2001: A glass odyssey

A new millennium of wine

by Thor Iverson

Predictions are tricky things. Usually, I prefer to make them late in the evening, after a few too many glasses of wine. But although that might make for entertaining reading, the spelling would be atrocious. And so, herewith, a sober look at the year ahead in wine. Feel free to drink along at home, if you wish.

Retailers know that there has been a lot of vintage hype recently. Whether it's the big and fruity '98 Rhônes, the big and fruity '97 California cabernets, or the big and fruity '97s from Tuscany and the Piedmont (sense a pattern here?), Americans seem to be unable to resist chasing what critics tell them is the Next Big Thing. What's missing, of course, is a sense of balance; vintages on either side of these supposedly great years are often more structured, more elegant, more traditional and typical. Some Piedmontese producers are quick to point out that though their '97s are indeed lush and fruity, they consider them almost freakishly atypical, while their beautiful and balanced '96s sit on the shelves, unwanted and unsold. And, incidentally, at quite a discount compared to the overpriced '97s.

So what's the next victim of the herd mentality? It's difficult to say. Few of the already-famous areas have truly unbelievable wines coming down the pipe. Look for the hype over the 2000 Bordeaux to start building, as retailers start offering futures on these wines (opportunities to reserve in advance), from a region that hasn't had a truly spectacular year since 1990. It will be more hype than substance, unfortunately, and as much about the number on the label as the wine in the bottle.

Bargain hunters should look to the '98s from Alsace. More balanced than the sometimes overwrought '97s, these wines are delicious now, and have the requisite acid balance to age wonderfully. Regions that have difficult vintages coming include the Loire ('98), Bordeaux ('97 and '98), and, thanks to El Niño, California ('98), which hasn't had to deal with anything less than a super-ripe vintage since 1989. But, as usual, buying by vintage is a poor way to buy wine. Good producers made good wines nearly every year -- wines that are perfect for drinking while waiting for the "big years" to mature -- and the lack of press-induced fever helps keep prices down.

Ah, prices. Did they go up last year? Definitely. Will they go up again this year? Absolutely. This despite a slowing economy, "grape gluts" caused by overproduction in many of the world's wine regions, and a wine world becoming overrun with luxury cuvées of cabernet and cabernet-based blends from just about everywhere. A thousand identical wines, at a thousand identical ($100-plus) price points, wines that could come from anywhere, but that are desirable simply because others desire them. One would think that there were too many of these wines, and that the incredible demand would be unsustainable. But recent history teaches one singular lesson: the price of wine never, ever goes down. And while dot-com money might be drying up a bit, worldwide demand for all wine is increasing. Basic supply and demand, folks. Get used to spending more than $10 for everyday bottles, and at least $15 for somewhat special bottles. But don't get too used to it, because those numbers are going to go up.

Boston's maturation as a food-and-wine town is proceeding apace. New restaurants are opening with better and better wine lists, and better wine service, as Boston's wine drinkers become more savvy and more demanding. What was good enough last year -- assembling a novel-length tome of big names at indescribably high prices -- is no longer good enough; restaurants actually have to try to do something interesting to compete in the increasingly overheated marketplace. There will be more lists like that at Prezza -- long and comprehensive -- but there will also be more lists like those at Silvertone, Taranta, Truc, and Torch -- shorter ones built around a theme, an idea, a search for interesting wines to go with interesting food. Wine lovers should look forward to new openings from Charles Draghi (ex-Marcuccio's) and, perhaps, Chris Campbell (ex-Uva).

Finally, and as if wine weren't already bewildering enough, more and more places are going to try to sell you their wine. The price of high-end stuff from the well-known regions of France, Italy, Spain, and the West Coast has spiraled out of control. And so importers and adventurous winemakers are trying hard to start taking advantage of little-known wines from unheralded places. Look for wines from the Jura, Pic St-Loup, and the Côtes du Thongue in France; Jumilla and Toro in Spain; the Pfalz and the Saar in Germany; everywhere in Italy but the Piedmont and Tuscany; and Mendocino and Santa Cruz in California.

To get an early jump on all these wine trends, absolutely do not miss the upcoming Boston Wine Expo, January 20 and 21, at the World Trade Center. Call (877) 946-3976, or visit www.wine- expos.com for details. Tickets are limited this year, so act quickly.

And finally, a few wines to start off the new year:

Domaine de l'Ameillaud 1998 Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Cairanne ($9.99). A terrific, rich, fruity example of the typical '98 style in the Rhône Valley. Huge, succulent blackberry and black cherry, bacon fat, and herbs, both balanced and long on the finish.

Boscaini 1997 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Marano ($13.99). A single-vineyard Valpolicella with a delicious, fruit-forward character that makes it wonderful for near-term drinking. Black cherry, with a hint of licorice (a characteristic of the principal grape, corvina), balanced and full-bodied.

Thor Iverson can be reached at wine[a]phx.com.

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