As we always do, here’s a look ahead at what promise to be some of the hottest topics in 2019:
2016 BORDEAUX: This is another great vintage and better priced than the last two iconic years, 2009 and 2010. It’s going to get hot and heavy early on as the critics race to beat each other to get the final ‘in bottle’ scores to market and the Bordeaux negociants move to strike while the iron is hot as far as making sales. Like they did with 2009, things could heat up quickly. This is a vintage to own of you are a fan of Bordeaux and it was successful throughout the appellations for reds. The 2015s are no slouches either so there is plenty for the Bordeaux aficionado to look through. Bargains may avail themselves if the market moves quickly to focus on the 2016s and leaves the 2015s by the wayside, but that’s a lot to hope for with Bordeaux.
Having just run through a good sampling at the Union des Grands Crus tasting in January, we can tell you that these wines in bottle are impressive and the real deal. ‘Classic’ Bordeaux fans will be very happy with the performance of the old, familiar names as a number of the iconic Left Bank properties were at the top of their game in 2016.
2016 SOUTHERN RHONES: We have been banging this drum for a while now but there are still a few producers to be heard from in 2016 as well as the opportunity to pick from all of the remaining cool stuff that has already hit the market. The supplies are definitely dwindling and we are starting to see 2017s. The 2016s, as we have said many times, certainly rank among the very best without question and may be the best in the southern Rhone we have ever tasted. There are still a few bits of the 2015s from the northern Rhone as well, again a vintage of historic proportion for Syrah.
2015/2016 TUSCAN REDS: There are a few 2015s to still come to market, though 2015 Brunellos are still a ways out (like a year). The 2016 Rossos are starting to come to market and they are polished and fruit driven. In many cases the 2016 versions from Chianti and Bolgheri are even better than the vaunted 2015s. Like the 2016s in the Rhone and Bordeaux, the 2016 Tuscans have a unique combination of tender, powerful, harmonious fruit and surprising buoyancy. Rest assured we will not be saying the same thing next year or the year after that as some merchants might. The 2016s are the real deal for both current applications or for the cellar. Given what we have seen of the ‘second wines’ of people like Sassicaia and Guado al Tasso, the ‘big dogs’ should be epic. Chiantis continue to amaze from 2016.
BURGUNDY/BEAUJOLAIS-The watchword here is tasty. While we don’t expect either area to be heralded by the critics in the same way as the 2015 versions were, there will be a number of very appealing wines hitting the market in both categories and some that will probably get serious ink simply because they are very likeable (critics are people, too) . As a vintage, 2017s are generally tender and well liked, though likely earlier maturing than either of the two prior vintages. It’s all relative though. We suspect there would be considerably more fuss about 2017s following 2013s rather than 2015s. But there is plenty of pleasing juice coming down the pipeline.
SOUTH AMERICA – There’s no reason not to expect the upward trajectory in this category to continue.
SPAIN– Since so many different vintages will be arriving at various levels, it would be hard to make any sweeping statements. There are always Reservas and Grand Reservas from a variety of vintages and you can bet we will be all over those. At the value end, some of the ‘little’ 2015s are starting to show up and they are delicious on the whole.
WHITES– The 2017 whites from northeastern Italy, western Spain and Germany will be some of the first places we look this year while they are around.
BORN IN THE USA– Oregon Pinots will be strong choices again, and a renaissance of Oregon Chardonnays will provide some real surprises. Vintages are strong up and down the Coast so the potential exists for all manner of exceptional wines. California, as usual, will provide plenty of thrills. The category is not without issues however, but they are not relative to the very good harvests (though we don’t know the full effects of the fires as yet).
There is plenty of smoke (and mirrors) with regards to pricing. Simply there are too many $40 wines selling (OK, maybe just ‘asking’) for $60 fares and $60 bottlings trying to get $100+. We think (and have seen) many consumers say ‘no’ to the inflated prices while wineries act like everything is just peachy. Something will give and, after so any years of this same dance, the truth might start seeping out.
Finally, sadly, the ‘control group’ style of manipulating wine with all sorts of ‘winemaking tricks’ seems to be getting more pervasive. We’re noticing that whiff of artificial ‘cake frosting’ and shameless residual sugar showing up in a growing number of wines. The purpose is to give consumers a consistent, familiar profile by dumbing down the wine. To us that isn’t wine, it’s Pepsi (or Coke). Pricing and the lack of true soul in so many of our local value wines is one of the most disturbing trends in the market and part of the reason we will likely be concentrating on imports at the value end once again.
LEGAL STUFF– While there are always lots of things going on in the wine world, this year one of the most significant will be happening in the court room, The Supreme Court no less. Depending on the rulings, the outcome of Tennessee Wine & Spirits Retailers Association vs. Blair could possibly have sweeping effects on how wine and spirits are sold in this country and change the landscape for consumers, retailers and wineries. Without getting too far into the arguments (hey, we aren’t lawyers), it looks to be yet another spin on the good old Commerce Clause vs. the 21st Amendment story, but from a different angle.
You heard a lot of the same things back with Granholm v. Heald in 2005, but the court ruled within very specific points of law which, while it benefitted a few people greatly (wineries), kept the post-ruling interpretations rather narrow. This time around could be very different depending on the outcome and how ruling is written. One can only hope…