TexaS Wine Journal Category Report Blanc du BoiS- 2014
About Journal RatingS Texas Wine Journal ratings are about building awareness for Texas wines through independent, credible and objective ratings. Through consensus, as opposed to the voice and opinions of a single judge, we can create a more comprehensive guide. Journal ratings are based on tastings by a panel of judges; of which a five-judge quorum is required. All wines are tasted under single blind conditions and organized based on peer group (meaning that the same types of wines are tasted against each other and the producers names are not known). Price is also not a known factor when the panel meets. Each producer receives notice of their wine s rating prior to any rating being published. Ratings will be held in confidence if the producer chooses not to allow its publication. The exception to this rule is if a wine rates in the top five of its respective category. The rating will also be included as part of the population of ratings to be analyzed for trends within the category, which is presented as a category report. Only wines scoring 80 points or higher will be published. Wines that are considered flawed or atypical are re-tasted. All wines are evaluated on a standardized form based on a 20-point score. The 20-point score is converted to a 100 point score using the same conversion method that Decanter Magazine uses. In addition to pointed ratings, a consumer rating will be provided in the form of Recommended and Highly Recommended wines. January 2015-1
Type Of Data We Track Wine Score (20-points and 100-points) Category Average Single Wine Deviation: A measure of panel consensus for a single wine Average Deviation Across Category: The average deviation between a single wine and the category average - An average calculation across each wine s individual deviation Panel Consensus: Represents how well the panel tastes as a judging body - A deviation calculation of category averages across all judges Typicity Across Category: A Measure of typicity (consistency in style) - A deviation calculation across all averaged wine scores C Miguel Lecuona, Wine Marketing Guide LLC. Appellation Tracking: Breakdown of Texas AVAs Vineyard Tracking Blanc du BoiS 2014 Category Average: 13.90/20 (80 Points) Texas vs. The World: A seperate category that places the top rated Texas wine from a given category in a blind tasting of world wines Year-to-Date Breakdown Average Deviation Across Category: 0.75 Typicity Across Category: 1.44 Panel Consensus: 0.30 January 2015-2
Score Breakdown 95-100 Extraordinary. Superior character and style. 90-94 Excellent. Noteworthy character and highly recommended. 85-89 Very good. Wine with special qualities and potentially a great value depending on price. 80-84 Good. Solid wine with above average character. 75-79 Average. Straightforward with little distinction beyond being soundly made. Wine Storage Wines are cellared in the bonded and air conditioned space of Vinovium Partners located at 401 Ranch Road 620 North, #C2, Lakeway Texas, 78734. C Miguel Lecuona, Wine Marketing Guide LLC. January 2015-3
Category Report The Blanc du Bois category featured 19 wines (10 producers and 2 estate vineyards) that came from grapes sourced from across the state; 19 (100%) were appellated Texas. The prices of the wines submitted ranged from $15 to $45 ($24 category average) and included the following: 1 from the 2011 vintage, 7 from the 2012 vintage and 11 from 2013 vintage. Producers Featured In The Blanc du Bois Category Compass Rose Cellars Crump Valley Vineyards Blue Ostrich Winery & Vineyard Haak Vineyard & Winery Lost Pinos Ranch Vineyards Lost Oak Winery Messina Hof Winery The Vineyard at Florence Tres 10 Solutions (Stache Collaboration) William Chris Vineyards The Top 5 Rated WineS 1. William Chris Vineyards, Texas, Blanc du Bois, Brut, 2013-16.31/20, 88 Points - $35 2. Lost Oak Winery, Texas, Blanc du Bois, 2012-16.13/20, 87 Points - $17 3. The Vineyard at Florence, Texas (Estate), Aurelia 2012-15.44/20, 85 Points - $35 4. Haak Vineyard & Winery, Texas, Blanc du Bois, Semi-Sweet, 2012-15.38/20, 85 Points - $15 5. Tres 10 Solutions, Texas, Stache 2013 15.31/20, 85 Points- $30 January 2015-4
C Miguel Lecuona, Wine Marketing Guide LLC. After each category is tasted and rated the scores across the panel are averaged, which allows us to track the consensus across a wide range of palates and thus produces a final rating that is more objective and comprehensive; even when category and panel deviations are considered. To that point, 26% of the wines rated were defined to be Very Good wines by Journal definitions (scoring 85-89 points), 32% were rated Good wines (scoring 80-84 points), 26% were Average wines (scoring 75-79 points) and 16% were Below Average (74 points or less). RatingS Breakdown Extraordinary (95-100) - 0 total Excellent (90-94) - 0 total Very Good (85-94) 5 total, 100% TX Good (80-84) - 6 total, 100% THC Average (75-79) - 5 total, 100% TX Below Average (<75) - 3 total, 100% TX January 2015-5
EState VineyardS 1. Haak Vineyards - 3 acres 2. The Vineyard at Florence - 32 acres (10 planted to Blanc du Bois) Vintage Breakdown 2011-1 total (5%) - 100% Below Average 2012-7 total (37%) - 43% VG, 43% G, 14% BA 2013-11 total (58%) 18% VG, 27% G, 45% A, 9% BA Extraordinary - EE, Excellent - E, Very Good - VG Good- G, Average - A, Below Average - BA Every 0.25 deviation points on a 20-point scale is equivalent to roughly 1.0 point on a 100-point scale C Miguel Lecuona, Wine Marketing Guide LLC. January 2015-6
2014 RatingS Breakdown (across all categories) Extraordinary (95-100) Excellent (90-94) Very Good (85-89) Good (80-84) Average (75-79) Below Average (<75) Wines Rated In 2014 122 White Blends - 21 Syrah - 15 Red Blends - 30 Merlot - 11 Cabernet Sauving Blanc - 26 Blanc du Bois - 19 Wines Rated To Date 122 Producers That Submitted Wines 49 Number of Categories Rated This Year 6 of 9 Average Panel Consensus To Date 0.62 White Blends - 1.43 Syrah - 0.35 Red Blends - 0.41 Merlot - 0.69 Cabernet Sauving Blanc - 0.54 Blanc du Bois - 0.30 Number of Categories Rated To Date 6 Hours Spent Ratings Wines To Date 48 Average Submissions Per Producer 2 January 2015-7
In ConcluSion The Blanc du Bois category averaged out to 80 points with an average cost of $24/bottle The Journal Highly Recommends 1 wine or 5% and Recommends 10 wines or 53% All wines submitted were appellated Texas The typicity across the category calculation is not an accurate measure of typicity across the category, in this particular Blanc du Bois tasting, due to the fact that varying styles of Blanc du Bois were featured as part of the overall category; namely sparkling and off-dry styles. Due to reduced submissions for this category we had no alternative but to place these different styles submitted into the same category tasting as dry and still styles. When we look at only those wines submitted that were dry and still (15) versus those that were off-dry and still (3) and the one sparkling wine we get a better picture of typicity across the dry and still styles; which has a calculated typicity of 1.53 and an average of 80 points. This suggests that Blanc du Bois shows less typicity amongst producers than all other categories tasted to date except for white blends. In other words, there is a great deal of difference between one producer s Blanc du Bois and another. This is not entirely unexpected, due to the fact that there is a tremendous amout of expermitation occuring across the industry to determine what works best for the number of varying styles applicable to Blanc du Bois. In this category alone we tasted sparkling, still, off-dry, bone-dry, oaked and sur lied styles of Blanc du Bois. Taking into account fortified versions as well, Blanc du Bois maybe as versatile to Texas as Chenin Blanc is to France, which is a parallel that requires its own investigation. The population size for a single vintage is too small to really grasp the characteristics of a particular vintage. Even when looking at the 2013 vintage (11 wines) we see a deviation of 1.51 points, which is not statistically normal, which therefore suggests that the population size is too small. The same goes for the varying styles submitted. While the typicity of the category and the style and vintages submitted did not produce results that warrant any solid conclusions to be made at this time, the category did provide an incredible level of panel consensus. With a panel consensus of 0.30, the Blanc du Bois category had more panel consensus than all other categories tasted to date. C Miguel Lecuona, Wine Marketing Guide LLC. January 2015-8
Our CollaboratorS The Texas Wine Consortium (the Consortium) is a nonprofit launched in April 2012 with the mission to inform, educate and promote Texas Wines to the trade, consumer and prospective industry partners. The Consortium aims to be the go-to source for data and information about the industry, a leader in the development of quality standards as well as cellaring the largest library of Texas wines with which to use for educational and awareness purposes; of which the Texas Wine Journal is included. By industry professionals, for industry professionals, the new SOMM Journal serves as an educational tool for on- and off-premise hospitality professionals as well as those looking to further their understanding of wine and spirits. Under the guidance of Meridith May, Publisher and Editorial Director for the nation s most-red beverage industry publication, the The Tasting Panel Magazine, Somm Journal s team of top-shelf contributors includes internationally renowned wine writers, sommeliers and authorities. The SOMM Journal is a bi-monthly publication that has a distribution list of 50,000 beverage professionals throughout the United States and an ever growing international audience. Vinovium Partners was organized in 2012 and permitted in 2013 as a Bonded Wine Cellar / Wine Blender (TTB) and a G permit winery in Texas (TABC). Our business model is a négociant model, where through the power of consolidation we are able to provide one-stop-shop capabilities for a varying degree of end customers. Our goal is to become the premier seller and marketer in Texas of fine wines packaged in recyclable commercial kegs and in recyclable consumer-oriented, aseptic packages. Vinovium Partners inventories and cellars all wines for the Texas Wine Journal. The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas is a membership nonprofit using their passion for wine and food to better the health and well-being of our community by hosting public wine and food events, educational opportunities and the finest wine auction in the Southwest funding culinary scholarships, educational grants and other deserving causes. The Foundation provides the Texas Wine Journal a home each month to conduct panel tastings. January 2015-9
Our CollaboratorS Continued Texas Hill Country Wineries is a not-for-profit community organization that preserves and promotes the healthy and value added lifestyle of Texas Wines. THCW contributes to the quality of life in and around the Texas Hill Country s nationally recognized wine trails and events. They represent 32 unique and independent wineries committed tpromoting industry advancement and consumer awareness through event and agricultural programs. The mission of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, Inc. is to promote the production and appreciation of premium grapes and fine wines from Texas, and to represent a unified state industry with common marketing, governmental and educational goals. Texas Wine & Trail Magazine is a multifaceted magazine that offers ACCESS TO THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WINE VOICES IN THE STATE. The publication is dedicated to showcasing the amazing diversity of Texas wine culture and growing the success of the Texas wine industry. November 2014-10
A PartnerShip At Work January May 2014 2015 - - 3 11
Support the Journal. Contribute. Submit What You Can With Your Next Submission 2015 Tasting Schedule Submission Deadline February 17 - Viognier and Roussanne...February 13 March 10 - Syrah...March 6 April 21 - White Blends...April 17 May 19 - Dry Rose & Other Mediterranean White Varietal...May 15 June 23 - Blanc Du Bois...June 19 July 21 - Red Blends...July 17 August 18 - Sangiovese...August 14 September 22 - Merlot...September 18 October 20 - Other Mediterranean Red Varietal...October 16 November 17 - Tempranillo...November 13 December 15 - Cabernet Sauvignon...December 11 January 2015-12