SIP-ISODE 12
A conversation in one of my wine groups sparked this thought... recent mega winery tasting room closures in California indicate a bigger problem for legendary brands in California wine- PRESTIGE DILUTION.
They say people are drinking less wine since 2020, including Gen-Xers. I'm a Gen Xer and into wine with others my age heavily into wine- but... at least in my circle of Wineaux, we aren't drinking LESS wine, we're drinking less MAINSTREAM wines.
Wineaux in our 50s and older aren't as into buying and collecting well-known names from our 30s and 40s. We're into discovering hidden gems, emerging regions, female and minority producers that don't have massive distribution or financial backing, yet produce top quality wines that can compete against and surpass producers that do... There are so many unsung heroes in wine out there... so we hunt for them and shout them out!
Some well-known, high-end California brands turn out low end wines to offer supermarket prices and mass appeal. When a bottle pops up at a party- unless you spent time researching which of their wines is well-crafted and which are their lower end bottles- you have no idea what's going into your glass. And let's face it- you'd look like a totally snobby asshat if you did that at a party!
So, you try it, and it's BASIC, completely uninteresting, and nothing like you expected from a respected, recognized brand. True story- that happened to us ten years ago- prestigious winery, lousy, flabby wine. These diluted brands disappoint us over and over, so we skip them and choose to seek out boutique wines- local wineries, wine dinners, wine vacations, or as club members of smaller producers.
Wineaux seek out brands where we gladly pay for fantastic wine instead of fantastic marketing. We avoid bloated prices for recognized wines that are EVERYWHERE, riding on their 1970/80's reputations and grinding out basic schlock under the same label as their high quality wine.
THEN, we Wineaux start traveling to regions like Portugal, Italy, and Greece, and growing US regions like Virginia, Texas, and Willamette. We want to experience wines with far less manipulation, that weren't mass produced to taste the same every year, that aren't available in stores across in the US. We appreciate uniqueness over predictability in our glasses. Flavors that represent the climate and region, styles that pair with the cultural cuisine and local lifestyles. THAT is what excites and interests us- not celebrity endorsement or legacy name brands.
I'm reminded of when high end car companies make a cheaper version of their cars to increase sales beyond the luxury market that they built their reputation on. It turns off those who bought that car BECAUSE it was not easily attainable- it MEANT something special to be able to access and afford that exceptional brand.
When I was enlisted in the Navy- my husband and I were SO excited to buy our first BMW together. BMWs were far beyond our reach growing up and while both of us were sailors- it was only possible after we saved, sacrificed and worked extra jobs to finally buy a used burgundy 5 series with camel interior in 1996. So excited! But, if there had been 1 series around at the time, that 5 series wouldn't have represented the same prestige to us- we might have saved longer for a Porsche instead.
Imagine if TODAY you saw Screaming Eagle release a Costco sized and priced bottle... 5 years from now, the exclusivity of that name and the quality it stood for would be obsolete. You'd find a different "goal wine" to attain that "someday status." THAT is what I think is happening to some of these mega wineries.
Either serve the masses or retain the high echelon reputation- you can't do both as the same brand. You CAN take a page from the Nissan/Infiniti playbook.
Infiniti isn't priced like a Nissan- it sets itself apart with luxury standards and performance features that are worth the higher price and create a different driving experience. Nissans aren't marketed as the same as Infinitis, but at a cheaper price. They are solid and trustworthy, and have their own benefits that appeal to their target audience. Each brand is clearly defined and appeals to a different driver, for different reasons, and not trying to capture every buyer under one label.
Wine is the same way- everyone deserves to drive a nice car, but nobody wants to buy an Infiniti only to find out that it's just a Nissan in every way except the name. I love that well-known wineries are making wine that is accessible for everyone- but when quality is sacrificed for volume, and the brand loses its identity, the sipper is disappointed, and everyone loses.
Renee Ventrice is a WSET2 certified wine educator who pairs wine with life through culinary events, and coaches tourism professionals to grow their businesses organically by building a community around their brands. Reach out to discuss wine, take the POURsonality quiz, or ask whether or not that Screaming Eagle TASTED like a $4,000 wine.... cheers!
Comments