Like other fruit, they tend to approach maximum weight before they are ripe (by any definition). What he’s talking about is senescence. With living tissue grapes lose water to evaporation, and that tension draws in sugary fluid produced in the leaves. When the grapes begin to die they break down and become unable to draw in new fluid, so they shrink due to water loss. Other processes are occurring at the same time, with various components resolving or dissipating. The result is uniformity and concentration of dark fruit. A polished soft wine. Velvety is probably a better word than mushy. To some this is elegant, to others it’s boring (or worse).
That passage struck me as well, including this piece…
“I like things that taste good, and I think the public does. . . . I think our style is super friendly and super luscious and textured. Just exhilarating. To think we’d trade this in and go for more astringency and acidity on the palate as a throwback to yesteryear — I just couldn’t see that as a good thing in any way.”
For years I was mystified by Francophiles and Europhiles. I didn’t see the attraction to acid bombs and high astringency and still don’t. However, 2015 has been an eye opening year for me. Two trips to Europe has my mind recalculating my palate. In the most recent trip, I experience excellent French whites and reds. What made them so good was - balance! By being balanced the wine could express beautiful fruit, rich earthiness/minerality/terroir and tertiary notes that gave the wine complexity and interest. I experienced the same thing when I went to Rome. Everything that was poured had balance and complex expression.
This past weekend I opened a magnificent Morlet Cab - it had balance! I’m glad to see some wine makers moving away from the fruit bomb style of wine making, because to me that doesn’t exhibit balance either.
I would say the Thomas Kinkade of the wine industry.
Chuck would get along just fine as a member here with his assured approach to making his opinion and taste hard fact.
A far more accurate example.
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You nailed it.
I disagree. I think it’s a very common pattern, sort of like pop art or Swatch. They’re appealing to a different segment with something that runs against the established grain. And of course it annoys the hell out of us snobs.
Edit: Just saw Robert’s post - exactly.
I like my prima donna wines with their nuanced layers and complexity. That being said, on a summer day when I’m plowing back a sammich I do enjoy chasing it down with Meomi. There is nothing wrong with these types of wines. I think we need to get off our high horse.