The Importance of the Import: wine buying tips

Piping splashes of wine into less-than-fancy wine glasses in any damp, mossy cellars winemakers will let them into––the importer has a truly peculiar job. This job however has almost everything to do with what you drink. Only when the importer finds a wine they like, and a winemaker who will let them represent it, does a wine come into the country. And only then is it made available to you.

Naturally, these importers don't just choose their portfolios at random, but rather there is an extraordinary amount of factors in their decisions. For some, it's about taste, or technique, or how much say they can have in the process. Others might want not to interfere at all. Whatever their standards, they tend to be consistent, often bringing in wines of the same style, philosophy and quality.

There are thousands and thousands of wines in our country, and subsequently, every wine you like will not be in every place you are. Because one will no doubt be put in a position of having to choose from a list of wines they've never heard of, keeping track of the importers of wines you like helps to diversify your drinking possibilities, and ensure you will get something you can drink.

In a wine shop or restaurant, you can reference these importers to the sommelier or wine clerk. If they are the least bit savvy, they should be able to recommend something based on the importers you prefer, even if they don't carry anything by them. This is an approach I've always appreciated in the wine shop, because it gives you a surprisingly accurate understanding of someone's palate, what they want, and what they would enjoy in place of it.

Yesterday, likely because I was a little hungover and feeling old-fashioned, I suggested you buy a notepad and pen for your wine notes. I sorta forgot about cell phones––they work, too. My bad, but don't be shy about using it, especially for the wines that catch your fancy.

Quick list of notable importers to look out for:
Kermit Lynch
Jenny & Francois
Louis/Dressner (occasionally denoted "LDM")
Rosenthal
Jose Pastor
Savio Soares
Zev Rovine
Among others...