Ring in the new!
THE WINE CLUB
| The phrase has since become synonymous with change "" and was implemented most literally in the ceremony of the opening and closing bell conducted daily at the New York Stock Exchange! |
| It is also an appropriate phrase when talking about wine "" which is all about the "Old" World (Europe) and the "New" World (the rest of the world). We know, of course, that French wines are still considered by many to be the world's best. Indeed, if price is any indication then the top Bordeaux, Burgundies, Champagnes and Sauternes have no equal: fixed production volume when coupled with rising demand inexorably equals to rising prices. |
| Italian wines, too, have raised their quality (and price) profile significantly in recent years ""today the best Barolos and "Super Tuscans" command prices approaching the top French, and a vigorous marketing effort is expanding their geographical "footprint of consumption". |
| However, all Old World wines suffer from the twin problems of labelling and quality: their labels are difficult to read (since they mostly do not carry details about the grape or the wine), and the wine quality could vary enormously (since there is a lot of wine produced in Europe, by a very large number of wineries, and only few are good quality). |
| This is apparently (and literally) too much for wine consumers to swallow! New World wines are, on the other hand, more understandable, more drinkable, and more affordable. Small wonder then that Australian wines have overtaken French wines in terms of volume of sales in Britain ""which at 150 million 12-bottle cases is the world's single largest wine importing country (India consumed a total 1 million cases wine last year)! |
| In quality terms, specific grape varietals have carved a niche in different countries: the Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand, Shiraz in Australia, Pinotage and Pinot Noir in the USA, Malbec in Argentina, and just about everything produced in Chile! |
| This doesn't mean that the best wines from the New World are cheap: a Penfolds Grange Shiraz 1998 from Australia is rated at 99 points and costs $205 while the Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 from Napa Valley kicks in at $500 (94 points). |
| But prices like these are the exception rather than the rule for wines from the New World, one finds many good wines at prices $20- $50, and internet guides like www.thewinedoctor.com or www.wineanorak.com are a great help in providing the names of winemakers. |
| So what new wines would I ring in this year? I like the Saint Clair Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand "" rated 91 points by Wine Spectator, with a powerful aroma that reaches out even across the table and a long smooth taste and finish (Rs 1,600 in Bangalore). |
| Equally impressive was the Rolf Binder "Haliwell" Barossa Valley Shiraz Grenache (89 points) sampled recently: an unusual rhubarb and blackcurrant aroma (no doubt from the Grenache. Rs 1,750). |
| And loved the yet-to-be-launched Basilisk Cabernet Balzac (also from Australia) which got top marks at tastings in Bangalore against much more expensive contestants. Whichever way one looks at it, new wines will continue to pour in and their quality will continue to provide a benchmark for our domestic wares. "Ring out the old, ring in the new!" |