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I want wine that screams where it came from... VERY LONG + little rant Yes, I find this to be a bit of a problem. There is little differentiation between many Italian, Languedoc-Roussillon, Chilean, Australian, and US wines. In most cases I'd speculate that the decision, if not directed by, started with the accountants. However, the wine buying public does like their wine simplified and Merlot (Sideways not withstanding) is a big seller, worldwide. I've heard that one of the main reasons is that it is easy to pronounce, but would venture that the two biggest factors are that it is more approachable early and because "everyone else" is drinking it. Many acres of wonderful old Zinfandel vines have been ripped out to plant Merlot, because the accountants, and bankers wanted it that way – higher yields and greater profit-acre, i.e. ROI. As a big fan of Zins, I find that the grape derives a lot of its character from the vineyard, if the winemaker allows it. In very many cases, you are correct. Members of the general public, buying wine, do not want to be faced with the prospect of having to know the wine. Most have no clue as to which varietals are likely to be found in a Bdx. blend, and I doubt that 1:1,000,000,000 can tell you which varietal is likely to be more prevalent in which Bdx. blends. Wine-geeks, such as myself, laboriously memorize the clbuttification of 1855 with its addenda. Others, could not care less. My wife, who loves wine, and drinks almost as much as I, only wants wines that she will like. She can navigate most wine lists, and safely order something that she will be pleased with, but doesn't care she has found a bargain in the cellar, a stellar wine that few have ever had, or discovered a new winemaker, before he-she is discovered by the rest of the world. She just wants wines that will please her. Any experimentation with varietals, new regions, etc. will always be initiated by me, or our sommelier. She also buys wines at retail by "shelf-talkers," labels and familiarity with either the varietal, the winemaker, or the region. She will seldom ask for buttistance, as she feels that she will be inundated with far more data, than she wants, or will ever need. Though reading the shelf-talkers closely for tasting notes, and descriptors, she doesn't care what the WS says about a wine – points are meaningless to her. I doubt that she would be able to identify Robert Parker, Jr as the publisher of a wine rating guide, and a myriad number of books. This is not a simple woman, however. She is the President-CEO of one of the largest employers in the SW, and manages a US$3B annual operating budget. While she loves wine, she cannot be bothered by all the esoterica, that I find highly fascinating. Now, while she wants it simplified for her, she also appreciates fine wine, and has been exposed to gallons of it. She's even had several opportunities to experience great wines, and acknowledges that these are "different." She also recognizes "plonk" and tries to never expose herself to it again. She would quickly pick up a Meursault for dinner, but wouldn't arbitrarily pay the difference for Les Charmes. She knows enough to insure that she will not purchase clunkers, though will not spend enough of her time to go beyond that level. I'd typify her as a high-end consumer of wine, but many steps below " geekdom." She is not swayed by the cute characters on the label, unless the overall design appeals to her. At the other end of the wine consumer spectrum is the person, who will grab a 1.5 ltr bottle of Chardonnay, because it is less expensive than many of the 0.75s on the shelves. For them, the perceived "value," is all that they care about. Well, that and the comfort of a familiar word: Chardonnay... Merlot... They, however, drive the market: lower price, volume production, wine that is totally "safe," (no tannins, not too much acid, pleasant fruit flavors). There is little difference whether the wine comes from Italy, France, the US, OZ, Chile. It's about the volume sold. Winemakers are very often "beholding" to bankers, or investors. These folk want return on their investments, and the bigger, the better. If calling your wine Chardonnay, rather than Corton-Charlemagne will make you much more profit, and your banker is breathing down your neck, you will probably change the name. Pouilly-Fuissé seems to be a major exception to this. Most people do not realize that it is Chardonnay, and the name is far more difficult to pronounce, than Merlot, but it sells and is known by the vast wave of general wine consumers – go figure! Simplification, in, and of itself, isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, the knowledgeable wine consumer should be ready to reward the winemaker, who takes the chance, ignores the accountants, and if all goes well, produces wonderful wines that are an expression of the winemaker's art, and probably will exhibit a strong sense of place. These are the folk, whose wines need to be purchased. These are the wines, that need to have their praises sung to all who will listen, as they usually don't have the ad budgets of a Bronco Wines, etc. In Phoenix, some years ago, every TV station did a featurette on Two Buck Chuck, and sent news teams to local Trader Joes', as consumers carried off nearly every case in stock. Combined, I'd guess that Bronco got about one-half hour of free "advertising," in this market from these pieces. You know, I've never seen 5 seconds on Robert Biale's Black Chicken Zin on local TV! I would rather have one bottle of the Biale BC, than 10 cases of Two Buck Chuck. IMHO, it is the producers, such as Biale,, and the numerous winemakers like him, who need to be championed, supported, and encouraged to make the best wine that they can, regardless of what we have to pay for it. We'd had some recent R Parker, Jr discussions in the NG. One thing he has done is "championed" wines and winemakers, whose wine HE appreciates. Like Oprah, he has exhibited great influence in the wine market. Whether one agrees with his critique, is another matter. I am not a fan of many of his "darlings," but I cannot deny what he has done for certain wine makers and wine styles. Unfortunately, once he has "anointed" a wine with his praise, it usually sells very, very well. Now, another winemaker, who has not produced wines like those that RP praises, sees this, has been ducking calls from his banker for months, and finally decides to "sell his soul to the devil," and produce a " Parkerized" wine, hoping to sell all he can make, regardless of what his heart tells him to do. Since most winery owners are in a business, and few, though quite wealthy, can afford to produce a wine that will never sell, the marketplace will drive them. If a Parkerized wine sells out, while one that is true to the winemaker's dream doesn't – well, do the math. Unfortunately, we live, more each year, in a globalized world. There is far too much "me too," everyplace you turn. If one motion picture about Spiderman is good, heck, let's do eight! If one fast-food restaurant sells chabata SP? bread sandwiches, hey, let's add that to OUR menu too! Parkerized wines are little different – it's about what sells. The simplification sells. The homogenization sells. The globalization sells. That is one of the reasons that I attend a lot of wine tastings. I want to find out who the great producers are and then support them, because... well because I like their wines! Hunt -- NewsGuy.Com 30Gb $9.95 Carry Forward and On Demand Bandwidth
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