Wine Price and Sales
Amazon to Enter the Jungle of Online Wine Sales
At least according to speculation by the Financial Times. A recent advertisement posted on Amazon.com says that the company's consumables division is seeking a Senior Wine Buyer in its speciality foods group. Selling wine online is hard as Amazon found out in 1999 when it bought wineshopper.com which went belly-up a year later. Such endeavors are difficult because you have to deal with the complex laws and regulations of individual states, the majority of which do not allow direct shipment of wine to residents from out-of-state retailers. And the environment is getting tougher, a dispute is raging between protectionist wholesalers and free-trade retailers. But, the presence of Amazon in the online wine market may help to grow and legitimize online wine sales.
Not So Buoyant Bordeaux
There was a time when excess Champagne was dumped into French rivers. As a matter of fact, wine-growers from Bordeaux and Burgundy used to say that the reason Champagne had bubbles was because the wine was no good. This may have been true at one time, but today, Champagne sales are experiencing significant growth. Recent figures show that worldwide sales hit a record high in 2007 with 338.7 million bottles sold, up 5.3 percent. Demand is outstripping supply to the point that 40 new towns will be added to Champagne's AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controlee) in an effort to keep up with the world's thirst for the legendary tipple. Sales of Bordeaux on the other hand are hampered by overproduction, overpricing and what's anticipated to be a disappointing 2007 vintage.
Much Maligned Merlot
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See Spot Run
Just when we were getting used to "critter labels," now there are "foodie labels" designed to take the mystery out of food and wine pairings. The wine labels have illustrations that make clear to the consumer which wine pairs best with certain types of meat. A rooster on the Chardonnay, a pig on the Merlot and a cow on the Cabernet Sauvignon (each label has a diagram of the different cuts of meat). "Foodies" will be launched nationally by Cost Plus Food Market in early March 2008 and will retail for $7.99 per bottle. Cost Plus believes this product is appropriate for food and wine enthusiasts of all levels, but the rather basic information (some might say patronizing) says something else. Hopefully, we won't see Spot on the label, but you get the message.
Rose-Colored Wine-Glasses
Recently, the French court fined Moet and Chandon 30,000 Euros for its "La Nuit est Rose" campaign which shows a bottle of rose Champagne on a black background surrounded by pink petals. The court ruled that the ad created an association between drinking rose Champagne and leading a wonderful life ( a reference to the iconic Edith Piaf song La Vie en Rose). This ruling is the result of the 1991 Evin Law which states that all publicity for alcohol must consist of objective information only. It is also considered by French winemakers to be a major factor in the decline of domestic wine sales. French wine consumption dropped by 20 percent in the 1990s making exports extremely important to winemakers. However, the Australians seem to have beaten them to the party.
Inflated Bubbly
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Loons, Penguins and Hippopotami, Oh My!
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Does Wine Vintage Matter?
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Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid
Beaujolais Nouveau is a wine synonymous with November. This wine has made it's way onto many Thanksgiving tables as a result of the huge marketing blitz that takes place this time of year. Beaujolais Nouveau has a reputation for being Kool-Aid wine: easy-to-drink, fruity and one-dimensional. But Beaujolais can be much more than this, Cru Beaujolais wines (like Moulin-a-Vent and Brouilly) can be mistaken for Burgundy in a good vintage. As a rule of thumb, fruity wines with lower tannin levels like Beaujolais are perfect for Thanksgiving fare, as are Zinfandel, Riesling and Pinot Noir.
Ch. de la Chaize 2004 Brouilly (Gamay) - Beaujolais Red Wine