The CBC asked recently “why all this Fuzion?”
CBC’s popular radio show, Q recently had a couple of my wine writing colleagues – John Szabo and Mike Mandel – to discuss the success of the Fuzion wines. While they provided all the reasons for the wine’s popularity: easy name, in fashion grape varieties, romantic country, low price, pleasant taste and the power of today’s social network – the real question is why this topic at all?
Consumers of wine are no different than consumers of other products. They fall into two camps. Those who simply consume, and those who try to enrich their lives with diverse experiences.
When someone likes their bread soft, their wall hangings flowery, their music quiet, and their clothes beige – we know that these things don’t interest them. It doesn’t make then a bad person – but their purchase choices hardly constitute a trend. Or a news story.
In music, food, art or fashion we know what is fluff because we know. But in wine we think it’s the snob verses the common man. But not so. It’s about ‘couldn’t care’ consumers, and ‘adventurers’. The couldn’t care group have always had a favourite beige-style wine such as Yellow Tail, Blue Nun or Black Tower.
So my comment is this: who cares what those who don’t care are doing! Wouldn’t it be more interesting to hear about those who are NOT drinking Fuzion – the individualists, the adventurers.
Fuzion has built a following delivering a smooth, crowdpleasing red wine. I expected the newly arrived white to be similar in style – but it’s not. Instead it’s crisp, pure and tart in the style of Italian Pinot Grigio. A hot day refresher, or before dinner wine. A bargain in summer whites.
It’s time for my favourite Spring ritual – a glass of Sauvignon Blanc