Archive for the ‘Wine Business’ Category

Feb 28, 2005

Would You Pay $80 For Wine In A Box?

If the Australians, Swedes, English, Danes and progressively more and more Americans are ready to wrap their arms around premium wine in a box (also known as bag in a box), why aren’t I? While watching the Oscars I was chatting with a great friend who is a marketer at a North Coast winery. She was telling me about the investigation her winery was making into perhaps bottling (boxing?) ultra premium wine. Right off the bat I’m thinking, how better…

Feb 28, 2005

A Sign of the Wine Times

Premier Napa Valley, a Trade-only auction organized by the Napa Valley vintners, delivered another bit of good news for the wine industry on Saturday. A record $1,459,000 was raised, besting last year’s take by 48%. The real interesting number however is the price per lot that was attained at this year’s auction. Retailers, restaurateurs, wholesalers and others spent an average of $8,842 on 165 lots, an increase of 42% over last year. I don’t think there is any way to…

Feb 24, 2005

A Gutsy Move in Napa Valley

Many years ago I fired off a letter the editor of the Wine Spectator. The letter was aimed at Spectator columnist Matt Kramer. It was a not so subtle attack on what I recall was his contention that one day, when California vintners got it right, only one or two varietals would be planted in the States’ appellations (Cab in Napa, Pinot and Chard in Russian River, Zin and Sauvignon Blanc in Dry Creek, etc.). I called Mr. Kramer a…

Feb 23, 2005

That Wine’s Gonna Be a Star!!

With the success of the movie Sideways in bringing new consumers to wine, will more wineries begin to participate in Product Placement Marketing? I think so. The problem with marketing via product placement is the same with using media relations: it’s not always easy to quantify the impact of having your wine discussed in articles. It’s equally difficult, in most cases, to gauge the impact of having your product spontaneously appear in a move. Surely some placements are better, such…

Feb 19, 2005

Inconsistent Thinking on Wine

If there is one thing alcohol produces in America, it’s inconsistent thinking. Combine this with our general proclivity to open our mouth before we think and you have an explanation for the wildly different set of laws concerning alcohol in America and the disparate views on alcohol that range from "let’s party" to "you damn sinner". A recent editorial from KOMO 1000 in Seattle, Washington is a perfect example. Washington State is considering a new law that would allow grocery…