Wine Dimensions March 2006 |
Dear Friends of Monolithos, |
| We often read or hear of wines of "higher quality", but we also frequently come across popular table wines of excellent quality. There are times when so-called premium quality wine may let us down. The question we must ask is, therefore, "What is quality when it comes to wine?" Further questions that might be asked are, "Why does one wine cost £2.00 while another costs £20? Is it ten times as good? What is good value for money?" |
| To begin with, let us briefly try to identify the nature of quality in wine. It is generally accepted that quality is a subjective notion and is related to personal preferences and perceptions. However, when producing a quality wine, the winemaker takes into consideration a large number of factors such as the grape variety, the vineyard's location, the soil and climate, cultivation techniques, pruning, harvesting, vinification techniques and wine processing technology, bottling, wine storage and distribution. Top quality wines can only be produced under the best conditions. |
| A number of these factors are to a certain extent attributed to nature, e.g. the grape variety, vineyard location, soil, weather, fermentation activity, etc. However, nature alone does not guarantee a quality wine. It is the intervention of man at every stage of viticulture to winemaking that effectively determines how good the end product will be. Furthermore, the quality of wine can be improved only when there is a sufficiently well-informed consumer public who can appreciate quality and be prepared to pay for it. Quality is not free, and it is only logical to expect to pay more for a quality wine. Otherwise, there would be no point in making better wine since to ensure high quality, there is a need to invest heavily on technology, knowledge and human effort. |
| Now, EU regulations define and guarantee that a quality wine should satisfy certain minima. Also, modern technology provides the means of ensuring that these minima are kept and can be checked using chemical analysis. However, on its own, technology and chemical analysis cannot quantify quality since wine taste involves complex balances which are not measurable. There are the organoleptic characteristics such as the smell and taste that are measured principally by consumer satisfaction. |
| The best advice anyone can offer to a consumer is to read as much as possible, listen to other opinions, but above all, taste as many wines as you can. Try to identify what you like and what you don’t like. Ignore fashions and brands because good quality exists at all levels. |
| Above, we posed the question about value for money wines. |
| The wine market is characterised by a range of price segments, each with its own consumer followers, market requirements, distribution outlets, etc. A close study of the market could reveal at least six price segments: |
| Wine Segment | Price in Euros | Price in £ | Basic Characteristics |
| Basic table wines | < €3 | <£2 | Mass production blends |
| Popular premium | €3-€6 | £3 | Varietals, original, good blend |
| Premium | €6-€8 | £4 | Full bodied blends, brands |
| Super premium | €8-€16 | £8 | Image, cellaring, brands |
| Ultra premium | €16-€100 | £10-£50 | Origin, image, compliments, brands |
| Icon | > €100 | >£50 | Awards, long-term image |
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| The two categories under €6 per bottle represent approximately 70% of the sales volume, whilst premium wines have a 20% share of the market and the remaining 10% accounts for the super premium and beyond. |
| Returning to our question on value for money, we need to take a close look on what we are actually purchasing. |
| The price of your bottle accounts for the production of the wine, the bottle, the cork, the cap, the labels, cellaring and storage, local transportation, the retailer’s profit (30%) and the VAT (15%). In the case of an imported wine, one must add the importer’s profit (30%), additional transportation and insurance. Simple calculations can show that for the first two segments mentioned above, the actual cost per bottle of local and imported wine is: |
| Retail price | Locally produced | Imported |
| £2 | 80 cents | 30 cents |
| £4 | £2.20 | £1.30 |
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| It is apparent that at the lower end of the market, consumers are better off purchasing local wines. |
Monolithos Matters |
| Pruning continued during February and was completed early in March. Currently, cultivation is gathering momentum and where necessary, fertilization is added to ensure the health of the vine, improve the yield and increase resistance to disease. |
| At the winery, all wines have been stabilized and filtered. Bottling for the rose is scheduled to take place during the next few days. Following requests from a number of regular customers, we shall be bottling Santa Monica Rose this year in still and sparkling versions. |
| On the commercial field, we are pleased to announce that our wines are now available at the new French Restaurant "Brasserie Au Bon Plaisir", located at 103 Gregoris Afxentiou Street, Ayios Dhometios, Nicosia. The restaurant is run by a charming couple, Yves and Gatienne Le Ruste, whose artistic taste has managed to capture an excellent French ambience. Their strongest point is the friendly and warm atmosphere and value for money that you get for high quality, typical French cuisine. Advance booking will ensure that you will be seated in the place of your choice, so call 96-755 111. |
| We thank you for your continued support. If at any time you are passing near the village and wish to visit the winery or purchase any of our products, Martin Wood will be pleased to meet and assist you at his "Fig Tree Villa" in Pachna, so do not hesitate to phone him at 25-816212 or 99-165995. |
| Take care, and always remember that: |
Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized |
| Regards from all of us here at Monolithos. |
