True, even if it’s declining, but the UK market is dominated by supermarket stuff, for cooking with or having a glass every year on Christmas Eve. The sort of Sherry we would be interested in is a tiny fraction of the market.
Yes, nice thread! I also agree that many people drink local in my experience; it’s the expectation. That said, Droin’s Chablis seemed more popular and pricier the last that I was in Paris and of course a number of Burgundy producers offered there that are not available in the states. Clos St, Magdelaine Blanc, a very nice and very popular wine from Cassis never makes it over here to my knowledge.
I think that wines from Cental Europe and even from Greece are generally hardly know in US. Central Europe I mean: Hungary, Moravian, Austra, Croatia and even Polish wines (especially white).
In the way around the same situation. In Polish market average consumer associate US wine with California, California with Carlo Rossi (most popular wine in Poland)
Just like most people in California.
When we discuss what is popular in the US, are we discussing people in California? People in NY or DC? People in smaller cities across the US. I would bet that drinking habits tend to be very different say east coast vs. west coast, for example.
It’s a Kermit Lynch import in fact, since the 1980s!
They make a lovely Rosé that I snap up whenever I see…
I don’t see much Vin Santo stateside but just about every winery in Tuscany makes one. Barolo Chinato and other aromatised wine iare rare here. Vermouth is for more than making cocktails over there. While not a wine, Spain and South America seems to love Tinto de verano and kalimotxo (wine mixed with soda pop and cola, respectively). Have a friend who married a MD from Cyprus and he has thousands of tasting notes that claim many are worth seeking out; couldn’t if I wanted to. Anyone ever have some Commandaria?
The thing I miss most is cheap carafes of local table wine with lunch.
Never had it but heard of it!
Well, who are the winedrinkers in this country? Sure, you have the Coastal Elites and the Chicago dweebs, but the mass of Americans will drink mass brands. There are local wineries and local people buy from them, but not usually in mass quantities. California along with Oregon may be special cases as the sheer quantity of wineries makes it more likely you have one in your backyard and are sold in grocery stores there, but that is not the case in most of the US. Heck, many states can’t even sell wine. There is some critical mass of viticulture before something can become localized, and in most of the United States we do not have “local wine” yet.
I agree with this and also love all of the wines you listed. especially vin Santo and vermouth.
I’m working with an importer that is bringing in Falanghina wine and it is delicious. It tastes like a mixture of Muscadet and Chenin blanc.
Chinato…I wish I had bought a case…it was only 13 Euros for a bottle people want $55 for here.
Sure. Great stuff. Even the local co-op stuff that is produced in large quantities is terrific stuff, as long as the price is reasonable. Sweet, raisiny, oxidative and still surprisingly fresh. Even after popping a bottle open the wine keeps good for weeks.
Some smaller producers might get a bit over-the-top with oak use, but the wines can age like crazy. The best are like super-concentrated versions of Tawny Ports or Rivesaltes wines.
When I lived in Germany both Silvaner and Traminer , along with blends thereof, were both popular. Last year, I found the same.
After the big boys decimated Chenin Blanc wines here in the 60-80s and then tore most of it out, the wines don’t do particularly well here. A few US producers make a decent one today. In Europe, they are well made and well loved.
Interesting article. Thanks for posting it, William. I thought some of the Waitrose offerings were drinkable (Amontillado; Palo Cortado; and maybe the Fino — can’t recall about the Fino for sure).
this is a great thread
thanks to the op!
I discovered Burgundy producer Domaine Jean Guiton on the UK-centric forum Wine Pages. Subsequently, I found copious positive reviews and comments from UK’ers. The wines are just beginning to be discovered in the US.
Christophe Pichon from the Northern Rhône sells out every year across their considerable range of reds and whites. Almost all is to European wholesalers and European private customers who visit them.
Traditional Barolo maker Anselma Giocomo might be legendary in Norway but hadn’t been seen in the States for many years.
N.B. I sell wine from each of them. I could probably list numerous others as our stock-in-trade is small producers from Italy, France, and soon Spain, who are poorly represented here.
Fun question.
Vaulorent is a premier cru in Chablis that is particularly prized in France but rarely even seen in the US, at least vinified separately from Fourchaume. Vaulorent lies on the Grand Cru hill and in France is generally believed to be roughly a Grand Cru at Premier Cru prices.
Olivier Merlin’s wines seem to be popular in Paris. He is a good buddy who makes wine in the Maconnais. His wines are imported here but I’ ve never seen them in a store or restaurant.
In the 70s most of Ausone was sold through a mailing list…you rarely saw it here.
I was thinking of this question in the way musicians used to be talked about…you know the folk singer big in Germany, the blues and jazz musicians who make all their money in Europe.There was an American musician named Sixto Rodriguez who was big in South Africa.
In that vein I thought of Au Bon Climat, who sell an incredible amount of wine in Germany and the UK. Saintsbury does well in the UK and Sweden.