Negociant wines and their value

TO compare negociant winemaking to the Charles Shaw line of wines is hardly a fair comparison [“Say Hello to Forty Buck Chuck,” by Corie Brown, Nov. 1].

Your article came as a surprise to those of us in the wine industry, producers and buyers. It seems to me you really missed the point of what purpose negociant wines serve in the marketplace.

Taking high quality wine, keeping costs low and passing value on to the consumer seems like a good service to provide. Small negociants like myself are not processing nor manipulating wine. We are buying small lots of high quality wine, blending and bottling.

If we didn’t buy that wine, it would be all gobbled up by the big negociants and blended beyond recognition. In order for me to keep a Napa Valley appellation on my Topanga Vineyards Black & White label, I actually do have to maintain a high level of quality.

I was also put off by the negative tone of the article. I am not sure what the point is of listing a group of wines that the Los Angeles Times didn’t like. You are not helping consumers at all by doing this.

I see little support for the California wine industry in the Los Angeles Times, relative to our local products and cuisine. Too bad.

SANDRA GARBER

Los Angeles

Garber is the owner of Topanga Vineyards.