November 10, 2009 / by J Smoke Wallin / 2 Comments / Filed under 2009 Event, Brand Management, Distributors
My friend Liza has a nice piece in Winebusiness.com today on the Fall selling season. Reports from Nielsen, Bill Cascio at Glazer’s, Wilford Wong at Beverages and more! all point toward improvement over last year, though value driving business.
Yesterday, another Wine 2.0 friend, John Corcoran’s blog “Think Wine Marketing” had a well done piece on the state of marketing wine online with his interview of Paul Mabray. “A conversation about marketing wine online with Paul Mabray of VinTank” This interview captures nicely a bit of the history of the past decade of attempts at doing business online in the wine industry. It made me go back an search an old Information Week story (2000) on my then start-up eSkye.com. (ok, picture is almost 10 years old I know)
Smoke Wallin in Information Week, April 2000
“Alcohol Goes Online Overcoming Regulatory Maze
Web site simplifies ordering for industry that hasn’t changed much since Prohibition”
There has been nearly half a billion dollars ($500 million) in venture funding that has gone into various efforts in the the online wine space. In rereading this piece, it is amazing how much and how little has actually changed. Technology has leaped forward, enabling much greater communication and commerce capabilities for all. The regulatory and industry structure has bent, but not fundamentally changed. It will be very interesting to watch the impact of Web 2.0 technologies and social media on the way in which the industry operates going forward. Clearly, there is a constant march of producers and consumers to get closer together. Sometimes this is about discovery and information. Sometimes this is about commerce. Consumers feeling more connected to brand and having conversations with wineries and more importantly with their people (who make the brands what they are) is only accelerating. This has real world implications. Wine 2.0 is in the online connectivity business, but that drives our live events. To wit, we are seeing a surge in interest in our Wine 2.0 New York event from both wineries and other companies involved in marketing to consumers. It will be interesting to see the consumer and trade turnout.
I’m looking forward to attending Web 2.0 Expo as well. It is great to get out of the wine business and look at what is cutting edge in terms of technology and latest developments.
Separately, Mashable’s blog just posted details on Web 2.0 Expo and our event Wine 2.0 Expo New York.
Mashable’s Weekly Conference and Event Guide
Mashable (blog) – Tamar Weinberg – 18 hours ago
November 18, 2009, New York City: Wine 2.0 Expo New York is the place for all Web 2.0 Expo attendees to connect with hundreds of wine and technology lovers …
Here is an excerpt from Liza’s story…
November 10, 2009
The Fall Season Shapes Up
Outlook Seems Upbeat as the Market Heads into the Final Stretch
by Liza B. Zimmerman
WineBusiness.com
Feedback from retailers, restaurateurs and wholesalers has grown increasingly positive as we move into the last part of the fourth quarter. Many seem to believe that this year is finally turning out to be more dynamic than last. According to data from a Nielsen presentation earlier this month wine was the No. 5-ranked category of the top 15 of the major 125 segments that Nielsen tracks with a 5.1 percent volume growth in the period ending September 5, 2009 over the previous year.
“Our volumes are up in total wines, about three to four percent in all states,” said Bill Cascio, the San Francisco Bay Area-based vice president and director of winery relations for the Dallas-based Glazer’s Family of Companies, which is active in 12 states. “It is shaping up to be a little bit better than last year,” he concluded.
Wilfred Wong, cellar master for the 100-store, Concord-California based Beverages and more!, said that this year is drastically different from the previous. “Last year this time business really dropped off,” concurred Brahm Callahan, wine director at Post 390, a gastropub that is part of the three-restaurant Himmel Hospitality Group which opened in Boston early this month [ed: Oct]. Callahan has a long track record in the Boston restaurant business. “We are starting to see people want to spend more money but they want to see perceived value.” Post 390’s 5,000-bottle list, priced $25 to $600, features two thirds of its selections in the $20 to $80 price range…
November 9, 2009 / by J Smoke Wallin / Make A Comment / Filed under 2009 Event, News, WINE 2.0
I just saw this report which points out what many of us have known for some time, that NY has a thriving wine industry. I thought it worth highlighting as we have a handful of NY based wine companies (some producers, some importers) joining our many other fantastic wines from CA and around the world at Wine 2.0 New York Nov 18.
Wine 2.0 New York - Invite
Here is a partial list:
Bouke’
Dr Frank’s Vinifera
Fox Run Vineyards
Hudson Valley Wine Country
Hudson Chatham Winery
Milbrook Vineyards and Winery
Palaia Vineyard
Whitecliff Vineyard and Winery
Pasternak International
Palm Bay Imports
New York Wine industry booming
Source: Rocnow
Tom Tobin
November 7, 2009
Sour economy aside, New York’s wine industry – centered in the Finger Lakes – continues to sweeten.
New wineries are sprouting around the state, investments are growing and visits by tourists and wine lovers have increased by 21 percent since 2003, despite the recession, record gasoline prices in 2008 and rising prices again this year.
A survey by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, found that the state wine industry not only has weathered the recession but has exploded in size, to 240 wineries.
More wineries have opened around the state since 2000 than in the previous 170 years, the survey said. And the expansion is unabated.
“In the seven months since the surveys were mailed in March, 33 new wineries have been licensed, bringing the state total to 273,” said Jim Trezise, president of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, which commissioned the government survey.
The Finger Lakes region, with 104 wineries, has the largest share. Long Island, the Hudson Valley and the Lake Erie region are considered the other centers of the industry.
But, Trezise said, “What’s most remarkable is that the strongest growth has been outside of the traditional wine regions. The Thousand Islands, the Champlain region and even New York City now have wineries.”
A separate study of the wine industry’s economic impact may be released this winter. The last such study said the industry had a $3.4 billion impact in 2004.
November 8, 2009 / by J Smoke Wallin / Make A Comment / Filed under 2009 Event, Brand Management, Distributors, Film, Law and Policy, WINE 2.0
J. Smoke Wallin, Chairman of Wine 2.0, had the opportunity to interview filmmaker Carla De Luca Worfolk, Director, EP/Producer, and Writer of an amazing new wine film. Carla is an Emmy award-winning television and documentary producer. Her new DOCUMENTRY FILM ‘AMERICA’S WINE: THE LEGACY OF PROHIBITION’ is an amazing look at the history of the wine industry in America. I had the opportunity recently to ask Carla some questions about her experience making the film. Let us know your thoughts.
Smoke: Carla, what inspired you to make “America’s Wine: The Legacy of Prohibition”?
Carla: I had the opportunity to film the private luncheon celebrating the 70th Anniversary of Prohibition’s Repeal where a number of the venerable winemakers were honored. As several were in their 80s and 90s, I began thinking about their contributions and personal histories, and felt strongly that their story should be recorded before the passing of this generation. I also believed we should cover major policy issues which affect all consumers, such as direct shipping laws, health research, and the globalization of wine.
Smoke: Can you tell us a little about your experience growing up in and around the wine industry?
Carla: My father became President and CEO of the Wine Institute when I was about nine years old, which seemed very natural to me. Being part of a large Italian-American family, my parents and grandparents often had wine with their meals. The best part has always been meeting the people. I have very fond memories of visiting wine makers and their families, playing in the vineyards and sharing meals all through the years.
Smoke: What was your biggest surprise while putting this project together?
Carla: The biggest surprise was learning about how the boom in home winemaking in the early 20s created such an incredible demand for fresh grapes. I also marveled at all of the ingenious ways winemakers stayed in the business during Prohibition and recovered after Repeal. On a deeper level, these aspects really underlined for me the incredible optimism and determination of the wine makers and also immigrants who overcame great obstacles during that era, including Constitutional barriers.
Smoke: Besides our interview, who was your favorite interview and why?
Carla: Besides our interview, that’s truly a tough question. We interviewed remarkable people and had great experiences across the board. Because it was such a unique experience, our meeting with Brother Timothy has stayed especially vivid for me. He invited us to spend the day with him at his residence on Mont La Salle above Napa Valley. At age 93, he had difficulty walking, but he graciously hosted us all day, answering our questions and sharing other reflections with such brilliance and clarity. Over lunch we talked about everything from Prohibition to the Internet. He was an amazing individual.
Smoke: It seems you had all tiers cooperate in the making the film, who did you want to get involved by would not and why?
Carla: Actually, nearly everyone we asked for an interview accepted. A couple of people declined, mainly due to logistical reasons. We did hope to have a few critics of the wine industry, but in the end we felt very pleased that we had such credible credentialed people, and a number from outside the wine community, like Kevin Starr, Leon Panetta, Marion Nestle and Phil Lee, who gave us balanced comments.
Smoke: The cast of characters who did interviews was amazing. A number of these industry titans are no longer with us. Can you comment on the timing of putting the film together as it relates to this?
Carla: We really felt like time was of the essence, knowing that a number of the people we wanted to capture on camera were at an advanced age. Several had not been interviewed in their later years and some had never been interviewed on camera. Recognizing this was one of the driving forces of the documentary, impacting our research and how we managed our schedule. We are extremely fortunate we were able to record them when we did.
Smoke: What can you tell the Wine 2.0 members “behind the scenes”? Any cool stories?
Carla: There were a lot of memorable moments, from 95 year old Dan Turrentine serving us his favorite drink besides wine, Dr. Pepper, to Tom Shelton surprising us after the interview with a complimentary tasting of some of Joseph Phelps’s finest wines. We also were very lucky after a camera failure which obliterated most of Kevin Starr’s first interview. We caught the problem just as we were packing up to leave. He graciously cleared the rest of his afternoon schedule to redo the interview. He was equally, if not more brilliant, the second time.
Smoke: I’m sure you had tough choices to make in putting the final cut together. What did not make the film?
Carla: It truly wasn’t easy to make choices and it took several months. In the end, we couldn’t include everyone we interviewed in the final film, but all of the interviews will become part of the Bancroft Library’s California Wine Industry collection. Also, believe it or not, we actually collected more than 3,000 still images, but only used 300 images in the final cut.
Smoke: What’s next for the film? Festivals? TV?
Carla: We just had a great premiere evening at the Napa Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival at the end of September. We’ve also received terrific awards – the Gold Kahuna Award, which is the top prize in the Documentary Competition at the Honolulu International Film Festival, and the Silver Ace Award for Outstanding Filmmaking from the Las Vegas Film Festival. Currently we’re focussed on outlining an edited-for-television version for national broadcast, and I’m glad to say there is strong interest. We’ll be keeping everyone updated on this and future screenings through the Bancroft Library’s website.
About Carla De Luca Worfolk, Director, EP/Producer, and Writer
Carla De Luca Worfolk, an Emmy award-winning television and documentary producer, has enjoyed an extensive career across media, gravitating towards highly creative assignments with an emphasis on education, public service and policy. Throughout her career, the San Francisco Bay Area native has worked as an independent producer, magazine editor, writer, public relations executive, and paralegal. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from Santa Clara University, and a Master of Journalism degree from the University of California at Berkeley. During her years as a CNN producer in Atlanta, Worfolk supervised content for the highly-rated CNN Saturday/Sunday Morning program, a live, two-hour magazine show, and was also on the Emmy-winning team that covered the Olympic Park Bombing in 1996. America’s Wine: The Legacy of Prohibition is her first independent film.
