Enobytes Wine Blog

During a recent wine event, I had the opportunity to taste a hundred different samplings. The majority of the wines tasted were very good in quality; some even exceptional; but one thing I noticed midway through the event was that the greater part of the offerings fell into what I like to call, "the safe zone".

My definition of this term is a well-made, crafted wine that is free of technical flaws but seems to lack personality. Matt Kramer recently wrote about this same concern, stating that "Today’s wines, no matter from where, are almost invariably fruity, free of obvious technical flaws such as excessive sulfur or oxidation, and downright sleek. They skate across your palate. What’s too often absent, however, is character."

There is no doubt in my mind that the wines I tasted were well-crafted, but many of them lacked personality; the "Damn, that was great!" factor did not exist. It’s the factor that separates the good wine from the great wine.	Technical Perfection	VS	The Next Great Wine

Out of the hundred wines I tasted, 7% scored in the 90-94 range (exceptional on a 100-point scale), 10% scored in the 80-84 range (good) and the remaining 83% scored in the 85-89 range (very good). Many of the wines I tasted were in the $25-$40 bottle range.

Now I am not saying this is a bad thing – I am delighted that such a high percentage fell into the "very good" category. But wouldn’t it be great if more wines achieved excellence?

Is it the norm today where technical perfection outweighs wine with personality? I certainly can’t blame winemakers for playing it safe in the market; after all, it’s a business. But what about taking a chance and making the next great wine? Doesn’t a $30+ bottle of wine deserve more than technical perfection? I’d like to hear your thoughts.

~ Pamela Heiligenthal

Share This

Bookmark to: