Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2011/02/18/freebie_alert.php
Ducru Beaucaillou Duhart Milon Duhart Milon Rothschild Exception de Quinault Ferriere
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Afros Wine ? a sensory experience
What helps a winemaker make a really interesting wine? Is it the tools, technology and modern training received from experts at the best wine colleges? Or might it be the fact that when they walk through a grove, crunching the remains of Autumn leaves underfoot, to the sounds of the local church bell down the [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/XhODua94tBc/
TasteCamp East:Bloggers Arrive in the Finger Lakes
This is one of my favorite times of the year.� I’m fortunate enough to be included on the list of wine bloggers and writers who get asked to attend TasteCamp East, organized by Lenn Thompson and Evan Dawson at The New York Cork Report. Last year, Long Island Wine Country hosted our group and although [...]
Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/tastecamp-eastbloggers-arrive-in-the-finger-lakes/
Branaire Ducru Brane Cantenac Brown Calon Segur Cambon la Pelouse
Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Vino 2011 Recap Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass …
Millenials
At the 6th annual presentation of U.S. wine consumer trends given by the Wine Market Council (WMC) at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City on January 25, 2011, President John Gillespie said everything and said nothing when pressed about “What should wineries do” in regards to Millenials and marketing. Gillespie noted in response to the query, “It’s so complicated. But, you can’t ignore it. Or, you ignore it at your own peril.”
With that, wineries everywhere heaved a labored sigh. “Complicated” is right and “Ignore” is exactly what I think is happening.
“Twenty something’s.” “Generation Y.” “Millenials.” “Social media.” By now, these are titular reference points that I suspect most people are sick of hearing about, joining me in phraseology weariness.
It’s nothing personal; I grow weary of other phrases that collapse under the weight of cultural overuse, too. The next time I hear somebody say, “Thrown under the bus” I’m going to gather them up by the shirt collar and throw them in front of, well, the next passing bus… In addition, the irony is that for all of the so-called, “Sense of entitlement” that Millennial’s possess, our information culture has done a good job of making this generation feel like they are special by constantly keeping them in the headlines, particularly with the use of social media as some sort of marketing elixir (note: I didn’t use the overused phrase, “Silver bullet”).
Despite the omnipresent awareness of Millenials and social media, after having spent a couple of days in New York City this week at the Vino 2011 conference, I can’t help but point out that my sense of Millenial marketing, social media and the wine business writ large is that people have tuned out—just as I’ve reasonably tuned out, as well.
I sense that most producers in the global industry played out in the U.S. know that Millenials are important to the future of wine; they know that Millenials have taken to wine, yet they don’t sense the imperative and they really don’t know what to do to appeal to this youngest generation. And, of course, my sense of the situation is compounded by the fact that producers have been beaten to a bloody nub with the importance of Millenial marketing from the braying pundits who don’t have proverbial, “Skin in the game.”
In this case, it feels almost like a reverse case of the Preacher’s Kid – or “PK” in a Midwestern abbreviated colloquialism. As a strict parent if you tell the PK over and over that drinking, smoking and screwing is awful and horrible, the kids are going to do it out of defiance. Played out in the wine industry, a placid lull seems to have taken place whereby a non-focus on Millenials is manifest almost as a narcoleptic rebellion against conventional wisdom.
While I have the luxury of selective attention because I work in digital marketing by profession and can select what’s important to me based on what project I’m working on, the wine business has no such luxury regarding this key demographic.
Two elements brought this topic of Millenials, social media and the wine business back to front and center for me, giving me a, pardon the indelicacy, a “Holy shit” moment.
First, I was doing research in advance of my participation on a panel about Millenials and digital marketing when I ran across some astounding statistics from the Pew Research Center.
If reading through the technology adoption habits of the generations in the Generations 2010 research report released in December of last year doesn’t shake a wine marketer into a moment of despair when compared against their slate marketing plan tactics then I don’t know what will.
To wit, according to Pew, 95% of Millenials are online (the greatest percentage of any generation), 83% use a social network, and they lead in every category related to online usage.
As internet analyst Charlene Li has noted, “Social networks will be like air.”
Indeed.
The other key moment was information presented by Gillespie at the aforementioned Wine Market Council annual research review, co-presented with Danny Brager from Nielsen.
Unfortunately, in their finite discretion, the WMC chose not to provide a copy of the entire presentation, instead offering a peculiar abbreviated hard copy, leaving the meaty elements out of the distribution at the invitation only event. Despite the Three Stooges eye poke to the attendee’s, I did scribe some really critical statistics that should make any wine marketer sit up straight in their chair and adjust their somnambulistic gaze into focus with alacrity.
1) In 2010, wine represented the 3rd fastest growing consumer packaged good
2) Throughout the recession, Millenials have demonstrated the most consumer confidence of any generation
3) 91% of wine by volume is drunk by core wine drinkers
4) 51% of Millenials are core wine drinkers!!
5) 25% of wine consumed by Millenials costs $20 +
6) Of a total population of 71 million, 16M Millenials have yet to come of age
So, taken together, the fact that Millenials, essentially, live online, 1 in 2 is a “core” wine drinker, 1 in 4 bottles they purchase is over $20 and about 23% of them have yet to become 21, I would say that the implications are clear.
Get ye online, and get yourself in front of Millenials or, as Gillespie says with a paucity of detail, “Ignore it at your own peril.”
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_vino_2011_recap_edition/
Haut Batailley Rare Signed Marie Jeanne Haut Brion Haut Marbuzet Haut Sarpe Hosanna
TasteCamp East: Voracious Wine Bloggers Taste Throughout the Finger�Lakes
This past weekend, I was among a group of wine bloggers who participated in the 2nd TasteCamp East, this year in the Finger Lakes.� The local wine industry is the inspiration for this blog and my business as I’ve mentioned to you before.� I had nothing to do with the selection of our region as [...]
Three Heart Warming Merlots: Waterbrook, Bolen, and Robert Foley
We got pounded with snow here in Massachusetts last week. As much as it sucks battling through a cold winter there's a certain amount of pleasure to be drawn from being snowed in with no place to go and nothing to do other than crack open a bottle of heart warming red wine.
A trio of Merlots found their way into the rotation during the week. They say if a winery is still making Merlot at this point they're probably making good Merlot. I don't know if that's necessarily true, but I find Merlot to be a value play compared to Cabernet Sauvignon from domestic producers frequently, and for immediate consumption Merlot can often run circles around Cabernet. It's kind of like Barbaresco to Barolo - if you're buying it for tonight Merlot and Barbaresco show a lot better than their rough and tumble counterparts.
Here are my thoughts on Merlots for your shopping consideration...
2007 Waterbrook Reserve Merlot
Release Price: $22
14.5% Alcohol
3,030 Cases Produced
Aromatically vibrant immediately upon opening with welcoming aromas of caramel on top of warm black cherry preserves. But there's a hole in this wine's soul - at least in this bottle. The initial attack on the palate is straight fruit, but things fall off right after that and never quite rise to the level the of the aromas. It's a bit of a let down because the nose on this wine is amazing.
88/100 WWP: Very Good
Purchased at: VinoDivino
2007 Bolen Family Estates Merlot
Release Price: $60
15.2% Alcohol
250 Cases Produced
Visually this wine is less opaque than you'd expect given its bold flavors. On the nose I get rich red and black fruit, mocha, and cinnamon. Floods the palate with a satisfying rich presence. Velvety mouth feel. Long finish. 15.2% alc and it shows at points. Overall - outstanding. Sample for review.
92/100 WWP: Outstanding
Sample for review.
2005 Robert Foley Merlot
Release Price: $50
14.6% Alcohol
1,000 Cases Produced
Dark fruit on the nose. Milk chocolate on the palate. Superb velvety mouth feel. Everything is well-integrated at this point. Nicely balanced.
91/100 WWP: Outstanding
Purchased at: The Wine Cellar of Stoneham
Question of the Day: What are some of your favorite domestic Merlots?
A trio of Merlots found their way into the rotation during the week. They say if a winery is still making Merlot at this point they're probably making good Merlot. I don't know if that's necessarily true, but I find Merlot to be a value play compared to Cabernet Sauvignon from domestic producers frequently, and for immediate consumption Merlot can often run circles around Cabernet. It's kind of like Barbaresco to Barolo - if you're buying it for tonight Merlot and Barbaresco show a lot better than their rough and tumble counterparts.
Here are my thoughts on Merlots for your shopping consideration...
Release Price: $22
14.5% Alcohol
3,030 Cases Produced
Aromatically vibrant immediately upon opening with welcoming aromas of caramel on top of warm black cherry preserves. But there's a hole in this wine's soul - at least in this bottle. The initial attack on the palate is straight fruit, but things fall off right after that and never quite rise to the level the of the aromas. It's a bit of a let down because the nose on this wine is amazing.
88/100 WWP: Very Good
Purchased at: VinoDivino
Release Price: $60
15.2% Alcohol
250 Cases Produced
Visually this wine is less opaque than you'd expect given its bold flavors. On the nose I get rich red and black fruit, mocha, and cinnamon. Floods the palate with a satisfying rich presence. Velvety mouth feel. Long finish. 15.2% alc and it shows at points. Overall - outstanding. Sample for review.
92/100 WWP: Outstanding
Sample for review.
Release Price: $50
14.6% Alcohol
1,000 Cases Produced
Dark fruit on the nose. Milk chocolate on the palate. Superb velvety mouth feel. Everything is well-integrated at this point. Nicely balanced.
91/100 WWP: Outstanding
Purchased at: The Wine Cellar of Stoneham
Question of the Day: What are some of your favorite domestic Merlots?
Cambon la Pelouse Canon Canon la Gaffeliere Cantemerle Cantenac Brown
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Welcome to the Future
I won’t have a chance to get everyone an update on wider life for a few more days at the least (things are busy both professionally and personally, well definitely personally) but I was sad to see that social media darling Gary V has chosen to close Cork’d. Cork’d To Close It’s Doors It’s an [...]
Source: http://winewithmark.info/archives/632
Leoville Poyferre Les Forts de Latour Les Tourelles de Longueville l\\\'Evangile l\\\'Interdit de Valandraud
How To Find Values On A Restaurant Wine List
One of the most stressful moments for a lot of business travelers is not when the client has an objection or asks a difficult question but when they are handed a restaurant wine list. Depending on where you are dining this can be a selection of a few dozen to several hundred choices or even [...]
How To Find Values On A Restaurant Wine List originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/NvbXZpZUqCM/
Bel Air Lalande de Pomerol Belair Belgrave Bellefont Belcier Bellevue Mondotte
A letter About The Wine and Beer Wholesaler Protection Act
HR 5034, the bill introduced into Congress last year that would have altered the balance of power in the realm of alcohol beverage sales and consumer access to favor middlemen distributors, is still on the mind of many in the...
Clos du Marquis Clos Dubreuil Clos l\\\'Eglise Clos Puy Arnaud Corbin
How To Decode Sherry Bottling Codes
Today is Wine Blogging Wednesday 70 and I’ve chosen Sherry in keeping with the theme of Spanish wines we have never had before. Sherry has a lot of issues gaining mindshare with the American consumer but one of the most basic is turnover of stock since some Sherries ?�Fino and Manzanilla in particular ?�are best [...]
How To Decode Sherry Bottling Codes originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/9JTdUjQdJIQ/
Corbin Cos d\\\'Estournel Couspaude Couvent des Jacobins Croix de Labrie
Vandals, counterfeits, NZ, rack fail, new blog ? sipped & spit
SPIT: wine shelf Looks like they’ll need a mega cleanup in aisle 7! [Fail blog/youtube] DESTROYED: international treasure In Austria, vandals have uprooted and chopped to bits a 500-year-old vine. Hit the comments on what their punishment should be. [AP] UPGRADED: the wine blogosphere Mike Steinberger, wine columnist at Slate.com, has started a new blog. [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/14w8MH9FbyM/
Charmail Chasse Spleen Chateau Hermitage St Emilion Chauvin Cheval Blanc
Frank Bruni and the Comic Edge of High End Spirits Marketing
For those with a penchant for doubting the appeal of precious and pretentious marketing, I refer you to today's edition of Frank Bruni's "Tipsy Diaries" column in the New York Times. Today, writing under the headline, "Celestial Come-ons and Other...
Belgrave Bellefont Belcier Bellevue Mondotte Berliquet Beychevelle
The Italian Cloud Descends Upon Sir Harry
It's always a bit odd for me when I find myself securely in America, yet surrounded by a foreign language to the point of having english squeezed out of the picture. Of course one is accustomed to and expects this...
Pavie Pavie Decesse Pavie Macquin Pavillon Rouge du Margaux Pinot Noir
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