In the Winter 2009 issue of Precedent, Matthew has a great recommendation for commemorating a baby’s birth — and investing in something tasty for when they’re all grown up. Read it online.
Everyone likes a cheap bottle of wine — but is it possible for wine to be too inexpensive for its own good?
This may seem like an idle question, but there are teams of scientists climbing over each other to answer it. Real scientists too — the kind with lab coats, clipboards and access to MRI machines. Apparently, they have nothing better to do.
In a study conducted at the California Institute of Technology, a team of researchers found that in blind tastings, test subjects disliked a wine if they thought it was cheap. But if the same wine was given to them again and they were told it was terribly expensive, then their enjoyment levels dramatically jumped. Well, duh.
Fortunately, these neuroeconomists (a term not even my freakish imagination could invent) had brainscanners to pad out their study. They discovered that the part of the brain that handles taste doesn’t change, but the part that processes feelings of reward (the medial orbitofrontal cortex) becomes much more active. In other words, paying more money for things makes us happy.
This somewhat depressing discovery explains an odd reality of the wine world: South Africa produces some world-class wines, but they get very little respect from critics or the international wine market. My theory (which is shared by others) is that this is because the best South African wines simply aren’t very expensive. It makes them seem less serious. South African wine is too cheap for its own good.
My last two columns have been dedicated to such underappreciated South Africans (De Toren and Springfield). Although these top-notch wines seem pricey (in the $30-$40 range), they could have commanded twice this amount had they been produced in France or Australia. In fact, that’s precisely what I like about South Africa: its best wines combine the power of Australian big wines with the grace of France’s traditional methods. At half the price.
As my last case in point, I offer up a wine by the leading South African producer, Meerlust Wine Estate:
Meerlust 2007 Chardonnay , Stellenbosch, South Africa ($24.00 [Ed. note: No longer available], Vintages Online #663419)
The luxury in this wine is immediately apparent on its nose: a buttery mash or spice, smoke and yoghurt that reminded me of a good Meursault or one of Le Clos Jordanne’s richer Chardonnays. This is an oaky bruiser, and not for the faint of heart. But all the wood is perfectly balanced against solid fruit and vibrant acidity, so it hangs together beautifully as a package. As a whole, the flavours are soft, spicy and very well-integrated. As an added bonus, it has a lemon-curd finish that just goes on and on; I could still taste this wine hours after drinking it. Scrumptious. 92/100.
Matthew Sullivan is a civil litigator in Toronto. He writes a weekly blog entry here on lawandstyle.ca. The Short Cellar column also appears in the print edition of Precedent. Matthew can be reached at matthew@lawandstyle.beta-site.ca. Follow along on Twitter: @shortcellar.