One of the many sessions that we are looking forward to at the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference is the Friday Breakout Session: Drinking Local. The session is moderated by Frank Morgan of Drink What You Like - a Virginia based wine blog. The panelists consist of Dave McIntyre, wine writer for the Washington Post and founding member of DrinkLocalWine.com; Lenn Thompson, founder of New York Cork Report; and Rémy Charest, blogger at The Wine Case in Canada. The topic is the virtues and challenges of drinking local - an issue close to our hearts.
I love local wine; and not only the wine but the personalities, the stories, the trips to wine country. I loved hearing the story how Steve and Shannon Mackey started Notaviva Vineyards. I can hear Jenni McCloud (Chrysalis Vineyards) repeat her passionate speech about Norton wine - a thousand times. I've been known to travel 125 for an evening concert at Veritas Vineyards. I loved seeing Jim Corcoran (Corcoran Vineyards) proudly show off their new Bourbon barrel aged Chambourcin or their Lemoncello based Petit Mensing. My son gets a kick of seeing the photo from Hiddencroft Vineyards where owner Clyde Housel is hosing him down after an accident. Memories. These experiences is what lead us to start the WineCompass.com directory and the WineCompass blog. A history, I'm sure, shared by most attendees to the conference.
So naturally, we are advocates for promoting local wineries, especially through VirginiaWineTV.com and by participating in DrinkLocal.com activities. We all can agree on the virtues of local wineries: preserve open spaces, jobs, tourism, the wines..... Numerous reasons. As well as the locavore\locapour movement, which I follow to a certain degree, particularly when eloquently articulated by Jenni McCloud in our VirginiaWineTV video on Talking Norton and DLW with Jennifer McCloud. To paraphrase: "If you eat locally, its natural to also drink locally."
Yet, I am not a complete convert to the Drink Local movement. Why? Price is one factor. Local wine is expensive, at least in Virginia. I would love to be able to budget a Virginia wine on a regular basis, but the average price is approximately $20-$25 a bottle (my best guess). I understand the economicsand the tourism influences that lead to higher prices. I just can't afford them on a regular basis. And from what I've seen, Maryland, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania are heading in the same direction.
But my biggest complaint with the Drink Local movement, is that proponents are throwing out multiple definitions of drink local. I've heard it used in a sustainability context with the locavore movement that you should only drink locally crafted wines and these wines must be produced using 100% estate grown grapes. No exceptions; minimal footprint. What's up with that? That is way too draconian. And with this definition, forget about someone from Florida purchasing a Virginia wine and having it shipped. Winemakers would never think of following that maxim (I've heard about Jenni McCloud's wine cellar), why should consumers?
Others have generously expanded this definition to say, "no the grapes can be sourced from anywhere within the state and yes, you can ship the wine to other states". Yet, I have a problem with that definition as well. Tarara Vineyard & Winery (Leesburg Virginia) produces an excellent NoVa series using grapes sourced from the Mountainview Vineyard in southwestern Virginia, over 200 miles away. Glades Pike Winery (Sommerset, Pennsylvania) produces a Norton wine from grapes grown at Chrysalis Vineyards (Middleburg, Virginia) - 170 miles and two states away. Tarara is approved, but Glades Pike is put on the naughty list. Why? Should we set distance boundaries to define a local wine? Who then, becomes the drink local policeman?
What does Drink Local mean to you? I don't really have a preferred definition, because I drink anything, from anywhere - wherever the winery is located: Virginia, Maryland, New York, Texas, California, Oregon, Washington, Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Turkey.... And I don't really have a problem if a winery sources fruit from California; as long as the wine is labelled as such. Case in point, the Biltmore Estate Winery; if you care, just purchase their North Carolina wines.
As I step off my soapbox, I look forward to this session. Maybe the panelists will attempt to define Drink Local, maybe not. But we all agree on one concept. Local wine is being produced in every state of this country and there are valid reasons to purchase locally. So, get out there and try some; you will enjoy the experience. The WineCompass.com directory can help you locate wineries in your state and if you want to visit a Virginia winery check out the Virginia Wine in My Pocket iPhone application. And attendees of the Wine Bloggers Conference will receive a free download of the app. Cheers.
8 comments:
Nice article my friend. As a wine merchant that specializes in Oregon and WA wines, I believe in promoting local wine and Winegrowers, that's what I do. However, when it comes to drinking wine, I drink what I like. My business is built on only marketing and selling "select wines from Select Wineries" so I only have wines that IMO are great wines. But, I do have wines from other states shipped in to me that I really like stocked in my wine cellar, Zinfandel from Sonoma is one example. I can't find good Zin in Oregon, at least to my liking.Also, Australia and New Zealand and France produce wines I really like and are in my cellar. So...I say "Drink what you like, especially if local, but if ya can't find it there, get it somewhere else" ;-)
Gary Peterson
A Wine To Die For
See ya at WBC11
Gary, thanks for the comment. Frank Morgan selected an appropriate name for his blog: Drink What You Like. I live by that saying. I like exotic grapes those that are indigenous to areas or countries: Hungary, Croatia, Sicily, Languedoc, Turkey and at times labrusca, muscadine, & Norton wines. Plus viniferia, of course. You could say I'm an equal opportunity wino. My friend Dezel at MyVineSpot always insists to "Drink Outside the Box". I like that saying too. Looking forward to meeting you at #wbc11
Todd - thanks for posting this! I feel strongly in the 'Drink Local' message, which is why I 'drink local' in all of my travels. I have a post upcoming to solicit comments/feedback and more importantly, *'input'* from WBC11 attendees regarding the direction of the 'Drink Local' panel discussion. I can tell you this will be a very lively discussion, and I hope you both attend.
I look forward to seeing you and Gary at the conference. (and... I hope Gary is bringing some of those OR pinots with him... :). Cheers!
Frank, we will be there with camera to film the entire session. I'll send you a copy afterwards for you to keep. Cheers
Great questions! We have a growing number of wineries in my home state of NH that make great locally grown and locally made wines. Prices of $12-15 make them accessible as well. That said, too many folks come and then leave with a bad impression. The wines are made from many grapes not used as much outside of areas like NH (northern, cold winters) like Foch, Leon, Baco Noir, Seyval, etc and local fruits like apple, berries and the like. The wines get better every year and the distinctive varieties provide a different pace, but we just need to educate visitors about what part of the world of wine we represent up here!
Jason
Great approach to the question of "drinking locally". As a tourist traveling state-to-state, it generally is a preference of ours trying wines grown from the actual vineyards of that winery. Sometimes that limits our experiences or expands our appreciation of a winery and its surrounding area production. Likewise after visiting a winery and seeing what an owner has gone through to bring that grape to fruition, it sometimes justifies the $25+, gives one an incredible appreciation for a locally produced $12 bottle, or even sours an impression when comparing quality-to-price. Here is where the local projected mission sometimes out weighs the initial quality, but one can still enjoy the efforts by purchases in support of a local endeavor.
Regarding the price of locally produced wine, I understand the economies of scale issue and why they have a have, in general, a high price point. In Virginia, the wines are also priced higher because the wineries are also tourist destinations where people will pay a little more for entertainment or even the scenic value. That being said, financially I just can't afford to pay that much on a daily basis. Wish I could.
Jason, thanks for the comment. I can understand the difficulties NH wineries have in educating consumers on the French Hybrid grapes. Wineries in Virginia have the same issue even with vinifera grapes: Viognier, Petit Verdot, Petit Mensing, Tannat. I'll have to add a Hybrid page on the Winecompass.com Wine 101 page (http://winecompass.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=4&tabid=3). Cheers
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