Wine has interested me for a while. The way it has begun to impact and grow in cultural relevance is curious to me. I don't claim to be an expert, but I am fascinated by this "living, breathing thing. Constantly able to change and gain complexity." That quote is from the movie Sideways (2004). The movie follows a wine Conessiur, Milo, and his friend on a tour of wine country. It touches on some cultural issues that surround wine drinking and the wine community. The movie alone may have caused an increase of 147% in sales of Pinot Noir, the movie's unofficial star.
Wine is also a business. Last year, the Californian wine industry was estimated to be worth $45.4 billion. Traditionally an old world specialty, wine has increasingly become more popular in America and so has its production. America, Australia, and South America have really begun to see sales of their wines take off. While in France, the government had to bail out their wine industry last year. And America is also the largest consumer of wines in the world.
Another film, Mondovino (2005) explores the differences between small wineries and large companies such as Mondavi and EJ Gallo. It interviews small vintners and they claim that the wine industry is falling apart and that there is no personality left in wine. Large companies are happy with their sales and strive to increase their market share. The movie explores the idea of terroir, literally "soil" in French, but has increased in meaning to the taste that an agricultural product takes on based on where it is located. The small wineries claim that they have a rightful claim to terroir and that is what produces the tastes of a Burgundy or Bordeaux. Large companies use technology to make up for their lack of geographic location. Mondavi and Rothchild for example, add new oak to their production process to add flavor to their wines.
An article in the Economist points out another issue affecting the wine industry. In California, grapes are able to grow larger and contain more sugar. When fermentation takes place, this causes more alcohol to be produced, which generally does not taste good in a wine. Some wineries in California are adding water to their batches in order to "mellow" the alcohol content. Most of the wine world frowns upon this practice, but consumers might not tell the difference, and it is wondered if they even care.
Wine is also sometimes seen as an investment. You can buy a good bottle of wine, place it in a safe location for a few years and then sell it at a higher price. While I don't know much about this process, it intrigues me and I have posted some websites that explain more about the differences of wine.
The Internet Wine Guide
A Guide to French Wines
A Guide to Italian Wines
Check out the above sites and go out and enjoy the world of wine!
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