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MARKET WATCH TIM TEICHGRAEBER tend to sell to those in their late 30s to early 50s," he said. "The new generation of sweeter, affordable reds is being sold to young, new wine drinkers, and a slightly older set, late 60s and up. They're looking for something 'smooth and easy to drink,' but still won't admit to liking sweetness or residual sugar. "I don't think the younger set really sees (red blends) as more interesting (than varietal wines), but as something they find palatable until they move up to the next step," added Kugel. If it tastes good, drink it. They are fun and often appropriate to pair with different foods, especially as people are becoming more adventurous in the kitchen." SPOONFUL OF SUGAR Which brings us back to the ageold adage that Americans talk dry but drink sweet when it comes to wine. It seems that the U.S. wine industry has figured out the latest way to deliver what consumers really want: a slightly sweet red wine with approachability and tons of flavor. As much as there will always be a place for wines with finesse and that show terroir, there will also always be a place for affordable wines that simple "taste good." I also spoke with Bill Leigon, for- mer president of Hahn Family Wines, creator of the Rex Goliath brand and current president of Napa-based Jamieson Ranch Vineyards/Reata, which makes Whiplash Red, a hot brand in the $10-$15 category. Leigon and his longtime consultant, Barry Gnekow, are indisputable experts at making wines that "taste good." They have millions of cases in sales and a trunkful of medals to prove it. (See our "pop wines" cover story on page 36 for Leigon's views on marketing-driven wines.) For Leigon, many of the trendy red blends have one thing in common: "They're sweet. (These blends) are sweet, without being overly sweet," he said. "Most of them are anywhere from 5 to 9 grams of residual sugar per liter, or just above the threshold of sweetness. I think the flavor profile drives a lot of it. Historically, sweet wines sell. In all of the focus groups, people don't know what red blends are. They're confusing to (consumers), but you look over here, and they're selling the heck out of them. When I first got into the business, we used to say that Americans like to talk dry and drink sweet. And they do." Reata winery dropped its Whiplash chardonnay to focus on its successful red blend. Sweet reds have also been a hot category, but it's notable that the "sweet red wine" category tracked by Nielsen only includes wines labeled as sweet, as I noted in my previous column (NovemberDecember 2013). The "red blend" category also includes trending wines that much of the industry understands to be subtly sweet, yet which are not included in the "sweet red wine" category. They aren't marketed as "sweet," but the sweetness is obviously something that also ties the "red blend" and "sweet red" categories together. What I'm seeing is a parallel trend of explicitly sweet wines and subtly sweet red blends dis- The "In-bottle" wine aerator The Oxyvino aerator is inserted into wine bottles after filling and before capping. Key Benefits Brings a unique wine tasting experience to all consumers Opportunity to strengthen consumer loyalty Increases brand recognition Potential market share increase Features Each wine bottle has its own built-in low cost aerator Meets all requirements for wine contact Oxyvino is available for all screw cap wine bottles For more information, please contact Tito Romero Toll Free: 855-Oxyvino (855-699-8466) Cell: 514-916-8115 email: TYRomero@Oxyvino.com w w w. v w m m e d i a.com Oxyvino.com J a n - Feb 2014 | V INE YA RD & W INE RY M A N A G EM EN T 23