Posts Tagged ‘Wine Spectator’

Jun 14, 2006

Depending on Score Whores: A Cautionary Tale

A Cautionary Tale What’s the impact of building a winery marketing strategy that relies on receiving only great scores and ratings from the most important wine critics? Consider this cautionary tale. A few years ago a very fine winemaker decides it’s time to make their own wines, rather than make someone else’s wine. So the winery is born. Well, actually they lease space at another winery to make about 400 cases of wine. They get fruit from great vineyards and…

May 9, 2006

10 THINGS: About Glossy Wine Mags

TEN THINGS…We Know About The Glossy Wine Magazines The glossy wine magazines often come in for a lot of criticism by those in the wine industry and those who make wine an important part of their lives. Some is deserved, some is not. 1. They don’t give good reviews to wines just because they are advertisers 2. Advertising is dominated by the huge brands 3. Good reviews from the glossies sell wine 4. They are written and designed to appeal…

Mar 27, 2006

What, Me Worry About the Wine Spectator?

Saturday was an interesting and educational day for me. I was reminded that most people think that a wine publicist’s job is to track the every day movements of the Wine Spectator and Robert Parker. Saturday I lectured at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa at their "Business of Wine" course. The class is headed up by Judd Wallenbrock of Humanitas Winery who has probably worked in every facet of the wine business. My task was to explain just…

Mar 16, 2006

A Tasteless Wine Review

I was thumbing through wine magazines looking for inspiration for wording to describe a couple wines that need describing in promotional materials and I started wondering: What is it like and what mind set over takes a person who writes reviews for a living? Imagine having to write review after review after review of different wines. It can’t be easy. How many ways are there to describe a wine? Well, I came across this review in one publication and I…

Mar 13, 2006

To Review or Not To Review

You’ve done it. You’re first vintage is about to be released. Sure it’s only one wine, but it’s one good wine and you’ve worked your rear off and spent a lot of time and coin on making it. You’re a vintner. All you have to do now is sell it. The question is: Do you send your wine out to the media for review and critiques? Randy Sloan, Napa Cabernet producer and owner of Match Vineyards, as well as proprietor…