2008.07.22
Should we stop buying expensive wine?
This book is dedicated to the idea that blind tasting can help us stop spending too much money on wines we don't really like, and that it can help us start spending less money on wines we really do like.
-- Robin Goldstein, "The Wine Trials: A Fearless Critic Book."
This book arrived in my mailbox last week encased in a brown paper bag. How fitting.
The author assembled more than 500 blind taste-testers (experts and novices), who sampled more than 6,000 glasses of wine. In the end, they picked 100 winning wines under $15 that beat out wines costing $50 to $150 per bottle.
So, which wines made the cut?
Well, they included Alice White Chardonnay, Campo Viejo Rioja Crianza, Fat Bastard Chardonnay, Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Bogle Sauvignon Blanc, Fetzer Valley Oaks Merlot, Barefood Cabernet Sauvignon and Redwood Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. All of which cost less than $15 per bottle and can probably be found on the shelf at your local Kroger.
Amazingly, a $12 bottle of sparkling wine from Washington State called Domaine Ste. Michelle beat out a $150 bottle of Dom Perignon in the brown-bag taste tests.
In an interview included with the publicity material, Goldstein said that not all expensive wines are a rip-off. But he does think many of them are grossly overpriced.
For more info about the experiment, head to http://www.thewinetrials.com/. What do you wine lovers think of this?
I'd have to agree with the author. Several of my favorite wines are in the under $10 category; two come to mind right now - Beringer Chenin Blanc and Redwood Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. Our friends introduced us to the Redwood Creek, and they served that at their wedding. I was introduced to the Beringer Chenin Blanc in Napa Valley on the Napa Wine Train. I was not expecting the sommelier to recommend something from a vintner that mass produces their wine, but she was of the "hey, why not? It tastes good!" opinion.
I must admit though, that I am a cheapskate when it comes to wine. I bristle at paying more than $20 for a bottle, especially when I know it will be gone in one night!
Comment by Lori — July 22, 2008 @ 12:13 pm
My guess is that the author had a fairly easy job of proving his point. The wine business had become one of mass merchandising where price and quality aren’t always in sync. The good news is that more people are drinking wine. The bad news is two-fold: first, there is less truly reliable information on the quality of what is out there (often we see just a score) and second, wine is being brought to the market far too early. I read recently that given the money to be made in the business, we have gotten to a point that too much wine is being produced which is forcing producers to hold wine, a good thing for most selections and for us the consumers.
Comment by Jim D — July 22, 2008 @ 12:39 pm
Without going into too much mumbo jumbo, I agree that many wines are great tasting AND inexpensive.
I've taken my share of wine seminars (one lasted four days) and at the end of the day, people just want something that will compliment their meal.
Finding a great-tasting wine or bottle of champagne for under $15 is extremely easy. Paying upwards of $50 and more just seems wasteful!
Comment by Amy Hanek — July 22, 2008 @ 2:21 pm
I think the availability of drinkable wine in all price points has vastly expanded over the last 20 years. At one point not too long ago in order to get something remotely decent, one had to spend some cash. As demand has grown, so has supply. I think overall that is a good thing. In Europe, particularly France and Italy, the general table wines in restaurants and at home are generally from that specific region and not at all expensive. They are also always good to drink. So yes, we can now get very drinkable wine for very reasonable prices. I do think some of the "great estates" and vintages definitely have their place, though.
Comment by Sherry — July 22, 2008 @ 3:04 pm
I agree that there are many good wines at affordable price points and that this is a good outcome for us. My concern is the rush to market results in a lesser quality product and that we are becoming numb to the differences.
Comment by Jim D — July 22, 2008 @ 5:54 pm
Hey Mambo! and Rex Goliath have become 2 of my new favorites(both merlot's)and they can be purchased for under $10 apiece at Wine Gourmet on Franklin Rd.
Comment by Rigby — July 23, 2008 @ 10:41 am
The Fat Bastard Chardonnay is one of my favorites! We got it as a joke (the name Mike Myers made famous) and really liked it.
Comment by Dawn — October 10, 2008 @ 4:48 pm
The author clearly knows little about either wine history or the wine business (one of the oldest businesses on earth!). There are very real and very basic reasons why wines vary so much in price, and why some are expensive. To name a few: how many vines per acre are planted, how steep the vineyards are (can't use those tractors on a 40% slope), what percentage of new oak is used to age the wine in (new French oak barrels cost $1000 each!!), how experienced and renowned the winemaker is (they don't call some of them "rock star winemakers" for nothing), etc. The author apparently was sleeping through that part of the lecture in Wine 101!
The author's opinions seem rather juvenile, and overall I would say he clearly was more interested in a paycheck than helping out the public.
But the worst part is that a significant number of the wines reviewed are exclusive to the Whole Foods chain. Hmm, why on earth would anyone favorably review wines that can only be purchased at one store?
Comment by Keith S. — October 13, 2008 @ 1:45 pm