Social Media and the wine biz

Over the last few weeks I made a point to attend a series of wine events that presented opportunities to network with wine professionals and enthusiasts alike.  To see the power of Social Media at work was both exciting and gratifying.  Whether it was a tasting event to promote a particular wine region, a launch to celebrate a new social network, or a tweetup which is essentially a meetup with tweeting, events like these "puts the Social back in to social media," a quote I borrowed from Thea Dwelle's blog Luscious Lushes.

In some ways I liken the relationship between the wine industry and Social Media to dating.  The match is still new and at times, a little awkward.  Each trying to find the right balance between exchanging information and forging a relationship.  From a business investment perspective so much emphasis is placed on immediate Social Media revenues and ROI that we lose sight of the fact that it's just a tool to help us build solid customer relationships in the long-term and is ultimately the key to success.

Each of the following events reinforced this notion for me in a slightly different way:

The Alto Adige Seminar (Mar 2) - This event highlighted the distinctive core varietals of the Alto Adige region in Northern, Italy.  In today's world where so much information is available on the net, it was refreshing to see a packed house at 11:30 on a Tuesday morning in San Francisco.  The seminar gave attendees the opportunity to learn more about the region from an esteemed panel of experts (3 Wolfgangs!) and and have their undivided attention for two hours.  Moreover, attendees got a chance to ask the winemakers about revenue profiles, biodynamic wine production, the geographic nuances within the region, and even disease prevention.  Did you know that Wolfgang Raifer, winemaker at Colterenzio, uses nettle tea to fight fungus and chamomile tea to "calm" the plants down after a hail storm - all in the name of working with what's natural.  My favorite quote came from Michael Goëss-Enzenberg of Manincor regarding biodynamic farming, "you have to live it, not just work it."  As it is with Social Media - you have to participate, not just build it.  I came out of the seminar more mindful about Alto Adige wines and left with a new appreciation for Reislings, Weissburgunders, and Muller Thurgaus.  On the day of and the days that followed, Twitter was a-buzz with Alto Adige commentary further extending the region's exposure.  Vintuba does a great job reviewing both the region and the wines.

Sauvignon Blanc Online Tasting Event (Mar 4) - A novel approach to wine tasting pioneered by Rick Bakas at St. Supery Winery.  The concept is simple: grab a bottle of any Sauvignon Blanc, sign onto twitter at a designated time, and tweet as you taste.  To make things easier, hashtags are used so one can easily follow the blitz of tweets as they flash across the screen.  This event did a quite a few things to elevate my own experience: 1)reminded me that my palette still likes Sauvignon Blanc; 2)brought out my experimental nature so I asked my local wine merchant introduce me to a new wine - enter the Marlborough region of New Zealand; 3)tweeting about my wine introduced me to fellow enthusiasts around the globe and Kiwi wineries in particular; and 4)a fellow tweeter introduced me to a new musician, Gin Wigmore - I love pairing music and wine!  Tasters were tweeting from everywhere - alone, with a group, at home or at a bar.  As a result of this successful effort, more online tasting events are scheduled in the Twitter-verse by Rick and other Twitter personalities, such as the WAMerlot event next week.  It's fun and it's free, and if you're a winery, it's a phenomenal opportunity for brand exposure and direct consumer interaction.

Thirsty Girl (Mar 11) - A high energy event held at the beautiful Gloria Ferrer Vineyards celebrated the recent NYC Expo launch of a new social network.  The creator behind Thirsty Girl is the vivacious Leslie Sbrocco, award winning author, wine consultant, television host of Check Please! and co-founder of WineToday.com. Leslie hopes to bring together women (and Thirsty Men) who share their experiences of fun, adventure, and fulfillment.  To reinforce the inclusive atmosphere, Leslie invited various women in attendance to introduce themselves to the group, talk a bit about who they are, what they do, and why they're a Thirsty Girl.  While wine is a big part of the network, the focus is not on tasting notes or wine recommendations but more about the enjoyment we get from drinking life in (the motto), especially when wine is involved.  With social networking platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Ning, YouTube, and now Thirsty Girl, members are but a key-stroke away from connecting with like-minded individuals so that conversations can take place more easily than ever before.  More events, such as Thirsty Girl Thursdays, will be held in the future and around the country so register on their website to stay updated.

Napa Valley Tweetup (Mar 12) - people are still talking about the wonderful experience they had at the Tweetup organized by Gabriel Carrejo.  A rainy Friday morning didn't stop folks in the wine and Social Media industries from converging in Napa.  A panel of Social Media rockstars talked about the paradigm shift in how businesses see customers who now have a megaphone when voicing their opinions, and the importance of managing one's brand from a B2B and B2C perspective in the face of online conversations that are happening outside of your control.  Jennifer Leggio talked about the need to develop a communication strategy first then determine the appropriate tools (Twitter, FB, etc) to use.  Don't just center your strategy around a Facebook fan page as that platform is trendy and could be gone tomorrow.  First determine the message you want your consumers to hear then pick the best online platforms to deliver that message.  Further, don't just use these social platforms to merely pitch a product or push a coupon, it's a turn-off.  At the end of the day, you're going to sell your product because you reached out and connected with your customer.  That said, it was either Paul Mabray or Michael Brito who provided this tip: Absolutely have a Facebook fan page as Google is indexing key search words from status updates to come up in relevant searches. The best part?  Creating a fan page is FREE, generating traffic is FREE, marketing communications are FREE.  Take advantage, the Social Media train has left the station.  The highlight of the tweetup was the outstanding mixer held later that evening at Robert Mondavi Winery.  Wine and Social Media ... can ya dig it?!

And finally, perhaps one of the most talked about Social Media events last week involved one of the wine industry's most prominent figures, Gary Vaynerchuck and his presentation and keynote talk at SXSW.  The live crowd and online Twitter community (me!) was on fire reiterating multiple parts of his message and a spontaneous free-flow rap finale.  My favorite sound bite: "Focus on legacy over currency.  Businesses (new entrants to Social Media) are acting like a 19 year old guy and trying to close the deal too fast (ROI conversion and the bottom line).  People need to start caring or they're going to fucking lose!  You can't scale authenticity."  

As I continue to digest all this information, I'm mindful about what this means to me as a professional and how I can improve my own business practices.  How can Social Media improve yours?

Until next time,
Salud!

Mead is Irish for wine

Green beer?  Pass.
How about a Pickleback, a combo of Irish whiskey with a pickle juice chaser?  I'd rather not.
A glass of wine?  Definitely!

Mead, a wine with origins as far back as 7000 BC, was often served during Irish weddings.  Instead of grapes, this Muscat-like concoction is made primarily from honey, along with white wine, water and a bit yeast.  Mead is thought to be an aphrodisiac that enhances the groom's virile prowess and fertility.  In fact, the term "honeymoon" stems from an old Irish tradition of stocking up enough mead, or honey wine, to last one full moon after nuptials.  Whether or not the Irish started this concept, or it was really old world Babylon, is up for debate.  Either way, throw on a little Al Green and a night of romance is yours!

For less than $16, there are a few local options for those looking to spice up the evening, but be sure to call ahead as inventory is limited:

1. Mountain Meadows Honeymoon Nectar ($11) is an award winning wine made with wildflower honey (how apropos for spring!) and is available at K&L Merchants in San Francisco.
2. Bargetto Chausers Mead Wine ($14), available at The Cellar in El Sobrante, can be enjoyed both cold and mulled (i.e. warmed with a mixture of orange peel and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg).
3. For a full scope meadery experience, check out Rabbit's Food Meadery in Sunnyvale and try their multi-award winning Sweet Mead ($16). 

Enjoy and have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day.
Salud!

(as published on Examiner.com)

Barrel Tasting in Sonoma

What better way for a wine enthusiast to spend a beautiful, spring weekend than to meander through Northern Sonoma and participate in the 32nd Annual Barrel Tasting event!  From Friday to Sunday, March 12-14, winemakers give visitors a chance sample their wine straight from the barrel. Visitors will also have an opportunity to purchase these wines before public release in approximately 12-18 months (futures), with many wineries offering a discount for advance purchase.

One wrist-band worth $30 for the 3-day affair gets you access to the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, Kendall Jackson, Dry Creek, DeLoach, Pedroncelli, Clos du Bois, Rosenblum, Joseph Swan, Michel-Schlumberger, La Crema Tasting Room, Terroirs Artisan Wines and Korbel Champagne Cellars.  These are but a few among the 100+ wineries to choose from in the valleys of Dry Creek, Alexander and Russian River.

Whether you're new to wine or an experienced aficionado, vintners will be on hand to answer your questions. Ask them, "how will the wine change as it matures, why will it take another year before the wine is ready, where do the grapes come from, why a blend of varietals instead of 100% of one?" Or even, "what the heck is a sulfite and why do you add it into the wine?" What you learn may surprise you.

Come prepared with a picnic and take advantage of the spectacular scenery. Since the purpose of barrel tasting is to showcase the wine, some wineries may not have lite nosh to offer. Other things to keep in mind:

* People from all over the country come to this event so be prepared for the crowds.
* Please don't come in a big bus! Most roads are two lanes and allow street parking.
* Some wineries will not be pouring on Friday so best to have a game plan of which wineries to visit.
* Drink to taste, not intoxicate, and keep your palate fresh enough to try from a variety of wineries.
* Finally, and most importantly, drink safely and designate a driver.

Visit Wine Road's website for detailed information on the hours, area map, and participating wineries: http://www.wineroad.com/annualevents/3

Salud!

(as published on Examiner.com)

Spätburgunder sighting!

A couple of months ago I was intrigued after reading the New York Times article about Spätburgunder, Germany's Pinot Noir.  I went on the hunt and called several wine merchants but sadly, none had any on hand.  I heard about a small shop along San Francisco's Embarcadero and thought I'd give them a try.  I came across the "No Trespassing" sign at Pier 19 and walked in to find Dee Vine Wines, a jewel in a lonely warehouse.  They not only had a variety of Spätburgunder available but they were having a tasting - SCORE!

Spätburgunder (SHPAYT-bur-GUHN-der) comes from the literal translation late (spät) harvest burgundy and is Germany's best known red varietal.  The wines surprised me as my palate is use to the fruitier flavors typical of California and Oregon Pinot Noirs.  The German varietal is complex, very little fruit on the nose and on the palate, and is light bodied with low levels of tannin.  These wines tend to favor their burgundy brethren more than the Pinot Noir.  It's a bit of an acquired taste - "it's different" was the phrase folks uttered most frequently; however, I found myself liking it more and more with each sip.  I got there very late but managed to scribble a few notes on the following:

• The tasting started with a 2006 Solter Brut Spätburgunder Sekt Rosé ($20) - citrusy but too sweet
• 2007 König Assmannshaüser Höllenberg Spätburgunder Spätlese trocken ($30) - tart, very light
• 2006 König Assmannshaüser Höllenberg FRBG Spätlese trocken ($44) - spicy and dry
• 2002 Kühn Rotwein Spätburgunder trocken ($30) - Biodynamic. Brown in color, fennel on the nose, lively and refreshing.
• 2007 Prinz Hendelberg Spätburgunder trocken ($29) - light color but fuller bodied than the rest, smells like the forest
• 2003 Kesseler “Max” Spätburgunder QbA trocken ($55) - color is a dark rose but not deep, smoky nose, wood on the palate, and drier than the rest.
• The tasting ended with a 1983 Staatsweingut Assmannshaüser Höllenberg Spätburgunder WSS ($65) - very sweet, heavy, and reminiscent of a Moscato. 

Spätburgunder wines are fairly expensive for the weekday drinker, most are $30 and up, but make for an interesting weekend or special occasion compare and contrast tasting.  If you're in San Francisco, I highly recommend taking a gander at Dee Vine's selection, particularly if you're in the market for German wines and most definitely if you're in the market for Rieslings, many bottles come in half size and are reasonably priced.  Bonus: the proprietors are friendly, very knowledgeable, and welcoming.

Auf Wiedersehen und Zum Wohl!
(Goodbye and to your health!)

(see similar article published on Examiner.com)