Ben Canaider- hero.

Good afternoon all- so I’m a little late posting this, given that it was meant to be up here last Thursday night, apologies, my memory is like a goldfish. Anyway, the following is a start on my exegesis, not sure if it’s the right content but it’s something. My research lead me to stumble across a fantastic article in Epicure by Ben Canaider discussing binge drinking and encouraging a transition into wines tailor made for this demographic that might then get them onto proper table wine (an occurance that takes until we hit 34 research has shown). Pretty much became my current hero in one sentence here:

“we should all wait until we are 34 before giving up the cans of bogan and cola and moving directly on to Chassage-Montrachet.”

With that thought to set the discourse, read on for some positively compelling literary review.

A series of varied research methodologies were employed whilst compiling this industry report. Through secondary research, a selection of wine publications were analysed to gauge the attitudes of various influential professionals, including wine reviewers and journalists, on current issues facing the Australian wine industry. Analysis was consequently focused on the subjects of binge drinking culture, the effect of public relations on winemakers and ironically the congestion of wine reviewers in wider publications. These selections were made from varying print publications such as The Age’s Epicure and Gourmet Traveller Wine to highlight the varying reach of wine media in Australia. A search for online articles was then undertaken.
The current and perhaps never ending issue of binge drinking in the 18-25 year old demographic has sparked media discussion geared toward the curtailing of such behaviour, with the colloquial finger pointed at pre-mixed, or RTDs. In the opinion of Ben Canaider (Age, Epicure, 08/04/08, pg 15), this demographic need to be introduced to drinking ‘table wine’, however this is not a natural progression from sweet RTDs. A progression seemingly made more difficult by data from the Wine Industry Conference in 2000 presenting a ‘discovery age’ of 34 for wine drinking in Australia, leaving the 18-34 group as “one hell of a niche market”. Facing this challenge, Canadier looks at the introduction of sweeter wines to target young females particularly, however realises their desire for a wine “that’s lower in alcohol (because alcohol is fattening), that’s lower in calories (because calories are fattening), and, oh, put sugar in it”.
The article reviews three such wines currently on the market: Sangipop, Rosemount O and the Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Prima Riesling. The latter of the two are quite specifically the brainchild of marketing gurus from firmly established wine makers and distributors, whilst Sangipop originates from Rutherglen in North-East Victoria, produced by the boutique winery Rutherglen Estates. Sangipop’s creator, Nicole Esdaile, explains the needs for a style of wine to facilitate the bridging of the gap between sugar-sweet RTDs and comparatively dry table wine. Made with the grape Sangiovese, typically a lighter style, savoury Italian wine, Sangipop was created into a spritzy, rose style of wine, although still laden with sugar. Sangipop has been incredibly popular, selling out in its first 2006 vintage. Esdaile believes this style of wine has potential to engage young drinkers, saying, “It might be a drink that could appeal to a girl who doesn’t like wine but likes the taste of Sangipop. And it might move her on to trying wine.”
Sangipop, together with the aforementioned wines are made and marketed to be consumed chilled and/or over ice. To traditionalists in the wine industry, the idea of fusing ice cubes and wine is tantamount to the desecration of precious grapes and the art form that is winemaking. However, in the interests of the future of the Australian Wine Industry, it is perhaps time to consider a variety of ‘sacrificial lambs’ in order to become inclusive of the 18-25 yr demographic. This bigger picture discourse is quickly rebutted by Canadier, whom in closing notes that instead of making an educational transition with sickly sweet, pour over ice wines, “we should all wait until we are 34 before giving up the cans of bogan and cola and moving directly on to Chassage-Montrachet.”
As Canadier demonstrates, it is easy to discredit the wine industry’s attempt to engage with younger drinkers. However, the article does show a concerted effort to encourage the consumption of wine at a younger age, and foster the beginnings of a developed palate. Jancis Robertson, Master of Wine and influential wine writer, goes on to discuss the issue of further guidance for wine drinkers, in the form of main stream media wine reviews (Gourmet Traveller Wine, pg 36 April/May 2008). Robertson is concerned with the explosion of public relations in the wine industry and the consequent effects on wine sales, while subtly distinguishing the credible wine critics from those “who style themselves as critics”. Robertson notes the traditional approach to public relations in the wine industry is embedded in the distribution of wine to select reviewers, or winemakers who are “in town next week and would love to ‘meet’, which for this curmudgeon generally takes as a euphemism for ‘subject you to a sales pitch’”. The sales pitch approach leads to a step in the wrong direction for wine public relations, as educationally, reviews are now more focused on a certain score or rating as an easy means of reference for consumers. There is a lack of interest in the essence of the wine- the varietal characteristics, the terrior, the vintage and the general story behind a wine, all of which contribute to the understanding of wine culture, particularly if the writer is able to rely this in lay-mans terms- for example Stuart MacGill, or Matt Skinner.
While this approach is adequate to selling wines ‘en masse’, Robertson argues that it becomes detrimental producers and consumers alike, as it leads to a business of crowd pleasing instead of uniqueness, a problem that “comes with fame and a certain size”.