasses! Exquisite! $44.99/btl.

We have many other great selections for the grill, including more from Italy!


Note: This post was written by Philip Bernot.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

A plea for dry wine - Philip Bernot

If you are new to wine, say you just started sipping in the last ten to twelve years, or you are a very disinterested observer, you may not be aware that there has been a fundamental shift in wine making style in the last decade plus. This shift is especially apparent in the current crop of red wines, but has its roots in a similar phenomenon that started with California Chardonnay. This may be completely irrelevant to you as a wine drinker. Most people like wine for its therapeutic effects and I don’t blame anyone for not wanting to become a student of the game. Wine is a complicated subject and I doubt that most people have the time or inclination to take up the subject. After all, that’s why we are here! The only reason I bring it up is because the trend creates conflict between what consumers say they want and what they really seem to buy and consume. I am talking, of course, about the rising level of sweetness in wine as measured by residual sugar. Naturally occurring sugar in grapes works with yeast to create a byproduct – alcohol, by way of fermentation. When talking about table wines the standard for years was for there to be a fairly complete fermentation that left just trace amounts of residual sugar. This is what defines the term “dry.” Now, especially amongst the new world producers of Australia and California, there is a powerful market trend to leave some unfermented sugar, or even add back some sugar, in the finished wine. Again, the only reason I mention this is because the average customer grimaces at the idea of sweet wine but happily plunks down the pesos for a detectibly sweet Shiraz.

This story illustrates the conundrum perfectly; and would be quite funny if it did not make me want to cry; which it did: This week I tasted a dozen or so wines with Sigfried Pic, Export Director for Rhone Valley producer Ferraton Pere & Fils. The wines were uniformly excellent, and a couple selections were sensational values. As an experiment the folks at Ferraton took one of their dry red wines and added sugar (to approximately 6 grams/ per liter residual sugar, or about twice the level for “dry” and similar to the average Australian Shiraz) back into it, put the wine into the equivalent of a paint mixer, shook it up to integrate the sugar into the wine, and sped off to England for a tasting. Can you imagine doing this at home? I would wager large that most people would find the idea sickening. The UK is known for favoring the traditional, so this is particularly interesting - the tasting group was made up of both casual wine buyers and seasoned wine merchants. Many of the casual tasters went crazy “This is great, so bold!” The veterans were less impressed - “Did you change winemakers?” was the cautious, concerned reaction. It may be very easy to draw the conclusion that the market had spoken and that the buying public prefers sweeter wines. If that were completely true we would still be wearing leisure suits. I guess what I am trying to say is this sweeter style is a trend or a fad more than an absolute. I hope.

More than anything else, though, it is what you lose when you leave this much residual sugar in the wine - complexity. These sweeter wines are one-trick ponies. Lots of people seem to like the trick, but ultimately it is boring. Dry wines allow your mind to fill in the subtle nuances and ultimately are more complex and rewarding. At least in the opinion of this grizzled veteran!