Sandy Block MW
Vice president and director of beverage operations for Legal Sea Foods, an upscale brand of 35 restaurants located mostly in New England; and adjunct professor for Boston University’s Wine Studies program.
After years of unquestioned ascendancy, wine is currently waging a pitched battle with craft beer and whiskey for the minds and palates of New England’s opinion-making consumers. At present it’s a stand-off, but the “coolness factor” has been trending towards these competing products for some time now, particularly in restaurants and among Millenials. What’s driving this is the appeal of the local, the flavourful, the limited edition and the authentic.
Perceived flavour is in, perceived blandness out. Meaning that among white varietals, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Chenin Blanc continue growing (the latter two off small bases), Chardonnay is flat, and Pinot Grigio in
decline. On the red side, we see accelerated interest in Pinot Noir, Garnacha and other low-tannin reds (such as Zweigelt and cool-climate Cabernet Franc), a levelling off in Malbec’s popularity, and continued decline in Merlot. Syrah remains dead, although more because of slack interest in Australia and anything associated with it, rather than issues with the grape’s flavour profile. Rosé is now a go-to option, and not only between May and September.
Sparkling wine’s popularity is experiencing an ongoing bounce back; in particular we are rediscovering Champagne as a versatile food accompaniment. Category growth is largely driven by Prosecco fever and interest in other Italian bubblies, but there is also greater receptivity to French Crémant.
Regarding countries and regions, Spain leads the pack, both for its red blends and obscure white varietals (Albarino, Godello and Verdejo); Sicilian reds have been sizzling hot as have other Southern Italian wines; and Austria is experiencing a surge of interest.
Comparative tasting flights and half bottles are both quite popular. Although a format that everyone in the production and marketing side of the business disdains, both business travellers and consumers concerned about moderation have embraced the 375 as never before.
Jo-Ann Ross
Boston-based, DWS/AIWS-certified wine expert dedicated to wine promotion and consumer education through speaking engagements and events.
Wine writers hail Massachusetts as one of the top wine-consuming states, and as a wine educator and promotor of wine events in Greater Boston, I can tell you this is a great place to be. We are spoiled with the expanding array of wine tastings and events offered, be they large-scale (Boston Wine Festival, Boston Wine Expo, Nantucket Wine Festival and Wine Riot, to name a few) or small-scale (countless in-store tastings and educational activities). Why is this so? In my opinion, Greater Bostonians represent the gamut of age ranges, from drinking-age-eligible university students and young adults who remain in Boston to start careers, to a growing group of baby boomers and seniors attracted to all the region has to offer.
There is something for everyone wanting to buy wine. Mainstream, big package stores sell popular brands that are historically long-standing best-sellers from major winegrowing regions. Priced well, these wines represent grape varieties well-known to Boston wine drinkers. On the other hand, there are wonderful, small boutique stores with unusual grape varieties from unusual regions with unusual brands. These small stores cater to wine drinkers who are passionate about experimenting. Store owners of both large and small stores require their staff to be more educated about wine than ever before. Overall, most wine drinkers stay with wines under $20.00, but they are more than willing to splurge for special occasions.
The restaurant “tome” wine lists remain, but many more restaurants feature creative and unusual wine offerings by the glass and bottle, and servers consider food pairings and enthusiastically discuss these options with patrons. The biggest change, as of January 1, 2015, is the ability for Massachusetts wine consumers to have wines shipped to them directly from wineries licensed by Massachusetts to do so. We certainly have a lot to cheer about.
Kate Webber
DWS/AIWS-certified wine director for Webber Restaurant Group, who manage an assortment of highly refined restaurants and event spaces with a focus on conservation and sustainability.
Late autumn of 2014, the Massachusetts legislature passed a law that finally enabled Massachusetts consumers to have wine shipped to them directly from domestic producers. Consumers in the state had been fighting for direct shipping for years, and with its arrival, the buzz is palpable. The law, which became effective January 1, 2015, has started a flurry of Massachusetts residents combing the Internet for links to their favourite wineries and requesting access to exclusive mailing lists.
It’s not just Massachusetts consumers who are chomping at the bit: while visiting California in early January, the several wineries I attended were already actively looking for consumers. I’ve seen a flurry of marketing by wineries from around the country come to my inbox, and several colleagues have already forwarded me news of wineries who already have their licenses in place.
Before the law was passed, the grumble around the wine industry in Massachusetts was simply, “this isn’t fair”, as neighbouring states, such as Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut — all less than two hours away from Boston — had been enjoying direct shipping for years. Despite being one of the top wine-consuming states in the country, Massachusetts doesn’t even see the inventory or the variety of wines found in retail shops and restaurants in very nearby New York City, further compounding the previous frustration. Now, consumers will be allowed to receive 12 cases per year, and from what I’ve seen, orders are already being placed at a breakneck pace.
As a restaurant owner, I will not be allowed to ship wines directly to my restaurant to offer to my guests, which is a shame. At this point, however, all of the consumers in the state, including me, will happily take what we can get.
Michael Meagher
DWS/AIWS-certified, award-winning sommelier and former education manager for Treasury Wine Estates, Meagher — atop other wine-business ventures — is chairman of the Boston Sommelier Society.
There is more quality wine being produced in the world than ever before, and what’s reflecting our region’s shift toward the bounty of the vine is the burst of interest in wine education and knowing more about what it is that we are drinking. Whether it is an informal in-home tasting covering the basics of wine with some friends, a few weeks on wines of the US at a local adult-education centre, or an internationally recognised programme from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust or the Court of Master Sommeliers, being a smarter consumer (and by extension a smarter wine buyer, sommelier, or server) is becoming a key trend that cannot be ignored.
Restaurants are looking to hire team members that are well-versed in being able to talk about wine intelligently at the table. Wine buyers at retail and restaurants are expanding their offerings beyond Cabernet, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio to things like Xinomavro and Alvarinho, while deepening their selections in “new” countries and regions previously thought to be too esoteric and difficult to sell.
In the last six months I’ve seen tastings of wines from Slovenia, featured winemakers from Greece and seminars on New Zealand terroir. No longer are consumers relying solely upon brand names to dictate their purchasing habits; now people are looking to explore and be far more adventurous (for the right price).
Within the Boston Sommelier Society, we’ve been able to offer seminars on old-vine Mourvèdre from the Barossa Valley, native Greek grape varietals, biodynamic winemaking, and clonal variations of Cabernet Sauvignon within Napa Valley. This thirst for knowledge is spilling over into craft beer and cocktail fans as well, so it’s becoming more and more essential for professionals to do some homework, as we know that consumers are looking for us to push the boundaries with every glass.
