Paul Grieco is another story. While he seems to be reaching a pretty small audience, I think he has the right idea. I recently saw a friend who lives in New York, and she told me about various events all over the city connected to “Summer of Riesling”. I think if this idea could spread across the country, it might be the shot in the arm riesling needs.

Gabe – Yes, Riesling does go well with Asian cuisine! Who could be the tastemaker who shifts it that direction in China?

George – Yes, I thought it was interesting that none of the respondents suggested that Robert Parker was a top influencer. Even in the high-end market, the shift to Burgundy (where Parker has not even reviewed the wines personally for a decade or more) is further indication of his reduction in influence.

My conclusion is that Wine is a commercial product. The customer ultimately decides what is perceived to be high quality. The winemaker can have a vision for what they wish to create and, providing they have the grapes and skill, can craft a wine of significance. The perception of the customer can be influenced when they tasted the wines, but they cannot be coerced to like the wines. Winemakers can set the trends or benchmarks, but in the long run the market decides what it wishes to buy and consume. It is what the wine makes them feel or sense that constitutes its worth and could be greatly influenced by the social and narrative dimensions of the wine experience.

Cheers
George Wong, Wine MBA
Oenologue & Consultant

the only problem is that i’ve been hearing about the coming riesling explosion ever since i started drinking wine, and it never seems to happen…