Dear Mr. Heimoff,
As the title of this letter subtly suggests, I’m writing you this letter in regards to your post today entitled This One’s Too Easy about the upcoming NextGen Wine Competition.
First, I would like to thank you for your kind words regarding the judging panel. I am one of the judges for the competition and I chose to accept that role because I strongly believe in the value of a competition like this. I disagree with much of what you wrote and I’d like to address a few of the points you made in your post today.
You wrote: “I mean, if there’s a Millennial wine competition, why not an Octagenarian wine competition? …” If the Octogenarian market was the fastest growing demographic in US wine consumption (as millennials are), there SHOULD be an Octogenarian wine competition. If US persons age 80-89 were considered “the largest consumer group in the history of the United States in terms of their buying power” (as millennials are), I would be in full support of this competition. And if Octogenarians were able to have such a huge impact on the global wine industry with ONLY THREE-QUARTERS of them legally allowed to consume wine at the moment (millennials again), I would set that competition up myself.
In regards to the futility of the competition, you wrote: “There are 70 million Millennials in this country. Surely, not all of them want the same thing.” There are millions of wine drinkers in this country, and surely not all of them want or like what Steve Heimoff or Robert Parker like – and yet, you do not find the occupation of wine critic useless. You summarized: “So it might sound a little self-serving, but I think the public’s interest is best served, if they want critical reviews, by sticking with trusted reviewers — regardless of their age or gender — who review everything in their regions.” I find it difficult to understand how a panel of 20 millennial wine pros tasting and grading wines is useless while at the same time your own occupation as a wine critic is valid.
I don’t think this competition is an exercise in sales forecasting. I don’t think that what the judges say about these diverse wines will be reflected in national sales – how can it with the inequality of distribution, the 3-tier system, and state by state shipping laws?
I believe and hope that this competition will be very useful for the wine industry in recognizing patterns in taste among the panel of 20 or so judges within this valuable demographic. Through this experience, we may discover that the millennial judges all share certain likes or dislikes which can then be tested in the larger market, providing valuable data.
I accepted the role as a member of the judging panel because my hope is that the results will be very important to the wine industry and I am taking it very seriously.
Thank you for you time and I look forward to meeting you and continuing our conversation at the Wine Bloggers Conference this summer.
Sincerely,
-Leah
Thank you to reader and Massachusetts winemaker @IsaaksofSalem for the heads up.
Effin A, Leah… Effin’ A.
Very nicely worded. Firm, polite, well written and worthy of further discussion. I appreciate that you weren’t rude.
Excellent work!
Josh @nectarwine on Twitter
You nailed it. Just because we’re young, it doesn’t mean we can’t have an impact on the wine industry. As you aptly stated, it looks like we’ve got the purchasing power, knowledge and motivation to become major game-changers as wine critics or in the industry itself.
I’ve no doubt you’ll represent us well at the competition, Leah.
To try and understand all of these goofy comments about competitions, ratings etc – go get a balloon – blow it up and then let it go without tying off the end. This is what is happening to the status quo in the wine business — its running out of gas.
Both the industry and consumers are quietly evolving to a new place – pleased you and all your friends are part of it.
I actually think the larger issue is that there are simply too many reviews (and reviewers, for that matter). I used to do them (as a member of that club), and struggled for many years as to my role (albeit, a very small one compared to many) and whether I was performing a useful service. The issue of to review or not to review, of course, transcends wine. It’s no different than a film critic or a classical music critic. I think that the difference between the “experts” and the lay followers of them is that the experts simply have a deeper background. At the end of the day, the critic is mostly telling us about him or her through the medium of the wine (or book or film or opera). Criticism, particularly wine criticism when it is done on a numerical scale, cloaks something that is almost entirely subjective (you say raspberry, I say red cherry; you say over oaked, I say structured) in the guise of objectivity. I just wish that consumers (and wine buyers at the stores and restaurants I pitch my wines to) would rely more on their own palates and less on the palates of others.
Hi Leah, this makes me remember when I was a young Baby Boomer and everyone told us we were taking over the world! Regardless of whether we did or didn’t, it was an empowering feeling. After all, we were the generation that said “Never trust anyone over 30.” So I certainly understand and respect the feeling Millennials have of being the wave of the future. Indeed you are. I think the point I was trying to make (not for the first time) was that there’s a cottage industry of wine competitions, all vying to be the best and most long-lasting. Nothing wrong with that. It’s entrepreurial capitalism, and it’s how our economy works. Invent a better mousetrap, and you’re set. Part of my reaction is that I am older and I have my perspective, and there’s nothing to keep me from expressing it in my blog. People seem to like what I write, and I’m happy that it generates discussion, on both sides, whether you agree with me or not. Dialog is a great thing. It gets the generations engaging with each other, not just looking in from the outside. One of the things that keeps me thinking young (even as my body ages) is to be with and talk with Millennials. I have lots of friends in their 20s and enormous respect for them. So I hope nobody ever things I’m dissing Millennials, or social media, or anything like that. I’m just throwing opinions out there.
Hi Steve – Despite my radio silence, I was pretty thrilled to see you not only read this, but responded. I have to agree with you regarding the glut of wine competitions – coming from entertainment, it’s eerily similar to the film festival phenomenon of a few years ago. I was hoping, however, to change your mind on this particular event.
Regardless of whether we agree on this, your point about a dialog is absolutely true. In the couple of weeks that followed these posts, I’m tempted to say the dialog is more valuable than either of our opinions alone as that is what’s bringing this particular topic to light.
Thank you.
-L
ps: Apparently we are mortal enemies.
Leah, I could not agree with you more and this is a very well written piece. Why are there certain bodies and people who have lost touch with the real magic of wine – its ability to engage people of all generations, cultures, walks of life and across all languages around something beautiful. Its what I am loving most about the explosion of social media and wine.Taste is subjective and everyone is entirely entitled to their opinion, although it would appear that Mr. Heimoff does not agree. I wonder is it really the public’s interest he has at heart or his own.
I have had the great pleasure to drink and enjoy great wines with people from all over the world and across all ages and genders and each of them has in some way shared something unique and special about wine with me, and I hope that continues. I guess you have to be open to people’s opinions to be able to appreciate them Mr Heimoff.
I have for such a long time believed that wine is as much about the person, the place and the moment where you share it and therefore it is natural that people with common interests, life experiences etc may be more inclined to share common tastes, so a competition which can offer a reference point for the next generation is a great thing in my book. I think indeed you may find it appeals to a number of people ( probably like myself who is definitely not a Millenial) but whose experience of wine or taste profiles have been overlooked by the existing ‘professional wine critics”. There is room for many opinions and anything that gets people to share and discover the fantastic experience of loving wine is good. Wine is best when its a conversation, not a sermon. Good luck with everything and keep up the great work.
It’s Heimoff vs. The Millennials…
In this corner, Steve Heimoff, noted professional wine critic. His opponent: The Millennier (Leah Hennessy), speaking on behalf of a generation. As Janet Jackson sang, “Who’s right, who’s wrong?” Leah makes a pretty good case, IMHO. Although, I did…
Love it, well put Leah.
Millenier, you sold out. The point of challenging the established marketing/distribution/strategy for wine consumers is that Millennials don’t consume advice and media the same way. I expect to see new idea’s and viewpoints other than ‘my opinion is just as good as yours Steve’ from this blog.
I would have expected a response that fit your strategic marketing viewpoint for this tasting. Such as ‘Yeah right Steve, do you foursquare, tweet, and stream live video, and rss feed your tastings to the cloud like we are going too! I don’t think so! Steveeeee’. Other idea’s that come to mind are ‘We are going to have three tastings throughout the day on live-view so all our fans can participate and ask questions about the wine live during the event via (fill in social media tool)’ . And these are my crappy idea’s, you would have better ones.
Doing things like this is why we need a wine tasting for millennials, not because our taste buds are just as ‘valued’ as the established three tiers and magazines. I feel like your letter is responding to someone well valued in your industry, so you don’t want to upset them, because maybe, just maybe, someday Steve will call and have a job for you.
That is not rock and roll.
Leah…fantastic logic…I hope all your readers get inspired! One more piece of logic that you could have included is that the diet of Millennials and Octogenarian are probably vastly different? If one is eating differently than one’s wine will be dfferent…30 years ago many American wine drinkers (today’s Baby Boomers) were “in love” with white zinfandel and chablis (and I don’t mean the good white wine from the Chablis region)….were they all idiots? Every generation starts someplace and the fact that your generation is at least wanting to judge quality fine wine would indicate that your generation is light years ahead of were us Bab Boomers were when we were in our twenties…good luck with the contest…hopefully this attention may get more Millennials interested in wine…personally I think its a better alternative beverage and much more social!
Isn’t it interesting…I particularly like the walk back response…”Dialog is a great thing…I’m just throwing opinions out there.” Leah, you take the high road brilliantly.
My objection has been not so much the content on Mr. Heimoff’s blog…but the condescending tone, patronizing phrasing and occasional mean, critical perspective…he called the growing, various wine competitions a “metastasization” . (Is that a word?) And there are other posts in this vein. Frankly, I appreciate your ability to post direct, heart felt logic about a subject you are so passionate about. And there are several other wine bloggers out there who can also do this beautifully…then again, those are pretty easy to spot; and generally they don’t pick stupid fights.
Those of us dedicated to the F & B or Hospitality Industry know there is room for everyone and as host(ess), we want everyone to feel welcome. Perhaps that is a frightening change for many in the (‘old school’) wine industry.
[...] the Millennial Challenge judges, a marketer named Leah Hennessy, waxes indignant and posts on her monchromatic (purple) blog a response that…it just makes me [...]
Leah,
You are spot on my friend with your reply to Steve’s post! Always interesting how the old regime tries to keep down the new regime, to me it serves as proof positive that you are doing something right.
Keep taking the high road.
Viv la Millennials!!!
[...] I’ve seen a few interesting blog posts the last few days. The first was by Steve Heimhoff (http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2010/05/05/this-ones-too-easy/#comments) regarding the news that a Millennial Wine Competition has been formed for this June. Steve does not appear to be in support of the competition. The second was a response from Leah Hennessy defending the competition (http://millennier.com/2010/05/06/an-open-letter-to-mr-steve-heimoff-regarding-his-millennial-wine-co…). [...]
http://www.novacadamatre.com/?p=57
This is an excellent response to the curator at the Museum of Wine Artifacts.
The wineries themselves will determine if there are too many competitions. If no one participates in a particular competition, then it was unnecessary. If wineries do wish to enter, then the competition has a reason for being.
Steve Heimoff seems upset that other people are doing what he does. Why not think of it as inspiring others to love wine and want to write and talk about it?
Perhaps wineries do want to cater to Millennials rather than Octogenarians. Or vice versa. Or maybe just want to get their brand out there. The more opportunities people have to taste wine or even just read or hear about wine they’d like to try, the better for the wine industry as a whole.
If the Wine Competition for Single Moms in Their 30s who Drive Chevys gets even one person to find a wine she loves, everyone benefits. (Well, with one exception.)
Seems to me that the conflict has to do with the reason and nature of a wine competitition. Leah’s letter clearly points that out when she writes:
“I believe and hope that this competition will be very useful for the wine industry in recognizing patterns in taste among the panel of 20 or so judges within this valuable demographic. Through this experience, we may discover that the millennial judges all share certain likes or dislikes which can then be tested in the larger market, providing valuable data.”
Us “old guards” remember when the competition was to evaluate and recognize winemaking achievement–it was about the wine and not about the judges.
I was glad to see Steve stop in and respond to Leah. The best blogging promotes an exchange of ideas.
As to whether a wine competition, of any sort, truly determines anything, I remain unconvinced. Mostly, it calls attention to wines that might be interesting to drink. It’s not clear to me that Millennials, as a group, like different wines than anyone else.
Hell yeah!! Sometimes (often) that man speaks like a fool. Every once in a while he says something worthwhile, but then goes and says shit like this. Excellent retort though, well done!