Wine Sediments

Hello Fabio, I’m Gianpaolo Paglia, owner of Poggio Argentiera (Capatosta). First of all let me say that I did not know about Wine Sediments, I’ll make sure that it’ll fit in my daily blog reading routine.
About Decanter’s article, I didn’t have the chance to read the full article yet, but from what I could understand I can try to comment on a couple of things. The poor results the tuscan coast wines hve received could, among other things, be related to the quality of 2003 and 2002 vintages that are those of many wines tasted. Secondarly, and most importantly, is that there is a distinct difference from waht the UK market like and what the rest of the world, particularly USA, like. For UK wine trade people Italy is just not the place they expect to find masses of wine filled with cab and merlot, which is exactly the mix that you’ll find the most on Tuscan coast wines. US market don’t mind, and it would be probably very interesting to compare USA scores on those wines (i.e. Wine Spectator’s) to Decanter’s ones. That goes, for once, to the advantage of those wines, like the Capatosta, that are made of local varieties (95% Sangiovese in my case), and probably explain why this particular wine has scored so poorly (I think 86 or so) on Wine Spectator and done so well in Decanter.

Actually there are several differences between UK market and USA market. Just to have an idea I cross-refer to a post of Andrew on www.spitton.biz [Americans and British: brand loyal or label conscious]. For those who know italian language I cross-refer to this post I published to my www.vino24.tv website [Differenze tra il consumatore americano e quello inglese]

Yes, the english way of drinking is different from the american one or from the one of another part of the world. It implies different scores between the two magazines (Wine Spectator and Decanter) like you say. It should be very interesting to compare the scores of this magazines on those wines, we will see a lot of differences: because different are the contexts wherein they live. Nowadays the American wine-drinking, for example, prefers exotic tastes, he is looking for new wines and new bottles [see “Cosa succederà nel mercato americano” on vino24.tv]

However, tha fact that a so important area like the Tuscan Coast which produces excellent wines like in all Tuscany in general, the fact that this area receives not-positive scores from a specialized magazine like Decanter, all this should induce us to reflect upon. Italian wine makers, and here I take the side of them because I am italian, may reckon with these panel tastings because they represent, in some way, opinion.

Whatever the reasons are (vintages, production, oenologists, different methodology of evaluation, …), wine makers coming from the Tuscan Coast, like so the ones coming from all Italy, may focus more on how to communicate wines abroad. Decanter says that it’s a production without a clear idea in mind of what should be the final product: it means that for those specialists they were wines so done! Naturally Decanter isn’t Wine Spectator, but it’s always a magazine to keep an eye on. And, of course, it’s not the case of Poggio Argentiera whose wine has been scored very well.

In addition, I follow Gianpaolo’s experience with his winery, one of the few italian winery which has understood that today a quality wine without a correct communicative support is an end in itself: the quality of a product may be accompanied by a quality of its communication. Then, the Tuscan Coast, whatever its product wine is, international blends or local varieties (I prefer the last!), could obtain better results regardless of Wine Spectator or Decanter. By the way, I suggest to read this post on the Calwineries Blog “Public Opinion is to Elite Snobbery as Wine Blogger Reviews are to Wine Critic Reviews” (www.calwineries.com/blog), about alternative ways of wine evaluations into the blogosphere.

PS: Gianpaolo, we can meet in Vinitaly, probabily I will be there on saturday, 31. Let me know.

Fabio, I’ll be there all the time. My winery is at “area D, Stand E3″. It’ll be nice to meet you there (or whoever would like to come to say hello. Congrats for the great commitment shown about wine and wine communication.
About the subject of the post, I really do think that the English market is more evolved and that fact that they didn’t like those wines (tuscan coast’s famous wines) has to be found in the fact that those wines were made following an american kind of vision (big, bold, overiped, fruity, oaky kind of wines). Times are changing, those kind wines are no longer very much appreciated in Italy, and as it shows, in UK. I have to say that, when it comes to the US market, for my experience they are still the kind of wines that most of the people expect and like the most. My opinion is that US taste will soon follow the trend towards more balanced and refined wines, capable of expressing the different nuances of different terroirs. Let’s see.

Alfonso here from On the Wine Trail in Italy .
From an American perspective, I am noticing the tastes changing here from the riper and higher-alcohol wines to ones with more finesse and regional characteristics. This is not happening as fast as in the UK, or on the home front in Italy, but in my day job of following a significant amount of Italian wine through our company in the US, wines with no identity usually end up being closed out, often at a loss (i.e. selling for less than they cost).
Good scores don’t always guarantee wines will sell, especially at the higher end ( US $ 30 and above). Local economies and events like wars and election cycles also affect market pull and sell-through.

See you @ Vinitaly?

Very interesting, Alfonso.
Let’s summarize:

> Wines with finesse and regional characteristics
> Identity
> Local economies
> Events

We have to keep in mind all this aspects to understand the “American way of drinking”!

Regarding Vinitaly, like you know from my previous post I’ll be there on saturday 31th March. We see