Local expert predicts wine, beer trends for 2011
After I told my wife about the National Restaurant Association’s 2011 trend predictions, she scoffed, of course. As a food and wine writer, she’s got her own opinions about what’s hot and what’s not.
Sensing an easy way to have someone guest-write a column for me, I said, “So what do you see in the tea leaves for 2011, Miss Smartypants?”
Anne, an editor at Orange Coast Magazine, didn’t fall completely for my trick – she provided only the headlines and said, “You know me well enough to write the rest yourself.”
Herewith are my wife’s 2011 predictions for alcoholic beverage trends, together with what I think her thoughts are (you realize, of course, that this column could be a marriage ender):
Second labels are trendy, fun labels aren't. For several years we’ve been inundated with cutesy wine names and labels to match: Kung Fu Girl Riesling, Bone Dry Red. Did they sell well? Not to my knowledge. I always suspected they were a cynical way to dump bad juice. Consumers are smarter than that. That’s why they’re more interested in trying the discount lines for respected wineries: Duckhorn’s Decoy, Pahlmeyer's Jayson, Talbott's Kali Hart.
Paso is trendy, Napa is not. Look at the evidence: Robert Parker gave Saxum’s 2007 Proprietary Red 100 points. Wine Spectator’s recently released Top 100 list anointed Saxum’s 2007 James Berry Vineyard as the number one wine in the world. Other Paso wineries have made the "best" lists, too, including Justin, Turley and Four Vines, to name but a few. On Parker's and WS's lists, Napa and Sonoma are fading a bit.
Blends and under-appreciated varietals are in, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon aren't. More and more tasting rooms are featuring Paso blends, especially the region’s excellent interpretation of the classic Rhone red combo of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. The white wine choices at public sipping events – art gallery openings and such – used to be Chardonnay, Chardonnay and really oaky Chardonnay. Now, big-flavored Sauvignon Blancs, elegant Pinot Gris and Bordeaux and Rhone blends are becoming more popular. So are Italian whites. And I'm seeing more offbeat varietals on restaurant wine lists: Tannat, Lagrein, Vermentino and many others.
Cheap is more chic than ever: Some discount brands are using their cheapness as a marketing tool. That’s certainly true of Pabst Blue Ribbon, which has been riding a “we’re cheap and proud of it” wave for several years now. It’s the beer for the anti-Yuppie.
Other brands of beer, wine and spirits are following suit. One of many great examples is Wodka Vodka. Here’s a line or two from their latest ad campaign: Retailing at just $8.99 for a 750ml bottle, Wodka only sees $1 in profit for every unit of product sold. How can a business model like this work in the spirits industry? Low overhead, production that's based on quality instead of bottle design and no-frills straight-to-the-point advertising.
The tag line for Wodka's latest creative campaign is "Hamptons Quality, Newark Pricing."
Skinny drinks are phat: Are you dying for a margarita but terrified of the calorie commitment? Good news. More bars are offering low-cal alternatives. They don’t all taste like winners, but at least the industry is making an honest effort to address the concerns of an increasingly obese population. Check out the skinny 'rita at Sol Cocina in Newport, one of the best in O.C., according to my wife, who has made it her mission in life to sample every margarita in O.C.