Comments on: Wine’s Future: Tighten Up

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:11:32 +0000

great stuff, Mike.
Interesting to look at the wine wheel as it relates to my 17 years in the wine biz…
and, if you overlay individual brands on the wheel, which often have thier own rise and fall (especially commodity brands, as opposed to estate producers) you can see their activity as a canary in the coal mine of the overall wine industry. often a brand will begin to suffer before the catagory does, as other brands undercut the business…
also, you mentioned the possible shortage of nursery stock; I wonder if that has been caused in part by various vine disease or malady (parasites) causing the need for more replanting.
Plus the fickle consumer tastes determining what the trendy varietal that everyone needs to graft to (Merlot, Pinot Noir, and the latest flavor of the month, Muscat!)

cheers

By: Mike Veseth

Mike Veseth — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 01:02:20 +0000

In due course … I like a challenge.

By: RobLL

RobLL — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:16:19 +0000

To be just a little parochial about all this, I would like your comments on how this will affect Washington State value wines.

By: Robert LeRoy Parker

Robert LeRoy Parker — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:42:00 +0000

Is there anything to be gained from comparing the current wine business cycle to the post prohibition depression era?

By: Wine Curmugeon

Wine Curmugeon — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:56:56 +0000

“And of course consumers have become accustomed to lower prices and are not generally expected to “trade up” (except in response to bargain pricing) as much as they may have previously traded down.”

That’s the key, because it’s never happened before in wine. Also, what will happen if the biggest wine retailers, like Costco and Walmart, start to use their pricing power in the same way they do for sweatpants and lettuce?

By: 360 SW

360 SW — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:46:30 +0000

Your last statement is key; I’m looking forward to reading your reasons for it next week Professor.