Changing tastes in wine

By Allen Balik

There’s no doubt due to climate change, evolving vineyard and winery practices, clonal and rootstock development, changing consumer preferences and a host of other factors, taste patterns in wine are an ever changing reality. 

The wines of Europe produced before the phylloxera epidemic that swept through Old World vineyards in the late 19th century tasted different than more recent releases from the same treasured vineyards and appellations.  Historically, these vines were planted on their [own] vinifera rootstocks that were non-resistant to the phylloxera louse. To avoid future disease, growers grafted resistant native-American rootstocks when replanting and tastes changed markedly. 

California’s north coast, including Napa and Sonoma, suffered from a similar phylloxera scourge about the same time resulting in the increased replanting of heartier and more vigorous varieties such as Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignan that hastened the growers’ financial recovery. 

In many of the same north coast areas through the 1990s, phylloxera again raised its ugly head forcing the adoption of dramatic and necessary changes in vineyard/winemaking methodologies.  Specific varieties were planted in more compatible growing areas, new clones and rootstocks were introduced and vineyard regimens along with winemaking advances were implemented resulting in wines that tasted somewhat differently from those that preceded them. 

In all these instances and many more, the ensuing wines were not necessarily better or worse than their predecessors, but they were different and invited consumers to explore new stylistic expressions.

If the wine community of growers, producers, merchants and consumers wanted to duplicate the original taste of wine, the question must be asked, “how far back should we look for an example?”  Or, should we just make the assumption that since wines have evolved for more than 7,000 years, change is inevitable.  Most would agree with the latter as we have no way of answering the former with any degree of accuracy or consensus.

Many of the changes in aromatic and flavor profiles observed over the years are seen as positive while others may be viewed somewhat differently. We would also be remiss to ignore the consumers’ changing taste preferences that are especially prevalent in today’s market. 

Who in the U.S. ever heard of Prosecco or Pinot Grigio just 25 or 30 years ago?  Or who would have imagined the exploding trajectory of dry rosé over the last decade? And Cabernet Sauvignon was just a relative “blip” on the radar in Napa Valley until the 1950s when French Colombard and other varieties flourished.

So, the question may be: “Do the wines of today taste different because our personal preferences have matured or are the wines themselves made to taste different while satisfying a range of marketing, sales and critical demands to satisfy market-driven needs?”

There’s really no one answer as both sides of this question are valid with both deserving a degree of analysis about how the results affect our own personal appreciation of wine. 

For centuries, grapes were harvested at what was perceived a reasonable level of maturity with modest sugar content (i.e. potential alcohol) and flavors that represented a “sense of place” speaking to the wine-growing area and local traditions in winemaking. 

However, over the last several decades this sense of place has been largely replaced by what many wine writers refer to as the “international style” where wines of diverse wine-growing areas and varieties tend to taste pretty much the same.  This is not to say the wines are flawed or don’t taste good, but only that they appear less different from one another and somewhat lacking in individual identity. 

During this time, the emphasis gradually switched from an historic concept of aging and maturation in the bottle to the appreciation of more supple wines meant for an earlier drinking window with forward fruit, lower acid, softer tannins and higher alcohol. 

Opinions range on whether the market-dominance of wines displaying these characteristics is the result of the producer’s zeal to grasp critical acceptance and higher scores on the 100-point scale, or if increased consumer demand on its own encourages their growth in the market.  Both points are valid and each has its merits in acknowledging the notable stylistic changes that have occurred since the mid-1980s.

We must also appreciate that our personal tastes and preferences continue to evolve as well.  Many of the styles and varieties we “loved” when first introduced to wine are not necessarily those we enjoy today.  This is really no different than observing how our tastes in food, fashion, music, literature, entertainment and humor also change with time. The rock music and hot dogs of my youth have morphed into the appreciation of symphony and fine dining as I’ve grown older.  Changes in personal tastes and preferences are inevitable in many facets of our lives, and our appreciation of wine is no different.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “A man will be eloquent if you give him good wine.”  But the definition of “good” wine varies greatly from person to person, time to time and occasion to occasion as our tastes evolve and new styles appear. 

And according to Pliny the Elder, “The best kind of wine is that which is most pleasant to him that drinks it.”