Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/138003
EDITOR'S DESK 'Old' Doesn't Have to Mean Outdated Back in Ye Olde Days of the U.S. wine industry – the '70s and '80s – having an established wine brand was a great advantage in the marketplace. Wine drinkers weren't looking for up-and-comers, they wanted wines made by producers they knew they could trust – folks who'd been in the business for many years. Back then, traditional varieties – cab, chard, merlot – were the undisputed wines of choice. Much has changed since then, particularly in the last 10 years. Today there's a much greater focus in the United States on newer producers and less-common wines such as albariño, tannat and verdelho. These have become the darlings of young sommeliers looking to make an impression with their esoteric wine selections. Tim Teichgraeber covered this trend in his July-August 2012 column, "Restaurant Lists Gone Rogue." He pointed out that producers looking to place California cab or merlot on big-city wine lists were no longer being welcomed with the open arms of past decades; instead they were being sidelined in favor of more obscure offerings. What, then, would explain the continued double-digit sales growth of Livermore-based Wente Vineyards? Based on recent trends, the winery has two major strikes against it: 1) At 130 years old, it's positively ancient; and 2) It mainly produces mainstream varieties such as chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon. What's up with that? Is the company making a killing selling its wines to high-end retirement homes? 10 V I N E YARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT | July - Aug 2013 According to Karl Wente, the winery's 37-year-old head of winemaking, the brand's modern relevance has a lot to do with another factor that's hugely important to younger wine drinkers and trade buyers: authenticity. "I feel like people are coming back to brands they believe in and trust," he told me during an interview for this issue's cover story (see page 38). "I think people would rather buy from a family than a corporation." Sustainability is another buzz word in today's market. "We're 100% estate grown," Karl said. "Most people know what that means intuitively, and that it's tied back to the land. It's the sustainable philosophy we've had for 130 years of how we approach the vineyards, how we maintain the land, how we take care of the soil – all of that is on people's minds if they want to buy from socially conscious companies." And for hipsters who favor mourvèdre over merlot, Karl is experimenting with an array of interesting varieties as part of the winery's Small Lot program, created for adventurous tasting room visitors and wine club members. Even Wente's summer entertainment lineup has evolved. Along with its 27-year-old annual concert series, the winery now hosts an annual bluegrass/Americana music festival, curated by Karl. Salute! Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m