Creating Buy-in

As with so many things, the last two years have forced change at a faster pace. Countless businesses have managed to pivot to a ‘work from home’ model seemingly in a matter of weeks. Zoom calls became a novelty, then standard fare, then the butt of jokes almost overnight.

How people choose their wine has also evolved. There will always be those that scoop the cheapest wine offering into their trolley while debating if that MIG welder in the middle aisle is a sound investment. But the number of those that want to learn a little more about what they drink has swelled dramatically. Possibly because furlough afforded people the time to drink more and to google more, and because the information is so readily available and increasingly user-friendly.

If you have a mind to, there are apps that offer you wine reviews with the scan of a label, there are even apps that bring the label to life. There are QR codes and embedded links everywhere, even in this magazine. But the strongest platform for enquiry is social media. Posts can introduce you to the wine maker, the brand, the vision even!

An occasional mistake in wine is to try and feed the customer stats. The level of oak or maturation time is important, but very few get excited by numbers. People buy into anecdotes and authenticity. Stories they can then tell their guests when they hold court at a dinner party. Perhaps the producer still ploughs its vineyards with the help of a horse?

These stories play out brilliantly on social media. This can take a consumer product and personalise it to the point that can inspire emotional investment. In some cases this can become a brand following as in the case of Grande Marques or the latest Provence Rosé but, for those that aren’t dripping in marketing budgets and celebrity endorsements, personal honesty can shine through.

In the past few years there has been a surge in demand for organic and regionally authentic wines. The Indie retail customer is no longer content with international grapes grown everywhere. With access to much more information and, recently, more time, the customer is prepared to buy into not just a bottle of wine but the principals and ideas that made that wine. There is a greater level of enquiry which demands a greater level of accountability. As an evolution to brand alignment based on aspiration (those Veuve Wellies may have had their day) we are now seeing emotional alignment to ethical principles. There is more kudos at the dinner party to a wine that has been ethically produced using sustainable principals and region specific grapes than one seen on reality television. I hope…

The increase in access through social media has been bolstered further by online tastings. In order to tap into the demand for experiential tastings a numbers of Indie retailers hosted tasting events during lockdown. Although the logistics of getting wine to anything up to 200 individual homes may have been a headache the opportunity to have the winemaker, often sitting in his or her winery, on the call more than justified it. This offered a level of connection not seen to the average customer and a huge spring board to emotional investment. In a lot of cases it also translated into sales. Not just of the wine tasted but of all wines from the maker.

Some customers will consider a £3 wine excellent value. Some will never leave a specific grape or region. However, there are increasing numbers of the inquisitive, the scrutineers. With phones in hand and apps at the ready looking to introduce new wines and new places to their circles but only once they have scrolled the ‘gram and checked the credentials. Everyone likes a good a story, especially if there is a horse involved.

The Alternatives to HEAT

Knowledge is power… And knowing how disastrous the 2021 vintage was in many parts of the winemaking world, culminating in a shortage of some of the best-selling wines such as Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, discerning customers are already seeking out exciting new alternatives.

Add into the equation the continued challenges across Burgundy. A region that has been continually impacted by consecutive cold/wet/frost/hail vintages, now really is the time to take advantage of those new and exciting wines from around the world, which are made by some of most exciting winemakers, breaking boundaries, experimenting with unusual varieties and much more. You don’t have to settle for second best when exploring these wines and your customers might just find their new favourite.

As global warming and unpredictable weather become an ever present issue, the extraordinary weather patterns that have caused the issues above are driving winemakers to explore more and more extreme wine growing regions to make their wines. Whether it is high altitude or vineyards close to the ocean, a cool climate is an essential requirement when making wines to catch the eye of the classical wine consumer. The winemakers featured here are all working in these extreme environments – and their wines are as good as anything from those from vintage-affected regions.

Richard Kershaw is one of the newest inductees into the Cape Winemakers Guild (in December 2021) and is also the only Master of Wine who is actively making wine in South Africa. Not bad for a man from Sheffield! He specialises in site and clone specific Chardonnay, Syrah, and Pinot Noir from Elgin (Clonal Selection) and other cool climate growing areas in the depths of the Cape (G.P.S. Series).  Despite the incredible detail to which he goes, his winemaking is non-interventionist and he is making some of the very best wines, especially Chardonnay, in South Africa today.

He is meticulous in his viticulture and winemaking, paying special attention to coopers and which barrels work best for specific wines and particularly around clonal selection. He has selected clones of Chardonnay and Syrah that are most suitable for the cool climatic conditions that Elgin offers. The Clonal Selection Syrah 2018 is “a thrilling and emotive Syrah” (97 Pts – Decanter) with Neil Martin (94 Pts – Vinous) labelling it “Absolutely top class” and we certainly don’t disagree. The G.P.S. Series Chardonnay comes from (rare in the area) limestone rich soils in the Lower Duivenhoks River. The resulting wine is vibrant and zingy and according to Neal Martin (93 Pts – Vinous) “This is almost disarmingly harmonious… Warning: You will definitely finish a bottle, even if you didn’t plan to”.

Fine wine doesn’t have to be expensive. Spain, with is a veritable smörgåsbord of wine regions, appellations and grape varieties certainly has some of the most exciting and pioneering winemakers of the northern hemisphere. One winemaker leading the way here is Xosé Lois (XL) Sebio who has been reinvigorating ancient and abandoned vineyards and producing a stunning collection of wines with a very marked identity. XL Sebio’s main aim is to make authentic wines which are far removed from conventions and modern fashions, but at the same time express the terroir from which his wines come with soul and personality. The ‘O’Con’ Albarino 2019 comes from old Albariño strains from the Aios area, in Sanxenxo. (Rias Baixas – Pontevedra – Galicia). The grapes come from an old hillside vineyard plot, with spruce soils, on top of an old tungsten mine. The freshness, depth and meatiness of the old vines help to produce a deep, elegant and sapid wine.

Finally, breaking from the cool climate theme we head to the beautiful island of Santorini. Unique places create unique wines, and Santorini provides this in spades. The soil is volcanic and mineral rich and the indigenous varietals have evolved alongside the island itself. The most famous of these is Assyrtiko, which thrives on an island which has long sunshine hours, a lack of rainfall, sea mists and strong cooling summer winds, all contributing to the unique microclimate. Gaia Estate is one of the pioneers of the Greek wine revolution. Established in 1994 by Greek winemakers Leon Karatsalos and Yiannis Paraskevopoulos. The Wild Ferment Assyrtiko is a gem of a wine and a fabulous alternative to White Burgundy. The wine is fermented naturally in a mix of stainless steel tanks, wooden casks (15% French oak, 15% American oak, 15% in acacia casks) and 10% ceramic vats. The resulting wine is truly unique, with layers of intriguing flavours, a mineral salty tang and beautiful acidity.

Ultimately, the challenges that we all face over the next twelve months can easily be overcome with creativity and helping consumers to get outside of their comfort zones to explore the myriad of stunning and extraordinary wines made by legendary winemakers of the future. And you never know, if they just give these wines a chance, they may not go back to what they wanted before.

WOTM: Akriotou, ‘Erimitis’ White, Sterea Ellada 2020

Our April Wine of the Month is a new addition to our Greek portfolio from the team at Akriotou. The grapes for the ‘Erimitis’ White, Sterea Ellada 2020 are sourced from Plataea, a small village at the foot of the Kitheronas Mountain, in Central Greece. This wine is a blend of native varieties: Savatiano, Assyrtiko and Aidani, which are suited to the hot, dry climate as they have good drought resistant properties. 

In a nutshell

A rich and textured wine with delicate notes of peach, bergamot, lemon and pear complemented by buttery overtones through to a refreshing zesty finish.

The Producer

Vasiliki Akriotou is an oenologist with over 20 years’ experience in the wine industry. In 2015, she created her first range of wines from a micro-winery in the heart of Greece, which reflected her philosophy of winemaking. The vineyards are situated among the snow-capped mountains at altitudes of 280 to 380 metres above sea level. The range includes is Ορειβάτης, which translates as the ‘Mountaineer’ made from Savatiano, which recognises the steep, challenging terrain. This sublime, premium range of wines made from old vines of native grapes, is a true expression of this fresh mountainous terroir.

The wine

Vinification took place separately for each variety. The grapes were carefully selected, destemmed and crushed before the free run must underwent cold skin-contact maceration for six hours. Controlled fermentation took place at 14°C, with bâtonnage of the fine lees twice a week. The three wines were deftly blended and matured in stainless steel tanks for a total of 10 months, during which bâtonnage took place twice weekly for three months, reducing to once a fortnight for seven months, imbuing the wine with a lovely texture.