Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/744999
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m N o v - D e c 2 016 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 2 3 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m b o t t l e d w i n e r e p r e - sents 54.3% of global exports and sparkling wine is at 7.1% (even a s f i z z c o n t i n u e s t o s p a r k l e i n s a l e s g r o w t h ) . T h e r e 's n o duplicity in shopping for wine or grapes to sup- plement your own pro- duction; if nothing else, it's a natural develop- ment of a burgeoning global marketplace for wine. As that market grows and the number of players increases, there are efficiencies to be achieved when differing players find and hone their particu- lar strengths, each bol- stering others in the chain. B u t w i n e i s n ' t a chain or a widget. The h i s t o r y o f A m e r i c a n wine sales is replete with examples of large beverage companies that assumed making and selling wine was little different from, say, selling Pepsi. For Pepsi (or Coke or such oth- ers), it was a hard-earned lesson and they quietly retired the field. SENSE OF PLACE When we buy a bottle of wine, we like to believe we're buying something real, something authen- tic. The very basis of the Denomination of Origin sys- tem is to provide a buyer a sense of authenticity — that the wine is truly from a place. While the DO con- cept (or AOC, AOP, AVA, GI et's say you live i n t h e M i d w e s t . Yo u ' r e t r y i n g t o start a winery and you need grapes. Do you choose some unfamil- iar hybrid grapes from a local farmer? Or do y o u g o s h o p p i n g i n C a l i f o r n i a , Wa s h i n g - ton or another place that has proven grapes with familiar names like Chardonnay or Caber- net Sauvignon? I f y o u w e r e a n intrepid Midwest wine- maker, maybe it would be better to, say, learn about Valvin Muscat. It's flavorful, but it has a name that sounds part grape, part machinery. Wait, the TTB now lets you label Valvin Muscat as just plain Muscat? OK, bad example. Say it's Traminette or Ravat 34 — who the hell wants to sell a wine called Ravat 34? If you have the option of buying some Zinfandel, why would you go to the trouble of learn- ing about Ravat 34? Why find a grower who knows the first thing about growing it, and talk to 10 different neighboring wineries in the vain hope of finding someone who will share with you their yet-unreported success with Ravat 34, and then come up with a name for your wine other than Ravat 34? Perhaps you should take the easy road and buy some grapes (or even some wine) from someone else and name your wine "Cabernet Sauvignon." Now you see why wineries have so fre- quently chosen the latter course. Today, the bulk trade is growing aggressively — not only in the United States, but through- out the world. According to The Drinks Business, the bulk wine category accounts for 38.6% of global wine exports, while MIDWEST WATCH DOUG FROST Midwest wineries continue to struggle with what to grow and produce. + Midwest wineries struggle when choosing what types of wine to grow and make. + Having a sense of place is important. + Labeling laws can allow too much leeway. + It's up to the wineries to do what's right. AT A GLANCE Toto, I Have a Feeling We're Not from Kansas Anymore