Wine Business Editorial

As we gathered for the judging of the sweepstakes wines at the Dan Berger International Wine Competition earlier this month, the suspense was killing us. Did any of the wines we loved on our panel make it? Not that it really mattered. We trusted all the wines would be great. And we knew there would be some Berger ringers: we anticipated a Gamay Noir, as he mentioned it the night before at the judges dinner, graciously hosted by the generous Cline Family at their stunning Jacuzzi facility, where they served grass fed beef from their Meadowbrook Ranch accompanied by a panoply of produce from their Green String Farms. The meal was as memorable as the bottle of 1978 Ahlgren Zin brought by long-time judge Tom Bohr.

It’s Friday morning, early, early Friday AM, I am sitting here in my office working away. Coaching our sales and strategy teams to finish...

We all love a good story, and the wine business has long recognized the need of good stories to sell wine. Stories differentiate wineries in the stories plot, persona, and person.

The use of PA is an essential tool in sustainable farming practices and, in some instances, a valuable tool to achieve compliance with local or regional governmental regulations. The previous editorial also discussed the importance of collecting sound, reliable data as critical elements to successfully use PA in farming management.

Lately as I started some new projects, I have been thinking about whether or not I believe these projects are viable because I want...

The rosé trend still shows no sign of slowing with its third consecutive year with over fifty percent growth. According to Nielsen retail outlet data the rosé category grew 64% over the last twelve months, but unlike a year ago domestic rosé is now outpacing imports growing at 112% compared to 42.8% growth for French rosés. This marks a significant turnaround from a year ago when domestic producers were trailing overall category growth. However, French rosés continue to hold the dominant market share with 60% of the rosé category measured by dollar value.

How long has Jerry Forest been in the wine business? So long, in fact, that he can remember when his three wines were called Red, White and Rosé. So long, indeed, that there were only a handful of wineries operating across Pennsylvania, from Bucks County near Philadelphia where he was located, across to Lake Erie.

I have lately spent some time going through winery websites. I do this every few months to catch up on what wineries in different...

Bryan St. Amant of VinterActive LLC has been doing VinQuest research for more than a decade, producing data that illustrates which tactics have been successful for wineries seeking more direct to consumer sales. VinQuest 2018 Consumer Direct Wine Sales Report was created to help growth-oriented wineries succeed, utilizing this data.

Most companies these days have rewards programs for loyal customers. Though how successful these programs are varies considerably from company to company. In April,...

For small and large wineries alike, entering wines in a competition is a tried and true marketing tool. Get a medal, push out an email to your direct-to-consumer base telling them about the award, and give the info to your sales reps, and let them sell the product with its new, improved standing.

A lot!  A ton! A boatload!  Let me add some perspective. First – I learned how much sleep a human needs Second- I learned that a...

The other day I was talking to a friend of mine. Rebecca, who owns Maximum Value Marketing. We have known each other for years...

Measure C, the “Napa County Watershed and Oak Woodland Protection Initiative,” is a deeply-flawed, confusing and anti-agricultural land use Initiative that will appear on the June ballot throughout Napa County.

A wine maker’s story and heritage is difficult to capture through a label or standard packaging. The true test for making a wine’s story...