Bob's Blog: Snail Scourge
OPINION: I have a 50% share in a vineyard and for the first time ever, snails are threatening to decimate my crop.
It works like this: Perhaps you are about to release a super-premium Chardonnay that will crack through the NZD$100 barrier. You will need to go shopping for some super-premium Burgundies with even loftier price tags, starting at NZD$500. Importantly, you should choose wines that have been sealed with cork and are therefore likely to be off the pace.
Invite your favourite wine writers to attend a wine tasting followed by lunch at a decent restaurant. The invitation should list the names of, say, five wines made up of four Burgundies and your new highflier. Serve the wines blind and promote discussion. Vote for the favourite.
The Result:
- Your wine comes top. This is a great result which, if promoted well, will elevate its reputation overnight.
- Your wine is in the middle of the bunch. Another good result as it ranks alongside big-name, high-price wines.
- Your wine comes last. By no means a disaster as it was beaten by wines that were four-times the price or more.
