My Article: The Problem with California Wine

(HONG KONG, JAN. 20, 2011) I was standing in front of about 50 people last night at the Hong Kong Banker’s Club conducting a fun tasting of eight Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons for Watson’s Wine, and I asked the participants to raise their hands if they regularly bought California wines. Only one lifted his hand, and he was from England.

The people in front of me were keen wine drinkers – part of the 30,000 regular buyers of quality wines from Hong Kong’s top wine retailer. They were not the tycoons paying thousands of US dollars for Lafite or other rarities in auctions. They were real wine enthusiasts like you and me.

Sadly, I have to say that I seldom, if ever, see people drinking California wines in Hong Kong. Of course French wines, particularly Bordeaux, rule. But I also see lots of Australian wines drunk, as well as Italian and Spanish wines. What’s wrong with California wines here?

I am not completely sure why most of the wine-drinking population of Hong Kong is uninterested in California wines. I often hear that they think it is too expensive compared to the same quality from Oz or France. I also hear that they don’t like the style of the wines, which are described as jammy and alcoholic.

Let’s face it: Some of the reds and whites from California just don’t work with the subtle flavors of Chinese food. They are too fruity. Some – even top names – have too much residual sugar and too much alcohol. They literally smother the delicacy of what the Chinese enjoy to eat.

And eating and drinking is what is done in Hong Kong. The idea of wine as cocktails is not that popular yet. People like to enjoy a meal together and drink delicious wines. It’s very European in a sense, or even Latin.

My tasting included Napa Cabs from Clark-Claudon, Trefethen, Meander, Napa Angel, Beringer, Stag’s Leap, Kapcsandy, and Opus One. They ranged in price from the Trefethen at $258HK ($33) to Opus One at $2,768HK ($355). I didn’t choose the wines for the tasting.

Here are my tasting notes for the wines that I found to be of outstanding quality.

2005 Clark-Claudon Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: I like the sweet tobacco and currant character on the nose and palate. It’s medium body, with good fruit and a slightly astringent finish. Drink now. 14+22+22+32 = 90 points

2006 Trefethen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: I have tasted this a number of times and it’s an outstanding bottle for the money. I like the fine tannins and the fresh austerity to this Cab. It shows plenty of berry and tobacco character. 14+22+22+32 = 90 points

2007 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: This is dense with a velvety texture and a lovely palate of toasted oak, coffee, and blackberries. It’s full and round with plenty of structure. Give it three to four years of bottle age. 14+22+22+32 = 90 points

2007 Stag’s Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon: There’s some minerally and floral character on this red. I like it. Full and silky with lots of currants and spices. 14+22+22+32 = 90 points

2006 Kapcsandy Cabernet Sauvignon: This is a blockbuster style of red (I could see many in the room didn’t like it) with loads of rich and ripe fruit with coffee and dried berry character. It’s full and soft and velvety. A little short on the finish but clearly outstanding. I remember it being better when I had it in California. Sample may have been a little cooked. Drink. 14+23+22+32 = 91 points

2006 Opus One: I for one prefer the 2006 Opus to the 2007. I really appreciate the silky, refined, and aromatic quality of this wine. It’s full yet balanced with blueberry, currants, and spices on the finish. Racy is a word that comes to mind. Alas, most people in the room thought it was way too expensive. Drink now or age. 14+23+23+33 = 93 points

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14 thoughts on “My Article: The Problem with California Wine

  1. gunman says:
    I would hope things have changed since I lived in Asia, but when I was in Singapore ('96-'97) it was hard to find American wines in the stores. French, yes. Spanish, yes. And the masses available were Australian. It seemed to be largely a function of geography (AUS) and what the local importer favored. I finally found one wine shop along Orchard Road that had a reasonable selection of California wines at fairly reasonable prices. I remember being thrilled that they had the Caymus Conundrum.

    But I would agree that many California wines don't play well with the nuances of good Chinese food -- at least in Singapore you had the Malay/Indonesian/Peranakan foods with their earthy, spicy flavors that could handle a bolder wine.
  2. aranhealy says:
    Do you think that California wines could be better represented in Hong Kong? I mean the wines that you mentioned are all great wines, but do consumers have access to a proper cross section of whats relevant and popular here in California? Not all California wine is high in alc., with rs, and gobs of fruit. I could just as easily discount French wines as all having brett and being earthy, but that would be a crude generalization. Possibly importers could bring in California wines that work better with the food, culture, and palates of local consumers.
    I notice a similar stance on California wines portrayed in British media such as decanter. You read through the reviews for European wines, and they have a plethora of great selections from producers of all sizes, but then you read the California wine reviews and notice that they are reviewing wines of a lesser distinction from large producers that are "typical" new world wines. Granted, its probably just whats available to them, but Its as if they just don't have any idea that we are making some of the most exciting wines in the world, or they just don't want to admit it.
  3. aranhealy says:
    If Californian wines don't play well with the local cuisine, I don't see how Australian wines would fare any better =)
  4. James Suckling says:
    Australian vintners are in Hong Kong all the time. Not many Californians come over. That could be a reason.
  5. rapopoda says:
    It is laughable, truly laughable, that any group drinking Australian wine can complain about even the most over the top Californian wines. Australia is ground zero for boring, alcoholic, thick, jammy, low acid wines.
    It's absurd how the British wine press has Australia as one of its darlings, yet constantly complains about CA wines. I'm convinced that it has little to do with what they enjoy drinking and more to do with other prejudices
  6. kldave says:
    Do the Chinese look at wine with an old world view regarding its importance at the dinner table?
    Do they often drink wine by itself or do they feel that good wine should be paired with good food?

    If so, I can see why they might not like the ripe California style, but I can't see where Bordeaux would be much better with Chinese food. What Bordeaux's are good choices with most Chinese food. I have personally preferred the dry whites from Alsace as the best match.

    Thank you.
  7. James Suckling says:
    Couple points to the comments. First, I didn't say that I saw these people drinking Aussie wine. I just know that people talk about it. I think it's mostly whites. I see people in restaurants and homes drinking French and Italian wines. That's the majority of it. Chinese primarily drink wine with good, although drinking a little wine at the bar before or after dinner is taking hold particularly in Hong Kong. Just arrived in LA from HK!

  8. danimal says:
    If we are going to comment on prejudices, then we would be remiss to ignore the American Wine media's general prejudice to "all things American" when it comes to wine. Last year, WS had 1/3 of their 95+ wines coming from the US, which produces less than 10% of the world's wines. Intersestingly, WS didn't taste proportionately more US wines...I love how we use our own prejudices to point out those of others.

    Bottom line is that there are many factors that come into play with wines, like many other subjective views of "taste", be it movies, music, or art. There are great wines produced from every corner of the world, and yes, crap too. Let's talk about laughable after we stop thinking that "made in USA" equates to "better by definition".

    I have had the misfortune of drinking an equal number of pretentiously overpriced wines from California, as I have had from Australia.

    I personally believe James is right. If producers from California aren't willing to represent their products in Hong Kong, then they will continue to experience sales growth which is, on average, lower than those from regions who will.
  9. rapopoda says:
    You've foolishly infered ' "made in USA" equates to "better by definition" ' from what I wrote. My attitude couldn't be more different
  10. philippe says:
    I noticed that in mainland China where I live, Californian wines are quite well received and more popular than in HK. Many Californian wines are too straightforward and jammy for HK drinkers' delicate pallet, but perfect for a Shanghainese wine novice.

    So could we say that the HK market is too matured for Californian wines?
  11. tp096255 says:
    So James, where is all this pressure coming from on the premium Napa Cabs? I mean any time they're auctioning off some of the cult Napa Cabs it seems like it's in Asia. Schrader sure seems to hit their sweet spot, no? Otherwise I'd be buying some of the bottlings that are never offered to me even though I've been on the mailing list for 5 years. I guess I can only hope that they don't care about Cali so that I can get the wines I want at reasonable prices. What an interesting market! Hey, when are you coming over for dinner?
  12. Bert4 says:
    Danimal I kind of agree with you. Many of those California wines are over priced for the quality and if the California people will not come to promote those over priced wines than why should they drink them. Two hands and D'Arenberg has great quality for the money.
  13. kbaylot says:
    I have lived in the Bay Area in the heart of cal wine country for most of my adult life. I came late to disconvering good wine however as a sales manager entertaining customers in NYC. There, for me it was all about Italian wine and through many trips to the Batali restaurants I got to know so many of them. In comparing Italy to Cal I find that overall, the old world wine is just more food friendly than the local stuff. I do enjoy the big Cabs, the buttery Chards, and the really fruit forward Zinfadels. But they tend to be big and need big food to really enjoy. They are also good as cocktails which I guess is more of an American approach to drinking wine.
  14. danimal says:
    Actually, Rapopoda, nowhere in my comment do I imply that you believe "made in USA" equates to "better by definition". My views were directed at your opinion of British media bias vis-a-vis American media who, in my opinion, rate wines as if "made in USA" equates to "better by definition". Media, almost by definition, skew facts to make a story, or sell an idea. Don't fret the British media until you can spot the bias in American media, or any other for that matter.

    Not sure how that was misinterpreted, my apologies.