▻ Omnibus Thirteenth Edition
Episode Thirteen
Episode Summary:-
It is hard to believe that a month ago there were only two issues dominating the airwaves, Covid and Climate change. Today, there is only one on everybody’s mind, the war. Our world has changed. Wine is affected, like everything else of course, and no more so than in war-torn Ukraine, which has a long wine history.
The most famous region for wine is the Crimea, home to the Massandra winery, and which, in a chilling precursor to today, was annexed by Russia in 2014. John Stimpfig discusses its history, and how, when the Ukrainian director was fired, it was bought by the Yuzhny Project, backed by the Rossinya Bank (which is one of the banks which has now been excluded from all SWIFT transfers). The person in charge is oligarch Yury Kovalchuk, who is often described as Putin’s personal banker. Ukraine lost half its vineyards with the annexation; today there are 41,000 hectares remaining. The largest region is around Odessa. As we write, we do not know what will happen, but Victoria Agromakova, CEO of Wines and Spirits Ukraine, says, “The last eight years the winemakers of the mainland of Ukraine have done an incredible job, they won’t give up now.” They have also decided to show their wines at Prowein in Dusseldorf in Germany in May, for the very first time. I don’t think there will be a more popular stand if they make it.
Back in Russia, 70 brave members of the wine community – sommeliers, educators, restauranteurs and a winery owner – have written an open letter to Vladimir Putin, asking for the war to stop. As 7,000 people have already been arrested for protesting, their signatures are an act of bravery. “We want to unite the people of the world; we don’t we don’t want Russian wines associated with war,” they wrote.
Wine is also often used as a political bargaining chip in trade negotiations, being a potent symbol of nationality. John Stimpfig reports on the latest export figures to be released by the Australian wine industry. The 200% tariffs put on Australian wine in China in March 2021 have resulted in a 97% drop in value and 93% drop in volume in what was their number-one export market. Overall, Australian wine export sales are down 30% and, unsurprisingly, China is no longer their number-one market. Australia’s loss in China has been France’s gain, with France’s wines and spirits recording a record 57% increase on 2020. Sarah and John note that you can’t separate wine from global politics in many ways.
““The last eight years, the winemakers of Ukraine have done an incredible job, they won’t give up now.” ”
Away from world politics and back to pure wine, John welcomes the news that there is a new standard guide for Alsace sweetness levels. “Unless you are seriously knowledgeable, you didn’t know whether you were going to open a bottle which was sweet, dry, or off-dry, as there was no information to give you that knowledge,” he explains. The sweetness levels correspond to EU Laws and all wines released in 2022 will carry this information.
Sarah and John also pay tribute to the late Anthony Barton, one of the great figures of Bordeaux, who recently died at the age of 91. Sarah relates some of her personal memories and her belief that he changed the image of Bordeaux by his openness and ability to communicate with wine lovers all over the world. We also lost two well-known American wine journalists recently, Larry Walker and Kim Marcus. John discusses their contribution to the wine world.
Our US Editor, Elin McCoy, brings us up to date with the biggest news stories from the US, which includes a surprising sale of one of Napa’s most well-known wineries, Shafer Vineyards, which has been sold to the South Korean luxury retail group, Shinsegae Property, for US$250 million. The winery was founded in 1972 by John Shafer in the Stags Leap District of the Napa Valley; his son Doug has sold it and the vineyards, which lie in the Stags Leap, Oak Knoll and Carneros districts. This is the latest in a number of family wineries to be sold in the Napa Valley recently, with Burgess, Heitz Cellars, Stony Hill and Frank Family Vineyards all going from family to corporate ownership. Elin discusses how some people are concerned about the “corporatisation” of the Napa Valley.
In another surprising development, Italy’s Santa Margherita, known for their Pinot Grigio, have bought Roco Winery in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, their first overseas purchase. Are they going to make a Pinot Gris or branch out into other varieties, Elin wonders.
The other major story in wineries changing hands is the Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie bust-up over Château Miraval, collateral damage from their ongoing and very public divorce. Angelina Jolie sold her shares to the Stoli Group without offering first refusal to Brad Pitt. “It’s hard to know how strong Brad Pitt’s case is for saying she couldn’t sell it without giving him first right of refusal,” Elin says. One to watch.
Elin reports on the latest news from Liv-Ex, which has just released a report showing how the top luxury California wines rose 32% year-on-year in value on their Liv-Ex California Index. There is increasing global demand for top California wine, and Screaming Eagle has recently seen an increase in value of 47.7% – “It’s going bananas,” Elin reports. It is not only luxury California wines that are going bananas. Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, the first winery in the world to be certified for regenerative organic farming, has released a 3-litre bag-in-a-box premium Rosé for US$95. Jason Haas was working out the winery’s latest environmental footprint and found the most effective way to reduce it was the packaging. He floated the idea of a bag-in-a box on his blog and was astounded by the response, so released as an experiment 300 boxes, which sold out immediately.
The interest in NFTs (non-fungible tokens) is not waning in the wine world. Château Cantenac Brown is the latest winery to issue one. This NFT is a video of a temporary artwork at the Château based on “the power of the earth.” It is to be auctioned for an environmental cause; Elin and Sarah are curious to find out how much it will go for. Elin also reports on the new book from Laura Catena and Alejandro Vigil, “Malbec Mon Amour,” and tells listeners to look out for her interview with Laura in a few weeks’ time.
In a poignant reminder of the power of diplomacy, peace and the role of wine, Elin also reports on the anniversary dinner held by Schramsberg Vineyards to celebrate the “Toast to Peace.” 50 years ago, Richard Nixon was the first US President to visit China, and he took with him 13 cases of Schramsberg’s sparkling wine. Elin talks about the dinner and Hugh Davies, who was a boy at the time, relayed his memories of how he remembers his father being rung up by a friend who saw Barbara Walters report from Tiananmen Square in Beijing, talking about how Schramsberg had been served as the “Toast to Peace.” It put the young winery firmly on the world map, and has been served by Presidents of the United States ever since. As we remember the real role of wine, a unique beverage which has brought nationalities together in friendship, it is worth ending on the original peace toast:
““To the goal of building a world structure of peace and justice in which all may stand with equal dignity and which each nation large or small has a right to determine its own government free of outside interference and domination.” ”
Running Order:-
-
0.00 – 12.18
“We want to unite the people of the world, we don’t want Russian wine associated with war.”
– Letter to Putin from 70 Russian wine professionals.
– The history of the Massandra Winery in the Crimea, part of Ukraine until annexed by Russia in 2014.
– The vineyards of Ukraine and the resilience of the Ukrainian wine producers.
– How 70 wine Russian wine professionals have written to Vladimir Putin, asking him to stop the war, despite fear of arrest.
– The impact of Chinese tariffs on Australia’s wine industry. -
12.19 – 24.55
“Unless you were seriously knowledgeable you didn’t know if what you were opening would be sweet, dry, off-dry, because there was no information to give you that knowledge.”– John Stimpfig
– The new standard guide for Alsace sweetness levels.
– Sarah’s recollections of the late Anthony Barton.
– John discusses the work of wine journalists Larry Walker and Kim Marcus, who died recently. -
24.56 – 32.03
“There is some concern among smaller properties in Napa that too many corporations will not be good for the valley as a whole.”– Elin McCoy
– The sale of Shafer Vineyards to the luxury South Korean retail group Shinsegate Property.
– Is Napa in danger of becoming corporatized?
– Santa Margherita buys Roco winery in Oregon.
– The bust up between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie over her selling her shares in Château Miravel. -
32.04 – 45.36
“There is increased global demand for Californian wine.”– Liv-Ex
– Liv-ex reports that prices for California’s top wines rose 32% in 2021 and took 7.5% of the market by value.
– Screaming Eagle has been the best performing estate, up 41.7% up year-on-year.
– Tablas Creek releases Patelin de Tablas Rosé in a 3-litre bag-in-box to reduce its carbon footprint – it sells out immediately.
– Château Cantenac Brown release an NFT, a video of a temporary artwork at the Château. -
45.37 – 56.01
“Every single President has served one cuvée or another of Schramsberg’s wines.”– Elin McCoy
– Elin McCoy talks about the Schramsberg Vineyard dinner to celebrate its wine being taken to China by Richard Nixon and poured for the “Toast to Peace.”
– Laura Catena and Alejandro Vigil’s new book, “Malbec Mon Amour”.
News and views aplenty in this month’s Omnibus, good, bad and damn frightening. Great wine and art in Provence, Bollinger’s new launches, exciting award-winning Chinese wines, Old Vine Hero Awards, Mouton Cadet for Gen Z, and the annual conversation about En Primeur prices plus climate change predictions (spoiler very frightening). Brought to you by our Founder Sponsor Santa Rita Estates