Waiting in the Wings, the Continual Struggle to be the Next Hot Wine Region

 

Po de Poeira 2009

 92, The Wine Advocate

"..a lot of the so-called lesser wines showed quite well. One of the poster boys for this is Poeira’s Po de Poeira."

With more good press for Portugal this week, this time from Mark Squires in his in depth Portuguese report in The Wine Advocate, http://www.erobertparker.com/members/winedata/articles/article616.asp, those of us who promote Portuguese wines will begin to herald the ascension of the region into that most hallowed ground, of "the Next Hot Wine Region"

Portugal's 2009 vintage, says Squires,"...is the completion of a Douro hat trick – a series of three vintages, 2007, 2008 and 2009, that should elevate Portugal’s status and attract new fans."  Let's hope so.  As lamented by Dave Mcintyre in his Douro piece this week, the theme of limited or no availability echoes again here as many of the top rated wines are not widely imported or distributed(some not at all.)

Sitting on the front lines of distribution for two emerging wine regions, Portugal and Greece, I go to battle everyday to edge these wines into the hands of consumers.  It can seem like they are still hard to find, but I can tell you that at least in some arenas-what was once a slim 3 bottle Portuguese "set" on a retail shelf, has blossomed into three shelves.  And where many of these bottles would historically fall into a wasteland labeled "Other Regions" or "Old World" they now often have a dedicated category of "Portugal" or "Greece" to reside within.  Familiarity with the grapes and regions is growing and there are more pockets of excitement within the trade, where a talented Sommelier or retailer is self-propelling the wines into their customer's hands.

There are also a lot more importers and distributors adding Greek and Portuguese wines to there portfolios.  Markus Stolz announced yesterday on his excellent Greek wine blog Elloinos, that he has teamed up with Frederick Wildman and Sons to add a block of Greek wines to their portfolio.  A collection of eight "truly artisanal" wineries, will be debuted at a tasting in Manhattan on February 1, 2012.  Teaming up with Frederick Wildman & Sons 

When large companies come a calling, it generates a lot of attention and speculation.  When Italian Importer Winebow set its sights on building a Portuguese portfolio, many were convinced it was just the thing that would launch Portugal into the stratosphere. "We both (Paredes and Locascio) believe it's Portugal's turn to take the national spotlight," said Winebow's Frank Paredes in a 2009 interview.  Paredes, a New Jersey based Portuguese native heads the companies Portuguese and non-Italian Portfolios.  Here we are in 2012, so has Portugal taken the spotlight?  Well, with Douro wines two years in a row in the Wine Spectator Top 10 and coverage in the Wine Advocate that has grown considerably in scope and quality -it may not be fully in the spotlight, but it is most certainly waiting in the wings.  But, how long will it be waiting?

Ultimately, the fate of these wines rests with the consumer.  We won't see the kind of immersion and widespread distribution or breakthrough that Spanish wines have enjoyed, until consumer demand for the wines drives restaurants and retailers to dedicate the space to them.  Certainly we have all forgotten that Tempranillo and Rioja were foreign to many ten years ago.  I do wonder however, how saturation of regions will ultimately play out.  How far we can stretch our attention and interest, and how many regions can thrive at once?  For every rising star and "hot" region or producer, there is another on the wane.  For instance, Australian exports to the US were down 10% in 2011.

Quinta Vale D. Maria 2009 96, The Wine Advocate

For now, there are loads of great wines and vintages to be enjoyed and many more left to the thrill of discovery that is at the heart of our "next big thing" mentality.   There is good reason to be hopeful.  Somebody always wins, and next time, Portugal, it just might be you.