Good Grape Wine Company

Email this to a friend

Your Email:

Your Name:

To:

Subject:

Message:
Flemings Steakhouse, a chain, with locations in 26 states, whose marketing value proposition is an extensive wine by the glass program, recently announced their “Flemings 100” list—wines made available by the glass; 60 of which are chosen at a corporate level and the balance is buyer discretion on a regional level. Now, Flemings makes a big deal out of this list and its annual maintenance with national advertising in the wine mags. and some consumer engagement in the selection process, etc.  But, a glance at the actual list is enough to invite some questions.  Presumably, they are going after the knowledgeable wine consumer with some little found gems that indicate “discovery.” Not so much. Their marketing copy says: “A full half of the wines are from family-owned vineyards.  Though harder to procure, these “boutique” wines are worth the effort because their exceptionally high quality.” Consider when you open this link, that the very first page features Beringer White Zinfandel. The next 6 pages are, to their credit, lesser known imports (save for the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc), but then we get to page 18 and the Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve.  We then meander our way through Cambria, Montevina, Dry Creek, Clos Du Bois and other nationally distributed brands.  Perhaps some are family-owned, but “boutique” might be stretching it a bit. I think I understand the difficulty in buying wine for a national program and a restaurant group that probably does a lot of volume—it is seemingly a difficult balance between quality, marketing and enough production, but to entice somebody that really knows a little something about wine, shouldn’t you veer deeper off the beaten path?  And, does an $8 glass of K-J Chard, when you know you can buy the bottle at your grocery store for $13.99, really do that? Bon Vivant PhD It has dawned on me that, if independently wealthy, I would not choose to first travel the world (though I would do that, too), nor would I start my own business (though, that would be a priority, as well) instead I think I would work on a self-developed PhD in being a Bon Vivant.  Living in a college town and going to school is pretty good fun in my book.  After getting my Master of Wine, or a similar certification I might choose to Boston University Metropolitan College for a Masters in Gastronomy.  From the course catalog: The Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) in Gastronomy encompasses the arts, the humanities, and the natural and social sciences. As the study of food, food science, and nutrition has grown, a consensus has developed that the study of food and wine, under the category of gastronomy, requires a multidisciplinary approach. Our understanding of the role of food in historical and contemporary societies and its impact on world civilization is a serious and important pursuit, especially when undertaken within specific, well-defined fields of study such as culinary history, anthropology, archaeology, economics, and nutrition. If I didn’t choose this program, perhaps Le Cordon Bleu’s program would be more suitable: The Le Cordon Bleu Master of Arts in Gastronomy is one of the few programs in the world leading to an advanced degree in gastronomic studies. The program is built on a series of articulated courses, and is designed in the early stages to provide a general appreciation of the history and culture of food and drink from ancient times, with a strong focus on contemporary themes. Students then go on to research their own area of interest in the field of Gastronomy.  Students established in a gastronomy-related career, such as a restaurateur, wine importer, or a food or drink journalist, will find that the program in Gastronomy a pathway to professional advancement. If you combine that with a Masters in Sustainable Management, you might have a very unique and desirable skill-set. Likewise, if I was independently wealthy --neo-rich-- I’d probably have to find a more suitable place for a growing wine collection … Does it get any more ostentatious then a walk-in wine vault?  Suddenly, the $4000 Viking range seems so déclassé.  So damned expensive you can’t find the price on the Internet, GE’s Monogram series has an all-in-one wine vault with inventory management system, attractive racking and cooling in a package that takes as little as a day to install.  Two sides of the viticultural Coin For a really good, high-level article juxtaposing BioD and traditional grape-growing, check out this article from the Washington Post. In my opinion, it’s not outside of the realm of possibility that growing organic and BioD might mentally get painted with “boutique” wines in the consumer’s minds-eye.  It may be that a small producer almost has to change their growing practices or do marketing around it based on the explosion of organically grown grapes making their way into the fine wine market. http://www.goodgrape.com/index.php/517/