Over the last 6 months, I keep receiving either a cold call
or a random email from a "new" MCC producer in Franschhoek, as
I have never heard of them before!
As I am always eager to taste and review new wines, part of
the daily task, especially MCC, as it is a hot category on wine lists as sales
has been dynamic for the last few years, year on year, but one key criteria it
all boils down to price!
Here I have this gentleman, not sure if he is the owner,
marketing or sales manager, winemaker, shareholder, agents etc etc ? who knows,
anyway that keep insisting I should consider his MCC?! Cool and fair, asked for
the price? Close to R 400 trade price at cost, for a local MCC !!!! ? wow, more
than the current trade price of a Moet & Chandon Champagne Brut Imperial
with a wine making heritage going as far back as 200 years, fair and they are
consistent and is one of South Africa’s best selling by a mile, Champagne!!
Now, getting tired of the call, I asked for justification of
price and why does a local MCC sparkling wine should be at that price? I was explained
that they have access to the best grapes (sic) their barrels are imported from
Champagne (really) does it make a difference?? Please prove it to me and challenge
me? I’m still learning,! and their bottle and capsule are imported from Champagne
too!! Wow!!! is this a quality contributor? Are we talking sparkling wine in bottle here or packaging?
I am and will always be interested in the integrity if the
liquid inside the bottle first and foremost, besides any marketing BS. To add
to his sales pitch was some of the most exclusive restaurant in the Western
Cape are buying and listing the wine and apparently doing so well for a local
sparkling wine MCC at over R 1100 selling price a bottle!! Wow that is indeed impressive, I would
like to learn the secret to sell local bubbly at this price daily and
consistently! Please show me and share the expertise! eager to learn please!
Asked me if I am convinced no. Until last Monday I received
another blind BCC email from the same chap, telling me his MCC has been compared to a Jacques
Selosse Champagne in terms of style and quality, by a leading reviewer, wow, I
agree South African MCC quality are indeed very good and offers very good
value, but hey to compare to a Jacques Selosse, is not only cheeky, irresponsible
and simply pump with ego enough to fill us, Mars and the moon!!
There is simply no way and justifications, besides greed,
based on labor, land, grape price and barrels cost locally that our MCC
sparkling wine* cost would be more than an Imported quality sparkling wine such
as Champagne or Franciacorta, especially if the brand are new, or probably second
release, even though at a time of good wines at competitive price, let’s be
real here, caveat emptor.
