Wineblog

In the August 09 edition of WineLand, I did a story questioning the role of competition and accolade stickers on wine bottles. This followed after reports that some international importers requested wineries to remove local competition stickers from their wines – arguing that, besides certain international awards, these glitzy decorations are only confusing consumers.

The major value associated with the role of competitions and the uncertainty of the legitimacy of their outcome has since then again been questioned by two separate marketing research reports – one local and one from the US.

 An MBA project by Christiane von Armin, carried out at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB), shows that the notable increase in the number of South African wine competitions has watered down the impact of their awards and accolades.

According to Christiane, consumers have also become skeptical about the honesty of some wineries in using awards for marketing wines, while the competition organisers are often the ones cashing in on winemakers’ attempts to increase the prestige of their wines through accolades. The report states that “the abundance of competitions has gradually given rise to doubt, with critics increasingly questioning whether these awards carry the same weight.”

An online survey was conducted among a total of 285 South African consumers by means of a questionnaire. This revealed that variety, vintage, region, producer and packaging all play a bigger role when choosing a wine than awards. On a scale from 1 (not important) to 5 (very important), the latter only rated 2.97, with variety being the most important factor at 4.14. 

The majority of these consumers (68%) agreed that the increasing number of wine awards is confusing.

Christiane’s report boldly concludes: “Perhaps the industry should take steps to avoid a nasty hangover from overindulgence in competitions and awards – and worse marketers’ fake awards that cheapen the concept.”

To further deepen the concern surrounding the “cheap concept” of competitions, an American study by Robert Hodgson found that there is very little concordance among competitions in awarding gold medals.

This study was published in the Le Bulletin de L’OIV, the international wine organisation’s technical and research report.

In this report an analysis of over 4 000 wines entered in 13 US wine competitions, showed why winemakers often refer to competitions as “wine lotteries”. Of the 2 440 wines that entered in more than three competitions, 47 received gold medals, but 84% of these exact wines also won zilch at another competition.

This report concludes that “the probability of winning a gold medal at one competition is stochastically independent of the probability of receiving gold at another competition, indicating that winning a Gold medal is greatly influenced by chance.”     

According to Christiane, with producers being under pressure from diminishing profit margins, “it is more crucial than ever for wineries to achieve the optimal blend in their marketing mix.”

Maybe this mix, entails more effort in hand to hand sales, label (and not sticker) presentation, expanding to new markets and even new green initiatives – while being more selective when entering a competition.

And if you’re really desperate, don’t cheat by entering small batches at competitions – just enter the lotto. That’s also decided by chance!

WynLand se NuweWyn blad is vir seker een van die lekkerste take op my maandelikse to-do lys. Dit is deel van my job om nuwe uitreikings (blind en met die hulp van ‘n informele, wisselende paneel, natuurlik…) te proe en daaroor te skryf. Wat ‘n voorreg!

Hoewel die seleksie meeste van die tyd nog ‘n “vars en vrolike rosé” of nog ‘n “aangename witwyntjie vir ontspanne somer genieting” insluit, dop daar gereeld ook werklik innoverende skeppings en interessante nuwighede op.

As ek so vinnig dink, onthou ek Val de Vie se Barista (‘n koffiewyn wat nie nét soos koffie proe nie), De Krans se Pink Port en meer onlangs Spier se Creative Block 3 – almal wyne wat jou verras en bietjie laat dink terwyl jy jou proenotas neerpen.

Dan Traucki, ‘n Australiese wynkonsultant, skryf in die Australian & New

Dan Traucki

 Zealand Grapegrower and Winemaker, dat die toekoms van die Australiese wynbedryf lê in “alternatiewe wyne”. Hy vertel dat dié land variëteite wat “gestoei het teen uitsterwing en anonimiteit” in hul land van oorsprong, geneem en omskep het tot bekroonde wyne – soos in die geval van Viognier.

Saam met Viognier, noem hy Pinot Gris, Petit Verdot en Sangiovese as druifsoorte wat die afgelope dekade op die Aussie wyndrinker se radar verskyn het, terwyl Sauvignon Blanc verander het van ‘n niche tot ‘n ernstige teenstander vir Oz (en toevallig SA)se oorgehoute ster van die 80’s, Chardonnay.

Dan maak hy die gewaagde stelling dat Australië moet waak daarteen om soos dinosourusse onder te gaan, deur soos die Franse ‘n same old, same old benadering te volg.

As Australië die skeppende redders is van bedreigde spesies en die Franse soos dinosourusse sélf bedreig is, waar laat dit Suid-Afrika?

Die realiteit is dat Australië se droogtes en massiewe ooraanbod enige optimisme van skeppendheid en nuwe wynstyle op hierdie stadium oorskry, terwyl die Franse, soos Dan met Shane Warne-arrogansie uitwys, meer en meer geld uithaal om wyn te probeer smous aan ‘n steeds kwynende mark.

Shane Warne

In vergelyking hiermee lyk die plaaslike situasie skielik heelwat meer rooskleurig. Met ‘n langer wyngeskiedenis as Australië is hier ‘n element van die Franse tradisie en trots, terwyl ons nou verby die post a-woord stuiptrekkings is en ‘n eiesoortige en opwindende speler is in die wêreld wynmark. (en ja – ek het die woord “speler” gebruik met die oog op die Wereldbeker …)

As iets tussen Aussie nuwe wêreld en Franse old school kan dit nie vir Suid-Afrika skade doen om uit beide hierdie teenpole se foute en suksesse te leer nie en Dan maak in hierdie opsig ‘n hele paar baie geldige stellings.

Hy noem dat ‘n groot rede vir die afname in wynverbruik in Frankryk daaraan toegeskryf kan word dat die Franse jeug wyn sien as “iets wat die oumense drink” en dan draai na ander alkoholiese drankies soos bier of kelkiekoeldrank (RTD’s).

Hierdie is volgens hom ‘n neiging in baie wynlande, maar nie in Australie nie. Hier drink jongmense nuwe “in” wynsoorte soos Pinot Gris of Viognier en sien die ouer variëteite, eerder as wyn as sulks, as “oumens kelkies”. Die kruks van die saak is dat hulle wyn drink.

Op eie bodem is die “koffie Pinotages” ‘n goeie voorbeeld van vernuwing – mens kry nie iets veel alternatief as dit nie! As ‘n oud-Valie het ek nog baie kontak met Bloubulwereld en Café Culture het veral daar al ‘n menigte bierdrinker laat mik na die drankie van die gode.

Puriste kan dalk (soos Franse “dinosourusse”) meen dat hierdie nie wyn-eg is nie, maar dit is ‘n nuwigheid wat debat ontlok en wyn opwindend en interessant hou. En soos soetkoek verkoop.

Net so het Chenin – hetsy vonkelend, semi-soet of droog en gehout – se terugkeer die land se witwynprofiel verander.

Die tempo van verandering in wynstyle was nog nooit so vinnig soos vandag nie. Don voorspel reeds dat Savagnin, ‘n wit druifsoort inheems aan die Jura area in Frankryk, en Temperanillo – in Portugal bekend as Tinta Roriz – druifsoorte is om dop te hou.

Op die plaaslike front word Cinsaut – soos Chenin ‘n dekade gelede – opnuut ernstig opgeneem, terwyl Verdehlo en ander Portugese ‘n handjievol “rebelle” baie opgewonde het.

Hiermee sê ek nie ons moet die wiel herontwerp en skielik al die traditionele Cabernet in Stellenbosch ontwortel om Hárslevelü te “red” nie. Dit is eerder ‘n kwessie van aanhou innoveer, skep, proewe doen en ook in die mark jou tros op ‘n blok sit.

Die eerste NuweWyn van die 2010-oesjaar – ‘n Four Cousins Light Rosé met ‘n weigh-less stickertjie, nogal – het verlede week op my lessenaar gearriveer. Ek sien uit na die nuwe giere, variëteite en “alternatiewe wyne” wat hierdie spesiale sokker-oesjaar oplewer.

Met die groter klem wat deesdae op internet media geplaas word, het WynLand ook sy webtuiste ‘n “facelift” gegee. Die opgeknapte webtuiste en blog sal binnekort op die lug wees. Kom loer gerus kort na krismis en verwag ‘n meer moderne, interaktiewe, woelige Wynland Wingerd Waaibs.