It's an ill wind that
blows.....etc. California has a wine lake and the dollar weakened
considerably in the last year, which has all conspired to make
California's wines more affordable than usual. Martin
will be discussing the sunshine state on News Talk 106FM’s Dublin
Life show today (10/3/2004) after the 3pm news.
The
sunshine state has no problem making superb wines. The trouble is that
they have generally been at a price that only a Texas oil millionaire or
Hollywood star would think reasonable. Alternately, at the entry level
popular big brands like Gallo or Blossom Hill have owed their success to
more than a drop of sweetening. For an average wine lover it left precious
little of interest, except perhaps for organic champions Fetzer. But the
times they are a changing.
California's
vineyard acreage shot up from less than 350,000 in 1996 to 570,000 in
2001. Not surprisingly it has led to surpluses, aggravated by imports from
the likes of Chile and Australia that mean that foreign wines claim a 25%
market share. Throw in the turn down from 9/11 and something had to give.
Big names like Mondavi have reported profits warnings and others
have filed for chapter 11 (a form of administration). But someone, in this
case the consumer, is profiting. In their domestic market the cheap and
cheerful Charles Shaw brand went from nothing to 3 million cases in a year
gaining the wonderful moniker 'two buck Chuck' as it sold for $1.99 in
California, although it was $2.99 or more elsewhere once the multi-tiered
distribution system had taken a few slices.
Throw
in a sliding dollar and it looks good for consumers on this side of the
pond too. There are now more drinkable €10 -12 wines from California
than ever. Fetzer has competition from Pepperwood, Delicato, Kendall-
Jackson and now Beringer with their Stone Cellars range.
Today in studio we'll be tasting their 2002
Chardonnay, 86/100 and their Cabernet
Sauvignon 85/100, both priced around €9.99 and available
from Independents in Dublin or Galvins or Carry Out in Munster. The
chardonnay has rich pear and melon flavours and wood use is subtle and
adds a little weight without dominating. Frankly the Aussies should be
worried. The cabernet is very drinkable too with plenty of ripe
blackcurrant fruit and supple tannins.
Bargain
hunters should scour Aldi for any of their organic Californians at around
€7.99 or lookout for own label in Tesco.
My advice if you're a regular drinker of
Australian chardonnay or shiraz or Chilean merlot is to check out the USA
section in your local offie, there's never been a better time to buy.
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