How important are they for an emerging wine region?
It is no
coincidence that the most famous wines of a country or region are
particularly suited to the climate and winemaking conditions of said
region. Whether a signature wine is defined as an identifiable brand
or a more general style is open to discussion. For the purposes of
this essay it is assumed that a signature style of a region and
individual signature brands are so intrinsically linked that one
merely serves to illustrate the point of the other and vice versa.
Within the
classic wine regions of Europe, wine styles are defined by the region
within which they are grown and produced; indeed, the style,
traditions and methods of production are often defined by law. In the
newer and emerging regions of the wine world the limits on the
vinegrower and winemaker are defined only by the geographical and
climatic limitations of the vine varieties themselves. It has often
been a happy accident or brave experimentation that has led to the
development of a signature wine for a region.
A great
example of an emerging region and a pioneering winegrower combining
to produce what is now a signature wine is that of England and
Nyetimber. The first English vineyard to plant the classic Champagne
varieties with a view to making world class sparkling wine, the
original owners of Nyetimber had a vision that was not shared by the
small industry of the UK at the time. Sparkling wine is now the
signature wine of England and Nyetimber is undoubtedly the flagship
of the now numerous producers of that style. Until the release of the
first Nyetimber sparkling wine (the 1992 vintage) England did not
feature on the international wine scene - it is still small in terms
of production but is arguably famous beyond its size for the quality
of its sparkling wines.
The
pioneers at Nyetimber shared a singlemindedness with other producers
around the world producing very particular styles confident that what
they were doing was the best reflection of their region/country. Also
in the late 1980s and early 1990s there were pioneering winemakers in
New Zealand going against the received wisdom of the time and rather
than planting Muller-Thurgau (once the most widely planted variety in
NZ), trying out Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay on the South Island in
Marlborough. Former orchards and sheep stations were planted to these
varieties and the results were so successful that the most famous,
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, took on a cult-like status in some export
markets. The marriage of the long, cool growing season of the
Marlborough region and Sauvignon Blanc produced a super-fruity,
grassy wine style that is now synonymous with NZ.
England is
still experiencing an upswing in attention and sales for its
sparkling wine, Marlborough on the other hand has seen a massive
increase in production of Sauvignon Blanc and has risked damaging its
own signature wine by creating a surplus. 2008 vintage saw wineries
in Marlborough having to sell off the previous vintage stock in bulk
to free up space for the new crop- the first time the price of NZ
wine dropped significantly in the export markets. The UK, namely
Waitrose supermarket, was able to market its own-label Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc at a lesser price, with 'made by Villa Maria' on the
label.
Morrisons
supermarket, also in the UK, has a range of own-label wines under the
'Signature' range. The wines are marketed as selected for their
typicity and quality, examples within the range are Signature Barolo,
Signature Chablis, etc. Well-known wine styles from certain classic
regions as well as newer ones such as Signature Barossa Shiraz. From
a consumer point of view, the signature wine is key to confidence in
buying. Recognising a wine name or variety in conjunction with a
region or country and feeling able to try a different brand in the
knowledge that the style will be similar to others from the same
place is important to the consumer.
It is, of
course, vital that the wine bearing the signature of region, variety
and style is of good quality for that signature to be a positive
attribute. It could be argued that White Zinfandel made by Blossom
Hill or E&J Gallo is a signature wine of the Central Valley in
California. Whilst these are always correct and clean, well-made
wines they are distinctive in their sweetness, soft fruit and
easy-drinking style for a low price point. This signature style is
important to the producers of these wines, but it may have a
detrimental effect on other producers of the region who might be
making a different style. The risk being that the consumer may not
take any other style of wine produced from that region seriously,
even if the quality is superior.
Pinot Noir
from Burgundy, Central Otago, Carneros and Oregon; Chardonnay from
California, Chablis, Meursault and Western Australia; Cabernet
Sauvignon from Coonawarra, Bordeaux and Napa Valley; Riesling from
the Mosel and Clare Valleys; bubbles from Prosecco, Franciacorta and
Champagne. All these varieties and regions are immediately and
intrinsically linked to one another. Champagne is arguably the
ultimate signature wine; the name of the region is the name of the
wine and vice versa and although brands are very important within the
region with many being very famous in their own right across the
world, not one of them is bigger than the brand of Champagne itself.
The simplicity yet rigidity of its identity - one appellation and
very strictly controlled production methods ensures a minimum quality
in every bottle bearing the name. The consumer has little chance of
confusion and also has great trust in the brand. This does not stop
the consumer having favourite brands within Champagne, to wit the
many millions of euros spent on sponsorship and glossy advertising by
the grand marques such as Moet & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot and
Mumm.
Every wine
producing region or country must have a signature style and that
style is best served when reinforced by high profile key producers
who are making classic, reliable and high quality examples of that
style. It needn't prevent other wine types being produced but the
consumer needs a peg on which to hang his or her hat and an easily
identifiable wine makes it easy for them to then go on and explore
the region and other producers further.
