L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 36 L'Italo-Americano Italian Wine: A Vote for Disruption DOC I n Verona for the April 2017 edition of Vinitaly, a leading international wine and spirits expo, I couldn't help but conce- de to a contradiction of emotion. I w a s e l a t e d t o e n c o u n t e r exciting wine producers, grape varieties and wines, though sad- dened in the same moment that many are virtually unknown or unavailable in the US market. To gain a bit of perspective about why good and interesting wines don't always make it to the consumer, I would chat up wine importers, producers and wine trade professionals as I made my tasting rounds. Here's what I heard: Importers want to introduce wines that they feel confident the market will accept. Market perception of wine type, style, taste, etc., as well as of region or grape variety, is given great con- sideration in an import decision. So is the ability of local market wine influencers to quickly edu- cate the consumer base about a potential new brand or label. The historical track record of a wine, region or grape variety counts too. Several conversations cited, f o r e x a m p l e , t h a t p a s t t i m e s w h e n I t a l i a n w i n e w a s m o r e about low price vs. quality – I avoid making a point here of any one specific market example as there were several – still has some importers skittish, belie- v i n g t h a t n e g a t i v e m a r k e t memory can still impact consu- mer perception today, even thou- gh nowadays vast improvements in quality have been made. Generally speaking, Italy's wine producers are quite aware of importer disfavor regarding the uncertain when it comes to the wine business. Many produ- cers, I'm told, are inclined to deliver what is safe and familiar, playing to importer confidence and market acceptance. Still, some courageous wine producers do create the wines they them- selves love (read: less familiar), knowing that there is a good chance the wines may be born to less commercial success. I m p o r t e r s a n d p r o d u c e r s worry – and with good reason – that retail sales staff may not have the ability to "hand sell" lesser known wines, regions, appellations, in other words, to effectively use the sales conver- sation to educate customers in such a way as to influence posi- tive sales outcomes. Consumer education and guiding customer conversation at the wine shop seems to have been replaced with shelf talkers and wine sco- res, creating an environment where consumers rely upon wine scores as a buying crutch and retailers rely upon them as a sales tool, increasing importer reluctance to take a chance on the unfamiliar. Even where market acceptan- ce of a wine has been made evi- dent by empirical sales success, other business matters – whole- sale price, sales margin, produ- cer ability to provide importers a second wine in a compelling 'package deal', etc., - can drive import / business decision out- comes. Consequently, the selection o n U S r e t a i l w i n e s h e l v e s doesn't always reflect best of class Italian wine or value for money. Too often, the US retail wine shelf is more reflective of the wine supply system's desire to sell consumers what it is rea- sonably sure they will buy, dri- ven by business interests. The unfortunate reality is that w i n e i m p o r t p r a c t i c e s d o n ' t serve the best interests of consu- mers or wine producers. All too often it is wine producers and w i n e d r i n k e r s w h o h o l d t h e short end of the wine business stick. Frankly, the ecosystem of wine supply in the US could benefit from a bit of disruption. Disruption like how Hip Hop changed the music business. Like how mobile internet conti- nues to change the way we live and work. Technology can help drive disruption in the wine business. But, at a grass roots level, so can the crowd. Until we, the crowd, the consumers, ask at the retail shops for Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice, we are likely never to see much of it, if any. Until we make it known that to have a c h o i c e o f L a m b r u s c o Grasparossa with our mortadella or Lambrusco di Sorbara with tortellini in brodo is important… well, you get the message: let retailers know that you want quality, diversity, depth and breadth in the Italian wine sec- tion. Let them know you appre- ciate good consumer education and guidance from knowledgea- ble wine sales staff. Hopefully the message can move back up the chain from retailers to distri- butors to importers who will take a chance on the less fami- liar, on to producers who will invest in new plantings of rare wine grapes. Disruption is an act. Make a choice. Tasting Note: Vio Pigato Riviera Ligure di Ponente Intense yet mellow, with an impressive range of aromas and tastes: flowers, herbs, apricots, papaya, honey, almonds, notes of fennel and mint. Rich and viscous palate. Well-structured, balanced, the wine finishes with a subtle, pleasantly bitter grace note and a delicious lick of sea salt. The selection on US retail wine shelves doesn't always reflect best of class Italian wine or value for money. Credits: Photo Ennevi-Veronafiere WINE NEWS TRENDS PROFILES JOEL MACK THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2017 April 2017 edition of Vinitaly, a leading international wine and spirits expo.. Credits: Photo Ennevi-Veronafiere

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