WINESCENE

It’s A New Dawn, It’s A New Day. It’s a New Era for the World of Wine

As the Covid-19 Pandemic continues, and as the world starts to reopen, the wine industry finds itself in a very different position than it has been experiencing over the past 15 months as businesses far and wide sort of are returning to normal. But with all the changes that the Corona virus caused to so many industries, the wine world, like those others, has seen things change too, and there may be no going back to where things were like in 2019.

First, travel is still not back to the pre-Covid levels, but it's getting there. This is impacting international wineries across the globe. A case in point is how Australia and New Zealand's borders are still closed, just like Canada.  This has restricted many a winemaker whose wines are imported to the USA from not only Europe, but the rest of the world from traveling and doing their usual visits to importers, seeing retailers who buy their wines, holding wine dinners and most of all, being part of the big wine events where they see their customers-the somms, wine buyers, retail shop keepers, along with the major wine reviewers.

Getting wines reviewed has also changed, as more winemakers and importers have chosen to go the ZOOM route, and hold virtual tastings. While still a great idea, and one we support as we suggested the concept in 2016 and was laughed at by importers, it has become so commonplace that the lack of uniqueness and too often, the low production value of many of these video based events has waned on the audience. So now that things in the USA are opening up, and people are starting to go out and about, the use of video in tastings has to change too.

In some places, capacity restrictions remain in place and confusion rules the day. Outside only. Inside with limitations. Local regulations, or even personal choices by wineries are making things unpredictable across the USA in tasting rooms, just like the lack of clarity surrounding airline travel internationally and what steps are necessary as they vary country by country as well as county by county here in the United States.

What does this mean? For wineries in the USA who are operating tasting rooms and sell Direct To Consumer, they are blessed by having loyal followers on their mailing lists. And given the downturn so far for international travel, it means wine lovers can visit more regions domestically and discover more new wines and wineries. This is a boon for the regions in driving distance to metropolitan areas, but also for the lesser known regions as well.

I for one have become enamored with the wines from Walla Walla Washington and have planned a five day deep dive there. My passion for wines from members of the Family Winemakers of California has caused me to book a trip to an upcoming event of theirs in San Francisco.

But it’s been my recent trips to the Baja California wine country in the Valle de Guadalupe, the Texas Hill Country and Arizona's wine region outside of Tucson with my partner in wineTOURia, Victoria Varela, that has opened our eyes and palates to so many under-discovered wines from those lesser known, and hardly regarded wine regions. We found many wines that easily rival what's being made in California, and in some cases show how great wines are being made in places on the wine roads less traveled.

For wineries in the USA, and for wine associations, marketing to the locals and regional wine fans is already starting. And as flights resume and rental car prices drop,  travel to wine regions will rise and for wineries, their ability to grow their DTC - direct to consumer - business will rise as well. Prices will also rise as demand will increase and the profit margins made through a DTC or wine club approach that widely outpaces selling to wholesalers and distributors.

As services to wineries like WineDirect and VinoShipper address the state by state shipping and compliance issues, making it easier for wineries to ship to their customers near and far, we're going to see an even bigger effort from the smaller wineries for more direct to consumer mindshare and wallet share as they endeavor to take business away from the large wine holding companies. This direct to consumer mentality will over time shift the wine case allocations away from retailers, and even some restaurants, as the wine club and tasting room sales offer richer margins and deliver a more intimate relationship with the customer who have now grown accustomed to ordering wine online and having it delivered to their door.

And with this comes new opportunities. Wine right now should only be shipped either in refrigerated trucks or held until the temperatures cool down. Sadly, neither UPS, nor FedEx, have trucks on the road that are refrigerated locally, putting wines of all prices at risk if shipped during the summer months to most of the USA once they reach the buyers hometown. 

For those traveling, only Alaska Airlines lets wine ship for free from wine regions, so unless you’re up in first class on another airline, and you check wine under your checked baggage limit domestically, you pretty much will have to pay the freight when you fly to get your wine finds home. And even then, if you’re changing planes you run the risk of the wines sitting on the tarmac unless you’re flying overnight coast to coast and the weather is cool when your boxes are making that connection.

So just as the pandemic brought forth new opportunities in selling to consumers, the rise in shipped wine will also bring with it new business opportunities for those with grit, determination and imagination to figure a better way for wine to be shipped year round.

That’s why Victoria and I have started wineTOURia, our wine industry transformation agency, that’s all about reducing the distance between producer and buyer. We see the future and are setting out to be part of that change from the inside out and the outside in. It’s been many a year since my winemaker pal Doug Margerum of Margerum Wine Company once called me “the ultimate wine insider.”  

Well now it’s time for me to be just that, so along with Victoria with her sommelier skills and wine knowledge, we’re going bring the same magic my tech focused agency efforts have brought over the past 19 years (54 exits, $5.5 billion in returns to investors, founders and employees) to the world that matters the most to me.

Finding The Places To Go And Having Fun

Wow. As I look at winners of three star Michelin restaurants in France and elsewhere, I'm blown away. No, not by the number of newcomers but by some of the memories I'm having from dining at these places, long before they even earned star one. You can find the list here.

As someone who plans trips around restaurants and wineries, I'm often digging into the local news, best of articles what's new and reviews about a town or region long before I even look at the Michelin Guide these days. Sure, the Red Book has always been a data point, a reference and a starting point, but it's just one. And, as a frequent traveler and visitor to France, and the wine regions there, I'm often looking first for local intelligence, not a recap of the past, and the rigidness that earning the stars carries with it. 

You see, the stars are both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is for the chef and restaurant, as it is the ultimate honor. The curse of the stars is the pressure they put on the restaurant to deliver flawless execution from arrival to departure for the guest, and a table like experience that is so precise that you are feeling like you're having an out of body experience as a guest.  As someone who has dined in 3 stars to no stars (yet) since the 80s, and where my first experience was in Alsace and then Paris, my feelings have shifted, to finding the restaurants on their way up, and only dine in the 3 stars when it's a truly special occasion or simply because you have been going there since they first arrived. I did this with Pic, AM, Helene Daroze, and more and more as I peruse the star list.

My favorite story on this 3 star experience is El Cellar de Can Roca in Spain just outside of Girona. Having lived in the shadow of the famed El Bulli, I had been working with a client in Girona so El Cellar de Can Roca was not yet at 3 stars. They had two, but getting a weeknight reservation was easy. After three wonderful experience in the late 00's and with my then wife joining me on a business trip, we decided to  go there.

This dinner though was about a month after they earned star number 3 in 2009 and while everything had been correct, there was something we both felt was lacking. It was missing the spontaneous experience and the ability to change things up. The restaurant while delivered on a "perfect" dining experience, it had lost the vibrancy, the edginess that it had on the way up. For Helene, who had heard such glowing, excitement from me after each meal in the past, and for me, the three star experience was just too stiff.  Gone were the smiles, the laughter and the frivolity of my attempts to order in a hybrid of French, Spanish and English, and in turn, the banter back and forth with the staff.

Gone too was the friendly nature of the sommelier and servers who once learning of my wine interest began to go off list and bring things just to enjoy.  Post three star recognition, the meal became as if every diner was the potential Michelin Guide correspondent on a check visit. Sure that pressure brings on consistency, but the joy of a dinner for me has never been about that, but the fun, imagination and human side of dining out. 

So while many of the places on the Michelin list bring back memories of the past, I'm looking ahead to where things will be. In France I used to always buy the local reviewers books, coming home with various guides and using them to find where I would go on the next trip back in the 80s and 90s. I did the same thing everywhere I traveled and my library became a reference point for each next trip. In reality, I think they actually fueled my interest in another trip. The new data, about what was new, which chef had moved where. Who had opened an annexe restaurant all led me to find the next best thing.

Once the internet arrived and more and more content found its way online, the books stopped being bought, but the local information became my guideposts. Le Fooding,more than any website, became my go to first source for what's new in Paris. As they expanded across France, I found their repository of information perhaps my best source of where to go. They were as much an early discovery site, as EATER is in the USA, but better because they required real commentary from real diners, who actually paid for their meals.  I also began to read Le Figaro, and Francois Simon, who penned his last review in the paper about pal Tim Johnston's Juveniles. and find the locals elsewhere who were doing their own research and reporting too.

I would also ask Tim and pal Mark Williamson of Willis Wine Bar fame, and they too would make suggestions about where to go that was new, or sometimes, old, but with a new chef. The same in the Languedoc, where my winemaker friends always have their fingers on the pulse, or the hotel concierges, like the lovely Audree Berr at the Marseille Intercontinental or James Ridenour who holds down a similar role in Melbourne.

Over now multiple visits to their hotel, I'll make my own picks, and run those by them, and often have already made my reservations. To their credit, they often admit having not yet visited some places, but value my opinion. In Audree's case we often compared notes, as she'll go a few weeks before my arrival, and either give me the thumbs up, or simply say, "No, Andy. Let's not have you go there." 

And then there's Google, for as its search tools have gotten so much better as with the addition of translation has became the standard way to find, the ability to find local with local info got really easier.

Having the local's perspective always helps. On a recent trip after getting some pointers as a starting point from a regular visitor to Valle de Guadalupe in Baja Mexico, a friend and I went for a five day sojourn to make new memories. Having never been to Baja for wine visits before it put the kind of challenge I love.

Pick the restaurants, choose hotels, find a driver, book the wineries. Over the next four days after we decide to go there, I did all that, hitting the mark about 85 percent of the time on wineries, 90 percent on restaurants (only the cold weather at night caused a shift one evening) and 100 percent on the driver. But what made the trip successful was the ability to find so many articles and reviews from people who had recently been there.  It then became a game of routing, deciding which place would be great for lunch, and which for dinner.

So here's the bottom line. If you've never been to a region, the Michelin Guide is a sure fire way to find places to dine. But the real fun is when you dig below the stars, find the other restaurants that are listed without the stars in the book, go look around online and search out the hidden gems.

By finding the local commentary, and then venturing out on your own you'll find the gems that are yet so widely known and best of all, you'll have fun as you've found the next star, not the stars that already are.

 

 

A Rose by any Other Name is Still a Rose

I've been giving a lot of thought and time to Rose lately. You know, the slightly pink or light salmon red colored wine that fills your glass during summer, and serves as a great accompaniment to charcuterie and cheese as well as salad and grilled dishes too. Rose has really become en vogue as the perfect poolside sipper during hot days all over the world. It also happens to be a great way to “break the ice” with new friends who are just getting more serious about wine, as well as being something you can drink all by itself.

Rose has long been a favorite glass filler along the Côte d’Azur, with many Provence producers making gobs of it for the summertime crowds between Nice and Marseille, as well as those sweltering in Parisian hot days of summer. And, over the past decade, Rose has become a standard refreshment for many people, not just wine drinkers, as it’s light colored, and fruit forward flavors, quenches thirst and hits so many fun loving notes .

But just as wine is very regional, with different areas allowing certain grapes to be in the bottle, Rose has many different blends and in turn, many different styles, tastes and textures. Over the past few months, many bottles of Rose from France and California have come to be opened, and as a Rose lover for the past 20 years, I’ve found the 2019 vintage to actually be one of superior quality, and showcased far more regional differentiation than in the past few years.

When it comes to French Rose, I tend to divide up my passion places as Corsica, Bandol, Cotes de Provence, Tavel, Rhone Valley, Languedoc and the Roussillon. Sure great Rose wine comes from Sancerre and the Loire but those are made from either Pinot Noir, Gamay or Cab Franc, while the true southern French Rose wines all have Rhone varietals and Mediterranean indigenous grapes at the core including Grenache.

So what has impressed me this year? 

Cassis---From one of France’s smaller appellations, Cassis’ Clos St. Magdelaine - long a favorite for their white made from Ugni Blanc, has ever since a birthday lunch in 2015 held nearby the winery was when I first tasted their Cassis Rose. Since then I have been hunting this wine as it has never let me down, and in turn their lighter, more fun and frivolous, but no less tastyy Rose from the Cotes de Provence is for me one of the best buys around.

Bandol---Chateau Vannieres and Chateau Pradeaux-It doesn’t get any better in Bandol than wines from these two producers year after year. Their Rose wines are very, very different from one another, where the Vannieres is far lighter in color, more aromatic and more delicate, but packing incredible fruit layers that never seem to end. The Pradeaux is darker, richer in body, with a more subdued bouquet offering up more subtropical fruit complexity. The Vannieres is a super wine to have with appetizers or wood fired pizza, cheese or just by itself, while the Pradeaux is easily a wine to have with salads, fresh grilled fish or roasted meats. 

Cotes de Provence-There are so many wines from Provence, but many are just simple, one dimensional toss back wines. But one that really stands out is the Château de Roquefort Corail, a blend of 7 grapes. While there ar e many other Rose’s from the region that made it so popular, the Roquefort wine stands out as something really special

Rhone Valley and the Ventoux-It’s hard not to love Domaine de Mourchon’s Loubie and Chene Bleu’s Rose wines. Situated by all of ten kilometers or so apart, the two are examples of dedication to the Grenache grape, careful vineyard management and incredible devotion to the finished product.  The Mourchon Loubie is a delightfully refreshing blend of Grenache and Syrah which punches well above its high teens price point, while the current release from Chene Bleu adds in Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and Rolle to the Grenache and Syrah blend is in the category of a super Rhone and one that while can be deemed as very enjoyable now, it is also one that you can lay down, and is easily in the class of Tempier, Pradeaux or La Mordoree when it comes to age worthy Rose wines.

Tavel- I’ve long been a fan of just about anything that comes out of Domaine de La Mordoree red, white or Rose, and this year has not been any less when it comes to how I feel about one of the standard bearers of Rose from the west banks of the Rhone where Rose is King. Each of their 19s -- from the Le Remise which is not officially Tavel to the top of the line La Rein des Bois are both hair raising, stunners, just as they have been for the past few years. The consistency in which La Mordoree turns out Rose wines year after year is just mind boggling. Right up their is my all time go to, the Chateau de Trinquevedel. Made in a bit more rustic style vs. La Mordoree which tends to be made with a more worldwide audience approach, the Trinquevedel is about as bone dry, and crisp as Rose needs to be, while still having a bit more color than those from Provence. A perennial favorite, to this day I have not found a better French Rose to go with BBQ.

Corsica--I so want to include Domaine Leccia in this roundup but I’m yet to taste their 19s. Normally I would have been in Marseille for a few days during the summer and been hitting a few wine bars, and Corsician inspired eateries,  where many wines from the island would have been enjoyed. But Corsica is not without representation on this list of favorites as the Domaine de Marquiliani and their two lightly colored, almost translucent Rose wines always hit the mark. Of the two, the can’t miss, must have, need to open more of Pinkster is the Marquiliani Vin de Corse Rosé “Le Rosé de Pauline.” The color is so light pink that in bright light it appears to be a white wine. But one taste and you know you’re drinking a dynamite wine, color aside.

Now, this review only scratches the surface, as other producers like the Commanderie de Peyressol near Dragunian or Chateau Léoube are also making multiple cuvees of Rose in various parts of Provence. Over in Bandol Tempier, Gros Nore, La Tour De Bon produce delightful pink wines as do some coming from the Languedoc and Roussillion, but until those wine cross the finish line, meaning my lips, it would be unfair just to say more than that.

Find a Rose. Open it up, and enjoy.

 

Is It Time To Rethink Wine Sales

 

The existence of the three-tier system has been around since the repeal of prohibition. As a result, sales strategy, especially for fine wines that are imported, or more limited production domestic wines are significantly handicapped today due to the three-tier system and how it impacts distribution. But with COVID--19 we have seen a steady erosion of the three-tier system in many parts of the United States and at the end of the day all the three-tier system is limiting is where wine can be sold and who can buy it. 

 

Let's first look at the situation overall.

 

1) Wine distributors sell to retailers and on-premise sales businesses, usually restaurants and bars, country clubs, and hotels.

2) Distributors across the country have been laying off their field sales force in record numbers due to the reduction in the number of restaurants open for business, or only doing take out and delivery. This change means cases of fine wine are sitting in the warehouses of importers or their distributors.

3) Wine, beer, and spirits, previously directed to the on-premise channel, restaurants or wine bars, are now finding their way to smart and savvy retailers who hunt for deals. 

 

Importers, especially those who bring in fine wine, are forced to rethink brand distribution, especially when it comes to allocation. Wine sales for imports in general work this way. The producer sells to an importer.  The importer marks up wine, usually by 33 percent. The importer then sells to the distributor marked up another 33 percent who sells it to the retailer, who marks it up another 33 percent on average. The result is the retail price is double what the winery's wholesale price.  If the wine is sold to a restaurant, it is marked up three times the wholesale price from the distributor in theory. Domestic wineries sell to their distributors, and then the markup chain is pretty much the same. 

 

But here's the rub. In the past, wines, especially the cult wines and those from small boutique producers, have been either allocated or on the mailing list where wineries have embraced the direct to consumer approach.

 

That works this way:

The usual wholesale price for a bottle of wine is $10.00 to the distributor. If the markup process is followed, that same wine will be marked up to between $17-$20 retail or $40-$50 on a restaurant list.  If the wine is sold direct, the price of $20 per bottle means more profit for wineries. However, due to state laws, the winery can't ship everywhere, and for imported brands, the hurdles make it very difficult for them to sell to their fans and collectors.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, wine sales that traditionally went to restaurants are not going there. Restaurants with hordes of cash could buy wine in volume became retailers, often selling wines at prices far below their 300 percent markup prices, but liquidating inventory to regular customers and savvy buyers. In turn, they began to buy more wine to create cash flow. But those were few and far between, so wines that were "allocated" to them often went unsold to them, and in turn, they have been sitting on the floor of warehouses or still in the stockrooms of importers. Alcohol credit terms are usually 30 days from the day of delivery. Smart retailers can flip cases of wine in less time and are making money under those terms. But once thirty days go by, everyday wine sits on the retailer's floor, the gain on the money is less. That's why flash sales drive profits. That's why wine on restaurant lists is priced higher, as the restaurant has invested in the wine, but the return is over a much longer duration.

But here's where the three-tier system keeps some wines from reaching the buyers who want the wines. Let's say importer x is in New York. They have distributors in 20 states who sell to retailers and on-premise buyers. But the U.S. has 50 states, and people in every state would like to buy the wine. Depending on state laws, the wines can't be sold or shipped to them. Even a licensed retailer who may want to buy the wine can't find the wine in some states if the distributor in that state isn't carrying the wine.

But times are changing. New intermediaries are popping up to import consolidated containers of imported wine that are coming through via the gray market. Given importers who claim to have exclusives fail to protect themselves using parallel import laws, wines previously only imported by the so-called importer often find their way via other importers. On the domestic front, depending on the state, we're starting to see a new distributor who clears the wines coming into the state and then redirects the wine to the retailer. While laws tend to require the wine to touch the wholesaler's floor, these new "distributors" or clearinghouses are basically only digitally taking possession of the wine, as it's being moved from the producer (domestically) to the retailer or even in some cases based on licenses, to consumers.  

Why is this important? Let's say you're an importer sitting on cases of wine previously allocated to restaurants. That wine is sitting in the warehouse, not making money for the importer who already paid for the wine. They sell to the new distributor who "processes" the order and the wine is then shipped to the retailer as if the "distributor" handled the order. The clearinghouse model is no different than how Amazon and many online sellers of consumer products work. The concept, known as transdocking, is not new. But for wine, it is very much a new concept.

 

It's time to toss it away and put the control back in the hands of the public and let wine, beer, and spirits to be able to be sold to retailers and consumers, just as quickly as they can purchase a light bulb.

 

 

The Year That Wasn't

2020 was supposed to be the breakout year for the Ventoux wine region of France in the USA. The region, that has lived in the shadow of the Rhone Valley, was poised to be at the April Hospice du Rhone, the trendsetting wine event, held every other year in Paso Robles California.  While a lesser known here in the USA, the Ventoux, like Beaumes de Venise, Rasteau and the Plan de Dieu, is one of the real hidden wine gem producing regions in France, where Rhone grapes grow, with intense concentration, stylistically correct fruit and vibrant intensity. They also offer incredible values when compared to the rapidly rising prices for Chateauneuf du Papes, Gigondas and the ethereal wines of the Northern Rhone from Cornas and Cote Rotie.

But with the postponement of this year's Hospice du Rhone, the Ventoux's big promotional effort in the USA has been pushed back. But the HdR event being put on hold wasn't the only hurdle for the region. The impact of the tariff increase also hurts them. While the wines are often big and bold, rarely do they hit the higher alcohol levels, so the additional 25 percent tax was detrimental as well. And then there was Covid-19. With the closure of restaurants and reduction in customers in bars, and a shift to retail by wholesalers who are wheeling and dealing with the wines already in the warehouses to bring in cash, new and established producers who had been looking towards, the USA as a market of opportunity, have seen those plans delayed.

The Ventoux wines will rise in the USA. It just may take a bit longer. So while some negociant wines from the region have wider distribution, if you want to find the real wines from the region look for Fondreche, Pesquie, Clos de Trias, Chene Bleu, Vintur, Chateau Unang and Saint Jean du Barroux, as those are the producers to know, as they are the producers who matter.

 

2015 Domaine D'Ourea Tire Bouchon - A Surprise In Every Sip

Last night I did something I don't normally do. I opened a bottle at home, and drank it. The whole bottle. Maybe it's the Coronavirus. Maybe it was the evening at home. Maybe it was just the fact that the wine was so darn good. But I'm thinking it was the fact that the wine was a 13 percent, at the most, low alcohol wine. As someone who prefers Grenache and Syrah, both of which are usually higher in alcohol, the Rhone red known as Tire Bouchon (the Corkscrew) from Domaine d'Ourea in Vacqueyras was about as opposite of any expectation. 

I've had this wine a few times before, the first time in Seattle, then another few bottles locally with friends, but last night after about 30 minutes of being opened and out of the wine fridge, the Tire Bouchon turned magical. I honestly wasn't expecting it to be so off the hook as I was looking for a simple red that I could enjoy with some paleo past and diced tomatoes. Nothing fancy. Nothing bold. Just a nice red to sit back and enjoy. So as someone who has spent many a day and night traversing the Rhone Valley, and driving through Vacqueyras. occasionally stopping in various wineries, this wine was a thrill ride that isn't expensive. Possessing a gorgeous purple and red color, the bright fruit flavors all blended nicely together in such a way that it would be a show stopper wine. The stats show the wine is a blend of 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 30% de Carignan, 10% Aramon, 10% Counoise.  Given the percentages of Carginan, Grenache and Syrah, one would expect the wine to big, brooding and bold. But this wine wasn't.  It was graceful. Elegant and delish.

Here was a totally and delightfully elegant, easy to drink, fruit forward wine that was sippable, drinkable, gulpable and fulfilling. It was loaded with fresh fruit flavors of berries-blackberry, strawberry, raspberry and black cherries. At age five, the wine is certainly at a point where letting them sit around isn't the right move. Having drunk this wine over the past year now four times, I have to say it's really at a point of sheer drinking enjoyment. It's also a testament to excellence in the winery, to the winemaker and to the entire team at Domaine d'Ourea so if you find this wine on your local store shelf, don't hesitate to buy it. I know I'll be hunting for more of it.

 

A Tale of Two 2016 Beaumes de Venise Wines

It has been a while since I wrote a comparative wine review, but the other night I decided to compare two 2016 Beaumes de Venise wines from producers I've had a good fortune to taste for a few years. The two, Domaine de Durban and Saint Amant are about as different as different can be. Having visited the Beaumes de Venise region a few times, the wines from there are vibrant, world class and under-appreciated outside of the region. They offer excellent value, the ability to age and go very well with winter, fall and spring cooking.

Domaine de Durban is the long established producer imported by Kermit Lynch for many years. They are one of the more traditional producers in the region so while best known for the white vin du natural, Beaumes de Venise blanc, that's made from Muscat and other grapes, the reds from Durban over the years have proven to be great value Rhone wines, rivaling the better known Cotes du Rhone Villages and even Gigondas wines. 

The 2016 Domain de Durban Beaumes de Venise is a blend of 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, and has the benefit of being closer to the valley floor. That means hotter days and cool nights compared to the high hill top 2016 Saint Amant Grangeneuve which is blended with 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Carignan and 10% Viognier . The absence of Mourvedre and the addition of Carignan and Viognier in the Grangeneuve makes this wine more floral, and more modern in style. While the Durban is more rustic, and suited for stews and roasted birds and meats, the Saint Amant has a much more open, fruit forward quality, showing a high degree of soil to glass transfer, evidence of how terroir plays into wine to a T.  With a filet or bone in rib-eye, the Saint Amant's style and body is more akin to those who like Cabernet or Merlot, while not losing its' dense structure.

Both wines are well made, offer great value and are loaded with fruit. Both will also age 7-15 years depending on cellaring, as they are by no means shy wines. 

Given the skyrocketing prices of Chateauneuf du Papes, wines from these two producers, like from those over the hill in the Ventoux, are excellent options in wines that will offer many years of enjoyment.

The Trump Tariff Alternatives

There's  a new 25% tariff on products coming to the USA from Europe. Let's call it the Trump Tax. For importers of European wine they will have to now pay more for each bottle they import, and of course those costs will be passed onto the distributors, retailers and ultimately the consumer. For European winemakers, wines already sold to importers will either sit in European warehouses as the importers await the end of the Trump Tax, or those bottles will be more expensive on the shelves of merchants in the USA. For restaurants who mark up wine they buy 3-4 times the wholesale price, it means this is an ideal opportunity to be looking for alternatives.

And, alternatives are where the money is.

Older European vintages-The past four years have seen really solid wines coming out of Europe pretty much across the continent. For importers and distributors who have older vintages in stock, with some basic marketing, they can push them to retail and on-premise sales. In reality a few years of bottle age on barrel aged reds and white usually means a much better drinking experience. Given most wine sold in restaurants are from the current release vintage, wine drinkers will actually be drinking a wine that is at a better point of its life.

Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Chile-The better made wines from these four countries are mind numbing and not impacted by the Trump Tax. 

Cabernet and Malbec, Chardonnay from Argentina are very competitively priced already. Wines from Chile, made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carménère, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cabernet franc, Pinot noir, Syrah, Sangiovese, Barbera, Malbec, and Carignan have long found their way into the USA. Of late, the Pais grape, actually one of the first grapes to be planted in Chile has been seeing a resurgence as better vinification has enabled production to take some indiginous varietals and turn out wines that defy traditional descriptions. As South America offers closer transportation of products to the USA, costs are lower. Prices are lower too. 

Australia and New Zealand have been producing wines that are on a world class level. The exchange rate is very strong, but the price of wines from Oz and NZ are expensive when they reach retail in the States. Part of the cost is tied to markups along the distribution channel. If the channel all works together then value pricing comes into play, market share is gained and the public begins to appreciate wines that rival what Europe is producing.

The USA-For wineries here at home, the time to be smart and takes steps to grab market share is right before them. The holiday season is what will be impacted the most. This is the time to be smart and change the way wine is sold domestically. Here are some easy to implement programs:

1. Reduce prices on direct to consumer sales by 25% on library wines. By offering deals on wines in inventory, and not in the channel, the wineries get direct customers who may come back to buy current releases for cellaring.
2. Encourage the wholesalers and distributors to reduce margins in order to drive sell through.
3. Promote at retail. 
4. Taste Comparisons-if someone likes red burgundy, align Pinot Noirs against them and show the price disparity. If someone is a Bordeaux lover show them west coast Bordeaux style blends.
5. Retailers should work deals with the wholesalers and secure wines at prices that allow them to help convert wine buyers of European imports into domestic wine buyers.

There are amazing wines being produced in New York, Washington, Oregon and California, with some delights found in other states too, as sparkling wine Gruet from New Mexico is one example. If Trump really wanted to help the wine industry, the three tier system would be abolished, and interstate shipment of wine and spirits would be as easy as buying a TV set online.

For those in wine friendly states, where shipping laws don’t prevent the acquisition of wines from anywhere in the USA, the Trump Tax provides wineries a golden opportunity to expand their customer base, stimulate trial of their wines by in the know wine lovers who will want to not pay the extra 25 percent, promote brand switching and drive repeat purchase.

The time is now…..the opportunity is there.  Let's see who figures out how to win.

 

Best Wine Event of April-Indigenes

You have to know Perpignan to understand why it was the right place for INDIGENES. The city is the gateway between Catalogne in Spain and France (Catalogne Sud and Nord as they say) and  Occitania which combines the top of the Roussillion and bottom of Languedoc area producers.  If France had a San Francisco it's Perpignan in many ways. Hip. Chill. Cool. It's got a thriving restaurant and wine bar scene, and is like SF, a stones throw from wine regions north, south and west. You can't go east as the sea is there.

That's part of the reason why the INDIGENES conference was so great. It started with the vibe. From the easy, entry even with cool security guards who without much fanfare checked you bag on the way in, to the lady selling cork keychains, to the merchandise stand that each had a vibe of its own. Reggae music played in the courtyard. Local artisan cheese sellers and sausage makers had their stands, but inside the wine was the star. 

Billed as a "natural wine" event, it was as much about organic and bio-dynamique as anything I've been too. In many ways it was better than Millésime Bio because of the vibe. Bio is about wineries who make organic wines and want to be know for it. INDIGENES was about winemakers who make wine that just happens to be organic. Many of the wines were special. Some were off the hook. Others took my breath away. 

INDIGENES was as much as a coming out party for some wineries like Bodega Clandestini and Nenu both so new they don't even have findable websites, as it was a showplace for friends like Matassa, Riberach and Amistat Vin. The former were newcomers. The latter, wineries and winemakers I've befriended over time and during visits to the Roussillion.

INDIGENES rocked. The wine rolled. And everyone left very happy!

 

 

Best Online Wine Shops

For a long time I was a high volume, frequent buyer of wine. My collection at one point swelled to over 11,000 bottles and between on site and off site storage I never had a need for more wine. So even today, with my collection and the wines I make, and what is now a more modest sized stash, I find that buying wine in state is just not cutting it for me, as the wines I like are often not found on local retailers shelves, or when some are, the distributor has chosen not to stock the entire book of a producer, making wine buying more of a game of "hunting" than "farming."

With that in mind, I decided to put together a list of my favorite online wine merchants. Some are well known, but others are a bit more obscure.

Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant - as both an importer and a retailer Kermit Lynch straddles the line between wine hunter and merchant. Originally only known for French Country wines and Burgundy, they have expanded to include more Italian and Spanish wines over time. The biggest factor in buying from KLWM is the quality. Not only are the wines some of the tops from each region, but the way they are handled from winery to customer is cool, as they only ship in refirgerated containers and insist on that with all transportation.

Wine Exchange -  For almost 30 years I have been a regular buyer from WineX. First in their original location in Orange, CA, and then as they migrated to online, as a customer virtually. No one shop offers better deals, in a list where the objective is sell the wine fast, move on to the next wine flash sale approach. This flash offer approach means the early bird gets the deal. That said, now that they have expanded more into direct imports, they are bringing in more undisovered gems that the mainstream importers and distributors don't alway touch. This means great deals for the customer, but is bad news for importers and distributors.

K&L Wine Merchants - a long time Bay Area stalwert with a Hollywood annex, K&L has become one of the larger boutique buyers of wine. They were one of the first to put their buyers in the regional curator role, moving them from unknown online to front and center. Like Wine Exchange they do a large portion of direct imports. What makes them a really good go to source for wine is their pioneering style buying. Long before Greece or Portugal were en vogue, K&L was there. Smart buyers know that they can often find gems at fair prices as well. Between their staff's knowledge and friendly nature, you can't go wrong buying from K&L.

Full Pull - Full Pull is a small Seattle wine curator, aggregator, sometimes producer of wine. While their offers are mostly about Washington wines-and they do have the best pricing on them-from time to time they offer up some French and Italian gems. The catch is you have to sign up for their daily newsletter of offers. The good news is unlike Wine Exchange you have a very good shot of getting what you want, as they take orders, then buy the quantity requested, often going back and getting more when there's enough inventory to be had. Given how Washington State wines are on the rise, having a go to source like Full Pull is enough reason to be on the list.

Garagiste - Like Full Pull, and also based in the Seattle area, Garagiste has been a list only online retailer for many, many years. Their offers, which follow the flash sales offer approach means they are selling hard to find wines at the lowest pricing around on many gems, mostly from across Europe and Argentina. In many cases the wines they offer are high scoring, but not often imported widely into the United States. The newsletter along is worth receiving even if you just want to have your wine knowledge level raised. They also offer limited production olive oils from time to time too.

Echelon Wines and Wine Commune - Lovers of California, Oregon and French wines will enjoy the regular newsletter from proprietor Sam Chen. While billed as a private list, all you need to do is ask to be on it. What makes this unique is Sam goes out and finds new producers who are on their way up, and doesn't gouge the customer base. Instead he builds a loyal two sided model that insures that future releases are made available to his customers, and the wine price that he buys at isn't "advertised" but instead offered to customers at a fair mark up.

Moore Brothers -  started by a former sommelier at Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia, Greg Moore, he and brother Terry run three shops along the east coast in NYC, NJ and DE. They also ship. They are a bit like Kermit Lynch as many of their wines are pretty much only sold through their retail operation, and are one time arrivals. Gems from French producers like Saint Amant, L'Effet Papillion, Magellan, Barmes-Buecher, Xavier Vignon are found here so buy quick, before they are "discovered." Prices are more than fair, especially if you buy as the wines are arriving as they sell at early bird prices once the wines hit the shops.

Timeless Wines - A Virginia based merchant who is the best source of wines imported by Fran Kysela, Timeless offers wines on a daily basis. While never the least expensive, their customer service and thoughtfulness can't be beat. Call it southern hospitality and common sense. Given the uplift in interest in Rhone wines, Timeless has many of the most well known bottles from the now sought after producers, but they are unlike many reatilers, as they are also willing to go deeper into the portfolios and offer the lesser known regions like Lirac and Vinosobres in the Rhone or even some unknown producers who you should know about. 

Robert Panzer's List - a lot like Garagiste but with a dash of Kermit Lynch meets Terry Theise in writing style, Panzer operates via Down To Earth Wines. He is a kindrid spirit who travels the wine roads, gets to know the winemakers and provides incredible insight into the wines he offers. What makes Panzer's list so good are his copious notes that detail each wine in a no b.s. style, without being a flag waving cheerleader.

MacArthurs - When I first moved to California I was unable to buy many of the Rhone wines I was finding along the east coast. Thankfully, there was MacArthur Beverage then, and now. Because of some grandfathering with licensing MacArthurs, like a few other D.C. merchants they can also direct import wines and bypass the wholesale channel. This means better pricing and better availability. Their annual Rose selection for years is perhaps the best on the east coast, as they seem to buy the better wines and in greater quantities. They also have a fantastic customer relations approach, where their buyers actually take time to talk to customers over the phone, providing an almost bespoke wine merchant approach at more than fair prices discount prices.

Wine House Los Angeles - If Wine Exchange has a west coast rival in the Los Angeles area, it's Wine House. As a customer both online and in the expansive shop, the team there takes time to choose wisely. They also listen to their regulars, and will order in wines for you on a special order basis, something any shop can do, but most don't. This extra special feature, plus their extensive list of wines available makes them a sure shot go-to etailer as well. 

North Berkeley Wine Merchant - Importer. Retailer, Mailing list merchant is how to best describe North Berkeley Wines. Operating a few blocks away from Kermit Lynch's retail store means a pretty good local customer base rivalry, much like Pat's vs. Geno's in Philadelphia for a cheesesteak. A heavy importer of French wines, they tend to offer more custom blends made only for them from some of the better producers. This means you get a wine only available from their retail or wholesale channel. They also bring in high value, well priced wines from regions like Les Baux des Provence, Cotes de Provence, the Ventoux, Loire, Roussillion and others. 

Some Good Wine - Another NYC wine shop with a very eclectic bent, the team there is perhaps the best at finding wines from places like Portugal, the Canary Islands, Azores, Corsica, Germany and Italy. Their sales are often worth taking a very close look at, and most of all, they like to educate.

Vinopolis - This Oregon shop brings a merchant tone to what they have to offer. Like many of the shops on the list, Vinopolis has the knack of finding and bringing in wines that are about to become the next big thing. Pricing is more than fair, and their flat rate shipping approach is very noble.

Wine Access - a pioneer in working within the shipping laws of various states on a nationwide basis, Wine Access direct imports wines, sources from other importers and distributors to bring wines to consumers often first, if not as soon as they hit land. They even offer some pre-arrival pricing (i.e. futures) and their buying clout insures you actually receive them.

At various times over the past 25 plus years I've been a customer of all of these shops. In some cases it was well before e-commerce came to be where orders had to be phoned in. In other cases after the dawn of the Internet and online shopping. I've also shopped with other online merchants, and while they may have provided excellent service, the etailers on this list have shown over time to be consistent in what they offer, super responsive to customer requests and will never deliver wine out of the shipping season. While pricing plays a part in deciding where to buy, my experience with some other more widely seen online shops doesn't measure up to the 14 shops listed here. 

Take a look at what they offer. Sign up for their newsletters, and use them as a resource when your local shop doesn't have the wines you want.