Decanter reported that UK wine drinkers are cutting the amount they spend on a bottle, with price now the most important factor in buying wine, according to a new survey.

A WineIntelligence poll of 1,000 wine drinkers found that the number of people willing to spend £5–£6 on a bottle of wine had dropped by 5% in the past three months.

There has been a corresponding increase in those paying less than £5 for a bottle.

Pubs and restaurants have also registered a downturn in sales of more expensive wines. According to the survey, customers are buying more and more wines under £12 – again, there was a corresponding drop in the higher price levels.

The study, commissioned by the Wine & Spirits Trade Association (WSTA), also found that grape variety had been overtaken by price promotions as the most important factor for consumers in choosing wines.

Jeremy Beadles, chief executive of the WSTA, said the impending economic crisis was to blame.

Retailers have reacted by focusing on value for money wines. ASDA, the fastest-growing wine retailer in the UK, recently announced an exclusive value-for-money wine deal. ASDA indicated that the new value-for-money range will be launched under the Arniston Bay brand. This easy drinking South African wine will launch 3 wines exclusively to ASDA.

The exclusive The Reef range includes: The Reef Red 2007, The Reef White 2008 and The Reef Rosé 2008.

“The Reef is a wine range which represents really great value for money,” said brand and business development manager Barney Davis.

Source: Decanter

Wine writer, Neil Pendock, and publishers of The Platter Guide are embroiled in a heated debate about the pros and cons of blind versus sighted tastings.

 Pendock indicates that the Platter tasting methods (sighted) are not fair and the tasters are influenced by preconceived ideas about regions, brands and prices etc.

Phillip van Zyl, the editor of the John Platter guide, argues that “sighted tasting is a perfectly legitimate approach, which serves as a useful tool for gaining a deeper and more nuanced understanding of a wine”.

Arniston winemaker, Abraham de Villiers, comments on the topic:

 “I would definitely agree that the only fair way to conduct any tasting is to do it blind. In many cases packaging and to a certain extent “estate name and reputation” plays an important part in judging a wine sighted before it even has been tasted.

 “Especially for a novice South African wine drinker who uses the Platter Guide as a indicator of wine quality, it is even more important that the guide be accurate in their wine ratings and not judge a wine on packaging, ‘looks’ and reputation.

  “Any good rating is always a good marketing tool in any format.”

Source: The Times

Some food and wine connoisseurs have made food and wine pairing so rigid that they are missing the point completely. Traditionally, certain wines are recommended to be served with certain dishes. The “rules” state that red wine will complement red meat, while white wine is recommended with fish or fowl.

Some people who are not huge fans of white wine, instead, prefer a Pinot Noir – which is a light-bodied red wine – with salmon or fish. If someone does not particularly enjoy red wine, you simply can’t force them to pair a Cabernet with steak.

New food and wine pairings are all about bending the rules to suit your palate. For example, uniquely South African Pinotage with medium body is also delicious served with seafood such as salmon. The Arniston Bay Pinotage 2006 with its sweet vanilla tone, savoury flavours and good balance complements seafood far better than most Cabernet Sauvignons as it is a light-bodied wine.

The only “rule” to remember is to match the wine intensity or body with the flavour of the food so that the wine does not overpower the food, or vice versa. Even a so-called untrained palate seeks what it likes – trust your tastebuds and mix and match until you find something that you enjoy. Rules? You know what to do them! Wine is simply something that must be enjoyed – regardless of perfect pairings.

Source: pioneerlocal.com

Sparkling wine has become a more popular any occasion drink and it has shed the image of being exclusively consumed as a celebration drink.

Bennet Bodensteain wrote that one of the great pities of the wine world is that some how, some way, sparkling wines have gotten the reputation of being associated only with celebrations. Stuff and nonsense! The most probable reason is that in the past, sparkling wines were expensive and presenting them at an important event indicated the extreme in luxury.

That was then, this is now and there are many sparkling wines on the market that are of excellent quality and are extremely affordable. Sparkling wines are the perfect accompaniment to almost any meal, from filet mignon to meat loaf. Where wine can add elegance to a meal, sparkling wines will add opulence.

South African and Australian wine producers have perfected the manufacture of sparkling wines and are now producing them at very reasonable prices, making them readily available to one and all. These are wines that should be considered in place of “the usual suspects” to grace your table during the upcoming holiday season.

The Arniston Bay Charmat Brut is a perfectly manufactured sparkling wine. It has elegant, zesty tropical fruit flavours with fresh bubbles and a clean, crisp finish. Serve well chilled as an aperitif or own its own regardless of the occasion.

Source: sun-sentinel.com

While in Cape Town, South Africa for Cape Wine 2008, Reva Singh interviewed the CEO of Wines of South Africa (WOSA) Su Birch. She discussed the South African wine market and how the show has evolved over the years.

Wines of South Africa (WOSA) is a fully inclusive body, representing all South African producers of wine who export their products.

Source: Sommelier India

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqBXhc36-1c]

Recipe: Lamb Chops With Lemon And Olives

This delicious recipe, sourced from Real Simple magazine, is easy to make and is guaranteed to be a mouth-watering treat for dinner guests.

The Arniston Bay Shiraz 2007 is ideal when paired with this meal. This wine – with its intense purple colour – contains scents of wild strawberry, mocha, and caramel with touches of sage and rosemary. The flavors burst through with intense blueberry and strawberry jam notes wrapped around rich French oak and finishing with touches of chocolate and sweetened cranberries.

Recipe: Lamb Chops With Lemon And Olives

Serves 4

Hands-on time 20 minutes Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

1 kilogram lamb chops or knuckles (if using chops, ask your butcher to cut them in half if you like) ½ cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 onions, sliced 6 cloves garlic, peeled 2 cups dry white wine (the delicious, good-value-for-money Arniston Bay Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2008 is a good option) 2 cups chicken stock juice and zest of half a lemon 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves 10 black olives 2 baby fennel bulbs, halved

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Coat the lamb with the flour and shake off the excess. In a frying pan over high heat, heat the oil and brown the lamb well.

Remove the lamb with a slotted spoon and place in a large casserole dish. Fry the onions and garlic until golden and add to the casserole dish. Pour over the wine, stock, lemon juice and zest, bay leaves, thyme and olives. Cover tightly (use foil if your dish doesn’t have a lid) and bake for 1 hour. Add the fennel and bake for a further 40 minutes. Serve with soft polenta or mash.

From: Real Simple Magazine

The economic crisis has changed the buying habits of American wine consumers. Consumers are looking for value wine and more wine will by purchased in retailing outlets and not restaurants, states Michelle Locke from the Associated Press.

In her article she refers to statements by Wilfred Wong and Prof Robert Smiley about the changing consumer habits.

Wong, cellar master for the Concord-based chain Beverages & more!, usually tastes 8 000 wines a year in search of products. But this year he’s up to 10 000 because of the pressure to find good wines at lower prices.

“The consumer has definitely changed buying habits,” says Wong. “They are buying wines, which is good for us, but they are being more careful. People don’t need another $50 cabernet. What they need is a really good wine at $10.”

So far, the effect of the economy on the wine industry is “a mixed picture right now,” says Robert Smiley, a management professor and director of wine studies at the University of California, Davis.

For instance, recent research by The Nielsen Company indicates that although restaurants and bars see a decline in business during faltering economies, the affect is milder on store sales, although there’s evidence shoppers look for better prices.

So, a winery could lose restaurant business but make that up in retail sales. Meanwhile, a consumer price trade-down could mean trouble for wines over $15 a bottle and a bonus for lower-priced brands.

With the economy swinging wildly from day-to-day, it’s hard to draw too many conclusions. But Nielsen figures from U.S. food, drug, and major market liquor stores as of late last month showed 8.3 million cases of wine (a total of about $591 million) were sold for the four weeks ending Sept. 20, up nearly 3 percent from the same period a year ago.

Source: The Mercury News

Talking Drinks (Harpers) reports that to further extend its range of environmentally friendly wine packaging, leading South African wine producer, Arniston Bay, is launching a one litre fully recyclable tetra pak.

Available in Chenin Blanc Chardonnay, Pinotage Rose and Cabernet Merlot varieties, the Arniston Bay tetra pak will be available for retailers from October with an RRP of £6.49 for one litre.

A lightweight alternative to glass bottles, the Arniston Bay tetra pak has a lower carbon footprint than wine in glass bottles with a higher number of cartons transported in one shipping. In addition, the pak is 100% recyclable making this an ideal choice for the environmentally conscious consumer.

Easier to carry and store, the Arniston Bay tetra will stay fresh for up to 9 months before use. It also represents excellent value for money offering 33% more wine than a 750ml bottle.

Brand and Business Development Manager for the company of wine peopleTM, Barney Davis, says: “The tetra pak is an important addition to the Arniston Bay portfolio. A year on from the launch of our carbon friendly pouch we are aware that the wine consumer is on the look out for more innovative forms of packaging that tick all the boxes in terms of convenience, ease of use and environmental benefits. Our tetra pak is not only a convenient addition to our wine range it is also recyclable and is lighter to transport around the globe, helping us, as an international wine company, to lower our overall carbon footprint.”

Arniston Bay is one of the best international selling brands in the UK. Sales of the Arniston Bay range – available in a wide variety of packaging formats – are currently up by 21.9% year on year.

Source: Talking Drinks

Asda is the fastest-growing wine retailer in the UK, with the latest TNS data showing sales in the supermarket giant growing by a massive 49% year on year to September 7.

The new figures come as this week Asda launches a major shake up of its wine range with the introduction of 250 new wines.

Asda’s head of wine trading, Karen Doran, said: “We are the fastest-growing wine retailer in the UK. As well as the 49% value growth, our market share has risen by 34.3% over a 12-week period.

“Our market share stands at 15.5% and shows Asda’s commitment to delivering quality wines, combined with value prices, is really hitting the mark with customers.”

Improved facings to assist shoppers have been introduced, along with vertical blocking by country and clear price hierarchy. Asda has also recently announced that they have clinched an exclusive value-for- money wine deal. Mike Dennis from Talking Retail indicates that a new value-for-money range of wines under the Arniston Bay brand umbrella is being launched exclusively with Asda. The South African brand, owned by the company of wine peopleTM, is being extended with three “easy drinking” wines, The Reef Red 2007, The Reef White 2008 and The Reef Rosé 2008. “The Reef is a wine range which represents really great value for money,” said brand and business development manager Barney Davis.

From: Talking Retail

The health benefits of a glass of red wine are well known, but new research has found a tipple of white could also protect the heart.

Researchers from the University of Connecticut in the US found that rats who were given the equivalent of one or two glasses of white wine suffered less heart damage during cardiac arrest than rats who were fed water or grain alcohol, according to New Scientist.

The benefits from the white wine were similar to those found after animals ingested red wine – or the wonder ingredient found in grape skin – resveratrol.

Previously, it was believed only wine made using grape skin could prevent heart damage.

“The flesh of the grape can do the same job as the skin,” molecular biologist Dr Dipak Das said.

“In lab rats that suffered heart attacks, the animals that received wine or polyphenols experienced less heart damage, compared to rats fed water or straight liquor.

“Their blood pressure and aortic blood flow plummeted less drastically as well.”

Molecular tests of heart cells suggest white wine protects mitochondria.

Director of the Hatter Institute for Cardiology Research in South Africa, Professor Lionel Opie, said Das’ evidence proved white wine protected lab rats, but said human heart attacks occur from blood clots and diseased arteries and not necessarily mitochondrial failure.

Other experiments conducted using dogs showed benefits derived from red wine, but not white, Opie said.

But Das expects similar studies to soon prove white wine’s worth.

“We can safely say that one to two glasses of white wine per day works exactly like red wine,” he said.

Source: The Australian

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZXeFTWn2_w]

The newly launched Arniston Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2008 clinched a gold medal at the prestigious 2008 Veritas Awards over the weekend.

Top quality grapes, sourced throughout the Western Cape, were used to create this premium wine. Consumers are subsequently rewarded with cut grass and green pea aromas, typical Sauvignon Blanc character on the palate with crisp acidity and a good finish. The Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2008 best complements light dishes such as green salads, asparagus and shell fish.

A total of 1 753 wines were entered for this year’s Veritas Awards – South Africa’s longest running wine competition – judged by six international wine experts and over a hundred renowned local wine judges.

It’s no mean feat then that the perennially popular Arniston Bay Chenin Blanc Chardonnay 2008 and Arniston Bay The Shore Rosé 2008 continued the brand’s winning streak winning bronze Veritas medals. The fact that the brand constantly delivers quality, good-value-for-money wines is further emphasized by the fact that total sales volumes for Arniston Bay increased by 21.9% according to the latest Nielsen figures*. Arniston Bay is the fourth largest South African wine brand in the UK.

* AC Nielsen MAT 52 weeks Total Off-trade sales by volume w/e 09/08/08

About Arniston Bay

Escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and head for the tranquility of Arniston Bay – an unspoilt coastline that’s synonymous with a care-free lifestyle – simply by filling your glass with the fresh, crisp wine. Inspired by the sunny skies and pristine beaches of the quaint fishing village from which it derives its name, this unpretentious wine is ideal for those carefree, alfresco dining or easy drinking wine occasions – anywhere, anytime.

Arniston Bay is one of the best-selling international brands in the United Kingdom, the Far East and parts of Europe. The range, available in a variety of packaging alternatives, has a multitude of offerings ranging from easy-drinking entry level wines to more sophisticated wines for discerning palates. It is the recipient of many local and international awards and is consistently one of the top selling wines in the UK. For mor details visit www.arniston-bay.com

John Mariani, the wine writer for Bloomberg’s, recently indicated that Rosé wine has come of age and can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Mariani writes that in the past conventional wisdom (or mindless tradition) dictates that rosé wines are delightful for summer but not serious enough for drinking past Labour Day (1 May).

Mariani debates whether rosé wines can hold their own with cold-weather fare. He indicates that there is no reason why any good rosé cannot be served as a substitute for white wine, which wine lovers drink throughout the winter with lighter dishes like seafood and chicken. In fact, a good quality rosé can have considerably more flavour than many white wines such as Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc, Semillon and Gruner Veltliner.

Arniston Bay The Shore Rosé 2008 is an uncomplicated, easy-drinking wine, characterized by sweet red berry and strawberry aromas. The wine, which won a bronze medal at the coveted Veritas awards over the weekend, is best consumed within a year of purchase and complements tuna salad or open sandwiches.

Mariani said he would happily drink quality rosé wines at any time of the year, with most appetizers, any seafood, chicken and veal (but not with read meat or spicy sauces).

From: Bloomberg

This recipe, from Real Simple magazine, is an easy and delicious meal and is highly recommended by readers.

With its crispy, fresh taste and melon and pineapple flavours on the nose, the Arniston Bay 2008 Chenin Blanc / Chardonnay will complement this dish.

Recipe: Hot Italian Sausage and Tomato Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients: 1 pound (1/2 kg) dry fettuccine 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium red onion, sliced 1 clove garlic, smashed 4 hot Italian sausages, casings removed 1 pint red or yellow cherry tomatoes 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn 1 cup rocket, torn 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation: Cook the fettuccine according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sausage and cook about 5 minutes, using a wooden spoon to crumble it. Add the tomatoes and cook until the skins burst, about 8 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked fettuccine, basil, and rocket and toss gently to combine. Serve in bowls and top with the Parmesan.

Tip: Vegetarians can omit the sausage. Try adding 3/4 cup Feta cheese to the pasta and greens.

From: Real Simple Magazine

American wine consumption is on the rise , while in France wine consumption is declining. This is according to the well known wine writer, Tyler Colen , also known as Dr Vino.

Colman suggest that in the past 10 to 15 years, there’s been a decline in the consumption of wine in France for a lot of reasons. There’s been a crackdown on drunken driving and also consumer health. In 1991, the minister of health pushed through a law to ban alcohol advertising.

In America in 1991, there was a 12-minute segment on 60 minutes extolling the health virtues of red wine. It was the opening for the Mediterranean diet and the French paradox—they have low rates of coronary failure [despite a rich diet]. That’s when you saw wine consumption take off, and it’s continued unabated since. The US is in a bull market for wine, while in France, it’s heading the other way. France is still ahead of the US because there are large parts of America that don’t drink wine.

Although people are drinking wine more than ever, and at all price points, there is a lingering perception that it’s an elite drink. But that said, wine in France has been poured for kings at the royal court but also at the table of peasants at regional feasts and everyday meals. So it really spans a socioeconomic range in France and Europe more generally. And you are seeing wine is being consumed in the US everyday, as well, but for some reason it got stuck in popular consciousness as an elite thing.

With regards to the affects of the economic climate on wine consumption , Coleman indicated that the preliminary evidence so far is that wine and a bad economy are not a bad mix. Consumption has increased for the past 15 years, and there have been some economic downturns during that time. In this downturn, some consumers may trade down. Instead of the $15 bottle, they may get the $10, or they may start eating at home more, which is one way to extend your wine dollar. A $50 bottle at a restaurant will be about $15 in a store.

So they may trade down in price, but America has been bitten by the wine bug regardless of the economy.

Source: US News

The company of wine peopleTM has readied a three-pronged extension of its Arniston Bay wine brand in the UK off-trade.

The South Africa-based company said late last week that Arniston Bay: The Reef will launch exclusively in the Asda supermarket chain from 11 October, and will consist of a white, a red and a rosé variant. While the white and rosé are both from the 2008 vintage, the red variant is one year older.

“Arniston Bay: The Reef is a wine range which represents really great value for money,” said brand and business development manager Barney Davis. “We are currently in the process of innovating the entire Arniston Bay portfolio to broaden our offering for both the retailer and the consumer.”

The three wines will be available for around GBP3.99 per bottle, a spokesperson told just-drinks.

Source: just-drinks.com

Promotion panel at Cape Wine Show

Recent US surveys indicted that the wine industry are intending to increase their focus on environmental aspects.

The wine industry is making a concerted effort to adopt environmentally responsible practices but sees a need for better education among both consumers and professionals on many “green” issues, according to two surveys of wine industry professionals and executives conducted by Robert Smiley, professor and director of wine studies in the Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Davis.

“These industry leaders are very concerned that their firms authentically ‘walk-the-walk’ when it comes to environmental issues and that they not be accused of just ‘greenwashing’ their businesses,” Smiley said.

He added that while survey participants reported that the high prices of gasoline and other inputs have negatively impacted their costs and revenues, they remain optimistic that the industry will ride out the current nationwide economic downturn.

All of the executives interviewed said their firms were actively engaged in environmentally friendly business activities, such as package redesign, use of biodiesel fuel, wastewater reclamation and developing “green” building plans. They expressed a concern, however, over the lack of clarity in the industry and among consumers over what many environmental terms like “sustainable,” “green,” and “low carbon footprint” actually mean and how industry can genuinely adopt environmentally sensitive practices.

Survey respondents also said that rising prices for gas, electricity, supplies and transportation have significantly raised the cost of doing business across the industry at the same time that wine consumption has been hurt by the general economic downturn. They reported that consumers are responding to rising gas and food prices by dining out less and buying less wine, and noted that wine sales at both casual and high-end restaurants have suffered as a result.

“Despite that downturn in sales, the majority of the wine executives surveyed said that they believe the industry will survive the current economic slump on the strength of non-restaurant sales, particularly the moderately priced $10-$14 wines,” Smiley said. “They are confident that the millennial generation’s love of wine provides a solid foundation for the industry.”

At the recent Cape Wine trade show, the company proved that it’s making steps in the right direction to reduce its carbon footprint and combat global warming. The company has introduced alternative packaging such as convenient wine pouches (which take up less space in a landfill than glass bottles), tetra paks, PET and will be switching to lightweight glass bottles for core brands.

The pouch is easy to transport and 20 times lighter than a normal wine bottle. It is also unbreakable, re-sealable, easy to store and will stay fresh for up to one month once opened. The pouch also has an 80% lower carbon footprint than the same wine in glass bottles. From cradle to grave, including all production and transportation, the pouch has been developed to lower the environmental impact of the entire product, rather than just disposal at the end of its lifecycle.

In keeping with the ‘green’ theme, the company also created a stand made entirely from recyclable, reusable or biodegradable materials – complete with chairs and tables made from sturdy recycled cardboard. The digital carbon counter on the stand was a harrowing indicator of the wine industry’s emissions for the period of the show. The total emissions at the end of the show amounted to 43 000 tons.

Source: Marketwatch

The UK retailing group ASDA announced that they have clinched an exclusive value-for- money wine deal.

Mike Dennis from Talking Retail indicates that a new value-for-money range of wines under the Arniston Bay brand umbrella is being launched exclusively with Asda next Saturday (October 11).

The South African brand, owned by the company of wine peopleTM, is being extended with three “easy drinking” wines, The Reef Red 2007, The Reef White 2008 and The Reef Rosé 2008.

The retail price has yet to be finalised, but it is expected to be around £3.99, which is the price point for the entry level Arniston Bay wines.

“The Reef is a wine range which represents really great value for money,” said brand and business development manager Barney Davis.

“We are currently in the process of innovating the entire Arniston Bay portfolio to broaden our offering for both the retailer and the consumer.”

Read article: Talking Retail

Great Britain is probably the world’s most important wine market. Mike Veseth from the Wine Economist discusses this statement and indicates why this statement maybe true.

Veseth writes: “How can Great Britain (and not the United States) be the world’s most important wine market? The simple answer is that the British produce little of their own wine and import quite a lot, so just about every winemaker in the world wants to compete for British sales. The German market is large, too, but it’s a cut-throat pricing environment with emphasis on discounted price. The American market is big, but it is tough for international winemakers to compete with American wines at most segments of the market (especially for popularly priced branded varietal wines).

A slightly more complex answer is that entry into the British market is relatively straightforward, because it is for all intents and purposes an integrated national market with one set of rules and distribution channels. The American market is a maze, with 50 (plus the District of Columbia) different sets of rules and regulations to understand and comply with plus the nightmarish “three-tier” distribution system (retail/wholesale/producer) that adds cost and increases the mark-up at each stage.” – Wine Economist

Global brands like Arniston Bay realize the importance of the UK market and extensive efforts are made to establish this brand in the UK market. In the past decade the Arniston Bay wine brand has grown subtantially in the UK market. This brand is consistently one of the top selling wines in the UK and has established itself in this market.

Arniston Bay sales increased by 21.9%, according to the latest Nielsens statistics (* AC Nielsen MAT 52 weeks total off-trade sales by volume w/e 09/08/08). This surge in sales is largely driven by the success of the brand within the impulse sector and the launch of its revolutionary, environmentally friendly packaging format, the Arniston Bay pouch.

Source: The Wine Economist