The current state of negotiant wine
A "dust up" in the wine blogosphere this week brought the subject of negotiant wine back to the front of our consciousness. Negotiant has two meanings here and in Europe. In Europe, any wine produced from grapes not owned by the winery and winemaker is referred to as negotiant. In other words, it is any non-estate sourced wine grape stock. Here in the United States, we refer to any wine purchased in bulk when the wine is completely manufactured and simply bottled by some entity other than the manufacturer as negotiant.
There are many well-made wines that are, in fact, negotiant. Some of our best sellers over the years are wines bottled by one producer, but actually made by someone else. Edge, Trim and others from Ray Signarello Jr. spring to mind as some that we have enjoyed, as are the wines from CastleRock and others. The negotiant market is, in many ways, vital to a well-functioning wine industry. It allows gluts in wine production to be quickly and efficiently absorbed, and creates some very affordable and eminently drinkable wines.
Now to the "dust up." A rather well-known wine blogger out of California decided to take Charles Shaw, better known as "Two Buck Chuck," to task - or perhaps more accurately Fred Franzia, the owner and producer of the product, was the subject of the blog. When Two Buck Chuck first arrived on the market it was 1998, and the wine industry was coming off the high quality, bumper crop vintage of 1997. There was indeed a lot of wine of very good quality on the bulk market. When Franzia first bottled the wine, it was drinkable and indeed $2 - and it was negotiant, purchased from undisclosed, likely well-known producers and bottled under the Charles Shaw label, and sold through Trader Joe's. The wine is now $3, still sold through Trader Joe's, but no longer negotiant.
It is now made from bulk-farmed grapes from the way-too-hot appellation of California's central valley. The grapes are machine-farmed and harvested at very heavy tons/acre cropping levels. With that change, the wine is not the caliber it was formerly. The blog that touched off a bit of a firestorm this week was even less flattering, accusing Franzia of little quality control and inclusion in the finished product of all sorts of, shall we say, unwanted ingredients.
For wine consumers, this is when it is vital to understand the difference between all of these designations and, of course, to always try before you buy wines that don't come directly from a winemaker you know and like. First, check the back label. If it says, "Produced and bottled by" a winery, it means they not only put the wine in the bottle but also produced it from the time the grapes were harvested. If it says, "Bottled by," this likely means it was purchased in bulk, and put in the bottle and labeled by the wine company listed on the front.
The other phenomenon is the explosion in private label wines. Large retailers and others have entered the bulk wine market, buying lots of wine that might otherwise go unused. Many times, the back label designation for these might be something like "Blended and bottled by..." Again, nothing wrong with this concept in general, but here's the rub. Many of these large retailers are entering the private label concept to restrict competition. By only allowing the wines to be sold at their stores, they can price the wines at whatever level they choose. In Idaho this is illegal: one of the good parts of our liquor law. Ultimately, wine consumers quickly discern if these wines are worth what is charged versus wine produced by winemaker/owners.
We are big fans of Ray Signarello Jr., CastleRock and some other negotiants. They bottle great wines at compelling prices, and are open and straightforward about what their product is and what it is not. We look forward to continuing to have them on our shelves. For wine consumers, though, it is important to distinguish between those who openly disclose what is in their bottle and those who don't. Your own palate is always capable of telling you what is a good value, and trying before buying is always a good idea. Perhaps a bit of extra caution is warranted, though, when all of the background of a wine is less clear.
If there is a topic you would like to read about or if you have questions on wine, you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.
George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party, a wine and tabletop decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George has also worked as a judge in many wine competitions. His articles are published around the country, and he is the wine editor for Coeur d'Alene Magazine (www.cdamagazine.com). You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com, and find all of these articles, as well as other great wine tips, by friending us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.