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Discover Hidden Gems: Small Italian Wine Producers Imported to Oregon and California

Uncover the heart of Italy in every pour. Delve into a handpicked selection of wines from small, passionate Italian producers, now available in Oregon and California. Elevate your palate with unique flavors and stories—order your favorite small-batch Italian wines today!

🍷 Crafted with Care: Experience the artistry of small Italian wine producers who pour their hearts into every bottle. Taste the dedication that transforms grapes into liquid poetry.

🌿 Sip Stories of the Land: These wines embody the landscapes of Italy's charming vineyards. From rolling hills to coastal breezes, journey through Italy with every sip.

📦 Delivered to Your Door: Embrace the enchantment of Italy's boutique wineries without the travel. We deliver their best-kept secrets straight to your doorstep.

🥂 Raise a Glass to Authenticity: Celebrate the authenticity and heritage of Italian winemaking traditions. Experience the flavors that have been perfected through generations.

👩‍💻 Effortless Online Selection: Our website makes exploring and ordering small-batch Italian wines a breeze. Discover hidden treasures and support passionate producers with just a few clicks.

🍾 Exclusive Access: Join our community to unlock access to limited-edition releases and insider insights. Become part of a journey that celebrates the essence of Italian craftsmanship.

Immerse yourself in the charm of small Italian wine producers, available right here in Oregon and California, brought to you by Delfino Fine Wines. Elevate your wine experience — click here to discover the hidden gems that Italy has to offer!

Food for Wine, Wine for Food

Food and wine have a fascinating interplay that can significantly influence each other's flavors. When paired thoughtfully, the combination of food and wine can enhance and elevate the overall dining experience. Here's how food can change the flavor of wine and vice versa:

1. Complementary and Contrasting Flavors:

Complementary Pairing: Certain flavors in food can complement the flavors in wine, creating a harmonious blend. For example, the fruity notes in a wine can complement the sweetness of a dish, enhancing both the wine's fruitiness and the dish's flavors.

Contrasting Pairing: Contrasting flavors between the food and wine can create a balance that highlights specific characteristics. For instance, a high-acid wine can cut through the richness of a fatty dish, providing a refreshing contrast.

2. Enhanced Sensory Perception:

Food can affect how you perceive the flavors of wine. For example, a wine might seem more acidic when tasted alone, but when paired with a dish that has a slightly tangy sauce, the acidity might balance out and appear more integrated.

3. Texture and Mouthfeel:
The texture of food can impact the perception of a wine's mouthfeel. Creamy foods can soften the tannins in a wine, making it feel smoother, while a wine with high tannins can provide structure to a fatty dish.

4. Flavor Intensification:
Certain food components can intensify the flavors in a wine. Spicy dishes, for example, can make a wine's fruitiness more pronounced, or the wine's spice can amplify the heat of the food.

5. Aromatics and Aromas:
Food aromas can interact with the aromas in wine. Subtle herbal or spice notes in a dish can complement similar notes in a wine, enhancing the aromatic experience.

6. Balance and Harmony:
The goal of food and wine pairing is to create balance and harmony. The combination should feel like a unified experience where neither the food nor the wine overwhelms the other.

7. Cultural and Regional Influences:
Pairing wine with regional cuisine can enhance the cultural experience. Wines from a specific region often complement dishes that have evolved alongside those wines.

8. Experimentation and Personal Preference:
Ultimately, food and wine pairing is subjective. While there are classic pairings that work well, personal taste plays a significant role. Experimenting with different combinations can lead to discovering unique and enjoyable pairings that suit your palate.

It's important to note that there's no one-size-fits-all rule for food and wine pairing. While there are general guidelines, individual preferences and the specific characteristics of each wine and dish play a significant role in how they interact. The best way to understand the impact of food on wine and vice versa is through experimentation, tasting, and exploration.

Exploring the Fascinating Flavors of Pigato: A Hidden Gem of Ligurian Wines

Exploring the Fascinating Flavors of Pigato: A Hidden Gem of Ligurian Wines

When it comes to Italian wines, the spotlight often shines on classic varietals like Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Aglianico, etc. However, nestled along the picturesque coastline of Liguria, there's a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by wine enthusiasts - the Pigato grape.

Origins and Terroir: Pigato is a white grape variety native to the Ligurian region of Italy, particularly in the western part known as the Riviera di Ponente. The name "Pigato" is said to derive from "pigàu," meaning spotted or speckled, which could refer to the appearance of the grape clusters.

The terroir of Liguria plays a significant role in shaping the characteristics of Pigato wines. The vineyards are located on steep slopes overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, benefiting from the maritime influence that helps maintain the grape's vibrant freshness and distinct minerality, even imparting a touch of seabreeze in the flavors of some of the best expressions.

Aromatic Complexity: Pigato wines are celebrated for their aromatic complexity, capturing the essence of the coastal landscape. On the nose, expect a delightful blend of ripe stone fruits like peach and apricot, sometimes accompanied by zesty citrus notes of lemon and a touch of tangy pineapple. These fruit-driven aromas are interwoven in floral scents, evoking images of the Ligurian coastline adorned with yellow and white blossoms of wild flowers and mediterranean bushes in the summertime, as well as herbal elements - aromas of liguria-native basil are often distinctively found.

Mineral Elegance: One of the standout characteristics of Pigato wines is their pronounced minerality. The soils of Liguria, a mix of clay and limestone, lend the wines a distinct stony quality that adds a layer of elegance and depth. This minerality complements the fruitiness, creating a harmonious balance that makes Pigato a versatile companion for various dishes.

Food Pairing Pleasures: Pigato wines' versatility extends to the dining table, where they can be paired with a range of Mediterranean-inspired dishes. The lively freshness and mineral notes make them a natural match for seafood delicacies, such as grilled prawns, fresh oysters, or a simple plate of linguine with clams. Additionally, their aromatic complexity and structure allow them to hold their own alongside herb-infused dishes like pesto pasta and roasted vegetables, as well as white meat dishes.

Ageability and Exploration: While Pigato wines are often enjoyed in their youth for their vibrant freshness, some bottlings can also exhibit aging potential. With time, the fruit flavors may evolve, and the wine may gain more complexity while maintaining its refreshing character.

For wine enthusiasts seeking an exciting journey off the beaten path of Italian wines, Pigato presents an opportunity to explore a lesser-known yet incredibly rewarding varietal. Its unique blend of fruit, minerality, and coastal charm captures the essence of Liguria in every sip, making Pigato a true hidden gem waiting to be uncorked and savored.

Here's a link to our 2020 Pigato by Marcello Calleri, which was awarded the prestigious "3 bicchieri" Gambero Rosso (maximum score Italy-wide), an exclusive import of Delfino Fine Wines in the United States. 

Wine Cans

Sipping Convenience: The Rise of Canned Wine

In recent years, the world of wine has undergone a remarkable transformation, defying traditional norms and embracing modern trends. Among the notable changes, the surge in popularity of canned wine stands out as a symbol of innovation and convenience in the wine industry. No longer confined to glass bottles and corks, wine lovers can now enjoy their favorite vintages from the sleek, portable, and eco-friendly confines of a can.

Breaking the Mold

Canned wine, once met with skepticism, has swiftly evolved from a novelty to a bona fide trend. This innovation has challenged the longstanding notions of wine consumption, proving that excellent wine experiences need not be limited to traditional packaging. The shift to canned wine has effectively broken down barriers, welcoming a wider audience into the world of oenophiles. From picnics to pool parties, these easy-to-carry cans have seamlessly integrated wine into a variety of social contexts.

Convenience Redefined

The convenience factor is undeniably the driving force behind the rapid adoption of canned wine. With modern lifestyles demanding flexibility and adaptability, canned wine provides an ideal solution for busy individuals. The portability of these cans means that you no longer need to worry about carrying around a cumbersome bottle opener or fret about broken glass during outdoor activities. A quick pop of the tab grants you access to a refreshing sip of your favorite wine.

Preserving Freshness

One of the lingering concerns about canned wine has been its ability to preserve the freshness and flavor that wine enthusiasts hold dear. However, advancements in canning technology and techniques have addressed these concerns head-on. Many wineries now utilize specially designed cans that protect the wine from light and oxygen, safeguarding the integrity of the taste and aroma. As a result, the canned wine experience can rival that of wine served from a bottle.

Eco-Friendly Edge

Beyond convenience and taste preservation, canned wine carries an eco-friendly advantage that aligns with contemporary environmental consciousness. The lightweight aluminum cans generate a smaller carbon footprint compared to glass bottles, thanks to reduced transportation costs and energy consumption. Additionally, aluminum cans are more easily recyclable than glass bottles, adding another layer of appeal to environmentally conscious consumers.

Variety and Accessibility

Canned wine isn't just about convenience—it's about expanding the horizon of wine enjoyment. From classic reds and whites to effervescent rosés and even sparkling options, the world of canned wine offers a surprisingly diverse selection. These cans bring approachability to wine, dismantling the notion that wine appreciation requires a degree in oenology. With more wineries embracing this trend, the variety of canned options is only set to expand further.

The Verdict

As canned wine continues to disrupt the traditional landscape of wine consumption, it's evident that this trend is here to stay. The intersection of convenience, sustainability, and diversity has paved the way for a new era of wine enjoyment that appeals to both seasoned wine enthusiasts and those just starting their journey into the world of grapes and terroir. So, whether you're enjoying a picnic in the park or hosting a rooftop gathering, don't be surprised to see the unmistakable sight of canned wine making its mark on the scene. Cheers to innovation in every sip!

Exploring the World of Wine: A Journey of Taste, Culture, and Terroir

Wine, a timeless elixir crafted by nature and nurtured by human hands, holds within its depths a rich tapestry of history, culture, and flavor. The act of wine drinking transcends mere consumption; it becomes a gateway to a realm where the senses are awakened, and the complexities of the world are distilled into every sip. Whether you are a seasoned sommelier or a curious novice, embarking on a journey through the world of wine is an endeavor that promises not only the enjoyment of a beverage but an immersion into a world of artistry and heritage.

The allure of wine lies not just in its taste, but also in the stories it tells. From the sun-drenched vineyards of Bordeaux to the picturesque hills of Tuscany, each bottle encapsulates a chapter of history, geography, and tradition. Every vineyard, every grape varietal, carries with it the imprint of its surroundings, a concept known as "terroir." As you raise a glass to your lips, you're not just tasting a liquid; you're experiencing the soil, climate, and expertise that have converged to create this unique expression.

The spectrum of wines is as diverse as the world itself. Reds, whites, rosés, and bubblies offer a kaleidoscope of flavors and aromas, from the bold intensity of a Cabernet Sauvignon to the delicate effervescence of a Champagne. The act of swirling, smelling, and savoring becomes an exploration of your own palate and preferences, each glass unveiling layers of fruity, floral, herbal, and even mineral notes.

But wine is more than just a drink—it's an accompaniment to moments and memories. Whether it's a candlelit dinner with a loved one, a lively gathering of friends, or a solitary evening of reflection, wine has the remarkable ability to enhance the experience. It's a conversation starter, a muse for thought, and a catalyst for connection.

As you delve deeper into the world of wine, you'll encounter a diverse lexicon that may seem intimidating at first. Terms like tannins, acidity, and body might appear daunting, but they serve as tools to articulate the nuances that make each wine distinct. Don't be discouraged by the complexity; rather, embrace it as an invitation to refine your palate and develop an appreciation for the intricate dance between flavors and textures.

Whether you're drawn to the elegance of Old World wines or the vibrancy of New World creations, the journey of wine drinking is a personal odyssey that invites exploration and education. From the vine to the glass, from vineyards to cellars, the world of wine is a tapestry woven with centuries of tradition, modern innovation, and an ever-evolving appreciation for the art of fermentation.

So, raise your glass with a sense of curiosity and reverence. Embark on a voyage through vineyards and vintages, and allow wine to transport you to lands both near and far. With every sip, you're not just tasting a liquid; you're savoring the essence of a culture, a place, and a moment in time. Cheers to the boundless world of wine and the endless adventures it promises to those willing to explore.

Vintage: Deep Roots, and the Passage of Time

We love to import fine, rare and vintage bottles of wine from Old Europe in to the United States. An extremely important task for so many, sure indeed!

Old vines have deep roots, the more they work down the ground, the wider the range of flavors and organoleptic complexity ultimately espressed in the fruit. These old vines have also learned with time to prioritize the stream of nutrients from the deeply grounded roots, across the plant and right to the fruit, in order to promote the maturation of the fewer grapes, which release this special juice of more concentrated flavors, when much less energy is dedicated by these expert vines to growing leaves and greenage shields, in their late lives.

Just as much, as the finest wine that is aged in barrels for later enjoyment, in say twenty, or fourty, or even 100+ years after making it - that wine which changes in ways that when you taste it, you are looking straight down and deep on those twenty, fourty or 100+ years, transported back in time and history in terms of aromas and flavors and sensations.

Here's a gallery with links, to just a few examples of our vintage imports, in consignment at and auctioned online by K&L Wine Merchants in San Francisco, California.

And here's another photo gallery with some vintage Original Wood Cases (OWC) that we have currently in the store.

The Price of Wine

In my previous post, I stated that price has no fundamental bearing on a definition of Fine Wine: at DFW, we call Fine Wine what can be directly and verifiably traced to very specific, well farmed vineyards and very specific, capable and passionated winemakers - that's all. I define it that way because I want the selection of our wines to be driven by natural pedigree and quality considerations, rather than by considerations around markets and prices.

However, and obviously, price is both important and limiting to most of us. But even more, and after all, there must be such a price, below which a wine could not possibly, by any means, be called a Fine Wine, right? Well, yes, of course there is - and we'll address that, today with this article. Ultimately, the larger purposes of this post are to (1) provide fundamental elements to this audience about the most relevant factors that impact the retail price of wine in the United States at this point in time; (2) presenting reasonable price ranges that wine consumers can expect for products subdivided in various useful price categories; and finally (3) how does Fine Wine relate to those pricing categories. 

Introduction: Wine Price Categories

As a first definition, by 'price of wine' here I mean the dollar amount charged to a consumer for a standard 750 ml bottle (or equivalent) of wine, when bought in person from a licensed retailer, to take away. The table of commercial categories used at Delfino Fine Wines (which is not very different from information that can be found from various other sources) is as follows:

Commercial Category	Retail Price of 750ml
Super Value	$4.99 and under
Economy	$5.00 to $9.99
Popular	$10 to $19.99
Basic Premium	$20 to $39.99
Super Premium	$40 to $79.99
Ultra Premium	$80 to $149.99
Luxury	$150 to $999
Exclusive Luxury	$1,000 and above

 

Thus, a 'Super Value' is defined as a wine that retails at a store for $4.99 or less per 750ml, and 'Economy' is between $5 and $10; a 'Popular' wine is what you can buy at a store for $10-$20; 'Basic Premium' is between $20 and $40 and so on into a couple more Premium price categories, up to what we define here as 'Luxury' priced wines, retailing between $150 and $1,000 per 750ml. Finally, regarding the most expensive category of 'Exclusive Luxury' wines, defined in the table as priced at over $1,000 per 750ml, these are exclusive products in the true sense of the term, meaning that these wines are just not readily available to anyone with the money but instead often requirie prior allocations, introductions between the parties made through trusted intermediaries, and some varying levels of negotiations and agreements between winery and clients, either within the centuries-old winemaking aristocracy, or the emerging stars panorama - in these cases, the wines become iconized and reach disproportionate greater demand than these small boutique operations can and want to supply.

Now, a few clarifications and elaborations on the table presented above are needed.

• First of all, the pricing table presented above applies to wine retailed in the US, pre-tax, and in a very generic fashion. In particular here, variations between different US states and markets certainly occur, but are not that large in my experience, especially for products that are mass-produced and mass-distributed (i.e. not Fine Wine per my definition).
• The pricing table also lumps together and does not distinguish between the many types of wine. At an elementary level, it does not even differentiate between white wines and red wines, or still and sparkling. Intuitively, and factually in most cases, still red wines vinification is generally more involved, i.e. more expensive and riskier, than still white wines vinication, thus feeding the general knowledge that, for equal 'quality' (let's say, same winemaker, same land), the red wine will retail at a bit higher price than the white wine of the same producer line. Similarly, a sparkling vinification is generally more involved than a still vinification and thus generally more expensive for the producer, and more pricey for the consumer. Although those are all valid points, there is still a lot of use in the single pricing table presented above: from a simplicity point of view, first of all; and moreover, also considering the fact that the reported values are a depiction of some extent of "semi-official pricing segmentation" in the US wine industry. In other words, the table reflects the fact that in the US, it is more likely to see a white and a red from the same producer / same brand line, priced at say $25 and $35 respectively ('Basic Premium' range), than it is to see them priced at $35 and $45 (across two pricing categories); more likely to see $60 and $75 ('Super Premium'), than $75 and $90 (across ranges). 
• Third point. The prices in the three lower categories - Super Value, Economy, and Popular - are driven by production costs and as low as possible. The prices in the Premium and Luxury categories are driven by (1) consumer's demand and taste of the wine (in first place, ideally); (2) industry recognition and awards received (in second place, ideally); and by (3) the 'halo' of desire created by marketing activities (in last place, ideally) - however in different relative proportions from case to case. A "graduation" of a brand or product from lower to higher 'Premium' and 'Luxury' categories must necessarily be backed by increased metrics on at least one of those three parameters, and preferably increased on both the first two as listed, if any chances of long-term success are sought. 
• No shipping fees are considered in the pricing table as presented. Shipping fees by online retailers are sometimes embedded in online prices, and sometimes even waived, perhaps based on order's quantity (and with some states, as for example California, specifically regulating the terminology aspects, i.e. "shipping included" is OK vs. "free shipping", not OK) but in all cases, it is undoubtful that direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping brings considerable added costs to the retailer. These costs include DTC licensing fees, reporting requirements and privilege taxes at the States level, shipping materials and staff time for custom packaging, and then the shipping fees charged by a licensed carrier. Without entering into multifaceted dynamics of costing-pricing in wine economics, retailers margins and business models, online-only or brick-and-mortar + online shipping, next-day or same-day or even two-hours wine delivery by large grocery stores in metro centers, etc., the point I want to make here is this: unless shipping is explicitely and separately quoted, or unless it's an obvious and recognizable promotion (in which case the retailer decides to take on themselves the shipping expense thus reducing their margins, in part or whole, for a limited time or permanently on specific products) when buying wine online and especially from online-only merchants, you should assume that 'free shipping' or 'shipping included' means about $5 per bottle for shipping, to be subtracted from the wine value. So for example, let's consider a 750ml bottle that is offered online at $13.99, total price delivered to your place (i.e., shipping included, or 'free shipping'). Looking up our table above with $13.99 would indicate that this bottle is in the 'Popular' price category; however, accounting for the shipping/delivery costs (again, to be considered in the vast majority of cases, only excluding exceptional deals and promotions), I would actually consider this $13.99 bottle, total price delivered home, as an 'Economy' wine in the $5-$10 range (if US produced) or even sometimes as a 'Super Value' wine under $5 per 750ml (if imported - next bullet).
• For imported wine, the importing cost from a producer abroad into the US trade is an adder that is ultimately embedded in the retail price, in a way or another. We should keep in mind that such importing costs are both 1) greatly increased (i.e., doubled or more) after the Covid-19 international supply chain impacts, still unresolved as of the time of this writing; and 2) strongly dependent on whether the imported wine was finished and bottled (or otherwise packaged for retail) abroad, or if it was instead imported as bulk wine in shipping totes or tanks, and further processed, bottled/packaged later by a separate licensed facility in the US (which brings on processing and bottling/packaging costs in the US and also which, by our definition, would be an exclusion to the 'Fine Wine' definition). About the second point, transportation costs are about half if wine is bulk transported in large totes or tanks, than if it is transported in glass bottles: a glass bottle is in fact just about a 2x multiplier on both volume and weight of a wine. In practice, my suggestion for imported wine is to subtract $2-$3 (imported in bulk and further processed/bottled/packaged in the US - read the label!) to $5 (bottled at the origin and imported fully finished) per 750ml, from the retail price in order to find the value to enter in the table above and determine the wine price category.
• The previous two bullets can be summarized with two examples as follows:
  • A US wine that retails for say $17.99 in a brick-and-mortar store is in the same category as an imported wine (bottled at the origin) that retails at $22-$23. Specifically, they should be considered as both belonging to the 'Popular' pricing category ($10-$20).
  • A US wine retailing online at say $13.99, shipping included, is in the same category as a bulk-imported wine (further processed and bottled/packaged in the US) retailing online for $15-$17, namely both of them should be considered as belonging to the 'Economy' price category ($5-$10).

Just a Bit Deeper on Price and Cost of Wine.

Now let's expand a bit more on the pricing categories defined in the table above, with an end in mind: how does Fine Wine relate to these categories? In order to address that goal, we now need to take a look at the cost of wine, which we'll define here as the dollar amount that can be directly attributed to making one unit of wine, taken as 750ml fully finished at the winery (or at the final step of a producing process with multiple facilities) and ready for the market. It should be clear that this topic too is very complex and hardly adaptable to a generalized analysis and narrative. Here, I'll state just a few, bounding assumptions and then will just proceed to reporting the results of simplistic and rough estimates, with very large ranges, but still reasonable and useful for the low- and high-ends costs of making a bottle of wine.

We consider the following as the main adders to the cost of wine:

• 1. The cost of the grapes to be made into the finished wine; or the cost of bulk wine bought from someone else, to be processed into a finished wine product. The following are the costs that we will assume as low- and high-end, for the US: 
     • The cost of the grapes needed to make wine ranges from $0.30 to $30 per 750 ml 
       • Note: these are not absolute minimum and maximum, as outliers exist on either end. However, these values can be considered as bounding of the large majority of situations for the purposes of this discussion. Moreover, this is based on the cost of grapes on the US winemaking market with a very wide range of about $200 to $20,000 per ton, thus it generally bounds on the high-end the lower expected (but not always realized!) grape costs for those winemakers who are also growers and use their own grapes. This range also covers the cost of wine grapes cultivated and used abroad, which generally amounts to much less than the US costs, especially on the higher end of the range.
     • For bulk wine processors/bottlers, the cost of 750ml of input bulk wine used to make a finished commercial wine product currently ranges in the market from $0.40 to $25 per 750 ml.
  2. The cost of the "consumable physical resources" (energy, water, process materials, containers and cooperage, other materials, time in settling/aging) and the human labor needed to make the finished wine from input grapes, or from input bulk wine. Again, a very complex topic, highly situation-specific, but this is what we'll use with our rough, simplified and bounding estimate:
     • The cost of consumable physical resources and labor used to make a finished wine product ranges widely from $0.20 to $20 per 750ml. 
  3. The cost of packaging incurred to make the finished wine. We will use a wide range of $0.50 to $10 per 750ml of finished product.

We will not consider in detail any other costs, mostly indirect (of which there are many - real estate, capital equipment, licensing, financial, commercial/banking, insurance costs, etc..), but instead we will use a 1.5x multiplier on the sum of the three adders, essentially assuming that the three elements listed above only account for 66% of all costs.

This simplified and bounding estimate finally results in a cost of making wine ranging from about $1 to $100 per 750ml of finished product. The lower end of the range estimates the cost of mass-producing wine in large, industrial style processes, while the higher end of the range estimates the cost of making wine in a boutique winery with 'luxury' selections all-around. To my knowledge, this range, obviously very wide, bounds the majority of information derived from more rigorous economic analyses, which in some instance are published, but that in most cases are kept business confidential. Typical producer costs per finished 750ml that I've directly seen or indirectly calculated are:

• Between $1 to $5 for industrial wines (let's say worldwide, for the purposes of this discussion).
• Between $2.50 and $20 for Fine Wines made in the Old World.
• Between $5 and $50 for Fine Wines made in the US.

I realize that I am not addressing any New World Fine Wines from South America, South Africa and Oceania (plus a few other wine-making regions) and hopefully I'll be able to add that specific information in the future. For this discussion, however, imports from these regions can be considered as Old World wines (i.e., it is generally less expensive to cultivate grapes and make wine in those regions than it is in the US; then, they need to be imported into the US). Now, considering that about 90% (order of magnitude, see previous post) of all wine in the US trade is of industrial nature, it can be argued within the assumptions made here that for 90% of the wine products in the US market, the cost of making a finished 750ml of wine at the producer level is $5 or less, while the remainder 10% of products is distributed in a wide price range of $5 to $50+ (not uniformely, but tailling off significantly; i.e., very, very few commercial producers are making wines costing them $50 or more per finished 750ml, and when they do, it is for very small batches sold in the 'Luxury' price categories). 

Finally: The Price of Fine Wine.

The details behind the estimates above may be reported in a following post, but now we'll proceed to assess a minimum retail price for Fine Wine in the US, both domestic and imported. 

Between the producer cost and the retail price, there are a number of logistics steps that are needed to take the product to market. Again, this is quite a complex topic, given the variety of commercial models, advertising strategies, numbers, size and quality of the players involved in the distribution network; and all obviously highly regulated at the Federal, States, and local level (which does not come gratis, and each US state is different from the other in terms of alcoholic beverages distribution rules). To simplify once more, we'll consider a low-end and high-end multiplier on the producer's costs (the cost of wine) to estimate the total markup ending with a retailer price (the price of wine). We'll use 2.5x for the low-end and 4.5x for the high end (and excluding international shipping, which needs to be added before the multiplier, lumped with the foreign producer's cost). In other words, this multiplier represents the total markup accounting for producer's profit and importation if applicable, all costs and profits in the logistics and marketing chain between producer or importer and retailer (i.e., the distribution), and retailer's profit. Let's make a few examples:

1. Let's consider a bottle of industrial wine, costing a US producer say $2.25 per finished 750ml.  The producer sets its supplier price at $3.49. A large distributor handles the logistics and marketing, resulting in a wholesale price of $5.99 to the retailer. The retailer, let's say a national supermarket chain, lists the product at $8.99. This would be a typical example of the 3-tier system at work in the US, resulting in this example in an 'Economy' priced wine, and a 4.0x multiplier as total markup from production cost to retail price.
2. Another US 3-tier example: same arrangement as above but with a Fine Wine, say with a production cost of $8.50. This producer sets its supplier price at $13.00 (and let's say, its Tasting Room retail price at $30, further discounted to $25 for Wine Club members). Given the brand name recognition that this producer was able to build over the years, as well as a notably stable production quantity of this product to say 20,000 cases per year, a large distributor accepts trading this wine, resulting in a wholesale price of $19.75 to the retailer. The retailer, let's say a local supermarket or wine shop, lists the product at $29.99. In this example, we have sees a 'Basic Premium' wine making the market, with a 3.5x multiplier as total markup from production cost to retail price.         
3. Third example: an online subscription model with bulk imported wine (i.e., not Fine Wine!). Let's say a US wine processor/packager buys enough bulk wine from a producer abroad to make a small batch (but again, not Fine Wine in my book!) of 5,000 cases of a finished product (12x750ml per case). That is 450 hl (hectoliters), or about 12,000 gallons. Let's say the foreign producer negotiates its price at $1/liter, or $0.75 per 750 ml, to the US wine processor. In addition, let's say that this US business incurs importing costs of $1 per liter of bulk wine, as well as further processing and packaging costs at its US facility of $1.75 per 750ml. The total direct production cost of this wine product is thus $3.25 per finished 750ml. Let's say this US business sells wine online, direct to consumer with a subscription model, advertising a "no middle man" or "winery direct" model. They set their online price at $13.99, with "free shipping" when bought together with other products for a minimum quantity of, say, 12 bottles. In this example, we have seen an 'Economy' wine making the market, imported in bulk from abroad and packaged in the US (enter the pricing table with $13.99 -$2 for bulk import, -$5 for free shipping = $6.99 = 'Economy' wine) with a 4.3x multiplier as total markup from production cost to home delivery price.

With these (plus all the above) assumptions, and seen some examples, the results are finally in...

• It is highly unlikely that an American Fine Wine can retail at a brick-and-mortar store for less than $15 per 750ml.
• It is highly unlikely that an Old World Fine Wine can retail at a brick-and-mortar store for less than $20 per 750ml.

• It is highly unlikely that an American Fine Wine can be delivered directly to your place for less than $20 per 750ml.

• It is highly unlikely that an Old World Fine Wine can be delivered directly to your place for less than $25 per 750ml.

• On the other hand, it is unjustified from a sole costing/pricing point of view that a Fine Wine, domestic or imported, should retail in the US for more than $450 per 750ml. When that is the case, you know that the extra is due to the name and the fame, and you should then be aware and decide informed, what is worth what, according to your own situation and decision-making process.

Cheers!

What is Fine Wine?

So, what is Fine Wine? Delfino Fine Wines has a very precise definition of the term, with just two absolutely necessary and fundamental conditions.

1. Fine Wine comes from well-farmed vineyards and is directly traceable to its vineyards. Thus, a wine product that cannot be traced back to the specific vineyards of origin cannot be called Fine Wine, per our definition (and we do not trade it).
2. Fine Wine-making is an artisanal craft activity. Thus, Fine Wine comes in limited quantities and is traceable to individual winemakers and wineries where the product is fully finished. The fine winemaker is either the farmer itself, or intimately familiar with the farmers and the vineyards of origin. This is the opposite of mass-production by industrial processes, say in excess of ~50,000 cases/year for a given label, which cannot be called Fine Wine per our definition. Also, bulk wine shipping for bottling/packaging/blending somewhere away from the production site, although a fair and profitable activity for many traders in the industry and especially many online subscriptions businesses, is not Fine Wine per our definition (and we do not trade it).

Other variables, like color, aroma and taste profiles ("Organoleptic properties" in fancy terms); price point; vintage year; wine age; projected drinkability window; specific winemaking techniques/materials/tools; selling facility (supermarket vs. specialized wine retailer); containers form and shape; country of origin; certifications; winery business structure and ownership; school diplomas; not to mention label artwork, critics scores, awards, advertising and face-persons, speakers, influencers, etc. - are all clearly more or less important indicators of many attributes, some including quality to be sure, for a product and its fitness with an individual wine drinker's taste, but none of those are fundamental to the purpose of calling a Fine Wine, in our definition.

Ultimately, a Fine Wine will convey to a discerning drinker a very clear and expressive, sometimes almost moving, sense of terroir: the flavors of its patch of land and micro-environment of origin, and the hand of its winemaker. Even another bit more poetically, a Fine Wine will talk to its drinkers about culture, geography, history, and human connections - whether they are blue bloods or blue collars, rich or poor, in a tall stem or low glass, indiscriminately, as long as it is Fine Wine.

A few additional points

• 'Fine' does not necessarily equal 'expensive'! Retail price has no bearing on our definition: if the two fundamental conditions are met, it is Fine Wine, honest and genuine to its vineyard and winemaker, whether it comes from a longtime winemaking farmer with no commercial intent who will sell you a case for €10, or whether it comes from a world-renowed French first growth producer that sells through negociants and en primeur for $10,000+/case. 
• 'Fine' does not mean 'Fancy'! Most of the wine produced every year world-wide, and most of the Fine Wine as well, is made to be consumed fresh, say within five years of vintage year, made for casual enjoyment and the every day dining table in wine-drinking cultures. It is generally reported that less than 1% of all wine produced is intended for aging. Fine wine is indicatively the 10% of all wine produced (next bullet).
• As an approximate but still useful statistical reference, more than 95% of all wineries in the US are small or very small operations (under 50,000 cases/year) but altogether they only account for less than 10% of the wine produced any given year in the US. That is, 90% of the wine produced in the US is from a few mass-production facilities (mostly located in California). 
• Fine Wine goes with Fine Food.

By the way, the five French "first growth" chateaux - Lafite, Latour, Mouton, Margaux and Haut-Brion - each produce in average between 10,000 and 20,000 cases/year. Chateau Ausone is less than 2,000 cases/year - a production level which is even under the 5,000 cases/year that is often reported as the lower limit of financial viability for a winery business in the US! In Italy, Gaja may be considered by some these days a "giant" in the wine trade, having expanded beyond their native Barbaresco township in Piedmont to the hills of Tuscany and looking beyond, producing several labels that are sold a bit everywhere in Italy (supermarkets - selected ones - included), but they still maintain an overall production below 30,000 cases/year in Piedmont, about 35,000 in Bolgheri and less than 10,000 in Montalcino. Similarly, in the US, Opus One of Napa averages around 25,000 cases/year. These producers, just a few examples of the world-renowed elite, all command prices in the hundreds to the thousands of dollars per bottle. In contrast, a few true industrial wine giants mass-produce in the hundreds of thousands to the millions and even tens of millions of cases per year, and 'content' themselves with prices in the few-bucks to the few-tens of dollars per bottle, where the value allocation to the wine itself is in the nickels and dimes, literally, when all is said and done after production, transport, distribution and advertising.

Final point: Fine Wine, capital F and capital W as per our definition - know exactly where the grapes come from, know exactly who made it - from wine artisans anywhere, maybe little known but established by years of passion and often multi-generations of family farming and wine making, brings you the highest quality/price proposition.

However, it is rarely straightforward for an average consumer to recognize Fine Wine from a product's label and aspect, or even sometimes from taste alone. Two things can help you here, each one sufficient on its own: 1) increased wine knowledge; and/or 2) a trusted wine merchant. It is the intent of this blog to provide some key elements on both: to provide useful information on the products that we passionately select at Delfino Fine Wines, and to earn your trust as a Fine Wine trader.