Like a matador waving his cape at the bull to attract his attention, Robert Whitley has managed to get this bull’s attention. (And by the way, I don’t mind comparing myself to a bull; after all, my dad was known as John “Bull” McCarthy when he was growing up in New York, in the shadow of the 59th Street Bridge). I can just see Robert chuckling to himself as he was writing his pro-globalization piece, knowing that he would be pressing the buttons of many of his colleagues. Well, Robert, you succeeded.
I am dead set against the internationalization (or globalization, take your choice) of wines. This process began sometime in the 1980s, has picked up steam, and is now threatening to make most of the world’s wines taste the same. Globalization is affecting red wines more profoundly than whites at this point, and it is easy enough to identify the red profile at which many internationalizing producers are aiming:
–The wine should have a very dark color-the darker, the better;
–It should have very ripe, fruity flavors;
–It should have a minimum of 14° alcohol; even more alcohol is okay;
–The wine’s tannins should be very soft;
–The wine’s acidity level should be low;
–The wine should be voluptuous, or velvety, on the palate;
–Most of the wine’s flavor should be on the front of the palate.
Oh, and one more important point: it should be impossible for even experienced tasters to be able to deduce, when tasting blind, where in the world this wine was made. I will happily gather samples of current “in” red wines from Chile, Argentina, South Africa, the Napa Valley, Australia, the Right Bank of Bordeaux, Pommard in Burgundy, and Spain; Super-Tuscans, Chianti Classico Riservas, and yes, even some Barolos from Piedmont, serve them blind to my colleagues writing for Wine Review Online, and defy them to tell me where they were made. I’m guessing that everyone, including yours truly, will be correct less than 20 percent of the time, and most less than 10 percent.
What I really find reprehensible about these soft, ripe, high alcohol, fruit-bomb wines is that they do not complement food! I personally cannot even drink one glass of these wines with dinner, let alone a half-bottle. Whitley mentions that the wines of Chile, Argentina, Sicily, and Campania have never been better. I would certainly agree that wines from Chile, Argentina, and Sicily are better-made now than 30 years ago, thanks to modern technology; I’m afraid that Campania is tipping too far towards internationalization for my palate. But I don’t agree that wines from these countries are now “world-class in quality” as Whitley suggests. Well-made? Yes. Distinctive? Not at all.
I am sorry, Robert, but I strenuously disagree with your statement that “…the internationalization of wines and wine styles has been a good thing.” I spoke to a new Tuscan producer recently, who wants me to come taste his wines. He told me proudly that he has planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, has new French barriques, and even has hired a French wine consultant. I know what the wines will taste like already, “the same old, same old” that I described above, except that the wines will be “new.” How did things get this way in the wine world?
Some American wine critics, unfortunately, are at least partly to blame, by giving high ratings to this style of wine. The timing was such that many new consumers, just learning about wine, followed the critics’ point-score ratings blindly. Let’s face it: when one is new to wine, this ripe, fruity, soft style of wine has a certain appeal. But it’s a useless waste of time at this point to assign blame. Consumers should be aware that other types of wine-in my mind more genuine, unique, distinctive wines-are still being produced, and that they are wonderful with food.
Let me just mention some of my favorites (restricting the choices here to red wines):
Bordeaux: most value-priced (under $20) Bordeaux, especially from the Médoc on the Left Bank, still reflect their terroir. Most Classified Growths of the Left Bank, of course, are still wonderful. Châteaux Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Léoville las-Cases, and Montrose come to mind.
Burgundy: Again, many value-priced (under $30) Burgundies are great companions at the dinner table. As are most Grand Cru and Premier Cru Burgundies. Beaujolais from the smaller producers are still delightful and inexpensive.
Tuscany: You have to be careful to avoid internationally-styled wines here, because this style really has gained a foothold in this beautiful land. Look for the Brunello di Montalcinos of Biondi-Santi, Soldera, Costanti, Pertimali of Livio Sassetti, Il Poggione, and Canalicchio di Sopra, to name a few. Distinctive Chianti Classicos are still being produced by Isole e Olena, Castello dei Rampolla, Il Palazzino, San Giusto a Rentennano, Castellare, Riecine, and Riseccoli. And also Montevertine, truly a great Chianti, but not labeled as such.
Piedmont: For unique, distinctive Barolos, try the wines of Giacomo Conterno, Giuseppe Mascarello, Giuseppe Rinaldi, Bartolo Mascarello, Bruno Giacosa, and Ceretto. For Barbarescos, try Bruno Giacosa, Ceretto, Marchesi di Gresy, and De Forville.
Greece: Most producers from Greece, which really has been experiencing a wonderful renaissance in its wines, are making distinctive, moderately-priced wines from their terrific indigenous varieties.
I don’t think that I’m just an old bull yearning for the greener pastures of the past. I’m someone who is fortunate enough to still be able to taste wines from all over the world, to be able to travel to many wine regions, and to encourage the producers who have stuck to their guns (and not succumbed to the modern, economic pressures of the marketplace to achieve a “high point score”) to continue making distinctive wines with a sense of “place.”
To read the column by Robert Whitley that prompted this rejoinder, click on the following link:
http://www.winereviewonline.com/whitley_wineglobalization.cfm