Wine Learning from Craft Beer

Premium wine has been around a lot longer that craft beer so you'd think it's beer that could learn from the wine industry. That's probably true, but what stands out are things wine could learn from the rise of craft beer.

The Story

Craft brewers have beards, they also have regular guy stories. Yeah, sorry ladies, it's almost all guys so far -- here's something that beer can learn from wine and other industries.  Anyway, there's often a story about making beer at home then all his friends tell him how great it is so he thinks just maybe he should get together with his beer-drinking buddies and make it commercially. Next thing you know they're on your retail shelf.

Most wineries don't have a good story like that. Saying, "I was tired of being a successful venture capitalist and needed a hobby" isn't going to cut it. Though many wineries have been in the business for a long time and they can certainly capitalize on that.

Innovation

Just look what beer has gone through with styles, labels, and the move from glass bottles to cans. What's wine done? Same half dozen varietals, same 750 ml bottles. Yawn.

Of course, it's easy to say let's get some new wine varieties and some new blends, but the bottom line is always taste and acceptance. For whatever reason beer seems to be better at this than wine. Part of this is the industry; part the consumer as it seems wine drinkers may not be quite as adventurous as beer drinkers. Why is that?

Special Releases

Russian River Brewery has their two week Pliny the Younger triple IPA release every February and you can only get it at the brewery. There are many special edition beers coming out all the time. Some catch on and get repeated; others are never heard from again. Sometimes a couple brewers will collaborate and put out a beer.

Wineries have done some inventive things like orange white wines (white wine grapes left on the skins as you would with a red), sparkling red wines, and occasionally introducing new varietals. These are quite rare though.

Maybe a winery needs to try a special edition 100 case Pinot Noir / Syrah blend with a special label and in a container other than a 750 ml bottle. Breweries do wet hopped beer in the fall; maybe a local wine version of nouveau Beaujolais, 50 cases, available only at the winery. I think the idea of collaboration wines is cool. I know, so radical!