Since many years wine is subject of - or better, it is having again - a new and
sensational interest from consumers and communication media. From noble beverage
destined to few elects, in case it was good, or deprecable vice, in case it was
bad, wine has been consecrated as a status symbol, a sign of a refined
and fashionable lifestyle in these times where appearing is more important than
being. Of course wine is no exception to this new and modern rule. Everything
started as a noble attempt to the revaluation of the tradition and culture of
our millenary and beloved beverage, today the scene is very different and
speculation, not only economic speculation, got the upper hand of the scene.
Wine has become a fashion, one of the many, in which it is enough to tell the
name of two or three sensational labels or of important and famous grapes in
order to considered as real connoisseurs.
As everyone knows, appearance is now a such important and strategic issue in
interpersonal relations that few - being afraid of not appearing as good as
others - dare to investigate a little whereas others are incapable of saying
anything enlightened by such a charisma. It takes so little to become real wine
experts and to impress people: two magic words spoken at the right time
while relying on other's ignorance and in the hope of not being taken with the
hands in the jam jar. Since many years in the world of wine, some words words
have become magic and they seem to turn into gold everything they touch,
just like the legendary philosophers' stone of King Midas. Among these words -
with no doubt - are to be included the names of the now renowned and abused
international grapes. Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon
Blanc - just to mention few examples - are grapes which reached such a high
notoriety - even though it would be more appropriate to say these are the grapes
with which they speculated the most - that the presence of one of these grapes
in a wine seems to promise divine nectars of indisputable value.
After a premise like that we think it is appropriate to make our opinion clear.
Of course we are not against the use of these grapes, we truly know they are
capable of making very great wines, however we are also aware of the fact these
grapes - alone - are not enough to make very great wines. How many wines from
Bordeaux, Bourgogne and Loire Valley, made with the grapes used in our example,
could be mentioned? Many, more than many. France was - and still is - a strong
enological reference for all the wine producing countries of the world and there
are still many to believe the French success is because of the usage of certain
grapes. There are probably many who did not realize that in French wine labels
the name of the grapes used for making that wine is never mentioned, and of
course this is not because they want to keep certain secrets hidden. French
enology is strongly based on the concept of the importance of territory and of
its contribution in making a wine unique. Of course, wine is made from grapes,
but grapes themselves cannot turn into wine, they need many other factors such
as the intervention of man and the characteristics of the territory.
We do not want to support the idea in labels should not be mentioned the grapes
used for making a wine, indeed, we support the most transparent clearness and
that consumers should be provided with every useful information in order to
understand a product, including grapes. What we like to emphasize is that in
their places of origin, these grapes - now defined as international although
in those places considered as autochthonous - do not benefit of the same
notoriety and interest which is found in other countries. Nevertheless,
according to the success of Merlot and Chardonnay - just to mention two examples
- it would be in the French's interests to clearly state the name of these
grapes in the labels: this would be an indisputable commercial advantage. For
the French it is the cru to be considered as the most important factor
and this is what it is emphasized in labels. Could it be Mother Nature has been
so benevolent with France only by giving it memorable wine lands as to
undervalue the grape factor? Experience and facts clearly tell us it is not like
that. Memorable wine lands are found in many countries of the world.
Despite of these considerations, the use of certain grapes in wines seems to
ensure a good success, this is what can be seen according to the preferences of
consumers and of market. Producers themselves keep on saying that since many
years the wines made with the so called international grapes sell better
than the ones made with autochthonous grapes. Maybe this could explain the
reason why of the revisions of traditional and famous wine areas' disciplinary
in which are being introduced, for the first time in their history, grapes such
as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. In these areas
the territory factor seems not to be enough for the commercialization of their
wines, however it is more likely the causes are to be found somewhere else. It
would be interesting to see the effect of the introduction of Sangiovese in
Bordeaux or Nebbiolo in Bourgogne, as to make comparisons. Who knows why the
French have never had this idea? To tell the truth in many areas they are trying
to revaluate the quality of their territory - including grapes - and this seems
to be the beginning of a new trend which is slowly getting more and more popular
in the name of ancient and romantic traditions. These certainly are remarkable
initiatives which however could not be enough in order to give recognizability
and appreciation to the quality of a territory which is indisputable different
from any other.
Revaluation examples of the wines of a territory and of its grapes are so many
that it seems so hard to believe to what is happening today. There are many
producers who were successful in revaluating the resources of their territories
and that contributed to the success of other producers and of their areas while
maintaining a cultural and traditional diversity. We are not against
international grapes, once again we go over and over our conviction, so evident
in facts, that these grapes, as well as the territory in which they are being
cultivated, are capable of making wines of primary magnificence and elegance.
The problem is that since many years it seems consumers are getting more and
more bored by those wines all different although all the same having
in common a too much homologated and expected taste, most of the cases made with
the same grapes. Maybe it is also the consumers' fault, probably too lazy and
attracted by appearance and not interested in substance at all, who do not have
the curiosity - let us also add - the intelligence of understanding the value of
difference. There are thousands of wines from all over the world - different and
interesting - a wealth we should be capable to value and safeguard.
International grapes have a great and indisputable enological value, however
they are not the only ones with which can be made great wines. Hurray for the
difference!
|