Between The Wines August 2022
hidden Treasures
Hidden Treasures
Trends & observations
What's New
Chateau de Beaulon ‘Pineau des Charentes’ We still remember the first time we tasted a Pineau des Charentes— almost 40 years ago. After sitting thru a tasting of 15 or 20, with an importer. As a finale, he whipped out a bottle of this very producer, and the room got quiet. It was such a departure from the other stuff on the table, and…it was really good! Back then, little oddities like this were seldom seen, which is partially why we remember it so well. Today there is no shortage of such fun, eclectic offerings— indeed, we sell three of them. Pineau des Charentes is a fortified wine, or more specifically a mistelle. Sometimes called a ‘suffocated’ wine, such products (including Ratafia de Champagne) are typically three-quarters unfermented grape must, with onequarter spirits added, thereby inhibiting (or suffocating) any fermentation from happening---essentially grape juice and brandy.
In this case, the must is a mix of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc (the Cabernets for the rare Pineau des Charentes Rouge) and the spirit is high-quality Cognac. The elixir is then aged in oak for 5, 10 or sometimes 15 years, adding increasingly spicy complexity and staying power. Served locally (in Cognac, from where it hails) as an aperitif, but its light and refreshing enough to work at the dinner table, especially with things like seafood and white meats. Great with soft cheeses. Expand your horizons and excite your customers…bring in some Pineau des Charentes!
..
Quotation of the Month: In vino veritas(In wine there is truth). -Alcaeus, Greek poet (6th century BC)
Trends & Observations
Between The Wines August 2022
Sparkling Wine is Bubbling Over
It seems that Champagne—and virtually anything sparkling—is on fire of late. Sales trends have always been indicative of market direction, but since Covid descended upon the world, trends have been less reliable indicators, ebbing and flowing and turning on a dime. But other than an understandable little blip in 2020, sparkling wines have pointed straight up. Champagne and Prosecco are the category leaders, with Prosecco—especially La Marca— going crazy; Prosecco now outsells Champagne globally, and shipments of Prosecco to the U.S. in 2021 were up almost 50%. However, Champagne, Cava, and Domestic sparkling wines all grew dramatically as well. Champagne shipments to the U.S. were + 62% in 2021 vs 2020. The 2020 blip was, of course, related to restaurant closures where a big chunk of Champagne has traditionally been sold. But once folks adjusted and moved their consumption to their homes---right around when we were getting Government stimulus checks--hello Champagne! (and everything else sparkling)
Albeit fairly expensive to produce high-quality sparkling wine, producers were always able to keep the pricing sharp and make the wine available for more than special occasions. We have always thought that sparkling wine in general would sell better if it were more aggressively priced; once a wine is above $20 a bottle wholesale, opportunities for by the glass diminish greatly, and we don’t think one can find any true Champagne for under $30 these days. But it shows you what we know, because it seems that every year, the Champenoise raise their prices…and every year we sell more!
But as mentioned, it is not just Champagne and Prosecco: virtually everything we sell with bubbles in it is up, and or allocated. From the value-priced Jaume Serra Cristalino Cava to M. Lawrence Sex, to Ferrari Trento DOC…all on fire. As long term ‘bubbleheads’, we love to see this, sorta; we liked it better when Dom Perignon sold for $100 on a wine list. But if the recent past is a teacher, we’ll soon long for those days when Dom Perignon was ‘only’ $300 on a wine list. Get yours now!
What's New
Between The Wines August 2022
Strange Bedfellows? To real wine lovers, Randall Grahm needs no introduction. As owner/founder of Bonny Doon Vineyards, he helped create interest and legitimacy for producing wine from Rhone varietals in California; he was the original ‘Rhone Ranger’. E & J Gallo also needs no introduction (wine lover or not). Famous for larger volume, value-oriented brands, the family winery has expanded into some very, very fine wine over the past decade or so, adding to its portfolio the likes of Pahlmeyer, Talbott, and Orin Swift to name a few.
Hats off to both parties for having the vision and will to get together and show their collective strengths. If you are the curious type, or want to be part of wine history, try to get your hands on these!
So perhaps this new partnership between these two iconic producers should be no surprise, and frankly, it makes sense. Gallo has scale and girth (and money), and strong entrepreneurial DNA; Mr Grahm is endlessly inquisitive and incredibly creative. A match made in Heaven, hence ‘The Language of Yes’ was born. The Language of Yes is a cool-climate Rhone varietal project. Their first two wines—recently released—are a Syrah and a Grenache sourced from Gallo’s Rancho Real Vineyard in Santa Barbara. As is the fashion, this is cool climate Syrah and Grenache, not those 16% goopy types we frequently see from Australia and even the Rhone Valley. Ranch Real is very cool (cold maybe). So much so, that the fruit for both of these wines went thru an appassimento-like process; the grapes are air-dried a bit before fermentation, dehydrating the grapes a bit, thereby making the wines a bit richer and with more alcohol (though still not high in alcohol. The wines are in a word: gorgeous, and of course, very limited at this point.
Quotation of Month: In vino veritas-
the
(In wine there is truth). -Alcaeus, Greek poet (6th century BC)