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May 31, 2006
The next big thing--Bulgarian wine?
On the eastern shores of the Black Sea lies one of the oldest yet most up-and-coming winemaking regions in the world – Bulgaria.
Winemaking in Bulgaria has been traced back nearly 2,500 years, when grapes first arrived there from Armenian Georgia. The Bulgarian wine industry for the most part was state-controlled until the Iron Curtain fell in 1990, and now premium wines are beginning to emerge into the world market.
Bulgaria is about the same size as Tennessee, and it’s divided by the Balkan Mountains, which run from east to west. The regions north of the Balkans tend to be cooler, while the southern regions see a little more heat. There are five distinct regions where wine is produced.
About 30 percent of Bulgarian wines come from the Danube River plains. This region stretches from the northeastern corner to the center of Bulgaria. Here, Gamza is a beaujolais-like varietal, with delicate nuance. These are made to be consumed within a few years. Additionally, there are some nice dry muscats from the Danube River plains.
The eastern coastal region is host to many different varietals, since the climactic difference from the north to the south is considerable. Another 30 percent of Bulgarian wines come from this region.
The Thracian Valley rests against the southern edge of the Balkan Mountains. Here, Mavrud is the grape of choice, and these wines exhibit character similar to cabernet or merlot. Mavrud is the highest-quality wine produced in Bulgaria, and these small, thick-skinned grapes provide robust flavor and plenty of tannin, which facilitate long-term aging.
To the southwest is the Struma Valley. Here, Melnik is the local varietal, and these wines are reminiscent of zinfandels or syrahs. Cabernet sauvignon and merlot are also grown here.
In the center of Bulgaria is the valley of the Roses. This region is known for cabernet and merlot.
A couple of weeks ago, I met a fellow named Vance Petrunoff at the farmer’s market. As it turns out, he is America’s largest importer of Bulgarian wines, and he is based right here in Sonoma. His company, Bulgarian Master Vintners, L.L.C. has been at it for 10 years, and most of his business is Internet-based. I spent a few hours at his office this week, where I learned much about this ancient wine-producing country, and tasted some really good wines!
The reputation of Bulgarian wines has suffered in the past decade. I was surprised to learn that much of this was a result of inexpensive jug wines being sold here by Pepsi Cola. Trakia and Sofia (a red and a white wine) were conglomerate, cheap bulk wines. Pepsi was exchanging bulk Bulgarian wine for Pepsi concentrate, and had little if any regard for producing quality wine. It was merely a vessel to convert bartered goods into cash.
“Pepsi didn’t care about the brand management, cost position, marketing, none of it,” commented Petrunoff. “They only wanted their dollars out of it.”
Prior to the fall of the Iron Curtain, Russia was purchasing all of the Bulgarian wine, which was being shipped out in “ridiculous” packaging, according to Petrunoff.
Today, premium producers from all over the world are focusing on Bulgaria as “the next big thing.” Good quality wines are emerging, and it is difficult to locate a Bulgarian wine that retails for more than $10!
New vineyards are being planted, and boutique wineries are popping up throughout Bulgaria. There are over 70 wineries in Bulgaria today.
I was surprised to learn that the Fruit Basket, of all places, has a wide selection of Bulgarian wines. Check it out!
One suggestion for learning about Bulgarian wines: On Petrunoff’s Web site (www.BulgarianWine.com) he offers a “Bulgarian sampler case” for $99.
2005 Balkan Hills Muscat, Targovish T.E.
This wine boast beautiful and clean aromas of flowers and honey, followed by nice honeysuckle and crisp mineral flavors. This wine comes from the Danube Plains, and it has just a hint of sweetness. It’s very light and pleasant. $8
2002 Suhindol Gamza, Estate Bottled
This alluring wine shows aromatic components of black cherry and forest floor.
Light crisp flavors of leather and black fruit give way to a smoky finish. This wine should pair nicely with cheese or grilled meats. $8
2004 Vini Cabernet Sauvignon
This wine is the négociant project of Vance Petrunoff, who brought in fellow Bulgarian Miro Tcholakow (winemaker at Trentadue Winery) to create this wine. The nose shows nice cedar and blackberry, while flavors of red fruit, bittersweet chocolate carry on through the finish. This is a very drinkable wine for only $6.99
2000 Domaine Boyar Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve
The smoky, raspberry nose leads to fruit-forward flavors of red cherry and pomegranate. Nice acidity suggests food compatibility. Cabernets from this region (the Thracian Valley) are usually picked at lower sugar (about 22 brix) which give them nice tartness. $7.99
2004 Brevoso Winery Mavrud, “Assenovgrad Region”
White pepper and mineral aromas frame up flavors of plum, pepper, and nice round cassis. This wine is well balanced, subtle and tasty. Try it with grilled lamb! $9
Source: “Bulgarian wine – the next big thing?” Bradly Gray, Sonoma Valley Sun, May 24, 2006
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Immigrant Reform Bill Passes Senate, Now Bracing for Fight With House
The Senate passed legislation that would create a new guest worker program and grant amnesty to some illegal immigrants, setting up a fight with House members who would send anyone in the country illegally back to their homes. The Senate vote was 62-36.
The Senate bill, like the measure the House passed earlier, calls for tighter border security. The Senate version includes the construction of 370 miles of triple-layer fencing along the Mexican border while the House bill would provide 700 miles of two-layer fences.
The House-passed legislation would make it a felony for any immigrant to be in the country illegally or for a U.S. citizen to “assist, encourage, direct or induce a person to enter or attempt to enter or remain in the United States illegally.”
“This is the most far-reaching immigration reform in our history,” said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., following the Senate bill’s passage. “It is a comprehensive and realistic attempt to solve the real-world problems that have festered too long in our broken immigration system.”
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who was allied with Kennedy in the fight, said the legislation would help make sense of a situation in which an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants have found jobs, many of them on farms and in cotton gins, in this country.
“Some Americans believe we must find all these millions, round them up and send them back to the countries they came from,” said McCain, who appears to be one of the leading contenders for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008. “I don’t know how you do that. And I don’t know why you would want to.”
Observers say the Senate legislation faces rough going when House and Senate members sit down to reconcile their differences in a conference committee next month.
Even senators who favor a guest worker program fault the measure for granting a path to citizenship or “rewarding” those of have been in the country illegally for more than five years if they pay fines, fees and back taxes and learn English.
Sen. Saxby Chambliss, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said the legislation was a “bad bill” that “put more emphasis on amnesty than on border security.”
The Georgia Republican proposed an amendment that would have changed provisions in the legislation allowing one-hour workdays to count as full days for helping illegal workers qualify for amnesty. The amendment was defeated 62 to 35.
“There are many hard-working Americans across this country who work long hours each day, some in multiple jobs, to provide for their families,” said Chambliss. “It doesn’t seem fair to those hard-working Americans to allow illegal immigrants to obtain the prized possession of U.S. citizenship for one-hour work days.
“For many around the world, U.S. citizenship is the pot at the end of the rainbow they spend their lives chasing. And in this bill, we are going to give that away to those who worked 150 hours over a 2-year period in agriculture. I don’t think that is right and I don’t think it is reflective of the values most Americans hold.”
The American Farm Bureau Federation, meanwhile, said it supports significant provisions of the bill and applauded the Senate’s efforts to ensure that farmers and ranchers “will have the labor they need to harvest the nation’s crops.
“Farm Bureau supports tighter borders and tougher sanctions on those who knowingly hire illegal aliens,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “But such provisions must be coupled with a modern, workable H-2a program as well as a transition program that provides us farm labor while the new H-2a program is implemented.”
Without comprehensive immigration reform, Stallman said U.S. agriculture runs the risk of losing between $5 billion and $9 billion per year in lost fruit and vegetable production. AFBF also believes net farm income could also be depressed by up to $5 billion per year. “That is why it is imperative that any effort to address the illegal immigration problem respect the needs of U.S. agriculture.”
The Senate bill calls for hiring 1,000 new Border Patrol agents for a total additional 3,000 agents this year. It would add 14,000 Border Patrol agents by2011 to the current force of 11,300 agents. Besides the 370 miles of fencing, it authorizes 500 miles of vehicle barriers on the Mexican border. Supporters of the bill said those were needed to keep Senate conservatives from scuttling the reform measure.
The legislation would provide 200,000 new temporary guest-worker visas a year, while creating a special guest worker program for an estimated 1.5 million immigrant farm workers, who could also receive legal permanent residency.
One of its most controversial provisions would divide current illegal immigrants into three categories:
-- Illegal aliens here five years or longer would be allowed to stay and apply for citizenship after paying back taxes and learning English.
-- Those here two to five years would have to go to a border entry point and file an application to return.
-- Those in the country less than two years would have to leave.
Source: “Senate passes immigrant reform bill, braces for fight with House,” Forrest Laws, Wester Farm Press, May 26, 2006
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Bordeaux Wine On The Rebound!
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Wine Tasting Room Survey A 2006 Report
Today's tasting rooms are bringing in more profit than ever; 50 percent of wineries charge for tastes, and only about half apply the fee to purchases.
Wine Business Monthly's 2006 Tasting Room Survey has shed light on some of the trends shaping today's tasting rooms. This year's survey revealed that roughly half of respondents now charge for tasting, with average fees falling between $3-6. While it is generally expected that wineries should charge more for reserve tastings or when serving food, West Coast wineries top the chart with many charging $10 for a "bare bones" tasting. In addition, about 43 percent of tasting rooms reported that they apply tasting fees to a customer's purchase.
Smaller wineries and those located beyond the West Coast are more dependent on non-wine sales than larger wineries: 68 percent of all sales from wineries producing fewer than 5,000 cases annually is earned through the tasting room, whereas only 23 percent for wineries producing over 500,000 cases.
This year's survey also looks at tasting room employment patterns. Part-time employees are staffed 83 percent of the time. As far as training goes, it is no surprise that job shadowing ranked highest as a training method and formal sales training ranked lowest. The lack of formal training at many wineries may point to reasons why tasting rooms are not bigger profit centers.
Tasting Rooms
Winery tasting rooms have branched out and are often found in multiples nowadays; and sometimes a winery's single tasting room is not even at the winery. When asked about the location of their tasting room, the majority of respondents indicated they had just one tasting room that is located at their winery (67 percent); this compared to 20 percent who operated just one tasting room at a different location than the winery, and 10 percent who had multiple tasting rooms aside from the one at their winery.
This year's survey looked at how the number of tasting rooms varied by number, location and region, which was broken out by California, Oregon and Washington ("West Coast" wineries) and all wineries east of the West Coast. It was revealed that-beyond the "one tasting room at the winery" model-a sizable number of West Coast wineries have just one tasting room that is located at a different location than the winery (24 percent) (Chart 1), whereas wineries beyond the West Coast lean more toward having multiple tasting rooms, with at least one located at the winery (17 percent). This may be attributed to different factors, including difficulty obtaining tasting room permits on-site for West Coast wineries, and for non-West Coast wineries that can reach more people by opening additional tasting rooms in a more central location; an important distinction since smaller wineries rely more on tasting rooms for overall sales than large wineries who have more sales routes available.
In addition, many small wineries in remote areas, or ones that cannot afford to staff a satellite location, are opting to join vintner collectives, located on downtown squares or destination locations receiving high tourist traffic. Here, they can share operation expenses while benefiting from increased exposure and retail sales.
One example of a winery with multiple tasting rooms is Mayo Family Winery, located in Glen Ellen, California. Mayo has a total of five tasting rooms. Four of their off-site retail facilities are strategically located in Sonoma Valley and another in Healdsburg.
Mayo makes about 10,000 cases of wine a year. Winery president Jeffrey Mayo said 90 percent of sales occur through these tasting rooms, two of which focus on wine and food pairing. "We're looking for customers who are curious and want to learn about food and the wine country lifestyle," Mayo said. "People don't want to just have a couple tastes and move on. They want to learn. They want more."
Tasting Fees
To charge or not to charge is the question for many tasting rooms these days. When asked if they charged for tasting, about half of respondents said they do charge a tasting fee (Chart 2).Tasting fees seem to have gone through a growth spurt, from no fee at all, to small fees to cover tasting costs and to curb sport tasters, to today's much higher fees, which can sometimes feel more like an "entrance" fee.
While it might be expected that wineries beyond the West Coast do not charge for tasting-in an attempt to persuade tourists to try regional wines-state laws and other external factors are often responsible for dictating these fees.
"We do not charge visitors for the first three tastes," said George Faltz of Fox Valley Winery in Illinois, "because Illinois state laws mandate that wineries cannot pour more than three ounces of complimentary wine per individual. But we do charge patrons for additional tastes or if they wish to purchase wine by the glass."
According to John Bellncula, tasting room manager at Tarara Winery in Leesburg, Virginia, it is up to the winery if they want to offer complimentary tasting in their tasting room, but state law requires them to charge individuals when pouring Tarara wines off-site at state wine festivals.
St. James Winery, along Route 66, in St. James, Missouri, allows visitors to pour their own tastes (with guidance) and does not charge a tasting fee. "We want the individual to truly experience our wide variety of wines without undue pressure," said the winery's national sales director, Dean Chalem. "Offering complimentary tastings promote more of a relaxed atmosphere and gives people a better experience with all of our 30 wines. Other wineries who charge for tasting may see it as a profit center, but we don't want to go that direction. We've been in business for 36 years, and hospitality is number one. By not charging, we provide a more hospitable, friendly environment."
Fees applied to wine purchase: When asked if tasting fees could be applied to purchases, half of West Coast respondents stated that tasting fees could be applied to wine purchases: a surprisingly low number (See Chart 3). Even more surprising is that 72 percent of wineries located beyond the three West Coast states do not apply tasting fees to purchases.
Tarara Winery does not apply tasting fees to purchases but does offer different tasting schedules. "We offer three different kinds of tastings to our guests," said Bellncula. "For $5, visitors can taste a combination of about 10 of our featured white, red and sweet wines. Our reserve tasting costs $10 and is composed of five or six special selections of high-end reds. When large groups come to the winery, we offer them their own tour guide and a private tasting for $15 per person. None of our tasting fees are reimbursed with purchase, and they do not keep the tasting glass."
Kunde Estate, located in Kenwood, California, gives visitors a choice of two tastings. The estate tasting is $5 per person and $10 per person for reserve selections. The estate tasting fee, however, can be applied to a purchase of wine, and those who partake in the reserve tasting may keep their glass as a souvenir.
"Part of the reason we went to charging for tasting was because we were finding a lot of people come taste who weren't interested in the wines," Kunde Estate consumer direct manager Jody Stewart said. "It was more like a party. Two and a half years ago we were getting lots of traffic, which is a great thing, but the people who wanted to taste different varietals and really experience the winery were being shoved in the back. Charging for tastings helped slow down how many people are in the tasting room at once, and now they are the people who are truly interested in wine. We welcome everyone, but it made for a more comfortable and safe atmosphere when we started charging for tasting."
Using yet a different fee format, Mayo's winery tasting room offers two complimentary tastes, and then charges $5 for their "premium tasting" and $10 for the "adventure tasting." Tasting at their two reserve rooms is $20 per person, and visitors can also enjoy seven different appetizers prepared by the winery's full-time chefs for a $65 tasting fee.
"The interesting thing is that at the Mayo Reserve Rooms, visitors join the wine club at a rate 10 times greater than at the other tasting rooms," said Tom Wark of Wark Communications, which handles public relations for Mayo Family Winery. "It goes to the intimacy of the experience, the familiarity they gain with the wines and personnel, and to the pre-qualified nature of the customer who is willing to spend $20 on a tasting."
What do you charge for a tasting? When asked how much wineries charge to taste, it is not surprising that the majority of respondents charge between $3-6 (65 percent overall) (Chart 4). Some eastern wineries do charge more-7 percent charge between $8-$10 per tasting-but a large 27 percent charge less than $3 (and no eastern wineries charge more than $10).
"Two levels of tasting are available," explained tasting room manager, Chris Lopez, who works at the winery at Black Star Farms, near Roanoke, Virginia. "We charge $3 per person or $5 per couple for our regular tasting, and $5 per person for our reserve tasting, featuring two tastes of our limited-production wines; and tasting is complimentary for wine club members."
In contrast, several Napa Valley tasting rooms now charge $10-30 for salon style or sit-down tastings. Paraduxx Winery, located along the Silverado Trail in Napa, is the newest of the three California Duckhorn properties. In 2005, they opened their Vineyard House along Rector Creek, where 14-foot windows frame vineyard views, which complement contemporary tasting tables. For $10, visitors (who are encouraged to book tasting appointments online) can taste one of three Paraduxx red wines served in stemless Riedel glassware.
"People are understanding more that wineries have tried to go up-market with the experiences they provide," Duckhorn Vineyards vice president of marketing Paul Leary said. On a walk-in basis, consumers can taste three wines for $10 or can choose the "enhanced tasting" of five wines, two made in smaller quantities. "We've been amazed since we started offering the enhanced tastings that about 75 percent of people choose to upgrade," Leary said. Twice daily, Duckhorn also offers "estate tastings" (by appointment only and limited to groups of up to 12) for $25, with limited production and library wines paired with food made by an in-house chef. Duckhorn does not waive tasting fees if customers buy wine. "We feel we're providing a service and experience with the setting of the tasting, the quality of the wines, the glassware, the education level of our staff and the quality of print materials," Leary said. "Those costs we need to pass on to our customers.
"Philosophically, we don't push the sale," Leary said. "We market the wines. People understand it costs money for us to provide that experience, and it is becoming more the norm in the industry and not as much the exception. Also, our products are not inexpensive. Charging promotes responsible consumption as well. If people have to pay for something, they treat it more seriously than if it's given away."
Jarvis Winery, also located in Napa, offers two salon tastings combined with a one and a half hour tour of their unique underground winery. The morning Bacchus tasting costs $20 and includes four current release red wines. Their afternoon Vintage tasting is $30 and includes four reds and two white wines. Both tastings are accompanied by appetizers. Jarvis only offers tasting by scheduled appointments, secured by advance credit card payment, which helps eliminate no-shows and last minute cancellations.
Tasting Room Sales
Tasting room revenue is generated through various channels and follows an interesting trend when viewed according to winery size. When asked what percentage of all sales comes from their tasting rooms, smaller wineries, producing up to 5,000 cases annually, report that nearly 70 percent of their sales come from their tasting room (Chart 5). Reasons for this may be due to state-mandated self-distribution restrictions and reduced wholesaler networks, as well as the steady growth of high-profit wine clubs and e-campaigns geared to boost online sales. Larger wineries, conversely, usually have wider distribution options to sell wine through wholesalers, direct to restaurants and fine wine shops, as well as to export wines overseas.
When asked to break down tasting room sales by wine, wine accessories, food, wine glasses and clothing, West Coast survey respondents indicated that wine sales generated 86 percent of revenue (Chart 6); non-wine items represent a smaller yet important contribution to total sales. Accessories make up a slightly larger percentage of overall sales for tasting rooms not located in the western states. This could partially be due to the fact that many tasting rooms are situated as farm wineries, selling private-label gourmet foods also produced on their properties. Additional sales may also be generated by on-site winery restaurants, concert and event sales, weddings and participation in off-site festivals.
"Wine sales contributed 74.3 percent of our retail sales," said Robert "Bob" Burgin, vice president of Chateau Morrisette, located in Floyd County, Virginia. "Our non-wine total sales, excluding the tasting fees, were 22.3 percent of our total 2005 retail sales, and included wine accessories and gifts, apparel, glassware, sales of our private label Firedog gourmet food product line, gift cards and wine club membership fees. Tasting fees contributed just over 3 percent of revenue."
Employment and Compensation
Tasting rooms are fairly consistent in their hiring of mostly part-time employees, primarily to avoid burnout. Just over 80 percent of West Coast respondents indicated that they hire mostly part-time employees in their tasting rooms and just slightly higher (86 percent) for non-West Coast wineries (Chart 7).
"We hire a mix of full-time and part-time workers, but mostly part time," Kunde's Jody Stewart said. "Working in the tasting room is equivalent to performing arts: You are always expected to be up, happy, informative and representing your company to the best of your abilities. By having mostly part-time employees, you are less likely to burn them out. They come to work ready to share, teach and help your customers toward creating an experience that is personal and unforgettable."
When asked about the ways employees (other than tasting room managers) were compensated, around 90 percent of respondents indicated that they primarily pay their tasting room employees an hourly wage (Chart 8). Incentives for wine club sign-ups were offered by 53 percent of West Coast wineries but only 25 percent of all other wineries. Bonuses and commissions and salaries were all used less than 20 percent of the time as compensation for tasting room employees in all regions. An average of 10 percent of respondents indicated that they did not compensate their tasting room employees at all because they were family members, did not have employees or worked as volunteers. Others indicated that their employees "worked for wine" and received monthly wine allotments.
Regarding the value of incentives provided by tasting rooms, surprisingly, nearly half of all respondents stated they do not offer employees an incentive for signing up new wine club members. Of those wineries that do provide this incentive, however, the majority (35 percent) of West Coast respondents pay $10-14 per sign-up (Chart 9), followed by $5-$9 (13 percent) and $1-$4 (6 percent).
Tulip Hill Winery has two tasting rooms: one in Nice, California and another in Palm Springs. Vice president Kristi Brown says the three-year-old winery has increased membership in its rapidly growing wine club through employee cash incentives. "We give our employees $10 each for every complete wine club application they bring us. After they hit 15 new sign-ups in a calendar month, we give them a $50 bonus. If they get 30 sign-ups in a month, they can make an extra $400," said Brown. "Signing up one new member a day equates to an extra $1 an hour."
Incentives identified under "Other" included non-cash incentives in the form of wine discounts, monthly wine allotments and additional bonuses. Tarara Winery offers its employees a bottle of its limited reserve wines (normally not available to staff) to the individual bringing in the most new club members within a specific time frame.
Because the average wine club membership lasts 16-24 months, wineries paying higher incentives may be trying to drive new club membership or replace members who drop out. Depending on the frequency of shipments or club offerings, those wineries paying higher incentives for club sign-ups may be willing to trade off this small selling "commission" for the maximum profits received from several automatic subscriptions with guaranteed income for one to two years.
Employee Training
Job shadowing is the most common type of training for new tasting room employees, followed by being provided formal written materials. However, only about 55 percent of wineries stated they offer responsible beverage hospitality training (Chart 10), and only one in five employees receive formal training.
The most surprising training deficiency is in the area of formal training. While formal training, which often includes sales training on "how to ask for the order" and winery customer service policies, is usually considered very important, respondents reported it as the lowest percentage of training offered to new employees.
"New hires at Kunde receive three full days of one-on-one training with a qualified staff trainer," explained Stewart. "We offer training manuals and job shadowing, and then put new employees out front with customers while a trainer shadows them. Training is ongoing.
"We are very serious about responsible beverage service, and we discuss this topic regularly in our morning meetings," continued Stewart. "We also participate in LEAD (Licensee Education on Alcohol and Drugs), a training program through our local Alcohol Beverage Control office and Sonoma County Sheriff's Department. This is an excellent training program to reinforce responsible beverage service to your employees."
When reviewing sales training figures from reporting wineries, 31 percent report that employees receive at least two days of training (Chart 11); on average, 54 percent of new tasting room employees receive less than two days of training, and 5 percent offer no training at all.
When asked about the type of ongoing training offered, the majority of respondents (nearly 80 percent) said that tastings of in-house as well as competitors' wines were the primary means. (Chart 12). On average, 30 percent attend seminars with in-house winemakers and vineyard managers; go to outside seminars on compliance or tasting room management; or attend food and wine pairing seminars. Overall, 13 percent of respondents indicated their winery provides no ongoing training at all.
This year's tasting room survey reflects that wineries across the U.S. perform a variety of practices and strategies in tasting room management and sales development. Creating alternative tasting options, with graduating fees in many cases, can lead to potential increases in wine and non-wine sales revenue, regardless of winery size.
Offering employees meaningful cash or non-cash incentives for team sales or wine club sign-ups can motivate employees to reach projected goals and build high-profit wine clubs. Ongoing customer service and compliance training on the ever-changing direct shipping regulations will become even more important, especially with anticipated increased tourism and the explosion of online ordering.
RESPONDENTS
This year's survey received 103 responses, including 59 from California, 8 from Washington, and 7 from Oregon. Respondents to the survey overwhelmingly were smaller wineries. Forty percent of respondents produce fewer than 5,000 cases, another 33 percent produce 5,000 to 24,999 cases, and the remaining 28 percent produce 25,000 or more cases (3 percent producing a million cases or more).
Sixty-eight percent of the survey respondents reported their job as working in the tasting room, 47 percent work in sales and marketing, 39 percent as president/owner/GM and 23 percent in winemaking (respondents were able to choose more than one function).
The purpose of the survey was to determine trends in tasting room practices and procedures. Please note that the findings of this survey are meant to offer a general picture of tasting room trends and practices. It is not a scientific study, and should be used as a tool and a point of reference for further inquiry.
Thank you to all respondents who participated in this year's survey.
wbm
Veronica Barclay
Veronica Barclay heads Barclay & Company, a wine marketing firm based in St. Helena, California.
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Source: "2006 Tasting Room Survey Report," Veronica Barclay, Wine Business Monthly, May 31, 2006
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Spoiled Wines and Bio-Dynamic Progress–Women Winemakers
Vanya Cullen started off studying music and winemaking simultaneously at Roseworthy College. She tells Kim Maxwell she’s frustrated with a schedule that rarely allows time now for singing and piano-playing. But the music world’s loss is the wine industry’s gain.
South Africa’s ‘Woman Winemaker of the Year’ competition has been criticised for singling out women winemakers, rather than applauding their contributions to the entire industry. You were one of the first woman judges on the Australian wine show circuit, and the first woman and Western Australian to be selected as Australia’s ‘Winemaker of the Year’ by The Wine Magazine in 2000.
(An interview by Kim Maxwell)
What are your views?
I don’t believe women in the wine industry need special treatment. You can perceive discrimination wherever you are; it’s how you look at things. Women succeed in male-dominated industries everywhere, including the wine world - look at Bordeaux, with strong women like Corinne Mentzelopoulos running Châteaux Margaux. My mother, Diana, was a wonderful woman, and a great role model. She was a physiotherapist with six children. When she became a winemaker, she was the first woman to win a trophy at the Perth Wine Show with her '81 Sauvignon Blanc.
After judging the Swiss International Air Line Wine Awards in South Africa recently, Robert Joseph said he’d like more women winemakers because he believes winemaking can benefit from a lighter touch. Do you think he has a point?
Yes, I think women winemakers can give wines a more feminine treatment. At Cullen we’re moving towards using less and less oak. Because we’re bio-dynamic, I want to express the purity of fruit. So oak has to be the salt and pepper, rather than the main component. We use 40% new oak as a general rule.
What word would describe your style of winemaking?
Gently. We take care of fruit and nurture it into the bottle.
You were CEO of Cullen, but have reverted to managing director. Why?
I resigned from the chairperson’s role. In a family winery I’ve got all my brothers trying to have a say in how things are run although they’re not in the industry – it’s complicated! Since my mum died, I’m doing more corporate governance, I guess. From June, we’ll have an outside chairman. That will be easier as I oversee everything now. I still taste the wines every two weeks, and during vintage I’m in the winery all the time, but I used to do more winemaking. The word ‘winemaker’ is about marketing now more than winemaking, isn’t it?
Aside from the advantages of healthier vines and soils, what differences have bio-dynamic agriculture introduced at Cullen?
There are only about three or four bio-dynamic producers in Australia. At Cullen we’re finding that with bio-dynamics we’re getting better physiological ripeness at lower levels. We were organic before, and we switched to a bio-dynamic vineyard and cellar three years ago. Average wine alchohol levels are 13 - 14? Brix [Balling], but we’ve been harvesting this year at 12.5. Screwcaps also work better with bio-dynamics because you don’t have the random variation of cork. The aim of bio-dynamic wine is to express the best of the land in bottle - and screwcaps have no impact on the bottle.
Our restaurant at the winery serves bio-dynamic and organic produce, much of it grown on the farm. I’m a vegetarian, and we often find that our vegetarian entrée and main course are the most popular items on our menu.
There was a high incidence of brettanomyces in the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2006 judging. Do you think this spoilage organism is caused by unhygienic cellar practices?
I think Brett is related to residual sugar. It seems that the more sugar, the more likely that wines develop that old Elastoplast character.
You expressed shock at cork taint levels, while judging the Sauvignon Blanc category. Why are leading Australian and New Zealand cellars backing screwcaps as a closure?
I’ve read about Australian experiments where it was estimated that wine spoilage factor from cork is 7%, but screwcaps only 2%. In my personal experience, I was visited by a top Portuguese wine producer; we showed him what are considered Australia’s best grade 1 corks and he said our grade 1 corks are only comparable to their grade 4 corks!
Australian producers took about a year to switch to screwcaps. All our whites at Cullen are now 100% under screwcap. Only our flagship red Diana Madeline has cork. We have no cellar door issues with consumers.
As a producer, I’d rather show wines with screwcaps at trade shows as I have more confidence in my wines. I did a tasting in Amsterdam recently and they would only take wines with cork. It was such a bother to deal with. And for consumers who talk about the romance of cork, what’s romantic about the stress of finding a corkscrew, opening the wine, hoping the cork won’t crumble and then, that the wine won’t be corked?
Source: “Vanya Cullen on women winemakers, spoiled wines and bio-dynamic progress,” Kim Maxwell, WineCoZa, May 30, 2006
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Top British Industry Award Goes To Blogged Wine
Stormhoek Winery has collected “The Best Consumer Campaign” at the annual unveiling of “The Drinks Business Awards 2006” at the London International Wine and Spirits Fair recently.
This small vineyard from a remote valley near Wellington South Africa, and armed with only with a £300 blogging software package and an unshakable passion for making the freshest tasting wines, has been singled out to win this prestigious award, and in recognition of the success of a radical initiative to take its wines into the Blogosphere.
Stormhoek played a real David and Goliath blinder over the competition, with the shortlist including very well known, high spending brands such as Chivas Regal, Campari, Cobra Lager and Mateus Rosé. Stormhoek working closely with by UK über-blogger, Hugh Macleod of Gapingvoid garnered this prestigious award.
The judges praised the wine team for their innovative approach and commented “Very few companies are taking these risks with their marketing”. For a £300 budget and social software, created by Movable-Type, Stormhoek competed against the likes of Pernod-Ricard who had reported spending £30m on its latest global media campaign for Chivas Regal.
Jason Korman of Stormhoek, commented “The markets have changed and there are enormous opportunities beyond the standard media driven model. Disruptive advertising does not work like it used to and the future is all about engaging the consumer with real conversation in an open and transparent way”.
He continues: “The blogosphere has created its very first consumer goods brand in Stormhoek, who recognise its privileged position. The market has moved on to where the new world of tech and web 2.0 has intersected with one of the oldest products made on the face of the earth and people love it.”
Source: “Wine bloggers win top industry award,” Stormhoek Winery via WineCoZa, May 29, 2006
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France Makes 'Massive' Moves In China Markets
France is planning an aggressive marketing campaign for China, with 'massive' supermarket launches to capitalize on initiatives already in place, French ministers announced at Vinexpo in Hong Kong.
Has the U.S. missed this new market? Will the large wine consortiums get there soon? AvenueVine will keep you posted!
The French are already actively encouraging the domestic wine industry in China, minister of agriculture Dominique Bussereau said, by which they hope to raise overall wine knowledge and consumption.
France has already established initiatives including wine education, joint partnerships with Chinese wine companies, and setting up experimental vineyards to expand viticultural knowledge in China.
But, foreign trade minister Christine Lagarde told delegates, 'The portion of the market France has in China is relatively limited and we want modify that.'
Lagarde outlined a 'matchmaking' initiative, which in November will introduce 1,000 small and medium sized French companies to similarly sized businesses in China. 'French products will be launched massively in large supermarkets, so that Chinese consumers can be better acquainted with them.'
She said that retail stores would be included in the program, showcasing premium French wine, food, fashion and design. Lagarde says that the time is right to promote French wines harder, because the level of wine understanding in China has improved.
When asked about competition from New World countries in Asia, Lagarde dismissed the threat.
"French wines are the first wines on this market. We are still the leading wine makers in China and in Asia, so clearly other players from the New World are trying to nibble at our market share and to borrow from our success."
Lagarde's Vinexpo visit was followed a day later by Dominique Bussereau, French minister of agriculture, who said, 'It is of the absolute importance for us to be here. Asia is one of the leading markets of the future.'
According to figures provided by the IWSR, China represents the largest market for wine in Asia—and its thirst for imported wine has increased 150% since 2000. Imports are expected to double to 2m cases by 2010.
Source: “France to go 'massive' in China,” Felicity Carter, Decanter, May 25, 2006
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Olive Oil Tasting at the Greek Embassy Washington, D.C.
Thursday, 15 June, 2006, from 6:30 – 8:30pm
This is a walk around tasting featuring olive oils from some of the best producers in Greece. Learn how olive oil is made and the difference between olive oil and extra virgin olive oil. You'll be amazed at the differences between the oils.
But one can't survive on olive oil alone so we'll have wine and food for you to enjoy throughout the evening. The last event at the Greek Embassy in January was wonderful but sold out very quickly and we had hundreds who didn't get to attend.
Don't wait to make your reservations.
For tickets and more information, (click here)
Business attire.
Volunteers needed–contact: www.winetasting.org
Location of event:
The Embassy of the Hellenic Republic
2221 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C.
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May 30, 2006
Media Feedback Session On ‘Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2006'
The Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2006 media feedback session was held to provide an interactive forum for the show judges to give their impressions of the wines judged and enable the press as well producers and retailers who attended to question and debate the pertinent issues raised.
The show organizers felt this would be more beneficial for the industry, rather than allow the judging to take place in a vacuum and simply presenting the industry and public with the reported view of the attending scribes.
1. Rationale
The feedback session was held to provide an interactive forum for the show judges to give their impressions of the wines judged and enable the press as well producers and retailers who attended to question and debate the pertinent issues raised. The show organizers felt this would be more beneficial for the industry, rather than allow the judging to take place in a vacuum and simply presenting the industry and public with the reported view of the attending scribes.
2. Judges
In introducing the panel of judges, co-convenor of the show (together with WINE magazine) and chairman of the judges, Michael Fridjhon (MF), encouraged both judges and the attendees to be frank in their opinions and resulting discussion, to ensure that the aim of the feedback session was achieved.
The overseas judges were: Vanya Cullen (VC), CEO of Cullen’s Wines and senior Australian show judge; Michael Schuster (MS), UK wine author and educator; Philippe Bascaules (PB), estate director of Chateau Margaux; and Richard Kelly MW (RK), a specialist on South African wine at the UK importer Richards Walford Wines.
The local judges: Cathy van Zyl, South Africa’s only resident MW (CvZ); Angela Lloyd (AL), well known journalist and taster for the John Platter Guide over the past 20 years; Marc Kent (MK), winemaker at Boekenhoutskloof; Chris Williams (CW), winemaker at Meerlust; and Carrie Adams (CA), wine buyer and partner at Norman Goodfellows.
The judges are referred to below/overleaf by their initials.
This is worth the read!
You will need Adobe's Acrobat Reader to view this file.
Click here to choose an appropriate version.
For Complete .PDF format report: (click here)
Source: “Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2006 Media Feedback Session,” Outsorceress via WineCoZa, May 26, 2006
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Hong Kong Hosts World's Biggest Wine Expo
The Asian edition of Vinexpo, the world's biggest wine and spirits trade show, has opened its doors in Hong Kong with a focus on China, fast becoming the new gold mine for wine sales.
With sales dipping in traditional European markets but soaring in Asia, China and its neighbours are being seen as the booming booze trade's great hope for future expansion.
The annual expo is held on alternate years in Bordeaux, France, and at an overseas venue. The event this year returns to Hong Kong for the second time after first being held here in 1998.
Hong Kong was chosen as host again because of the huge growth in the Chinese wine market. Vinexpo president Dominique Hériard-Dubreuil said the southern Chinese territory is a perfect gateway to the rest of Asia.
"All the studies forecast that Asia will have the strongest development for the wine and spirits market in the next five years," she said. "Hong Kong is the geographic center for this fast growing market; Hong Kong is a great gateway to Asia."
"We came in 1998, it was a success. We are back after eight years. We are confident that this double eight should lead to a renewed success," she said in a speech at the opening ceremony.
The number "eight" is considered lucky for the Chinese because of its similar pronounciation with "wealth".
Hughes Martin, deputy mayor of Bordeaux, said: "Vinexpo is an outstanding showcase for wine and spirit products from all over the world and an opportunity to export abroad our unique savoir faire, or as we say in French our know-how".
The world's most populous country saw its consumption of wine leap 20 percent in the four years to 2004 and within three years it is expected to grow another 48 percent.
China is already Asia's biggest consumer of wine by volume, while Japan holds the first place in terms of value.
In 2004 China drank 3.7 million hectolitres of wine. This figure is expected to grow to 5.7 million hectolitres in 2010, according to Vinexpo.
Wine sales in China reached 1.13 billion dollars in 2004 and experts believe that will increase by 56.3 percent between 2004 and 2009 to reach 1.766 billion dollars.
Asia "is the heart of the expansion" worldwide in wine and spirit sales, Dubreuil said.
Between 2000 and 2010, still and sparkling wine consumption in Asia (China, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, India) is forecast to increase 45.8 percent whereas traditional fruit and rice wine consumption will fall 13.7 percent.
In 2010 experts predict the region will consume 9.212 million hectolitres of wine, representing four percent of world consumption.
"The traditional backbones of the market are weakening and countries in other parts of the world, such as the Asian countries, are rising to take their place," said Robert Beynat, chief executive of Vinexpo.
Tastes are changing in Asia and "traditional local spirits and wines, like fruit wines and rice wines are losing ground as grape wines become more popular," he said.
Asia's growing importance to the wine trade is illustrated in the high number of exhibitors this year -- 600 from 28 countries all over the globe.
Some 6,000-7,000 buyers and distributors from the Asia-Pacific region are expected to attend and 60,000 bottles of wine will be open for tasting.
France is the best represented of producers, with 249 companies booked to attend, followed by Italy and Spain.
But it will not only be foreigners trying to cash in -- home-grown talent will be there too.
"We will exhibit again at Vinexpo because we think that it is an excellent way to establish contacts with the principal distributors and to increase the sales of our wines around the world," said Louise Jin, public relations director for Beijing Dragon Seal, one of five Chinese companies present in Hong Kong.
Source: “Hong Kong pops the cork on world's biggest wine expo,” TODAYonline, May 23, 2006
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All 50 Wine-Producing States Rated by Kevin Zralys
'Kevin Zraly's American Wine Guide'
Kevin Zraly has published the first book that deals comprehensively with all 50 states as modern wine-producing states.
For Americans who think that only California, Washington, Oregon and New York produce great wines, Zraly's overview may be an eye-opener.
Since 1995 the number of wineries nationwide has gone from 1,187 to nearly 4,000.
Kevin Zraly's 'American Wine Guide' has been published on the first anniversary of the US Supreme Court's revolutionary ruling opening up interstate shipping of wine.
As Windows on the World's first cellar master, Zraly introduced California wines to Americans. He now introduces them to wines from all 50 states in this consumer-oriented paperback.
'I have been fortunate, while traveling around the country, to try Valiant Vineyards from South Dakota, Harperfield from Ohio, Gruet from New Mexico, Dos Cabezas from Arizona, Ste. Chapelle from Idaho, Shelton Vineyards from North Carolina, Chaddsford from Pennsylvania, Kluge from Virginia, Fall Creek from Texas,' Zraly writes.
The Supreme Court's 2005 ruling, which has generated liberalized shipping legislation in many states, means millions of Americans now have access to such wines.
This development fortifies Zraly's observation that 'we are now the third-largest wine-consuming nation in the world, with projections indicating that within the next five years the United States will be the top wine consumer worldwide.'
The 50th state to establish a winery, in 2002, was North Dakota, the northern outpost of the Midwest. Zraly's state-by-state data on the growth of wineries in this immense heartland of corn and wheat is comprehensive.
Ohio has 106 wineries, Texas 101, Michigan 91, Illinois 65, Missouri 61, Indiana 39, Iowa 39, Wisconsin 32, Oklahoma 29, Kansas 11, South Dakota 11.
The book lists state wine websites, tallies the vineyard acreage in each state, identifies the largest and well-known wineries and lists the top grapes.
It is a sequel to Zraly's 'Windows on the World Complete Wine Course,' the best-selling American wine book in history. Overall, 2. 5m copies have been sold.
Although Windows on the World restaurant was destroyed in the September 11 2001 destruction of the World Trade Center, Zraly continued his Windows on the World Wine School uninterrupted. This year, the school is 30 years old. More than 17,000 people have taken Zraly's courses.
'Kevin Zraly's American Wine Guide' (Sterling Publishing, New York, $12. 95)
'Kevin Zraly's American Wine Guide' (Through AMAZON.com, $9.97)
'Kevin Zraly's American Wine Guide' (Through OVERSTOCK.com, $8.97)
Source: “Zraly rates all 50 wine-producing states,” Howard G Goldberg, May 24, 2006
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New Freeway In Bordeaux Proposal Sparks Outrage
A proposal to build a motorway through Margaux's famous terroir has sparked a backlash from the region's producers.
The planned motorway is part of a larger project aimed at connecting northern Europe to Spain and would include a bridge spanning the Gironde or the Garonne and the Dordogne.
More than 70 chateaux, including the famed Chateau Palmer and Chateau Margaux, signed an open letter to the Gironde prefecture, arguing the proposed motor way would be an 'intolerable assault on some of the most iconic examples of France's cultural heritage'.
Three of the five proposed routes will either cut the Margaux appellation area in two or go around it. Other appellations that could be affected under the proposal include the Medoc, Haut Medoc, Listrac-Medoc, Moulis, Cotes de Blaye and Cotes de Bourg.
Gonzague Lurton, president of the Margaux winemakers' union (Sydnicat Viticole de Margaux), said there had been no consultation with the producers and the petition was just the first stage of the fight. He added the union hoped to meet with the prefecture before a recommendation was made to the Ministry of Transportation in September.
Vincent Fabre, the president of the Medoc and Haut-Medoc winemakers' union (Sydnicat Viticole Medoc et Haut-Medoc), said producers on the left and right banks would fight the proposal together.
'We are not against building a bridge but what has been proposed is completely crazy,' he said. 'The winegrowers will work very hard to try and stop the project.'
Margaux wine producers have set up a website – www.margaux-danger.com - to fight the proposal. Some 1,157 signatures have been added to the petition against the planned motorway.
The Federation des Syndicats des grands vins has also issued a statement, stating its opposition to the proposal on the basis of a lack of consultation and the potential damage a motorway would cause to soils of AOC areas.
Source: “Bordeaux motorway proposal sparks outrage,” Jemima Whyte, Decanter, May 24, 2006
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May 29, 2006
Memorial Day Weekend
I took the weekend not to do or write about wine and the Bizz, but to watch a little auto racing, some baseball history and to recall what my father and uncles did during the war. To take a moment to remember the stories of their fallen commands, to remember all those that have give their all for this great country of ours', and too celebrate my mother’s birthday.
Take a moment and think of all our freedoms; take another to think of all those that have fought for those freedoms. Isn’t this why this day has been set aside?
Posted by fortna at 07:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
California Wine Gluts Yet?
What about the 300,000 tons of grapes that went left on the vines in Sonoma County last year alone? Isn’t that why prices fell? Or is it the total truth that great ground grows expensive grape? Is terrori and price per ton the future no mater how may grapes are grown?
The flip side is that heavy winter and spring rains have filled the soil water profile and “vines will probably take advantage of its availability.”
The huge 2005, 3.74-million-ton wine grape crush created a 15-month California wine inventory. However, there is no California wine grape glut — yet, according to John Ciatti of Joseph W. Ciatti Company.
“As long as 2006 doesn’t give us more than an additional 12 to 13 months worth of inventory — and assuming wine sales trends continue — we’ll be able to work through our inventories in a relatively short period of time,” said Ciatti.
Ciatti, like most everyone else, is not counting on back-to-back huge crops, but no one thought ’05 would be as huge as it became.
He predicts in the wake of the ’05 surprise, “everyone will pay much more information from a variety of information sources” this season.
“Last spring was not optimal and this could have effects on fruit bud differentiation that may impact the upcoming crop, but it’s still too early to tell,” Ciatti added.
The flip side is that heavy winter and spring rains have filled the soil water profile and “vines will probably take advantage of its availability.” This could produce a large crop. It will certainly create canopy management challenges.
Bulk wine inventory from the 2005 crop is already hitting the market and some of it is coming from what Ciatti calls “non-traditional sellers, as large wine companies re-evaluate their supply picture.” Bulk wine is being sources from throughout California, not just the Central Valley, he noted.
Bulk sales have been primarily from last year’s crush. However, Ciatti said there have also been additional ’04 tonnage released.
Inventories “are still the heaviest on the Big Three: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Ciatti said there is “some interest” in floral varietals like Gewurztraminer, White Riesling, Muscat, and “decent movement” on Red and White Zinfandel.
“Pinot Grigio remains strong with inventory being depleted. As it has been, the market for Pinot Noir continues to be absolutely ridiculous… insane, really. It would be nice to see increased activity on other mixed reds.”
Ciatti said much of the bulk volume activity moves from January to July and so far, there has been solid, general activity, “but large volume transactions are lacking. We need volume to pick-up soon so that we can avert upcoming pre-crush storage issues.
Ciatti offered these final “Points to Ponder:”
- Were growers encouraged to hang more fruit in order to compensate for the light crops in 2003 and 2004?
- Was the huge 2005 crop a result of extensive vineyard modifications, proper rootstock and vine density, or just plain Mother Nature lining all the factors together for the “perfect storm?”
- Will 2006 & 2007 provide abundant enough tonnages to sustain the projected future growth of California programs?
Source: “No California wine glut yet,” Harry Cline, Western Farm Press, May 26, 2006
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May 28, 2006
Bonds Passes The Babe With Home Run Number 715!
Barry Bonds Hits Home Run No. 715, Passes Babe Ruth for 2nd Place on All-Time HR List and the Giants Lose the Fame....
No. 715 played out exactly the way Barry Bonds wanted he hit it at home, in front of the fans who love him.
For a while there it seemed like he would never do it, but on a gorgeous San Francisco afternoon, Barry Bonds hit No. 715 today.
It just took him a little longer than he’d hoped it would.
The San Francisco slugger moved past Babe Ruth on the career home run list with a mammoth shot Sunday, and now stands behind just one person.
A magical, troubled home run landed easily into the hands of Andrew Morbitzer, 38, who was standing beneath the right-field bleachers waiting to buy a couple of hot dogs and a beer.
Hank Aaron owns baseball's most revered record with 755 homers. And now the debate begins: Will Bonds stick around long enough to break it?
Bonds' latest milestone a mightier homer than No. 714 was a 445-foot, two-run shot to center before a sellout crowd. The homer came on the last day before the Giants begin a road trip to Florida and New York.
Bonds did 715 off Byung-Hyun Kim on May 28, 2006, in the fourth inning during a 6-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies. The ball glanced off a fan's hands about 15 rows up and then dropped onto an elevated platform beyond the fence.
The ball then careened downward into the causeway. The souvenir sat there for a few minutes before rolling off the roof
The Ball then landed easily into the hands of Andrew Morbitzer, 38, who was standing beneath the right-field bleachers waiting to buy a couple hot dog and a beers–the Babe’s favoirit game day meal! .
He was quickly ushered away by security for a postgame news conference.
“I think it's just, I get to be a small part of a big day," said Morbitzer, a Giants and Barry Bonds fan who loves the city and was thrilled to snag that most special of balls.
Bonds circled the bases as streamers fell from the upper deck.
Now, the list looks like this:
Aaron 755.
Bonds 715.
Ruth 714.
Bonds connected at 2:14 p.m., May 26, 2006 at SBC Park, San Francisco, California, on a 90 mph fastball with the count full, then immediately raised his arms and clapped his hands before beginning his historic trot. Kim became the 421st pitcher to surrender a homer to the 41-year-old slugger.
Bonds embraced and kissed his 16-year-old son, bat boy Nikolai, as he crossed home plate, then was greeted by his teammates at the top of the dugout. He took one curtain call in which he tipped his hat and raised both arms and blew a kiss to the crowd.
Moments later, he came out again alone and waved.
After the homer, the Giants unfurled two banners from the light towers on either side of the main scoreboard in center field: one of Bonds on the left side and the other of Hammerin' Hank's 755.
Bonds, who had walked on five pitches in the first inning, went five games between 714 and 715. He hit 714 on May 20 at Oakland, a span of 17 at-bats and 25 plate appearances. Aaron had a four-game wait between 714 and 715.
Bonds singled to right in his next at-bat in a drive off the right-field facade that looked as if it might be headed out, too, for No. 716. He grounded out to third to end the eighth and was replaced in the ninth.
This is the first time in nearly 85 years that Ruth hasn't been in the top two on the career home run list, according to David Vincent of the Society for American Baseball Research. He passed Sam Thompson to move into second on June 20, 1921, when he hit his 127th home run.
Bonds has hit most of his other milestone home runs in San Francisco: 500, 600, 700 along with 660 and 661 to tie and pass godfather Willie Mays. In 2001, Bonds hit the final three of his 73 homers at home to break Mark McGwire's single-season record of 70.
Aaron passed Ruth in April 1974 and now Aaron is the only one left for Bonds to chase.
This was Bonds' last chance during the six-game homestand before the Giants left town for another week. He hadn't homered at home since May 2 against San Diego's Scott Linebrink.
Kim has a history of giving up notable homers he allowed tying two-run homers with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to the Yankees' Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius in Games 4 and 5 of the 2001 World Series.
Giants manager Felipe Alou wrote Bonds into the lineup without checking with the seven-time NL MVP about playing in a day game following a night game, aware that Bonds wanted to make history at home.
"That's one of the reasons I'm playing him without even asking him," Alou said. "We're going to be gone for a week. Today's the perfect day."Lee, meanwhile, was taking it well and said he didn't care about any money the ball would fetch -- he just wanted to meet Bonds.
Lee was asked what he’d do with the ball, “That's yet to be determined," he said of what he intended to do with the ball. "Hold it tightly in my hand for a while," he said, showing off the ball and accompanied by his wife and clad in a 715 shirt, both wearing Giants caps.
Relaxed and enjoying the moment, Morbitzer said he about $17 for the bleacher seats, which he acknowledged under questioning was wise investment...
Baseball, History, America, Memorial Day Weekend, beer and hot dogs.. Doesn’t get much better than that!
Thanks, K. Russell and J. McCauley, for your notes which I’ve so liberally borrowed from here.
Have a great memorial day weekend folks!
Posted by fortna at 06:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
2006 Formula OneGrand Prix de Monaco
M. Schumacher stripped of pole–he will start from the pits
Michael Schumacher has been moved to the back of the grid for the Monaco Grand Prix after stewards concluded that he deliberately blocked the track in the closing stages of qualifying, preventing rivals from beating his time.
The decision - which came eight hours later - means Renault’s Fernando Alonso will now start from pole position with the Williams of Mark Webber alongside him. M. Schumacher is demoted to the back row, where he will join Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa, who crashed out of qualifying without setting a time.
M. Schumacher appeared to lock his brakes and then run wide as he entered the final Rascasse corner in the dying moments of the session. The former champion regained control without hitting the barriers, but came to a halt with his stalled car partially blocking the circuit, forcing other drivers to slow down.
Following the session, the stewards heard evidence concerning the incident from M. Schumacher - who claimed it was a genuine error - as well as Ferrari personnel. They also reviewed video footage and data evidence supplied by the team and the FIA.
Their finding was that M. Schumacher had no justifiable reason for braking so hard, as he had been traveling little or no quicker than at the same point on previous laps. They therefore concluded that he deliberately stopped his car on the circuit, an infringement of the sporting regulations.
As punishment the stewards deleted all of M. Schumacher’s qualifying times, hence his move to the back of the grid, from where he has little or no chance of taking a record-equaling sixth Monaco Grand Prix win.
Ferrari’s Jean Todt expressed the team's displeasure at the stewards' findings, saying: “We totally disagree with it. Such a decision creates a very serious precedent, ruling out the possibility of driver error. Michael was on his final timed lap and he was trying to put his first place beyond doubt, as could be seen from the fact that his first split time was the best and could have seen him do another very good lap. With no real evidence, the stewards have assumed he is guilty.
That’s it for the pre-race stuff!
Now for The race as reported by Avenue Vine Race Correspondent Fred Ziffle:
Note: p3, p3, etc. the “p” means position, or place–like p3 = 3rd place, or position.
Good morning folks I’m Fred Ziffle--here’s the race as I called it this Sunday Morning, May 28, 2006:
A little mix up on the first turn, bot nothing real bad.
By start of lap three, M. Schumacher had moved to p16 from p22!
By lap 10 M. Schumacher is up to p12, while Alonso and Raikkonen battle it out at the front.
Barrichello is holding up the rest of the field from his p5 position. Apparently forcing the rest of the field to lag behind by over 25 seconds!
This is shaping up to be a four car race by lap18---between Alonso, Raikkonen, Webber and Montoya!
Alonso is finally pulling away from Raikkonen then Raikkonen fights back never less than second and a half between them!
Webber 4 seconds back and Montoya another 4 seconds behind him on lap 20.
The “Light Fuel Loaders” are nearing pit windows now?
Montoya is first to pit! Ferrari at the ready in the pits–is it a ploy?
Barrichello next into the pits on lap 22.
Raikkonen’s in, Webber now from p2--Rosberg from p6 in pits on lap 23. The leaders were able to pit and get back out ahead of the rest of the field.
Alonso is into the pits on lap 24, Webber takes the lead.–p1!
On lap 25, Webber pits and Alonso re-takes the lead–p1.
M. Schumacher now in p11 after Rosberg’s pits and then plumate in the standings on lap 26.
Only the leader have pitted to this point 1 through 4 at lap 26
Fisichella pits on Lap 27
Coulthard from p6 in pits on Lap 30–he rejoins in p12 after gas and tires.
Webber and Montoya are running faster then the two leaders Lap 31--especially Montoya!
M. Schumacher to p9 now on lap 34.
The “Two Stoppers” have been left out to dry by the “Light Fuel Loaders,” Now lagging behind the lead 4 by over half a minute!
M. Schumacher in the pits on lap 36, dropping from p9 all the way bake to p19 in one stop!
Raikkonen still staying within a second of Alonso--Raikkonen pressing Alonso now just 2 seconds Behind on lap 40.
Alonso and the leaders no lapping the field to p9 on lap 41!
Barrichello has effectively slowed the field by over one second a lap–now dragging them back over 40 seconds behind the pace of the leaders on lap 43.
M. Schumacher up to p16 on lap 44.
Barrichello is staying out–not pitting yet! NOW IN the pits ON lap 45--back out and still in relatively the same position position p5.
It’s a two car race between Alonso, p1 and Raikkonen, p2–Webber, p3 and Montoya, p4 are 10 & 12 seconds respectively behind on lap 48.
Raikkonen and Alonso both pit on lap 49, as does Montoya.
Montoya now in p3.
Webber back to p9.
Barrichello in p4 once more.
M. Schumacher now to p8 on lap 50.
Raikkonen blew the engine on lap 51–bummer! Darn--Webber and now Raikkonen --BOTH up in smoke and flames--are out and retired on lap 51.
Montoya on the move and closing to within 6.3 sec of Alonso on lap 52!
M. Schumacher up to p7.
Rosberg into the barrier on the final turn--that’s it for William’s Racing this weekend!
Alonso now leads Montoya by over 14 seconds on Lap 57
M. Schumacher to p6 – a lap down on lap 38.
Klien has pulled to the pits–his day is over (to bad) on lap 59.
Only 5 cars remain on lead lap by lap 60!
Can’t help wondering what this race would have been like with M. Schumacher on the pole!?!
Alonso stretching to over 16 seconds Now on lap 61.
Barrichello pits on lap 62--return to race in p5--Had to do a pass through for SPEEDING IN THE PITS (to bad, too)!
M. Schumacher back on the lead lap and still in p6–so has Fisichella returned t o the lead lap.
Alonso, apparently out for a Sunday drive, is over 15 seconds ahead of Montoya and still pushing ever faster!
M. Schumacher pressing–taking seconds off every lap, but still 10 seconds Behind Barrichello on lap 68.
Less than 10 laps to go–can the M. Schumacher better p6? Down to 9 seconds between he and Barrichello now.
Trulli is on the up hill and apparently out of the race on lap 74–so close yet so far!
M. Schumacher to p5 now lap 74–now within 5 seconds of Barrichello in p4!
M. Schumacher is screaming! He just turned in fastest lap of the race–less than 3 seconds back of Barrichello now on lap 75.
Now on Barrichello’s tail–less than half a seconds away!
M. Schumacher and Barrichello are Nose to tail! Can M. Schumacher do it?
Last lap–
Will red-bull podium for the first time? Time is-- has run out! YES, Red-Bull takes it’s first podium!
Barrichello in 4th and M. Schumacher in 5th less than .40 seconds behind.
What a race–fans! Thanks for this opertunity to bring it to you live and before network telacast, too. See yahal’ next time--your favorite “Race Correspondent”: Fred Ziffle.
Watch it later today on your Network television channel.
End report: May 28, 2006 (6:49am PST)
2006 Formula OneGrand Prix de Monaco (Provisional Results:)
Next race in two week at Silverstone–the British Grand Prix!
(WILL UPDATE WITH OTHER REPORTS SOON :)
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May 27, 2006
Re-Enactment Saturday and Week at COPIA, plus:
The weekend after COPIA's participation in: The Tasting that Changed the Wine World: “The Judgment of Paris” 30th Anniversary, (TjoP-30)
As previously reported by AvenueVine–see: TjoP-30s or “The Judgment of Paris, etc.”
Here’s a few Excerpts and Editorial Thoughts:
“The French may have their fries, even their toast, but it appears they're slowly losing their position as the front-runner in wine.”
“After maturing for three decades, California wineries got a second chance to prove themselves at the re-enactment of the "Judgment of Paris."”
But will the wines of today age like the wines of three decades ago? Will new methodologies and vinification methods stand the taste of time?
“But the French were quick to dismiss the results, vowing that California's wines would never age.”
Time and the methods of sampling with which the next generation protects that now precious commodity: “Premium Wines,” will be reported on for sure.
Native Napa Valley wines claimed the top five of 10 spots in this tasting / re-enactment as they, the California wines swept up the imaginations of the “New World” some thirty years ago.
"There's enough friction and competition in the rest of the world. But in this case, wine has brought together people from different sides of the Atlantic," said Peter Marks.
The old ways of the French wine makers have changed. Now adopting the technologies born from UC Davis and the modern world–the clones, the closures and the ever evolving marketing of wine now drives the world of the grape.
I foresee a world competition, isn’t it happening now, though where California and France stand their Cabernet and Chardonnay against the likes of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and China. Wine as the rest of the world will evolve into what only time will tell.
This highly entreating two moments in time spanning thirty years but blips on the on the screen of the ever evolving history of the simple vinous vinifera. The future looms and wine will be accompanying us through the inevitable genetical mechanized millennia.
“For the winner, immortality beckons. Both of the original champions - a 1973 chardonnay from Château Montelena and the 1973 cabernet sauvignon from Stags' Leap Wine Cellars - are on display at the Smithsonian.”
Wine is being marked with penchant! The next , and the next generations will continue its glories, as did previous generations through time. Be it Napa or China the quest for hedonistic excellence is ever pressing. The mundane will always have its place with the masses, but for those that can afford the splendid will be there to be prized and venerated.
To bad so few seats and access to the whole of the weeks events were available--but the way of the venerated, and?..
Best encapsulated by Tom?: “... Enough of this--
No doubt the last to the next installment from COPIA’s “Node-Links”--well summed!
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May 26, 2006
So Is French Wine Still Revered as Best In World?
But what about the "crisis" in the French wine industry?
Does the US's victory over France in a 'blind tasting' of wines matter?
It matters much less than the American triumph that this week's tastings were intended to commemorate: the so-called "Judgement of Paris" of 1976. Then, leading wine tasters, including French ones, placed top Californian reds ahead of the finest French clarets for the first time. That result shook the French industry to its roots.
Depending on your viewpoint, or tastebuds, the 1976 shock transformed the top of the French wine industry, for the better - or the worse. It certainly forced the complacent French top producers to raise their game. Some purists argue that it also began a process of "Americanisation" of some of the leading Bordeaux wines.
In any event, 30 years on, everyone with any sense, or taste, accepts that there are excellent wines from California, Australia, Spain, Italy, Germany - not just from France. On the other hand, in terms of sheer variety, and quantity, of its leading wines - from Bordeaux and Burgundy and elsewhere - France is still far ahead of all other countries.
But which wines are the very best?
It is all a question of taste. Even within France, wine lovers will come to blows (almost) over the relative claims of Bordeaux and Burgundy wines.
This week's tests, flagged long in advance, had an air of inevitability about them. Suffice it to say that American, and British, wine connoisseurs still flock to buy the best French names.
On a blind tasting of vintage bottles from individual producers, Californian wines might easily win on a given day. On another day, French wines might win, depending on who the tasters are.
This week's tastings were between Californian and Bordeaux cabernet wines, or clarets. Burgundy fans might point out that the most expensive of all red wines is neither of these, but a Romanée Conti red burgundy made from pinot noir grapes in a vineyard about the size of a football pitch.
At the top end of the market, it is all a bit meaningless. If you are paying £100 for a bottle of wine, you ought to know what you like and what you are paying for.
So how are the top French wines faring?
Absolutely corking, thank you. Champagne, of all types, cannot be grown in sufficient quantity to meet the booming world demand. The leading châteaux in Bordeaux, and the grand and premier cru labels from Burgundy, have no problem in selling at inflated prices.
The silly money prices of the late 1990s, fuelled by speculation on wine futures, have calmed, but you would still expect to pay about €40 to €100 (£27 to £68) a bottle for the excellent 2005 vintage from a top Bordeaux château.
By the time the wine is ready to drink, five or so years from now, those prices will have doubled or trebled.
There is not one French wine industry, there are two or three. The crisis is real enough, but it affects the middle market (the kind of wine that you might buy for a Friday night dinner at home) and the bottom of the market (the stuff sold in cardboard canisters and plastic bottles).
Here, French wine growers have been hit by a double whammy. The French, especially the young, no longer drink as much wine. Domestic consumption is less than half of what it was in the 1960s. At the same time, foreigners are turning more and more to so-called New World wines, especially Australian labels, which they find more reliable and easier to recognise.
You may have liked the Bordeaux you bought last week, but which of the 30 different châteaux in the shop was it? A wine called Kangaroo Creek, or whatever, is easy to remember. There are 466 different AOC, or Appellations d'Origine Contrôlées wines, in France, before you even start with the Vins de Pays and the hundreds of Bordeaux châteaux.
Ten years ago, France had 33 per cent of the British market in still wines. That is down to a little more than 20 per cent. For the first time in the past two years, something unthinkable has happened. France has a wine lake, or unsold surplus, not just of rotgut, generic red wine, but of "appellations contrôlée", relatively fine wines, especially from Bordeaux and Languedoc. France is still the largest exporter of wine, by value, in the world, but exports of non-sparkling wines fell 2.5 per cent again last year, the fifth successive year of decline.
What are the French doing about it?
Quarrelling among themselves mostly. Last month, the government produced a plan which would encourage fewer, simpler and more readily recognisable brand names for some middle- and low-market French wines. It would also allow French producers to flavour their wine with oak chippings, as the Aussies do. Both these ideas are heresy to the purists.
Quarrels apart, it is inevitable that middle-market French wine will drift away from France's traditional "location", or appellation, based system and towards a simpler, New World-type mass-marketing of cheerfully labelled wines based on the "noble" grape varieties, such as Chardonnay or Merlot, or Cabernet Franc or Sauvignon Blanc. This is being resisted by many small growers.
French philosophy holds that wine comes from the soil - the terroir, or special soil, terrain and weather conditions of a particular vineyard - not just from a grape variety and not from a factory. This philosophy is fine at the top end of the market, and is applied in California and Australia as much as in France. It can create little-known jewels in the middle market. It can also act as an excuse for bad wine-making.
In the mass-marketing age, the plethora of individual French wines in the middle market has become a handicap, rather than an advantage. In years ahead, whether it likes it or not, the French middling wines will have to abandon, in part, the French terroir ideology and tradition.
Many small producers, to survive, will have to stop making their own wines. Instead, they will sell their grapes to big wineries, which, as in Australia or the US, will mass-produce wine of reliable quality and taste. The French growers - and many wine lovers - detest this notion. It would reduce many producers to "grape farmers". It would ruin the fascination of finding that special "little" wine that no one else knows.
Do the French import much wine themselves?
Very little, although that is changing slowly. You can find Italian and Spanish wines, and some American wines, in specialist shops. In supermarkets, wine shelves tend to be all French, save in Calais where they slavishly cater for the British taste.
Is it true the French 2005 vintage was superb?
Everyone says so, especially for Bordeaux wines, especially for Bordeaux red wines and, to be very precise, especially for the Médoc and Haut Médoc clarets, which use a lot of Cabernet Franc grapes. Weather conditions for wine were excellent across France last year - dry but not too dry; warm but not too warm - and especially good for the Cabernet Franc vines in the Médoc. Some say that it may be the finest Médoc claret vintage ever. As a result, sales of all Bordeaux - including the middle-market and low-market Bordeaux - are booming. But, that alone, will not solve the deeper crisis in French wine.
Should you still buy French wine?
Yes...
* The French producers still make among the very best, but you have to know what to go for
* There is no better way to recall the tastes of that splendid holiday along the Rhône
* You can get good value, middle-market wines, as many of the New World products fetch premium "fashion" prices
No...
* As the Berry Brothers' blind tasting showed, you can get equally good wines from both Old and New World sources - why limit yourself?
* The New World wines, sold by variety rather than vineyard, provide a more consistent product
* If you want to buy very cheap wine, Spanish or Italian is better
Source: “The Big Question: So does French wine still deserve its reputation as the best in the world?,” John Lichfield, Paris Correspondent - The Independent, May 26, 2006
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Targeting Nature's Illegal Aliens to Protect Tourism
New York senator wants federal funding to battle organisms threatening state's agriculture, tourism industries
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., has his eyes on immigration, but it's not Mexicans crossing the country's southern border worrying him.
During a Wednesday press conference, Schumer said invasive species ranging from plants to microorganisms are sucking billions of dollars out of the U.S. economy and putting $170 million in crop production at risk. New York's senior senator also said these unwelcome foreigners threaten the tourism industry, and he's cosponsoring legislation to take them on.
“In New York the problem is as bad as it is in the country,” he said. “In every region of upstate New York farmers, boaters and businesses are dealing with some sort of invasive species.”
Invasive species include the infamous zebra mussels in the Great Lakes, as well as the golden nematode that has concerned local potato farmers for years. The Swede midge, recently discovered in western New York, threatens to decimate broccoli and cabbage crops, while Eurasian watermilfoil is filling up water ways across North America.
That's just what's here; Schumer also warned about the glassy-winged sharpshooter. The mosquito-like insect hasn't made an appearance in upstate New York, but if does it could infect vineyards with the deadly Pierce's disease.
“We unfortunately have a lot of them,” he added, “but we also have two of the leading centers in the country - and even the world - in fighting invasive species.”
The senator is proposing a four-point plant that includes the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act, which will authorize more than $165 million in federal funds during the next five years to combat invasive species with environmentally sound and effective technology. He'd also written to the National Invasive Species Council co-chairs asking them to identify the highest risk land pathways for species to come into New York. As trade increases, so does the threat of invasive species, Schumer said.
The senator also is looking for the NISC to reach out to the U.S. Trade Representative to develop strategies to prevent the unwelcome guests from being transported into the U.S. Finally, he's asking the acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to outline how foreign ships, cargo and passengers are being checked for invasive species.
Besides a potential national loss of $33 billion annually and $170 million in upstate New York, farmers nationwide are already spending $3 billion on herbicides that fight invasive weeds. That includes $80 million on pesticides and chemicals in New York.
In the Southern Tier some $13.87 million in farm production is at risk. Locally, invasive species pose a $4.9 billion threat to Steuben County, $1.89 million in Allegany County and $5.2 million in Livingston County.
“You may need to a microscope to find these species,” Schumer said, “but their impact is enormous.”
Source: “Nature's illegal aliens targeted: New York senator wants federal funding to battle organisms threatening state's agriculture, tourism industries,” Lawrence Hovish, Evening Tribune, May 26, 2006
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