2014 Upper Shirley Zachariah“It’s smoother and not as heavy as some of the other wines,” another taster said about the2015 Michael Shaps Tannat
from Virginia Wineworks was savory, more complex and, also, “very smooth as it opens up in your mouth.”from Horton Vineyards, for example, was considered a very versatile food pairing wine with a “very smooth” finish.Here’s the thing, though. Nowhere in the tasting notes of these wines – or in the entire Guide that accompanied the Governor’s Cup case of wines – can I find the word “smooth.
This missed opportunity for communicating about wine has been pointedly on my mind lately, with consumers saying one thing and the wine industry saying another., and I’m particularly interested in the roundtable discussion that’s scheduled around language, marketing and diversity.
There’s a lot of wringing of hands right now in the wine industry around declining consumption, especially lost market share to aging consumers and younger consumers alike who are “distracted” by other recreational beverage options.