competitive advatages from italy to usa

[paulanddanielle]

i would like to know why italy has a more competitve advatage as far as their wine producing as oppose to the usa. what just makes their wine different, economically, socially, and environmentally? please get back to me asap!!!

[Bucko]

Qualify your statement.

[Innkeeper]

Just for starters, wine grapes are the only U.S. crop not subsidized by the government. Conversely, all other wine regions, including Italy, are subsidized; making it much more expensive just to grow the grapes here.

[Thomas]

This is a big question with a wide answer. Is this a homework assignment?

[Botafogo]

Two examples:

Winery A) Got their land for free for being good soldiers in the Crusades (circa 1150 AD), built the current winery in 1850 with some refurbishments in 1970 and uses the labor of the large family.

Winery B) Your dentist and his tax attourney buy some overpriced land in 1993 with borrowed money at high interest rates and then (over) build a "destination" winery / visitor's center / guest house and hired all the help at the prevailing wage plus benefits.

Do the math.....

The most common comment we get from California winemakers when they visit here and taste our latest selections is "How the @$*# can they DO that for $11.99 (or even $7.99)?!?!?"

Culturaly, most American wine producers think they are making ART, while most Italian producers know they are making Groceries...

Economically, 30,000 wineries in competition tends to keep prices in check.

Roberto
WINE EXPO, Santa Monica

[This message has been edited by Botafogo (edited 09-14-2002).]

[Thomas]

Roberto goes to the head of the class--the original poster gets an A for Roberto's labor...

[joeyz6]

Interesting, Roberto. But don't you think Europeans consider wine-making an art, too? I always had the impression they had a more artistic philosophy in their wine-making than Americans. They just don't charge an arm and a leg for people to taste their work.

[Botafogo]

Single Vineyard Barolos, Lagrein Riservas, Amarone, some serious dessert wines and other special bottles, yes. DOC Ciro or Salice Salentino for everyday consumption, no...just good eats, cheap!

[Thomas]

I think the difference is that in Italy the art in winemaking is to produce a good quality wine for consumption at the table--in America, the art is to produce a work of art known as wine, and then charge a lot for it. This is not to say that some in Italy haven't gotten on the "Expensive Art" bandwagon--Gaia comes to mind.

[slovakwine]

Culturaly, most American wine producers think they are making ART, while most Italian producers know they are making Groceries...
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That is one of the funniest things I have ever read on a wine board. I don't think this is necessarily true for just Americans though. Definitely funny though.

[Kcwhippet]

Slavakwine, What sort of wine comes from the Czech Republic and Slovakia?