Why We Don’t Drink Award-Winning Wines, but Drink Non-Awarded Beer

I could almost swear that since the advertising of wine has been allowed, I have not seen a single advertisement for any wine on any of the national television programs. And I clearly remember how winemakers cried out that without advertisements, there is no life for them when advertising wine was legally prohibited. In recent years, winemaking in Croatia has experienced a true renaissance. In terms of the number of winemakers and in terms of quality. The proof is the medals that Croatian winemakers are collecting at international wine fairs. These days, newspapers are full of articles about the incredible success of Croatian winemakers at the largest and most prestigious wine competition in the world, the Decanter World Wine Awards. Last year, Croatian winemakers collected as many as eight gold medals at this competition, and this year only one gold, but the number of awarded Croatian wines this year was twice as high as last year. Last year, 27 Croatian wines received awards or recommendations, while this year, as many as 53 wines received such recognitions. Congratulations!

And now, having proven that they can produce excellent wine, winemakers could work a bit on its sales. It seems that this will be a bit more difficult. For example, most of this year’s Decanter awards were given to Croatian wines in the category of wines priced over £10. And that means very high. In Western European markets, very high-quality wines in retail networks start at three to four euros. At a price higher than 10 euros, let alone higher than 10 pounds, no Croatian wine, no matter how many gold Decanters it has won, can make it to supermarket shelves. It may eventually be found in wine shops, among hundreds and hundreds of other high-quality wines from around the world.

Such wines do have an entry ticket to the shelves of Croatian supermarkets, but they do not have a passage. The average Croatian wine lover first looks at the price, and only then at the quality, and that mostly in the period after they have drunk everything they have produced themselves until the new wine they will also produce themselves. Those wine lovers who do not produce it themselves often compensate for the high price of quality wines with the relatively low price of quality beers. And not only because beer is cheaper, but primarily because brewers have successfully persuaded them to consume through their advertising campaigns. It is not reliably known how much wine is stockpiled in the cellars of winemakers, but it is known that it is increasing more and more. It is assumed that a two-year production is stockpiled in the cellars. It is true that (some) wines increase in price with long aging, but there is a little problem called liquidity, not wine but cash. It would be really foolish for award-winning wines, even those adorned with Decanters, to end up as vinegar because they cannot be sold. Shouldn’t we consider advertising them?

Otherwise, who will know what distinguishes a Merlot crowned with Decanter gold from the 2008 vintage without advertising? Here is how it is described by Marijan Kežević, the oenologist from Podrum Belje: This Merlot, deep ruby red in color, is a serious wine at first glance. Its aroma is intense, rich, fruity, with an emphasis on dried plum, black berries, marmalade, and in the background, chocolate and vanilla. The taste is rich, with excellent body structure, soft and ripe tannins, fine and rich acids, and a very long finish…