Recently after a full day of tasting (I was observing the 4 Ss of responsible tasting – Swirl, Smell, Sip, Spit), it was time to eat. I wasn’t ready to share a bottle of wine, but still in the mood for a glass with my dinner. Checking the menu at the restaurant, I noticed a “by the glass” offering of a wine from a winery that I had not tried before, but had recently passed by on the 101 making my way North to Paso Robles.

It was their entry level Pinot Noir at $9 a glass. I decided to give it a try. I should have known better! I seldom if ever take a chance on an inexpensive Pinot Noir, aka the “Heartbreak Grape”, known to be a difficult wine grape to grow that needs just the right attention both in the vineyard and in the winery. There were no flaws with the wine such as TCA, Brett or oxidation. However, after one smell and then a sip, I confirmed why I seldom try these wines: in a blind tasting I would never have identified this as  Pinot Noir – the color was not Pinot, the smell was not Pinot, and the taste certainly not what one would expect from a Pinot Noir.

That brings me to the subject of this blog: Can plonk be part of a winery’s marketing strategy?

Let me first define “plonk”. According to the FreeDictionary it is “a cheap wine of inferior quality”. This could refer to wines that used poorly farmed fruit and/or were vinified cheaply or poorly. I hesitate to define wines like this since taste is very subjective – one person’s trash is another’s treasure. I have more than once heard someone lavishing a wine that I thought should have been poured in the sink rather than the glass. (BTW.. this in no way diminishes the value of well made wines that are sometimes labeled as “cheap”, but really are good value, nor is this in any way a negative statement against those that use “Plonk” as part of their business name within their marketing strategy.)

So I am narrowing my definition of plonk to mean a wine that displays none or few characteristics of the variety from which it is made. I won’t embarrass wineries by mentioning any by name, but these are typically heavily advertised, high volume, low cost wines that defy detection when tasted as to the variety, region, or vinification method. You will find many of these wines in restaurants selling anywhere from $20 – $35 (usually under $10 retail and perhaps about $5 or less wholesale).

The vast majority of large or very large wineries (defined at 750,000 cases annually and up) offer one or more of these wines. It certainly provides the basis for demand in distribution, enhances brand recognition and steady cash flow from the high volume.

My question is whether this is a marketing strategy that can or should be used by medium and small wineries. Yes….great for brand recognition, but for small wineries that exist primarily due to sales from tasting rooms and wine clubs, I would think this would be disasterous. A small producer (say a few hundred to a few thousand cases) needs to keep its production fully allocated in order to ensure sufficient cash to support continued operations. Competition is fierce with over 7,000 wineries in the US alone.

If a small winery becomes known for “plonk” I can’t imagine it will continue to attract those that invest in one or more wine clubs. These are typically those that have high regard for distinctive, well made wine and the experience they can share at the winery. With so many wine clubs to chose from, offering plonk doesn’t seem right as part of the mix.

What do you think? Can or should small production wineries offer “plonk” as part of their marketing strategy?

UPDATE: To see the results of the brief survey, please click on the “Wine Survey Results: Link on the home page.

CONTENT UPDATE: Some additional evidence that plonk is not a wise move for small wineries…

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Having worked in the high tech industry for many years, I have seen the dramatic effects in both business to business and business to consumer transactions.

OK .. .where am I going with this? Wine is a product that is sold both business to business and business to consumer. Technology has had tremendous impact on all facets of the industry. But … at the end of the day… it sometimes falls back to the timeless gestures of customer service that shine above the enabling technology.

Here’s some examples of customer service that outshined the technology:

Example 1: Wine Accessories – Soiree Aerator

I was recently searching for a wine aerator. Specifically, I was looking for something that did a great job of aeration, but that also was portable and simple to use. After a search on the web, I settled on the Soiree. Although a bit more expensive than the basic module, I decided to go with the deluxe offering – which included a padded carrying case (it is blown glass so the padded case makes sense). I found it available on Amazon and purchased the unit. When it arrived I was surprised to find that it did not include a drying stand nor an extra gasket as described on the Soiree site. It seemed strange that a Deluxe model would not include the same assessories as included with the basic model.

I sent a brief email to Soiree – “just bought your Soiree Deluxe L/S unit and expected to receive the stand and gasket as described as part of your base model. Is this correct?”

Options: (Possible responses from Soiree customer service….)
1. Don’t respond to the email
2. Respond and confirm .. yes .. sorry we don’t include those
3. OR, and this was the response: … yes we normally don’t include the second gasket..we have improved the unit and now only a universal one is needed, and sorry we normally don’t include the stand although the instructions might need clarification, BUT if you would provide your address we would be delighted to send you a drying stand AND a replacement gasket”

I have received the replacement gaskets and the draining stand.

Lest I forget …. the aerator works just as advertised. Highly recommended!

Thanks to Andrew at Soiree … he has delighted a new customer

Example 2: Lodging – Palazzo Squarcialupi Albergo

I recently enjoyed a vacation in Tuscany (yes… to my dismay back at work:-). Having stayed a few years ago in Castellina in Chianti, I decided to stay again at the Hotel Squarcialupi. On a previous visit I found the hotel to be spacious, very clean, up to date, and the staff to be very helpful and friendly. To my delight… they have gotten better! The hotel is still fully up to date with good sized rooms, modern furnishings, still impeccably clean and the prices are still very reasonable, and more importantly, the staff -although different personnel, are still very friendly, helpful and make you feel very much at home. Take advantage of the well situated veranda in the back where you can have a glass or a bottle of local wine at very reasonable prices. From advice on what to see, the best restaurants, or directions to nearby wineries or enotecas, Palazzo Squarcialupi is highly recommended (and an excellent value as well). Tell Sabina I sent you!

Example 3: Flash site – Tillsoldout.com

A friend of mine buys several times a year from various flash sites – you know, internet sites that sell wine at substantial discounts – often wines that are not available locally.

Recently he was delighted to find some bottles of a well rated Napa Valley Syrah at substantial discount. He bought and received them as expected and on time.

Opened the first … big smile … great buy as the wine was just as described.

Opened the second … big frown .. the bottle was corked .. undrinkable. His thought.. “OK .. how do I ship it back for credit? Will they credit me?”.

It took one email to Tillsoldout to get an immediate credit without any hassle.

Where do you think he buys his wine from now? Yes … Tillsoldout will continue to get lots of business.

Bottom line, Technology has helped the industry in many ways, starting in the vineyard, through vinification, and signficantly in supporting marketing and sales.

But in the end … common sense and excellent customer service will keep customers coming back over and over.

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Although there are large conglomerates that profit very nicely in the wine industry, this pales compared to the thousands of small vineyards and wineries that make a living from making and selling wine, but work very hard for the money they make. So for these smaller vineyards and wineries there always has to be a fair amount of passion in what they do.

That’s why I am very happy to see that wines in the $15 – $25 dollar range are picking up. Large wineries may have economies of scale to produce wine at lower costs (and often less distinguished character), but small establishments normally cannot make any money at the lower end.

According to MarketWatch, American consumers are embracing wine and are willing to pay a bit more to find that special bottle. Silicon Valley Bank suggests that sales of wine worth $20 a bottle will grow on average 10% over 2009. So that’s good news for small producers like Eagles Nest Winery in San Diego.  This is a great example of winery that has a passion for making the best wine they can and always sharing the experience with anyone willing to help to make the most of each harvest (just wish I lived closer!).

So that’s my YEA!! story. I am happy that these small, quality minded wineries can make up for some of the revenue lost over the last 18 months.

OK … now the S…!

Over the last 18 months I have found some really great bargains! I won’t mention any names, but really good producers who simply had too much wine stuck in distribution, and as a result ended up selling their wine at very discounted prices – to me! I feel guilty,  but it has been a blessing in being able to sample many wines that would have been out of reach except for special occasions otherwise.

Well .. .that’s life. The pendulum swings back and forth. And its a good thing.. or I wouldn’t have any decent wine to drink at all.

I have followed that passion in many ways  over the years – through tastings, reading about wine, making wine, visiting wine regions, having communication with fellow wine enthusiasts, working in the industry, taking the latest quiz on the Wine Hub (let Luiz know I sent you:-), and yes, blogging about wine here on Viralvines too!

So after completing my Intermediate Certification with the Wine Education Trust (WSET) last Spring, I thought it would be beneficial to move on to the Level 3 Advanced Certification. The WSET is a wine education organization located in London with worldwide recognition, and often the starting point for gaining knowledge and pursuing education in the wine industry. Courses can be taken in London or they are offered around the world by local educators with usually a minimum  Level 4 Diploma, which is viewed universally as the stepping-stone to the Master of Wine qualification (with only 279 members worldwide).

The Advanced Certification level includes a tasting test as well as multiple choice and short answer and/or essay questions, and it covers all the major wine producing regions in the world as well as a focus on the production of various spirits.

So for most Mondays since September I have been driving to the train, heading into Backbay, and learning more about wine at the Boston Center for  Adult Education.

What did I learn? Well, I’m not the best taster and …..need to keep working at it!

But at least now I can systematically approach each wine and make a better judgement. What else? Lots of facts and figures .. some that frankly are good to know but will likely be forgotten, but many others that will help in both the evaluation as well as the enjoyment of wine.

For example, with properties in Bordeaux the Chateau name is largely a trademark. The owner can increase the size of the property by purchasing vineyard plots anywhere within the same appellation and sell it all under the same name. On the other hand, in Burgundy the name is attached to a plot of land and registered in that town where the size seldom varies. Bordeaux has 60 names under Appellation contrôlée (AC ) while Burgundy has ten times that many even though it has less than half as much land. So why is that of any importance?

The devil is in the details! While in Bordeaux the same team and winemaker will be responsible for all of the wines from that Chateau (even if multiple labels), in Burgundy the vineyard is seldom a monopole (owned and worked by one person or group), it normally has multiple owners and each owner can and often does make wine in his / her own style. So while in Bordeaux you will find consistency under one or multiple labels from the same chateau, in Burgundy you may find great variance from a bottle that comes from the same piece of land with the same classification, but different producer.

There were some other facts that I learned such as the residual grams of sugar in a brute bottle of champagne or in a bottle of Tokaji Azsu 3 Puttonyos, the temperature at which most sherries are fermented, and why Chile is such an ideal place to grow grapes and make wine. There is also much discussion on the aromas and taste of grapes grown in different regions around the world. Chardonnay for example can taste vastly different based on whether it is  grown in cooler or hotter climates, whether or not  it undergoes malolactic fermentation, as well as  the vessel and length in which it is matured.

What made this all come together was a passoniate and knowledgeable instructor by the name of Adam Chase who leads  GrapeExperience in the Boston and San Francisco areas. Grape Experience is a company that offers educational studies to individuals as well as education services to businesses.  While Adam covered all the material in the book, he also often provided anecdotes to help understand some of the nuances surrounding the growth and adoption of wine in various countries.

For instance, certain cities such as Valparaiso in Chile, and Cape Town in South Africa grew and prospered simply because they became logical supply points – places to rest and resupply – as ships headed from west to east or east to west. Another example was the fall of the Spanish Empire and the migration of Spanish, Italian, French and German settlers into countries such as Argentina, Australia, the USA and Chile,  that brought their love of wine and skills with them.

All in all it took a considerable amount of time and effort, but for someone with a passion for wine, it was well worth the time and money. I can now approach my enjoyment of wine with a higher appreciation of what makes a great wine great… or sometimes, not so great.

Don’t know what my next step will be … but I did receive the latest edition of the  Wine Atlas by Oz Clark for Christmas. So I guess its time to start reading…. of course with the appropriate glass of wine to coincide with each chapter!

UPDATE: Just received word (March 2010) passed the WSET Advanced Exam with Distinction!

Now I suspect that for the most part 2009 will not be remembered with fond memories especially if you were one of the people or one of the wineries, wine distributors or retailers adversely affected by the economic downturn. So finding that quality bottle of wine at a reasonable price point is more relevant than ever.

With that said, I will look back with fond memories regarding some great deals I was able to make during 2009 primarily due to a glut of inventory in the distribution channel. In some cases, wines that normally sell in the $25 range were available for purchase for around $10, while other bargains a result of wine sold and re-branded with a new label.

So did I find a lot of wines with that “wow” factor? After all .. we are speaking about wines that normally sell for over $25 a bottle. To be fair, not all the time. Price in wine does not determine quality or value of and by itself. Good wine simply means it has no defects. Great wine on the other hand means that not only was it free of defects, but in addition it had balance, aromatics and taste that for you as an individual is very attractive. Said another way … wine is somewhat subjective – what is “wow” to one may not be to another. With that said, in several cases the new find was more than memorable – it was great!

But here’s the conundrum: While I take a lot of joy in finding those bargains from a consumer point of view, I am concerned about what the loss of profitability is doing to the wine industry players – to the growers, to the producers, and to general distribution as well.

Unless the costs are decreasing with the price, someone is losing money. Now I am not concerned about the global conglomerates or the huge regional distributors who have to give up a margin point or two. I am concerned primarily with the small family growers who may lose contracts or renew at very low price points or the quality winery that was already working on a shoestring, who may be driven out of business.

I know that in life and business it is survival of the fittest. Natural selection is normal – businesses come and they go. However, I have had the pleasure of meeting or interacting with many small produces who genuinely take tremendous pride in their work and their product. It would clearly be a shame to lose that enthusiasm, not to mention the quality wines that are produced.

So will I strive to pay more per bottle? Not likely.  As with the majority of consumers, 2009 emphasized a need to pull in the reigns – search for the best buys and conserve capital. But I am hoping that those most adversely affected will be able to weather the storm. There are already too many players whose main focus is solely or mainly profit, so my concern is with the outfit – be it large or small – that focuses on quality and takes great pride in the product they produce.

Good luck … and let me know how I can help.

Of course, no one retailer will likely have all of these wines, particularly those that were in short supply to begin with.

However, I have also witnessed a similar, but seamingly illogical trend when it comes to buying wines based on their  labels. You know. Those labels that catch ones eye based on color, or design, or whimsical words. You walk done the aisles where there are countless options, bottle shapes, and possibilities, and then it catches your eye – the word “Bitch” in glowing pink! I can’t tell you how many women in particular grab this label to take to a friend.

Haven’t seen that one? How about “Vivacious Vicky“, “Menage a Trois”, “Fat Bastard”, “Smoking Loon” – the list goes on and on.  Now I am not suggesting that an outlandish label likely means the wine inside is poorly made or undrinkable, but by the same token it doesn’t speak to the quality or drinkability either.

The label and the capsule really have no function when it comes to the quality of the wine inside. The bottle obviously holds the wine and the cork protects it from oxidation. The label is there often as a legal requirement to inform the purchaser of what the wine is, when and where it was made, perhaps the style or a suggested pairing, and the capsule is there simply as decoration (although at one time it was used to hide the fact that when champagne or sparkling wine was disgorged it naturally lost some of the wine – the capsule hide that fact from the buyer:-).

So why would one buy one wine over the other based on label alone? Well … why does a buyer choose any product  over the other? Brand, reputation, price, recommendation amongst others all come into play. The label is just one more marketing ploy to get the attention of a particular buyer… some times it works, and some times it doesn’t.

I have bought certain wines that had crazy labels and some of these have turned out to be interesting wines. However, in general I am a bit leery of crazy labels as they suggest to me that the winemaker is having difficulty differentiating his/her wine based on its own merits and needs to turn to slick packaging to do the job.

So as with the scoring on wines … caveat emptor. Neither scores nor crazy labels mean you will enjoy the wine.  For this you will need to explore on your own and decide what you like.

With so many wines stuck in distributi0n looking for buyers many are at discount, so now maybe a good time to experiment.

Have a wonderful and safe Holiday!  Enjoy the wine but don’t drink and drive.

• As an example, a very high percentage of production of wine from California is controlled by a small number of global organizations (won’t list them here… you can easily identify them in the report).
• I must also acknowledge that these same organizations do in fact fund lobbyists across the nation (and I assume abroad as well) to try and keep the status quo from changing. This of course is also done by powerful organizations across all types of business as a way to support continued growth and profitability – not perhaps humane, fair or reasonable, but still legal.
• Again I have to agree that these large corporations are not only wine focused, but are usually also well invested in beer and spirits.

So where do I differ with the report?

As with any facts, the key is in understanding the background and the numbers to the degree that one has an accurate picture by which to evaluate. In this case, the facts are presented from one point of view; that is, from that of an “Alcohol Industry Watchdog”.

So my humble perspective:

• Yes… alcohol in general is controlled by a few very large corporations. This is true today and it was true at the turn of the century in America, one reason why wine was included within Prohibition. In both instances the main focus is and was on profitability. However, wine is produced also by hundreds of dedicated grape growers and winemakers who have a passion for their craft and who are firm believer’s as am I that wine is and should be a part of your everyday life – not as a beverage with which to binge, but as an integral part of a healthy diet.  Yes… there are huge conglomerates in the wine industry, but there are dozens and dozens of family run wineries that are under constant financial pressure due to the economy and the difficulty of getting their product to the consumer under the current 3-tiered system.  These are very hard working individuals and families who are not wealthy, take great pride in their work, and also provide employment, pay taxes, and produce a quality product.
• Yes … these very large corporations do fund lobbyists .. but not fully as the report suggests. While these large corporations own the majority of production, they are also distributors of the product.  High volume production in any industry requires tiered distribution to support the large volumes that must flow from producer to consumer. Small producers are often shut out of distribution since there isn’t sufficient volume to interest the large volume distributors. So yes there is large scale funding and lobbyists, but not to support direct shipments or alter 3-tiered distribution. One of the issues before Prohibition was the fact that the producters (yes.. again very large scale corporations) controlled the flow of alcohol, often putting pressure at the retail level to the point of exclusivity as a way to stymie the competition. The system put in place after Prohibition (3-tiered system) was engineered to avoid this from happening again. However, over the last 70 years since the repeal in 1933 the situation has changed whereby distribution is now the controller not the producer. I will leave it up to the reader to determine which is better.

In reality, the United States has been debating the role of wine since the mid 19th Century when Nicolas Longworth worked to make wine a part of daily life (keep in mind drinking water at the time was very hazardous to your health with the alternative mostly distilled liquour) and Samual Carey, a strong advocate of temperance, insisted wine was no different than any other alcohol.

As with many aspects of life, the “truth” for the majority of people likely lies in between.

QUICK UPDATE:  According to Linda Reiff, executive director of Napa Valley Vintners, “The strength of the family business is evident in Napa Valley — 95 percent of our appellation’s wineries are family owned. And, yes, 70 percent produce less than 10,000 cases annually and 60 percent less than 5,000 cases annually.”

For more on Napa Valley, its wineries, and the last 10 years, read “Wine Tales of the Decade”.wine

So what’s all the fuss?  Did anyone really think that wine was so objective and predictable that upon tasting everyone would  decipher the same nuance, scents, and tastes? Dah, do you also believe in the Easter Bunny (ah, need to be careful here or I ma y not receive my eggs this Spring .

Common sense would suggest that we are not all the same. Some have a very keen sense of smell and others do not. Further, we detect chemicals (scents) at different rates – where one smells a particular scent it may go totally unnoticed or unidentified by another. So it would make sense that even if all wine tastings were consistent and objective, you still may not “experience” the same tastes and aroma(s) as suggested by the taster.

So why have competitions and ratings at all? Simply put, it provides another point of reference. Considering there are approximately 7,000 wineries in the US alone offering about 70,000 different labels, any additional information or insight is helpful. On all of my wine reviews I include a description of the wine (usually back label), which sometimes contain little if any information at all. I normally consult the label after tasting the wine as I always find it interesting to see if my notes agree or contrast with those on the label. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t.

So should you buy solely based on scores, medals or reviews? Really not a great idea.

However you can use these scores and ratings to help in the buying decision. I always check to see who is reviewing the wine, i.e., I  follow the reviewer rather than the score itself. Here’s how it works:

Assume you see a score by a reviewer (let’s make it easy or contraversial depending upon your perspective – Robert Parker). You read a review or score and then try the wine and make your own judgement – was it what you expected based on the rating? If yes, try another rated by Parker and again look for characteristics that you value in the wine. You can do this in reverse as well. If you see a high score by Robert Parker and you don’t like the wines that he has given high scores to, you can avoid those wines assuming they likely would not be to your taste.

Now there are some standardization methods in place such as the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Systematic Approach to Tasting, which is broken down into four categories:

• Appearance – deals with the clarity, intensity, color and other observations
• Nose – Deals with the condition, intensity, development, and aroma characteristics
• Palate – Deals with the sweetness, acidity, tannin level, alcohol level, body, flavor intensity, length
• Conclusions – Deals with the judgement in terms of quality, price, and readiness for drinking

This kind of tasting standardization helps, but there is still a great deal of interpretation and subjective judgement, and the more you know about wine, the more you may be influenced into smelling or tasting something that may or may not be there based upon what you were expecting to taste.

My advice: simply use the scores as additional insight, but not as a main buying criteria. Try as many wines and varietals as you can (In Italy alone there are 1,000 different Vitis Vinifera grape varietals … so you have your work cut out for you!). Exploring wine is fun .. and now you have a great excuse to explore.

So it seemed a bit of a coincidence when I received my daily quiz from Crushpad today after having contacted a local winery to inquire about the harvest and to volunteer to help.

First the quiz:

Which grape/varietal is often referred to as the “Heartbreak Grape”?

• a. Pinot Noir
• b. Riesling
• c. Sauterne
• d. Tokaji

The answer of course  is a. Pinot Noir.

Here is the explanation:

“While all grape varietals present unique challenges, Pinot Noir has earned the nickname of the “Heartbreak Grape”. Pinot Noir possesses thin skins which easily break, making the varietal very susceptible to damage from fungus and mold.

Adding to the problem is that clusters tend to be tightly compact. Rains near / during the harvest season can cause the berries to swell and split. The tight clustersalso make it difficult for winds to dry clusters off.”

So it was with a bit of concern that I called Diamond Hill Vineyards, a small winery that produces Pinot Noir as well as several fruit wines (apple, peace, cranberry, blueberry), located in Northern Rhode Island. This winery has been owned and run by the Berntson family who planted their first grapes in 1976.

The reason for my concern?  Weather on the East Coast in 2009 has been rather unusual – lots of rain and cooler than normal temperatures. Exactly what is not good for growing and ripening Pinot Noir.

Unfortunately, my fears were well founded.  When I asked about the harvest I was told there won’t be one this year. This ‘Heartbreak Grape” has struck again. After all, this is an agricultural product and each vintage has its challenges, and this particular varietal has more than others.

So suffice it to say that Diamond Hill has been hit by a double whammy – the worst recession since the Great Depression and no Pinot Noir harvest this year. The only thing to be done is to drop the fruit and tend to the vines hoping for better luck next year.

My heart goes out to anyone that works the land and then finds the “fruit” of their labour is not forthcoming. I can say that when I spoke to the winery,  they had a very positive attitude and thanked me several times for calling and volunteering to help, looking instead to next years harvest.

If you are in the area, stop by… they still have plenty of wine from past vintages. This is one tasting room where the owner will greet you personally and gladly offer you a taste of their wines.

As for me, I give them my best wishes for a better than normal harvest in 2010, ….and I’ll call back to see if I can help bring it in.

Should you be in the area here is their information:

• Diamond Hill Vineyards
• 3145 Diamond Hill Road
• Cumberland, RI 02864
• (401) 333 – 2751

This article as well as many others on the subject got me thinking: What are the consequences of not returning to our recent past and how will this effect the wine industry in the long run?

Well… I guess it depends on your perspective!

• If you happen to be a high end, well established winery that sells their wine for $100 and up (hey … maybe $500+), there may be little ill effect at all. Most of these wineries sell their wine only through their wine club or list, and often have a very long line ready to go. These are top end brands offering wines in very high demand with very small supply (some that come to mind: Screaming Eagle, Chateau Petrus, Grange, Vega Sicilia, Gaja, etc.). There will always be a market at the high end as there will always be those that can afford what they want at any cost.

• If you happen to be at the other end of the spectrum as an established bulk wine producer offering your wines at less than $10, you are in good shape! Based on the “trading down” that is taking place, you are likely seeing an increase in business. These are brands such as Bronco (2 buck chuck), Gallo, and Yellow Tail. These are the wines that are low cost, but wines that will inspire (you won’t have an epiphany from drinking them).

Neither of the above provide what I call good QPR (Quality Price Ratio): The first group may provide high quality, but at a highly inflated price while the second group provides a low price but seldom high enough character or complexity to warrant enjoyment beyond that of a simply quaff (drinkable but often very forgettable as well).

However, if you happen to be one of the thousands of wineries somewhere in between, this could be a major concern, especially if capital is short and cash flow is a big concern, as it is to the majority.

This is a capitalistic society and the main business of business is to make money or should I say profits  -  as much as possible.

• So from a third perspective I cannot fault those that  simply raised prices to what they thought the market would bear, even when their “product” often did not provide quality commensurate with that price. Sorry ..time to pay the piper – you won but now you loose.

• My main concern (fourth perspective)  are those passionate wineries that work to produce the best they can at a reasonable profit. These are the small and medium wineries that invest not only their money, but essentially their souls in producing what they love and then sharing that bounty with the rest of us.  I will sorely miss any of these wineries that don’t survive.

This is where social media and networking may help as a low cost means to promote these quality producers to help them survive through these difficult times. This was part of an article I read today in the NY Times regarding Gary Vaynerchuk of WinelibraryTV . There was a reference to the positive effect it has had on Sojoun Cellars (keep in mind a negative review could cause the opposite effect).

• While Mr. Vaynerchuk does not yet come close to Mr. Parker or the Spectator in his ability to move the wine market as a whole, his words do sell bottles. In an episode of Wine Library TV in February, Mr. Vaynerchuk raved about a Sonoma Coast pinot noir from Sojourn Cellars, a small producer.
•  
• “We took 500 e-mails and phone calls in 24 hours,” said Craig Haserot, an owner of Sojourn. “Nothing has put more people on our database and sold more wine than Wine Library TV, and it’s not even close.”

Note: here is a link to the Sojourn Cellars tasting episode on WinelibraryTV.

Now I’m not suggesting social media/networking will cure all the ills facing the wine industry (hardly), nor will it work wonders for everyone. However, it is another weapon in the marketing arsenal to get the word out so that more prospective customers will seek out these products, and if they are truly quality wines at reasonable prices, will return over and over as return customers.

So from the perspective of this wine enthusiast, amateur wine maker, and certainly passionate wine consumer,  I am hoping that the damage will not be too great for this last group as they are the future of the industry. (Oh… and my congratulations to Sojourn Cellars!)