March, 2011
It's time for a quick update from Bialla Vineyards.
It looks like the upscale consumer is coming back with a vengeance. Some say they never left, but they are back for sure. We sold out our '07 in the first few weeks of the year and our '08 inventory is shrinking fast. Everything is on allocation now.
We are getting weekly requests to be represented in China and we are considering it, but it's certainly not a priority -- here is why: We are too small. Also to not service our local customers first, even if others over-pay, somehow doesn't feel right.
We did host a group of, shall I say, very expensive looking Chinese ladies and gentlemen. They came in the biggest Limo I've ever seen, all of them smoked and they had an absolute blast even after I made them put their cigarettes away. One was from the Chinese government in charge of wine imports and the others were also very high ranking individuals.
It was explained to me by their escort and translator that the French went to China many years ago to educate the Chinese on wine. They got a lukewarm reception for being too snooty, I was told. Then came the Americans and sold them on drinking Coca Cola. Now the new affluent generation is trying to show they are smart, sophisticated, and have money and love good wine. I can confirm all four. One gentleman laid down the largest stack of hundred dollar bills I've ever seen but I still only sold him four bottles. Then he wanted to know if the winery was for sale. At which point I asked how did you like the Olympics. : )
Amazing what you can learn about the world over a glass of wine sitting in a cave. I was blown away by the sophistication of their palate though, it was a wonderful experience.
On to improvements. We are now in process of planting enough Vines of Petit Verdot to generate one ton of fruit.
Petit Verdot is a variety of red wine grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends. It ripens much later than the other varieties in Bordeaux, often too late, so it fell out of favour in its home region. When it does ripen, it is added in small amounts to add tannin, colour and flavour to the blend. It has attracted attention among winemakers in the New World, where it ripens more reliably and has been made into a single varietal wine. It is also useful in 'stiffening' the mid palate of Cabernet Sauvignon blends. When young its aromas have been likened to banana and pencil shavings. Strong tones of violet and leather develop as it matures.
This will give Craig something else to tinker with but I'll let him decide on the pencil shavings?
Speaking of Craig, he is getting better by the minute and Will is doing a fabulous job at his side.
Last month we attended the Napa Premiere, which is for all of the top Napa Wineries and the trade to gather at the Culinary Institute in St Helena. Over two hundred wineries and hundreds of some of the top industry heavyweights showed up. After the event and the greatest lunch you can imagine each winery donates to charity and the auction begins.
Our lot of a few cases sold for $13,000.00. I can't say much more because it is a private event but we sure smiled the whole day. The lot we sold was part of our now not-so-secret super cab we made. We may have a few cases left over so stay tuned on that in case we have some for sale.
If you go to our site now, you'll notice limits on purchasing of a three pack only. We are sorry about the limits but we have so many requests for visits and guests who want our wine we feel we need to spread it around. If there is a special request you can always reach out to Vito, you know where to find me.
In the past you know we have always loved bragging or rather showcasing our great relationships and places you can buy our wine like the Bounty Hunter in Napa. Well, we have another one to brag about.
The worlds greatest and most prestigous cruise line is Celebrity Cruise line. They have revamped their upscale dining experience to be complemented with the world's finest wines and by now you can probably guess who is part of their family. Yes, you can now enjoy Bialla Cab as your circle the globe, so be sure to visit www.celebritycruises.com to plan your next getaway.
Finally, we are bottling our '09 on July 15th and expect nothing but the best results because it is unbelievably good in the barrel.
As always, thanks for sharing our passion.
Vito & Linda