Some feedback on the First Growths – Interesting!

Dear “The White Truffle”

Brendon made the point above, however you missed the point. If a young and smart lad and his team decides to create more exposure for smaller wine players, it should be warmly encouraged. I tried all 6 wines from the First Growth and at least 4 are of a very good quality, Ataraxia being the very crème da le crème of South African wines… This is not a gimmick neither cheap marketing. Instead it is a genuine attempt to broaden horizons of wine connoisseurs and quaffers alike and as such I am supporting it wholeheartedly…

by StefanLuka — April 1, 2010 @ 2:35 pm

Hi White Truffle (God that sounds lame, rather go with good old Anon),

Anyway, you seem very upset about this, quite hot under the collar. This is understandable, I too get upset at many terrible things. Genocide for one makes my blood boil, so do people who talk in movies, violence really gets my goat; but the use of a term (not wholly applicable to South Africa anyway) in a wine marketing strategy? Not really.

Your main problem seems to be that you feel the wines in the box do not have the track record to be called ‘First Growths’. I think this is fair enough. I mean in France it probably wouldn’t even be legal. But there’s the rub; we are not in France. We can pretty much use the term ‘First Growth’ anyway we like. Personally I like to refer to the bulge at the back of our president’s head as The First Growth. Sorry I digress.

My intelligence never felt insulted when I received my ‘First Growths box – probably because I was intelligent enough to understand the marketing behind it and never once did I think these wines were supposed to represent South Africa’s Margaux or Haut-Brion.

We do not have first growths in this country. Period. It is simply a game that wine nerds like to play after a few glasses: “So if South Africa were to have five First Growths what would they be?”
You here one anorak say to the next, and then names are thrown around until the wine runs out, or someone brings up Diemersfontein Pinotage (a mood killer at any wine geek table).

So I really do not see how Under the Influence are “short changing people who do not know better.” How are they being short changed? They knew before hand which wines they were buying, and were happy with the price, so you explain short changed? If I was in France and I ordered a case of First Growths, paid for them, and received a case of fourths then I might feel short changed.

Dear sir, I have no idea why this has upset you so. I really don’t. I mean have you seen the colour of the box? It’s pink man! Pink for god’s sake. Surely that and the playful font would indicate that this is not a serious, high brow, no nonsense first growth box that you obviously feel is needed, but rather a fun way of tasting excellent wines from smaller, interesting estates?

Did you even read the page on this very website? let me save you the click:

“At the beginning of the year we went in search of South Africa’s top Boutique wine Estates. We did this for two reasons. Small wine producers typically make exceptional wines and they typically don’t yet have established brand names, hence you pay for what’s in the glass and not what is on the label! So, we have sourced six Boutique wine Estates who produce award winning wines, but don’t have the resources or marketing budget to reach every corner shop and restaurant. We have put together an incredible deal, where you can get their wines at a “mate rate” price, in return helping the Estates to get their names out there.”

If you had read that and still felt the urge to post your sniping bullshit comment then I really don’t understand.

I think what would be best for you is to relax. Smoke a joint, go to the beach, have a bubble bath. These are simply good wines, for a good price, that are enabling the South African wine drinking public to broaden their palate. All I can say is that your intelligence should feel insulted that you would use it to post something like this.

by Harry — April 3, 2010 @ 4:53 pm

Dear White truffle, to post something anonymously is firstly cowardly or is your first name actually White and your surname Truffle, was your mother really trying to insult everyone calling you by one of the most sought after ingredients on earth? Are you really from Piedmont or do you come from beneath a huge Oak along the streets of Paarl? Or are you a South African going under a fake name that allows you to say what you want? White Truffle you must not challenge us to a childish game of let’s say what’s really our minds because you might find yourself lashing against Harry the Hamburger, Allister the Apple and Fasie the Strand of Saffron. Get a life bru, did you write Charles back a similar email for his brilliance on the play on words for his range of wines that goes mad oveseas? A first Growth according to the majority of the SA wine drinking public is not understood according to the 1855 classification, they have no clue or understanding of AOC and don’t give a damn about a controlled appelation cause if it tastes kiff let’s give it a go. For SA wine drinkers First Growths would mean the first couple of vintages produced by a producer or the first time the vine produces fruit, the market for first growths is people that want to drink good wine that is not goverened by a out of reach price tag. If you feel so patriotic about The Real First Growths then do something about it instead of writting bullshit posts on sites. White Truffle focus your anger in other directions because on this site if you get rude and personal you may find you get shaved on handmade pasta, tossed about and consumed angrily with a great bottle of Pinot.

by Fasie — April 6, 2010 @ 7:55 am