"European wine fighting for survival": Der Spiegel

[Gifted Gourmet]

article from Der Spiegel

They are fruity, soft and pleasant -- and anathema to traditional European vintners. As foreign wines make inroads into the German market, wine makers argue over the globalization of taste. Is it more important to conform or to preserve tradition?

Löwenstein has written a manifesto that has caused an uproar in the industry, what he calls a "Manifesto of the Terroirists." He complains about the "infantilization" of taste, about people who want their wines to be as fruity as "strawberry jam or chocolate syrup." He also curses the addiction to mass-produced wine and a German law that measures wine quality by sugar content.

So, if I might return to the initial premise of the article, is it actually more important to conform or to preserve tradition?

Your opinion of the article in general, whether as a wine connoisseur or as an occasional wine drinker?

[docsconz]

It depends on the tradition. Tradition for tradition's sake is to me not valuable and therefore not necessarily worth keeping in the face of improvement (assuming the innovation is an "improvement". On the other hand, many traditions are such because they have their innate value and quality. Those of course need to be preserved even if the innovation stands side by side with it. Piemonte is a great example of this with great wines from both the traditional camp as well as the innovators.

[JohnL]

article from Der Spiegel

They are fruity, soft and pleasant -- and anathema to traditional European vintners. As foreign wines make inroads into the German market, wine makers argue over the globalization of taste. Is it more important to conform or to preserve tradition?

Löwenstein has written a manifesto that has caused an uproar in the industry, what he calls a "Manifesto of the Terroirists." He complains about the "infantilization" of taste, about people who want their wines to be as fruity as "strawberry jam or chocolate syrup." He also curses the addiction to mass-produced wine and a German law that measures wine quality by sugar content.

So, if I might return to the initial premise of the article, is it actually more important to conform or to preserve tradition?

Your opinion of the article in general, whether as a wine connoisseur or as an occasional wine drinker?

←

The article is interesting. It is also rife with inaccuracy --a result of the hysteria that the current situation in Europe has promulgated. That situation is a result of "globalization."

In a nutshell--European winemakers are faced with the fact that they are unable to compete on the world market for many reasons and are deeply concerned that "free trade" agreements are opening up their domestic markets to wine produced from elsewhere in the world.

This is absolutely not a question of "terroir" or "tradition."

It is about competition and money.

First, the whole situation revolves around Table Wines--that is basic everyday wine-- the vast majority of all wine produced in the world falls into this category.

France et al have their own versions of Yellowtail, and Gallo etc.

The problem for Europe is twofold-- their table wines don't compete well in the world as exports and as more imports come into their domestic markets they are not doing well at home either.--Not good.

According to the EU--much of the table wine currently produced in Europe is of "inferior" quality and is not able to compete at the export level while at the same time, this tablewine will not be able to compete in quality with wine imported into Europe from elsewhere in the world--the New World (Africa, Australia, US, NZ, SA etc etc etc.).

Proof of this is the fact that the EU has ordered that millions of gallons of European produced table wine (France, Germany, Spain etc). be destroyed. There is simply, a glut of wine in the world. Much of this "inferior" wine is produced by large co-ops and by growers who are heavily subsidized. The EU has declared that this must end.--they have also ordered a large amount of vines to be ripped out and have declared a moritorium on new planting of grapes.

It is no wonder there is upheaval among winemakers in France, Germany etc. Understandable that the hysteria is at fever pitch. See the thread in the Wine Forum--Winemakers in Burgundy Riot....

Second, this is not about the "top" wines. Fine wines produced in all countries are selling well and at record prices. Top Boredeaux, Burgundy, German wine etc --that is the very best wine produced in the world is in demand. Arguably, these wines are expressions of the best terroir and there is certainly no "crisis" here.

Again, the 'crises" involves those wines produced on "lesser" terroir.

The talk about the horrors of "oak chips" applies, in reality, to table wines not the finest wines. But this brings us to another red herring--technology.

The fact is, winemaking has always benefitted from technology--all wine making. Technology can be misused or abused but it has been responsible for much good in wine. It was not long ago that many fine wines suffered from a lack of cleanliness--I am sure many of these winemakers complaining about the horrors of technology--in fact, benefit from using temperature controled fermentation--yes a technological breakthrough.

Here's an example of this hysteria:

In Mondovino (as representative of the hysteria as one can get) the "evil" Michelle Roland is seen/heard uttering the word "micro-oxygenation" over and over. The implication is clear--this is an evil technology that will destroy terroir will globalize the wines make them taste the same etc etc.

Micro-oxygenation, in simple terms, is a means of softening tannins that was developed in France by French Winemakers in Madiran who were faced with hard tannic wines that had difficulty selling. Micro-oxygenation is in fact the same as "racking" which has been used for many many years by winemakers. Why is it that micro-oxygenation is bad and racking is good or not even mentioned? They are basically procedures that achieve the same results?

This is an example of the misleading argument by those who are intimidated and fearful of the future. An argument founded on half truths and loaded with red herrings and fallacies.

[Brad Ballinger]

I found the article to lack focus, and it's a bit unclear as to the point (if any) its author is attempting to make. It jumps from riesling and sugar to wild yeasts to oak chips to California to Bordeaux.

But I'll attempt to comment on German riesling wine production. Riesling is arguably the one grape that shows off terroir more than any other (although others will cast a vote for pinot noir). The labeling of German wines reflects this in that the paradikat wines have labels that give information as to the vineyard, the village in which the vineyard is located (and some vineyards span across more than one village), the region in which the village is located, the grape, the amount of sugar present in the grapes at harvest, and (where appropriate) if the wine was vinified dry (trocken) or off-dry (halbtrocken). That's more than you get from just about any other wine label, and yet people complain that German wine labels are confusing. Perhaps a case of too much information?

The complaint from Lowenstein about quality being measured by sugar content may be a bit misleading. Quality designations are based on minimum sugar content present in the grapes at harvest -- from lowest to highest: kabinett, spatlese, auslese, beerenauslese, and trockenbeerenauslese. The prices of the wines generally increase with the sugar content quality designation. But some kabinetten in recent vintages have been declassified auslesen (made from grapes harvested at auslese ripeness). Again, there's a minimum amount of sugar that must be present at harvest for the wine to legally be labeled with one term v. another.

What I do find interesting is that this is the first I've read about German winemakers complaining of globalization. I didn't realize that the German-produced riesling wines were under attack from "competition" since there is hardly anything else remotely comparable (in my opinion, of course). The only thing I can extract from the article is German producers complaining about winemaking practices with wines made from other grapes that are gradually taking share away from their sales.

[Brad Ballinger]

Micro-oxygenation, in simple terms, is a means of softening tannins that was developed in France by French Winemakers in Madiran who were faced with hard tannic wines that had difficulty selling. Micro-oxygenation is in fact the same as "racking" which has been used for many many years by winemakers. Why is it that micro-oxygenation is bad and racking is good or not even mentioned? They are basically procedures that achieve the same results?

←

Racking is done primarily to clarify the wine and separate it from the lees. Oxygenation is a by-product of racking, but not the main reason for doing it. In fact, care is taken during racking to control or limit the amount of oxygen that is introduced to the wine. While micro-oxygenation can occur during racking, it is rarely the primary reason for racking wine, and there are ways of micro-oxygenating a wine other than racking.

[Rebel Rose]

Here's a related article from Decanter, German state tasters fooled by cheap import:

Edgar Schätzler, a winegrower in Guntersblum in the state of Hesse filled his bottles with Hungarian Pinot Gris, which experts labeled 'quality German wine' in official blind tastings, the German news magazine Der Spiegel reported this week.

Schätzler said the stunt shows the 'absurdity' of Germany's wine quality controls.

Since 1970, only certain German wines can obtain a quality control number known as the amtliche Prüfnummer, which should prove that the wine has passed various tests and can go to market. Only wines considered of 'quality' – Qualitätswein – can obtain that number.

Schätzler reckons German wine quality is 'in danger' because wines too easily obtain quality certifications from the nation's 100 or so official state wine tasters.

Two official tasters who have tasted Schätzler's wines in the past told decanter.com the winemaker's ploy is 'typical.'

'He is always causing trouble,' said Claudia Rehm, an official taster for the states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate. 'Our job is to approve wines that have no fundamental flaws, not judge varietals or their origins.'

The objective of the quality control tests is to filter out wines to be downgraded, and which have fundamental flaws, such as volatile acidity or excessive sugar, explained Claudia's husband Rolf Rehm, also an official state wine taster.

[JohnL]

I found the article to lack focus, and it's a bit unclear as to the point (if any) its author is attempting to make.  It jumps from riesling and sugar to wild yeasts to oak chips to California to Bordeaux.

But I'll attempt to comment on German riesling wine production.  Riesling is arguably the one grape that shows off terroir more than any other (although others will cast a vote for pinot noir).  The labeling of German wines reflects this in that the paradikat wines have labels that give information as to the vineyard, the village in which the vineyard is located (and some vineyards span across more than one village), the region in which the village is located, the grape, the amount of sugar present in the grapes at harvest, and (where appropriate) if the wine was vinified dry (trocken) or off-dry (halbtrocken).  That's more than you get from just about any other wine label, and yet people complain that German wine labels are confusing.  Perhaps a case of too much information?

The complaint from Lowenstein about quality being measured by sugar content may be a bit misleading.  Quality designations are based on minimum sugar content present in the grapes at harvest -- from lowest to highest: kabinett, spatlese, auslese, beerenauslese, and trockenbeerenauslese.  The prices of the wines generally increase with the sugar content quality designation.  But some kabinetten in recent vintages have been declassified auslesen (made from grapes harvested at auslese ripeness).  Again, there's a minimum amount of sugar that must be present at harvest for the wine to legally be labeled with one term v. another.

What I do find interesting is that this is the first I've read about German winemakers complaining of globalization.  I didn't realize that the German-produced riesling wines were under attack from "competition" since there is hardly anything else remotely comparable (in my opinion, of course).  The only thing I can extract from the article is German producers complaining about winemaking practices with wines made from other grapes that are gradually taking share away from their sales.

←

Brad

First--the racking issue.

We are both right. Racking has two objectives--per the Oxford Companion to Wine: "Racking is not only part of the clarification process, it also provides AERATION...."

(their caps)

The fact is Micro Bullage or micro-oxygenation as developed in Madiran is a "gentler" way to aerate the wines than is racking--which is believed to be harsher--it is also a less expensive alternative to racking. (wonder what the real impetus in it development was?) No doubt, like anything it can be abused.

As for your "surprise" re: German winemakers and globalization. I do not believe that the fears expressed in the article apply to most Riesling but rather "globalization" will impact the tafelwein. landwein and QbA levels--most of those wines we do not see here.

As I noted earlier I believe this is all in response to a wine "glut" and mostly to the efforts of the EU to either improve the salability in a global market as well as the domestic market of the basic tablewine or reduce its volume.

You are right about the piece being "all over the place" and unfocused.

The byproducts of hysteria! (I think).

[JohnL]

Thanks Mary!

The fact is -Europe is a confusing mess winewise.

This is not my opinion or that of the Australians or the Californians (though we all agree-- ask any student of wine)

it is their own view of themselves.

Hence the EU wrestling with how to improve things.

Wine bsing turned into alcohol, government subsidies being reduiced and removed, vines being ripped up......

It is no wonder there are riots in Burgundy and knee jerk reactions in Germany and gullible people like Nossitor in the US who are all scurrying about like chickens.....

I do not think that the top winemakers in Germany (or anywhere else) have anything to worry about.

As Brad noted--Germany produces some inceredibly fine and distinctive wines --there is certainly no "glut" of JJ Prum Riesling!

also I found a quote from the Decanter piece interesting:

from the "official German wine taster"

"Given the amount of wine making styles these days, in Germany and abroad...."

I thought because of globalization all wines are "the same."

ps

I tasted some Argentina Malbecs last week that are as stunning and distinctive wines as I have ever tasted. (wish I could afford em).

These wines weren't even available here just few years ago.--I love globalization!

[Rebel Rose]

First--the racking issue.

We are both right. Racking has two objectives--per the Oxford Companion to Wine:  "Racking is not only part of the clarification process, it also provides AERATION...."

. . . it is also a less expensive alternative to racking.

Well, one cannot exactly forego racking. Aeration can be avoided, if one wishes, by using gravity racking or gentle air pumps, which leaves the winemaker with the option of burbling the wine a little or not. But racking is absolutely necessary.

Micro-oxygenation is useful for brightening wines that are heavily oxidized or have other flaws.

[JohnL]

First--the racking issue.

We are both right. Racking has two objectives--per the Oxford Companion to Wine:  "Racking is not only part of the clarification process, it also provides AERATION...."

. . . it is also a less expensive alternative to racking.

Well, one cannot exactly forego racking. Aeration can be avoided, if one wishes, by using gravity racking or gentle air pumps, which leaves the winemaker with the option of burbling the wine a little or not. But racking is absolutely necessary.

Micro-oxygenation is useful for brightening wines that are heavily oxidized or have other flaws.

←

Gee this is interesting.

Actually, I think we are all correct.

Micro-oxygenation as originally developed in France was used with wines that were vinified in vats/tanks or large oak casks not barriques. The goal was to soften the harsh tannins of the Tannat grape (Madiran).

It can be used at various times during early fermentation as well as after fermantation. or while wines are in barrel.

according to Oxford:

"Proponants believe its chief attribute is that it mirrors the effects of oxygen on wines treated to barrel maturation."

"Micro-oxygenation does not necessarily preclude barrel maturation. Some Bordeaux producers use micro-oxygenation on new wine immediately before pressing as a gentler technique than racking and one which takes up less sulphur dioxide."

The upshot is--racking is considered by many winemakers as a harsh technique (certainly for wines in tank) micro-oxygenation presents a gentler technique to introduce oxygen into wine.

As always with winemakers--there seems to be a bit of experimentation with this technique in variuous points in the wine making process. There is some debate about this.

My original point was that Nossitor was not entirely fair in his use of this "word" to support one side of an argument.

[Daniel Rogov]

From time to time I start off by saying I have both good news and bad news. This time, only good news but one minor correction in terminology if I may...... I think we're using the term globalization of wine when we really mean "internationalization" of wine. That is to say that many wines are being produced that have so much in common that it is impossible at a tasting to know whether this Merlot or that Pinot Noir has come from New Zealand, Oregon, Burgundy, Bordeaux or Oshkosh, Missouri.

The good news is that as much as I personally find interntionalized wines rather boring they do have a large audience and that's fine. I'd rather have people drinking a high quality internationalized Merlot with their meals than a Diet Cola!

More good news is that those who find such wines boring have an abundance of options. Europe is no more moribund in wine than is Oregon or Lebanon or Napa.

Even more good news is that critics do indeed differ one with the other sometimes even on what they consider accepted standards. That, happily, and as it should be, throws it into the hands of intelligent consumers to decide which critics best speak to their own palates.

And if all of that isn't good news enough, have no fear.......Chateau Petrus, Penfolds, Beringer, Chapoutier, and Hubert de Montille are all doing just fine in their own realms thank you very much.

Edited November 8, 2005 by Daniel Rogov (log)

[JohnL]

From time to time I start off by saying I have both good news and bad news.  This time, only good news but one minor correction in terminology if I may...... I think we're using the term globalization of wine when we really mean "internationalization" of wine.  That is to say that many wines are being produced that have so much in common that it is impossible at a tasting to know whether this Merlot or that Pinot Noir has come from New Zealand, Oregon, Burgundy, Bordeaux or Oshkosh, Missouri.

The good news is that as much as I personally find interntionalized wines rather boring they do have a large audience and that's fine.  I'd rather have people drinking a high quality internationalized Merlot with their meals than a Diet Cola!

More good news is that those who find such wines boring have an abundance of options.  Europe is no more moribund in wine than is Oregon or Lebanon or Napa.

Even more good news is that critics do indeed differ one with the other sometimes even on what they consider accepted standards.  That, happily, and as it should be, throws it into the hands of intelligent consumers to decide which critics best speak to their own palates.

And if all of that isn't good news enough, have no fear.......Chateau Petrus, Penfolds, Beringer, Chapoutier, and Hubert de Montille are all doing just fine in their own realms thank you very much.

←

Very true--there is some confusion over terms.

Globalization is an economic term involving among many things, free trade (and not so free trade). This is driving a lot of the fear and loathing in the wine world. (not to mention the sugar world and the many other "worlds" in turmoil).

As for the "internationalization" of wine.

This is a result, in large part, of globalization. It is also, in large part, a myth conceived by growers and wine makers who are in the middle of the free trade whirlwind and promoted by wine writers and critics who have their own axes to grind. It is a classic tempest in a teapot!

(or wine barrel).

One must make an important distinction between the levels of wine consumption and wine making before embarking upon any discussion. That is, there are wines at the pinnacle of the wine world that are distinctive and of high quality. This category will always thrive regardless of economics (true some wines come into and go out of fashion).

Because of their quality and distinction they will feed the demand (which is growing) for fine wines.

Then. there is everything else.

Most of this consists of "everyday" wines--the wines one has two or three times per week with dinner--or maybe the white one enjoys as a beverage to relax with after a hard day's work. The wines by the glass one orders to be enjoyed by itself in a bar or cafe and the wines one orders with dinner at the local establishment.

It is here that one finds the source of the turmoil.This market exists in almost every country--wine producing or not, in the world--this is basically table wine.

In those countries that produce wine--table wine is the locally produced wine that is consumed locally, regionally-- domestically.

What is happening (and has been for some time) is that as the wine market moves from a local of regional --domestic market to one in which one's domestic wines are expected to compete in foreign markets so too wines from foreign producers now are available locally.

Consumers around the world have choice! They can buy and drink local or domestic wines or they can enjoy an imported wine.

This means competition.

Wines like Yellowtail are "designed" and "marketed" to compete on a large global stage. as with any mass produced and marketed product there is a "sameness" (one might say quality control and broad appeal aspect)--like MacDonald's or Volkswagon or Toyota.

Sticking with the car anaolgy.

At one time there were few imports available here in the US. Domestically produced cars were, for the most part, made up well over ninety per cent of the cars sold here.

Then imports began to make inroads as they became increasingly available--people here preferred the cars built by Toyota to those built by GM, Ford and Chryser etc.

One might say that the Toyotas were bland "international" style cars for the mass market.

They were percieved by Americans as better buys--better quality cars. The big three suffered--there was much turmoil--doemstic union workers and management were in a panic.

What happened?

It is still being played out but--today the domestic producers have fewer sales but their quality is at an all time high.--they have been forced to build better cars by the competition--who wins. certainly the consumers.

Back to wine.

I disagree with one point you make--slightly--Europe is not moribund --IMOP to say they are in a dying state is a bit too strong. I like to think they (and the world at large) are in a state of change (there has always been change but the pace has accelerated over the recent past).

Europe, because of their wine laws and subsidies, are at a major disadvantage with the new world at the moment. I believe they will survive--they are still capable of producing very good quality wines at every level. There will be contraction--those who can not compete will cease to exist.

In fact--the french have begun to fight--look at Red Bicyclette--basic Rhone whites and reds on the shelves of our shops--labeled with the varietals even--sacre bleu!

They need to resolve many Eurocentric issues before they can retrench and revive. One plus for them is that they produce a very large number of top quality wines--it is the lower levels where they are in trouble!

It is not fine Rieslings and top varietal wines-- but the oceans of mediocre whites from inferior grapes and blends that Germany produces that must improve or die.

Not classified Bordeaux and Burgundy but the vins du table and co-op wines in France.

It is not Mondavi Reserves or Colgins or Kistlers or Ken Wrights that are in trouble in America it is the sea of innnocuous whites and reds that are facing stiff competition from yellowtail.

In the end consumers will win at all price levels.

I am really enjoying things like Italian Aglianico's and Primitivos--just a few years ago they were not even available here. Guess what their cost is similar to Yellowtail and they are more distinctive and interesting.

So if Yellowtail can pull in wine drinkers then some really nice inexpensive and more interesting wines are only a few bottles away on the same shelf!--good for us--good for the Italians who make em!

So in the end--I prefer to stay out of the silly politics--those will work themselves out.

The fear mongering, the agitprop, blaming technology, blaming this consulting enologist of that wine critic--there's too much intersting wine to drink!

[Rebel Rose]

A new French lobby group is pushing to change the way wines from France's wine appellations are officially approved.

'It is evident that the original vision of INAO has been swept aside by industrial interests leading to a standardisation of taste,' says the manifesto of Sève, les amis de Joseph Capus, an association of some 180 winemakers from all over France formed in March this year.

Group representatives told the French Agricultural Ministry it should hold independent vineyard approvals and winemaking methods rather than blind tastings – which are made up of producers tasting their own wines.

Sève member Francois des Ligneris of Chateau Soutard in Saint Emilion told decanter.com new quality criteria should include density of vines, types of yeast used, and whether methods such as cryo-extraction or reverse osmosis are used or if acid, bacteria, chemicals or pesticides are added.

[JohnL]

A new French lobby group is pushing to change the way wines from France's wine appellations are officially approved.

'It is evident that the original vision of INAO has been swept aside by industrial interests leading to a standardisation of taste,' says the manifesto of Sève, les amis de Joseph Capus, an association of some 180 winemakers from all over France formed in March this year.

Group representatives told the French Agricultural Ministry it should hold independent vineyard approvals and winemaking methods rather than blind tastings – which are made up of producers tasting their own wines.

Sève member Francois des Ligneris of Chateau Soutard in Saint Emilion told decanter.com new quality criteria should include density of vines, types of yeast used, and whether methods such as cryo-extraction or reverse osmosis are used or if acid, bacteria, chemicals or pesticides are added.

←

I read the piece cited in Mary's post.

I got a chuckle out of it.

In talking about the French AOC system there's this from a leader of this new lobbying group:

"The system (AOC) was a very good idea from the start, but naturally human beings with their egos and thirst for power and money exploited this text to serve their own personal and commercial interests."

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

The problem, is determining the quality of wine is a task best left to consumers--the Europeans should basically have a system that allows winemakers to make the best possible wine and compete on the open market.

Labels on wine should indicate the varietal or the blend, alcohol level, where the grapes came from, who made it. and what type of wine is in the bottle (sweet, dry etc).

Any other information is superflous (or of lesser import).

Given their long existance one could see validity in maintaining Burgundy's Cru's and Bordeaux's classification--but again--these are of lesser importance.

What exists today in Europe is the equivalent of the "ministry of silly walks.."

It is little wonder why they are in turmoil!