You may think that I am being a bit harsh by casting aspersions on the character of this bottle of wine. I don't. It's not just this particular bottle of wine with it's trashy packaging that I am railing against, but the entire French wine industry and it's bully boys in the EU.Now I enjoy a chilled Sancerre, a crisp Graves or even an obscure Bergerac as much as the next wine drinker, but when that's what I want then that's what I buy. It's not that this confusing rendition of a Sauvignon blanc was a bad wine, in fact it worked quite well with dinner, even if it was a trifle flabby. It's just that the entire premise is a tad patronizing: The pretensiousness of old world French masters marketing wine to the varietal-obssessed neophytes of the New World. As it turns out this bulk wine from the reknowned Languedoc region is purportedly made by a local winemaker for Kendall-Jackson. And the less said about the naff label the better with it's feeble attempt at nudge, nudge, wink, wink titillation.
Why would a US wine company perpetrate such an unprincipled business practice when EU regulations are so prohibitive of trade in the opposite direction? (The EU only finally condescended to recognise the Napa Valley as a 'Geographical Brand' in 2007).
One example of an EU edict asserts that; "US wines which display the terms 'chateau', 'classic', 'clos', 'cream', 'crusted/crusting', 'fine', 'late bottled vintage', 'noble', 'ruby', 'superior', 'sur lie', 'tawny', 'vintage' and 'vintage character' will be blocked from entering Europe." Well, that just about excludes nearly everything you could possibly put on a bottle of wine doesn't it? Now, I'm all for free trade. I simply cannot abide double standards and all this regulatory nonsense. Is it all just nonsense? Non en fait, c’est des conneries!
Disclaimer: Obtained this wine in a mixed lot at a charity event. I didn't buy it, I'm not a total idiot.
