We see the same excuses from Napa. On one hand it’s all “we’re making the best wines ever”, then they can’t help themselves to throw out excuse after excuse after excuse. Either stand by the wines or don’t. Either admit the rootstock or clonal selection or whatever was an expensive blunder and do something about it or deal with it the best you can and stop all the whining.
The article makes much of the efficiency of cultured yeast inoculation. Is this a viable reason for much of the alcohol and power of modern RRV Pinot Noir?
Unfortunately Wes, you don’t seem to be able to differentiate between an excuse and an explanation. I was simply stating that saying it is simply choice is too simplistic. There are other explanations.
Moreover, I believe that admitting that AxR was a mistake is something that happened over a decade ago. Perhaps you missed that news.
Adam Lee
Siduri Wines.
Blunders? Lol. Prices in Napa just took a huge jump, and RRV Pinots aren’t getting cheaper either. The last thing these winemakers need to do is make excuses to anyone, since they have no problem finding buyers.
This is such an important point. California is a huge state with extremely varied climate and geology. Italy and France are also extremely varied. It’s impossible to generalize in any of these cases. There is no “Californian” or “French” terrior character from a general point of view. I’ve had many super ripe French wines for example. Michael Rolland? Guy accad?
The difference is being self-conscious and overly defensive about it. I’m reading between the lines, but the discomfort some people have with their own wines is load and clear. Some people make the wines they like, and do a good job of it. Others produce wines outside of their preference because that’s what critics reward, what the market rewards, but they aren’t particularly comfortable with it.
That’s right. They don’t need to make excuses. Yet they do.
I agree. Since the bigger/richer/riper style took over the dominant market share, Goliath has always seemed particularly intolerant of a few small Davids making the wines they like. Why this is has always puzzled me.
BTW, is there really a French wine marketing campaign? Is it being run by the French government? Who is paying for it? And is Raj Parr a marketing machine? Or is he an organizer of a handful of tasting events?
Amen Brother Peter. The primary attribute of the Russian River Valley for pinot noir is that it is not Napa Valley. It was the first non-Napa region to stake a claim to pinot, and is still trying to live off that. There may be those “beautiful” bottles of RRV pinot, but I have not had luck finding hardly any of them. The article cites one reason, the warmest climate of any region in the world aspiring to grow quality pinot noir. And I believe the RRV soils are probably another reason.
Thanks Larry. I enjoyed the article.
I don’t know if Raj Parr is a gnat. He strikes me as a savvy and tenacious consensus builder. I’m sure ME is confident in what she’s producing, but both her wines and RRV in general - as is clear from this thread - are drawing sneers from a crowd whose ranks (a mixture of authentic palate-driven voices and a farm-league of sycophants) appear to be growing.
As was mentioned, there is pendulum and right now, Raj and others are pushing it hard, trying to make it stick for awhile. Meanwhile, he is starting a wine-making project every five minutes to capitalize.
I don’t really think a winemaker like Merry Edwards wants to be concerned with the pendulum, she wants to make wine she believes in. It’s this potent union of former somms, ideological pundits, and newish wine-makers (and some older who were unfairly marginalized by a different set of pendulum pushers) that are forcing people who now find themselves in an uncool crowd to take an uneasy stand. But I can’t blame ME for being defensive. Just like I would never speak ill of Jim Clenenden who for a while there was forced to defend the wines he loved to make.
In a world that is more and more defined by obnoxious marketing, the marketing of a palate is one of the more absurd developments imaginable. It didn’t start with Raj of course, but he’s been an important part of its evolution.
Overall, I found this to be an excellent article. After all, the author did write it under the heading of “Accounting for Taste.” He raises many excellent points, all of which relate directly to the style of pinot that the winemaker is shooting for. This argument has been going on for quite a while on this board and other wine circles. People like different styles of wine and it is the consumers “job” to find wines that suit his/her palate. Having an overall “sameness” to wines does no good for anybody. In addition, winemaking and even the entire California wine history is still evolving. The denizens of this board are a minute section of the American population, most of whom would never consider spending $20 on a bottle of wine. I, personally, enjoy both styles of pinot noir and really enjoy introducing various styles to people who have never experienced any of them. It is fun watching the reactions of “rookies” to the disparate style of this particular grape. There is a ton of room in the market for all style of wine…why limit yourself?
Cheers!
Marshall ![[berserker.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/8600bbd4810d342b8fbd4ffb62b4f0026275fd37.gif "berserker"){kind=small}
+1
people don’t like robert parker because they say he pushes his own agenda and prefers a particular style. well guess what, Rajert Parrker (all rights reserved), does the exact same thing. he has been throwing stones at the old guard so that he can make a name (and a buck) for himself. it is not a matter of Goliath being threatened by David- it is a matter of Mr. Parrker insulting those who have been making wine while Rajert was still sucking on a teet. I don’t blame ME for getting defensive about it.
I’d push back on the David vs. Goliath metaphor for another reason: I don’t think it is even apt any longer. People around here have spent the last 6 years defining themselves against Robert Parker and big, highly extracted wines. But in the meantime, their tastes have become mainstream. Face the facts people; you aren’t the underdogs any longer.
Don’t believe me? Go wine tasting in the Russian River Valley this summer. Since it sounds like most of you wrote the region off long ago, you will be surprised to find that just about any winery you visit (go ahead, choose at random) will claim that it’s wine’s are “restrained”, “reflect the terroir”, and “made to go with food.” Now, you may disagree with these claims on their merits, but you’ll be hard pressed to find anybody in RRV who isn’t trying to market their wines to the In Pursuit of Balance crowd. The pendulum has fully swung.
I think these are very valid points. Does Merry make a ‘riper’ style pinot? Compared to ? As others have pointed out, some of hers are ‘riper’ and some are not. And are we defining ‘ripe’ just in terms of alcohol level or fruit profile? I’ve heard many on this board describe many of the Rhys pinots as ‘riper’ but these are mainly at lower alc levels than you would normally associate that adjective with, right?
We can all agree to disagree about IPOB, who should be in it, what it’s true ‘goal’ is, etc. There is no doubt that the pendulum has shifted - just look at the ‘tone’ of that article and the ‘tone’ of this wine board and others. And therefore it is not surprising that Merry said what she said. Look at the ‘press’ that Raj and the IPOB folks have gotten over the past 4 years - incredible. And kudos to them for doing so. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these types of wines truly become ‘household faves’ for many across this country at some time But then, egads, the pendulum may shift once again . . .
Kinda reminds me of those folks who come into my tasting room, and whisper/ask whether I make any ‘sweeter’ wines - these are the wines that they enjoy but it’s not ‘cool’ or ‘acceptable’ to many to like these wines . . .
Geesh, it’s okay to like acid-driven, less ripe, lower alcohol pinots . . . AND it’s okay to like riper, more fruit forward pinots. One is not ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ to be in either school of thought, or both. It’s just a preference . . .
Cheers
The reason I find Parr- and by extension- IPOB, so loathesome, is because the entire marketing gimmick is predicated on blowing out everyone else’s candles in order to make theirs burn brightest. Let your wines speak for themselves, instead of resorting to soapbox preaching.
I like ME very much and am a customer, but I’m not sure I’d call them AFWE. More “traditional California” to me.
Which ‘traditional’ is the question, Mike?!?!? ![[snort.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/b/bdc3944606213c4dca6c1169cf0a166c8bc4f8c9.gif "snort.gif"){kind=small}
Perspective is certainly something that has to be taken into account. If you ‘learned’ about wines during the mid-2000’s, for instance, ‘traditional’ may be the likes of the richer, riper wines that were everywhere at that time. If you are just getting into wines now, I’d love to hear that your perspective is on ‘traditional’ . . .
Just stirring things up a bit, Mike ![[stirthepothal.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/f/f40faec63ca1018898a40805efbf9f0066a3d205.gif "[stirthepothal.gif]"){kind=small}
Cheers! 
I have to respectfully disagree with this. The VAST majority of fine wine made in California is made is a soft and ripe style with notable oak flavors. I’d say 99%. I think this is largely because this is what the public wants. Your average wine consumer that is willing to spend $20+ a bottle wants something that drinks well as a young wine in a pop and pour context. This is just an economic reality. You would probably be surprised how many winery owners are not even aware of the mailing list driven ulta-wine geek subculture that we are a part of here.
The small subset of outlier wine geeks that like a less ripe and racier style who visibly manifest themselves as hipster somms, IPOB and this wine board are barely a blip on the radar screen in the grand scheme of things.
I can kind of understand how the outlier group (which I guess Im part of from a palate preference perspective) is f*cking annoying as hell to those who like/make a riper style. In and of itself I think the very name of “in Pursuit of Balance” is a condescending name. It implies that riper styles are “unbalanced”. Balance is completely subjective. Then again my “camp” has been disparaged and/or ignored by the powers that be for years now, so a bit of a “chip on the shoulder” isn’t too surprising.
Hopefully things can even out where the outliers and the mainstream are less combative and condescending towards each other.