Like many people (mostly men, I think), I have reading material close at hand for contemplation during my morning constitutional (oh yeah, pretend you don't!). This is our chance to ponder the fringes of the universe and the topics that populate the "c" list of our oh-so-busy lives. One such ponderable is a note I printed out on a LinkedIn app called Company Buzz.
LinkedIn introduces this feature thusly: "What are your customers saying about your company? Every second thousands of people are sending out messages about companies and industries on blogs, twitter, and across the internet. Company Buzz taps into this information for you, to find the relevant trends and comments about your company."
I will. And while I am at it, I'm going to explore the other tools that let companies follow what's being said. I'll be back with more apps and the results using them as a test case by spending a few days tracking his company for a friend at ACI Cork USA.
Yes, you can google your company's name. That's one easy way to track the Buzz. But the immediacy of follow-up should be an important marketing concern for any company where there is a deprecating remark posted or negative buzz that's starting.
Beyond the crisis management aspects of tracking the Buzz, knowing that your company is increasingly in the public eye is one sign of the success of your marketing, viral and otherwise. Oh, Hello! Social Networking is here to stay! As a marketing professional who puts a lot of time into staying on top of communications trends, my press list for my PR clients includes bloggers, e-Zines, .com's of major magazines, other www's in the wine industry. I'd be doing a disservice if I just sent business news for clients to the old standbys: magazines, newspapers, business journals, TV/Radio. It's simply not enough anymore to do that kind of traditional marketing communications.
But the next step is the metrics. It's great that Constant Contact tells me how many "opens" my e-mail blitzes get. That's a good first start. (I could brag here, but I won't...) But beyond the bare splathering of news into the ether, I want to know who is saying what about my client companies. And my own.
So stay tuned.
And if you have hearsay or experience with any tracking services, please post a comment.
Marketing & Packaging Dynamics Today -- Zinfandel Producers Give Their Perspectives
Twenty-five winery owners and winemakers took time from pouring their wonderful Zinfandels at the recent ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates & Producers) event in San Francisco to answer some state-of-the-industry questions.
MARKETING DYNAMICS TODAY
The first question was “What, in your opinion, are the key issues and concerns that relate to marketing of your wines today?” The summary answers are 1) the economy and its impact on wine sales, particularly on high priced wines 2) the importance of social networking in getting the message out, and its particular importance for smaller wineries that do a lot of direct-to-consumer sales; 3) the recent excise taxes proposed by many states, including California); 4) the need to unify shipping regulations for ease in doing internet sales; and 5) the concerns about media overload and penetration of message to consumers, as well as the need to educate the public about wine. Regardless of the list of concerns, however, the overall feeling is upbeat. “It’s all about keeping customer’s happy. There will be ups and downs economically, but we will all be okay.”
1) The economy and its impact on wine sales, particularly on high priced wines
• “The state of the economy is a worry. Price point has really become a factor. In the $20-30/bottle range, consumers are not afraid to buy … but they are buying one bottle or two, not a case.”
• “The economy is a major marketing issue. We are a premium wine, so it is a tougher sell for us.”
• “Today’s issue: price point. But this is a cyclical kind of thing, and we as an industry should not be reactive to it; we should just keep on marketing.”
• “Everybody is kind of bogged down right now. There is a lot of wine in the pipeline and new orders from distributors and broker are not pouring in.”
• “Consumers want good quality wines for less money. It is important to have wines that give consumers great value at a reasonable price. The under-$20 price point is ideal, but even there, you must give consumer a good quality product.”
• “Price point. I suggest that it makes sense to keep wines at a certain price point right now. Under $30 for premium wines. Under $25 for mid level. Under $15 for moderate-priced and locally produced wines. Under $10 will fly off the shelf!”
• “We must be aggressive about moving inventory by cutting prices. I see a range of price cuts ahead in the 20% category.”
• “The distribution side of the business is affected a lot by the economy. There is a big backlog of inventory right now, and restaurant/on-premise sales are ‘way down. This means it is really important to keep our Direct To Consumer efforts going strong.”
2) The importance of social networking in getting the message out, and its particular importance for smaller wineries that do a lot of direct-to-consumer sales
• “We need to learn how to use bloggers to get the word out for new wineries in particular.”
• “I worry about how to get our name out when we are such a small producer. Maybe social networking is the answer.”
• “Since we just released our first wines a few months ago, we are trying to break into the market. We are taking the time to learn how to use Facebook and Twitter for marketing.”
• “We sell primarily out of our tasting room and on-line, and using social networking should help us.”
• “Internet marketing has a big role. People want instant communication. There is no other consumer item that is as competitive as wine, and we need to use the internet to our advantage.”
3) The recent excise taxes proposed by many states, including California)
• “The tax in California amounts to a 640% excise tax. That will make it really hard to market my wines. My wine is comparable in taste to an Argentinian Malbec, and even after the taxes are applied to those wines, they’ll still be around $7 a bottle. I can’t compete.”
4) The need to unify shipping regulations for ease in doing internet sales
• “It is just too complex. We need to unify and ease shipping and licensing conditions across the whole United States.”
5) The concerns about media overload and penetration of message to consumers, as well as the need to educate the public about wine.
• “I am concerned about message retention by consumers. It is hard to reach them about the uniqueness of our wines, for consumers to keep that in mind when they are so bombarded by the media.”
• “We can’t let up on our efforts to educate the public. There is still a huge population base that doesn’t understand the value of wine in their lives and on their everyday tables.”
WINE PACKAGING DYNAMICS TODAY
The second question was, “What , in your opinion, are the key issues and concerns that relate to the packaging of your wines today?” The summary answers are: 1) Cork: cleanliness, TCA, costs and availability; 2) Bottle weight; 3) Labels; 4) Other closures.
1) Cork: cleanliness, TCA, costs and availability
• Every answer in this category of concern was pretty much the same. (But your author knows for a fact that the cork industry has done a lot on the cleanliness and TCA issue; see a great review at http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/20080212_2.html )
• On the issue of cost and availability, four of the respondents cited these concerns.
2) Bottle weight
• “There’s been a trend in wine packaging for the past few years to use heavier bottles as evidence that a wine is a premium wine. There’s really no need to do that. In fact, what’s happening now is a REVERSE in the trend – everyone wants lighter bottles.”
• “Bottle weight and landfill issues are related.”
• “Green green green. The call for lighter weight bottles is part of that movement in our industry.”
• “We need to look hard at the economics. Maybe we should buy glass locally instead of from India or China.”
3) Labels
• “Eye appeal is vital.” “It’s important to have a label that catches the consumer’s eye on the shelf”
• “A winery should want its labels to match its personality.”
• “There is definitely a need for eye-popping labels, and this is crucial with the millennial generation of buyers”
• “Hey, we need larger fonts on wine bottles! Consumers need to be able to read the labels”
• Label information: there is a growing need to give consumers brief info about the wine in 20 words or less.”
• “Critter labels. Thank goodness they are disappearing.” “Critter labels are stupid”. (I swear I didn’t prompt these responses! But your author agrees, see my blogpost of September 20, 2008: winebiznews.blogspot.com/2008/09/critter-wines-and-critter-shorts.html )
4) Other closures
• “Closures are a way you can differentiate your product”
• “We need a lot more choices in closures than we now have. And those closures need to both deliver the aesthetics and yet protect the quality of the wine.”
• “Screw caps. There seems to be public acceptance of these closures in the under-$20 segment.”
WINE PACKAGING CHANGES ALREADY PLANNED
The last question was “What changes do you see ahead in wine packaging in the next 1 to 2 years, both for your own wine, and for the industry as a whole?” The summary answers are 1) Better label design is necessary; 2) Green packaging issues will lead to, among other things, lighter-weight bottles; 3) Use of screw cap and/or synthetic cork will rise; and 4) Other non-glass packaging formats are being considered
1) Better label design is necessary
• “We are going to improve our label design”
• “We need to update our label, make it more appealing to younger consumers.”
2) Green packaging issues will lead to, among other things, lighter-weight bottles
• “Lighter bottles will reduce the cost of shipping”
• “We are hearing a lot about the carbon footprint of heavy glass bottles, something that takes less energy to create.”
• “Does it really matter to consumers what the bottle looks like? We need to think about bottle thickness changes, tapers that lightweight, and so on.”
3) Use of screw cap and/or synthetic cork will rise
• Screw caps – we’d use them more if they could go on a variety of bottles, but we’d never use them for red wines.”
• “We are going to go to screw cap on our white wines, and will use synthetic cork on our reds.”
4) Other non-glass packaging formats are being considered
• “We need to move to “greener” packaging, where there is less waste.”
• “Paper packaging has a chance now with the carbon footprint thing; I see some bag-in-box here at ZAP and I see it in the stores.”
Thanks to the winery folks who took time to answer these questions. Those of us who attended the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento in late January 2009 heard about these issues from a variety of experts. But from the horses’ mouths, so to speak – these interviews provide a reality check.
MARKETING DYNAMICS TODAY
The first question was “What, in your opinion, are the key issues and concerns that relate to marketing of your wines today?” The summary answers are 1) the economy and its impact on wine sales, particularly on high priced wines 2) the importance of social networking in getting the message out, and its particular importance for smaller wineries that do a lot of direct-to-consumer sales; 3) the recent excise taxes proposed by many states, including California); 4) the need to unify shipping regulations for ease in doing internet sales; and 5) the concerns about media overload and penetration of message to consumers, as well as the need to educate the public about wine. Regardless of the list of concerns, however, the overall feeling is upbeat. “It’s all about keeping customer’s happy. There will be ups and downs economically, but we will all be okay.”
1) The economy and its impact on wine sales, particularly on high priced wines
• “The state of the economy is a worry. Price point has really become a factor. In the $20-30/bottle range, consumers are not afraid to buy … but they are buying one bottle or two, not a case.”
• “The economy is a major marketing issue. We are a premium wine, so it is a tougher sell for us.”
• “Today’s issue: price point. But this is a cyclical kind of thing, and we as an industry should not be reactive to it; we should just keep on marketing.”
• “Everybody is kind of bogged down right now. There is a lot of wine in the pipeline and new orders from distributors and broker are not pouring in.”
• “Consumers want good quality wines for less money. It is important to have wines that give consumers great value at a reasonable price. The under-$20 price point is ideal, but even there, you must give consumer a good quality product.”
• “Price point. I suggest that it makes sense to keep wines at a certain price point right now. Under $30 for premium wines. Under $25 for mid level. Under $15 for moderate-priced and locally produced wines. Under $10 will fly off the shelf!”
• “We must be aggressive about moving inventory by cutting prices. I see a range of price cuts ahead in the 20% category.”
• “The distribution side of the business is affected a lot by the economy. There is a big backlog of inventory right now, and restaurant/on-premise sales are ‘way down. This means it is really important to keep our Direct To Consumer efforts going strong.”
2) The importance of social networking in getting the message out, and its particular importance for smaller wineries that do a lot of direct-to-consumer sales
• “We need to learn how to use bloggers to get the word out for new wineries in particular.”
• “I worry about how to get our name out when we are such a small producer. Maybe social networking is the answer.”
• “Since we just released our first wines a few months ago, we are trying to break into the market. We are taking the time to learn how to use Facebook and Twitter for marketing.”
• “We sell primarily out of our tasting room and on-line, and using social networking should help us.”
• “Internet marketing has a big role. People want instant communication. There is no other consumer item that is as competitive as wine, and we need to use the internet to our advantage.”
3) The recent excise taxes proposed by many states, including California)
• “The tax in California amounts to a 640% excise tax. That will make it really hard to market my wines. My wine is comparable in taste to an Argentinian Malbec, and even after the taxes are applied to those wines, they’ll still be around $7 a bottle. I can’t compete.”
4) The need to unify shipping regulations for ease in doing internet sales
• “It is just too complex. We need to unify and ease shipping and licensing conditions across the whole United States.”
5) The concerns about media overload and penetration of message to consumers, as well as the need to educate the public about wine.
• “I am concerned about message retention by consumers. It is hard to reach them about the uniqueness of our wines, for consumers to keep that in mind when they are so bombarded by the media.”
• “We can’t let up on our efforts to educate the public. There is still a huge population base that doesn’t understand the value of wine in their lives and on their everyday tables.”
WINE PACKAGING DYNAMICS TODAY
The second question was, “What , in your opinion, are the key issues and concerns that relate to the packaging of your wines today?” The summary answers are: 1) Cork: cleanliness, TCA, costs and availability; 2) Bottle weight; 3) Labels; 4) Other closures.
1) Cork: cleanliness, TCA, costs and availability
• Every answer in this category of concern was pretty much the same. (But your author knows for a fact that the cork industry has done a lot on the cleanliness and TCA issue; see a great review at http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/20080212_2.html )
• On the issue of cost and availability, four of the respondents cited these concerns.
2) Bottle weight
• “There’s been a trend in wine packaging for the past few years to use heavier bottles as evidence that a wine is a premium wine. There’s really no need to do that. In fact, what’s happening now is a REVERSE in the trend – everyone wants lighter bottles.”
• “Bottle weight and landfill issues are related.”
• “Green green green. The call for lighter weight bottles is part of that movement in our industry.”
• “We need to look hard at the economics. Maybe we should buy glass locally instead of from India or China.”
3) Labels
• “Eye appeal is vital.” “It’s important to have a label that catches the consumer’s eye on the shelf”
• “A winery should want its labels to match its personality.”
• “There is definitely a need for eye-popping labels, and this is crucial with the millennial generation of buyers”
• “Hey, we need larger fonts on wine bottles! Consumers need to be able to read the labels”
• Label information: there is a growing need to give consumers brief info about the wine in 20 words or less.”
• “Critter labels. Thank goodness they are disappearing.” “Critter labels are stupid”. (I swear I didn’t prompt these responses! But your author agrees, see my blogpost of September 20, 2008: winebiznews.blogspot.com/2008/09/critter-wines-and-critter-shorts.html )
4) Other closures
• “Closures are a way you can differentiate your product”
• “We need a lot more choices in closures than we now have. And those closures need to both deliver the aesthetics and yet protect the quality of the wine.”
• “Screw caps. There seems to be public acceptance of these closures in the under-$20 segment.”
WINE PACKAGING CHANGES ALREADY PLANNED
The last question was “What changes do you see ahead in wine packaging in the next 1 to 2 years, both for your own wine, and for the industry as a whole?” The summary answers are 1) Better label design is necessary; 2) Green packaging issues will lead to, among other things, lighter-weight bottles; 3) Use of screw cap and/or synthetic cork will rise; and 4) Other non-glass packaging formats are being considered
1) Better label design is necessary
• “We are going to improve our label design”
• “We need to update our label, make it more appealing to younger consumers.”
2) Green packaging issues will lead to, among other things, lighter-weight bottles
• “Lighter bottles will reduce the cost of shipping”
• “We are hearing a lot about the carbon footprint of heavy glass bottles, something that takes less energy to create.”
• “Does it really matter to consumers what the bottle looks like? We need to think about bottle thickness changes, tapers that lightweight, and so on.”
3) Use of screw cap and/or synthetic cork will rise
• Screw caps – we’d use them more if they could go on a variety of bottles, but we’d never use them for red wines.”
• “We are going to go to screw cap on our white wines, and will use synthetic cork on our reds.”
4) Other non-glass packaging formats are being considered
• “We need to move to “greener” packaging, where there is less waste.”
• “Paper packaging has a chance now with the carbon footprint thing; I see some bag-in-box here at ZAP and I see it in the stores.”
Thanks to the winery folks who took time to answer these questions. Those of us who attended the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento in late January 2009 heard about these issues from a variety of experts. But from the horses’ mouths, so to speak – these interviews provide a reality check.
Zinfandel Producers Share Their Views on Marketing and Packaging at the 2009 ZAP Festival
275 wineries! Two Pavillions at Fort Mason, San Francisco! An enormous event, and almost mind-boggling. After a week of wine tastings in Sacramento, however, I was more interested in talking to the Zinfandel producers themselves than tasting wine, and frankly that was the right attitude for an event that I arrived at close to 10:30 in the morning. Soon I'l post the compilation of what's on the mind of the 22 winery owners or winemakers I spoke to regarding marketing issues right now in the wine business, and packaging issues and changes ahead. Bear in mind that many of these Zin producers are smaller wineries, so there is some distortion in the sample (ie, not representative of the wine business as a whole) but regardless of that, the dialogue was pretty consistent with what I'd heard from some of the Biggies (Gallo, Wine Group) in Sacramento last week.
But yes, I did sample some wines, and here are a few notes. Starry Night Winery (Novato, CA, which is in the San Francisco Bay Area) had a yummy 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel made from grapes from five vineyards on Tom Feeny Ranch-Russian River Valley. Two of the vineyards were planted in the early 1900's, one in 1928, one in 1934 and the last in the mid-1940's. All vines are dry farmed and produce a limited crop, which, according to the tasting notes "results in deep and complex fruit and spice flavors". To me, the cherry aroma was a standout, and the taste of pepper really came through on the back of the palate. You can buy one of the bottles from the 1200 cases they produced, for $28 a bottle. 15.2% alcohol. (And at 10:30 in the morning, that'll set you up for the rest of the day!)
In mid-afternoon, I enjoyed the 2006 Harney Lane Old Vine Zinfandel from the Lizzie James Vineyard in the Mokelumne River area of Lodi, CA (Central California). It's softened with 3% Petite Sirah, and has terrific balance of aroma and mouthfeel, and is consistent across the palate. Berries come through nicely, although the tasting notes cite a vanilla finish that I didn't personally find there. $28 a bottle, only 221 cases made. Alcohol 15.6% This wine won a Gold medal in the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
AND POSTED ON FEBRUARY 5 2009, A SUMMARY OF "WHAT ARE THEY THINKING" about marketing, packaging, and oh did we mention The Economy? ....
But yes, I did sample some wines, and here are a few notes. Starry Night Winery (Novato, CA, which is in the San Francisco Bay Area) had a yummy 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel made from grapes from five vineyards on Tom Feeny Ranch-Russian River Valley. Two of the vineyards were planted in the early 1900's, one in 1928, one in 1934 and the last in the mid-1940's. All vines are dry farmed and produce a limited crop, which, according to the tasting notes "results in deep and complex fruit and spice flavors". To me, the cherry aroma was a standout, and the taste of pepper really came through on the back of the palate. You can buy one of the bottles from the 1200 cases they produced, for $28 a bottle. 15.2% alcohol. (And at 10:30 in the morning, that'll set you up for the rest of the day!)
In mid-afternoon, I enjoyed the 2006 Harney Lane Old Vine Zinfandel from the Lizzie James Vineyard in the Mokelumne River area of Lodi, CA (Central California). It's softened with 3% Petite Sirah, and has terrific balance of aroma and mouthfeel, and is consistent across the palate. Berries come through nicely, although the tasting notes cite a vanilla finish that I didn't personally find there. $28 a bottle, only 221 cases made. Alcohol 15.6% This wine won a Gold medal in the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
AND POSTED ON FEBRUARY 5 2009, A SUMMARY OF "WHAT ARE THEY THINKING" about marketing, packaging, and oh did we mention The Economy? ....
Airline Wines: Service is good and the price is right
On my way back from Indiana, American Airlines was kind enough to provide tastings of a few onboard wines. The Callaway California Merlot, Cellar Selection Vintage 2006, 13.5% alcohol, proved much more drinkable than the aroma first emanating from that teensy apéritif glass which the airline uses. Grapes sourced from Monterey and Lodi are aged in French and American oak for between 3-6 months, says the back label. Chilled by airline storage, it took a while to open up (as much as a red will open up with a 2" glass aperature…). Yes, there is a bit of vanilla in this wine per the label and it is wonderfully clean with moderate tannin. Nice selection. I really enjoyed the label notes too, good job Callaway! They give kudos to their guiding winemaker Robert Pepi, noting that he pioneered the "Two Heart Canopy" trellising system. It's good to see vineyard practices like this noted; having sat in on two horticultural congresses recently (Kentucky and Indiana), I know these guys are unsung heros all too frequently. The flight attendant pointed out the saying printed on the cork (which almost obscured the fact that they are using a less expensive 1+1 instead of a full cork…) and that was "Water separates the people of the world, wine unites them". A comment particularly appropro of the coming water wars as California faces a HUGE drought this next season. Price: two upgrade coupons IND to DFW. www.aa.com
Indiana Wines make Going Back-Home-Again a Real Treat
I'll be posting lots more about the Indiana wine industry, but here's a start. There was much to learn about wines from my home state, and the wine industry that's building as fast as Obama shoots hoops (after all, basketball is the official religion in the Hoosier State...)
At Butler Winery, a few miles east of Oliver, I spent a pleasant hour visiting with winemaker Jim Butler and his wife Susie in their tasting room. Jim spent 5 years as the winemaker at Oliver before establishing his own vineyard in 1982. Along with oldest son John, he's the author of the book "Indiana Wines". I tasted their Chambourcin 2005, which won a silver medal at the 2007 Indy International Competition. This is a popular grape for Midwestern wines; it ripens in late September which provides some protection from the hot humid sun of Central Indiana summers and allows winemakers to harvest before too much predation from deer takes place. This lovely wine is barrel aged for six months in American oak barrels, and is light and refreshing. $15.95. Their Chambourcin 2006, Jim believes, has excellent aging potential and tasting notes indicate aroma of pear and spice with tones of dark cherry and raspberry. He suggests pairing with lamb, beef and game. $17.95.
The Butler wine which I took home to my brother's table in Indianapolis was their Indiana White, a superb value of a versatile table wine, comprised of Indiana Uplands Vignoles fruit (25%) and Cardonnel (75%). Tasting notes indicate flavor and aroma of peach and nectarine, but those are faint enough to not overwhelm a clean tasting table white. $11.95. The Butler Indiana Red is made from Indiana Uplands Chambourcin grapes from the 2007 harvest, which Jim describes as a "wonderful Chambourcin harvest." At 10.5% alcohol, this red has aroma and taste of cherry that is not overwhelming, and makes a very presentable table red. $11.95
If you don't wind through the back roads from Oliver to Butler Winery, don't fret. You can visit one of their satellite tasting rooms in Bloomington (where Indiana University is located) or Chesterton, Indiana. Butler Winery is a family enterprise through-and-through, so you'd meet more of the family at these tasting rooms too.
www.butlerwinery.com
When I drove up north from Kentucky, the first winery I visited in my home state of Indiana was Oliver Winery, located in Bloomington, Indiana, just a few miles north of Indiana University's campus. This is the oldest and biggest winery in Indiana. Featuring a tasting room and shop with food-for-picnic items and wine-related merchandise, this tasting room can accommodate a large crowd. I enjoyed their Marechal Foch Nouveau 2008, which is an estate bottled wine from their own Creekbend Vineyard. On the nose, it has a strong berry, and upon tasting, a hint of cranberry. 10% alcohol. Tasting notes describe it as "fresh, fragrant and flavorful. Everything a nouveau should be. A delicious match with pork." $12/bottle www.oliverwinery.com
At Butler Winery, a few miles east of Oliver, I spent a pleasant hour visiting with winemaker Jim Butler and his wife Susie in their tasting room. Jim spent 5 years as the winemaker at Oliver before establishing his own vineyard in 1982. Along with oldest son John, he's the author of the book "Indiana Wines". I tasted their Chambourcin 2005, which won a silver medal at the 2007 Indy International Competition. This is a popular grape for Midwestern wines; it ripens in late September which provides some protection from the hot humid sun of Central Indiana summers and allows winemakers to harvest before too much predation from deer takes place. This lovely wine is barrel aged for six months in American oak barrels, and is light and refreshing. $15.95. Their Chambourcin 2006, Jim believes, has excellent aging potential and tasting notes indicate aroma of pear and spice with tones of dark cherry and raspberry. He suggests pairing with lamb, beef and game. $17.95.
The Butler wine which I took home to my brother's table in Indianapolis was their Indiana White, a superb value of a versatile table wine, comprised of Indiana Uplands Vignoles fruit (25%) and Cardonnel (75%). Tasting notes indicate flavor and aroma of peach and nectarine, but those are faint enough to not overwhelm a clean tasting table white. $11.95. The Butler Indiana Red is made from Indiana Uplands Chambourcin grapes from the 2007 harvest, which Jim describes as a "wonderful Chambourcin harvest." At 10.5% alcohol, this red has aroma and taste of cherry that is not overwhelming, and makes a very presentable table red. $11.95
If you don't wind through the back roads from Oliver to Butler Winery, don't fret. You can visit one of their satellite tasting rooms in Bloomington (where Indiana University is located) or Chesterton, Indiana. Butler Winery is a family enterprise through-and-through, so you'd meet more of the family at these tasting rooms too.
www.butlerwinery.com
When I drove up north from Kentucky, the first winery I visited in my home state of Indiana was Oliver Winery, located in Bloomington, Indiana, just a few miles north of Indiana University's campus. This is the oldest and biggest winery in Indiana. Featuring a tasting room and shop with food-for-picnic items and wine-related merchandise, this tasting room can accommodate a large crowd. I enjoyed their Marechal Foch Nouveau 2008, which is an estate bottled wine from their own Creekbend Vineyard. On the nose, it has a strong berry, and upon tasting, a hint of cranberry. 10% alcohol. Tasting notes describe it as "fresh, fragrant and flavorful. Everything a nouveau should be. A delicious match with pork." $12/bottle www.oliverwinery.com
Kentucky Wines running a Great Race!
It's not just all about bourbon in Kentucky -- there is more and more buzz about the fine wines that come from this growing region. That was part of what I learned from sitting in on several sessions at the 2009 Fruit and Vegetable Conference and Trade Show held in early January in Lexington Kentucky. (My thanks to my industry friends who tipped me off to this event... because, yes, wines are a fruit-based product, but who woulda thunk there'd be so much great info on Kentucky wines at this event! Hats off to the organizers!)
First, you should know that there is a wonderful map that will guide you to 34 Kentucky wineries that's available from www.kentuckywine.com ; I particularly liked the fold-out pocket size format, and the grid that shows distances between wineries which helps you plan your travel quite efficiently . The website has several useful features too, including some historical background. Here's a bit:
"Kentucky has ideal temperatures and climate for growing well-balanced grapes like those grown in the noble regions of France and Italy. The region's early settlers knew this. In 1798, a European settler named Jean Jacques du Four planted the first Kentucky Vineyard. Many European immigrants planted extensive vineyards in Kentucky. In fact, the first commercial vineyard was started in Kentucky, and backed by money from several prominent statesmen, including Henry Clay. By 1870, Kentucky was a leading wine producer, producing more than half the nation's output at that time."
The website talks about wandering through vineyards .... but in early January, you'd better have winter coats and cozy boots on! Still, visiting the wineries is fun. I visited Wight-Meyer, a bit south of Louisville, and I had a warm welcome from winemaker Jim Wight.
Wight-Meyer's wines were among those presented at the Kentucky wine tasting part of the convension, and Jim Wight is justly proud of the medals his wines have won at the 2008 and 2007 Indy Commercial Wine Competitions. We had a few bottles of our favorites shipped to us after visiting his fastidious and growing facility. Jim's personal favorite is the Kentucky Norton Reserve, which uses only Kentucky grown Norton grapes, and is barrel aged for 27 months. $18.99 at the vineyard. I agree, it's a terrific wine, with nice hint of cherries and a tone of vanilla.
To finish off a dining experience, it would be hard to equal the taste pleasureof the Wight-Miller semi-sweet wine, Vingoles, which won a Silver 2008 medal in the Indy competition. Jim's tasting notes just about wrap it up: tastes of apricot and pear with a clean citrus finish, with 2% residiual sugar. $12.99 at the vineyard.
Sadly, Wight-Miller is sold out of their Winter Solstice dessert wine. It was made from concentrated Diamond grapes from his vineyard, and fermented it super-sweet. It won a Gold at the 2008 KY competition. Try to get the next year's before it sells out. At $30 per bottle, the 2008 was no doubt worth every penny.
In talking about packaging and production (my professional interest), Jim is a big believer in using hybrid barrers, which feature American oak stays (sides) and French oak heads (top,bottom). The American oak stretches the phenols out, he believes, and the French oak contributes a great oakiness that's hard to beat. They source attractive labels from Innovative Label Solutions. Jim pays close attention to sanitation and to the technical aspects of his winemaking, as behooves a fellow with an electrical engineering degree; his day job is working in the missile systems division of Raytheon. For more info, see www.wight-meyervineyards.com
I didn't get to Elk Creek Vineyards for an on-site tasting of wines and crushpad tour at this biggest winery in Kentucky. Owner Curtis Sigretto is known for his hospitality, and he's built a beautiful facility including a lodge with spa treatments available, and a world class tasting room. Their first estate wines are an Estate Cabernet Franc and and Estate Chardonnel -- both grapes that do very well in the Kentucky terrior of the northern Kentucky river region where Elk Creek is located. The winery has an upcoming "Cooking with the Stars" event, so be on the lookout for it. For more info, see www.elkcreekvineyards.com
First, you should know that there is a wonderful map that will guide you to 34 Kentucky wineries that's available from www.kentuckywine.com ; I particularly liked the fold-out pocket size format, and the grid that shows distances between wineries which helps you plan your travel quite efficiently . The website has several useful features too, including some historical background. Here's a bit:
"Kentucky has ideal temperatures and climate for growing well-balanced grapes like those grown in the noble regions of France and Italy. The region's early settlers knew this. In 1798, a European settler named Jean Jacques du Four planted the first Kentucky Vineyard. Many European immigrants planted extensive vineyards in Kentucky. In fact, the first commercial vineyard was started in Kentucky, and backed by money from several prominent statesmen, including Henry Clay. By 1870, Kentucky was a leading wine producer, producing more than half the nation's output at that time."
The website talks about wandering through vineyards .... but in early January, you'd better have winter coats and cozy boots on! Still, visiting the wineries is fun. I visited Wight-Meyer, a bit south of Louisville, and I had a warm welcome from winemaker Jim Wight.
Wight-Meyer's wines were among those presented at the Kentucky wine tasting part of the convension, and Jim Wight is justly proud of the medals his wines have won at the 2008 and 2007 Indy Commercial Wine Competitions. We had a few bottles of our favorites shipped to us after visiting his fastidious and growing facility. Jim's personal favorite is the Kentucky Norton Reserve, which uses only Kentucky grown Norton grapes, and is barrel aged for 27 months. $18.99 at the vineyard. I agree, it's a terrific wine, with nice hint of cherries and a tone of vanilla.
To finish off a dining experience, it would be hard to equal the taste pleasureof the Wight-Miller semi-sweet wine, Vingoles, which won a Silver 2008 medal in the Indy competition. Jim's tasting notes just about wrap it up: tastes of apricot and pear with a clean citrus finish, with 2% residiual sugar. $12.99 at the vineyard.
Sadly, Wight-Miller is sold out of their Winter Solstice dessert wine. It was made from concentrated Diamond grapes from his vineyard, and fermented it super-sweet. It won a Gold at the 2008 KY competition. Try to get the next year's before it sells out. At $30 per bottle, the 2008 was no doubt worth every penny.
In talking about packaging and production (my professional interest), Jim is a big believer in using hybrid barrers, which feature American oak stays (sides) and French oak heads (top,bottom). The American oak stretches the phenols out, he believes, and the French oak contributes a great oakiness that's hard to beat. They source attractive labels from Innovative Label Solutions. Jim pays close attention to sanitation and to the technical aspects of his winemaking, as behooves a fellow with an electrical engineering degree; his day job is working in the missile systems division of Raytheon. For more info, see www.wight-meyervineyards.com
I didn't get to Elk Creek Vineyards for an on-site tasting of wines and crushpad tour at this biggest winery in Kentucky. Owner Curtis Sigretto is known for his hospitality, and he's built a beautiful facility including a lodge with spa treatments available, and a world class tasting room. Their first estate wines are an Estate Cabernet Franc and and Estate Chardonnel -- both grapes that do very well in the Kentucky terrior of the northern Kentucky river region where Elk Creek is located. The winery has an upcoming "Cooking with the Stars" event, so be on the lookout for it. For more info, see www.elkcreekvineyards.com
When oh When to Drink the dusty bottles in my wine rack? Wineries' responses and response times. Summary: somewhat disappointing response times!
What’s an ignorant wine drinker to do? I tried using some of the internet’s vintage guides to answer my questions as I dusted off my wine rack, but those guides simply weren’t satisfactory. Either that, or I fear that I’d waited too long to open those bottles. So I resorted to the winery websites for information, and it’s a good thing I wasn’t needing decision-support for a dinner party later that day… because ONLY ONE winery of the three I reached was “on top” of the customer service question.
Now, I know that this isn’t exactly a representative sampling and that the results of this survey are not statistically significant at the 98% percentile of certainty, but still ... such customer service, and rapidly, is a function to which the wine industry needs to be attuned.
HATS OFF TO TOBIN JAMES!
Original question: sent at 9 a.m. on a Monday morning to info@tobinjames.com:
SUBJECT: When to drink your 2000 syrah silver reserve
MESSAGE: I've had this bottle for a while and wondring how much longer I should
cellar it, or if I should drink it now. Thanks for your help!
RESPONSE TIME: 90 MINUTES
Thank you for your email. The 2000 Silver Syrah is a fabulous wine. I would
recommend drinking it. The 2000 Syrah should be drinking very nice now and
it will definitely hold for a few more years. I would love to hear how it
tastes.
P.S. If you decide to hold the bottle for a bit longer be sure it is
cellared properly.
Cheers,
Monica Martin, Manager
Tobin James Cellars
8950 Union Road
Paso Robles CA 93446
AND THEN, IN ADDITION TO A PROMPT RESPONSE, Tobin James provided even more superior customer service…
I wrote: Thank you for your speedy reply, and the responsible way in which you mentioned the need for proper cellaring. Do you have a resource that will help me understand what "proper cellaring" means for the everyday winedrinker who has less than 4 cases on hand? Thanks again!
Monica promptly replied: Barbara, The term proper cellaring is just keeping the bottle in a cool constant temp.
~~~~ a close second ~~~~~ Grgich Hills ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Original question: sent on Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 8:50 AM to info@grgich.com
SUBJECT: question about your Napa Valley Chardonnay 2001 -- drink now or hold?
MESSAGE: I've had this bottle for a while now and wondering how much longer I should cellar it, or if it should be consumed now. Thanks for your help!
RESPONSE TIME: 23 hours
Hi Barbara,
Last year we opened some Chardonnay going back to the 1980's and most all of them were still excellent. That is kind of a long way of saying that you could drink it now and it would be wonderful or you could hold it for a couple of more years and it would still be good..
Cheers,
Bob During
Grgich Hills Estate
707.963.2784
~~oh my oh my~~~ya gotta do better than this, Frank Family! ~~~
Original question: sent on Monday, September 29, 2008 8:48 AM to info@frankfamilyvineyards.com
SUBJECT: question about your cab sauv Napa Valley from 1998
MESSAGE: I've had this bottle for a while now, and wondering if I should continue to cellar it, or should drink it now. Thanks for your help.
RESPONSE TIME: 4 days, 2.5 hours
Barbara,
You should drink it now. 98 was a year that should have been consumed a couple of Years back, hope it is okay. Do not decant, as this will age it even more…which you don’t want to do.
Sincerely, Rick
~~~~~~
Regardless, thanks to all the wineries for helping me along the path to more understanding of wines and their lifelines ... I appreciate it.
Now, I know that this isn’t exactly a representative sampling and that the results of this survey are not statistically significant at the 98% percentile of certainty, but still ... such customer service, and rapidly, is a function to which the wine industry needs to be attuned.
HATS OFF TO TOBIN JAMES!
Original question: sent at 9 a.m. on a Monday morning to info@tobinjames.com:
SUBJECT: When to drink your 2000 syrah silver reserve
MESSAGE: I've had this bottle for a while and wondring how much longer I should
cellar it, or if I should drink it now. Thanks for your help!
RESPONSE TIME: 90 MINUTES
Thank you for your email. The 2000 Silver Syrah is a fabulous wine. I would
recommend drinking it. The 2000 Syrah should be drinking very nice now and
it will definitely hold for a few more years. I would love to hear how it
tastes.
P.S. If you decide to hold the bottle for a bit longer be sure it is
cellared properly.
Cheers,
Monica Martin, Manager
Tobin James Cellars
8950 Union Road
Paso Robles CA 93446
AND THEN, IN ADDITION TO A PROMPT RESPONSE, Tobin James provided even more superior customer service…
I wrote: Thank you for your speedy reply, and the responsible way in which you mentioned the need for proper cellaring. Do you have a resource that will help me understand what "proper cellaring" means for the everyday winedrinker who has less than 4 cases on hand? Thanks again!
Monica promptly replied: Barbara, The term proper cellaring is just keeping the bottle in a cool constant temp.
~~~~ a close second ~~~~~ Grgich Hills ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Original question: sent on Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 8:50 AM to info@grgich.com
SUBJECT: question about your Napa Valley Chardonnay 2001 -- drink now or hold?
MESSAGE: I've had this bottle for a while now and wondering how much longer I should cellar it, or if it should be consumed now. Thanks for your help!
RESPONSE TIME: 23 hours
Hi Barbara,
Last year we opened some Chardonnay going back to the 1980's and most all of them were still excellent. That is kind of a long way of saying that you could drink it now and it would be wonderful or you could hold it for a couple of more years and it would still be good..
Cheers,
Bob During
Grgich Hills Estate
707.963.2784
~~oh my oh my~~~ya gotta do better than this, Frank Family! ~~~
Original question: sent on Monday, September 29, 2008 8:48 AM to info@frankfamilyvineyards.com
SUBJECT: question about your cab sauv Napa Valley from 1998
MESSAGE: I've had this bottle for a while now, and wondering if I should continue to cellar it, or should drink it now. Thanks for your help.
RESPONSE TIME: 4 days, 2.5 hours
Barbara,
You should drink it now. 98 was a year that should have been consumed a couple of Years back, hope it is okay. Do not decant, as this will age it even more…which you don’t want to do.
Sincerely, Rick
~~~~~~
Regardless, thanks to all the wineries for helping me along the path to more understanding of wines and their lifelines ... I appreciate it.
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