• New French president drinks wine: Not as odd as it sounds, since his predecessor preferred Coca-Cola, reports Decanter. Still, there are some doubts as to whether the newly elected Francois Hollande will be much of an improvement over Nicolas Sarkozy, given the state of the beleagured French wine industry. Said a trade group spokesman: "...Neither candidate’s manifesto detailed anything with precision concerning our industry, so we will have to wait and see. What French winemakers really needs is for the economy as a whole to bounce back, and for that I am more hesitant." Still, as the Wine Curmudgeon is fond of saying, a president who drinks wine, as opposed to one who doesn't, is going to be better for the wine industry regardless.
• The regional wine gold rush: No less than Mike Dunne, one of the preeminent California wine writers, has seen the future of the wine business and detects regional wine in it: "If you routinely drink California wines, such as chardonnay and zinfandel, a "marechal foch" from Wisconsin or a "norton" from Missouri initially may startle you. Give it another sip. You just may find something in the glass that grows on you, in a pleasant way." He also has a few words of wisdom for those, including California winemakers, who judge regional wine before they taste it. Which made the Wine Curmudgeon smile.
• Wine investment index sinks: Or, as too many of us forget, wine is made to dirnk, not as a way to make money. The Lix-ex Fine Wine 50, an index similar to the Dow Jones Industrial Average for wine, continues to slide. The blog that I linked to, which tracks wine investments, is fun to read. Or depressing, depending on your point of view. Honestly, do people really think they can make more money investing in Sauternes than in real companies?
Mike Dunne would also get a jolt from a Texas Vermentino or Trebbiano. Neither of those is grown to any extent in CA and thrive in the climate of The High Plains
Posted by: Bobby Cox | May 15, 2012 at 11:53 AM