This contest was no walk in the vineyard — we asked people to enter by conceptualizing a plan for their dream wine brand, including: brand name, wine style (region, varieties, type of oak), target audience and a sentence or two about how they’d market and sell their wine. Then we told them to make a ton of noise on Facebook, Twitter, email, blogs, rooftops — where ever they could — to build support for their brands. Because the top ten brands garnering the most votes through our special Crushpad Club Challenge Facebook voting app, would advance to the final round: video interviews with our judges who would select the grand prize winner based on originality, creativity, and chance of success for the brand. The participation was so incredible; we decided to select two Grand Prize winners.

Our judges agreed that having to choose two winners is extremely difficult when you’ve fallen in love with all ten; but in the end two entrants stood at the top of everyone’s list. These top two are individuals fully immersed in the world of wine. Much of their free time, including entertaining and travel, is centered on wine. They are students of the grape and have done everything possible to expand their knowledge base. They also have well-conceived brand and marketing ideas that will serve them well as they move forward. Here are our Crushpad Club Challenge Grand Prize winners:

Meggan Sorensen and 3Sum

Meggan’s been passionate about wine since the mid 90’s, while living in the Central Coast region of California. She and her husband have since visited wineries in Australia, South America, Croatia, France, Germany and other top regions throughout the Golden State. In 2006, Meggan pursued her vinous dreams and launched a small wine company called New Craft Cellars. 3Sum will be a blend or series of blends combining three varieties. Sorensen’s first release will be a mélange of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec.

Kyle and Casey Kaczmarek and Black Belt

It was a trip to New Zealand’s wine country that triggered Casey’s interest in wine. Since then the couple has spent as much time as possible tasting and visiting wine regions around the world. In addition to their love of wine, Kyle and Casey Kaczmarek share a devotion to martial arts. Kyle earned his black belt in 2011 and Casey, who has been dedicated to the discipline for more than 22 years, is a third degree black belt. Their brand, aptly named, will be built around Pinot Noir.

We also wish to extend our highest praise and deep gratitude to our eight incredible runners-up. Each one blew us away with fantastic brand concepts, clever marketing strategies and huge networks of dedicated supporters. We’re certain this isn’t the last we’ll hear of these exciting brands. They are: Andrew Major (Major Wine), Paul Brown (Wild Grouper), Eddie Hernandez (Cuban American Wines), Pete Johnson (Tatouage), David Zakur (OneFortyWines), Bob Johnson (Acappella), Quinn Donovan (Quinn Donovan Cellars), and Tara Newman (D20 Vineyards).

Brand: 3Sum
A collection of blended wines targeting the millennial market.
Name: Meggan Sorensen, Long Beach, CA
Occupation: Affordable housing development, partner in New Craft Cellars
Most interesting place you’ve sipped a glass of wine? I love traveling and drinking wine, and I have been in some crazy places with some lovely people, so it is really hard for me to pick just one.  But, one that sticks out in my mind is drinking Russian “Champagne” while people watching in historic St. Petersburg at an outdoor café along the cobblestone sidewalks of Nevsky Prospekt.
Have dessert with one person (dead or alive). Who? What dessert? Neil Peart, drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush. He is one of my favorite artists. I admire, am fascinated by and relate to him for many reasons. I would eat a flourless chocolate cake (not a piece, but a cake) with him with a glass of tawny port.
One fun fact most people don’t know about you? My husband (and best friend) says that I am “the weirdest person he has ever known – life will never be boring”!

Brand: A capella
Embracing inner beauty and spirituality; a wine that “sings on its own.”
Name: Bob Johnson, Georgia
Occupation: Teaches wine and cooking classes; former golf pro and restaurant owner
Most interesting place you’ve sipped a glass of wine? Not sure if interesting is the exact word but I would say in Portofino, Italy, a bottle of 97 Brunello in the private garden at the Hotel Splendido overlooking the piazza and water inlet. Breathtaking.
Have dessert with one person (dead or alive). Who? What dessert? Dessert would be fresh wild summer berries, macerated in Grand Mariner. with creme freche and sorghum drizzle. I would like to have this al fresco in Paris with Claude Monet while he is painting so hopefully i could get a glimpse of what it would be like to see what his eyes see.
One fun fact most people don’t know about you? Most people would never dream I would be as engaged and content with a bottle of wine, classical violin music and cooking as I am watching my beloved SEC football in the fall.

Brand: Black Belt
Celebrating martial arts and the battle to achieve the “elite.”
Name: Kyle and Casey Kaczmarek , Long Beach, CA
Occupation: Casey is currently enrolled in a winemaking program at Sonoma State; Kyle leads Digital Distribution at Echo Bridge Entertainment
Most interesting place you’ve sipped a glass of wine? We shared a delcious bottle of California sparkling wine while enjoying a hot air balloon ride over the vineyards of Temecula, CA.
Have dessert with one person (dead or alive). Who? What dessert? Dessert is a treat we indulge in on date nights, so we would have our favorite desserts with our favorite person…each other! As for what to share? Apple crumble with french vanilla ice cream (Casey’s favorite) or pumpkin cheesecake (Kyle’s favorite).
One fun fact most people don’t know about you? Casey: I am a former pageant beauty queen. My previous pageant titles include Miss Teen Long Beach, Miss Earth USA and Ms. International. Kyle: I am currently training to get my private pilot’s license. One of my greatest dreams is to fly my wife and I from Long Beach, CA - where we currently live - to Sonoma and Napa for romantic weekend getaways.

Brand: Cuban American Wines
Wines inspired by my father’s vibrant paintings. The first “Guajiro” — a Cuban farmer resting some wine after a long day.
Name: Eddie Hernandez
Occupation: Physician consultant, medical billing and healthcare tech.
Most interesting place you’ve sipped a glass of wine? My family and I were on vacation a few years back on Longboat Key in Sarasota, FL. We were having a late lunch outdoors at a restaurant that overlooked Sarasota Bay. The sun was starting to set in the Gulf as boats cruised back from their daily adventures. There was a cool breeze in the air from the bay. My kids were by the dock skipping stones into the Ocean. My wife and I were enjoying an outrageous crab salad and sharing a bottle of delicious Pinot Grigio. I’m a red wine drinker but am weak to the white with a seafood pairing. I also typically don’t argue with a passionate server recommendation, which happened to be spot on. Time stood still as we shared that perfect afternoon together with wine glasses in our hands.
Have dessert with one person (dead or alive). Who? What dessert? That’s easy, it would be my Dad, who passed away in 2005. He is the inspiration behind me wanting to create my own wine brand and showcase his beautiful paintings. If he were here today, we would be sharing a bottle of California Cabernet Sauvignon (his favorite) and likely be reminisce about the good ol days growing up in New Jersey.
One fun fact most people don’t know about you? I can tell you the exact day I fell in love with Wine. It was May 5th 2006. My wife and I went to San Francisco to celebrate our 10th year wedding anniversary. As typical tourists, we were looking at the different tours available from the hotel. Ultimately, we narrowed it down to Alcatraz or a Wine Country Bus Tour. Thankfully, we decided to take the bus tour, which changed our perception of wine forever! As we traveled the vineyards, from Napa to Sonoma, we learned about the wine making process and all the care and passion that went into it. We saw and experienced how wine made people feel and reflect on life. I fell in love with the whole wine making experience and hoped to find a way, some day, to participate beyond just drinking it.

Brand: D20 Vineyards
Wines targeting the untapped “nerd” market.
Name: Tara Newman, Washington DC
Occupation: Works with political and motivational speakers.
Most interesting place you’ve sipped a glass of wine? On a rooftop in Athens, Greece with the perfect view of the Parthenon lit up at night.
Have dessert with one person (dead or alive). Who? What dessert?  Queen Elizabeth the First. Queen Elizabeth I had a very sweet tooth. She was particularly fond of comfits. These were seeds, spices, and fruits which had been coated in melted sugar. Sounds amazing with a late harvest Viognier, don’t you think?
One fun fact most people don’t know about you? I performed at Carnegie Hall with my high school chorus.

Brand: Major Wine
Wines inspired by the legendary adventures of Maximillion Major…
Name: Andrew Major, Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: TV Writer, CEO Little Barrel Clothing Co.
Most interesting place you’ve sipped a glass of wine? I recently drank some great South African wine in Madagascar on the Mozambique Channel.
Have dessert with one person (dead or alive). Who? What dessert? Jon Stewart. As for the dessert… whatever Jon wants.
One fun fact most people don’t know about you? I’m an identical twin.

Brand: OneFortyWines
One Forty Wines will harness the power of social media in distribution and growth.
Name: David Zakur, Los Gatos, CA
Occupation: Works in technology at CloudFare, San Francisco; Wine blogger at www.onefortywines.com
Most interesting place you’ve sipped a glass of wine? I once did a wine tasting straight from the fermentation tank after blending was complete. The locale is not all that interesting, but it was an experience which furthered my desire to make my own wine.
Have dessert with one person (dead or alive). Who? What dessert? My father. My father loved food and wine, and growing up around it led to my appreciation as an adult. My father lived a modest life and wasn’t in to “fancy” things, but you could tell that he always appreciated and enjoyed it when I brought something nice to share. My father was who encouraged my wife and I to spend our honeymoon in napa valley, as we had recently started to truly appreciate wine. I attribute my love of wine and my passionate desire to make my own wine to his influence, and my desire to have had the chance to bring a bottle of it to share with him — fancy or not. For desert, I’d like to share a glass of Louis XIII (different story for a different time).
One fun fact most people don’t know about you? I can not only talk exactly like Donald Duck, I did for about a year straight after visiting Disney World at age 8. It serves me well with my two little girls now…

Brand: Quinn Donovan Cellars
Wines to inspire intimacy and good times.
Name: Quinn Donovan, Windsor, CA
Occupation: US Dept. of Agriculture — rural development; amateur winemaker
Most interesting place you’ve sipped a glass of wine? The wine cellar at the Würzburg Residenz, Germany.
Have dessert with one person (dead or alive). Who? What dessert? General Ulysses S. Grant. Dessert: Port wine, blue stilton cheese, and red pears.
One fun fact most people don’t know about you? I love to carver watermelon baskets.

Brand: Tatouage
A Bordeaux blend to be branded and enjoyed with a Tatuaje Cigar.
Name: Pete Johnson, Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Owner of Tatuaje Cigars
Most interesting place you’ve sipped a glass of wine? Maybe not that interesting but fun. At Chateau L’Eglise Clinet in Pomerol. Chateau? Not really. The room where Denis tastes wine is like a garage/art gallery right next to the garage/tank and barrel room. The sample bottles are on a small table in the corner of the room and the place is nothing to speak of, but Denis Durantou makes some of the most fabulous wines in the world.
Have dessert with one person (dead or alive). Who? What dessert? Napoleon, and we would have a Napoleon. No particular reason. I just think it’d be funny.
One fun fact most people don’t know about you? I wanted to design clothes when I was younger. I still own a sewing machine and know how to use it.

Brand: Wild Grouper Chardonnay
A “local” Florida wine inspired by the sea.
Name: Paul Brown, Clearwater, FL
Occupation: Beverage Director at Front Burner Brands
Most interesting place you’ve sipped a glass of wine? I sipped a Chinese Cabernet once in the Hunan Province of Mainland China. Admittedly, I would not classify this as a fine wine, but I have a friend who is working on changing this as she is now exporting some great U.S. brands to China.
Have dessert with one person (dead or alive). Who? What dessert? Ernest Hemingway, who was a resident of Florida for part of his life and who stated, “Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.” As not being much of a fan of dessert, I would enjoy a Hemingway Daiquiri with him while we debated the finer points of wine, spirits and fishing…probably a few other interesting topics, too!
One fun fact most people don’t know about you? I am a bit of a closet Bon Jovi fan… Although, this fact is probably not unknown to anyone that has attended a Bon Jovi concert with me and endured my singing.

All varieties are governed by the Goldilocks Principle. Take Cabernet Sauvignon. Plant it in a location that’s too hot and you cook the flavor and structure out of the grape. Plant it in a location that’s too cold and you end up with something that’s under-ripe, thin and vegetal. But, plant it in a location that’s just right and you’ve got a good chance to produce one of the world’s greatest wines.

Within each variety’s Goldilocks Zone there are subtle variations of climate that bring out different aspects of the grape’s personality. Napa Valley offers a unique laboratory to study the effects of climate on Cabernet Sauvignon.

As all wine-savvy humans know, Napa is a charmed area for Cab. It regularly produces wines with amazing depth, concentration and complexity. But not all Napa Valley Cabs taste alike. They display a range of personalities that are in part controlled by the weather.

In general, southern Napa (Carneros) is too cold for Cab and northern Napa (northern Calistoga) is too hot. The real magic happens in between.

The cooler regions above Carneros like Combsville, Yountville and Oak Knoll are known to produce a more elegant style of Cabernet. Typically, the alcohol levels are lower, the palate is more structured, the finish is tighter and the aromatics feature a dash of dried herbs mixed with the leather, tobacco and plums. (The dried herb component is from the natural pyrazines found in the grape. The cooler the climate, the more pyrazines you get. In small doses, pyrazines add complexity to Cabernet.)

Move further north to warmer areas like Rutherford and St. Helena and you get wines that are more thick, voluptuous and decadent. The palate tends to be softer, the tannins are longer, and the bouquet is riper and sweeter with notes of spice, cedar and cocoa.

When choosing your Napa Valley Cabernet vineyard, consider the impact of location and climate on the style and character of your wine. We offer everything from cool sites in Coombsville to warm sites in St. Helena, and all points in between. Each of our vineyards produces world-class wines; it’s just a matter of which profile best fits your palate and cuisine preferences.

VIDEO: Award-winning Greyscale Wines talks winemaking at Crushpad, and where they sourced the perfect Cab grapes. And learn more about Crush25, our zero-investment winemaking program, why don’t you.

Mashup 2012 was a complex, smooth, multi-faceted affair that merited a near-perfect 99 points in my book. Like Woodstock, the event took place over three days. Unlike the famed music festival, it happened in sunny Sonoma County rather than a rain-soaked dairy farm in the Catskills. Here are my notes from the weekend.

Friday March 9, 7:30 – 9:00 pm: Wine Reception
This is a new event we created for those arriving to town early. Low key and casual, Friday’s Reception gave our winemakers the opportunity to explore the winemaking facility, meet the new staff, and enjoy great food, while tasting superb wines courtesy of Foley Family Wines (Chalk Hill, Sebastiani, Two Sisters, Lincourt, Foley, etc.). It was also a night to make new friendships and rekindle old ones.

Saturday March 10, 2:00 – 5:00 pm: Mashup 2012
As with a great bottling, our annual extravaganza continues to improve with age. More than 150 guests from 31 states and 16 countries got to taste their wines from the 2012 vintage.

Each barrel sample was labeled by client, barrel number and wine chemistry. Winemakers stationed at each table answered questions and offered insights into the direction the wine will take with continued aging. We also opened benchmark wines from the 2008-2010 vintages to compare and contrast how particular vineyards and blends might show with a little more time in barrel and bottle. Fun and educational, Mashup is a much anticipated piece of our winemaking process.

Saturday March 10, 6:45 – 10:30 pm: Winemaker Dinner at Chalk Hill Estate
If you’ve never been to Chalk Hill Estate, you’re missing out one of California’s great treasures. Secluded in northeastern Sonoma County in the morning shadows of the Mayacamas Mountains, this 1300-acre estate features 300 acres of vineyards, native oak woodlands, meadows and streams.

Dinner was held at the Equestrian Pavilion, across the natural amphitheater from the winery. Chalk Hill’s resident chef, Didier Ageorges, created a spectacular meal, featuring produce from the winery’s organic gardens. I can honestly say it was one of the culinary highlights of my life. Everyone I talked to echoed my sentiments.

Sunday March 11, 10:00 – 2:00: Annual Commerce Meeting
More than 50 attended this closing event held at the Lodge in Sonoma. For four hours, winemakers were treated to insightful seminars on the business of wine. It’s one thing to make great wine; it’s another thing to sell it. Sean Dunn and Sally Camm from Groove Engage, a Northern California digital branding agency, delivered entertaining and informative talks on everything from procuring a broker and setting prices to branding and sales management. I’ve had dozens of calls since raving about the presentations and the presenters.

Well, looks like I’ve exceeded my word count. But I’ll check back in soon with more news from wine country.

Cheers!
Stuart Ake
Crushpad Client Relations Manager

When we announced the Crushpad Club Challenge back in January, we knew that offering the chance to win your own wine brand was a pretty big deal; but we could have never guessed just how inspired we would become over the coming weeks.

Our contestants have shown incredible creativity and passion in developing their wine concepts. Even greater, they’ve shown unshakable determination; doing whatever it takes to gain enough votes to secure their place in the top ten, and hopefully go on to win the chance to make their great idea come alive. These folks aren’t just collecting votes — they’re starting to build their brands.

Let’s face it, vote-based competitions are no time to be shy. As we enter the final month of voting, we wanted to help all of our contestants make the most of their favorite social channels. So, here are a few tips to help harness the social web in powerful ways to beat the odds:

Talk to strangers.
Asking friends and family to vote is the obvious first step. But they may not have time to enter every single day. There are some people who do — people who have entered in voting contests, just like you. A quick Google search will reveal numerous vote request forums and websites you can join to help boost your votes. And they are waiting to help you out. Just be sure to return the favor.

A little bird.
Twitter is a wonderful way to reach out to large communities to gain votes and grow your brand’s fan base. Tweeting and/or DMing requests for votes is the obvious way to utilize the tool — just be careful not to spam your followers; people don’t vote as much when they’re grumpy.

Add your vote request to your Twitter profile description. You can also participate in established community hashtags like #WineWednesday (also #WW) and #Follow Friday (also #FF). Use these hashtags to virtually toast other wine lovers. And if they reply, take the opportunity to ask them for their vote. If you’re particularly bold, tweet to wine loving celebrities or your favorite wine brands and ask them to retweet your vote request. It’s a long shot, but if your message is compelling, they may just do it.

An open book.
You wouldn’t be entered in the Crushpad Club Challenge if you weren’t already acquainted with Facebook. Some of our contestants have already found creative ways to engage their Facebook following. Create a Facebook Group or Fan Page with a catchy name, like “Help me realize my wildest dream!” and encourage people who join to invite their friends. Update the group daily, with yours and other competitor statistics, to make it more interesting for group members to participate. Use Facebook search to find vote exchange groups, using keyword “vote.” Strike up an accord with other contestants and vow to help each other get into the top ten.

Prime time.
Step up your game via video. YouTube is a powerful platform for compelling family, friends, and strangers to rally around your cause. And because they have something amusing to pass on, they will be more likely to share with all of their family, friends and strangers. If your video is especially humorous and/or heartfelt, it could even go viral! If you already have a YouTube channel with some traffic, consider adding annotations at the end of your most popular videos, asking for votes (Your video can be anything — something unrelated to your voting contest, something popular). Your goal is to get as many people watching as possible.

Write on.
Have a blog or Tumblr? If you don’t have one, get one. They’re free! A blog gives you the space to tell your entire brand story, including design concepts and mockups, founder video bios and your winemaking philosophy. You can also supplement your blog with commentary about the wine industry, designate a wine of the week, keep a tastings journal and connect with other wine bloggers. Or offer to write a guest blog post, in exchange for being able to ask for votes at the end of your post. Writing regularly about your ideas and experiences in this winemaking adventure will help solidify your plans, and build a readership of like-minded supporters.

It’s personal.
Posting requests for votes on Facebook and Twitter will get you votes; but sending out personal emails tends to create the most traffic. By sending an email, you can be sure that your friends and family received it, instead of simply hoping they catch your request in their Facebook News Feed. Friends who are more used to you writing on their Facebook wall will pay closer attention to your request, knowing an email from you means “IMPORTANT! READ ME!,” and they will be more likely to click through.

For those who respond to your emails and posts on Facebook and Twitter — a personal “Thank you” email follow up is a great way to make sure they knew how much you appreciate and value their support. And include co-workers, past employers, childhood friends, favorite wine bloggers, local news stations… anywhere you think might be interested in your plight. And for one final added effort, consider including your vote request to your email signature.

Best medicine.
In any of these endeavors, find ways to sneak humor, wit, and sincerity into your solicitations. You will undoubtedly win more hearts. And maybe even your own brand. Cheers!

I’m passionate about wine. I have been for years. I find it intellectually and hedonistically compelling. With little prodding, I will talk about it for hours on end, until my guests’ eyes have rolled back into their heads and my wife has gone to bed.

Most of us who are passionate about wine have followed the same well-beaten path. At first, we view wine as mysterious and daunting. Then one day, out of the clear blue, we taste something magical. It could be an old Bordeaux, cool-climate Syrah, mountain Zinfandel or Russian River Pinot Noir, but whatever it is, it triggers an epiphany.

Next, we begin to research, taste and learn everything we can about wine. We buy books, troll the Internet and subscribe to all of the major wine publications. Within a few years we know our regions, our grapes and our styles. Through hard work and obsessive perseverance we earn our merit badges in “wine geekery.”

But for some of us, that’s still not enough. We’ve got the bug so bad we want to go all the way. Yes, we want to make our own wine or organize a group of friends to create our own brand. We want to experience the rush of determining the variety or blend, selecting the vineyard sourcing, specifying the oak regimen and setting the final bottling date. We can’t wait to invent a clever name for our winery and develop a label that makes professional designers weep with envy.

And most importantly, we look forward to the moment when we set that bottle in front of our friends and family and proudly state, “Here’s a little something I made in my spare time. It comes from a steep, rocky vineyard high in the mountains east of Napa. If you close your eyes and sink your nose into the glass you’ll feel the gentle winds from the Pacific Ocean as they…”

Sound familiar? It sure does to me. Being able to make my own wine was one of the things that excited me the most about joining Crushpad.

Let me know if this resembles your own personal wine journey. And while you’re at it, I’d love to know what your epiphany bottle was that got you hooked on wine. For the record, mine was a Guigal Gigondas from the early 1990s. I can still taste it today!

Going forward, I will continue to share my experiences and observations through this blog. Hopefully, my words will provide a little insight and direction as you continue to explore your passion for wine.

There are indeed many, many paths to becoming a sommelier. I feel old saying this, but “in my day” I think the call to wine was almost more by accident than a deliberate career path. Most of my colleagues started out in the restaurant business, got bitten by the wine bug, and steered their careers from there. I think there is a generation below me who grew up with wine already being a part of our culture, and many knew from the start that that was where they were heading.

Either way, there are many ways one can become a sommelier.

When I speak to somebody who wants to transition into the wine business from an occupation totally unrelated (and I get asked this a lot), I always recommend doing two things in tandem. Assuming you come from a relatively well-paying and stable job, I recommend keeping your day job until you find your footing in the wine world. Begin by working at a retail shop a few evenings a week/weekend, but only under the conditions that you will be able to taste a lot. This is going to be your Wine 101. You will get exposed to many different wines. You will also learn something invaluable for any branch of the wine business – what people like to drink and why. You will meet many wine reps and suppliers, which are connections that will be useful down the road. Most important, though, is being able to taste wines from all over the world, and develop your palette on the job.

To make sense of this experience and to learn the basics, sign up for a wine course. The best courses are those that will get you your sommelier certificate (ASA and SSA). That way, you have a base of knowledge and can then move on to taking more advance classes should that be desirable.

Another tack is, naturally, to work in a restaurant as a server and show passion and dedication for the wine program. This way you can learn service and learn about wine. At the end of the day, the sommelier usually is in a managerial role. If you do not have background in the restaurant business (and many don’t), you will never be as effective an overall restaurant employee (there is no better way to lead than by example, and this often includes bussing tables and running food when things are slow). Let the sommelier know that you are eager to learn. Take a wine class as well, so you can have a basis of knowledge. That will make the on-the-job training all the easier to process. Sommeliers are always looking for a young waiter or captain who has been applying his or herself, to work with them. It is easier to promote from within, and someone who is hungry to learn but isn’t yet at the point where they want to command their own list is like gold in this industry.

Give it time. Learn the classics but also be in touch with what the hipsters are drinking. If possible, and this is a big if, take time to go to Europe and do a harvest (or many harvests). There is no better way to learn about how wine is made and to respect how much goes into making one glass of wine that to be part of that process. It will make you a much humbler sommelier and give you great respect for the care, passion and incredibly hard work behind most wines made today.

Photo Credit: Daniel Gasienica

Getting your own wine label into a wine retailer or a ‘retailer that sells wine’ can be a hard thing to do if you are not prepared and have no written strategy.

When I say wine retailer, I specifically mean a specialty wine retailer versus a big box wine retailer. Another type of wine retailer you shouldn’t overlook: a food retailer like a specialty store or cheese shop that happens to have a smaller set of wines to give their customer a fuller shopping experience.

There are a plethora of wine SKUs in the market place now. Last year’s TTB COLAs (that’s winespeak for Trade and Tax Bureau Certificates of Exemption from Label Approval – the label required by alcoholic beverages before they can be sold) were north of 120,000. That’s a staggering number, but don’t let that deter you. There are many wine labels that go to market without a well-constructed marketing plan or a plan at all. Hoping and believing in selling “a lot of bottles” is a recipe for not selling a lot of bottles. That’s why you need a plan.

The best wine brands go to market with lots of careful planning to achieve a foothold in the market and develop consumer awareness for their wine label. Thinking of your consumer is where it begins. Your wine brand’s name and labels are the cover of a book. Though many people say they try not to judge a book by its cover, let’s face it: they do anyway. Consumers still buy wines simply because the label is beautiful and the overall packaging is compelling.

And why not? All things being equal, a beautiful bottle makes for a great experience. A professionally designed label is the foundation for your branding experience. And for more experienced wine buyers, a back label is a place for deep richness and a way to grab your consumer’s attention. And think about it—your label is not only important to the wine consumer, it’s important to the wine merchant that you want to sell your label.

In addition to a beautiful label, you need a strategy. Your written strategy doesn’t need to be a huge document but it should be a road map to getting your wine picked up by a wine retailer. When you have your strategy documented, then you can be prepared for questions that wine merchants will most likely ask. It’s also a way for you to think ahead and articulate what sets your wine apart from other wine labels.

Questions / actions to answer or think about in your strategy document and prior to your appointment:

• What sets your wine apart from wines produced in your region? What are your points of difference?
• What is your experience?
• What’s your vision for your wine?
• Is your wine available by on and off-premise establishments? Consider both on (restaurant) and off-premise (retailers) if you can – and be prepared to answer this question either way.
• Work on one state at a time—working on two or three states at time is a promise for a high learning curve. You’ll need to navigate multiple states ABC laws and expend precious resources (your time) too easily and inefficiently. California is a great place to start.
• Get your wines reviewed – it is never too early to start to get some press and recognition.
• Look for low-cost opportunities to enter your wine in a competition.
• Find the appropriate wine event to pour your wine (San Francisco has lots of wine events aimed at retailers throughout the year) which can be a low-cost and effective way to get your wine in front of many retailers at once.

Preparing for your wine buyer appointment

• Find a retailer you like and ask for an appointment; rarely will you find a wine buyer that has “open hours.”
• Pre-shop your wine retailer before you ask for your appointment (get a snapshot of their current inventory for reference). Your wine may represent an opportunity especially if your wine may help to fill a gap in their lineup.
• Bring samples – these are required. Two of the same vintage is routine.
• Bring your business cards, sell sheets and any other press that your wine may have received.
• As with any other appointment, be punctual (wine buyers will often stagger consecutive meetings next to each other) and stay within your allotted time.
• After your meeting, follow-up with a thank you email and periodically check in—a ‘no’ today may not always be a ‘no’ tomorrow.
• The wine world has both a peculiar and unique inventory position. There is only so much of any vintage—not the same with other product categories—spirits, beer or even books. Be ready to talk about how much wine you can provide and when.
• Bring copies of any wine reviews you’ve received as well as a list of awards.
• Develop your SRP – suggested retail price point. Wine labels develop their SRP over time and manage it well enough to increase that over time (above inflation). Your suggested retail is a guideline and though they may not follow your SRP, it does give them a basis to price your wine; over time you can manage your brand and not just cater to a buyer’s margin needs.
• Before the end of your appointment, ask for a sale; you may be told that they are well stocked but your wine may be of potential interest. If you don’t ask you many never find out.
• If a wine retailer says they won’t carry your wine—ask why—perhaps there are kernels of learning or perhaps key indicators why they might not buy now.

Smaller wine retailers have a great ear and voice with their consumer base and many consumers depend on a smaller wine retailer to introduce them to new wines. The hand-sell (personal recommendations from the proprietor or salespeople) of wines is important for smaller wine brands. Many wine labels try to go large chain wine retailers as a sign of success but those opportunities can be difficult to manage and may not meet your expectations. The larger wine retailer may have requirements that a newly established wine brand may not be able to deliver. If you visit many specialty wine retailers, they tend to carry often the same brands year over year. Now, retailers that carry wine (where wine is not their mainstay product category) hand-selling is not a focus because their associates need to know a larger variety of SKUs and categories. However, many are open to having educational and tasting opportunities for their staff. This focus can set you apart from the many wine labels that do not do that.

There are abundant opportunities for getting an independent wine retailer to sell your wine, and a focused effort and creating your strategic plan will help you to make not only a good impression but to have a lasting wine label that is something consumers will seek out every year. And best of all, you took the time to develop not only your wine but your brand as well.

Photo Credit: Dr.Vino

Paul Giamatti lives in my neighborhood, and I often see him muttering to himself at City Bakery or trying unsuccessfully to get a cab at 4:30 in the afternoon. Some day I will get the courage to thank him for the performance that drew millions of viewers (and now Pinot Noir lovers) to see that little indie film called Sideways that literally caused a complete shift in the wine business. Before that, Merlot was king, and after that movie, you couldn’t give Merlot away. Now, as we all know well, Pinot Noir has been discovered by the masses, and is having the moment that it has always deserved.

It still amazes me that a movie could hold that much influence over a market completely unrelated to it, but I’m happy it happened (now we just need a Riesling movie).

Pinot Noir has been the wine of Kings for over 1000 years in Burgundy. It’s home is there and for good reason – Pinot Noir needs cold and rain and a moderate climate. It’s like a red head in the sun – its sensitive and burns easily. It is very difficult to grow and produce, and thus, very expensive, to make. Though there are many grapes that are much easier to deal with, none, in my opinion, ever represent the expression of the ground where they grow (also known as terroir) as well as Pinot Noir.

Most people in the United States get exposed to Pinot Noir by trying our domestic examples. This is a good and bad thing. On the one hand, I am happy that anyone gets to enjoy Pinot Noir, period. On the other, there is a lot of Pinot Noir grown in California in places too warm to grow it well. As a result, it loses that element of place that makes it special. The best method for jumping into Pinot Noir is to find a wine merchant whom you trust who also has a wide array of Pinot from around the world. Be sure they come from cool parts of the world – New Zealand (not Australia), Sonoma (not Napa), Anderson Valley, and Oregon, and, of course, Burgundy. You may have to spend more money on the Burgundy, so choose wisely. Make sure its from a good vintage and is reasonable enough so that if you don’t enjoy it you aren’t upset too you spent the money.

After you try them and decide which wines you liked best, you can start to explore the breadth of wines from that area. Don’t get stuck in a rut though – you will find that your palette will evolve, so it’s a great idea to keep revisiting Pinots from other areas to see if they are now more pleasing than they once were. It took me 12 years to “get” Chenin Blanc, and now I am obsessed! Wine is beautiful that way. You will never stop learning and evolving once you get the bug.

Pinot Noir is so sensitive that it really needs the right winemaker to know how to grow it and produce it well. For this reason it is helpful to get to know a handful of great producers that you can be your “go-tos” when you step into any retail store or restaurant. Pinot Noir is more vintage specific than any other grape.  Ask your merchant or sommelier about the vintage, and whether it’s a one that jives with your tastes. For example, I tend to like lighter, more elegant reds than big blockbuster examples. Thus, I will look for a vintage that has those characteristics. 2009 was an amazing vintage in Burgundy, so it is a great place to start.

Pinot Noir should be properly served out of a bulbous Burgundy glass. The right temperature is tantamount as well. Be sure it’s between 55 and 60 degrees so that it shows its best qualities (this is true of any red wine really).

You are now ready to either start your Pinot Noir journey or simply to go more in depth than you had before. Hopefully your road will lead you to the passionate growers of Burgundy, who continue to show us why their wines are Kings.