Guest lecturing at the UCT Business School Wine Business Management Programme last month, I chose the topic “value for money in the wine trade.” A controversial subject as what is meant by “value?” Is it status as in buying mediocre French Champagne over excellent local Methode Cap Classique? Paying over the odds for a Swartland Cuvee which in some cases is really just co-op wine with a fancy label? A wine which dings your dong in terms of organoleptic pleasure?
I ended up with “something that is well worth the money spent on it” but then the same question could be asked about “worth.” The whole subject is moot as a decade ago Antonio Rangel, associate professor of economics at CalTech, used functional magnetic resonance imaging to observe the brains of 20 people as they were given the same Cabernet Sauvignon and told it cost anything from £2.50 to £45 a bottle. Most described the “higher-priced” wine as much more enjoyable. With the inescapable conclusion that knowing that a wine is expensive makes it tastes better.
Which could explain that when Antony Beck wanted to launch his pricey Capensis Chardonnay last month, three quarters of the guests were visualizers for the Platter sighted wine label guide who are masters of assessing wines with their eyes.
For the Capensis to stand a chance of five star glory, one of these visualizers will need to nominate it for five stars and tasting it alongside even pricier Leflaive GC Corton-Charlemagne 2012 and Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay 2011 in a million dollar Clifton second beach bungalow is a good start, given the Rangel conjecture.
Producers of more modest means can enter their wines in the weekly RECM Best Value Tastings where wines are assessed blind and then prices predicted on the basis of scores achieved. Wines with the biggest discount to recommended retail price are then featured on this blog and a soon to be released all-singing, all-dancing RECM Best Value website that 406 Media is designing.
The best value six pack from last year’s tasting comprises
Goedverwacht Sauvignon Blanc
Rooiberg Chardonnay
Saam Mountain Chenin Blanc
Kranskop Merlot
Bergsig Bulldozer Pinotage
Slanghoek Camerca
Wines you can taste on Thursday afternoon at the Pendock Wine Gallery @ Taj Hotel as part of the First Thursday’s perambulation. See you there!
