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IPE
405: The Idea of Wine with Professor Michael Veseth
Detailed Class Assignments
(this page is a work in progress -- check back frequently)
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Topics, Readings and Web Links |
Assignments & Notes |
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1A |
Terroir and the Idea of Wine
There is a lot to know about wine --
lots of facts to learn and vocabulary to master -- and the initial
reading is all about starting to build a foundation. Focus on the
parts of the reading that give you a sense of wine a nature -- the map
of where wine is produced, the "wine landscape" idea and most
particularly the concept of terroir. Ask yourself, is the
idea of terroir just about wine, or does it have broader social
significance?
Oxford Companion: wine, world production,
terroir
The
Sense of Wine
In class: Jancis Robinson video,
Aperitif
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1B |
The Geography and Geology of Wine -
focus on Riesling
Many of the products we consume are
terroir-free. They are manufactured and could come from
anywhere. Wine, or at least some wine, is different. It is
an agricultural product, so particular conditions are needed for wine
grapes to ripen correctly.
Read about the origins of viticulture and the world
distribution of vineyards for background, then focus in on Riesling
and Germany, which is discussed both in the Oxford Companion
and the Geography of Wine reading. Take a look at the map of
German vineyards on page 310 of the Companion. Why are the best
vineyards in particular places in Germany? Think about how this
is related to the concept of terroir. Also think about the
problems of wine in Germany and how lax regulations pushed it into
steep decline.
As you watch the Jancis Robinson video think about two
kinds of terroir: the physical terroir of the vineyard
that winemakers try to exploit and the market terroir that
winemakers face when it comes time to sell their wines. Success in
wine requires a deft hand navigating both concepts of terroir.
Jancis Robinson is one of the most influential persons
in the world of wine.
You can read
about her here.
Reading:
Oxford Companion: origins of viticulture, world distribution of
vineyards, Riesling, Mosel-Saar-Ruher
Sommers, The
Geography of Wine, Chapter 4.
In class: excerpt from Jancis Robinson video,
Riesling
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2A |
No Class due to Labor Day Holiday
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2B |
The Natural Idea of Wine: Wine in
the Vineyard
Wine is many things, of course, but it begins as an
agricultural product, the product of grapes and vineyards and the
natural cycle of the seasons. For class today I want to have you
get a sense of this natural idea of wine in several ways. First, read
the Oxford Companion articles to get a basic idea of
viticulture and winemaking. Then real Colman's chapter, where he talks
about Green influences on winemaking in California and France. We'll
discuss these readings in class and watch a short video that will help
tie some of the pieces together.
Reading:
Oxford Companion: wine making,
viticulture, organic
viticulture, biodynamic viticulture
Colman 6
In Class: video of a year in the
vineyard
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Please submit a one-paragraph "elevator speech" about your wine
identity by 4pm on Friday, September 11.
Explain what region you have chosen, why the region is interesting and
why it is interesting to you.
Submit hard copy (no electronic or email versions accepted) to the
green folder in my mailbox in the IPE
office (Mc213M). |
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3A |
The Business Idea of Wine
Please bring a wine advertisement
to class today.
One important tension in the world of wine derives from
the fact that wine is simultaneously influenced by natural and by
market forces. A lot of what we have read and seen so far focuses on
the natural idea of wine, so it is important to grasp the other side
of the argument quickly so that we can benefit from the interplay of
counter-point.
Read Pitte 1 & 2 to start things off. Pitte is harder
reading that Colman because he is writing for a different audience
(French intellectuals and wine enthusiasts as opposed to American
readers). Stick with it, using your Oxford Companion to look up
unfamiliar terms and ideas.
Pitte 1 is just a short introduction that we will
discuss briefly in class. The meat of the reading is in chapter 2,
where he argues that market terroir is more important than
natural terroir in the development of wine. The argument is a
bit hard to follow, however, as he first discusses the history of the
two regions, then the key section on the markets that shaped B and B
wines. Finally, he discusses the process of wine-making.
From this it is a quick step to a discussion of wine
brands, using the Oxford Companion and web-link readings
below..
Pitte 1 & 2
Oxford Companion: Brands, Boisset, Constellation Brands,
economics of wine
Constellation Brands home page
Boisset home page
(Français and English)
Boisset
America home page
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3B |
The Sense of Wine: Sensory Analysis
Workshop
Today's class will be an interactive
workshop in sensory analysis.
Read the Oxford materials and
think about how you use language to describe everyday sensory
experiences.
The goal of today's session will be to
get you started on a lifetime of critically assessing what you are
tasting and developing the vocabulary to describe and analyze it.
Bring your
favorite wine glass to class today!
Oxford Companion: language of wine, tasting
terms, tasting notes, taste, aroma, aroma wheel
How to Taste Wine with Steven Spurrier video
Gary Vaynerchuck on How to Taste Wine
video
A Different Tasting Wheel
Evaluating Wine Primer
Wine by the Numbers
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Terroir Tasting 9/16@ 7pm
No guests.
You must be 21+ to participate. |
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4A |
Competing Ideas of Wine: France and the
United States
I would appreciate your feedback regarding the Terroir
tasting. Perhaps we will have a brief discussion about it at the start
of class.
We continue to examine the contrast between different
ideas of wine. Pitte frames the question of the idea of wine in terms
of Burgundy and Bordeaux, which have much different histories and have
been subject to much different market forces. This is a very
interesting approach, since there is a tendency to think of Old World
wine as a monolith -- a single vision, etc.
Tyler Colman examines some of the same issues in
Chapter 2 "Soil and Society" where he compares and contrasts France
and the United States. Key elements of the history to think about: the
fact that both countries experienced crises in the 1930s -- but for
different reasons. Consider the natural and economic factors that
contributed to both crises, the role that social attitudes towards
wine played, and the nature of the public/private reaction.
Reading: Colman 2.
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4B |
Competing Ideas of Wine: Brands
Brands are very useful in the wine world -- they
provide information and help give buyers confidence in making a
purchase. But they are very controversial and subject to several
different "ideas of wine." Read Colman 3 to leave about
appellations --
the Old World idea of brands -- then read from my blog (click on the
links below) and in the Oxford Companion to find out about New World
brands.
Main Reading: Colman 3.
Oxford Companion:
Appellations, Brands
Wine Economist on Wine Brands
The
Market for Lemons
How
Many AVAs are Enough?
AVAs: Good, Bad and Ugly
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5A |
Wine as a Controlled Substance
As we have seen, wine in France is defined by place
more than anything else, whereas wine in the United States is defined
in several ways, by place, by grape varietal (look at the labels in
Colman's book) and especially by company brand.
In the US, however, there is another powerful group to
be considered, the middlemen that we call "distributors." Read
Colman's chapter to understand something about the rise of the
American wine industry, starting especially with the founding of the Mondavi Winery in 1966. Look closely for the residual effects of
anti-alcohol and prohibition attitudes, how they helped create the
three-tier distribution system, and how this affects wine in America.
Main Reading: Colman 4
Oxford Companion: Gallo, Mondavi, economics and
wine
Wine Distribution Bottleneck
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5B |
Exam #1
See
exam study guide on the main page.
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6A |
Power and Taste: The Battle for the Idea of Wine
Read Colman 5 to learn about the power of wine critics.
We'll talk about critics and ratings in class as well as prepare for
the film that we will watch in the next two class periods.
Main reading: Colman 5
Oxford Companion: Robert Parker,
Wine writers
The New Emperor of Wine
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6B |
Mondovino I
Mondovino is a famous 2005
documentary about the battle for the idea of wine between the Forces
of Good (Old World traditions) and the Forces of Evil (New World
markets). Your readings for this class and the next one are
intended to give you some background so that you get more from viewing
the film. Parker, Mondavi and Rolland (see below), for example,
are real people who feature prominently in the film.
The Languedoc (see below) and Burgundy
(see next assignment) are the two French wine regions that are most
prominently featured in the film. (Aime Guibert makes wine in the
Languedoc, for example, and Hubert De Montille is a winemaker in
Burgundy).
As you watch the film, please try to
keep a list of the main characters and try to identify what "idea of
wine" each of them represents.
Your mid-term paper is
a critical review of this film!
Oxford Companion , Mondavi,
Michel Rolland, Languedoc
Is All Taste
Equally Valid?
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7A |
Mondovino II
We will watch the second half of Mondovino and
discuss it today. As you watch the conclusion of the film, I'd
encourage you to give special attention to the film's rhetoric -- the
way it makes its argument -- both verbal, through the interviews, and
visual, through the choices of images associated with each character
and idea.
Remember that your mid-term paper will be a
critical review of this film, so be sure to take good notes! And
don't forget the exam on Wednesday!
I wonder why dogs feature so prominently in this film?
Oxford Antinori, Michael Broadbent, Supertuscan
Terry
Theise on Globalization
In class: second half of Mondovino
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7B |
Mondovino and the Battle for the
Idea of Wine
A class discussion of Mondovino and a chance to
ask questions about the film. Olivier Torrés wrote a book about one of
the central cases of the film called The Wine Wars: The Mondaqvi
Affair, Globalization and "Terroir." Click on this link to
download a pdf of
Chapter 8: Cultural
Differences at the Heart of the Failure. Read past the first few
pages (which comment mainly on previous arguments in the book) to get
to the important material about the cultural differences (as opposed
to strictly political or economic ones) that Torrés sees as the real
reason for the conflict.
There will be a brief meeting at the end of class for
students going on the Fall Break fieldtrip.
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8A |
No Class -- Mid Term Break
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8B |
Two Ideas of Wine
Today's class continues our exploration of Jean-Robert
Pitte's book on Bordeaux/Burgundy and also help prepare us for
tonight's Burgundy and Bordeaux wine tasing.
Read Chapters 1 and 3 in Pitte's book. You've already
read Chapter 1, so just review it briefly to help you recall how Pitte
frames the issues. In Chapter 2 Pitte argued that the differences in
these wines (and wine in general) is due as much to market terroir
(differences in demand) as to other factors. It is interesting to see,
therefore, what he has to say in Chapter 3, "The Physical
Environment." Remember as you read this material that Pitte's contrast
of Burgundy and Bordeaux is a mirror image of classic New World / Old
World debates.
We will also watch an interesting video about the
effect of terroir on Pinot Noir.
Reading: Pitte 1 and 3.
Oxford Companion: Burgundy, Bordeaux, Oregon, New
Zealand
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Bordeaux & Burgundy Tasting 7pm tonight
Mid term papers due on Friday |
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9A |
Two Ideas of Wine
Reconsidered
We end our discussion of Burgundy (and
all that it represents) versus Bordeaux with Pitte's long chapter 4,
which examines all the ways that these two regions differ and yet
sometimes resemble one another. Draw a line down the center of your
notebook and mark one column Burgundy and the other Bordeaux. Keep
track of all of Pitte's comparisons and, when the last one is
finished, draw a line and write a tasting note -- each region in a
nutshell.
Now that you have actually tasted
Burgundy and Bordeaux wines, do you think the wines reflect their
origins, broadly defined?
Two short videos will explore the
stereotypes one more time and consider the ways that both regions have
contributed to the globalization of wine.
Reading: Pitte 4
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9B |
Flying Winemakers
Globalization is process of world wide exchange. It
brings together different cultures, practices and ideas of wine. The
agents of globalization must walk a delicate line in winemaking as in
so many other things.
Winemakers in the
New World, for example, are relatively free to use all the tools at their command to
make the best possible wines. Old World winemakers, on the other
hand, tie their own hands with AOC restrictions. What are the
arguments on each side and is there a happy medium?
If there is, then are the so-called Flying Winemakers
part of the solution (or part of the problem)? Flying Winemakers
are one element of the international exchange of techniques and ideas
that characterizes today's global wine market.
Sad note:
Didier
Dagueneau who is featured in this video died last year in an airplane
crash. Here is his obituary in the
New York Times.
Reading:
Oxford Companion: Sauvignon Blanc, flying
winemakers, Sancerre, New Zealand (Marlborough p 483)
Flying Winemakers and Glocalization
Flying
Winemakers and Argentina
Tyler
Cowen on Cultural Creative Destruction (a .doc file)
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10A |
A Completely Different
Idea of Wine: Champagne
Champagne
is the most famous wine in the world and arguably the most expensive
and profitable. Our video explains how Champagne is made (and even how
to open the bottle safely, although there is
another way
...) and asks us to think about the global reach of sparkling wines.
The Old World - New World theme is here once again, although it's not
quite the same as before.
We can use Champagne as an excuse to
consider a different idea of wine -- wine as a luxury good rather than
as a particular product of soil or technology. Indeed, many of the
most powerful wine corporation in the world are rooted in the profit
and image of fine Champagne. Moet Hennesy Louis Vuiton (LVMH for
short) is a perfect example. One question you might ask yourself is
why Champagne in particular is associated with multinational wine
companies?
We will sell no
wine ...
Major Champagne producers
Moet Hennesy Louis Vuitton
Oxford Companion: champagne, sparkling wine, Moet & Chandon, , Roederer, LVMH,
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10B |
The Red Wine Paradox:
Wine & Health
Merlot sales boomed worldwide after a
report was published (and publicized on 60 Minutes) linking
consumption of red wine to heart disease benefits (this is the
so-called French Paradox). Let's use today's video on Merlot as
an excuse to drill down a bit into the health costs and benefits of
wine consumption.
Merlot is not the only red wine that
provides health benefits, of course, but it is a grape varietal that is
relatively easy to ripen and to grow and therefore is found around the
world, both in fine wines and in cheap plonk. Interestingly, Jancis
Robinson thinks that some of the best Merlot comes from Washington
State.
Oxford health, medicine, French paradox,
Merlot
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11A |
Waves of Wine Globalization
Wine is a global product, but it didn't
get that way over night. It has taken three waves of
globalization to bring wine from places like New Zealand and South
Africa to your supermarket shelf. A study of wine from seemingly unlikely places
highlights the role of historical forces in the globalization of wine.
Oxford Globalization, New Zealand, South
Africa
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Take home essay due at the start of class on Monday. |
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11B |
Exam #2.
See exam prompt on course main page.
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12A |
Sideways: Wine in
transition
A lot of the discussion has been about
Old World versus New World, but there is a world of wine that is in
transition -- areas that we might call the New New World or, in some
cases, the New Old World.
I would classify China, India and Japan,
for example, as New New wine regions (even though wine has existed in
these regions for centuries) because they are newly emerging into the
global wine scene.
I would call Moldova, Georgia and
Lebanon and Israel New Old wine regions, because they are not so much
entering the global market as re-entering.
Let's talk about the particular
challenges and opportunities these emerging wine regions face.
The Future of Wine
The China Syndrome
Indian Tariffs
Oxford: China, India, Japan, Moldova,
Georgia, Lebanon, Israel
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Some links to use in class:
Chateau Bolongbao (China)
Chang Yu Wines (China)
Grace
Vineyard (China)
Grace Winery
(Japan)
Sula Wines (India)
Chateau
Musar (Lebanon)
Chateau
Kefraya (Lebanon)
Golan Heights Winery (Israel)
Vinaria Purcari (Moldova)
Georgian Wine & Spirits
Company (Georgia)
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12B |
Special Guest: Tom Hedges, Hedges
Family Estate
Reading:
Hedges Family Estate
Oxford: Washington State, Red Mountain AVA
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Globalization tasting 7-9pm |
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13A |
Navigating the Wine Wall
It is time to confront the Wine Wall --
my term for the sometimes vast selection of wine that confronts us in
today's global wine economy. So many choices! What is a
consumer to do? We'll examine this from two perspectives: how
we see the Wine Wall and how it sees us.
If you have time, try to visit the
Metropolitan Market on Proctor Street before class and familiarize
yourself with the Wine Wall there. It would be great if you could
spend a little time watching the other shoppers, too.
Constellation's Project Genome (pdf file)
Sub-Prime Wine Crisis
They Always Buy the Ten Cent Wine
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13B |
No Class -- Thanksgiving Break
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14A |
Power and Taste: Wine Critics
Because wine can be so complicated many
people based their idea of wine (and wine consumption habits) on the
advice of wine critics and the advice given by Wine Magazines.
Hundreds of wine critics write and talk
about wine in dozens of places including newspapers, magazines, books,
radio, television and the web. Your reading will introduce you
to some of the personalities and many of the issues.
We will use class time to examine three
of the most influential wine publications to see what we can learn
about their ideas of wine. The publications are Wine
Spectator, The Wine Advocate and Decanter.
Oxford: wine writers, wine writing,
scoring, Robert Parker
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14B |
McWine and the Two Buck Chuck Effect
In class we will continue to think about
the future of wine. Today's topic is the Two Buck Chuck effect.
This is an examination of the way that wine consumers think about
price and quality and the paradox that a very inexpensive wine may be
difficult to sell (because of the assumed low quality). Two Buck
Chuck is the exception to this rule. Why?
Oxford: Price, Price Points
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Your one-paragraph "elevator speech"
about your final paper topic is due at the start of class today. |
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15A |
A Tale of Three Wine Markets
The Old World perspective holds that wines are defined
by where they are made -- vins de terroir. But the New
World viewpoint is not so much that they are vins technologique,
as you might expect, but that they are vins de marché -- wines
defined by the markets in which they are sold. This means that
we need to understand the three markets that define the world of wine
today: Britain, Germany and the United States.
Oxford: British influence on the wine
trade,
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15B |
The Future of Wine
What will wine look like in 50 years? Different, that's
for sure. But how? We return to the fundamental tensions that drive
the battle for the idea of wine.
Pitte, Conclusion
The Future of Wine
Screwed not Corked
It's in the Bag (in the box)
Blue Wine
Chateau Al Gore
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Final Paper due by 4pm on Wednesday December 16, 2009.
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These materials are intended for the exclusive use of my students at
the University of Puget Sound. No other use is authorized.
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