Comments on: Tasty American wine under $12: why so little of it? Industry replies, part I

By: Where are the thirst-quenching domestic reds? | Dr Vino's wine blog

Where are the thirst-quenching domestic reds? | Dr Vino's wine blog — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:56 +0000

[...] There may be hope. Chambers Street Wines recently offered the wines of Chris Brockway’s Broc Cellars calling them “Californian vin de soif,” including his 11.9% alcohol cabernet franc. Hirsch Vineyards has the ebullient, crackling Bohan Dillon 2009, a 13.1% pinot noir. Sommelier Raj Parr is teaming up with Arnot-Roberts to make a gamay. The trouble with the first two examples is that they are north of $25, so there’s only so much thirst one can quench. We have discussed California’s value challenge before several times. [...]

By: lgking

lgking — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 04:05:52 +0000

Even more in evidence is if you look at the international mareketplace. I have done shelf surveys in France, Spain, Portugual, China, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand. And pretty much ‘nobody’ is buying/drinking American wines. And we wonder why…

By: Chile, upmarket, downmarket, SF, yellow cards – sipped and spit | Dr Vino's wine blog

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:06:22 +0000

[...] SPIT: California bargains Mike Steinberger contemplates the puzzle of why so few “superstar” winemakers in California make wines under $20. We discussed the lack of tasty California values last year in relation to Fred Franzia, and heard from wine importer Bobby Kacher and winemaker Patrick Campbell. [...]

By: Kevin

Kevin — Fri, 29 May 2009 04:39:03 +0000

I love this topic!

Mr. Campbell-

I appreciated your comments about what you are doing but if you have any comments on why this topic even exsists that would be awesome! The fact that california has this throw as much plonk on the market and we’ll see what sells attitude really makes me angry. What is it with the value wine business(wines under $20) out there that refuses to take a hard line on creating wines of character,taste and balance? You can tell immediately on so many of these wines that they are products of the winemaker and not the vineyard. “A spoonful of sugar and oak makes the vino go down.” Imports are crushing domestic wines in the value category and they sail across oceans. Pretty sad if you ask me.

By: Importance of Inexpensive Wine

Importance of Inexpensive Wine — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:37:15 +0000

[...] thinking about the topic brought up by Dr. Vino (see: Tasty American wine under $12: why so little of it? Industry replies, part I, and Why so few tasty American wines under $12? Wine importer Bobby [...]

By: Charlie Olken

Charlie Olken — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:59:34 +0000

Patrick Campbell makes very drinkable ten and fifteen dollar wines (see his ZaZin for an affordable and enjoyable $15 version of Zin).

What I don’t get in this conversation is the avoidance of the fact that there are plenty of wines in that price range that are competitive with Patrick’s wine in QPR.

This whole conversation, and the comments by the otherwise astute Bobby Kracher, simply miss the boat by a mile.

Here is a list of very good Zinfandels under fifteen dollars. Go buy them and them come back and tell us what you think.

Peachy Canyon Incredible Red, $12
Renwood Cranky Old Vine, $10
L by Lyeth Sonoma County Zin, $11
Carol Shelton Zinami $15

And for an even more interesting treat, step up a buck to Easton Amador County Zinfandel, $16.

Now, if you asking for a $10 Napa Valley Cab that tastes like anything, then you are barking up the wrong tree. That would be as silly as asking for a good $10 rated Pauillac or a $10 Bonnes Mares.

By: Steve Edmunds

Steve Edmunds — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:44:30 +0000

Sorry, but I can’t get 2 buck chuck into my mouth without gagging. That’s no place to start.

By: Gianniwine

Gianniwine — Sun, 24 May 2009 00:42:33 +0000

I beg to dis-agree with the question entirely. There are plenty of american reds under $12.00 that are much better drinkers than any wine from France, Austrailia or Chile..They do make good wines but, the differeence is the american winemakers understand the american palate and make the wines accordingly..Please just look at 2 buck chuck…..to mention only the largest.

By: Patrick Campbell

Patrick Campbell — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:44:43 +0000

Sorry – I hit the Submit button too fast! The second sentence of the third paragraph should read: Fortunately there is a sufficient number of Americans who demand interesting wines in the $10 range that I can stay in business with REDS and Terra Rosa, two wines which at least some of the commentors here seem to agree defy the trend.

And back to Gary’s comment: the original question correctly referred to American wines, not American winemakers.

By: Patrick Campbell

Patrick Campbell — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:30:17 +0000

Gary wrote, that Neither answered the question as to why Americans refuse, for the most part, to make good quality wines at all price points.

I can’t speak for the entire American universe of wine producers. I can speak only for myself, which I did.

What is perhaps the more interesting question is Why do Americans in general agree to drink the sort of boring wines that are the topic of this discussion. Fortunately, there is a sufficient number of them that I can stay in business with REDS and Terra Rosa, which some of the commentors here seem to agree defy the trend.

As for the Kacher’s comment about $10 cost per bottle to produce a top quality cabernet from Sonoma or Napa: I would be happy to go over the numbers, but this is a different discussion.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:34:51 +0000

It doesn’t seem to be too confusing of a question. As the quote goes, “nothing extraordinary is achieved by ordinary means.” When your goal is to produce the lowest cost wines possible, you have to make profits through high volume. The issue with high volume is that the numbers are the only extraordinary thing about it–at higher levels of production quality assurance drops and you can’t have the same attention to detail you would at smaller yields. It’s the difference between ordering a fast food burger, or buying all the ingredients and taking the longer time to make one from scratch. What Mr. Campbell seems to do is strike a balance, by not going so extraordinarily high in volume that he sacrifices his ability to have control over his vineyard selection and fruit sourcing.

By: Why so few tasty American wines under $12? Wine importer Bobby Kacher « The Manilla Folder

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:21:29 +0000

[...] Tariquet Sauvignon (find this wine) in my book, A Year of Wine, as one of 10 great wines under $10 (REDS from Patrick Campbell was also [...]

By: Why so few tasty American wines under $12? Wine importer Bobby Kacher | Dr Vino's wine blog

Thu, 21 May 2009 20:02:44 +0000

[...] Tariquet Sauvignon (find this wine) in my book, A Year of Wine, as one of 10 great wines under $10 (REDS from Patrick Campbell was also [...]

By: Why So Little Inexpensive American Wine

Why So Little Inexpensive American Wine — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:48:02 +0000

[...] There is quite a lively debate going on Dr. Vino’s Wine Blog about why there is so little quality inexpensive American wine (under $12). Jump into the debate here: Tasty American wine under $12: why so little of it? Industry replies, part I [...]

By: Wine Road Less Traveled

Wine Road Less Traveled — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:36:45 +0000

Perhaps, just perhaps, the answer is a little more basic and unseemly – greed, the same thing that precipitated our current financial crisis. A large number of American wineries are now owned by public corporations whose modus operandi is to maximize profit – something you cannot do if you charge too little for your wine. Unfortunately, I think that maximizing profit is ingrained in American business culture, even if the winery is not publicly held. Now before all of you object, yes, I know there are examples of American wineries who put quality and accessibility above pure profit, and they are to be applauded. Unfortunately, they appear to be few and far between.

If the United States is to have a sustainable wine culture, it is very important for there to be a viable market of low-cost, quality wine. Most people simply cannot drink wine on a frequent basis if they are paying $15 to $20 a bottle all the time. So if American wineries want to cede this market to foreign competition, we will continue to drink the quality low cost wine of other countries (anyone notice how good ignoring low-cost, quality foreign competition was for the American automobile industry?…).