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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.