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98 WINES&VINES January 2017 UNIFIED SYMPOSIUM Reference books for e e Growers Wine Enthusiasts Winemakers Students & visit winetitlesbookstore.com.au w w w. w i n e t i t l e s b o o k s t o r e . c o m . a u food, you raise some animals, you make some wine." The advantage over those days, of course, is that thanks to globalization, "You have a local, preserved product like wine that can travel, and you can have it in Tokyo and San Francisco and New York and anywhere else you want it." A changing voice Another major shift since Asimov joined the Times in the 1980s has been the emergence of digital media including blogs, YouTube reviews and forums for wine col- lectors. High-speed internet made it possible to hear and ex- press a variety of opinions other than what was available from consumer publications such as the Wine Advocate and Wine Spec- tator, he says. "It's something I believe is very encouraging. The subtext of my 'Wine School' column is to eliminate the need for taste dic- tators, to help everybody to de- velop confidence in their own taste, so they're not looking for critics and scores to validate what they like." People in other countries feel more free to "follow their own muse" than have critics dictate what wine should taste like, he says. Asimov believes wine criticism is as valuable as it's ever been, but the purpose is evolving as readers want more than a score and a list of aromas and flavors. "It's more important to be in- spirational and educational and to look behind wines to under- stand where they come from, to examine the various cultures of wine. These are increasingly im- portant to consumers." Unfortunately, he laments, some of the "benchmark wines" that ignited many an oenophile's love affair with wine as recently as a decade ago have become almost inaccessible to the aver- age American and those just starting to explore the world of wine due to price. "Most people can't afford Grand Cru Burgundy, and Pre- mier Cru is getting up there, and t o p - l e v e l B o r d e a u x ? Fo r g e t about it. All of these benchmark wines that have always been in- tegral in helping people form a context for their tastes are now out of reach for people, and I think it's really sad." Of course, Asimov admits there is a larger wine-drinking public beyond those who seek out Old World classics and desire to know more about them, and wine com- panies are increasingly armed with products to sell to those con- sumers, too. "There is an increase in wines aimed at people who don't care much about wine, and I don't have any problem with that," he says, likening it to mass-produced food sold in supermarkets. "It's a question of convenience and speed. They want a cheap wine, and they're happy with what they're buying." The business of wine While Asimov's keynote address will be to a room full of winery executives, he clearly states, "I've never been one to tell peo- ple how they should make the wine, sell the wine, drink the wine. I think people have to ar- rive at their own conclusions." When he takes the place as keynote speaker, Asimov will fol- low Fred Franzia, CEO of JFJ Bronco Winery, who astonished "The subtext of my 'Wine School' col- umn is to eliminate the need for taste dictators, to help everybody to develop confidence in their own taste." —Eric Asimov, The New York Times