Monday, June 20, 2011

Grapes for Sale: How Wine Over-supply is forcing many Grape-growers to Rethink Their Planting Strategy

Did you looking to sell or source your grapes for this Harvest? - The clock is ticking away!

When you've been in the wine industry for a while, you come to expect the regular appearance of a wine glut, or in industry over-supply.

So which grapes will be easy to sell this year and which will be over supply? This year can be a Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot in over-supply, next maybe will be something else. In those days with a millions-tone global wine industry, the pain remains the same, but now is more winemakers and grape-growers to share it and try to find a easy way for their grape sales. In fact, in a strange way, the grapes over-supply maybe is a good thing for the wine industry.

Some wineries and vineyards will be taking the opportunity to do some replanting of unwanted vines or grafting over to some new grapes variety. Not only this can take vines out of production and bring the grapes sale down for a few years, but it should bring some equilibrium back to the wine industry.

But what grapes variety will be the next big thing into the wine world and will be easy to sell? That's the most important question for most winemaker and grape-growers, but nobody knows the answer for sure.


Maybe for the white grapes variety these can be the French Viognier, which have a nice floral and apricot flavors and aromas with gentle texture or the Portugal Verdelho, which can produce a fresh and vibrant wines, with well balanced palate of fruit and a smooth buttery finish. This variety can be a great alternative to the market-dominant grapes - Chardonnay. So we can see this harvest that grapes sale activity goes up for these varieties.

For the red grapes variety this can be the Spanish Tempranillo, still not very well known in the global wine world or maybe the Italian Sangiovese. The biggest loser looks like being the Merlot and at the same time the Pinot Noir is still coming strong on the market and driving the grapes sale up.

The other question what is very important for the grape vine market, is why some of the big wine companies are re-grafting or planting grapes that are already well in over-supply. Are they crazy? NO.

Many of the larger scale wine companies gave little consideration to choice of grapes clone and rootstock and see if they perform better, which later will be producing a high quality wines. Every fine wine is coming from quality grapes!

All this information about the grapes for sale and oversupply is sign that the wine industry is changing, as well as growing. So the biggest beneficiary from this current situation will be the consumers, which can enjoy a better wines, wider choice and cheaper prices,just don't rush.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Are you ready to start Wine Jobs?

Do I have what it takes to get a jobs in the wine industry? Are you one of those people who enjoy a glass of wine with your diner, that know the difference in wine beyond the categories of red and white? Do you look forward to your next trip to the world top wine producing regions like France, Italy, Spain, Northern California, Australia, South Africa, Argentina and Chile to taste and enjoy new wines and discover new flavors? You're not alone. Drinking, tasting and talking about wine are a hobby of many people around the world.  

If wine is your passion and you want this to become your next job, then looking into wine career might be a good idea. If you are considering to getting a wine jobs, erase the dream of sitting with a glass of your favorite wine overlooking a vineyard and working flexible hours. The wine industry is competitive just like any other business and to find a wine job is not so easy. The wine industry offers many possible ways for those looking for wine jobs to follow their true passion. 

Whether you want to start a wine jobs as a Vineyard Manager, spending your days overseeing day-to-day operations of the vineyard including planting, pruning,scouting,spraying, canopy management and harvesting the grapes; a Winemaker which will oversees the entire production process of making wine, including grape harvesting, crushing, fermentation, racking, aging, blending and bottling; a Wine Buyer, traveling around the world to source a new wines and developing strong relationships with different wineries; or a Wine Sommelier in a fine restaurant, sharing his knowledge of various types of wine from around the world, you can find the best wine jobs to suit your talents and dreams. 

Many wine jobs will require specialized education like Viticulture or Oenology and previous experience as well. However, if you decide to take this long journey, a jobs in the wine business can be a fulfilling opportunity for the right person.  So first and more important thing you need to do is to ask yourself want kind of wine jobs you want to get, do you like to work in the wine cellar and get your hands dirty with the wine making process, or are you a business oriented person who would rather take a wine jobs in the marketing and sales side of the business. The best way to get started in the wine industry is to start right at the bottom and work your way up. The reason, this is the best long term strategy because you learn everything about a wine and knowledge is the key to success in any jobs and business.  

The impact of wine in different cultures around the world has been growing increasing the wine industry in the last decade in a fast rate. This is good news for everyone who is looking for wine jobs.