Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Napa Prognosis: Corporate BS

Napa has been moving toward corporate-adult-disneyland for the last few years. Last year Mondavi sold out to Constellation for $1.36 billion, making Constellation the largest wine company in the U.S. This seemed to signal a straying away from the original family owned and operated winery of previous decadades, and a definitive momentum toward corporate conglomerate ownership. Well I think now it's very official. Warren Winiarski, the famed winemaker who taught the world (old and new) a thing or two about Cabernet by winning the Paris tasting in 1976, sold his Stag's Leap Wine Cellars for $185 million. Who to? Italy's Antinori and their U.S. importer, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, who just happens to be the 10th largest wine producer in the country.

Corporate ownership takes the quirky yet beautiful nature of the family winery style and turns it into freaking disneyland. Go visit Mondavi or Sterling in Napa and you'll see what I mean. I'm sure Winiarski had good intentions when he said, "I think it's not the end of an era, it's the transition to a new era. It's a transition to continuity." What the %^$& is that supposed to mean? I can't afford Winiarski's wines, but I've tried some and they're truly great. And his story of success is a beautiful one (read The Judgement of Paris). I just hope that the new folks in charge don't mess with his brand, his wine, or his winery.


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