Jose Peñín at CMB 2011 Occupation – opinion leader

A conversation with Jose Peñín always sheds new light on the situation in the wine industry, particularly from a Spanish perspective. Spain, home to the world’s most extensive vineyard and the third-largest power in the global wine industry (ranking second even at the CMB!). Anyone who tastes between 9,000 and 10,000 wines a year is on a permanent learning curve and in this interview he shares with us some of the lessons learnt. His first time as a judge at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles gives us an ideal opportunity to ask him a few questions and go back over his career and his analysis of the wine world.

Peñín is a household name worldwide; he is a trailblazer whose criteria have become a benchmark within the Spanish wine industry. He is the only Spanish ‘guru’ who has exported his expertise and knowledge globally through his wine guide which is published every year in three languages – Spanish, naturally, English though also German. It has become a bible for many Spanish wine buyers across the globe.

CMB – How did the guide come about?

“Providing consumers with an unbiased guide which did not attempt to dictate taste but focus more on methodology, was a totally new approach in Spain in the 1980s. Inevitably, the methodology was detached and free from any passion. Its primary aim was to be consumer-driven, thus lacking bias and delivering accuracy instead. That is how I became the first person in Spain to use a scoring system”.

Was there a need for opinion leaders and critical commentary?

“Whatever the field, critical commentary is necessary and I think in that respect, the trend is intensifying with the internet. Because the range of wines is so vast, the consumer is confused and needs help forming an opinion. Selection is essential, though I believe any form of critic worship should be avoided. Consumers are not groupies, they are independent and we sometimes tend to forget that.

Tasting is a lesson in humility. In my case, the rigorous, straightforward system which eschews subjectivity and incorporates tasting history with around ten thousand wines tasted annually, populates a huge database that will soon be going live. It is a brand new portal combining content from the guide, a blog, multimedia content…

Admittedly this system bears my name, it is a brand, but above all, it is a team effort by young experts who follow the procedure and the rigorous system that I set up”.

Tastings for both wine guides and competitions have evolved. What is your take on this?

“I think tastings by oenologists are extremely interesting but they fail to convey any emotions. They are technical and speak more of the ‘cleanness’ of a wine than of the ‘enjoyment’ of drinking it. Additionally, oenologists are often so engrossed in their own work that they don’t compare their wines with other wines. That’s where the critic and journalist come in. Both approaches are compatible and necessary.

I believe competitions like CMB contribute to the overall improvement in quality. It is more than just an award; it is an opportunity for benchmarking and therefore a very sound initiative”.

Is the race for points, medals and awards of any use to producers?

“There is no denying that medals drive sales. If I am unfamiliar with a winery then I am unfamiliar with its wines, so a medal from a reputable competition reassures me. For the producer, it is a marketing tool involving minimal risk. If I lose, I haven’t lost much but if I win, I stand to win a lot.”

Finally, what is your current opinion on wine in Spain?

“Spain is an unusual wine producing country. Historically, it has supplied raw materials, and in the wine industry, bulk wines. We are currently experiencing a transitional phase where wine drinking is at a low but young consumers are engaging with the industry from the premium end. The traditional Spanish wine market is in the on-trade which is why wine drinking is conservative by nature and wines with a pedigree, the prestige brands or classic appellations are successful. This also promotes consumption of foreign wines because often in Spain there is a feeling that anything that comes from abroad is more 'glamorous'.”

Interview by Frédéric Galtier – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it