Yes, exactly, let's not bicker over wine categories and winemaking semantics and let's celebrate this rare wine win -- we can ignite the debate again once the wine industry is growing strong again, for now take the "W".
I am skeptical, without good empirical evidence, that it is likely - let alone that the likelihood is pretty high - that wines like this will lead drinkers to genuinely natural wine. I'm willing to change my mind if I see the evidence. Do you have any?
I would add that my skepticism is based on the fact this notion has failed for small artisan producers in many other areas. Big organics are the major beneficiaries of the increased interest in organic fruit and vegetables, with many small farmers campaigning on this issue, just as one example.
Great take Simon. Mostly in agreement, though I do question whether "an orange wine in a clear liter bottle with a cartoonish label" can really = cultural appropriation of the Natural wine movement (and whether "cultural appropriation" can even be claimed for a no-specific-culture based philosophy.) Cartoon labels are simply popular right now - I had a retailer really enjoy a wine recently but comment on how it was hard to sell, because the label looked too "grocery store" aka not "fun enough". Consumers are just into that style of label right now, and helps them distinguish the difference from a Meiomi label vs. anything else. And in that sense, Gulp Hablo IS a step away from pure grocery store fare.
At some point, Natural wine has to accept that they are not a promotional style or label or the only version of a finer wine. They get to claim what they actually are, but no one has a claim on promotional style if the facts are accurate. And, as you point out, why oh why do we hate gateway wines so much? The liklihood of Gulp Hablo leading more drinkers to actual Naural wine is pretty high.
Yes, exactly, let's not bicker over wine categories and winemaking semantics and let's celebrate this rare wine win -- we can ignite the debate again once the wine industry is growing strong again, for now take the "W".
I am skeptical, without good empirical evidence, that it is likely - let alone that the likelihood is pretty high - that wines like this will lead drinkers to genuinely natural wine. I'm willing to change my mind if I see the evidence. Do you have any?
I would add that my skepticism is based on the fact this notion has failed for small artisan producers in many other areas. Big organics are the major beneficiaries of the increased interest in organic fruit and vegetables, with many small farmers campaigning on this issue, just as one example.
Sorry this is @davebaxterwino as Simon and I already went back and forth about this in comments on a previous article.
Great take Simon. Mostly in agreement, though I do question whether "an orange wine in a clear liter bottle with a cartoonish label" can really = cultural appropriation of the Natural wine movement (and whether "cultural appropriation" can even be claimed for a no-specific-culture based philosophy.) Cartoon labels are simply popular right now - I had a retailer really enjoy a wine recently but comment on how it was hard to sell, because the label looked too "grocery store" aka not "fun enough". Consumers are just into that style of label right now, and helps them distinguish the difference from a Meiomi label vs. anything else. And in that sense, Gulp Hablo IS a step away from pure grocery store fare.
At some point, Natural wine has to accept that they are not a promotional style or label or the only version of a finer wine. They get to claim what they actually are, but no one has a claim on promotional style if the facts are accurate. And, as you point out, why oh why do we hate gateway wines so much? The liklihood of Gulp Hablo leading more drinkers to actual Naural wine is pretty high.