The Magic Potions & Formulas of Wine - Part 2: Mega Purple and Enologix

If you haven't read The Magic Potions & Formulas of Wine - Part 1 yet then you should go read it before you continue. That first installment gave an introduction to the concept of wine formulas, the blending of trending grapes into other varietals, and additives used to fix faults and create consistency. Part 2 picks up where it left off with the addition of grape concentrates, then modern machinery used for manipulation, and concluding in wines designed to receive high scores.

In that first half I made it clear that, although this information may come to some as shocking, it may not be all that bad. Learning of additives and manipulations is both disappointing and sometimes gross. It takes away from the romance of the earth to the vine to the glass concept. But, in the end, a formulated wine is about making an enjoyable one. Whether that's for the everyday average Joe, the wine knowledgeable, or the reviewers that hand out the scores. This is the age of technology, information and marketing. Virtually everything is "improved" upon for one reason or another, including wine.

This next one here, though... this one seems to affect every wine lover when they first hear about it. We have a great connection to the aromas and the flavors of wine, but the color is something we can either focus on and admire or pass right on over. Either way, you'll never look at another glass of red the same way again...

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The Magic Potions & Formulas of Wine - Part 1: Mass Appeal & Cover-ups

It's something that's not talked about much. The fact that wines, especially conglomerate American ones, are formulated to either have mass appeal or to get a high rating score isn't really something that the industry wants you to know about. It takes away from the romance. Wine is supposed to come from the Earth and be representative of that year's harvest, right? The winemaking process is just different strategies on fermenting and aging, right? LOLZ.

PICTURED: TOIL AND TROUBLE

Many people are shocked when they find out the stuff I'm about to go over and they tend to go into depression for a week. But when you get over the fact that wine is no longer just about the beauty and hard work of viticulture and the miracle of fermentation, and embrace that we live in the age of technology, information and marketing and virtually everything is "improved" upon, you might realize that it's not all that bad of a thing. In the end the purpose is to make good wine to enjoy... so you'll buy it.

Take California's extremely popular, top-selling Kendall-Jackson Reserve Chardonnay. People love it, although it's criticized by many wine professionals and self-proclaimed experts, but the fact is that it's a really tasty Chardonnay for the price. Word on the street is that it was also the first popular formulated (semi-)fine wine. They want it to taste the same every year, like the houses of Cognac and Scotch aim to do. They want you to enjoy it every year and they succeed every year, having an insane amount of people buy it by the case... every year. It's also a "gateway" wine, making people realize they like wine or that upgrading from $9 magnums and paying a little more money for a smaller bottle and better quality is worth it. Sure it's not complex and terroir driven or whatever your problem is with it, but what's wrong with a delicious wine that does an excellent job at making people wine lovers?

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