I always could count on futures
That things would look up, and they look up
Why is it so hard to find balance
Between living decent and the cold and real
-Jimmy Eat World, Futures
The next sliced bread is here. It is 2009 Bordeaux. Go elsewhere for your colloquial descriptors. There is no denying this is going to be a good one. The big boys in the industry are playing with the fates of all of the latest Cabs and Merlots sitting in barrels along the banks of the Gironde. Now is the time for the talk of futures wherein your investment in the best wines now could theoretically pay dividends when the wines actually arrive in consumer's hands in two years. Of course, there are risks to any investment, and this one has its fair share of naysayers. However, ten years ago there was a vintage considered equally as riveting, exciting, and legendary as many that had passed. Those who decided to invest in their 2000 Bordeaux futures have reaped returns many, many times greater than if they would have tossed their money at the stock market. The top fourteen wines have returned 300% on investment in the last ten years (source: Wine Spectator). So, why not buy futures in a great vintage?
Perspective, Materialism, Greed
Similar to other consumer products, wine has a release date and everything before it cannot quench your thirst while the anticipation builds. But unlike the last volume of 'Harry Potter' or the next iPhone, once you get your hands on it, you cannot enjoy it until an uncertain and undefined time wherein the bottle is ready. I remember anticipating the 2004 Brunellos with desire, and after I got my hands on them and laid them down, I pass by bottles of them without thinking twice. In this, wine is a particularly materialistic thing; having it for the sake of having it.
Mortality and Ageism
I heard someone muse that buying futures is only for the excessively wealthy and the foolish young. The former has the assets to amass purchases by the case without having to think twice, and the later does not have the experience of failed investments and reputable vintages to know any better. Of course, the foolishly young also have the opportunity to age alongside of the wines and experience their maturity.
Capital
Wine is expensive. The most expensive wines are even more expensive. Takes money to make money. Sure, the top fourteen wines of 2000 have appreciated immensely, but I would guess that one would have to have at least $50,000 to throw around to be able to pick up all of those wines in case quantities.
The Next Great Vintage
Every year brings it's all-star vintage somewhere in the world. Sure, there may not be extreme highs and lows to compliment every calendar year, but the sun usually shines the right way on someone. Phenomenal to legendary vintages have landed upon worldwide regions throughout the last decade. Bordeaux itself has produced refined and great collectible wines from 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, and soon 2009.
What of the Last Great Vintage?
Many will argue that while people throw money at the 2009's, people who are still holding onto the 2005's and 2000's will bleed them into the market at phenomenal prices. This leaves the prudent and patient wine drinker lapping up these more ready-to-drink vintages while people are saving money to pay for wines that they pretty much have to lay down for another decade or so.
Remember the Overhead
Do not forget what it costs to store and sell wine properly for investment: energy for constant temperature control, facilities for storage, shipping costs, moving expenses, and the commission or premium that the eventual buyer absorbs. This is usually not deeply considered when trying to realize the potential of any investment gain on wine.
Good vs. Great
A wonderfully generous man celebrating his 80th birthday with his fine old Bordeaux told me that buying some of the best wines on off-vintages allowed him to not have to spend all the money in the world to drink fine, mature wine throughout his life. While everyone focuses on the 2000's, 2005's, and 2009's, some of the best wines from good-not-great vintages ('01, '03, '08) will last with great quality and durability at much more reasonable prices.
Currency Flux
The economic pressures are the strongest opponent of investing in fine wine. If the economy suffers between your orders today and their arrival in two years, the wines could be released at better prices, similar prices, or become more available in the long run.
But Is This Right for ME?
If you were to tell me to pile fine wine in my cellar and ask me to walk by it every day for a few years and not taste it, I would not be entirely convinced that I could do so. I may pick up a few bottles of 2009 futures on the hope that I can get some delicious wines at prices that will not be available when the wines are released. However, asking me to mature wines for the enjoyment of someone else is not my M.O. If it is yours, there may be some money in it for you.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Bang Bang (aka Two Steps Back)
Checking in on WineSpectator.com, I ran across an unfortunate event that happened recently that may profoundly change wine shipping laws and the wine industry in general. And I'm pissed.
Give it a browse: http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show?id=42526
Also as a primer, see my article on wine shipping practices
Apparently, the National Beer Wholesalers Association prodded congress to consider legislation that will help strengthen the three tier system that prevents direct wine shipment into many states. This direction is aimed not only to set a standard for wine shipping practices, but it is also designed to set a precedent in which to squash much of the progress being made to loosen wine shipping laws. Many of the changes and challenges to the system are based upon lawsuits and court cases which would have to abide by these new standards.
So knowing that it may be a bit colloquial for any argument against legislation, I am going to start by saying there are many better things to sink our time and money into. For all of the hazardous items that one can have access to, fine wine should be the least of our concerns. In a nation where getting a gun shipped to you is easier than a bottle of Cabernet*, we need to look to where our focus and money may be better spent. This is not a political thing, left or right, it is just a simple statement that there are ways to protect the consumers' rights and there are more important and basic things that our lawmakers should be spending their time on.
*7-10 days and about $500 will get me an AK-47 shipped to my local gun dealer (http://www.thegunsource.com/Content.aspx?cKey=Buy_Guns_Online). But for all of the money in the world, I can not get wine from Hightower Cellars, a lovely husband an wife winemaking team from Washington State because they are not brought in by my local wholesaler.
Then again, one could argue that the damage done by firearms does not match up with the destruction done by alcohol. While I'm not going to look up the stats on that one, I'm also not going to deny it by any means. That being said, I really believe that fine wine is not necessarily the largest danger in that equation. Winery direct shipments probably include responsible drinkers more than any other method of acquiring booze. Shipping alcohol does not mean indiscriminate selling. Done right, it should be as particular as walking to your local package store. We have the technology to verify legal recipients and the immense responsibility to ensure legal sales by the seller; the system should be developing strengths instead of being torn down.
But the main focus here is protecting the wholesalers of the world. If wineries and wine stores cannot ship between states, the wholesaler has near absolute price control. When some people realize that they could pay less, consumers would try to shop in other markets. But given this knowledge, an enormous component of the market still accepts their prices because the trouble to price shop across state lines is immensely inconvenient and costly in itself. And a smaller percentage of fine wine buyers either do not care because they have the money for the luxury or use alternate auction markets anyways. This bill puts the screws to the casual wine enthusiast who wants to spend their money on their favourite things. If the wholesaler is not capable of providing this to them, what right do they have to prevent it from happening? Well, apparently they are in the midst of creating that very right.
Whatever your interests, this is overall an anti-competitive move to solidify the bubble that state lines enforce to control liquor, wine, and beer pricing. It is a very pointed and backhanded move by the industry leaders and it will have its casualties. I understand that Massachusetts and its antiquated notions of liquor laws would restrict shipping. But to overhaul the entire nations' wine market would a punch to the gut for wine lovers everywhere.
If I try to go much further I will start to get political and mean. But instead, I'll leave you with the idea that wine need not be a scary and unfortunate commodity. Wine should be bought and enjoyed casually, with friends and food. The information age has created more knowledgeable consumers who want to buy delicious wine. The more transparency that there is in the industry will provide for a better product to be enjoyed by more people, more often.
Give it a browse: http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show?id=42526
Also as a primer, see my article on wine shipping practices
Apparently, the National Beer Wholesalers Association prodded congress to consider legislation that will help strengthen the three tier system that prevents direct wine shipment into many states. This direction is aimed not only to set a standard for wine shipping practices, but it is also designed to set a precedent in which to squash much of the progress being made to loosen wine shipping laws. Many of the changes and challenges to the system are based upon lawsuits and court cases which would have to abide by these new standards.
So knowing that it may be a bit colloquial for any argument against legislation, I am going to start by saying there are many better things to sink our time and money into. For all of the hazardous items that one can have access to, fine wine should be the least of our concerns. In a nation where getting a gun shipped to you is easier than a bottle of Cabernet*, we need to look to where our focus and money may be better spent. This is not a political thing, left or right, it is just a simple statement that there are ways to protect the consumers' rights and there are more important and basic things that our lawmakers should be spending their time on.
*7-10 days and about $500 will get me an AK-47 shipped to my local gun dealer (http://www.thegunsource.com/Content.aspx?cKey=Buy_Guns_Online). But for all of the money in the world, I can not get wine from Hightower Cellars, a lovely husband an wife winemaking team from Washington State because they are not brought in by my local wholesaler.
Then again, one could argue that the damage done by firearms does not match up with the destruction done by alcohol. While I'm not going to look up the stats on that one, I'm also not going to deny it by any means. That being said, I really believe that fine wine is not necessarily the largest danger in that equation. Winery direct shipments probably include responsible drinkers more than any other method of acquiring booze. Shipping alcohol does not mean indiscriminate selling. Done right, it should be as particular as walking to your local package store. We have the technology to verify legal recipients and the immense responsibility to ensure legal sales by the seller; the system should be developing strengths instead of being torn down.
But the main focus here is protecting the wholesalers of the world. If wineries and wine stores cannot ship between states, the wholesaler has near absolute price control. When some people realize that they could pay less, consumers would try to shop in other markets. But given this knowledge, an enormous component of the market still accepts their prices because the trouble to price shop across state lines is immensely inconvenient and costly in itself. And a smaller percentage of fine wine buyers either do not care because they have the money for the luxury or use alternate auction markets anyways. This bill puts the screws to the casual wine enthusiast who wants to spend their money on their favourite things. If the wholesaler is not capable of providing this to them, what right do they have to prevent it from happening? Well, apparently they are in the midst of creating that very right.
Whatever your interests, this is overall an anti-competitive move to solidify the bubble that state lines enforce to control liquor, wine, and beer pricing. It is a very pointed and backhanded move by the industry leaders and it will have its casualties. I understand that Massachusetts and its antiquated notions of liquor laws would restrict shipping. But to overhaul the entire nations' wine market would a punch to the gut for wine lovers everywhere.
If I try to go much further I will start to get political and mean. But instead, I'll leave you with the idea that wine need not be a scary and unfortunate commodity. Wine should be bought and enjoyed casually, with friends and food. The information age has created more knowledgeable consumers who want to buy delicious wine. The more transparency that there is in the industry will provide for a better product to be enjoyed by more people, more often.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
A Wine that Appreciates with Youth
You do not have to like old wines better than young wines. There, I said it. Drink up!
One of the most ingrained wine truths is that old wines are better. Age does incredible things to wine, refining and changing the flavors in an ethereal process that happens uncontrollably at a minute pace. For this, older bottles appreciate and become valuable investments or keepsakes. There is an auction market that gathers the wealthy and obsessed and wrings them of dollars that could otherwise be well spent. Alongside of this is a general understanding of wine that accumulates with the drinkers' age as many people do not have the income or interest in fine wine until they have the resources later on in life. Therefore, many old wines enjoyed are not relics of patience, but are instead purchases that attach a premium to allow for the experience.
But aside from the money and the investment involved in aged wine, there is the juice itself. Nothing evolves quite like a French Bordeaux. There is really no track record that supports any other wine to match the heritage or recognition that an old bottle of Cabernet or Merlot from France can achieve. Sure, there may be more singular and unique wines in the world (see: Romanee Conti) or wines that do not provide so much satisfaction for the first few decades (see: Vintage Port), but let us take Bordeaux as a standard and basic example.
Firstly, it is interesting to note, while searching through Wine Spectator's reviews of legendary vintages (1945, 1959, 1961, 1982, 1986) there is only one 100-point wine (1961 Latour). These wines are up around 1000% from their original release prices. That being said, there are many, many 100-pointers from the 2005 vintage (nine!). All things equal, does this mean that these wines right now are better than their older counterparts?
Sure, this stat is easy to throw out with the development of modern winemaking techniques, the change in reviewers over the years, the increasing access to information, and the fact that this is one source that many will say rewards more a certain type of wine while failing to appreciate another. Still, there is something to say about the dynamically different reaction to these young wines than those of the ages.
Wine can be considered in three aromatic stages: primary, secondary, and tertiary. The primary characteristics of a wine refer to the basic varietal aspects of a grape, i.e. Nebbiolo usually reveals flavors of red fruit and violets. Secondary aspects of a wine are revealed through fermentation, barrel aging, and bottling. These are seen as the winemaker's hand in the flavor and are what is represented when the bottles leave the warehouse. Tertiary flavours are those imparted by aging gracefully throughout the years. These tertiary aromas and tastes are what people are paying the top dollar for.
Mostly, it is worth it. Only if I were so lucky to be experiencing aged wines with an endless finish that transcends description. However, these tertiary flavours do not necessarily satisfy everyone, wine enthusiast or not, to the same degree. If an incredibly delicious and complex wine is astounding in its youth, it will not necessarily communicate the same nuances for all the years to come. Sure, it allows for good odds to evolve wonderfully, but it does not mean that it will taste better to you as it expresses itself.
Again, this conversation is not arguing that younger wines are better than older wines or vis-a-versa, but more so that you can determine by your experiences and taste buds which wines you adore and what stage they are at when you do so. With the generosity of some friends, I have tried some aged Hermitage. This is a small Northern Rhone appelation known for making the best and most expensive Syrah. Although these wines carried with them the aged complexity and nuiance that one would expect from this caliber of wine, I did not like them. There is a cured meat, manure smell that is an incredible expression of grape juice, but the off-putting notes left me wishing for more of the black and blue fruit of this wine's youth.
When somebody told me they went to a dinner and did not like the 1986 Haut Brion they tried among other great younger wines, I was initially (and snobbishly) jealous and disappointed that that glass was not used instead on someone who would have understood it. But before even thinking, I replied that it there is nothing saying you have to like old wine better than the young stuff. Looking back, I'm glad that he had that glass, because it is probably a revelatory experience for this gentleman. That, in itself, is worth every drop from that bottle.
My addage stands that there is something to appreciate about any wine, and then you have to decide whether or not you like it. Aged wine is a great thing, and can often be the best of things. But there is nothing saying that you have to think it is better than a young wine. Except, of course, of all of those auction markets, cellars, reviews, articles, and mystique...
One of the most ingrained wine truths is that old wines are better. Age does incredible things to wine, refining and changing the flavors in an ethereal process that happens uncontrollably at a minute pace. For this, older bottles appreciate and become valuable investments or keepsakes. There is an auction market that gathers the wealthy and obsessed and wrings them of dollars that could otherwise be well spent. Alongside of this is a general understanding of wine that accumulates with the drinkers' age as many people do not have the income or interest in fine wine until they have the resources later on in life. Therefore, many old wines enjoyed are not relics of patience, but are instead purchases that attach a premium to allow for the experience.
But aside from the money and the investment involved in aged wine, there is the juice itself. Nothing evolves quite like a French Bordeaux. There is really no track record that supports any other wine to match the heritage or recognition that an old bottle of Cabernet or Merlot from France can achieve. Sure, there may be more singular and unique wines in the world (see: Romanee Conti) or wines that do not provide so much satisfaction for the first few decades (see: Vintage Port), but let us take Bordeaux as a standard and basic example.
Firstly, it is interesting to note, while searching through Wine Spectator's reviews of legendary vintages (1945, 1959, 1961, 1982, 1986) there is only one 100-point wine (1961 Latour). These wines are up around 1000% from their original release prices. That being said, there are many, many 100-pointers from the 2005 vintage (nine!). All things equal, does this mean that these wines right now are better than their older counterparts?
Sure, this stat is easy to throw out with the development of modern winemaking techniques, the change in reviewers over the years, the increasing access to information, and the fact that this is one source that many will say rewards more a certain type of wine while failing to appreciate another. Still, there is something to say about the dynamically different reaction to these young wines than those of the ages.
Wine can be considered in three aromatic stages: primary, secondary, and tertiary. The primary characteristics of a wine refer to the basic varietal aspects of a grape, i.e. Nebbiolo usually reveals flavors of red fruit and violets. Secondary aspects of a wine are revealed through fermentation, barrel aging, and bottling. These are seen as the winemaker's hand in the flavor and are what is represented when the bottles leave the warehouse. Tertiary flavours are those imparted by aging gracefully throughout the years. These tertiary aromas and tastes are what people are paying the top dollar for.
Mostly, it is worth it. Only if I were so lucky to be experiencing aged wines with an endless finish that transcends description. However, these tertiary flavours do not necessarily satisfy everyone, wine enthusiast or not, to the same degree. If an incredibly delicious and complex wine is astounding in its youth, it will not necessarily communicate the same nuances for all the years to come. Sure, it allows for good odds to evolve wonderfully, but it does not mean that it will taste better to you as it expresses itself.
Again, this conversation is not arguing that younger wines are better than older wines or vis-a-versa, but more so that you can determine by your experiences and taste buds which wines you adore and what stage they are at when you do so. With the generosity of some friends, I have tried some aged Hermitage. This is a small Northern Rhone appelation known for making the best and most expensive Syrah. Although these wines carried with them the aged complexity and nuiance that one would expect from this caliber of wine, I did not like them. There is a cured meat, manure smell that is an incredible expression of grape juice, but the off-putting notes left me wishing for more of the black and blue fruit of this wine's youth.
When somebody told me they went to a dinner and did not like the 1986 Haut Brion they tried among other great younger wines, I was initially (and snobbishly) jealous and disappointed that that glass was not used instead on someone who would have understood it. But before even thinking, I replied that it there is nothing saying you have to like old wine better than the young stuff. Looking back, I'm glad that he had that glass, because it is probably a revelatory experience for this gentleman. That, in itself, is worth every drop from that bottle.
My addage stands that there is something to appreciate about any wine, and then you have to decide whether or not you like it. Aged wine is a great thing, and can often be the best of things. But there is nothing saying that you have to think it is better than a young wine. Except, of course, of all of those auction markets, cellars, reviews, articles, and mystique...
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Wine...making...
I had the fortune of talking recently with a renowned winemaker who impressed on me how slow the wine making process is. He said, "Imagine that you make wine from when you're 25 until you are 70 years old. That is forty-five chances to get it right. And you do not have control over all of the variables either."
Add that to the fact that when you prune vines for the next harvest, the process is not done until bottles arrive in customer's hands around three years later. Sure, you're keeping busy during that time, but the satisfaction of a job well done is a long ways away. And if you make a wine that is not to a drinker's liking, for whatever reason, that was three years of your most diligent efforts that have fallen short. This is a very crucial thought to wrap your mind about next time you decide to harshly criticize a wine.
Although I would never entirely deprive anybody of their right to honestly evaluate and criticize any particular wine, it leads me to question how fairly or accurately one can comment on a wine when they have never experienced the wine making process.
During this same conversation, when I asked the winemaker how I could possibly prepare myself for an experience as tumultuous as making wine, he said that it is definitely not found in a book. "Sure, there are particulars about what one does every month, or at every step, but knowing what happens does not compare to doing it." He also mentioned that the best way to get ready to make wine was to learn how to use a forklift and have some conversational Spanish.
It is a similar dichotomy in most industries where the act of doing can be intensely revealing compared to the relative study of the process. Unfortunately, the study and experience of wine in its many forms (tasting, reading, collecting) does not communicate what winemaking is actually like.
Just like any luxurious craft, the handiwork is not a pretty or easy process. It is a detailed journey of slow and meticulous parts that one hopes are appreciated when the project is complete. And like other pieces of craftsmanship, the product that one puts their intense focus and attention towards is released once complete. In the buyer's hands, it is then scrutinized at will.
Hopefully, one who knows what it takes to make such things will see the details that others will not. I envy those who have amassed the experience that makes all wines as transparent as if they were making them. Additionally, those who can separate preference from analysis achieve a crucial and difficult goal when assessing wines. And even though it is not necessary to partake in the production side of the industry to fully enjoy wine, I will still continue to feel humbled and under-qualified concerning my knowledge of the details of wine until I can say that I have made it myself.
I hope someday you'll raise a glass of my wine. Just be kind when you do. And be patient, because it will take a long while...
Add that to the fact that when you prune vines for the next harvest, the process is not done until bottles arrive in customer's hands around three years later. Sure, you're keeping busy during that time, but the satisfaction of a job well done is a long ways away. And if you make a wine that is not to a drinker's liking, for whatever reason, that was three years of your most diligent efforts that have fallen short. This is a very crucial thought to wrap your mind about next time you decide to harshly criticize a wine.
Although I would never entirely deprive anybody of their right to honestly evaluate and criticize any particular wine, it leads me to question how fairly or accurately one can comment on a wine when they have never experienced the wine making process.
During this same conversation, when I asked the winemaker how I could possibly prepare myself for an experience as tumultuous as making wine, he said that it is definitely not found in a book. "Sure, there are particulars about what one does every month, or at every step, but knowing what happens does not compare to doing it." He also mentioned that the best way to get ready to make wine was to learn how to use a forklift and have some conversational Spanish.
It is a similar dichotomy in most industries where the act of doing can be intensely revealing compared to the relative study of the process. Unfortunately, the study and experience of wine in its many forms (tasting, reading, collecting) does not communicate what winemaking is actually like.
Just like any luxurious craft, the handiwork is not a pretty or easy process. It is a detailed journey of slow and meticulous parts that one hopes are appreciated when the project is complete. And like other pieces of craftsmanship, the product that one puts their intense focus and attention towards is released once complete. In the buyer's hands, it is then scrutinized at will.
Hopefully, one who knows what it takes to make such things will see the details that others will not. I envy those who have amassed the experience that makes all wines as transparent as if they were making them. Additionally, those who can separate preference from analysis achieve a crucial and difficult goal when assessing wines. And even though it is not necessary to partake in the production side of the industry to fully enjoy wine, I will still continue to feel humbled and under-qualified concerning my knowledge of the details of wine until I can say that I have made it myself.
I hope someday you'll raise a glass of my wine. Just be kind when you do. And be patient, because it will take a long while...
Monday, March 8, 2010
Wine Snobism
I have often joked with friends, family, and strangers that my wine geekdom spills over into snobbishness. Being a 'wine snob' has become a friendly colloquial term for someone who knows a lot about wine in a world where the converse is usually the norm. It is also a hobby or profession that involves excess and luxury, therefore allowing for the correlation between basic knowledge and elitism. Therefore, while the playful term 'wine snob' is thrown around, there is a deeper seeded understanding and resentment of the culture of wine that does not attract the average consumer to become involved in wine.
Like knowing what kind of private jet or stretch limo is your favorite to ride in, having a sweet spot for aged Bordeaux or vintage Champagne is not exactly a casual relationship. There is a serious financial investment required to have these things be a regular part of your life as opposed to a once in a lifetime experience. But it is not just expensive, it is an expense that is auxiliary to other finer things. It is very difficult for the casual or limited wine drinker to reconcile this reality.
However, desire is a spice of life and it keeps many of us spending a bit more on the next bottle than the last, drooling over the unobtainable wines of which some have the privilege to amass collections. Wine lovers all over the world find their sweet spot, from picking out one bottle a week to piling up cases of Grand Crus. So where do you reconcile your place in the wine world and converse with all of the other wine drinkers and their interpretation of the beverage?
In my experience, it comes down to being honest with what you are passionate about while being completely grounded in what it feels like to not know anything about wine. For the former, it is never wrong to really embrace any style of winemaking. While some may say that over-oaked California chardonnays or high-alcohol Southern Hemisphere reds can never really match the finest wines in the world, they also cannot tell you that you do not enjoy them. And for the later, the most vital part of any enthusiast should be knowing how to describe a wine in the simplest terms to communicate their passion to anybody.
The finest wines in the world are so because they have a history of producing the greatest product, year after year. However, they may not be a part of some wine lovers' reality when the cost is so extravagant. And if they are not worth the cost, how great are they really? My guess is that they are great for a small few, and not relevant to the thirsty many.
All of that being said, I find myself in a precarious position. I often drink good wine, probably nicer stuff than most people will ever taste in their lives. No, I do not spend extraordinary sums on piles of wine that I will never touch, but I will collect fine wines that most people will not consider. And we are not talking Grand Crus or First Growths, but really nice wines that age well and fall in the $30-$100 range. So how do I reconcile my fine wine passion with staying grounded in the world of wine snobs?
Firstly, I aspire to fine something to appreciate about any wine that I taste. From boxed wine to two buck chuck, I try to reconcile the product with the market, and put myself in a mindset that allows me to find the good or appeal in any bottle. I do not have to like everything, but I try to understand it.
Second, I never discount the ability of any region or winery to produce a world-class wine. When people look down their noses at certain winemakers or styles of wine, they are selling short the producers' effort and creating a hierarchy on the acceptable realm of wine. Having favorites is completely understandable, but rejecting the quality and techniques of a region as a whole is a complete prejudice that can be insulting to others' preferences.
And lastly, if there are only certain types of good wine, then the individual's ability to have a unique experience is stripped. Wine is, after all, an undeniable individual sensory episode and is only relative to a singular person at a specific moment. In other words, there is nobody who can tell you what you taste; it is a irrefutable flavor that connects with you however you decide it does.
Wine can easily be intimidating. Unfortunately there is a culture that propagates this. I am happy to dub myself a 'wine snob' because I hope I can be humble and grounded enough to use this as an opening to begin a informative or fun conversation on the topic. However, it is very hard to get deep into wine and reconcile that excitement with the average wine drinker. This is the key to a conversation that will help everybody find the bottle that leads them to discover the next great thing about wine. I hope that I can help as many people as possible make this step, and that my fellow professionals will have the same candid goal.
Like knowing what kind of private jet or stretch limo is your favorite to ride in, having a sweet spot for aged Bordeaux or vintage Champagne is not exactly a casual relationship. There is a serious financial investment required to have these things be a regular part of your life as opposed to a once in a lifetime experience. But it is not just expensive, it is an expense that is auxiliary to other finer things. It is very difficult for the casual or limited wine drinker to reconcile this reality.
However, desire is a spice of life and it keeps many of us spending a bit more on the next bottle than the last, drooling over the unobtainable wines of which some have the privilege to amass collections. Wine lovers all over the world find their sweet spot, from picking out one bottle a week to piling up cases of Grand Crus. So where do you reconcile your place in the wine world and converse with all of the other wine drinkers and their interpretation of the beverage?
In my experience, it comes down to being honest with what you are passionate about while being completely grounded in what it feels like to not know anything about wine. For the former, it is never wrong to really embrace any style of winemaking. While some may say that over-oaked California chardonnays or high-alcohol Southern Hemisphere reds can never really match the finest wines in the world, they also cannot tell you that you do not enjoy them. And for the later, the most vital part of any enthusiast should be knowing how to describe a wine in the simplest terms to communicate their passion to anybody.
The finest wines in the world are so because they have a history of producing the greatest product, year after year. However, they may not be a part of some wine lovers' reality when the cost is so extravagant. And if they are not worth the cost, how great are they really? My guess is that they are great for a small few, and not relevant to the thirsty many.
All of that being said, I find myself in a precarious position. I often drink good wine, probably nicer stuff than most people will ever taste in their lives. No, I do not spend extraordinary sums on piles of wine that I will never touch, but I will collect fine wines that most people will not consider. And we are not talking Grand Crus or First Growths, but really nice wines that age well and fall in the $30-$100 range. So how do I reconcile my fine wine passion with staying grounded in the world of wine snobs?
Firstly, I aspire to fine something to appreciate about any wine that I taste. From boxed wine to two buck chuck, I try to reconcile the product with the market, and put myself in a mindset that allows me to find the good or appeal in any bottle. I do not have to like everything, but I try to understand it.
Second, I never discount the ability of any region or winery to produce a world-class wine. When people look down their noses at certain winemakers or styles of wine, they are selling short the producers' effort and creating a hierarchy on the acceptable realm of wine. Having favorites is completely understandable, but rejecting the quality and techniques of a region as a whole is a complete prejudice that can be insulting to others' preferences.
And lastly, if there are only certain types of good wine, then the individual's ability to have a unique experience is stripped. Wine is, after all, an undeniable individual sensory episode and is only relative to a singular person at a specific moment. In other words, there is nobody who can tell you what you taste; it is a irrefutable flavor that connects with you however you decide it does.
Wine can easily be intimidating. Unfortunately there is a culture that propagates this. I am happy to dub myself a 'wine snob' because I hope I can be humble and grounded enough to use this as an opening to begin a informative or fun conversation on the topic. However, it is very hard to get deep into wine and reconcile that excitement with the average wine drinker. This is the key to a conversation that will help everybody find the bottle that leads them to discover the next great thing about wine. I hope that I can help as many people as possible make this step, and that my fellow professionals will have the same candid goal.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Breaking Laws, Shipping Wine
"I love my fed-ex guy cause he's a drug dealer and he doesn't even know it...and he's always on time." -Mitch Hedberg
Of all of the things that are sent through the mail, it is hard to get a clear understanding of why I cannot get wine shipped to me legally in Massachusetts. It seems like it could be an antiquated notion that is used to protect an outlet for underage drinking. However, a UPS driver can check an ID as well as a bartender. So what else could be the biggest threat of me ordering my wine online? Unfortunately, the laws are put in place to protect the high prices of a three tier supply chain in the disguise of promoting local wineries. Here are the basic facts:
-A winery cannot directly ship to Massachusetts if their production is over 30,000-gallons. This is around 12,000 cases, eliminating most wineries. Fortunately, this is above what any Massachusetts winery produces. Unfortunately, there are very few inspiring wineries in the state.
-Furthermore, if any winery is represented in Massachusetts by a distributor within the last six months, they are not allowed to ship directly. This leaves the distributor with almost complete price control because it isolates the consumer.
-FedEx and UPS have to acquire special licenses to carry alcohol and they do not pursue it. Recent laws have been passed to turn the tides, but there still is no carrier that will accept this responsibility.
-Massachusetts has a limit of wine that can be bought by any particular individual. The burden of keeping track of this is put on the winery. Therefore, each winery has to track how much wine any person has bought from not only them, but any other winery.
It is in the interest of the industry to uphold these laws. While as a consumer I am not looking to get wine from a winery direct, I am looking to get wine that I cannot find easily here or wine that is priced too high to justify it. Therefore, if I followed the laws, I would have to pay Massachusetts prices or not have the wine at all. Screw that.
I have built a collection of wine here in Massachusetts at prices that are well under, sometimes half of the price, as I find them locally. I even have had the ability to buy wholesale and not paid prices that are as good as these web-based stores can offer. And no, these are not sketchy, back-alley websites or second hand screwballs. These are direct importers, industry professionals who have developed relationships with the wineries, and sellers who can work with serious volume and move product. They are accessible, organized warehouses-turned-websites that set a high standard for service and value. (I will mention here that wine.com does indeed ship within the state because they have local warehouses. They also have Massachusetts prices.)
I will not name any of these websites; because although many thanks are due, my stories would offer more damage than it is worth. I have purchased Italian collectibles at $60 less than they are put on the shelf for, and some '05 Bordeaux that is about $50 more on the wholesale book. Sure, I am a ruthless bargain hunter, but my resistance has definitely been rewarding. Even tack on shipping and the prices locally are still not reasonable.
Here are some experiences and tips that have allowed me to receive wine from out of state:
-My first online wine purchase got bounced back to the seller as soon as it his state lines. I got in touch with the company and asked what happened. He told me not to worry about it and that I would have my wine in two days. Sure enough, two days later there was a package on my doorstep labeled "Fragile Artwork."
-Call the store you are looking to purchase from. Often they have worked with customers in your state and will work with you to find a method to get the product to you. Very often, their desire to take care of their customers will be motive enough for them to ship, one way or another.
-If you know somebody that works at or owns a restaurant, often they can receive wine easier because of their liquor license. This seems to ease the burden on FedEx and UPS, although it is technically still wrapped in the same issues as delivering to a home.
-Have a relative that lives across state lines.
-Set up a shipping account with UPS or FedEx so that you are taking more of the legal burden than the store who is sending it.
These laws and the methods to circumvent them are an unfortunate arrangement. Consider this: I have had a friend order three bottles of absinthe from Denmark and have UPS leave the package on their doorstep. While lawmakers are spending our money fighting this battle and consumers are spending their money overpaying, little Johnny can hop on his computer and get international booze shipped without any questions.
It seems like the most rational thing to do would be refining the shipping and receiving policies so that alcohol is delivered in a safe manner and is taxed in a proper way. This would be a big victory for the consumer, but it would be a big loss for the wholesalers. The distribution companies have been protected for a long time and have been naming their own prices. This has become transparent with our new era of instant information. I think it is time to let me buy my wine. Or move.
Of all of the things that are sent through the mail, it is hard to get a clear understanding of why I cannot get wine shipped to me legally in Massachusetts. It seems like it could be an antiquated notion that is used to protect an outlet for underage drinking. However, a UPS driver can check an ID as well as a bartender. So what else could be the biggest threat of me ordering my wine online? Unfortunately, the laws are put in place to protect the high prices of a three tier supply chain in the disguise of promoting local wineries. Here are the basic facts:
-A winery cannot directly ship to Massachusetts if their production is over 30,000-gallons. This is around 12,000 cases, eliminating most wineries. Fortunately, this is above what any Massachusetts winery produces. Unfortunately, there are very few inspiring wineries in the state.
-Furthermore, if any winery is represented in Massachusetts by a distributor within the last six months, they are not allowed to ship directly. This leaves the distributor with almost complete price control because it isolates the consumer.
-FedEx and UPS have to acquire special licenses to carry alcohol and they do not pursue it. Recent laws have been passed to turn the tides, but there still is no carrier that will accept this responsibility.
-Massachusetts has a limit of wine that can be bought by any particular individual. The burden of keeping track of this is put on the winery. Therefore, each winery has to track how much wine any person has bought from not only them, but any other winery.
It is in the interest of the industry to uphold these laws. While as a consumer I am not looking to get wine from a winery direct, I am looking to get wine that I cannot find easily here or wine that is priced too high to justify it. Therefore, if I followed the laws, I would have to pay Massachusetts prices or not have the wine at all. Screw that.
I have built a collection of wine here in Massachusetts at prices that are well under, sometimes half of the price, as I find them locally. I even have had the ability to buy wholesale and not paid prices that are as good as these web-based stores can offer. And no, these are not sketchy, back-alley websites or second hand screwballs. These are direct importers, industry professionals who have developed relationships with the wineries, and sellers who can work with serious volume and move product. They are accessible, organized warehouses-turned-websites that set a high standard for service and value. (I will mention here that wine.com does indeed ship within the state because they have local warehouses. They also have Massachusetts prices.)
I will not name any of these websites; because although many thanks are due, my stories would offer more damage than it is worth. I have purchased Italian collectibles at $60 less than they are put on the shelf for, and some '05 Bordeaux that is about $50 more on the wholesale book. Sure, I am a ruthless bargain hunter, but my resistance has definitely been rewarding. Even tack on shipping and the prices locally are still not reasonable.
Here are some experiences and tips that have allowed me to receive wine from out of state:
-My first online wine purchase got bounced back to the seller as soon as it his state lines. I got in touch with the company and asked what happened. He told me not to worry about it and that I would have my wine in two days. Sure enough, two days later there was a package on my doorstep labeled "Fragile Artwork."
-Call the store you are looking to purchase from. Often they have worked with customers in your state and will work with you to find a method to get the product to you. Very often, their desire to take care of their customers will be motive enough for them to ship, one way or another.
-If you know somebody that works at or owns a restaurant, often they can receive wine easier because of their liquor license. This seems to ease the burden on FedEx and UPS, although it is technically still wrapped in the same issues as delivering to a home.
-Have a relative that lives across state lines.
-Set up a shipping account with UPS or FedEx so that you are taking more of the legal burden than the store who is sending it.
These laws and the methods to circumvent them are an unfortunate arrangement. Consider this: I have had a friend order three bottles of absinthe from Denmark and have UPS leave the package on their doorstep. While lawmakers are spending our money fighting this battle and consumers are spending their money overpaying, little Johnny can hop on his computer and get international booze shipped without any questions.
It seems like the most rational thing to do would be refining the shipping and receiving policies so that alcohol is delivered in a safe manner and is taxed in a proper way. This would be a big victory for the consumer, but it would be a big loss for the wholesalers. The distribution companies have been protected for a long time and have been naming their own prices. This has become transparent with our new era of instant information. I think it is time to let me buy my wine. Or move.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Cup of Flaws
I like caffeine. It is an integral part of my day. Given the choice, I will try to find myself in front of a two-shot, 5-oz traditional cappuccino every day. And often wash it down with a single espresso. This is partially a luxury culinary experience while it is also an energy boost to kick off the day. However, lacking a $5000 professional grade espresso machine and the $1500 grinder to make it work at home, I have few options to get my fix.
Around Boston, I would argue that there are five shops that can pull a good espresso. Five! And no, none are in the North End. Stylistically, the shops are pulling different expressions of espresso from a variety of roasters. Also, as a trend and not a necessity, all of these shops happen to focus on coffee with every else being auxiliary. Furthermore, there are only one and a half of these shops can texture milk well. Among the hundreds of capable espresso machines that are weighing down counters all over the city, five are using them well.
This is one of the top ten metropolitan cities; and maybe not boasting the biggest population, Boston is still crowded as hell. As egocentric as Bostonians can often feel, they are consistently playing catch-up in the finer points of the beverage industry. Some that are humble enough to admit it are really taking strides to do something new and innovative. On the other side are trendy, big money hot-spots that make the same mistakes but dress them up with a team of publicists and, I don't know, let's say cupcakes.
A big, fat example of this is that the 'Best of Boston' Coffee Shop serves espresso in the wrong cup and loads pre-ground coffee into the grinder. Wrong cup I can handle, but even the most novice of coffee drinker will have an inkling that grinding coffee freshly makes all the difference in the world. Espresso is built to show intense flavours but also expose flaws. For a sample of this, go to Starbucks and get an espresso for a demitasse cup full of flaws: over-roasted, bitter, smoky, dry, over-extracted, hot, dirty espresso like liquids. They do, however, know well enough to grind the coffee right before brewing it.
Some people are calling the new prevalence of sweet, delicious espresso part of the Third Wave of Coffee. This is in the perspective that the first wave is the Folger's generation, and the next being the Starbucks mall coffee. Folger's represented anonymous coffee of similar poor quality that went unchallenged. The second wave of Mall Coffee begin to focus on milk drinks ordered by the unit (size, milk, flavour shots, type) as well as a small presence of specialty coffee. Although this made coffee better, there was a lack of focus on flavour and origin that you get with, oh, let's say wine.
The Third Wave of Coffee is a focus that has developed in the last few years on a concentration of the greater culinary aspects of coffee including flavour, origin, and respect and reverence for those who produce the best quality product (now that 'quality' is part of the language). It is being supported with the appropriate technology to produce the premium expression of the bean. Only in the last twenty or less years have baristas really understood all of the intricate factors and effects that go into the perfect shot of espresso.
This developing knowledge and language has produced a new momentum for a spectacular coffee culture. Imagine perspective altering shots of espresso being the norm or bitter coffee being shunned. However, asking for something this good and precise to be commonplace is probably as foolish as going to McDonalds and ordering Foie Gras. Sorry to be so cynical, but this is the country that tries to absorb the best of everything around the world, bastardize it for convenience, and use that mutation as the standard.
There is a great and small voice promoting the best coffee and espresso in the world. However, it is specialty, and by nature that means that it will have to continue to be scarce. Following this reasoning, I guess I should consider myself fortunate to be within driving distance of five dedicated coffee shops. Otherwise I will do what any other passionate consumer with a cause does: I will strive to educate, provide a language and a forum to develop a perspective, respect the alternative, and use my choices to exemplify my focus.
Around Boston, I would argue that there are five shops that can pull a good espresso. Five! And no, none are in the North End. Stylistically, the shops are pulling different expressions of espresso from a variety of roasters. Also, as a trend and not a necessity, all of these shops happen to focus on coffee with every else being auxiliary. Furthermore, there are only one and a half of these shops can texture milk well. Among the hundreds of capable espresso machines that are weighing down counters all over the city, five are using them well.
This is one of the top ten metropolitan cities; and maybe not boasting the biggest population, Boston is still crowded as hell. As egocentric as Bostonians can often feel, they are consistently playing catch-up in the finer points of the beverage industry. Some that are humble enough to admit it are really taking strides to do something new and innovative. On the other side are trendy, big money hot-spots that make the same mistakes but dress them up with a team of publicists and, I don't know, let's say cupcakes.
A big, fat example of this is that the 'Best of Boston' Coffee Shop serves espresso in the wrong cup and loads pre-ground coffee into the grinder. Wrong cup I can handle, but even the most novice of coffee drinker will have an inkling that grinding coffee freshly makes all the difference in the world. Espresso is built to show intense flavours but also expose flaws. For a sample of this, go to Starbucks and get an espresso for a demitasse cup full of flaws: over-roasted, bitter, smoky, dry, over-extracted, hot, dirty espresso like liquids. They do, however, know well enough to grind the coffee right before brewing it.
Some people are calling the new prevalence of sweet, delicious espresso part of the Third Wave of Coffee. This is in the perspective that the first wave is the Folger's generation, and the next being the Starbucks mall coffee. Folger's represented anonymous coffee of similar poor quality that went unchallenged. The second wave of Mall Coffee begin to focus on milk drinks ordered by the unit (size, milk, flavour shots, type) as well as a small presence of specialty coffee. Although this made coffee better, there was a lack of focus on flavour and origin that you get with, oh, let's say wine.
The Third Wave of Coffee is a focus that has developed in the last few years on a concentration of the greater culinary aspects of coffee including flavour, origin, and respect and reverence for those who produce the best quality product (now that 'quality' is part of the language). It is being supported with the appropriate technology to produce the premium expression of the bean. Only in the last twenty or less years have baristas really understood all of the intricate factors and effects that go into the perfect shot of espresso.
This developing knowledge and language has produced a new momentum for a spectacular coffee culture. Imagine perspective altering shots of espresso being the norm or bitter coffee being shunned. However, asking for something this good and precise to be commonplace is probably as foolish as going to McDonalds and ordering Foie Gras. Sorry to be so cynical, but this is the country that tries to absorb the best of everything around the world, bastardize it for convenience, and use that mutation as the standard.
There is a great and small voice promoting the best coffee and espresso in the world. However, it is specialty, and by nature that means that it will have to continue to be scarce. Following this reasoning, I guess I should consider myself fortunate to be within driving distance of five dedicated coffee shops. Otherwise I will do what any other passionate consumer with a cause does: I will strive to educate, provide a language and a forum to develop a perspective, respect the alternative, and use my choices to exemplify my focus.
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