Retail panel

Wines & Vines, July, 1999

There's a strong market for summertime wines selling for under $10 a bottle, both national and imported, according to Peter Morrell, the New York retailer. His selection of good value summer wines ranges around the globe and he even sees some hope for rose.

"We see some interest in rose," Morrell said. "What people want is a wine they can drink around the pool or the barbeque for $10 or less that tastes good. If you are going to drink wine, even an inexpensive wine, it might as well be good."

For white wines, Morrell is featuring an Aligote from Chataillon en Diois for $9.95; Cartlidge & Brown Chardonnay at $8.99; two wines from Reserve San Martin, a Marsanne and Viognier at $6.99; a white Bordeaux, Chateau Malrome at $9.95; a Portuguese white, Quinta de Pancas at $9.95 and an Alderbrook Sauvignon blanc for $9.95.

Morrell is inclined to feature red wines for summer drinking as well as white. "My personal favorite is the Deakin Estate Shiraz from Victoria, Australia. I've got that for $9.95. And another Syrah, a killer southern Rhone, Domaine des Amouriers, for $7.99. Another favorite of mine for summer is Zinfandel and right now I like Gallo Sonoma at $9.95."

Morrell's choice for rose includes a Reserve San Martin, a Syrah rose at $7.99, the Bonny Doon Gris de Cigare at $9.95 and a rose claret from Chateau Malrome at $9.95.

Pink wines may do fine in Manhattan or from specialty importers like Kermit Lynch of Berkeley, Calif. An annual favorite at Lynch's shop is the Domaine du Poujol from Coteaux du Languedoc, which sells well at $8.95 a bottle year in and year out. Lynch is offering it in a mixed case with a white and red from Languedoc at $82, a popular packaging approach for Lynch, who is a direct importer.

But elsewhere, rose doesn't meet with such success. Johnson C. Ho at Knights-bridge Wine Shoppe, Ltd., in Illinois, reports that he hasn't had much luck with rose, except for the Joseph Phelps Mistral. Otherwise, for summer sipping, Ho is recommending Trefethen's Riesling, Frog's Leap witty Leapfrogmilch, Chenin blanc from Girard and a Rousanne from Zaca Mesa.

"Almost anything from Alsace does well in the summer, also Vouvray," Ho said. White Bordeaux at under $10 is also a summertime favorite at the store.

For red wines, Ho recommends Beaujolais (slightly chilled), Zinfandel (especially Cosentino.) He also likes Cosentino's Chiarello, a light Chianti-style red wine.

Beyond summer wines, Ho pointed out that he was seeing a lot of resentment in customers toward California prices. "A lot of people are abandoning vertical collections of wines like Caymus and Silver Oak because of higher prices," he said.

Tony Giovanzana at Coit Liquors in San Francisco's North Beach said he is always on the lookout for a good rose to sell for $6 or $7 a bottle, but doesn't see much. "The supply is limited, whether from France, Spain or California," he said.

Giovanzana is breaking new ground this summer with a special selection of German Rieslings. "I'm going to show my customers some nice Rieslings from the 1997-1998 vintage. I'd like to build up the German side of the business." He has also been featuring Viognier - both French and Californian.

"The price of California Viognier has been falling, which helps sales," he said. "One of my favorite wines right now for summer drinking is the Louis Martini Sangiovese, selling for under $10 a bottle," he said.

Ron Loutherback, co-owner of The Wine Club mini-chain of shops in California, said he liked to keep thinking red, with wines like some of the lighter Burgundies or New World Pinot noirs or a lighter Zinfandel. "We are also excited about Sauvignon blanc, especially St. Supery and some of the Semillon from Australia," he said.

"I like to drink a well-chilled sparkling wine anytime, like the Roederer Estate non-vintage, the Mumm Napa Blanc de Blanc and the Paul Chenau, which we are selling for $6 a bottle. That's a real nice sparkling wine," Loutherback said.

"My biggest goal is simply getting some California wines to sell," he said. "I don't even mind the high prices, but there isn't even any wine available, summer or winter."

Resources:

Coit Liquor, 585 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, Calif. 94133; tel.: (415) 296-7825.

The Wine Club stores are at 2110 East McFadden, Ste. E, Santa Ana, Calif. 92705; tel: (714) 835-6485; 1200 Coleman Ave., Santa Clara, Calif., tel.: (408) 567-0900; 953 Harrison Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94107, tel.: (415) 512-9086.

Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, 1605 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, Calif. 94702; tel.: (510) 524-1524.

Knightsbridge Wine Shoppe, Ltd., 824 Sunset Ridge Road, Northbrook, Ill. 60062; tel.: (847) 498-9300; fax: (847) 498-4114.

Morrell & Company, 535 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. 10022; tel.: (212) 688-9370.