Brad Post:
After reading my brothers remarks on restaurant patron wine purchase choices I began to do some research to see how people go about selecting a wine and reviewed current sales trends. The source of my material comes from Wine Business Monthly (April & May issues).
Wine sales over the past year (and the past 13 weeks - ending 2/7/09), according to the Nielson Company, and reported by Rachel Nichols (WBM, p. 71, May, 2009) indicates overall wine sales are up by 5 percent.
Any guesses to the top selling varietals? The dollar volume for the past 52 weeks follow: #1 Chardonnay - $1.7 billion, #2 Cab Sauv. - $1.18 billion, #3 Merlot - $898 million, #4 Pinot Grigio/Gris - $649 million.
The fastest growing segment over the past year are: #1 Pinot Noir (13.2%), #2 Fume/Sauvignon Blanc (10.4%), and #3 Pinot Grigio/Gris (9.7%). It is interesting to note, despite such a large market share, that Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are still making headway reporting moderate growth over the same period: 4.1% and 7.7% respectively.
That is a lot of wine being purchased - Billions of dollars! So, how do winemakers go about marketing their product so it moves? What do potential customers key-in on before they buy that one bottle (or case)? Using experimental research, Larry Lockshin, professor of Wine Marketing at the University of South Australia (WBM, p. 64-67, Apr. 2009), reported two studies. The first being critical of traditional market research methodologies, which simply asks customers to pick their favorite attributes of a wine (e.g., bottle design, label, etc.), and in this study he created a simulation and manipulated the label colors and styles. He found label style and colors were predictive of purchase behavior - but varied by respondents.
Study 2. In this study, he experimental manipulated several independent variables (e.g., bottle size, label design, color, price, ratings, awards, alcohol level, and closure type) to understand their effect on the dependent variable: choice. Biggest purchase predictors? 1) ratings (0-5 stars), 2) brand, 3) price, 4) medals and trophies, 5) price discounts, 6) alcohol level, 7) region, and 8) closure type. For online purchases price seems to be even more important!
Take home message to us: get Robert Parker to highly evaluate our wines, build a strong brand image, and price it right!
Happy tastings!
~Brad
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Taste and Cover!
Brad Post:
Each week I make sure to give my wine a Carbon Dioxide - CO2 cover (i.e., dry ice) in order to displace any Oxygen that may have found its way into my containers of clearing wine. Until recently I was under the impression, like many winemakers, that SO2 (sulfur dioxide, aka: sulfur or sulfites) protected wine from oxidation - it is useful at crush for that purpose but less so afterward. When air (oxygen) invades the ullage or headspace of a barrel, tank, carboy it interacts with wine constituents to make a good wine go bad. Perhaps, you've had a wine that was supposed to be fruity, white, and delicious, but instead you found something different - carmel tasting, nutty, and browning -- these are the very noticeable effects of oxidation. Good for Sherry...bad for a nice Seyval!
Yesterday, with CO2 in one hand (not literally, it's very cold) and a wine thief and glass in the other, I ventured down to the cellar to Taste and Cover. While Jill waited comfortably upstairs I went down to steal samples, slurped a little, and laid down a nice billowy cloud of dry ice on the wine; then, back upstairs to see if she could identify and evaluate the wine quality. Here is what we determined:
1. Marechal Foch (Press-Fraction) - We hadn't tasted this one for a very long time so when I took the first sip I was surprised. It lacked the traditional Fochiness (read: vegetative, herbaceous, heavy earthy quality) and was medium bodied, moderately oaky (American), and nicely fruity. BIG SURPRISE - it was good!
2. Malbec (Chilean) - A year ago our wine club purchased grapes from Chile and has been aging in the cellar ever since. This has been a particular rascal to work with and I attribute much of this to the product we had to begin with. Nonetheless, the Malbec is giving us a nice dark, fruity, lightly oaked wine to enjoy. On the downside, we still need to remove some of the dissolved carbon dioxide from solution (e.g., it needs to have a good burp!).
3. Zinfandel (California) - Last Fall while working at the nearby Fireside Winery they offered me several bucket fulls of fresh-crushed Zinfandel they purchased from California -- I happily accepted and fermented it to its current lovely state. Deliciously drinkable with hints of hippies and patchouli oil! Very drinkable!
4. Chambourcin - These grapes came from Baxter Vineyards in Nauvoo, IL last Fall. Beautiful hued purple/black wine with light notes of oak. Might have a slight fault as we think we might be detecting volatile acidity. Still good though.
5. Wild Grape - Picked these last Fall and didn't start it until late Winter - it's cold stabilizing right now. The early acidity was pretty high but after a few weeks of chilling it is really tasting pretty good. The wine has interesting earthy quality reminiscent of wild grapes -- Go Figure!
6. Frontenac Gris - This wine is a bit uninteresting. Seems to be lacking something: a personality perhaps and we're currently considering a short contact with some French oak to help it find its way.
7. Traminette - True to its Gewurztraminer heritage, this Traminette is floral, fragrant and spicy! This is one of our favorites this year! Can't wait to put this into a bottle and horde it! Delicious. Delicious. Delicious.
Moving on...In preparation to the establishment of our winery (the formal commercial one) we anticipate hosting a Wine Fest to dispense of our wines to friends, families, and wine lovers sometime in July. Stay tuned!
Peace and Happy Tastings!
~Brad
Each week I make sure to give my wine a Carbon Dioxide - CO2 cover (i.e., dry ice) in order to displace any Oxygen that may have found its way into my containers of clearing wine. Until recently I was under the impression, like many winemakers, that SO2 (sulfur dioxide, aka: sulfur or sulfites) protected wine from oxidation - it is useful at crush for that purpose but less so afterward. When air (oxygen) invades the ullage or headspace of a barrel, tank, carboy it interacts with wine constituents to make a good wine go bad. Perhaps, you've had a wine that was supposed to be fruity, white, and delicious, but instead you found something different - carmel tasting, nutty, and browning -- these are the very noticeable effects of oxidation. Good for Sherry...bad for a nice Seyval!
Yesterday, with CO2 in one hand (not literally, it's very cold) and a wine thief and glass in the other, I ventured down to the cellar to Taste and Cover. While Jill waited comfortably upstairs I went down to steal samples, slurped a little, and laid down a nice billowy cloud of dry ice on the wine; then, back upstairs to see if she could identify and evaluate the wine quality. Here is what we determined:
1. Marechal Foch (Press-Fraction) - We hadn't tasted this one for a very long time so when I took the first sip I was surprised. It lacked the traditional Fochiness (read: vegetative, herbaceous, heavy earthy quality) and was medium bodied, moderately oaky (American), and nicely fruity. BIG SURPRISE - it was good!
2. Malbec (Chilean) - A year ago our wine club purchased grapes from Chile and has been aging in the cellar ever since. This has been a particular rascal to work with and I attribute much of this to the product we had to begin with. Nonetheless, the Malbec is giving us a nice dark, fruity, lightly oaked wine to enjoy. On the downside, we still need to remove some of the dissolved carbon dioxide from solution (e.g., it needs to have a good burp!).
3. Zinfandel (California) - Last Fall while working at the nearby Fireside Winery they offered me several bucket fulls of fresh-crushed Zinfandel they purchased from California -- I happily accepted and fermented it to its current lovely state. Deliciously drinkable with hints of hippies and patchouli oil! Very drinkable!
4. Chambourcin - These grapes came from Baxter Vineyards in Nauvoo, IL last Fall. Beautiful hued purple/black wine with light notes of oak. Might have a slight fault as we think we might be detecting volatile acidity. Still good though.
5. Wild Grape - Picked these last Fall and didn't start it until late Winter - it's cold stabilizing right now. The early acidity was pretty high but after a few weeks of chilling it is really tasting pretty good. The wine has interesting earthy quality reminiscent of wild grapes -- Go Figure!
6. Frontenac Gris - This wine is a bit uninteresting. Seems to be lacking something: a personality perhaps and we're currently considering a short contact with some French oak to help it find its way.
7. Traminette - True to its Gewurztraminer heritage, this Traminette is floral, fragrant and spicy! This is one of our favorites this year! Can't wait to put this into a bottle and horde it! Delicious. Delicious. Delicious.
Moving on...In preparation to the establishment of our winery (the formal commercial one) we anticipate hosting a Wine Fest to dispense of our wines to friends, families, and wine lovers sometime in July. Stay tuned!
Peace and Happy Tastings!
~Brad
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Wine Recession
I can say with absolute certainty that the recession has hit the restaurant business - or at least the one restaurant with which I am involved.
We are still selling wine, but our bottle sales was down in March by nearly 25% as compared with 2008. Additionally, the average price per bottle sold has decreased from $38 to $30.
I spoke with one of our wine reps on Friday and he said that he is seeing a lot of "trading down". That is where people who continue to buy, are buying lower priced or differently marketed products. He said that he'd noted that the premium French wines had taken a huge hit while the lower priced wine was doing a better job of holding its market share.
One trend that I have noticed is that unpretentious wines are doing better in the down market. One of our wines is "Boots" by Trevor Jones: an light Australian white. The label features a pair of rubber boots that you might expect laborers to wear in the vineyard. We are selling out of this stuff. I suspect that the combination of its low price and common feel make it a winner in this economy. I don't pretend to understand the psychology of wine drinkers, but this much I see first hand:
1. Expensive French wines are gathering dust.
2. Inexpensive wines with unpretentious labels are doing very well
We are still selling wine, but our bottle sales was down in March by nearly 25% as compared with 2008. Additionally, the average price per bottle sold has decreased from $38 to $30.
I spoke with one of our wine reps on Friday and he said that he is seeing a lot of "trading down". That is where people who continue to buy, are buying lower priced or differently marketed products. He said that he'd noted that the premium French wines had taken a huge hit while the lower priced wine was doing a better job of holding its market share.
One trend that I have noticed is that unpretentious wines are doing better in the down market. One of our wines is "Boots" by Trevor Jones: an light Australian white. The label features a pair of rubber boots that you might expect laborers to wear in the vineyard. We are selling out of this stuff. I suspect that the combination of its low price and common feel make it a winner in this economy. I don't pretend to understand the psychology of wine drinkers, but this much I see first hand:
1. Expensive French wines are gathering dust.
2. Inexpensive wines with unpretentious labels are doing very well
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
&$@!! Wine Snobs
Brad Post:
Few things drive me more crazy than wine snobs! The pedantic, pretentious, pontificating, bloviating, snitty-snooting-snobs of the self-ascribed wine aficionado sect.
Perhaps well-meaning but rarely well-mannered in their fervent attempt to illuminate us mere mortals to their uppity, Emily Post styled ways of wine. It doesn't take too many force-fed wine education sessions to realize why there are so many beer drinkers in the world. If my alcohol consuming brethren experience the same sort of wine-snobbery, then perhaps I ought to join them in a neighborhood pub - where I can hold my glass of brew any way I please.
Sure I get it...that in the other-worldly, world of wine appreciation that holding glass by the stem, positioning it up to the light and appreciating the golden glow of the lightly oaked Chardonnay is a sight to behold. But seriously, c'mon...we're just trying to enjoy a glass of wine without a whole lot of pomp and/or circumstance sometimes. The fact is, unless we ask you for advice on how to critically examine a wine, how to best hold a glass of wine while sipping, or frankly anything advise-like, you might want to reconsider and simply let us enjoy our wine.
Enthusiasm to share your passion for wine is admirable! Enjoy your wine, learn all you can, become the most highly educated wine consumer out there, and then, unless we ask you, please keep it to yourself.
Ahhhh. I feel better already!
(Special thanks to Jim Carey for my beginning paragraph rant).
Happy Tastings!
~Brad
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Micro-Winery Update
Brad Post:
This post builds on what I last wrote about inching a step closer toward establishing a micro-winery. Since last time, we have spoken with city officials about starting a "basement" winery and learned what we need to do to make that happen -- basically, we need to have our neighbors sign-off indicating whether they are okay or not with us making wine here (i.e., to let them know how much noise/smell they can expect). We also spoke with our state wine licensing person who indicated obtaining local/county approval is the step most aspiring winemakers in Iowa tend to overlook -- an expensive mistake, she tells me.
Over the weekend we attended the Iowa Wine Growers Association annual conference and met with vendors and some industry people. Everything from crusher/destemmers to closures were available for us to look over and take samples. We also had a chance to talk with a couple of insurance-type folks - things you might not initially think of when planning a winery (e.g., workers compensation and bonding). The list of things to consider seems to continually grow! We are fortunate as we have already made inroads with many industry leaders who are very willing to share their knowledge with us.
Here is a list of things we need/want to acquire by this fall: 1) crusher/destemmer (we have a good lead on a used one), 2) press, 3) pump, 4) plate/frame filter (might be able to use this as a pump too), 5) tanks (have just secured several used tanks - yay!), 6) bottle filler. This doesn't even include finishing the licensing requirements and then next year about this time...bottles, labels, closures. Yikes!
Just yesterday my brother and I were talking about a winery, in Maryland, whose representative approached the restaurant he works with (restaurant 213) bringing along 11 or so different types of wine. He indicated the rep. should have brought the 2 good wines they make and leave the 9 remaining ones behind. This leads to my question....we are going to be producing very small batches of wine, on the order of 200-400 gallons per year (1000-2000 bottles), so should an aspiring winery make the wine we like (that might sell out) or cater to the demands of the Iowa wine drinking public (who tends to like their wine on the sweeter side)?
At present we are leaning toward producing two different reds (midwestern grown grapes - varietal undecided) and use them in a variety of ways. If you have any comments, particularly related to the business-side of things, we'd welcome your thoughts.
Happy Tastings!
Brad
This post builds on what I last wrote about inching a step closer toward establishing a micro-winery. Since last time, we have spoken with city officials about starting a "basement" winery and learned what we need to do to make that happen -- basically, we need to have our neighbors sign-off indicating whether they are okay or not with us making wine here (i.e., to let them know how much noise/smell they can expect). We also spoke with our state wine licensing person who indicated obtaining local/county approval is the step most aspiring winemakers in Iowa tend to overlook -- an expensive mistake, she tells me.
Over the weekend we attended the Iowa Wine Growers Association annual conference and met with vendors and some industry people. Everything from crusher/destemmers to closures were available for us to look over and take samples. We also had a chance to talk with a couple of insurance-type folks - things you might not initially think of when planning a winery (e.g., workers compensation and bonding). The list of things to consider seems to continually grow! We are fortunate as we have already made inroads with many industry leaders who are very willing to share their knowledge with us.
Here is a list of things we need/want to acquire by this fall: 1) crusher/destemmer (we have a good lead on a used one), 2) press, 3) pump, 4) plate/frame filter (might be able to use this as a pump too), 5) tanks (have just secured several used tanks - yay!), 6) bottle filler. This doesn't even include finishing the licensing requirements and then next year about this time...bottles, labels, closures. Yikes!
Just yesterday my brother and I were talking about a winery, in Maryland, whose representative approached the restaurant he works with (restaurant 213) bringing along 11 or so different types of wine. He indicated the rep. should have brought the 2 good wines they make and leave the 9 remaining ones behind. This leads to my question....we are going to be producing very small batches of wine, on the order of 200-400 gallons per year (1000-2000 bottles), so should an aspiring winery make the wine we like (that might sell out) or cater to the demands of the Iowa wine drinking public (who tends to like their wine on the sweeter side)?
At present we are leaning toward producing two different reds (midwestern grown grapes - varietal undecided) and use them in a variety of ways. If you have any comments, particularly related to the business-side of things, we'd welcome your thoughts.
Happy Tastings!
Brad
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
An inch closer...
Brad Post:
Some random thoughts...
1. Perhaps you've heard of the small, handcrafted winemaking businesses often known as "boutique" wineries? If boutique are small wineries, then we are on our way to advancing the idea of a micro-winery. Yesterday marked a first of many small milestones to come as we advance our ideas into reality and launch our own micro-winery. We received confirmation from the Iowa Secretary of State and are excited to get the process moving in higher gear. Now comes more and more and more paperwork from the myriad of federal and state agencies positioned to stake claim to their share of tax dollars. Concurrently, we'll continue to develop our winemaking skills, purchase expensive equipment, and plan for our first big crush. A little excited, a little nervous, and very ready to make some headway!
2. Sulfur Dioxide Workshop. Last weekend we attended an all day workshop all about SO2 - the sulfite you read about on your bottles. We were hosted by the Mississippi Valley Grape Growers Association and spent Saturday testing all sorts of wine for Free SO2 using three testing procedures: Iodine, Titretes (a brand), and Aeration-Oxidation. Sulfur Dioxide serves a couple of purposes: antimicrobial (inhibits the growth of critters that can damage wine) and antioxidant (helps minimze the damage due to oxygen). Our enology instructor emphasized keeping oxygen at bay through the use of inert gas (i.e., Nitrogen, Argon, and Carbon Dioxide) in the headspace of our tanks rather than relying on SO2 (whose utility in antioxidation is becoming more questionable).
3. Mystery Shoppers. Presented research findings to a small group of very interested MVGGA winery owners last weekend. Our project involved using 31 mystery shoppers who posed as winery visitors and conducted 74 assessments of 15 wineries last summer. We learned some very interesting things about the experiences visitors report wanting/receiving; tasting room experiences; and major influences on purchase behaviors.
Happy tastings!
~Brad
Some random thoughts...
1. Perhaps you've heard of the small, handcrafted winemaking businesses often known as "boutique" wineries? If boutique are small wineries, then we are on our way to advancing the idea of a micro-winery. Yesterday marked a first of many small milestones to come as we advance our ideas into reality and launch our own micro-winery. We received confirmation from the Iowa Secretary of State and are excited to get the process moving in higher gear. Now comes more and more and more paperwork from the myriad of federal and state agencies positioned to stake claim to their share of tax dollars. Concurrently, we'll continue to develop our winemaking skills, purchase expensive equipment, and plan for our first big crush. A little excited, a little nervous, and very ready to make some headway!
2. Sulfur Dioxide Workshop. Last weekend we attended an all day workshop all about SO2 - the sulfite you read about on your bottles. We were hosted by the Mississippi Valley Grape Growers Association and spent Saturday testing all sorts of wine for Free SO2 using three testing procedures: Iodine, Titretes (a brand), and Aeration-Oxidation. Sulfur Dioxide serves a couple of purposes: antimicrobial (inhibits the growth of critters that can damage wine) and antioxidant (helps minimze the damage due to oxygen). Our enology instructor emphasized keeping oxygen at bay through the use of inert gas (i.e., Nitrogen, Argon, and Carbon Dioxide) in the headspace of our tanks rather than relying on SO2 (whose utility in antioxidation is becoming more questionable).
3. Mystery Shoppers. Presented research findings to a small group of very interested MVGGA winery owners last weekend. Our project involved using 31 mystery shoppers who posed as winery visitors and conducted 74 assessments of 15 wineries last summer. We learned some very interesting things about the experiences visitors report wanting/receiving; tasting room experiences; and major influences on purchase behaviors.
Happy tastings!
~Brad
Sunday, March 1, 2009
James Beard Foundation
Terry Post:
We received a call from a representative of the James Beard Foundation two weeks ago inviting the Chef to prepare a dinner at the James Beard house in New York City on the 16th of May.
For the foodies who read this: this is a huge deal. On the plus side, being nominated (yes there is a nomination and review process) is an honor and not all those who are nominated accept the invitation. The dinners at the James Beard house are a primary fundraiser for the activities of the James Beard Foundation.
We have not yet settled on a menu, and therefore have not settled on the wine selections with which to pair the meal. One thing is certain: the Chef will stick to dishes with which he has confidence and experience. This is not the time to experiment with something new. We will settle the menu over the next two weeks.
The Chef is confident. I am scared &^%$less about the prospect of selecting wines for such a high-fallutin' gathering of foodies and food critics.
And, of course, everything has to be done within a budget.
I'll post again once we settle on the menu and then again after I pick the wines. Pray for me!
~ Terry
We received a call from a representative of the James Beard Foundation two weeks ago inviting the Chef to prepare a dinner at the James Beard house in New York City on the 16th of May.
For the foodies who read this: this is a huge deal. On the plus side, being nominated (yes there is a nomination and review process) is an honor and not all those who are nominated accept the invitation. The dinners at the James Beard house are a primary fundraiser for the activities of the James Beard Foundation.
We have not yet settled on a menu, and therefore have not settled on the wine selections with which to pair the meal. One thing is certain: the Chef will stick to dishes with which he has confidence and experience. This is not the time to experiment with something new. We will settle the menu over the next two weeks.
The Chef is confident. I am scared &^%$less about the prospect of selecting wines for such a high-fallutin' gathering of foodies and food critics.
And, of course, everything has to be done within a budget.
I'll post again once we settle on the menu and then again after I pick the wines. Pray for me!
~ Terry
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