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Blenheim Vineyards, Delaplane Cellars, Drink Local, Flavor Magazine, Local Wine, Lovingston Wine, Tarara Winery, VaWine, Virginia, Virginia Wine
Aside from the The Atlantic magazine, the occasional dividend check, and the weekly NYT Book Review, rarely do I look forward to the arrival of mail. However, on Wednesday, a much-anticipated piece of mail arrived via post at the Morgan’s — the Fall 2011 issue of Flavor Magazine.
For those living beyond the reach of the mid-Atlantic region of the US, Flavor Magazine is the only independent publication dedicated to local food, Virginia wine, and sustainable agriculture in the D.C./Virginia/Maryland area.
Although I am a long-time reader of Flavor, I eagerly awaited the arrival of this particular issue for my own selfish reasons (ugh, a sad example of self-indulged blogging here). This month’s issue marks my first article for the magazine.
Given Flavor’s ‘local focus on local,’ I jumped right in with a controversial subject that many Virginia wine industry folks are not willing to discuss publically (in print), and one that few consumers are aware of — the use of out-of-state grapes and juice in Virginia wine.
As part of gathering information for this piece, I contacted about three-dozen winemakers and winery owners to solicit their thoughts on the use of imported fruit and juice in Virginia wine. As usual, most of the people of the Virginia wine industry were more than willing to help and provide their opinions on this topic. However, a few of the winemakers made clear that this article ‘would not be appreciated by the industry (I disagreed),’ and one noted directly that an article on this subject ‘serves no use other than to stir things up and confuse customers.‘ Again, I disagree. These reactions served as the catalyst for my decision restart the ‘Use of Concentrates’ article that I previously put aside for similar reasons.
I applaud Flavor Publisher Melissa Harris and Editor Pam Hess for devoting ink to this touchy subject, and raising awareness among their readers. As a result of reading this article, I could only hope a few consumers ask about the origins of the grapes in the wine they taste during their next visit to a Virginia winery tasting room.
I would like to thank winemakers like Jordan Harris, Jake Busching, Jim Dolphin, Stephanie Wright, Kirsty Harmon and others who were gracious with their time for this piece and were willing to share their opinions on the record.
I’m not going to recap the article here, the entire piece can be read by picking up a copy of Flavor at your local bookstore, boutique wine shop, grocery store or newsstand. Or, the article can be read online (for a limited time, I believe).
A question for Virginia wine enthusiasts — what say you? How do you feel about out-of-state grapes, juice and concentrates being used to make ‘Virginia’ wine? Winemakers — what say you?
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Drink What YOU Like 
I’m a big fan of the idea of requiring 100% Virginia fruit if a wine is to be labeled as VA wine (and with no concentrate which effectively changes that %…but that’s a discussion for another day). That said, I have knowingly bought VA made wine using non-VA fruit. If I like a wine, it’s priced right, and the winery is honest about the source, I’ll buy the wine.
What bugs me is when I’m not told the wine isn’t Virginia (after all, I can’t grab and inspect a bottle kept on the other side of the counter). Those that use up to 25% non-VA fruit particularly piss me off, as I’ll likely never know about it.
I have had some wines where I’ve later learned through the VA wine grapevine (pun intended) about the inclusion of non-VA juice…I hate the duped feeling that results.
VWD: Thanks for your thoughts on this. Like you, I too get irritated by those wineries that ‘hide’ their use out of state fruit, juice and concentrates. I have no problem (for the most part) with those wineries that do use out of state fruit, but feel strongly that those wineries SHOULD label their wines accordingly.
I think we all may be surprised by how wide-spread the use of out-of-state fruit is (though no one will ever know for sure). If only we could gather those statistics… 🙂
I myself being a wine enjoyist vs a wine purist believe that 75% of wine is made in the field and 25% is in the fermintation. And not taking great care at either end will ruin what should be a great wine.
I personally don’t find the use of out of states grapes or concentrate offensive. Especially in VA where late spring cold snaps, variable rain patterns, and other anamolies make getting a consistent crop challenging if not impossible.
So if one of my favorite wine makers needs to reach out and supplement his or her harvest due to Challenging growing conditions, I’m ok with it.
I agree that the use of the words VA wine should be regulated to those wines grown and produced strictly from VA. That way consumers know whether the are getting pure VA product or not. Much like you can’t call a sparkling wine produced out side of Champaigne France a champaigne no matter how good it is.
PARedNeckVaRedWine: Thanks for stopping by to comment. Despite the late spring cold snaps, variable rain patters, and these other anomalies, there are a handful of wineries that always seem produce nice wines with 100% Virginia grown fruit (even in those challenging years). Unfortunately, there are wineries here in Virginia that use out-of-state fruit even in good vintages. Not sure I would define myself as a ‘total purist,’ but feel wineries have an obligation to consumers (like me and you) to be honest about the source of their fruit. Just my opinion.
Hope our paths cross out on the wine trail – cheers!
Frank – this is an important issue, and congrats for highlighting it here and in Flavor. As you and the commenters emphasize, the real issue is truth in labeling. State boundaries are artificial lines from a wine/terroir perspective, but I’d like to know what I’m buying and drinking. Even if there is no mention of Virginia on the label other than the address of the winery, people are going to think it’s a Virginia wine.
Dave makes a good point. It’s taken me a long time to (I think) figure out labeling laws, but I’m a lot more invested than your average “local” wine taster. If someone tastes and buys a wine at a VA winery, they will likely assume it was made from local fruit, despite labeling, unless told otherwise. Saying its legally/appropriately labeled feels like a cop out to me given that most outside of the industry don’t understand the ins and outs of labeling.
Thanks for your thoughts on this subject, Dave. Good point about state lines being ‘artificial lines from a wine/terrior perspective.’ The key (for me) is truth in labeling. As I noted in my response above – but wasn’t completely clear in my Flavor article – I absolutely feel Virginia wineries have an obligation to be 100% truthful about what’s in the bottle of wine they are selling. Of course, if ever challenged on this, I doubt I would be able to determine if out-of-state fruit was used in a particular wine (although there are a few standouts that I feel I could pick out 🙂 .
For such a controversial topic I’ll lead off with my potentially controversy causing comment.
Be careful what you wish for, and remember that when you try to make one size fit all there are both winners AND losers. And sometimes it is you.
I understand the motivations of folks who want to be 100% local and nothing is stopping them from being overly assertive about where their fruit comes from. Label it is a such. Explain it. Tell your story loud and proud.
I also understand the argument that unless everyone has to be 100% explicit about their practices everyone loses in the potential deceit. But this is not an absolute. We all live in a world we we exploit the very same idea when it suits us. If we want tighter rules in one place we must accept them in another, which means we might be on the losing end of something we are passionate about being the way it is.
If the majority of winemakers only use non-VA (or non local anywhere) only during initial startup and to manage though variable crop loss issues we have to allow that to ensure businesses can survive in a complex business. Remember wine is a business and unless you are running that business it is easy to trivialize the impacts of choices people make. If all that is being asked is that the non-local source be disclosed when it is in fact used it might not be onerous for anyone who had to do it, and legislating it might not be necessary.
If something more like willful deception is happening here then maybe the answer again is not in law, but in calling out the perps publicly. Let the market decide. If many consumers don’t care, and trust me they don’t no matter what your very evolved wine sense tells you, it has to be understood that there is a business there. If you can’t, you and your local economy loses.
I’ve had this conversation with many people, both knowledgeable wine people AND everyday consumers. The former care a lot about this issue for a range of reasons (a mix of value there) and the latter cares little, but of course we can “convince” them they should care. But what is the end and who’s definition of reality is that when we do?
Some rising tides might not suit all the captains they lift, but in the end all the boats are being lifted and denying that is a good thing is borderline insanity. Our economy can use of boost in many places and made local can work to help this. Forcing made local to also be grown local can be a dangerous proposition.
Jason
Jason, I would agree with you if there was not grapes still hanging on the vine at the end of the year in Virginia. As recently as today I received notice that there is still grapes for sale in Virginia. Therefore by buying Out of State we are helping the economy of another State before our own. It does help one, but it hurts another.
The next argument people will make is that quality wise Virginia is tough ride in 2011. Guess what? So is California, Washington and Oregon so purchasing out of State is not going to save any quality measures this year either.
There is plenty of room for more fruit in Virginia in quality sites. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to source from out of State. To say that it is to increase quality means you are simply doing a bad job at home. Work harder!!! Local does so much more for us then simply boost our local economy. It gives people a sense of pride in their area, it is more environmentally sound, if knowledgeable it creates a better product because it can be managed more regularly and lastly it keeps the focus on making great wine instead of who is cheating.
PARedNeckVARedWine – I understand your thought on 75/25, but personally disagree. Great wine is 100% made in the vineyard. Good wine can be made from a combination of vineyard and winemaking. You can always work with grapes to make something sound, but the only way to make truly profound wine is to use the best fruit. The only thing winemaking can do at this point is screw it up. It can not make it better. So far I have only been in Virginia for 5 vintages, however I have not seen weather bad enough to rationalize a need to go out of State for fruit. We have has a Spring Frost affect out vineyard, hail, and this years rainy harvest, but we were always able to make something of it or find the fruit we needed from other quality growers in State.
The last time we ever touched anything out of State was in my first year here as a past contract. In tastings at our winery everyone likes our local wines far more then they have enjoyed that one wine. It is simply because we were able to control our wines from here start to finish and simply make better wine. There is simply no reason to source out of State.
I should also just end with concentrates are simply cheating and lend nothing good to professional winemaking. Once again, if the fruit is grown well in teh first place and you simply just don’t screw up in the winery, there is no need for them. We are a small cottage industry in Virginia. We should be hands on bringing forth great wine from great grapes. Not trying to use mass-production techniques for a couple thousand cases.
Jordan – thanks for your input here as well. I really appreciate you and Jason providing the winemaker’s perspective. I will ” what you said. And… ask your opinion on 2011… since much has been made of this vintage being one of the most difficult (not fully convinced in all cases) since 2003, do you feel many of your winemaking peers here in Virginia are more likely to opt for out of state fruit/juice/concentrate even though other areas also had difficult growing season?
Thanks for stopping by to comment, Jason. I appreciate your viewpoint as a winemaker, and enthusiastic consumer of wine. You make some interesting points, but we will agree to disagree that “many consumers don’t care.” I’m so rarely wrong that I hesitate even typing such a statement here, but, ‘I could be wrong about this.’ I certainly don’t have detailed consumer data, just anecdotal evidence (based on conversations with friends). I have a wine distributor friend that would probably agree with you based on his 10+ years of experience schlepping wine, but I still have a hard time believing that consumers don’t care.
I don’t think we should work to convince anyone that the use of Virginia fruit or out-of-state fruit is good or bad. It’s neither. I’m simply advocating truth in labeling… 100% truth in labeling (not 75%). Consumers can only benefit by this information…. just my 2 cents. 🙂 Thanks again for your thoughts here, cheers!
Jason-
As a winery owner still struggling to pay the bills on time, I appreciate your comments. But as the owner of one of the most popular wineries in VA, I can also say absolutely that a winery with a wine maker worth half her salt can make consistently good to great wine using 100% VA fruit. I know because we are going to sell 6500 cases of 100% VA sourced wines this year – our third full year of operation. However many there are adding out of state (read CA) fruit or concentrates and calling it VA, well…shame on them if they do not disclose this little white lie. For those using 100% VA fruit…kudos for not misleading the consumer.
Jordan and Frank,
Thanks for the replies. I know that the idea that most people don’t care about source is contestable, but look at US wine consumption by brand. Most wine consumed is merely branded by state or region and is being bought without much thought. Those are the “average” consumers”
Even a little wine knowledge in someone’s hands makes them more than the average and seeking things produced in smaller or lesser known regions raises the question about source. But that wine and those people are a drop (nice play on words of course) in the bucket in comparison. Most wine being bought isn’t being bought or drank with locale in mind at all.
I am in no way suggesting that this is right. What I am suggesting is that those spearheading super-localness are targeting a very small part of the wine drinking audience and in many cases preaching to the converted who already believe in the ethic. Breaking beyond that is a huge uphill battle and one that without significant change in wine consumption isn’t going to do more than represent stylistic choices on the part of the makers, and not be in the minds of more of the average audience. The choice to take this up beyond one’s local sphere of influence is a choice and trying to get the masses to follow is a game someone should plan to be in for a very long time.
Localness in food blogging sees the same issue. We think it is major idea, but it is only major to a small audience. The question is what do we do? I think the answer is not in legislating anything, people will do what people will do, and we already over regulate everything. Celebrate those producers who do things that share your beliefs. Don’t support those who don’t. Leave them alone and let the market decide.
Jason
Forgot to post the 2008 Vinography link that makes the reality sadly clear. That is the 95% of wine buyers. Those who care about super local are a really small bunch. Not that we don’t count of course! We rock!
http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/11/the_truth_about_american_wine.html
Jason
Jason: I agree that the majority probably don’t care all that much and are going to simply buy their Gallo Brands, Beringer, Sutter Home, Yellow Tail, etc.
That said, those are traditionally not the people that are going to come to a winery or visit most shops that carry a supply of regional style wine. You would find similar stats showing thath well over 95% of wine bought is in big box stores that only carry these brands. For a wine industry like Virginia that really has to make its mark on quality and a regional identity and certainly not volume, then whats in the bottle counts a lot more.
Virginia is never going to be a massive brand wine region. Our total production as a State is a percentage of a blend for many wines. Our market share in Virginia alone around 5%, and obviously much less elsewhere. We simply can not use the national averages because it is apples and oranges. We are a niche product that means more then simple lubrication like the 95% that is consumed.
Frank and VWD – it really is not that hard to find out how wide spread it is in any vintage. There are grape reports made public that will state the tonnage in Virginia. Each ton will produce roughly 60 cases of wine. A little less for whole cluster and light pressing, little more for long macerations and heavier pressing. In 2010 there was 6557 tons picked in Virginia that would equate to roughly 393,420 cases. Then it just needs to be matched to reports of Virginia wine sales. In 2010 there was roughly 437,000 cases sold. What that does not take into account is any fruit that was sold out of State (like MD, NC, etc) and the use of concentrates which should be calculated at 300% of the volume that was added to bring it back to real volume. That would also mean someone would be admitting to the use of them. In reality I think that is good news since we all know there are a few larger volume (in relation to the State) bottlings that are known to be Out of State fruit. So in general I do think it is the minority that use out of State fruit, but it is still obviously a problem. I do think concentrates are a bigger issue though and that is not a Virginia problem, that is a wine industry problem. There is no way there is a sound business plan to sell concentrate just to the Other 47. The only way for it to be a business is to hit the big markets so don’t kid yourself anyone into thinking concentrate is not also a major issue in Cali.
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Way to take the bull by the horns Frank! Definitely an article and subject worthy of in depth discussion. As far as basic philosophy goes the easiest thing in my opinion would be for us winemakers NOT using out of state fruit etc. to just label the wine as so. The consumers that really care will appreciate that and question wines that do not have a 100% VA fruit stamp. The big wineries that are using out of state, bulk wine etc. are doing us a favor on one hand, (there would not be enough fruit for everyone else if a certain 3 wineries didn’t purchase from other states) on the other hand what could be seen as a slight disservice is the fact that they may be marketing the wine as a Virginia wine, when in the end it is not. But it also poses the question what would hurt the perception of Virginia wine more. A wine with other than VA ingredients that is chemically sound and well made. Or a 100% locally grown bottle of poorly made swill? I guess that begs the question are the wines being marketed as trend setting, viticulturally defining or even other worldly fine Virginia wines? Or, here is our cheap wine in a blue bottle we are selling in a grocery store for $7?
I’m all for the use of out of state fruit but that is about it and only if you are up front about it and explain why to the consumer. Concentrate and bulk wine is nothing more than Barry Bonds of the 90’s vs. Barry Bonds of the 2000’s. I think there are a lot of people who take pride in their home state, and are passionate about what is produced there. Kentucky Ham vs. Virginia Ham, or substitute bourbon for Ham, many a great debate between a native Kentuckian(?) and Virginian about what is better and who taught who how to make what, so I think there is some disconnect there for those who don’t care (more than likely not originally from Virginia) and those that do (more than likely born and raised here like me!)
If there were a real expose on the wineries using concentrate I am certain there would be a good number of folks offended and a good number of folks that wouldn’t care too much.
If I were to use out of state products I’d be happy to admit it and say why I did.
Frank, left this comment on the Flavor magazine site, but I’ll reproduce it here:
Couldn’t agree more with the general sentiment expressed in the article. I’m sure you could make very good wine by blending some Virginia Cab Franc with California Merlot or Cab Sauv, but while it might be very good, it wouldn’t be Virginia wine. It’s fine with me if wineries source grapes or juice from anywhere in the world, just tell me where they’re from. Or don’t even tell me that: just tell me that the wine is not made solely from Virginia grapes. If it’s good, I might still buy it. But I wouldn’t tell my friends about this great little Virginia wine I’m serving.
Bob
http://projectsunlight.net
@BobGarsson
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