Behold…French Wine Discovered in America

How far behind the curve are French wine producers in terms of tapping into the larger American wine market?

There are some pretty basic principles of this national market that need to be understood if you want to sell any significant amount of wine:

1. Price it under $15
2. Put the name of the grape (variety) on the label
3. Make the label attractive and easy to read

Pretty basic stuff. Yet, here comes an announcement from a French producer that exclaims in near revelatory terms the introduction of a French wine into the American market finally responds to what Americans want in a wine:

„Major Bordeaux Wine Producer Responds to New World Challenge: Union De Producteurs De Saint-Emilion Launches EMILIO — A New World Style Wine from the Old World.

The announcement describes EMILIO as:

„a blend tailored to please the American palate and targeting the growing number of American wine consumers.

„EMILIO 2005 is a 90% Merlot that combines a touch of the New World with French taste and elegance. Thirty percent of the wine is aged in oak prior to the blend for a more refined wine that doesn’t break the bank! The wine originates from the world acclaimed soils of Saint-Emilion in Bordeaux. The bright cherry red label and smiling face of the label beckon even the hardest to please wine consumer. EMILIO is intended to attract a younger audience as well as a more discriminating wine connoisseur — a wine to enjoy with friends!“

Are the French so far behind the curve that the release of wine that we assume is somewhat fleshier and easy to drink and that has an attractive label is cause for an announcement that borders on, „Behold, we have invented Air“?

Sourc: fermentation.typepad.com