A Conversation with Jancis Robinson

Posted by | Posted in Interviews | Posted on 10-31-2013

From JancisRobinson.com.

Courtesy of JancisRobinson.com.

In late October, Jancis Robinson stopped in Washington, DC while promoting the seventh edition of The World Atlas of Wine, the indispensable and essential reference book co-authored with Hugh Johnson.

While in town, she was kind enough to carve some time out of her schedule to chat about all things wine. Check out our conversation below!

David White: You spent time in New York City and Washington, D.C. on this trip, and you’ve obviously spent lots of time in the United States over your career. How have you seen the wine scene change here, especially over the past few years?

Jancis Robinson: Oh, it’s changed enormously. I remember, well, the first time I got to California. It was 1976 and it was people like Robert Mondavi, the Bernsteins, and Bernard Portet at Clos Du Val, all feeling like real pioneers, starting in something clearly exciting — something that was going to go places — but having to fight for it.

But then, I remember that in the 1990s, it felt as though wine drinking was really under threat from the health lobby; people had turned neo-prohibitionist. The warning labels were coming in and there was a general mood of gloom and slight paranoia in the industry.

Now, of course, it’s just such a popular interest for everybody, and particularly young people. And it’s coupled with a growing interest in actually producing wine — it’s exciting to see every state actually having a winery or two.

You’ve noted that wine is increasingly popular with young people. Do you see a similar trend internationally?

That’s a good question.

What I think is the distinguishing mark here in the United States is how popular wine courses and wine tastings have become. Improving your wine knowledge and traveling in wine country is extremely valued and seen as an interesting leisure activity.

The same is not the case, by any means, on mainland Europe. In wine-producing countries, wine is something that people tend to associate with their grandfathers, you know? Some exciting, imported tequila or something would be more exotic. Although, there are signs that young people in Italy and Spain — or at least more of them — are taking a serious interest in wine and the odd one in France.

In Britain, I would say we have the same explosion of interest in wine courses — and it’s similar to the famous millenials in the U.S. getting into wine, but it’s not quite as marked a difference. I think maybe because many more Brits, who are now maybe in there 40s, 50s, or 60s, would have grown up being reasonably interested in wine, whereas today, here in the U.S., there’s just this big contrast that’s suddenly it’s the young ones who are interested in wine.

Speaking of wine classes, you’re an MW…

And I’m the honorary president of the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, which has, of course tens of thousands of pupils all around the world.

Of course! My question, though, is what’s the continuing relevance of an organization like WSET — or having an MW — when anyone can work hard and reach the heights of the industry without a particular credential? I would argue that, today, you don’t need an MW after your name to be taken seriously as a wine scholar.

First, I would say that the two things are very different, WSET and MW, so let’s look at them separately.

I went through the WSET courses and I can tell you that there’s only been one day in my life when I thought I knew everything about wine, and that was the day that I got the prize of the top diploma from the WSET. I said “All right, that’s it, I don’t need to learn any more at all!”

Of course, I just continue to learn so much now. But I very much valued doing the WSET courses when I was just starting out for two reasons:

One, it made me learn about every little corner of wines and spirits. I’m not naturally thrilled by the gin-making process, but it actually forced me to understand it.

Also, at that stage, I was pretty new on the block. And that’s, of course, the case for a lot of people in wine. So with the WSET, I had the qualification to wave at a prospective employer or the outside world and say “Look, I did it, I know wine.”

As for Master of Wine, of course I would be the last person to say that the MWs are a race apart and naturally superior to non-MWs. And yes, of course, there are many, many ways of learning about wine.

But the fact that there are so many people studying to be Masters of Wine – that this qualification seems to hold some attraction for so many — is sufficient, to me, to say that it must have some relevance. They wouldn’t be doing it if they thought it was worthless.

If someone wants to learn completely on their own — which they more or less have to do when they’re doing a Master of Wine course, actually, as the courses are pretty unstructured – that’s great. But I would say that one very nice thing about the Master of Wine is that once you are one, it is like a very nice club and there’s a lot of camaraderie. When you’ve been through that hell of doing the Master of Wine exams together, you form bonds. It’s like being in prison together, I suppose!

Let’s talk about the continued relevance of wine critics and, more specifically, wine scores. On your own site, for example, consumers can skip the formal reviews from you and your team and get great recommendations from peers on the Members’ Forum. Are wine critics becoming less important? Read the rest of this entry »

Wine Dogs: Massican’s Sophie Petroski

Posted by | Posted in Wine Dogs | Posted on 10-31-2013

Winemakers love dogs. In wineries, vineyards, and tasting rooms across the world, adorable canines abound. Sophie, pictured below, belongs to Dan Petroski, the brilliant winemaker who crafts stunning whites at Massican and some of Napa Valley’s best reds at Larkmead.

Sophie Petroski (Massican)

This is the first post in a new, ongoing series. Feel free to download this image for personal use. To purchase a high-resolution copy or re-post elsewhere on the web, please contact me.

 

 

Daily Wine News: Esoteric Bottlings

Posted by | Posted in Wine News | Posted on 10-31-2013

From kermitlynch.com

From kermitlynch.com

“In a way, Lynch is no different from the critics who champion the ripe, fruit-forward wines that they like: Lynch loves natural wines, and he’s worked hard to introduce people to these esoteric bottlings from off-the-beaten-path locales.” Wine Spectator’s James Laube comments on the recent profile of Kermit Lynch in the New York Times Magazine.

“I must confess that there are few things better than the midnight Miller High Life.” In Serious Eats, Maggie Hoffman chats with Talia Baiocchi, who launched Punch, a new drinks magazine,this week.

“I’m not one to tell the Wine Spectator what their policies should be, but as a subscriber I would much rather read reviews and stories on wines from Maryland, Michigan, and Idaho than a Jura unicorn.” Kyle Schlachter brings attention to a new policy at Wine Spectator that’ll likely hurt upstart wine regions.

Jim Budd reviews the Digital Wine Communications Conference, which wrapped up on Saturday.

“I’m looking for wines that have a connection to the land, that have a history of expressing the qualities of that particular place where the grapes are grown.” In case you missed it, American Public Media’s Lynne Rossetto Kasper recently chatted with Eric Asimov.

This year’s Hospices de Beaune will be the smallest — with regards to quantity — in more than 30 years. On Decanter.com, Panos Kakaviatos has the details.

“2013 has been one of the hardest vintages, or perhaps even the most complicated, in the last 30 years.” In The Drinks Business, Patrick Ashmitt chats with Chateau Brown’s Jean-Christophe Mau about this year’s harvest.

In Food & Wine, Charles Antin lists the best online wine shops. Congrats to Chambers Street Wines and California Wine Merchants (two of my favorites) for the shout outs.

In Wines & Vines, Paul Franson wonders whether Morgan Stanley’s report on world wine production is accurate.

Tom Wark brings attention to an effort by some in Michigan lawmakers to “screw wine lovers.”

In Wine-Searcher, “10 Things Every Wine Lover Should Know About Jordan.”

“Beer is best! Mexican beer preferably. Modelo Especial is my favorite!” Elsewhere in Serious Eats, Hoffman asks several sommeliers what to drink with chili.

A Consumer Revolution in Wine

Posted by | Posted in White's Wines | Posted on 10-30-2013

Flickr, ChristinaT.

Flickr, ChristinaT.

As regular readers know, I write a free, twice monthly wine column that’s distributed to newspapers across the country.

These columns are hosted by Palate Press: The Online Wine Magazine. If you don’t see my column in your local newspaper, please send an email to your paper’s editor and CC me (David – at – Terroirist.com).

In my latest column, I applaud the declining influence of prominent wine critics — and contend that in the optimistic future of American wine, well-informed consumers will be confident in their own preferences and eager to explore without consulting a professional critic.

A Consumer Revolution in Wine

“This democratization of wine is great,” asserted Jancis Robinson, one of the world’s leading wine authorities, over coffee one recent morning.

Robinson was in Washington, D.C., to promote the seventh edition of The World Atlas of Wine, the indispensable reference book co-authored with Hugh Johnson.

Robinson has spent the last four decades writing about wine, publishing thousands of reviews. Yet while chatting about wine criticism, she seemed excited about the prospect of consumers putting less stock in her opinion.

“No longer are wine critics and reasonably well-known wine writers like me sitting on a pedestal, haughtily handing down our judgments,” she said. “Nowadays… [consumers] can make up their own minds. That’s altogether a lot healthier.”

To hear Robinson so eagerly applaud the declining influence of prominent critics was refreshing.

In the optimistic future of American wine, well-informed consumers will be confident in their own preferences and eager to explore without consulting a professional critic. Already, we’re well on our way.

Check out the rest of the piece on Palate Press: The Online Wine Magazine.

Daily Wine News: Plain Evil

Posted by | Posted in Wine News | Posted on 10-30-2013

From Wikipedia.

From Wikipedia.

“They have been infused with the dogma that everything else is not only different, but it is stuffy, without interest or just plain evil.” In a thought provoking piece, Arvid Rosengren, a sommelier in Copenhagen, takes natural wine ideologues to task.

“I think the natural wine movement today will be viewed in 2035 as Velvet Underground was viewed by 1990.” Blake Gray, meanwhile, ponders the long-term impact of the movement.

“If it was easy to achieve Italy’s reputation, everyone would do it. But it is worth trying.” Mike Veseth analyzes Australia’s “New Wine Strategy.”

“If you like Sherry, and I think that you do, you should make a point to seek out and taste these en Rama wines.” The Brooklyn Guy looks at En Rama Sherry.

“The beginnings of the estate known as Dr. Loosen seems a bit more like a scene from Wayne’s World, especially when you meet the bespectacled, long curly-haired and voluble Doctor himself.” Alder Yarrow profiles Ernst Loosen.

In Wine Enthusiast, Michael Schachner urges wine consumers to look beyond Mendoza and try the wines of Salta and Patagonia.

In the San Jose Mercury News, Jessica Yadegaran decants some Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

In Wine-Searcher, Adam Lechmere chats with Leslie Sbrocco.

“The diatribe against food-and-wine pairings really gets my nonsense alarm sounding full blast.” In the Washington Post, Dave McIntyre (softly) pushes back against the “the anarchic democratization of wine.”

In Slate, Elliot Hannon explains why there “there’s not enough wine in the world.”

Meanwhile, as demand explodes in China and the United States, wine-drinking in Italy is hitting record lows.

“The clubs are ‘not really for people who are wine savvy or have so many wine shops and choices.'” Reuters’ Leslie Gevirtz takes a look at the value of newspaper and magazine wine clubs.

For all the attorneys out there, John Trinidad, an attorney at Dickenson Peatman & Fogarty in Napa, recently gave a presentation at UC-Berkeley’s law school on the impact of the Internet on wine regulations.

Daily Wine News: Lopez de Heredia

Posted by | Posted in Wine News | Posted on 10-29-2013

LopezTyler Colman visits Lopez de Heredia. (I was there!)

When three of New Zealand’s finest wine producers trekked separately to London recently, of more than 50 wines they showed, not one was a Sauvignon Blanc.” Jancis Robinson urges oenophiles to recognize that “New Zealand has very much more to offer than Sauvignon Blanc.”

“If ambition, uniqueness and an operatic story deserve attention and big bucks, the answer is yes.” In Bloomberg, Elin McCoy profiles Australian vintner William Downie, who just released a $110 Pinot Noir.

“We were challenged by a late and poor flowering, hail in July, mixed weather in September and a late October harvest not seen since 1978.” In Winophilia, winemaker Alex Gambal offers an early report on Burgundy’s 2013 growing season.

Silicon Valley Bank’s Rob McMillan tells it like it is: “Boomers today drive wine sales and its the women Boomers who are the primary wine buyers.”

“The wine industry is ‘preventing’ the average consumer from fully ‘understanding and liking’ wine as it has no idea how to communicate with them.” In Harpers, Richard Siddle covers Tim Hanni MW’s speech at this past weekend’s Digital Wine Communications Conference.

“What they were doing was not only interesting and important and of course delicious, but it was really as significant, culturally, as what the first modern generation of pioneers did — the Robert Mondavis and the Warren Winiarskis — in terms of looking at California with a global perspective, seeing that this was an amazing place to grow wine.” KQED’s Rachael Myrow chats with Jon Bonné about his forthcoming book, The New California Wine.

Alice Feiring chats with “the great master of Malvasia,” Eliseo Carballo.

In Wines & Vines, Jane Firstenfeld previews the Third Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles.

Paul Gregutt praises the “sprawling vino empire of Charles Smith” in Washington.

“There is no reason why I cannot sell Ningxia wine all over the world.” In Decanter, Andrew Jefford explores the wines of Mongolia.

The Challenges of Being Global

Posted by | Posted in Commentary | Posted on 10-28-2013

DWCCAs readers who follow me on Twitter or Instagram likely know, I’ve been in Rioja for the past several days at the annual Digital Wine Communications Conference.

On Saturday, I spoke at a panel exploring the communication challenges faced by global wine brands.

Robert McIntosh, the founder of Thirstforwine.com and the co-founder of the DWCC and Vrazon.com, moderated the panel. It included Ben Smith, who heads up communications for Concha y Toro in the United Kingdom, and Pia Mara Finkell, who directs media relations and social media for Rioja Wines. (Please note that Rioja Wines sponsored my trip to the conference.)

Check out my prepared remarks below. The panel inspired a fantastic back-and-forth conversation with the audience, so obviously, lots of what we discussed isn’t included below.

The Challenges of Being Global

When talking about global brands, it’s absolutely critical to distinguish between huge wine companies — like Concha y Toro, Pernod Ricard, and Kendall Jackson – and generic brands, like Rioja, Champagne, and Napa Valley.

They’re very different.

Reps from both are constantly pitching me and other members of the media. And I promise I’m not the only wine writer who is much more receptive to a message from a “generic brand,” like Rioja, then a large corporation, like Concha y Toro.

This makes sense. And communicators shouldn’t apologize for it or feel any need to defend it.

First, virtually everyone here is a wine writer. You’ll notice that I’m saying wine writer – not lifestyle journalist or cooking specialist, but wine writer. For most of us, our audience simply doesn’t care about mass-produced wine.

Here’s a news flash. If you’re writing a wine blog, and focus on inexpensive, mass-produced wine that you can pick up at any supermarket in the world, no one is reading your site. Paul Mabray of Vintank can back this up with data, but it makes perfect sense. People who buy inexpensive, supermarket wine don’t read wine blogs. They’re not fascinated by wine.

Wine blogs are written by wine geeks and read by wine geeks, and wine geeks aren’t interested in mass-produced wine.

I’d compare it to restaurant criticism. No restaurant critic – or foodie – wants to tell the world about a new McDonald’s that just opened. But a hole-in-the-wall Italian joint with world-class cooking? Absolutely.

We are, however, quite interested in generic brands like Rioja.

This, too, make sense.

Just as the clothing you wear and the politicians you vote for says something about who you are, so does what you drink. Wine writers enjoy seeing themselves as ambassadors.

Everyone here has probably heard of Peter Liem. He enjoys being an ambassador for Sherry and Champagne. Jon Bonné of the San Francisco Chronicle enjoys being an ambassador for the “new” California wine – the producers who are exploring California’s vast and varied climate to protect old vineyards and produce wine from unusual grapes.

I’m sure there’s someone in this room who enjoys being an ambassador for Beaujolais and another who enjoys being an ambassador for dry reds from Portugal.

And even though she’s paid for it, I’m sure Pia enjoys being an ambassador for Rioja.

Very few wine geeks want to be an ambassador for Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, or, even worse, Yellow Tail.

This doesn’t mean someone like Pia has an easy job.

For starters, “generic brands” are inevitably funded by the largest players – and those “large players” tend to be the companies that wine geeks aren’t that interested in. Just as California’s trade association is funded by large companies like Constellation, Treasury, and Gallo, Wines of Rioja is funded by its members, with the largest exporters paying the most.

So Pia has a difficult job.

On the one hand, her client would be giddy to see Eric Asimov, the New York Times wine critic, write about Rioja. But on the other hand, Pia knows that a guy like Eric Asimov – because of his personal preferences and his audience – is only interested in Rioja’s more traditional producers, like Lopez de Heredia and Rioja Alta. He’s simply not interested in Rioja you can easily pick up in the supermarket. And, generally speaking, Wine of Rioja wants to see at least three brands mentioned in any article about the region.

For another example of why generic brands don’t always have it easy, just look at Australia – the wine-producing country that was once relevant.

Ten years ago, the PR folks for Wines of Australia had an easy job. And then the market for Australian wine completely collapsed. So now, the folks there have a terribly difficult job – how do you convince the American market that Australia is more complex than Yellow Tail and over-oaked, over-extracted, monstrous fruit bombs designed in a lab for Robert Parker?

If Pia has a difficult job, then Ben’s is even more challenging.

I’m certain that virtually everyone who works for Concha y Toro, including Ben, absolutely loves wine. And they’re proud of the work they do and the companies they represent. And then a guy like me gets on stage and loudly says:

“Sorry, I’m just not interested.”

But of course, you can make me interested. Stories matter. History matters. Personality matters.

Tell me about the winemaker at Concha y Toro. Tell me about the small-production, experimental stuff you guys are doing. Tell me about your high-end wines, and why I might be interested in them.

This can work. During the Australian craze in the United States, wine writers could rave about Penfolds Grange or D’Arenberg’s “Dead Arm.” Were regular consumers buying these wines? No. But if they read any serious wine writing and then headed to the supermarket, they’d recognize both these brand names.

And those supermarket wines are appealing to a certain kind of journalist.

Journalists spend lots of time thinking about their audience. I know exactly how many people visit my site every month and where they come from. I even know how much money they make and how much they spend on wine. So I have a general sense of what they want to hear from me.

About half the people that visit my site work in the wine industry. The other half are extreme wine geeks.

But I also write a twice-monthly column that runs in several dozen newspapers across the United States. These folks are general interest consumers. My column might run alongside a recipe or a restaurant review. Or even an article about how the high school football team won a big game.

So for that audience, I do care about Concha y Toro and Kendall Jackson.

Plus, the PR folks for big brands can more easily reach out to other types of journalists, like recipe writers, lifestyle reporters, book-club bloggers, you name it. 

Finally, Ben, Pia, and every other person who represents a global brand can bypass traditional journalists and interact directly with consumers thanks to social media. A Facebook contest offering a free trip to Rioja if you, say, host a Rioja tasting at your house? A simple but effective campaign that could, in theory, reach countless more consumers than a mention in the New York Times. And one that’ll allow you to more easily promote “supermarket” wines.

I’d conclude by saying that even though writers have a responsibility to their audience – and editors – writers will forever write about what interests them. Maybe it’s only Napa Valley wine. Maybe it’s only Champagne. But the overwhelming majority of writers are looking for an interesting story. So long as a global brand can figure out how to make something interesting, then that brand can communicate effectively.

Daily Wine News: More Serious

Posted by | Posted in Wine News | Posted on 10-28-2013

A-bottle-of-champagne-exp-002“The serious are getting seriouser — while still often remaining an astonishing value — the dry versions are getting drier and more focused, and the sweet wines are getting sweeter and more market-driven.” In the San Francisco Chronicle, Jon Bonné writes about “the state of American sparkling wine.”

On Friday, Sommelier Journal announced that it had “suspended publication.” Kyle Schlachter has the details.

“For me, it’s the purity and an almost translucent depth that cause me to return to the glass constantly to try to get to the bottom of it.” In the New York Times, declares his love for Sangiovese — and tastes through 20 Chiantis.

In Wine-Searcher, Claire Adamson profiles Conrad Engelhardt, a California-born, London-based artist who “reuses corks to create collages of beauty.”

“Wine auctions can be pretty good theater, at least for wine lovers who like to see big numbers flashed on screens and listen to the auctioneer’s loving (if very brief) descriptions of the lots.” In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague writes about the state of wine auctions.

Elsewhere in the Journal, Teague visits Red Hook to see how the wine shops have been faring since Superstorm Sandy.

“Eventually I started selling wine from here person to person out of the trunk of my car.” Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka hands her blog over to Alfredo Bartholomaus, “South American wine ambassador.”

On Winemakers Recommend, Charles Thomas of Quintessa urges wine enthusiasts to explore the wines of the Languedoc Roussillon.

In Via Magazine from AAA, Josh Sens praises 10 California Zinfandel producers.

Weekly Interview: Santiago Achával

Posted by | Posted in Interviews | Posted on 10-25-2013

ACHAVAL FERRER Santiago Achaval

Santiago Achával

Each week, as regular readers know, we pose a series of questions to a winemaker. This week, we’re featuring Santiago Achával (pronounced ah-CHA-vahl, like a big sneeze). Santiago is the founding partner and winemaker behind Achával-Ferrer.

Achával-Ferrer, launched in 1995, produces a line of beautiful, age-worthy Argentinean wines, which are now sold in 62 countries.

Born in Rochester, Minnesota, Santiago moved to Argentina when he was six years old. After graduating as Valedictorian from his high school, he went on to attend university also in Cordoba, Argentina. He spent the next few years working for a cement company before deciding to attend business school in the U.S. His life then took a turn when he caught the  wine contagion during weekend visits to Napa and Sonoma while getting his MBA at Stanford. He returned to Argentina and soon decided that his “main purpose in life would be to start a small, quality-oriented winery.” His first harvest at Achával-Ferrer was in 1998.

I had the chance to meet Santiago during one of his stops in New York this summer. He’s an absolute pleasure — his storytelling skills are superb and his wines, while often pricey, represent a sophistication and maturity not always found in the region.

Read more about Santiago and his wines below the fold. Read the rest of this entry »

Daily Wine News: Remembering Bize

Posted by | Posted in Wine News | Posted on 10-25-2013

Patrick Bize

Patrick Bize.

On WineSpecator.com, Mitch Frank reports: “Patrick Bize, the fourth generation owner and winemaker at Domaine Simon Bize in Burgundy’s Savigny-lès-Beaune appellation, died Oct. 20. He was 61.”

Elsewhere, Bruce Sanderson remembers the Burgundian vintner.

“Instead of a Champagne for $40, try the Crémant de Jura from Stephane Tissot for $20. Or instead of a $40 Chablis, try Pepiere’s Clos des Briords Muscadet for about $18.” In Serious Eats, Maggie Hoffman chats with Tyler Colman.

Alder Yarrow helps organize a tasting of Napa Valley’s “icon wines.”

In Wine-Searcher, “Ten Things Every Wine Lover Should Know About Château Latour.”

“Once brought to glass, the crop conditions of the fruit heavily influence the fruit and spice components of the wine.” Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka explores Carmenere.

According to a recent Harris poll, “Washington D.C. and New York are the most likely to be breaking open the bubbly.”

Last year, “the value of French wine exports hit a record high… thanks to buoyant luxury-wine sales and strong demand from Asian markets.”

“The one thing that’s as indisputable as it is depressing is that there are only two kinds of wine drinkers in this country — the snobs and everyone else.” Wine-Searcher publishes an excerpt from Jeff Siegel’s The Wine Curmudgeon’s Guide to Cheap Wine.

“Both are interesting books that you should consider if you are looking for wine guide that wants to shake up your way of looking at things!” Mike Veseth reviews Jeff Siegel’s book along with Katherine Cole’s Complete Wine Selector.

“Wine belongs in the hands of the people. The revolution starts today.” On Tim Atkin’s site, Matt Walls lays out “The First Rule of Wine Club.”

“Despite the Neo-Prohibitionist movement having largely gone away, one thing that remains is women generally abstain altogether from drinking while pregnant, despite there being no evidence that a couple of drinks a week have any impact on the developing child.” Tom Wark starts a new blog series about “Our Little Project.”