We like to think of French wines as bound up in their traditions and not as easily subject to the whims of market dynamics. But it was, in fact, the market that created the appellation controlée system which has always dominated French wine. It was the English who first designed a rating system for French wines, back in the eighteenth century. It was the English who virtually created Sherry and Madeira, which are with us to this day.
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WINE FOR SUSHI: California Chardonnay Believe it or not, it works! |
It would be nice to think that the most qualified people are in charge; but no, it's the market. It has always been so. Wineries must sell their wines to stay in business. That means that they must make the kinds of wine that they can readily sell.
How has the market steered the wine industry in California? Well, for starters, it's given us "plonk." I'm not saying there's anything wrong with inexpensive, everyday wines. But the market has determined that such wines should be at least a little sweet, and better to have smoothness on the palate than any semblance of complexity. Oh yes, and acids must be low and tannins imperceptible. These requirements led the wine industry to turn to table grapes for many of their base wines. It's not unlike the bonanza that the cheese industry experienced when it developed processed American cheese (food).
Lovers of cheese visit cheese shops and mail order from respectable makers and distributors. Wine lovers have better options: They can find good wine in supermarkets, but they must know which ones to choose. Not quite like buying Italian Gorgonzola, which is pretty darned tasty wherever you buy it.
The market determines, not only which varietals will sink or swim, but which ones will be grown. Because the market never really warmed up to Zinfandel, we were offered an ocean of sweet plonk under the varietal name "White Zinfandel."
The American consumer liked Cabernet Sauvignon from the beginning, but many could not handle the tannins. And so, the great Merlot craze. Merlot comes to maturity a little quicker than Cabernet Sauvignon, and is round and fruity with less tannins. Bingo. The problem was that Merlot didn't take to California vineyards quite so naturally as Cabernet Sauvignon. Result: An ocean of overpriced Merlot hits the market. Early California Merlots, with a handful of very notable exceptions, were no competition for comparably priced Cabernet Sauvignons.
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