Shopping for wine can be fun ...
... and educational. Well, mostly fun. Still, in my last trip to the big Total Wine store down in Winston I learned something. As you may know, the Yadkin Valley is trying to get a start in the wine industry. Wilkes County even has its own vineyard and winery at Windy Gap. There are others around the state. I always try to buy a bottle of the local wine to support the industry while it is getting on its feet.
There is, however, a serious problem. I bought six bottles of wine, most of them highly rated either by Wine Spectator or by the staff, who know their stuff. The best clearly was a bottle of Fabula Rosso from Italy which had been given a 93 by Wine Spectator. Hard to beat that, especiailly when you consider that it only cost $12. Four of the others were even cheaper.
And that's the problem. The North Carolina Windy Gap Merlot I bought cost $16 and has not a chance of being even half as good. It may be good, and Windy Gap is one of the better wineries around here, but not for $16. Not when you can get excellent wines from Chile, Italy, Australia, South Africa, wherever, for much less money.
I don't see how the economics for this enterprize are going to work. Unless there are a lot of dolts like me willing to buy merely OK wine for more money than it is worth in order to support my neighbors.
... and educational. Well, mostly fun. Still, in my last trip to the big Total Wine store down in Winston I learned something. As you may know, the Yadkin Valley is trying to get a start in the wine industry. Wilkes County even has its own vineyard and winery at Windy Gap. There are others around the state. I always try to buy a bottle of the local wine to support the industry while it is getting on its feet.
There is, however, a serious problem. I bought six bottles of wine, most of them highly rated either by Wine Spectator or by the staff, who know their stuff. The best clearly was a bottle of Fabula Rosso from Italy which had been given a 93 by Wine Spectator. Hard to beat that, especiailly when you consider that it only cost $12. Four of the others were even cheaper.
And that's the problem. The North Carolina Windy Gap Merlot I bought cost $16 and has not a chance of being even half as good. It may be good, and Windy Gap is one of the better wineries around here, but not for $16. Not when you can get excellent wines from Chile, Italy, Australia, South Africa, wherever, for much less money.
I don't see how the economics for this enterprize are going to work. Unless there are a lot of dolts like me willing to buy merely OK wine for more money than it is worth in order to support my neighbors.
posted by Clemens | 10:30 PM
2 Comments:
Hey Oscar, among all these wine producing countries... you forgot to list Spain! I am all about supporting the local producers, and that is why I always support the Spaniards (hehe). No wine is better than a good Rioja... And whoever think differently is wrong! (Just joking, of course)
Ana - no! You are absolutely right. Three of the other wines I bought that day were Spanish. Rioja is great. I am also amused, or gratified, as a medieval historian that wine is now being sold with labels from Leon y Castilla.
Thanks for the comment. Next month - the wines of Spain!
Post a Comment
<< Home