You may or may not have seen the movie Bottle Shock which was based on the infamous blind wine tasting of 1976 that has come to be known as the Judgment of Paris. Steven Spurrier a wine merchant in Paris at the time who only sold French wines, travelled to Napa Valley to bring back the best Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon for a blind tasting against French wines. Much to the surprise of the French, the California wines rated best in all categories. The Stag’s Leap 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon and the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973 were the winners.
Only one reporter attended the event, George Taber from Time, and he promptly reported the results to the world. The French in their usual nose turning manner discounted the tasting as lacking scientific validity due to the subjectivity of the tasters. Is this not true of all tastings? The results of this legendary event had a direct effect on the expansion of production and the elevation of prestige of New World wines while dispelling the myth of French wines.
In order to replicate this event with a variation, a local wine group asked that I blind taste them on South African wines versus French wines. A blind tasting involves serving the wine without the taster seeing the bottle or the label to insure impartial judgment. A taster’s judgment can be prejudiced by geographic origin, price, reputation of producer, or even vintage year. This tasting included 3 white wine and 3 red wine comparisons of equal price. The vintage was the same as was the grape varietals--Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and a Bordeaux-style blend with Cabernet Sauvignon as the dominant grape.
The results: South Africa (New World wine) was the preferred choice in all six comparison tastings. However, the group did conclude that the New World wines were more approachable (easy to drink) now and with age the French wines would probably be preferred. That is exactly what the judges concluded in the Judgment of Paris.
Also, the tasters agreed that each wine if tasted on its own was superb. There was not a bad wine in the tasting. The biggest style variation encountered was the Chenin Blanc and the Chardonnay. The South African Chenin Blanc is crisper and dryer in style with less fruit and the Chenin Blanc from Vouvray in the Loire Valley is a bit sweeter in style yet more classic. The longer the grape stays on the vine before harvesting, which is allowable by the climate, the more sugar develops in the grape. The Chardonnay from South Africa has a little bit more oak upfront, yet nice integrated fruit. The Chardonnay from Burgundy displayed crisper acidity, less oak and less body.
Below are the wines tasted and compared by grape varietal and the group tasting scores of each wine based on a total of 15 pts. South Africa was the preferred wine in most comparisons (except for the Chenin Blanc) and received 58 overall points and France received 32 overall points. Again, the tasters agreed that all of the wines are fabulous and more fruit-forward styles were preferred.
Sauvignon Blanc
Mulderbosch, Sauvignon Blanc 2008—$17 (10 pts.)
)Pale straw color with green tinge. Aroma’s of tropical fruits, lime, and cut grass. Winemaker Mike Dobrovic is known as Mr. Sauvignon Blanc. This wine gets 90+ ratings vintage after vintage.
Sauvion, Quincy “Les Glaneuses”, 2007—$15 (5 pts.)
The Sauvion family has a long history in the Loire Valley. Quincy is an appellation slightly south and west of Sancerre. This wine is very dry with refreshing acidity and minerality. Citrus and flowers aromas and tastes with medium body.
Chenin Blanc
Cederberg Chenin Blanc, 2008—$14 (6 pts.)
A consistent Cape wine from older vines with aromas of grapefruit, melon, and citrus with crispness and long fruit on the palate.
Chateau de Montfort, Vouvray, 2007—$14 (9 pts.)
Melon and peach with floral notes on the nose along with nice fruit and honey flavors that combine together for a balance of sweetness and crisp acidity. Finishes dry with a hint of sweetness.
Chardonnay
Hamilton Russell Chardonnay, 2008—$29 (13 pts.)
An elegantly textured wine with a balance of fruit and acidity . There is some pineapple and pear fruit on the nose and palate with a toasty, creamy and a bit spicy oak. Nice length and complexity. Will become better integrated with age.
Etienne Sauzet, Bourgogne Blanc, 2007—$33 (2 pts.)
Sauzet is a world producer of white Burgundy. This is AOC Burgundy which means the grapes come from all over Burgundy not just one village or vineyard. Crisp green apple and citrus aromas and flavor. High acidity and minerality balanced by structured oak.
Pinot Noir
Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 2007—$40 (11 pts.)
Not overly fruity, but soft, elegant and sweet. There is a rich perfume of black cherry, spice, and earth carried through on a long complex finish. Very Burgundian in style. WS93
Domaine Antonin Guyon, Chambolle Musigny, 2006 —$40 (4 pts.)
Wines from this village are delicate and most sought after Pinot’s in Burgundy. A nice perfume of flowers and red cherries on the nose. Blackberries and raspberries along with some mineral and spice on the palate. Silky and solid length. One of the finest producers.
Syrah/Shiraz
Boekenhoutskloof, “Chocolate Block” Meritage, 2007—$40 (9 pts.)
This wine is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, and Viognier. Ripe jammy plum and raspberry layered with mocha and spice makes this wine sweet, soft and approachable.
Domaine Pierre & Vincent Jaboulet,
Crozes-Hermitage “Nouvelere”, 2006—$37 (6 pts.)
The former owners of Jaboulet Aine have a new venture producing some fine Northern Rhone Syrah’s in Crozes-Hermitage. This is 100% Syrah. Aromas of ripe raspberries and black currants with hints of leather and spice. Tannins are soft with a velvety texture.
Cabernet/Bordeaux Blend
De Toren, “Fusion V”, 2006—$40 (9 pts.)
A blend of 5 grapes—55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot shows flavors of black currant, licorice, and dark chocolate, with silky tannins and minerals.
Château Beychevelle, St-Julien 2006—$45 (6 pts.)
This fourth growth Chateau is classic Bordeaux with finesse and elegance in fruit, tannins, and body. It has intense aromatics and flavors of red and black fruits, earth, smoke, and cedar. Approachable now, but will develop more complexity with age.
Note: If you live in Fairfield County, CT you can find or order these wines from these local wine stores: Peter’s Spirit Shop, Weston, CT; Ancona’s, Ridgefield, CT; Elmer’s Wines, Norwalk, CT
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Wine Price Differences
What is the difference between a $10 wine and a $100 wine other than price?
This question is asked of me all the time. As with any other consumer product you purchase such as a pair of pants or shoes, a wash machine or automobile, it is the materials that go into making it, the labor cost, import costs, and any special features.
Wine begins on a farm in the vineyard fields. The cost of land in Chile is not as expensive as the cost of land in Napa or Champagne. The same is true for the labor cost. The labor demands of vineyards in Burgundy, Northern Rhone, Champagne, Sauternes, and parts of Germany are very high. These vineyards cannot be machine pruned, picked or harvested due to steep terraced slopes, soil composition, or type of grape or style of wine. Rather these grapes are hand-picked, hand sorted and carefully selected. If the weather is very warm, they may even have to pick the grapes at night so the wine does not begin to ferment before reaching the cellar.
Yields per vine—quantity vs. quality, is a big factor in the cost of a bottle of wine. Less grapes on the vine means a concentration of sugars and flavors yet less bottles and cases per harvest (1,000 cases). More grapes on the vine equals less sugars and less flavor, but a larger quantity of bottles and cases per harvest (10,000 cases). Think of an Italian hand-made shoe versus a mass produced factory made shoe.
Winemaking equipment such as presses, fermentation and storage vessels are very expensive. The more use made of them at vintage time, the wider the costs can be spread. Some vintners share equipment by joining co-operatives. Smaller production means less use of equipment which means the cost is amortized over fewer bottles.
Barrels used for oak aging vary in cost depending on type of oak or it they are new or second-hand. American oak barrel is $200 while a French oak barrel is $600.
Ageing of a wine requires expensive storage facilities and ties up capital. An Italian Barolo by law has to be aged 2 years in oak and another year in the bottle before it is released for sale.
After the grapes are grown and the wine is made the additional post-cellar costs include the packaging, bottle, closure (cork), label, carton, and the winery profits. Then the wine goes into distribution which tacks on transportation costs, import tax, sales tax, marketing, wholesaler and retailer storage costs and mark-ups/margins and the overhead cost of a retailer (volume stores vs. small boutique stores).
Last but not least the ultimate price that a wine sells for is the price that the market will support. If there is high demand for a wine that produces small quantities (200 cases) the price will naturally be high. If everyone wants it, the market price will rise higher.
Discover for yourself if a $10 wine versus a $50 wine is a better wine or at least provides greater pleasurable experience (value for money). You may buy a Prius at $22,000 and get good gas mileage and reliability, but a Lexus convertible at $70,000 would probably give you more pleasure, if you could afford it. When you purchase the wines ask the wine shop owner to wrap them in a brown bag (you can even have him/her pop the cork and recork it) so you can bring them home and taste them blind. Rate each wine on a scale from 1-10 and remove the brown bag to see if you enjoyed the less expensive or the more expensive wine. Here are few good red wines to taste at different price points.
This question is asked of me all the time. As with any other consumer product you purchase such as a pair of pants or shoes, a wash machine or automobile, it is the materials that go into making it, the labor cost, import costs, and any special features.
Wine begins on a farm in the vineyard fields. The cost of land in Chile is not as expensive as the cost of land in Napa or Champagne. The same is true for the labor cost. The labor demands of vineyards in Burgundy, Northern Rhone, Champagne, Sauternes, and parts of Germany are very high. These vineyards cannot be machine pruned, picked or harvested due to steep terraced slopes, soil composition, or type of grape or style of wine. Rather these grapes are hand-picked, hand sorted and carefully selected. If the weather is very warm, they may even have to pick the grapes at night so the wine does not begin to ferment before reaching the cellar.
Yields per vine—quantity vs. quality, is a big factor in the cost of a bottle of wine. Less grapes on the vine means a concentration of sugars and flavors yet less bottles and cases per harvest (1,000 cases). More grapes on the vine equals less sugars and less flavor, but a larger quantity of bottles and cases per harvest (10,000 cases). Think of an Italian hand-made shoe versus a mass produced factory made shoe.
Winemaking equipment such as presses, fermentation and storage vessels are very expensive. The more use made of them at vintage time, the wider the costs can be spread. Some vintners share equipment by joining co-operatives. Smaller production means less use of equipment which means the cost is amortized over fewer bottles.
Barrels used for oak aging vary in cost depending on type of oak or it they are new or second-hand. American oak barrel is $200 while a French oak barrel is $600.
Ageing of a wine requires expensive storage facilities and ties up capital. An Italian Barolo by law has to be aged 2 years in oak and another year in the bottle before it is released for sale.
After the grapes are grown and the wine is made the additional post-cellar costs include the packaging, bottle, closure (cork), label, carton, and the winery profits. Then the wine goes into distribution which tacks on transportation costs, import tax, sales tax, marketing, wholesaler and retailer storage costs and mark-ups/margins and the overhead cost of a retailer (volume stores vs. small boutique stores).
Last but not least the ultimate price that a wine sells for is the price that the market will support. If there is high demand for a wine that produces small quantities (200 cases) the price will naturally be high. If everyone wants it, the market price will rise higher.
Discover for yourself if a $10 wine versus a $50 wine is a better wine or at least provides greater pleasurable experience (value for money). You may buy a Prius at $22,000 and get good gas mileage and reliability, but a Lexus convertible at $70,000 would probably give you more pleasure, if you could afford it. When you purchase the wines ask the wine shop owner to wrap them in a brown bag (you can even have him/her pop the cork and recork it) so you can bring them home and taste them blind. Rate each wine on a scale from 1-10 and remove the brown bag to see if you enjoyed the less expensive or the more expensive wine. Here are few good red wines to taste at different price points.
Vina Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley, Chile 2007 - $10
vs.
Chateau Gloria Saint Julien, Bordeaux, France, 2005--$50
Veramonte Pinot Noir Reserva, Casablanca, Chile, 2007 - $14
vs.
Domaine Forey Vosne Romanee, Burgundy, France, 2006 - $50
Stephen Vincent Merlot, California, 2006 - $10
vs.
Shafer Merlot, Napa, California, 2006 - $50
Note: If you live in Fairfield County, CT you can find or order these wines from these local wine stores: Peter’s Spirit Shop, Weston, CT; Ancona’s, Ridgefield, CT; Elmer’s Wines, Norwalk, CT
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