5:33 AM

January 2009 - Wine Cellar

Another Great Wine Cellar Article

Successful Public Relations for Wineries: Part 1

Ah, the wine business...it sounds so romantic. Beautiful, intelligent, highly-evolved men and women, living in paradise, sipping Albari?o and noshing on amuse bouche eagerly prepared by three-star chefs. Truth is, the wine business is tougher than road kill and more confusing than the third Matrix movie.

Gone are the days when Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine and Dr. Howard could plant 10 acres of whatever-the-nursery-gave-them on the family spread, make a few hundred cases of "winemakers reserve" and have restaurants, retailers and rabid collectors lining up for allocations. Nowadays, the competition for the consumer's short attention span is as intense as an over-extracted, old vine, Petite Sirah from a low yielding, mountain vineyard. Wineries are screaming "Look at me! Look at me!" Customers are rolling their eyes and stifling yawns. They're also patting their heads and rubbing their stomachs, but that's another story.

So how's a winery supposed to succeed in today's globally warmed business climate. Making great wines is a good start. A fistful of 94's from the top wine publications puts a little giddy up in everybody's hitch. But even high scores are no guarantee for success if a winery doesn't have a solid public relations strategy to spread the word among gatekeepers and consumers.

What are the keys to a successful public relations strategy you ask? Good messaging and good communications. To thrive nowadays wineries must develop persuasive messaging that rings true with gatekeepers and consumers and effective communications programs to deliver that messaging to the various target audiences. One false step and you're back in Michigan picking up balls at the driving range.

So how does a winery go about developing their messaging and communications? Here are my Top 11 Requisites for a Successful PR Campaign:

1. Set Clear Goals

2. Identify Key Messaging Points

3. Create Support Materials that reflect Key Messaging Points

4. Write Storylines and Pitch Letter

5. Develop Media Database

6. Establish Samples Program

7. Monitor Editorial Calendars

8. Schedule Media Presentations & Tours

9. Disseminate Articles and Mentions to Trade and Consumers

10. Continually Develop New Hooks and Storylines

11. Be Different

Over the next few months we will explore each of these bullet points in a way that they have never been explored before. When finished you will know everything there is to know about designing and implementing a successful PR campaign for your winery.

About the Author

Mike Lynch is a founding partner of Big Bang Communications, a PR/marketing company devoted to the wine industry. His articles and short stories have appeared in Wine & Spirits, Wine Enthusiast, and Wine Spectator. Mike also co-authored the LynchBob cartoons with famed illustrator/designer Bob Johnson. He can be reached at mike@bigbangcommunications.com.

Thoughts about Wine Cellar

Successful Public Relations for Wineries: Part 1

Ah, the wine business...it sounds so romantic. Beautiful, intelligent, highly-evolved men and women, living in paradise, sipping Albari?o and noshing ...

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Wine Cellar Items For Viewing

Wine Enthusiast Port Glasses (Set of 4)

Enthusiast Stemware is beautiful and affordable. By directing the flow of wine to the proper areas of the palate each handmade stem is designed to bring out the best aromas and taste qualities in specific types of wine. Completely lead-free and dishwasher-safe. 6-3/4'H 8 oz. Sold in sets of four.

Price: 22.95 USD

Wine Cellar in the news

Wine Tasting Party Set

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:27:07 -0700
A wine tasting seminar is always a good social improving act as also a glad self educating method. So why not combining the education part with a social happening and all that combined with you’re estate and precious drips. This wine tasting complication consists of four numbered wine bags made of fitting wine red faux-suede, scorecard holders and

chain wine bottle holder - nice illusion!

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:28:06 -0700
this chain link wine bottle holder would be a good gift for wine freaks. it looks like the chain is flying. really nice illusion.

Floating wine bottle holder!

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:30:02 -0700
The mysterious wine holder is a mystery to all who do not own it… even the blog poster. Yes, even though I don’t really know how this works, it’s pretty cool and worth a small sized article. So yeah were not going to post a huge article for you to read because there isn’t much to say besides it’s a wine holder that looks like its magic but in reali

Promotional Wine Glass Holder

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:52:26 -0700
This is a great concept which has huge promotional petential. The Wine Glass Holder is fully customisable, so you can have it designed to match your corporate branding. Plus if your planning a new product launch its great for getting your name out there. Just imagine you own a winery and were about to launch a new range. Wine Glass Holder - cool

Wine Lover
Southern Wine

Labels: Wine Vinegar | Wine Vineyard

Posted by John Johnson | 0 comments

7:53 PM

This article on Sauvignon Blanc may leave you speculating about #Sauvignon Blanc . Hope this speculation also leads to better understanding about Sauvignon Blanc .

A Featured Sauvignon Blanc Article

Secrets to Becoming a Wine Connoisseur

Wine is a broad term that refers to the fermentation of plant matter for the purpose of producing an alcoholic beverage. Of course, most people think of grapes as the basis for wine, but other sources include rice (sake), various fruits (elderberry, grapefruit, cherry, etc.), barley, and even honey (mead).

For the purposes of this short explanation, we ll stick with wines made from grapes. These are categorized several ways, including by vinification methods, taste, and vintage. Many casual drinkers pay little attention to the differences in these categories. After all, for most folks the sole consideration is good taste. However, for many aficionados wine is serious business. The variety, taste, and vintage must all meet high expectations before serious collectors will consider owning a bottle.

Vinification

Vinification simply means the method by which grape juice is fermented into wine. The practices followed during fermentation are what determine the type of wine you end up being able to purchase. A common misunderstanding by the average drinker is that grape juice colors vary, which is what produces red, white, or rose wines. Actually, all grapes produce clear (or very close to clear) juices. What creates the color of the wine you buy is whether the grape skins have been left in contact with the juice during the fermentation process. Red wines have been fermented thusly; whites have not fermented in contact with grape skins; rose is a combination of the two.

Sparkling wines, such as champagne, have bubbly characteristics that are caused by the addition of carbon dioxide. This effect is achieved by fermenting the grape juice two times. The first time, the juice is fermented in open containers, which allow the carbon dioxide to escape. During the second fermentation, the juice is kept in closed containers, trapping and infusing the gases.

Taste

Most wines are described as dry, off-dry, fruity, or sweet. Technically, this refers to the amount of sugars left over after fermentation is completed. Dry has a tiny amount of residual sugar content, while sweet has high sugar content.

Beyond this basic taste classification, wine-tasting experts have developed a system of classifying wines by the more in-depth tastes and aromas they exude. Many outsiders find this a somewhat bewildering system, but tasting pros consider the ability to discern subtle elements of a wines taste to be a badge of honor. As one example, Cabernet Sauvignon is a popular variety that wine tasters claim contains a combination of black currants, chocolate, mint, and tobacco flavors.

Vintage

Vintage is a straightforward classification. It refers to the year of the grapes harvest from which a bottle of wine was made. This is important because many grape growers have exceptionally good harvests only during certain years. Also, the best grapes are usually singled out for use in a producers vintage bottles. You get the highest quality wine from that year?s harvest.

About The Author

Fred London - Fred, who has an acute wine palate show you how to keep wine at its best. Learn more Tips for Wine Storage at: http://www.AboutWineRefrigerators.com.

A Short Sauvignon Blanc Summary

Secrets to Becoming a Wine Connoisseur

Wine is a broad term that refers to the fermentation of plant matter for the purpose of producing an alcoholic beverage. Of course, most people think...

Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Sauvignon Blanc Products we recommend

Riedel 'O' Chardonnay/Viognier Stemless Wine Glasses (Set of 2)

The Riedel Stemless O Wine Glasses are the newest revolution in glassware. Casual yet elegant these wine glasses are appropriate for fine wine enjoyment as well as casual sipping. The wine tumblers were shaped to fit into a dishwasher and fine-tuned to enhance the pleasure of your favorite wine varietals. In keeping with the Riedel glassware tradition these wine glasses have become the benchmark for stemless glassware. Made in Germany of lead-free crystal. Gift boxed in sets of 2. 3 7/8'H 11 1/4 oz.

Price: 19.90 USD

Current Sauvignon Blanc News

Wine Managers (Total Wine and More)

Retail TOTAL WINE & MORE Wine Retailer of the Year Is Currently Seeking Wine Associates Wine Managers Assistant Managers New Clearwater Location. Restaurant exp. welcome Get great wine education, wine tastings and book wine trips to the vineyards. Send... Company: Total Wine and More Location: Tampa, FL Source: Tampa Retail Jobs at RSS-Job-Feeds.org

Wine Barrels
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Labels: Wine Vinegar | Wine Vineyard