A Decade of Wine- Your Thoughts, Pics, etc.?

The first decade of the new millennium is- like it or not- already history. And the wine industry has undergone many transformative changes. As for me, although my wine experience didn’t even begin until 2002, it has been a very interesting, exploratory, educational, fun-filled trip of discovery ever since! The discovery of this forum in and of itself has given me a large measure of the great experiences I’ve had with wine, food, and even beyond thanks in large part to the vast knowledge and experience of its members. Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk has added a lot to it as well with his “Wine Library TV”. There's always something fun, exciting and even off-the-wall crazy going on over there!

A little over a year ago I was helping an acquaintance of mine move some things into his basement so he could do some remodeling upstairs. During which I discovered he owned a Dec. 1999 - Jan. 2000 issue of Wine Spectator. “Wow”.., I thought,.. “this is the oldest WS I have ever seen!” And it was. Thumbing through it I discovered a Wine Library ad. In the ad: a baby faced, pre-wine-library-tv Gary V. sporting a magnum sized bottle of 1989 Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne Brut (p. 114). Too cool! This is also the “Top 100" issue. I was especially intrigued with James Laube’s article “Paying the Price” (p.35) which I’ve posted as a pic that you should be able to download and read if you zoom in or blow it up a little. So I had to have an issue of my own and, long story shorter, through my friendly acquaintance with Mr. David Bueker and this forum, I was able to get one. Thanks again, David!,

So I guess the questions I’d like to fire out there to the WLDG Forumites/Vayner-Nation are:

What in your opinion or otherwise relative to the ever growing/changing wine-world:

> Has changed personally or otherwise in the last decade?

> Has stayed the same personally or otherwise in the last decade?

> What can we expect going forward?

I think it would be awesome if people could dig up and post photos, articles, old forum posts, statistics, links; anything world-wide that directly or generally relates to the first decade of “wine-dom” in the 21st century, and share opinions on what we can expect for the next half-score. What was relevant then that’s outdated now? What is STILL relevant or timeless? What instantly comes to mind when we think about the wine-related events of the past ten years? Things as recent as last month or as far back as Dec. 1999. TTFN!

Wine Spectator, Jan 1999....jpg

Gary V. 1999.jpg

Paying the Price, WS Jan. 1999, James Laube.jpg

The amount of really good wine continues to increase world-wide. There are now more good to excellent vintages in the major regions than there were in past decades. It is easier than ever for small wineries in far off places to get a hearing on the world stage, especially the way the internet works. And if these distant wineries price themselves for drinking rather than collecting, they will be able to sell their wines.

Also, the pendulum is beginning to swing back from a decade of mo'-bigger, mo'-better. There is greater concern amongst winemakers that they may actually have to drink the wines they make if they can't find an appreciative audience. And consumers have been finding that the over-the-top wines do get tiresome at the table. Perhaps less people are interested in tastings of wines in which all strive to be the biggest and baddest.

Finally, as we come out of recession and the better producers stop dumping their juice, consumers may start to find that those cheap brands are no longer being fortified by better than average grapes. There will be a pull back in the quality of inexpensive wine and consumers will have to pay a few more bucks to get the quality they have gotten used to.

I kinda wonder if certain wine critics, under fire for giving high scores for oak and overripe fruit, will start to score wines differently.

[David M. Bueker]

I wonder if people who don't like a critic's taste in wine will just find another critic rather than bitch about the one they don't like.

[David M. Bueker]

Additionally I expect to see considerably more consolidaiton/contraction in the wine industry. There's so much wine out there/so many brands that I don't see how it can all be bought/drunk up.

"There's so much wine out there/so many brands that I don't see how it can all be bought/drunk up." David Bueker

We're trying, David. We keep trying.

Dec. 1999 - Jan. 2000 issue of Wine Spectator. “Wow”.., I thought,.. “this is the oldest WS I have ever seen!”

That reminded me that I have an old WS, it is the issue July 1-15 1979.

One thing hasn't changed - trying to liberalise Texas wine laws. There's a front page story Texas wine laws changing via determined lady's efforts about legislation allowing wineries to sell wine directly to consumers and to buy grapes or juice from another grower.

On a personal level, my interest in Australian wine peaked around 2002-2004 and then waned in the remainder of the decade. There are still wines I enjoy from Australia (some of Wynn's, Elderton's, etc.) but I don't find myself purchasing many wines from Australia.

I wonder if people who don't like a critic's taste in wine will just find another critic rather than bitch about the one they don't like.

David
Posted without any animosity whatsoever, but I actually agree with folks challenging critics when they're disrespectful or appear arrogant... like this erudite young chap http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/sho ... tcount=187

Taking this point on more directly though, I think many wine enthusiasts are finding a voice, be it via forums, via blogs or Cellartracker. Some have interesting things to say, some have burgeoning egos, but it's perhaps best for everyone (including our learned critics) to focus on what they like and what they don't like BUT NOT criticising others' tastes or being strident arguers that their opinion is fact.

It would be lovely to think of the next decade as being the one where we recognise, cherish and nurture the diversity in wine. I suspect it will be a while yet though, at least until we run out of grenades

regards

Ian

[David M. Bueker]

Ian,

Forgive me for not using the as I meant my comment to be tongue in cheek.

Anybody remember this guy? (R.I.P.)

mondavi.jpg

It's probably impossible to quantify what the late Mr. Robert Mondavi has done for the wine world just in the last ten years before his passing, let alone his life's work prior! A man with unmatched passion and desire for excellence!