Dan Berger On Wine: The growing import confusion | Dan Berger Leave a comment

Most MWs are proficient in explaining the nuances that make wine such a fascinating subject — once you get into the weeds. Which most MWs have. This includes knowledge of wine from places most people didn’t even know were places. Or made from grapes whose names sound like answers to a med school exam.

But times have changed and the letters “MW” after a person’s name isn’t as revered today as it was 40 or 50 years ago. Today there is so much more to know — and the MW exam doesn’t last for six weeks, though these days it could.

(Test question: “How many crus are there in Beaujolais? Name them all.”)

Decades ago, MWs had to know a lot about maybe eight to ten grape varieties and inelastic wine regulations in a small handful of regions. Obscure grapes only recently came of age. And not just Grüner Veltliner, Marsanne, Touriga Franca, and Tannat. That’s the easy stuff.

In recent years, as the number of eclectic wine drinkers who love diversity has grown, they aren’t fearful of really rare varieties. As a result, we’ve heard of wines made from Noiret, Brianna, Bobal, Sauvignon Gris, Chardonnel, Favorita, Saperavi, Rotgipfler, and Madeline Angevine. And dozens more. And the number of wine regions has exploded.

As more different wines become available, and as younger consumers’ interests are piqued, the number of people who adore the obscure is growing. It’s harder to be a generalist in wine today — unless you spend all your waking hours delving into topics that call for two PhDs — one in viticulture, another in international wine laws.