In the high-end price range where people with that kind of money should be much smarter you find folks looking for the next trendy $150 Napa Cab. Not the ones that are popular now, but who's next. Remember all the rage over Pride Mtn? Are they out of fashion now? The really trendy seek out "pre-cult" wines. Want to know what these are? Just Google "california cult wines" and you'll find thousands of "answers."
There are different kinds of wine-buyers: These folks are sometime called image seekers--they're looking to impress somebody else. Other types of wine buyers are traditionalists that stick to the big brands that have been around a long time--Gallo, Mondavi, etc. Other people just look for bargains, sometimes in traditional varietals (Chardonnay and Cabernet); sometimes in non-traditional wine like Malbec. Of course, Malbec is kind of trendy. See how complicated it gets for the wine marketing people!
I guess I don't get the trendiness. I still wear t-shirts in the hot weather, flannels in the cold, and drive a Mustang, so I'm not much for being out in front of everybody else, I guess. It's great to try different and new things, but don't spend a lot of time (and money) on Albariño because you heard it's The Next Big Thing. Just try it (by the glass if you can) and see if it's worth the money.
One of the problems with new varieties in CA is learning where to plant, how to grow and how to make it. It took a long time to figure out Pinot Noir; it seems like they're still figuring out Syrah. And if CA didn't try to make Viognier like Chardonnay maybe it would do better. We're starting to get some nice Rhone-style blends; maybe we'll see some Spanish blends, too, someday.
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