Paul Mabray: wine’s biggest problem? Consumers don’t care about wine

The Buyer ^ | 21 Aug 2019 | Richard Siddle

[goodnesswins]

Well, that was interesting...

[SES1066]

... fine wines from California ...

Just found "Bottle Shock" (2008) as a free movie on Amazon Prime. Starring the late, great Alan Rickman, a wonderful story on the French competition of French & Napa Valley wines (1975) that came back with California winning both the white & red categories. A fun watch!

[FalloutShelterGirl]

Just found "Bottle Shock" (2008) as a free movie on Amazon Prime

The book it was based on is really a great read as well - the movie kind of condensed pieces of it into a story. I forget the name of the book, however. But it shouldn't be hard to find.

[oldvirginian]

No, never tried it.

Orina de Gato Negro Caliente.
Does have a ring to it though.

[CatoRenasci]

Understood. I like some Rhone wines very much, but if you held a tastevin to my head and said you must choose, red Rhones would be a ways down the list. At the top would be Burgundy (though it has become absolutely prohibitively expensive even at village level AOCs) at ages 8+, then equally classified Bordeaux and equivalent California Cabernet/Cabernet blends at ages 15+, then Barolo at age 20+, and then the Rhones - Hermitage at at least 15 and Cote Rotie at 10+.

I recognize mine is not a typical modern palate, but I'm an old fart and was trained by guys who were old when I was young. Most of the were graduates of Conegliano around the beginning of the 20th century, and all were active as winemakers in California before Prohibition.

[CatoRenasci]

It was a fun movie - I knew (or have met at least) most of the real people involved in that exercise. I’ve been a fan of Chateau Montelena since its revival. I remember when they had the problem with the cloudiness in the Chardonnay...

[CatoRenasci]

I still have a bottle or two of the 1978 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon in my cellar. Reminding me of the film reminds me I should really drink them up - the wine peaked a few years ago at a little over 35 and I do want to have them before it falls apart.

[Romulus]

I’d be glad to drink any of those with you, but hope you’d be buying! ;-)

I recently inherited a 1960 vintage port from from my late father-in-law. It has minimal ullage (barely below the bottom of the neck), so I have great hope of its giving pleasure when we open it at Thanksgiving this year. Picked up some tawnies and LBVs in case it’s a bust.

[Max in Utah]

My wife’s favorite wine is Barefoot (white) Moscato, which is fruity, sweet and on the lighter side. I’ve never been a fan of wine but this stuff is pretty tasty (and not expensive).

[Rebelbase]

Australian Shiraz is pretty good.

[Rebelbase]

“They will often buy the same wine over and over because it’s Safe”

Second biggest bummer is spending $10-15 on a bottle of wine I’ve never tried before and find out it’s terrible.

First biggest bummer was being a kid, saving money for a new record album buying it and finding out it sucked.

[Vision]

I didn’t care for wine until I started spending more for it.

[x]

It's sort of like saying "Most consumers don't care about potatoes." Sure, we don't have a passionate relationship with potatoes and don't think of ourselves as connoisseurs, but who doesn't like a baked potato or french fries?

The problem is expecting wine or potatoes to be more important to people than they realistically can be.Wine is like beer. It's functional. You drink it to be sociable, to get a buzz on, or just to get to sleep.

Some people have the idea that wine ought to be marketed as a luxury good, or even as an experience. There will always be people who feel that way, but most consumers don't.

Is any of that new or surprising?

[wardaddy]

Good wine is actually quite a feat

The rest is just fortified or blended swill

Too bad booze is such dark road for so many

It’s destroyed my family

I say it....booze in the hands of some people....and it’s not an insignificant percentage

I’ll never even drink socially

I detest a drunk

[aspasia]

Expensive Wine, Cheap Wine

[aspasia]

The diamond industry is harming itself . . .

[aspasia]

For the thrifty, I concur.

[Polynikes]

MMMMM...MMMMMH..... Mad Dog 20/20. Jump buildings with single bound after that stuff

A guy I used to work with said when he was in the merchant Marine him and buddy had shore leave in San Pedro. They were
approached by a vagrant (read alcoholic bum) begging for money. They initially brushed him off but the bum persisted claiming he needed money to eat.

The guy telling me this said his buddy told the bum you just want something to drink. The bum said “well yeah that's right” so they took him to a liquor store and bought him 6 gallons of the cheapest high octane swill they could find

The vagrant was now a millionaire in his word and walked off happily carrying his score in a box, right down to a local park.

Awhile later a San Pedro cop pulled up and angrily demanded to know if they bought some wine for a panhandler. He read them the riot act and threatened to tune them up and arrest them if they did it again.

Turns out the guy went to a park and a lot of his new found friends showed up and they all started to drinking and getting rowdy then fighting. The cops showed up and a mini riot ensued with the cops running a bunch of the wino's in. Complete with them puking and sh***ng all over them selves in the back some of the PD’s cars. OOPS.