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 Current Issue Highlights
May/June 2013
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April 2013, INDUSTRY NEWS
Web Exclusives
Scenes from Wineries Unlimited 2013
By Marguerite Thomas, Eastern Correspondent, Vineyard & Winery Management
From barrels to bottles to lip balm, anything – everything – a person might desire for a winery, vineyard or tasting room was on display at the 37th Wineries Unlimited Trade Show & Conference, held in Richmond, Va., March 12-15.
I tried to see it all, from the Aaqua Tools barrel and tank washers to the Zemplén Hungarian oak barrels. There was so much to take in, so many new as well as familiar objects to scrutinize that I may have missed a few exhibits. Did I somehow drift by the Tenax display of deer fencing and bird netting? Did I miss Picnic Plus’ wine bags, cheese boards and totes? Well, there was no time for additional perusing now: Gary Finnan’s “10 for 1” session on Tasting Room Design was about to begin.
Short of cloning oneself there’s no way to see, listen to and participate in every one of the overlapping conference sessions. Most attendees approach the conference with focused interests and needs, but from a writer’s, rather than a vintner’s, point of view many topics were tempting. For me, it was like sampling a smorgasbord of educational, informative and thought-provoking issues relating to enology, viticulture and marketing.
At the “10 Steps to Better PR” session Paul Wagner provided an abundance of practical advice which ranged from relatively simple suggestions – put your winery phone number on your label – to more subtle recommendations such as: Know where the market is going and aim your programs at the future, not the past.
In another session, PR yielded to, well, yields as Dr. Sara Spayd addressed the provocative question of whether the popular belief that lower yields make for better wine is always true. Acknowledging that growers and winemakers have traditionally held differing views on the matter, Spayd tackled the debate by sharing research results from a project that examined (among many other things) the effect of row spacing on cabernet sauvignon yield by comparing 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-foot row spacing; yield and fruit consequences of very high shoot density; and undesirable effects of deep shade. “Next time you enjoy a truly superb wine,” she concluded, “you know you are drinking wine made from well-cared-for grapes of very low yield (1.5 - 2.5 tons/acre).”
Elizabeth Slater’s discussion on social media was a wakeup call to those of us who haven’t been as diligent as we should about keeping up with the multitude of online professional opportunities available to us. But instead of making us feel guiltier than we already do about our neglectful relationship with the  time-devouring demands of Facebook, Twitter and their kin, this session was encouraging rather than dispiriting. Slater clarified some of the differences between the various options, among them the fact that Twitter is mainly used by older adults (more male than female) and is widely used in the wine industry; that the most popular pins in Pinterest (where female users dominate) are about food and drink; that Skype can be used very effectively by wineries to conduct wine tastings. While she acknowledged that social media is constantly changing, and that keeping up with it demands endless amounts of time, Slater laid out various strategies for capitalizing on its potential. She stressed that “savvy use of social media can help you sell more wine and bring people to your winery. Social media is a big deal!”
 In Gary Finnan’s informal round-table session on tasting room design, a Virginia vintner sought advice about the best way to refurbish the space his winery had outgrown over the past decade. The owners of a relatively new winery in Florida were looking for design suggestions, while a family from Georgia needed advice on expanding their tasting room to better accommodate the growing number of people visiting the winery. Along with much helpful input from some of the attendees, Finnan’s advice was generally creative and practical. His list of 20 specific recommendations covered everything from “Hide the dishwasher/sink/storage” to “Review your message, product, people and place annually.”
 The keynote speaker at the Wine & Dine Gala was Eric Trump, executive vice president of development acquisitions for Trump Winery in Charlottesville, Virginia. In his upbeat address, Trump emphasized that Virginia wine country is blessed in a number of ways. “We have the best location in the world,” he said. “We have the quality and the incredible history. We have diversity, and we have consumers who are smarter than they’ve ever been in history.” It was a confident and optimistic message – a fitting finale, perhaps, to Wineries Unlimited 2013.
Sonoma Vintners Present $453,500 to Local Charities
Record-breaking Sonoma Wine Country Weekend supports Boys & Girls Clubs
A total of $483,500 in proceeds from Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, the annual Labor Day Weekend collection of wine and food events jointly produced by the Sonoma County Vintners and the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance, was distributed to 32 Sonoma County beneficiaries on March 1st at St. Francis Winery and Vineyards in Sonoma Valley.
Two of the primary beneficiaries, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley and Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Sonoma County, received grants that totaled $264,000 raised from the “Fund-A-Need” lot at the 2012 Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction, one of Sonoma Wine Country Weekend’s flagship events. The balance of funds was disbursed through the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation and the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation in small grants to local organizations across Sonoma County, from Petaluma to Geyserville, from Guerneville to Sonoma.
“Our goal is to support local groups that reflect our little towns, and multiply their efforts by supporting those in need while at the same time enriching the lives and neighborhoods of those engaged in helping,” said Sonoma County Vintners Foundation President Dan Goldfield. “The Wine Country Weekend grants don’t reflect the wine community giving anything away, but only doing our best to be involved in the culture that nurtures us, and of which we are a part.”
Including the charitable grants, the event generates more than $830,000 that supports the community through local non-profit organizations. Of the event’s $1.7 million gross revenue, organizers noted that with the Sonoma County organizations and businesses used to produce Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, approximately 90% of the total event revenue is returned to the Sonoma County economy. As the tourism dollars generated by the event are added to the equation, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend creates exponentially more impact.
Over the years, the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation and Sonoma County Vintners Foundation have raised a cumulative total of more than $11 million for Sonoma County’s non-profit organizations. The 2013 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend is set for Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 30-Sept. 1, 2013. For more information visit www.sonomawinecountryweekend.com.
Front Group, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend representatives (left to right): Maureen Cottingham, Cathleen Gorham, Tom Menzies, Squire Fridell, Danny Fay, Dan Goldfield and Mike Pucci, Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance Board; Andrew Bottene, SWCW Executive Sponsor TricorBraun WinePak; and Sara Cummings, Sonoma County Vintners. Back Group, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend beneficiaries Photo by Taylor Serres
WAWGG Annual Meeting Addresses Mechanization
Immigration changes push Washington state grapegrowers to mechanize
By Andy Perdue
Wine grapegrowers are turning to mechanization not only as a result of shortages in migrant labor, but also because it often costs less.
A seminar held Feb. 8 at the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers (WAWGG) annual convention in Kennewick, Wash., called “Will Immigration Reform Drive Mechanization” looked at all sides of the issue and provided a glimpse at what the future may hold. Click to read more.
Other articles:
A Few Questions for: Gina Gallo
Third-generation E & J Gallo winemaker opens up about her family’s business, consumer trends and women in the wine industry
By Editor-in-Chief Tina Caputo
Click to read more.
Buena Vista Winery 'Reborn'
Renovation-in-progress revealed at Count Haraszthy’s 200th birthday celebration
By Tina Caputo, editor-in-chief, Vineyard & Winery Management
Click to read more.
Chinese Wineries Give Imports a Run for their Money
Oregon photographer provides inside look at Chinese wine industry
By Tina Caputo
Click to read more.
Silicon Valley Bank Predicts Long-Term Growth Phase for U.S. Wine Industry
Sales of U.S. wines $20 and up likely to increase 7%-11% in 2012
Click to read more.
Wine Discounting Likely to Continue
Wine Market Council’s annual presentation forecasts another year of lower prices
By Tina Caputo
Click to read more.
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