Are you "overwhlemed"?

You may have seen one of the fairly recent articles written on the Project Genome wine study arranged by Constellation Wines, U.S.. As far as I can tell, the goals of the project are: first, help retailers and restaurateurs understand where wine consumers are coming from (you know, in terms of their head space or gut when they go to make a purchase); and second, use that information to make their wine-buying experience a bit more user-friendly. I like the idea... in theory. The initial study (of two) considered what motivated (3500) wine consumers. The researchers were able to group folks into one of six categories: Enthusiasts (12%); Satisfied Sippers (14%); Savvy Shoppers (15%); Traditionalists (16%); Image-Seekers (20%); and Overwhelmed (23%).

I am dying to know what questions they asked and how they came up with these various categories et. al.. I'm also curious how consumers who aren't thinking about wine 24-7 feel about them (hence my post!). For me, they don't really work, both in terms of myself and in terms of the folks I chat with at the shop and during my tastings.

Nevertheless, a lot of hoopla has resulted because the largest consumer group (23%) fell into the "overwhelmed" category. These folks are said to be those that like to drink wine but rely on information readily available when they go to make their purchase. If no such information is available - in print or through a knowledgeable store clerk/sommelier/waiter - they get flustered and flee.

It seems everyone (in the media) is talking about using this 23% to leverage some kind of revolution in wine accessibility. The idea is that if we (in the industry) tell you what a wine is going to taste like, you'll be a happier, more savvy shopper. In theory, they may be on to something. But my experience tells me that you can't just tell someone what a wine will taste like, in person or on a shelf-talker or by giving it 90+ points. Wine is history. Wine is local culture, flavors, cuisine, terroir, and varietals. Wine is an art. And, wine is a very personal, individual experience. That's what makes it special.

As Alice Feiring says, otherwise "wine would be another beverage, a soft drink, something you could flick a switch and come out of a faucet."

My advice? If you're new to this game or stuck in a rut or find yourself overwhelmed, pull yourself up by your boot straps, grab a bottle and then taste, discuss and even Google it! Just be sure to savor the full experience of it!

Do you find yourself often "overwhelmed"? How would you characterize your buying?

Newsflash: Red Sox and Wine 2008

Were you one of the many Boston-area Red Sox fans who grabbed a bottle of the Schilling Schardonnay or Caber Knuckle last year? If so, I hope you were one of the first to home plate (aka your local wine shop)! Those who purchased these wines early in the game had a chance to taste some good (for what it is) wine benefiting great charity organizations. Unfortunately I was one of the ones who tasted the wine in extra innings - after the demand had exceeded industry expectations and the scramble for more juice compromised quality. Never fear! The professionals behind the magic are attempting to hit consistent grand slams this year with their newest Boston Red Sox Charity Wines line up: Vintage Papi (cab/merlot blend); Captain's Cabernet; and SauvigYoouuk Blanc. They've gone West this year to Selby Vineyards (not to Chile as they did in '07) to produce these 2008 releases. The goal is to ensure there is enough good juice to go around.

Here's the scoop! In the Boston market, the first pitch was thrown for the 2008 lineup last Thursday at the EMC club at Fenway Park. Big Papi, Varitek and Youk were all there to toast the wines so it's possible you've seen recent publicity on the wine and the charities their proceeds benefit. If you've read more than one article, you may also have seen some inconsistency in what's written about what's actually available. Tricky!

To sort it all out, I've gone right to the source (aka the MA distributor of these products): First, we drank all of the Schilling Schard and CaberKnuckle last year. If you're local wine shop still has a few bottles clanking around, grab one (if you dare)! There is no more of either of these wines available. Second, you'll have to wait another couple of weeks before the 2008 series will be available. The wine is mellowing from its trip from the west coast before it will land on your local wine rack.

Of course, I'm dying to know... Did you grab a bottle last year? Which did you try? How did you like it?

Note for readers in other US markets: Charity Wines is working their wine/athlete/charity mojo in at least 3 other cities - New York, Cincinnati and Atlanta. I'd be curious your experiences with those wines, too!

The shelves are talking...

As we were putting up more "shelf talkers" the other day in the shop, I started thinking about my earliest adventures wandering around my local wine shop. I was too self-conscious to ask for help but I kept seeing all of these "cute" little info cards popping up along the shelf edge "talking" about the wine. They would give wine notes like:

This deep-crimson-colored Cab has an attractive bouquet of cedar, coffee, cassis and black currants. This start leads to a medium-bodied, fruit-driven wine with light tannins, silky fruit and good length.

At first I thought, "Um... right. Because every time I open a Cab, I just smell wine! And what the heck is tannin?!" It kinda stressed me out. Bottom line: that little talker didn't tell me if I would actually like it. Overtime I have found shelf talkers are both incredible little gifts to help me make a selection and great fun, too... I often like to taste a wine for myself and see if I agree!

Recently one of my closest wine-loving friends reminded me when you're just starting to get into wine just about every wine smells like...well, wine! To get over that hump the key is to keep tasting wines. Have fun with it. Compare your impression to whatever "they" say on the back of the bottle. Make your own judgement. Your palate is your own! Overtime, you'll start to get a better sense of what's what when you read those little talkers.

Question of the day: Do you find "shelf talkers" helpful? Why or why not?

Reeling in Riesling....

I want to share information, musings and happenings from life padding around a wine shop, tasting and learning about wines, planning events and otherwise staying on top of the latest wine news and trends. But I'm all about efficiency. So I'll attempt to save my random musings for Mondays and reserve Wendesdays for a more "educational" take. (You'll just have to wait until Friday to find out what that day's all about!) In the meantime... welcome to the first of many Wine Wednesdays!

In part I'm inspired by last week's discussion on Wine Blogging Wednesday about Old World Riesling. But I'm also just inspired. I've even been known to bust out my little "Rebecca dance" upon first sniff of a Riesling! (Note: This dance is way cooler, and way better than Elaine's on Sienfeld.) Everyday I'm noticing that the word is starting to spread... MOST RIESLINGS ARE NOT SWEET. They only have that reputation from post WWII days when German wines were intentionally made sweet to appeal to American GI's and to locals, who were malnourished and craved something sweet. Needless to say, this is some of the best, most-gorgeous, mouthwateringly delicious wine to sip (with practically any food you can imagine)!

A question I often field is: how can you tell from a label what makes a German Reisling less (or more) sweet?

Germans clasisify Rieslings using the Pradikat system, which indicates the ripeness (read: sweetness) of their grapes at harvest. This does not necessarily tell you how sweet the wine ends up being.

You may be familiar with everyday or QbA wines - the basic level of less expensive, often perfectly tasty Riesling. The next levels in the German quality spectrum are QmP wines (from normal to super ripe): Kabinnett, Spatlese and Auselese. Then Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauseles, and Eiswien (dessert). But a winemaker can do whatever he/she pleases when crafting the wine, resulting in varying levels of actual sweetness in the finished product.

Here's a tip: Check out the alcohol content posted on the label. The lower the level, the sweeter the wine. If a bottle is listed at 7% it is sweeter. If you see the maximum (for a Riesling) of 11%, it's gonna be its driest.

Question of the day: How do you like your Riesling?