Tag: Barbara Barrielle

To call DIAM a cork company is tells only part of the story. The technology they have developed relies on the efficiency of natural cork as a closure, but works to eliminate the inconsistencies in natural cork that can lead to flaws in wine.

The idea of Prosurix, a counterfeit detection software, came to long-time wine and spirits retailer Steve Glamuzina about four years ago when he heard about the counterfeiting of the famed Italian wine, Sassicaia, and rampant counterfeiting of other collectible and expensive wines.

A former winemaker, Bertaccini is driven to experiment with wine additives and the products he presents to his clients. To this end, in 2015, he received a ton of excess Pinot Noir grapes from Lodi that winemaker George Natsis donated for a bench trial. The trial would test several different tannin additives on one base wine, a control plus four batches treated with the different tannins, and then consistently taste the five samples throughout the year after bottling.

Lisa Mattson wasn’t home when the garage of her house in Fountaingrove burned during the October 2017 Sonoma County wildfires, but she returned from Spain to find a home so damaged that, although standing, she would not be able to live there for many months.

Good wine writers look for what appeals to their audience. Who is their reader and are they strictly looking for an examination of wine quality - or lack thereof - or are they seeking lifestyle pieces where the quirky winemaker and extravagant vintner steal the show? The wine is simply a player in the story.

At the Napa Valley Vintners, Associate Director of Labor Relations Michelle Novi is already thinking about next steps after achieving a measurable victory over antiquated “Tied House” rules in today’s environment of social media marketing and communication.

Eric Guerra is a man who understands that luxury brands must be marketed as such and has built his career in the wine industry by being one of the best at doing just that. When done right, the brand value becomes a constant, a given. There is little discussion of price; the wine is simply worth price you pay to buy it.

To say Cline Cellars Marketing Director Christine Lilienthal is thrilled about the new label design and packaging for the winery’s core Lodi Zinfandel would be an understatement. Her collaboration with Affinity Creative Group in repackaging this nationally distributed wine has meant a complete overhaul of the perception of this wine in the marketplace – and the sales numbers show it.

Establishing an American Viticultural Area, or AVA, is a slog. The effort it takes to gain recognition for a bit of the earth that allows grapes to grow with a distinction that should warrant a “stamp” that screams quality, uniqueness and, yes, a higher price tag takes time, money, paperwork and then more time.