Good Grape Wine Company

February 11 2007

Viviendo la vida loca del vino en Indiana

Am I living the crazy wine life in Indiana?  It sure doesn’t seem like it sometimes, especially as I read accounts from fellow bloggers jetting off here and there tasting in barrel and generally having a high time living with the grape.  But, I try to keep in mind that progress can be measured differently by different people. 

As a wine enthusiast of the first order I certainly follow wine and the wine industry to a greater extent than the average Joe.  Actually, I follow the wine industry greater then the ‘Above Average Joe,’ too.  And, generally, when I read reports on wine consumption research I do so with a wary eye because everybody’s research is radically different—not a little bit different, but a lot of bit different.  Outside of the fact that wine consumption is increasing in the states, everybody has a different spin. 

I recently read statistics that say that NFL football fans spent 63% more on wine in 2006 than 2005, but the average household spending on wine that represents that 63% increase is only $94.30 per household for the year.  I try not to snicker.  $94.30 on wine?  In a year?  Puhleeze …  Don’t tell my wife.  If she knew this, she’d cut my wine spending off the 14th of January.

Likewise, Nascar fans supposedly increased their spending on wine 26.4%—from $66.80 to $81.40 from 2005 to 2006.

I think a tank of gas for those RV’s camped out at the Daytona 500 costs more than $81.40, but this increase is newsworthy according to Nielsen Sports.

Other reports, as we also saw this week, offer different perspectives:  not about wine consumption in niche sports segments, but wine consumption by consumers—categorized as core and marginal consumers.

According to research by Wine Market Council, Core drinkers account for 17.4 percent of the total population and marginal drinkers comprise 17 percent.  Core drinkers account for a whopping 92 percent of the volume of all wine consumed—a truly stunning statistic.  More than 92 percent of all wine sold is sold to 17.4 percent of the market.  Even more interesting?  According to the research, more than half of Core drinkers reside in suburbs.

Based on these sorts of statistics, I try to remove myself from any wine piousness and realize that there are a lot of people that have an interest in wine, but are still very much in a growing and learning phase. Exhibit A is our local fishwrap, the Indianapolis Star.  They had the wherewithal to publish an article a couple of days ago highlighting the Wine & Chocolate Lovers Extravaganza in Indianapolis.  In particular, two “wineries” on the Indy Wine Trail are doing promotions around the extravaganza and are featured in the article—both are based in Carmel, In.  Both wineries, it should be noted stretch the boundaries of what a winery is—occupying storefronts in a commerce district in a suburb in a Midwestern market without any grapes of their own. 

Carmel is a suburb north of Indianapolis, IN and is, according to demographics, one of the five wealthiest towns in the country right up there with Palm Springs, Naples, FL, some place in New York and some place in Arizona.  There’s a lot of money in Carmel and, presumably, based on Wine Market Council research, a lot of wine drinkers, too. So, it’s just peculiar to me that the two wineries in this town, associated with a marketing effort for a wine trail—this wealthy community—features a winery that makes wine from kits and a winery that makes wine from just about everything except grapes.  Pina Colada wine, anyone?

Within the confines of decorum, I don’t want to slag on Grape Inspirations or Ferrin’s Fruit Winery, undoubtedly run by decent people trying to have fun and make a buck.

But, living the crazy wine life in Indiana, just to be sure, also means that two wineries are featured in your newspaper—one that makes wine from concentrate from a Canadian company and another that makes chocolate wine.

To wit, the following quotes from the article (left unattributed here to protect the innocent), referencing promotions for the Wine & Chocolate Extravaganza:

“People love to come in, walk up to the chocolate fountain and stick a pretzel or piece of fruit in and let chocolate run over it.

Wine paired with the chocolate will be Old Vine Zinfandel or Razzlot, a raspberry Merlot.”

Or this one …

Wineries provide a wine experience.  When you come here you’re buying the wine experience.  You get an explanation of the wine and get to taste it.”

Living the crazy wine life in Indiana? Or, making my wine life crazy? One of the two, that’s for sure … but, I have chocolate wine and research to comfort me.

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