Page 153 - DiVin022017

Column
that this winery may have been producing wines of this quality for many years is neither here nor there. As in all areas, marketing has become an integral part of the wine industry. It concentrates on the big producers whose names can be used for advertising, on big companies that have the means to do so and on international wine campaigns that prioritise the needs of the winegrowers. Marketing boosts de- mand, and a rise in demand means a rise in price or
neland-Palatinate have an average vineyard size of approximately 5 - 6 hectares.
This means that the consumer can expect to buy a good or very good wine without fuss or quibble for as little as €5.00. And that‘s not just when it‘s mass-produced, but also when it comes from the many good, small winegrowers whose vineyards are not yet fully automated. This is true not only of Rhineland-Palatinate or Germany, but also of many
other countries. Beer production has been completely overhauled, and beer is now sold for more money as craft beer.
And while we‘re on the subject... No one who drinks beer in our country gets worked up about the big brands that have been manufactured on an industrial scale for decades. It‘s just Premium Pilsener. But in the case of wine, it‘s frowned upon. Though I must say that I‘d rather drink a €3.00 wine from a large bodega or cooperative than a craft beer for €5.00.
In no other country is cheap wine debated as much as it is here. After all, this is the country in which the slogan „the cheaper the better“ is in everyone‘s mouth. But having said that, cheap is always a matter of de nition.
Someone on the minimum wage of €9.00 an hour couldn‘t spend €30.00 on a bottle of wine. This might well be possible for a former nance minister with lots of additional income sources, who has said that he wouldn‘t dre- am of drinking a €5.00 Pinot Grigio. But if one thing is certain, it‘s that wine and politicians have one thing in common: the price of the wine or the salary of a politician are not a clear indication of the quality you are getting. I have thought this more often about politicians than I have about wine
On the subject of price, I can only conclude that the best wine to drink is the one that suits me best in any given situation. Local wine in Italy on the be- ach, burgundy for a special meal, or a light riesling on the terrace in summer. And I shall be the judge of what tastes best, regardless of price, awards and medals, and, above all, regardless of what the wine gurus might think who often can‘t even afford to buy themselves the wines they are recommending.
Vine fretter
quantity. Because it is not possible to simply produce more wine, the price goes up automatically. Most winemakers, both at home and abroad, are left with no room for manoeuvre because they lack the funds for the marketing that is needed.
In Rhineland-Palatinate alone, the 9,000 vineyards that still exist (compared with 28,000 in 1970) pro- duce an estimated 30,000 different wines per year!!! And these are sold for as little as €3.50. In most cases, the price doesn‘t go above €8.00 - 9.00 a bottle. It‘s worth noting that winegrowers from Rhi-
153