Too Many Wine Lovers Have Their Heads in the Sand

(WineSpectator) - Maybe it’s a matter of experience. Or maybe it’s contrariness. But what is it about some wine lovers that makes them so unwilling to accept certain realities? For example:

The Prices for Napa Valley Wines Are Insane.

Every year, simply by calling attention to itself, Auction Napa Valley triggers a spasm of wildfire wine-populist outrage over the “insanely high” prices of Napa Valley wines, especially the Cabernets.

This reaction is not, mind you, because of the truly nutty, if philanthropic, prices commanded at the auction. Rather, it’s because the auction highlights Napa’s remarkable pricing privilege. This year is no different. Suffice it to say that if you, or someone you know, is squawking about this, well, give it a rest.

There’s nothing nuts about Napa Valley’s high Cabernet prices. Quite the opposite. They’re perfectly rational. Downright calculated, really. You want insane? Look at the prices of women’s cosmetics. Now, those are really loony—except that they aren’t because, hey, someone’s paying.

The same is true for Napa Valley wines. Every time I hear yet another red-blooded Everyman tell me how ridiculous Napa’s prices are, what I really what to say is, “Look pal, the only thing wrong here is that you and I can’t easily afford them. Plenty of others can.”

This is the “life is unfair” school of Get Over It. The fact is—and, brother and sister, it sure is a fact—that there are plenty of people who buy wine who have plenty of money. And they like spending that money.