Gimme a 'B', Gimme an 'S', what's that spell?

The end is neigh. No I'm not talking about the world (at least I hope not), but things are getting out of hand. Some time back I came across a survey that a group of Australian wineries were floating around their fair country asking critics, purveyors, and average citizens what they like in a bottle of wine, i.e. flavor profiles, tannin levels, amount of residual sugar, etc... It seemed innocent enough except that it was more or less a wolf in sheep's clothing: "Tell us want you want and we'll make that". And while this has proven to be very successful (financially) for my friends down under, a 'good' wine it does not necessarily make.

It is no secret that wineries in California have been following suit for some time. What is surprising is that now it is a selling point. This reads almost like an IPO. 'Look at all the market research we've done. You'd better get in while the gettin's good"

I understand that there is no implied 'pedigree' to the wine. It is laudable that they're buying French fruit, especially from the Languedoc. This region has really come into its own mostly under the radar of the big guns. But wine by committee? At the risk of sounding like a luddite, what happened to soul? Does everything come down to the dollar? The 'tasters' referred to in the article are like the dudes that beta test the video games in L.A. I have alot of friends that do this for a living and when they're not playing video games, they're smoking up. I have no problem whatsoever with people smoking, but the end result is a video game that is impossible to play, unless you're high - or twelve years old with a game controller grafted to your hands.

It is my opinion that, while there are obviously some exceptions, the Old World makes a market for their wines, the New World makes wines for the market. This is absolute proof.

Just remember the micro-brew craze. Miller Lite was supposed to be a thing of the past. Hell, look what a couple of frogs and a 'born-on-date' did for Budweiser. I don't lend much credence to fashion. Talk to the dude with a warehouse full of 'Tickle-Me Elmo's". My advice to California winemakers: 'Don't do this. Decide what it is that you do, and do only that. People will learn, and where will you be then?"

Oh that's right, the NVVA stop asking for advice some time ago.