Where’s all the Sauvignon?
Wednesday 6 January
Crikey, who’d have thought it would be so difficult to get a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand?
I am currently searching for a South African, Chilean and Loire Sauvignon for a Master of Wine tasting practice with Lynnette Hudson, winemaker at Pegasus Bay. But it is proving rather difficult. I called respected merchant Vino Fino in Christchurch and they could only help me out with the Sancerre - but it will cost me $52 (£23) for the privilege. When you’re such a strong Sauvignon player, the assistant told me, you can’t sell Sauvignons from the rest of the world. I guess it’s the same in most wine-producing countries. New Zealand’s wines are of an enviable standard but it’s a shame people aren’t able to try styles beyond their borders.
I was clearly spoiled for choice in London where the local independent merchant would always have something from Leyda, Stellenbosch and Touraine on the shelves. Unfortunately you don’t realise how lucky you are until you move away.
Now I am horribly aware that trying to do tasting practice for the MW in the UK is a) less hassle and b) cheaper than doing it elsewhere - although living costs and exorbitant travel fares add up (£4.10 for a single on the tube is a joke, Boris).
So, if anyone from the UK is coming over to Auckland, could you stick a bottle of Rueda/Argentine Torrontes/anything from South Africa in your luggage for me?
New Zealand bound
Friday 6 November
It’s less than three weeks until I move from London to New Zealand. Now, I know it’s a long way away but you’d think I was going to disappear off the face of the earth! Whatever happened to the wonder of email, telephone and Skype?
I’ll keep you updated with general news – and the latest from the New Zealand and Australian wine industry plus I’ll still be writing for the UK publications including Harpers, Decanter and Food & Travel so you’re not rid of me yet.
Thanks to everyone who came to my leaving do on Tuesday. There were lots of familiar faces including the former head of Wines of Argentina, James Forbes. It’s just been announced he’ll be the new head of buying and marketing at Stevens Garnier in the New Year. Good luck to him in his new role.
Tesco wine marathon
Tuesday 20 October
Expect to be reading about Tesco’s autumn press tasting in the nationals in the coming weeks – the big names had turned up to taste through some of the 150 wines at the tasting.
What will be their verdict? Well, I can’t predict that but take it from me, Tim Atkin MW will not be enthusing about the £3.74 White Merlot.
Personally, I struggled to find any gems in the pack. I admit I didn’t taste all 150 wines as fatigue kicked in and my enthusiasm waned half way through the reds but my black teeth are proof that I put my time in today.
The whites were generally of a good standard – you get what you pay for. I’d be happy to drink most of them and they are varietally correct but there was nothing that I would rave about. Picks of the bunch would include Tesco’s Finest 2008 Gavi (£7.49), Finest Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc 2009 (£6.98) and Tim Adams Clare Valley Riesling 2008 (£8.99).
Unfortunately the reds I tasted didn’t leave me feeling very cheery either. Its Finest Hermitage 2005 costing a cool £19.99 was not up to scratch in my opinion nor was its 2004 Rioja Reserva from Vina Mara. I think I would feel rather cheated if I had paid £8.98 for this brett-central Tempranillo.
Anyway enough doom and gloom. On a positive note, I must be turning into a bargain basement wine taster because its Finest Mendoza Malbec 2008, made by Catena, and costing just £4.24 was a bit of a stand out. This inky purple wine has classic Malbec flavours – ripe blueberry, blackberry and a lick of dairy vanilla on the palate. The concentration’s pretty good at this price. Ok, the tannins are pretty drying and the alcohol’s a little warm but I can forgive that at under a fiver.
What do consumers really want to drink?
Tuesday 25 August
Are we guilty of not listening to the consumer? Probably, yes. Working in the wine trade every day does tend to take over your life – it’s not just a job – you drink, sleep, breathe the stuff. Inevitably that tends to mean we are removed from the wine-buying public. No matter how many Wine Intelligence studies or in-house market research we read, can we really remember how we felt about buying wine or what we were drinking before we got into the trade? Tricky, isn’t it?
In my last blog, I praised London restaurant L’Anima for putting its wine list in the hands of the twittering public. Great publicity and a great way to involve your customers.
Days later, I’m interviewing Naked Wines boss Rowan Gormley who has come up with the genius (albeit brave) idea of getting his customers to choose the wine. He’s already got his customers, affectionately known as ‘angels’ to do this back in June and aims to do it again in the autumn.
The price of getting Naked
As I explained in my article on decanter.com, Naked will stump up US$100,000 on wine at this year’s Wines of Argentina trade tasting and do the same at Wines of South Africa’s tasting in October.
He’s asking fifty of his ‘most active’ customers to attend the London event. They’ll taste 100 wines and select 10 for the list.
Customer empowerment goes further…the angels then state a price they would be prepared to pay for the selected wines against the prices set by the wineries. The wineries are online – or at the tasting – and see the price comparisons and are able to adjust their prices if they wish. If the customers don’t believe the wine is worth as much as the producer does, the producer can then reduce its price to secure a larger order – or not.
Gormley believes enfranchising the customer is all-important. ‘We have tasted with consumers and if you say Robert Parker has given it this mark or this critic said this it doesn’t mean much but the most powerful view is fellow consumers.’
Is there anybody out there?
Only 50 wines have been submitted by the Argentineans thus far and Gormley expressed surprise and disappointment the response had been lacklustre when there’s such a decent prize at stake. Come on senors and senoritas, get your Argentinean fingers out.