The Clean Wine Movement...

Interesting article in F&W magazine by Oset Babur (who he??) on the "clean" wine movement:
F&W:CleanWine

Apparently, some of the "natural" wine producers feel somewhat threatened by producers of "clean" co-opting some of their terminology, but not adhering to the lofty principals behind natural wine.
The biggest proponent behind "clean" wine is CameronDiaz, who appears to be a glamorous celebrity and actress. Had to look her up...only celebrities I know are people like RichardFeynman/HansBethe/MilanCopic/etc. Nothing out there to attest to her credentials for making wine. Appears her wine is purchased in bulk (Spain & France, for one) and bttld under her label.
Another "clean" wnry is Scout&Cellar, located just NW of Dallas TX. They have coined/trademarked the term "Clean-Crafted" to give their brand a certain cachet. They source their grapes (emphasis on grapes sources) from around the World but would like you to believe they make their own wine in TX. And you can even sign up to be a "wine consultant" for Scout&Cellar.

Some of the stuff these wineries utter wants to make you barf. Can you say "marketing"?? I'm interested in hearing AliceFeiring weigh in on the "clean" wine movement. Some of these "clean" wine folks would probably be shocked to visit the cellars of some producers in Burgundy or the Rhone.
Tom

[David M. Bueker]

F&W is about a year behind in calling out “clean wine.”

[Jenise]

There's another more important category for this kind of crap, Tom, that doesn't have a name yet but should: chick wine. You could do a comparative tasting! Sarah Jessica Parker vs. Drew Barrymore vs. Cameron Diaz vs. Gabriel Union vs. any other clueless young actress I don't even know about yet who decides to put her name on a label.

[David M. Bueker]

There's another more important category for this kind of crap, Tom, that doesn't have a name yet but should: chick wine. You could do a comparative tasting! Sarah Jessica Parker vs. Drew Barrymore vs. Cameron Diaz vs. Gabriel Union vs. any other clueless young actress I don't even know about yet who decides to put her name on a label.

Clueless? They are cashing in!

It's also worth noting that we are definitely not the target demographic for these wines!

In their promo, they mentioned how they didn't want to have to go through the trouble of finding specialty stores to buy their 'clean wine'. Which is probably against the spirit of how we all shop!

So can someone give me a short summary of the Clean Wine Movement's schtick? The F&W article assumes you already know what "clean wine" is. Based on the article, I would guess that "clean wine" is wine vinified under near-sterile conditions, and without additives. Is that correct? My visit to Beaucastel in 1997 pops into mind. Everything was gleaming stainless steel, and the floor was so clean I would have no qualms eating off it. But they had a compelling reason for the hygeine--Brett was one of the indigenous yeasts in their vineyards, and they knew it.

The target market for "clean wine" is probably the sort of customer who returns bottles with tartrate crystals because "the wine has sand in it."

-Paul W.

I think it’s pretty much the same concept as Dressner’s ‘real wine’ and his whole portfolio would qualify. But you have to go to a specialty store to buy them.

I think target demo is people who are susceptible to marketing claims about health and who enjoy wine but don’t geek out over it.

[Jenise]

I think target demo is people who are susceptible to marketing claims about health and who enjoy wine but don’t geek out over it.

Clearly. But when I say clueless, I somehow saw Sarah Jessica Parker interviewed about how she made her wine. It started with something like "this guy flew over from Australia, and he had all these little bottles and we just started mixing them...." She was "blown away" when she received her first bottle, how it tasted just like what she mixed! She had no idea that most wine isn't made this way.

[David M. Bueker]

Very few celebrities who put their name on a wine have any idea what is going on, other than their name going on a bottle. Drew Bledsoe is a rare exception, who is very much involved in his Doubleback wines.

Celebrities putting their names on crap wines that get high level marketing treatment is not surprising. Probably cuts into Rombauer's bottom line!

[Jenise]

Of course they don't, hence "clueless".

Yes, Drew's an exception.