For Wine in 2010 Expect Price Drops, Screwtops, Thirsty Chinese

2010-01-05 05:01:00.500 GMT

Review by John Mariani

Jan. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Not since the millennium folly in
1999 have I seen so much frenzy in the wine market.

Back then, with stock markets booming, auction houses setting records for wines and Champagne producers warning there wouldn’t be enough fizz for the celebration, producers were enthusiastic and bottles were getting pricier by the month.

What a difference a decade makes. With high unemployment, pared-down expense accounts and a glut of wine, it’s the consumer’s turn to make merry, with lower prices, more choice and less pretension. Those 99-point ratings don’t seem quite so requisite any more to buying good wine.

So what do I see happening in 2010?

1. Prices will continue to drop across the board, from the priciest of Bordeaux and Burgundy to cult California wines that were once available only by subscription. This goes, too, for those Italian, Spanish and Chilean producers who thought that they could easily get the same kind of money those age-old French estates used to command.

2. More people will buy online. Consumers can go to sites like wine-searcher.com or vinfolio.com and compare prices for the same wine not just around the U.S., where many states now allow cross-state shipping, but in the U.K., Germany, and other countries. The spread can be amazing: a wine costing $40 in one store may be $75 in another. Wine stores will stock more inexpensive wines, which account for most of their profits.

3. Wine blogging will increase, mostly among those contending they’ve found spectacular bottles that will “blow your doors off” for under $15 a bottle. As with all blogging, readers should be wary of the source of such claims.

4. California, alas, will fail to back away from big, high alcohol, oaky reds and whites, because the producers believe that is the style most Americans prefer over subtlety and complexity. The problem is that cheaper wines of this style are so often dreadful, out of balance and undrinkable after one glass. California wineries talk a good game about finesse, but then they overripen their grapes and stick them in new oak for too long.

5. The tsunami of new wines from South America and Eastern Europe will ebb as the market overflows. Greek, Portuguese, and Brazilian wines have had good press in recent years, but unless they keep prices down, they won’t make much headway.

6. New Zealand wineries will be in trouble. The country’s recent prodigious harvests have glutted the market for their overly fruity punch-like style, and many fans want to move up in quality.

7. Champagne will be in serious trouble. It’s not just that prices have gotten way out of whack, with too many selling above $100 a bottle, but other sparkling-wine producers have been canny about getting their bubblies well-positioned, well-priced and well-reviewed. Champagne is reducing output and holding back product already bottled to get some balance, but it’s going to be a struggle to win revelers back from Italian prosecco, Californian sparklers and Spanish cavas. There are just too many Champagne labels out there.

8. Fine-dining restaurants will buy nominal numbers of expensive wines after trimmed expense accounts caused them to sit on their previous big capital purchases. They’ll wait until guests are telling sommeliers, “Money is no object.” Good luck with that. Fewer top-end restaurants will even open, and more modest new eateries will build wine lists with interesting, small labels from around the world and sell them at reasonable mark-ups.

9. More producers will switch to screwtops from cork stoppers in an effort to stem damage to the wines in the bottle from corkiness and oxidation as well as to make wine more accessible to the average consumer. The dirty secret is that most winemakers I talk to say they’d love to switch to screwcaps but fear buyers will think them cheap! Very dumb.

10. Americans will buy more wine at the $10-and-under level. The best bet for an expanding market is China, which is thirsty for good, inexpensive wine. And, like everything else, they’ll soon be producing that themselves.

(John Mariani writes on wine for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

TASTING #6 (12/02/09)

Tasting #6 was a blind tasting of 2 Sauvignon Blancs and 2 Cabernets (theme thought of by Jason), with both comparision wines purchased at different price points. The tasting was held at Jason & Andrea's condo in Greenfield and attended by (12): Jason, Andrea, Jan, Tom, Rich, Debby, Kristen, Joe, Jen, Mike, Steph & James.

The night started with two starter wines (1 red & 1 white, depending on each person's preference) for everyone to enjoy upon arrival...

1. Folk Machine 2007 "Co-Conspirator" (Table White), California
2. Riva Rey 2006 Rioja Crianza (Tempranillo), Spain

Next, the actual tasting, complimented with grapes & a cheese plate coutesy of Jan & Tom...

3. Sauvignon Blanc #1
4. Sauvignon Blanc #2
5. Cabernet #1
6. Cabernet #2

Lastly, an Ice Wine with dessert (brought by Debby & Rich)...

7. Ice Wine, paired with a granny smith apple custard tart.

Thanksgiving wine pairings

A blogger at www.jsonline.com submitted a post today about possible wine pairings for Thanksgiving dinner (turkey). The link is here... http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/lifestyle/70436207.html

I also added a comment about how my favorite turkey wines are the Parallel 44 Festivo and the Orchard County Semi-Dry Cherry.

TASTING #5 (11/04/09) - New World v. Old World wine tasting

Wine tasting #4 was held at Mike & Jen's and featured New World wines vs. Old World wines and appropriate cheese pairings (theme thought of by Mike & Jen) and attended by: Mike, Jen, Jason, Andrea, Kristen, Joe, Rich, Debby, Kim, Andy, Sam & Holly.

UPCOMING TASTINGS...

Wednesday, NOV 4th at Mike & Jen's. Theme yet to be determined.

TASTING #4 (10/07/09) - Autumn Beers

Tasting #4 was actually a beer tasting (theme thought of by Jason) and was held at Mark & Cindy's house in Wauwatosa and attended by (9): Mark, Cindy, Jason, Andrea, Mike, Jen, Joe, Kristen and Kim.

The night started off with a casual Spanish grenache wine comparison...

1. TRES OJOS
Brought by: Mark

2. LAS ROCAS
Brought by: Mark

Next, we tried a German-style Octoberfest on its own...

3. HOFBRAUHAUS OKTOBERFEST
Brought by: Mark
Paired with: cheese & cracker plate (Mark & Cindy)
Also Paired with: cracker appetizer (Jen & Mike)
And Also Paired with: Bacon Breadsticks (Kristen)

Next was the blind American-style Octoberfest tasting...

4. STAGHORN OCTOBERFEST (New Glarus)
Brought by: Kristen & Joe

5. SAM ADAM'S OCTOBERFEST
Brought by: Mike & Jen

6. LEINENKUGEL'S OKTOBERFEST
Brought by: Jason & Andrea

Paired with: pork & sweet potato kabobs (made by Cindy)

Everyone commented on the beers, gave predictions and picked their favorites. The Staghorn was lightest in color and the Leinie's had the most carbonation. Everyone correctly picked that beer #2 was Sam Adam's and 7 people picked it as their favorite (without truely knowing that it was Sam Adam's). Almost everyone incorrectly picked the New Glarus vs. the Leinie's. Only Joe liked New Glarus the best and only Jason like Leinie's the best. By comparison, the voters at beeradvocate.com gave the following grades... New Glarus B+, Sam Adams B, Leinie C+.

Next up was the blind pumpkin beer tasting...

7. NEW HOLLAND ICHABOD ALE
Brought by: Mike & Jen

8. LAKEFRONT BREWERY PUMPKIN LAGER
Brought by: Kim

9. SHIPWRECKED BREWERY PUMPKIN ALE
Brought by: Jason & Andrea

Paired with: pumpkin pie (made by Cindy)

Once again, everyone commented, predicted and picked there favorite. All 9 tasters blindly picked Lakefront as their favorite! Way to go Milwaukee!!! Most people blindly favored the Shipwrecked as their second favorite of the three. Beeradvocate.com gave grades of B- to both Lakefront and Ichabod, but I didn't see a grade for Shipwrecked. I seemed to be about the only one who ranked the Ichabod higher than Shipwrecked. It was fairly heavy in cinnamon and in spice and I enjoyed the initial taste/burst of those flavors.

10. CHERRY VODKA BOUNCE
Brought by: Mark (brewed by his brother Scott)

11. CHEERY WHISKY BOUNCE
Brought by: Mark (brewed by his brother Scott)

The vodka-soaked cherries are out of this world, as is the juice/marinade. I found the vodka ones to be perfect, however, as not as big of a whisky fan, I thought those seemed stronger and I know I couldn't eat many of those by comparision.

Overall, a very fun and another successful tasting! Mark and Cindy were awesome hosts and it was fun to try something a little different.

And YES, we tried a lot of booze... and YES, I still have a headache to prove it!

TASTING #3 (09/02/09) - Grilled Foods & appropriate wine pairings

Wine tasting #3 was held at Rich & Debby's backyard and featured grilled foods and appropriate wine pairings (theme thought of by Jason & Debby) and attended by: Jason, Andrea, Rich, Debby, Mike, Jen, Jan, Kristen, Dan & Tiffany

1. Frog's Leap Sauvignon Blanc, 2008 (Napa)
Brought by: Mike & Jen
Purchase Info: Consumer Beverage Center (Hales Corners)
Paired with: chicken & veggie kabobs (Rich & Debby)
About the wine: http://www.frogsleap.com/pdfs/sau.pdf

2. REISLING
Brought by: Dan
Purchase Info:
Paired with: polish sausage (Kristen)

3. TRAVICELLO
Given by: Mark
Purchase Info:
Paired with: grilled meatballs (Jan)

4. CEDAR CREEK OLD MILL RED (FOCH)
Brought by: Jason & Andrea
Purchase Info: Cedar Creek Winery, $11
Paired with: sliders (Dan)

5. LAYER CAKE SHIRAZ
Brought by: Tiffany & Debby
Purchase Info: Sendik, $13
Paired with: grilled choco dessert