good grape daily: pomace & lees free run: field notes from a wine life around the wine blogosphere wine: a business doing pleasure good grape wine reviews new world influences red wine wine white wine wine blog news wine bloggers robert parker notes & dusty bottle items wine sediments wine business wine blogs historical wine book excerpts tasting safari: wines you can buy online cluetrain manifesto revisited winecast: a year in collaboration wine spectator wine blogger robert mondavi wine marketing indy food & wine vinography vin de napkin appellation watch: midwest regional review new vine logistics wine blogging alice feiring dr. vino tom wark natural wine gary vaynerchuk luxury wine wine critics wine reviews wine books cameron hughes american wine blog awards a really goode job california wine robert mondavi day penner-ash oregon pinot noir fermentation blog wine ratings tyler colman steve heimoff best wine blogs fred franzia wine research wall street journal wine robert mondavi winery best wine bloggers wine writers slender wine the wine makers tv terry theise direct-to-trade inertia beverage group notre dame football dan berger gourmet magazine wine news bordeaux rodney strong inniskillin wine advertising wine and the economy wine trends wine review wine advocate reading between the wines wine ethics wine and spirits daily three dolla koala zinfandel rockaway wine market council hr 5034 wine online winery marketing wine technology wine enthusiast jim laube oregon bounty sparkling wine good grape hugh macleod wine distribution crushpad wine matt kramer cellartracker stormhoek biodynamics open that bottle night 100-pt scale southern wine & spirits trader joe's wine grape stories church wine wine & spirits magazine mike steinberger vintank rockaway vineyards allocated wine lynn penner-ash appellation america champagne wine.com amazon.com sonoma pinot noir murphy-goode winery wine tasting notes pinot noir silver oak sommelier journal biodynamic wine augmented reality oregon cuisinternship indiana wine klinker brick dr. oz jr. jon bonne wine blogging wednesday clif winery agency nil hourglass wine a very goode job wine trading down trefethen generation y and wine hailey trefethen california zinfandel wine tasting journal wine competitions pinot noir reviews wine industry peru wine trip doug frost the winemakers tv the grateful palate fantesca resveratrol judgment of paris women in wine oregon pinot gris thomas pellechia carmenere woot wine purpose-idea rose wine vincellar russian river valley triple bottom line negociant wine business monthly celia masyczek bottle shock pinot jordan winery amy poehler wine micro sites umami chris phelps disney wine program the wine blue book winery hospitality 2007 forty-five north cabernet franc for dummies 2008 honig sauvignon blanc sherry three dollar koala clary ranch chronicle wine mary ewing-mulligan wine to relax erobertparker wine spectator restaurant awards zig ziglar italian wine merchant wine humor youtube cheap wine john hughes wine dj zinfandel producers maria thun firestone contest bad wine lonely island au revoir to all that radiohead wine blog awards 2010 french paradox sketches of spain red bicyclette court paul gregutt trefethen family vineyards sonoma county tasting note desciptors natural winemaking wine authors wine laws wine evaluation petite sirah korbel wine and sense of smell blog contests jim koch pork tenderloins wine & spirits restaurant poll 2010 guinness advertising amazon kindle wine politics the vintners art new zealand wine vinexpo good wine under 20 paste magazine patz & hall sonoma coast pinot noir notes on a cellar book oak alternatives kelly fleming interview the pour scott becker chronicle wines whyte horse winery darwinism mirror wine joe roberts e-myth revisited bennett lane winery the traveling vineyard schotts micellany marco capelli music + wine cooper's hawk winery tim hanni hunningbird wine best wine blog san francisco chronicle wine ice wine clif bar wine wine magazines hourglass cabernet chateau thomas wine parker defamation dependable wine trefethen fallow obama 2009 auction napa valley bruce reizenman vino chapeau san francisco wine competition petaluma pinot tamari torrontes dirty south wine chacha whuffie factor eryn supple formula business ordinance duane hoff paul blart: mall cop woman in wine organic wineries oregon wine snobs wine is the new black will hoge wineshopper gapingvoid rose summer wine lindsay ronga foppoli wines iphone wine mobile apps winery promotions expensive wine trends spike your juice cabernet main street winery obama wine next generation apple the fifth taste dominus bellagio wine qpr wines jimmy clausen winery customer service the pioneer woman alpine for dummies wine collection the business of wine secret sherry society wine video game westside road wine appellations ed mccarthy kurt andersen randall grahm party of five theme song wine lists wine star awards howard schultz drvino.com wine direct shipping vineyard church altar wine good wine mark squires texas liberty school cabernet sauvignon scheurebe cluetrain manifesto discoveries pathfinder wine health research jackson-triggs vidal ice wine di arie rose priceline.com rick mirer bottle shock movie lewis perdue napa valley auction rancho zabaco zinfandel wine intelligence research wall street journal wine columnists clark smith publishing trends dark & delicious wine expedition fat tire beer mothervine supplements tim mondavi jess jackson 500 things to eat before it's too late wine & spirits eat me kenny shopsin 2007 stoneleigh pinot noir wine public relations facebook + wine australian wine millenials and wine recession wine deb harkness cowboy mouth 2006 hess collection monterey chardonnay whole foods wine jim gordon kelly fleming cabernet the new yorker travel oregon mike hengehold vignoles rick mirer wine wine blogging strategies wine certification adobe road the the lost symbol wine criticism wine 2.0 a history of wine words karen macneil alloutwine indianapolis paul clary blog sweet wines clos lachance wine branding beaux freres us wine sales dessert wine c.g. di arie drew bledsoe amazon wine constellation wine washington wine wine bard weds '47 cheval blanc planet bordeaux santasti kevin zraly top chef hardy wallace burger wine where the hell is matt australia wine jamie oliver indiana miss america dark side of the rainbow rockaway wine gallo topps augmented reality expensive wine wine spectator top 100 2009 wine spies patio wine corkd dominic foppoli vintage of the decade markham mark of distinction adler fels home winemaking 2008 food & wine winemaker of the year texas bbq wine pairing oregon food and wine trinchero iphone wine apps. viktor frankl chateau petrus barack obama + wine sanford pinot noir conundrum digital marketing obama inauguration noble pig wine spectator wine reviews karadeci shorttrack ceo oh wine tycoon video game healdsburg terroir california wine for dummies global wine partners wine terroir little zagreb adam strum tinybottles generation y. wine communion wine livingston cellars wine and music german wine zap wine biodynamic yellow tail wine unified symposium 2007 waters crest "night watch" late harvest wine climber white name your own price napa cab. napa cabernet amazon.com wine california cabernet the wine line core wine drinkers john trefethen park avenue catering luxury wine marketing "frankenwine" nbwa the hold steady sensory evaluation wine trivia alpana singh dos equis commercials wine label design continuum boston beer company prince's hot chicken king estate a year in wine 2006 brancott pinot noir wine pr wineamerica wine wisdom lewin's equation 1winedude 1% for the planet wine social media wines and vines kelly fleming the best pinot noir ted lemon traminette wine tasting rooms palate press swanson vineyards vegas wine rombauer wine and art jason kroman alloutwine.com wine mou paul clary gracianna wine wine economy non-profits and wine moms who need wine ted jansen doubleback wine paul mabray blackstone wine dip keep walking chateau latour french wine marketing steve perry argentina wine firestone wine contest barolo santana dvx slate wine columnist wine pricing food revolution indiana gourmet food brigitte armenier red bicyclette social media ge smart grid augmented reality zinfandel reviews wine heist the new frugality deck wine wine content bryan q. miller andy warhol quotes fermentation wine blobbers oregon travel first blush juice consumer shopping research rachel alexandra food & wine magazine kenny shopsin digital signage wine retail man's search for meaning st. helena catholic church sanford chardonnay penner ash lettie teague nba liquor advertising michael ruhlman award of excellence ericca robinson journey cult wines wine tycoon game russian river valley pinot alan goldfarb economy "old world wine southern wine and spirits wine columns macari vineyards sette 7 tastingroom.com bruliam wine 100 point system champagne sales april fool's day wine snooth randy caparoso music and wine german riesling old vine zinfandel down under by crane lake jon fredrikson the wine case climber red cheap wines mirror wine company sugar free wine allocated cabernet paso robles pbs wine sales janet trefethen elliot essman fine wine marketing wine wipes wine medal winners national beer wholesalers association the gaslight anthem zephyr adventures wine bar bets robert parker's bitch wine reality show southern gothic wine heidi barrett john james dufour america eats willamette valley three-tier wines of chile specialty wine retailers association judd's hill rose wine sales wine & spirits daily hess collection wine industry news sonoma wine company wines & vines cult cabernet eric asimov dan cederquist parks and recreation wine mobile applications wine umami swanson alexis cabernet professional culinary institute value wines brand butlers american wine blogs forty-five north winery hugh johnson wine press release hong kong u.s. wine sherry wine aussie wine glut clary ranch pinot noir john tyler wine wine cartoons fusebox wine ebob bodeans mitch schwartz charlie weis murphy-goode wine blogging ethics sutter home videos inexpensive wine jay miller johnnie walker wines that rock bordeaux reconquest ani difranco firestone vineyards barbaresco mumm napa michael steinberger value wine .wine geocaching phillip armenier red bicyclette pinot noir wine blogosphere trefethen oak knoll cabernet sauvignon sonoma county wine cinderella wine aspirational marketing steroids in baseball wine book publishing batgirl wine sylvester pinot noir the press-democrat anthony dias blue oregon cuisinternship winner tokalon winery not-for-profit preakness stakes massale selection wine & spirits magazines guinness beer apple iphone the psychology of wine what is terroir wine purchasing wine nose jay mcinerney julie and julia james laube chimney rock elevage cornell enology wine tycoon stavin kelly fleming wine national wine & spirits reset " "new world wine" poseurs 2007 sean minor four bears pinot noir wine blogging tips sunbox eleven wine winery sponsorship champagne and business wine stories cork'd 2008 vina mar reserva sauvignon blanc persimmon creek vineyards wine + music midwest wine culture
January 31 2010
There is a reason why having a hunk of bloody rare red meat, a Manhattan and a cigar holds a tantalizing allure for many a man—it’s because it’s legal, but practically verboten in a world gone safe like the blunted edge of a set of safety scissors.
It’s living on the edge ... without having to go to the trouble of doing anything illegal. Let’s face it—nothing fun is really, theoretically, good for you. Except wine. Wine seems to be good for you ...
... and, that’s the problem ... I really don’t want to see any more research reports about how wine is so ... so ..., well, darn healthy. It’s kind of a buzzkill. Yeah, I know, of course, wine is a drink of moderation. I’ve got that. Still, wine would be infinitely more interesting if it were considered more of a vice instead of mainstream health tonic enjoyed by “Ladies Who Lunch” after their pilates class.
For that reason, I was glad to see this recent report with the headline, “Red Wine Could be Bad for You, Says New Research.”
Just saying ... sometimes being bad, is good ...
Posted in, Vin de Napkin. Permalink | Comments (2) | Print |
January 29 2010
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass …
Nipping it in the Bud
The over/under betting line on how soon an online wine writer will wax philosophic and draw an analogy in between the new Apple iPad and wine is set at three days. This earnest soul, our online wine writer, his proverbial skirt still blown upward from Steve Jobs’ hyperbolic presentation on Wednesday, will say that the iPad has an opportunity to “change the game” for the wine-interested.
This writer will urge us to ponder the possibilities: How amazing it would be to deliver applications and wine books in an elegant, interactive way that is portable.
Or, perhaps, this intrepid writer will suggest that using an iPad to deliver multimedia wine content within the context of a gargantuan wine list at a restaurant is a smart solution to an age old problem.
All of these circumstances could be true. Or, not. Or, not right now.
I say: don’t believe the hype.
Almost three years ago, I wrote about a company called Vinio that had a similar solution in providing an interactive tablet for diners at restaurants – a virtual Sommelier of sorts that could provide region, varietal, food pairing matches and a host of other value-added types of contextual information.
While pragmatic at the time, I also displayed a touch of the, “consider the possibilities” wide-eyed optimism.
Today, ahem, the Vinio site appears as if it hasn’t been updated in two years.
My point is – it’s been tried before. Sometimes old wine in new bottles is still old wine.
Automated Tasting Notes
In 2006 there was a buzz rippling in the burgeoning online wine community about a piece of Japanese technology dubbed the Robo-Sommelier.
As reported by the BBC at the time, Japanese technology manufacturer NEC developed a two foot tall robot that could “taste” and identify types of wine using infrared light to identify different flavor components. Eventually, this robot could be personalized to make wine recommendations for its owner based on their palate preferences.
Now, of course, this is well and good and a little bit like Popular Science magazine articles from the 70s that talked about flying cars in the new millennium. Yet, there is something interesting here, particularly when combined with another developing technology called Stats Monkey.
A developing technology from a research lab at Northwestern University, Stats Monkey can create computer-generated baseball stories.
From the web site:
Imagine that you could push a button, and magically create a story about a baseball game. That’s what the Stats Monkey system does. Given information commonly available online about many games—the box score and the play-by-play—the system automatically generates the text of a story about that game that captures the overall dynamic of the game and highlights the key plays and key players. The story includes an appropriate headline and a photo of the most important player in the game.
Hmmm …
What’s interesting about this is not its use for writing little league baseball stories for a local audience, as reported by NPR. Instead, the interesting thing is its ability to take information from a set of parameters and accurately construct a story—across a range of disciplines.
Also from the web site:
The applicability technology underlying the Stats Monkey system scopes across any sport or event in which the events produce significant quantitative data. It also has applications in domains in which recurring story types that are primarily data-driven, including other kinds of sports stories and many kinds of business stories such as quarterly or annual earnings stories, market updates, and so on. The Machine Generated Sports Stories system could be employed by news organizations or directly by organizations which wish to publish information about their activities, such as college sports teams or businesses.
Ultimately, the system can be extended to generate stories that include quotes from individuals or organizations involved in those stories (when those quotes are available online) as well as stories in different narrative styles for different audiences.
Hmmm …, again. What niche relies on quantitative data (scores) that can be combined with quotes for different narrative styles?
Forget the “wisdom of the crowds” when it comes to tasting notes. A far more interesting story to me is a robotic tasting element and an automated wine review story generator.
We think major wine critics have their panties in a bunch now? Sounds like we should just wait a couple of years …
Posted in, The Week in Wine. Permalink | Comments (4) | Print |
January 27 2010
Add another tiny ripple to the groundswell that is the Washington wine scene…
…A quick hitter for a Wednesday…
I examined three recent pieces of research for correlations in between wine consumption by state, overall happiness by state and ranking of “healthiness” by state using the following sources of research:
1) Top wine consuming states by volume (Wine Handbook data from 2006)
2) Gallup Healthways Well-being Index (Measures the “Happiest” states, Nov. 2009)
3) United Health Foundation rank of “Healthiest” states (Nov. 2009)
I hypothesized that there would be a strong correlation in between top wine consuming states and general happiness and health. The reason being, in pop analysis, is that wine promotes an erudite, moderate lifestyle that would (should?) equate to a general state of well-being and healthiness. Or, at least, that’s what you might think. The reality is—not so much.
In fact, there are hardly any correlations between the three pieces of research results examined together.
However, one interesting pattern does emerge – Massachusetts seems to be the place to be (despite their ongoing wine shipping battles). And, without question, if somebody was looking for a place to move that combined a wine industry, wine consumption, a “happy” state of being and a “healthy” state of being, the winner would no doubt be Washington!
Posted in, Good Grape Daily: Pomace & Lees. Permalink | Comments (9) | Print |
January 25 2010
Listen to a wine aficionado for long enough and you’ll encounter a loving soliloquy about the joys of Riesling. Likewise, if you listen to the same person for a period of time you’ll likely hear a scathing rant about wines that are anything but bone dry, having a hint of residual sugar.
For the life of me, I can’t reconcile why some (most?) wine enthusiasts have opposing views about the same thing – sweetness in wine.
This contradiction in action is only equaled in propensity by the same wine aficionado paying lip service to welcoming one and all to the world of wine while waxing philosophic about the allocated Pinot that only he and 498 other people have access to, but I digress …
If I had to make a guess about this seemingly contradictory view of wine with residual sugar, I’d posit that it’s not actually sweetness in wine that offends a wine enthusiast’s sensibility it’s the dishonesty in the respective types of wine.
I think.
A Riesling is classically defined with varying sweetness levels while a Cabernet, for example, is “supposed” to be dry.
In the unspoken view of the wine aficionado, a wine that is historically supposed to be sweet is okay. A wine that is supposed to be dry (but isn’t) is deemed as some sort of pandering to the palate preferences of unsophisticated Americans weaned on Coca-Cola.
I think.
To me, this is a mildly unexplainable mystery equivalent to Chicago Cubs World Series curses and the allure of the Twilight book series, but I think it comes down to inherent honesty in what a wine is supposed to be, or says it is.
Personally speaking, I hold no grudges against any type of wine with residual sugar. Live and let live, I say. I like Lambrusco, I can get down with Prosecco, I certainly enjoy Riesling, I believe dessert wines are an under-acknowledged part of wine appreciation and I live in the Midwest where every regional winery has a cordial-style fruit wine. In my worldview, even Yellowtail serves a purpose as a gateway wine.
Given my laissez-faire view, it should come as no surprise that I really enjoyed Jam Jar Shiraz with no hint of malice towards its demi-sec style.
Jam Jar is a newly imported South African wine that is unabashedly semi-sweet and labeled as such.
According to the web site:
Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz was born out of the realization that there are not a lot of options available to consumers seeking quality sweet red wine. This fresh, fruity, semi-sweet Shiraz aims to fill that void. Most of the grapes are grown in Paarl, a region with a Rhône-like climate that is ideal for Shiraz cultivation, and production is overseen by critically acclaimed winemaker Bruwer Raats. The brand’s packaging has a nostalgic, “retro” feel inspired by classic red and white checkered jam jar lids.
It makes perfect sense. In American wine culture, many people traverse a gauntlet of wine appreciation by first going through soft wines – a little bit of sweetness and not a lot of oak. Mostly these are white wines, with few red wine options. Jam Jar serves to address this intrepid wine audience by giving them a varietal red wine that is balanced with acidity while being a whole lot of fun as a quaffer that can pair with a burger or stand-alone.
My Mom would love Jam Jar. My wife tried it and gave it thumbs up. Neither of these self-identified wine drinkers deserves ridicule.
If I were a betting man, I would guess Jam Jar has a bright future as a wine that hits a niche at the right time in the right way.
No less a wine enthusiast than Thomas Jefferson said, “Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom.” Jam Jar Shiraz calls itself, “simple, pure and honest.”
Taken together that honesty is a lesson (and wisdom) some wine enthusiasts could learn, as well.
Posted in, Good Grape Daily: Pomace & Lees. Permalink | Comments (4) | Print |
January 22 2010
The micro-trend of being a “locapour” – a derivative of being a “locavore” meaning to advocate and practice drinking wine from close geographical proximity—is about as difficult of a commercial trend to execute as they come. It’s close to (but not quite as difficult) as a nascent winery relying on three-tier distribution for growth. Yet, in between conflicting market trends, wineries still need to divine a path to grow their business.
Enter Direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales, available in some form in 33 states.
Now, of course, DTC isn’t anything new, but given the economy in the last year and a half, it seems as if wineries are paying more heed to direct consumer engagement with dedicated focus and planning.
According to news reports from the well-attended Direct-to-Consumer wine conference that took place in Santa Rosa this week, alongside continued froth over the importance of social media, another bright, shiny object was added to the “must-do” list – mobile.
While these types of marketing strategies can work, I have a hard time reconciling the “me-too” nature of following the flavor du jour.
Can it really be that last year’s winery “must-do” of having a Twitter and Facebook account along with video will now evolve to the “must-have” of an iPhone application?
It’s no wonder wineries are in a constant state of dizzying disarray when it comes to marketing.
I’m not a winery marketing consultant, but if I were I would be advocating a Led Zeppelin-like, “In through the Out Door” strategy instead of running with the pack … more salmon swimming upstream than a Lemming running off the cliff.
Specifically, If I said: “Come up with a marketing solution for penetrating a specific geographical market for Direct-to-Consumer sales, leveraging video assets you’re already doing for your winery while trying to actually sell wine, and do so in a 90 day time period,” what would you come up with?
Personally speaking, I would learn to love local TV. I would ride the balance between creating a local presence while also moving faster than the slow burn that is a Twitter following.
If a fleece blanket with arm holes (the Snuggie™) can become a pop culture phenomenon there might be something to low budget TV advertising.
In addition, if there is enough room in the online market for at least five online wine-a-day direct response companies like the very reputable Wine Spies to sell on behalf of wineries, there might be room for direct response in a different execution.
In fact, there might be something to the extent that a national campaign for beer trades on this type of phenomenon – witness the ubiqitious Bud Light “Tailgate Approved” campaign this fall – which is earnest and falls just short of irony, while actually creating mindshare and selling products.
Every television market in the country has a recognizable local cast of characters in the form of auto dealerships, hot tub manufacturers, residential realtors and punctual plumbers. These local “personalities” are always exuberant, mildly cheeky and definitely memorable in an endearing way.
There’s nary a reason that a winery couldn’t pick a specific TV market, come up with several low budget commercials, and blanket the area with fun, kitschy ads that drive viewers to their web site. If customers happen to buy wine, well, all the better and kind of the point ...
In fact, this national / local approach is, in its own right, a burgeoning trend.
A small business services company called MicroBilt has deployed two ace videographers to do free local-style commercials based on nominations that can be made via the web site, http://www.ilovelocalcommercials.com.
It’s a brilliant idea and their work is brilliant. Acorn Winery in Healdsburg has been nominated for a commercial, as well as several other wineries across the country.
Here’s the other dirty little secret about local TV advertising – we’ve been conditioned to think that TV advertising is too expensive. Super Bowl commercials cost $3 million dollars. But, the reality is that buying in local markets is pretty affordable and made more affordable by the week with the declining traditional media advertising market (see also: “I need a Facebook Fan Page”).
In sum, my overall point is I wish wineries would think specifically and creatively about driving business. If a winery is serious about ramping up direct-to-consumer sales there are specific factors that go into success – 1) focus 2) focus 3) focus.
Social media and many Internet strategies don’t lend themselves to focus (geographical or otherwise), nor do they lend themselves to specifically moving the sales needle. But, we all love local messages and we can all name a local TV commercial.
It’s something to think about. With trends moving local and wineries needing to sell wine in ways beyond the tasting room and distribution, the answer may be in identifying markets one-by-one and joining the coterie of zaniness that is local TV advertising.
The below links are resources for more information:
F.A.Q on Television Advertising
Spotrunner for local TV media buys
Wine Institute Guidelines for Advertising
Posted in, Wine: A Business Doing Pleasure. Permalink | Comments (7) | Print |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License
Design by The Blog Studio
