Punch: Bonne on the Future of Calif Wine

Interesting article by JonBonne in Punch today:
Bonne/Future of Calif Wine
crying alligator tears over the sale of Calera to Duckhorn and all gloom & doom over the future of the Calif wine biz as consolidation continues apace. It was well-known that Calera was one of his faves & I can see why Jon is crying in his beer over that.
But his gloom & doom since a bit premature to me. In the article, he then goes on to cite some of the newcomers (MarthaStoumen/Matthiassian/Massican/Forlorn-Hope/Cruse/Bedrock/etc) that are doing innovative things and make, for me, one of the most exciting periods in the history of Calif wine. He decries the failure of Calif to be the font of innovation that he sees now in France. Really?? France?? Probably the stodgiest wine scene in the World.

He cites the cost of land for new folks entering the business as one of the big hurdles for newcomers wanting to do exciting/innovative things. Hmmm...hasn't seemed to hold back MarthaStoumen/Faith Armstrong-Foster/BryanHarrington and quite a few others.

So...I ain't buying Jon's scenario of gloom&doom. There's a lot of exciting things going on in Calif. When I look at the things BryanHarrington is doing...I can hardly wait for his next release. NerelloMascalese? I'm already promised the first btl of that (now don't let me down, Bryan!!). We had last night my first Sansigot. I can hardly wait until some hare-brained vintner brings that one in.
Tom

[David M. Bueker]

I think you are over emphasizing the doom and gloom. It reads like reality to me. He's mentions exceptions as you note.

He did not say that it won't happen, just that it is hard, and that is true whether you like it or not.

Admittedly your commentaries would be better with a little less pot stirring.

(I won't comment on your lack of knowledge of what is happening in France...)

who you callin' hare-brained, rocket man?

I can't comment on California because of lack of availability here but I hope that there remains a place for individualistic family producers amid all the big bucks. Big bucks are increasingly a problem in top Bordeaux châteaux and GC/1erC Côte d'Or Burgundy too and are, I believe, arriving at Barolo.

I guess that Tom's comment on France's "stodgy" wine scene was designed to raise my hackles. In fact, outside Bordeaux and Burgundy, the French wine business has never been more vibrant than now with lots of ambitious young producers either branching out into new enterprises, particularly in the Midi, or taking over from and improving on the activities of their parents. It is not easy for many of these people to make a good living but one has to admire their courage and enthusiasm. A visit to le Salon des Vignerons Indépendants is recommended for you, Tom.

I am with Tim. Even here in AB I have access to some very nice French wines for under $30 Cdn. Seen the prices for wines from Calif lately??