What may be another/alternatively interesting exercise is to take a region, say Bordeaux, and track a chateau, say the first growths, and see what the variance has been. Then compare that to say a Cos/Ducru and then further compare it to Lagrange and so on. Or even more specific, down to the region, so perhaps a Lafite-to-Lynch Bages-to-Pichon Lalande/Baron-to-Batailley.

What we should expect is decreased variances in quality for the wealthier chateau to come earlier in time and then slowly (over time) to the lower chateau.

I'm waiting for the day that you dont have to even cellar wines.

A tommorow where the only reason why you would even bother with 1st growth is because of the name and you want to have the pleasure of waiting for the wine.

The day where something by Yellow tail will score 95 pts blind and still cost 10$.

I personally can't stand a load of tannins found in alot of young wines. If they could figure out how to take soemthing like a 82 montelena, mass produce it, my palate and my wallet would be eternally grateful.

If they figure that out, my collection would become 95% "everyday" drinkers and 5% "collectibles", as oppose to the other way around right now.

It's a tough question. Every time I think of a reason why wines are going to get better, I think of an effect that will counteract that reason.

Wine consumption is rising in the US, China, etc. That pumps more money into the industry allowing investments in technology, personnel, vineyards (both new and for replanting more appropriate varietals/clones), and better or more expensive vineyard management. These steps allow an increase in quality and I think you will see improvements across the board, especially in less well-established wine growing regions. However, demand can also tempt wineries and growers to expand too much with results such as lost character of flagship wines, lost business focus, and the planting of less-than-ideal varietals. (Such a thing happened with the general overplanting of wine grapes in California's central valley, the overplanting of Merlot in the 90's and now Pinot Noir after the Sideways effect.) The result is more wine gets made with less than optimal grapes. It also attracts new folks to the industry: many will be talented and offer much, some will not. There are numerous instances where non-winemaking corporations were attracted by the lure of the industry only to cause a downturn in quality at their purchased winery.

Even if the perfect wine could be made in the lab someday, I wonder what the perfect wine would be. I know many folks who drink wine regularly who prefer something different than what we enthusiasts might choose. I'm not sure many large wineries are focusing on increasing quality as much as they are focusing on increasing profit, improving packaging, and attracting new customers. I guess it is possible in the future that some big company every year will be producing new "Aged" Cabernet, new "Aged" Barolo, "100 year old" Port from grapes fermented last year, etc. Somehow, that would take the fun out of it because I think for many of us, it's more than just the taste pleasure that keeps us enjoying wine.

quote:

Originally posted by Randy Sloan:
Somehow, that would take the fun out of it because I think for many of us, it's more than just the taste pleasure that keeps us enjoying wine.

that's true... that's why i have 10 cases of soda sitting in my kitchen for my need to drink something besides water... "Just for the taste of it..."