Ask the WC 35: Kroger merger, Fred Franzia, AVAs

This edition of Ask the WC: The Kroger-Albertson’s merger and wine, plus Fred Franzia and lots of new AVAs

Because the customers always have questions, and the Wine Curmudgeon has answers in this irregular feature. You can Ask the Wine Curmudgeon a wine-related question by clicking here.

Hi, Jeff:
You write a lot about the retail part of the wine business, and as far as I know you’re the only one who takes grocery store wine seriously. So how will this proposed Kroger-Albertson’s merger affect those of us who buy wine in the grocery store?
Worried

Dear Worried:
I’d be worried, too. This merger, announced last week, would turn the of the two biggest supermarket chains in the country into one. How do we know to be worried? Because the business media has fallen all over itself saying what a great idea it is. How can reducing competition for food — especially these days — be a good idea for anyone but the companies merging? Unless, of course, you think higher prices and less choice is a good idea.
•

Dear Wine Curmudgeon:
Fred Franzia’s death seemed to cause a lot of controversy. Why was that? He just made cheap wine, didn’t he?
Cheap wine drinker

Dear Cheap:
Because, he made cheap wine, of course. And he liked to rag the wine business about it, which offended it that much more. I was surprised, though, at the vitriol when he died, and not just the Eric Asimov piece. I talked to several people in the wine business, who are otherwise quite intelligent and rational, and all were almost giddy about Franzia’s death. He had that kind of a reputation.
•

Hi, Wine Curmudgeon:
I don’t understand  about all these new wine regions. Why is that?
Confused

Dear Confused:
Wine regions in the U.S. are called American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs for short. They’re supposed to highlight the wines of that region and show that the conditions in the region make the wines unique. They’re based on the European model, and for the most part do a good job — even for less known regions. The Texas High Plains AVA is unique, and much different from the Monticello AVA in Virginia. Having said that, they have become an integral part of wine marketing — call it a government seal of approval for wine quality. Which isn’t the case, and was never supposed to be the case. They’re just supposed to denote different geographical regions. So you can be excused for being confused.

More Ask the WC:
• Ask the WC 34: Wine prices, wildfires, supply chain
• Ask the WC 33: Wine consumption, bad wine, Earth Day
• Ask the WC 32: Wine prices, wine and health, Ukraine