surprise, surprise....

It's been a few weeks since I wrote the last blog post, so I thought I'd write a quick post today. Once school subsides (it has become the death of me!) then I will certainly post more, and more often. School is over in ...4 days, so there will certainly be much more VINO in my life, and yours!

My last post was a little public relations provided from yours truly about Italy and wine.
The next blog post will be a little public relations provided by moi (hint, hint)It will be the second is a series of posts about my favorite places in the world to dine and drink wine.
If you think the hills of Tuscany could never be topped as a wine drinker's dream, then think again!

So, au revoir until my next post! (I promise, the wait will be worth it)

Italy, Wine, Friends, Food. What could be better?

Time for a little public relations brought to you directly by...me.

Yes, I am writing this latest musing to give a little public relations to one of my favorite places, on Earth. If they paid me to talk about them, I would be rich. Very, very rich. But alas, I am still a humble servant extolling the virtues.

What is the one place on Earth (yes, Earth) where I could sit and sip wine..every day?

Beautiful Tuscany, Italy. Near the city of Florence (Firenze) there is an absolutely breathtaking restaurant tucked away in the hills. The restaurant, a true Tuscan gem, is called Ristorante I Tre Pini.

As my friend and I walked into the garden entrance of I Tre Pini, we were greeted with two glasses of sparkling red wine. The owner came out to meet us with a smiling face and beautiful music playing. The best part? It was the first batch of their latest vintage wine, opened just before our arrival. Yes, we were given glasses of wine before we even made our way into the restaurant. I knew immediately this would be a fantastic night..

As we sat down in the outdoor restaurant underneath a covered tent, a small ensemble of musicians serenaded the weary travelers with melodious, classic Italian tunes. I hadn't seen a drop of food yet, and this was already the best meal I had ever had.


Before long, a giant platter of antipasto was placed in front of our table. The appetizers by themselves would have filled me up for days, but I was determined to continue eating. After filling up my plate with pastas, cheeses, olives and breads I was still ready for round two. In reality, I should have been prepared for round two, three, four, five and six. We were given plate after plate of pasta, salad, fresh vegetables, and prosciutto. Right when I was ready to throw in my napkin, the finale began.

A loud, voice rang out in the restaurant...a deep, baritone voice singing in Italian. Okay, so by now I was pretty positive everything was just a dream. Or maybe a romantic, Italian movie that I couldn't understand a word of, but it looked so fabulous. I was so entranced by large amounts of food and wine, I was pretty sure I had just created a giant, amazing delusion.
And then... the pig came out.

A huge, flaming full pig on a platter (haha!) with an apple in his mouth. The oohing and aahing began, followed by a lot of cheersing and singing. The pig was proudly brought to every table, pausing for the visitors to admire the delicious dinner. It was sliced and sitting on our plates within minutes, followed by sighs of content by everyone around.

Energized by excitement and amazing Italian food, the dancing began. Young and old, friends and strangers, everyone was up on their feet dancing to the great live music with great wine in our hands. One thing is for sure...I did not want my Italian wine/dinner fantasy to end. That night, everyone was a friend and everyone was Italian. I danced and sang with Canadians, Americans, Australians, Italians, anyone and everyone.

Alas, after enjoying numerous glasses of wine and numerous plates of food, the night was finally over. We trudged back to our awaiting vehicle, sad to leave the beautiful little restaurant. It was certainly an experience I will never forgot, and I left singing Bella Notte for many, many days..

They've got an "app" for that...

It seems that this week a certain topic keeps popping up in conversations with classmates, professors, and friends. The topic is technology, and more distinctly- cell phones.

Not too many years ago, a cell phone was just a cell phone. It was used to make phone calls, receive phone calls, and...make phone calls and receive phone calls. Today, a cell phone becomes a person's livelihood. We must be attached to this piece of electronic godliness, or we will most certainly face unbearable consequences. I wish that I was exaggerating here...

The whole idea of a cell phone today does not revolve around making phone calls. Sure, actually talking someone ON the phone is a bonus, but definitely not the reason for cell phone use. Instead, it is our tool to connect to the whole world through a web of various applications and tools. If you have a smartphone, then you must can access to your email, your facebook, your online textbook, your calendar, videos of your favorite t.v. show, and much MUCH more.

One amazing ability of cell phones, is the ability to download applications. Want to count your calories? Want to choose a restaurant in the area? Want to look for adoptable pets in your area? There is an "app" for that. So, if you haven't figured out the direction I'm headed....

There's a wine app for that too!

Having technology at your fingertips means having access to anything and everything you want to know. So, if you are a wine expert, a wine novice, or anything in between, there is most certainly an app for you.

You can keep track of the wines that you enjoy, and then refer back to that list once you get to the package store and can only remember what the label looks like (happens to us all!)

Check out Drync Wine Pro, the very savvy wine application. You can use this wine app to write down your own reviews (hm..tastes like currant and smoke..) or purchase your favorite bottle. If you aren't sure what type of wine you'd like to try, that also have a research option. It was rated highly in both MacWorld online magazine, and VinTank wine magazine. The only thing the app doesn't do (besides make you dinner) is help to pair wines and food together. I think this is quite a downfall, considering food and wine go together like...food and wine. Perfectly!

Another great vino application for your smart phone is Hello Vino Free* which is one of the few apps that offers the food/wine pairing tool. Hello Vino integrates both Facebook and Twitter into the application, so your friends can all share in your favorite wine choices. I always find it helpful to look into what styles of wine go best with certain foods, this way the meal seems to taste better and so does the wine!

So what are the implications for the wine public relations? The answer is obvious. Wine is becoming integrated more and more into our society, through more than just the conventional channels of communication. Integrated Marketing Communication incorporates a "marketing mix" is the coordination and integration of all marketing communication tools, functions and sources within an organization into a seamless program that maximizes the impact on consumers at a minimal cost. So, download a free wine application, and you will undoubtedly be providing information to the IMC which also allows for great wine public relations! For instance, if you download or read enough articles and reviews for Pinot Noir, then the IMC will begin to pinpoint your individual interests and buying habits. Soon enough, this technology will finish your sentences for you! (okay, let's hope not..but you get the point)

And, once again this all comes back to research. These wine applications are not just created for fun. They are based on careful research, through qualitative and quantitative analysis of various factors, and all brought back around. Next time you download an app in 30 seconds, think about all the time that went into it... and have fun!

(Benzinger wines has their own app!)

Career minded?

Have you enjoyed reading about wine and the public relations industry thus far? If you haven't stopped reading 5 blog posts ago, then you shouldn't stop now...

Like to travel, drink wine, and enjoy the arts? Okay, that is a silly question... Who doesn't enjoy drinking unique local wines in new, exciting places while enjoying the beauty of the arts? So, if you think you could handle this type of lifestyle, then perhaps you should look into a career in wine public relations.

Many public relations firms are dedicated solely to food, wine and the arts. Other public relations firms focus on premium spirits, luxury lifestyles, wineries, and beer.

Consider the Academy of Wine Communications, dedicated to wine and food public relations and marketing professionals.

The Academy's Goal:
To provide a public forum for wine & food public relations and marketing professionals to network, exchange ideas, meet key members of the wine press, and learn classic and innovative techniques for communicating about wine
To support the craft of wine writing by acting as a resource and clearinghouse of information for authors, journalists, broadcasters, and bloggers.

One of the general principles of The Academy of Wine Communications is one that shouldn't be surprising-
"Use Web 2.0 for Communication – As much as possible, we intend to use Web 2.0 tools, such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, UStream, YouTube, etc. to communicate with our membership and beyond. These tools make it possible for us to converse on a frequent basis with members throughout the country and the world."

The Academy of Wine Communications was founded with the express goal supporting food & wine writers and the art of wine writing. Of course, the means of communication have evolved over time. New tools and techniques are constantly developing, adapting to the relevance of today's society. Online wine writers from all over the world come together for three days at The Wine Bloggers' Conference.

You should attend this conference next June, to meet some well-known bloggers within the wine industry and hear how they created successful blogging careers

So go out into the world wide world of wine public relations, and find yourself a new, fantastic and unique career!

*Cheers!

Drink. Blog. Drink. Blog.

Blogs are popular, savvy, fun and interesting. Not to mention, blogs are written about...everything (as mentioned in my last post)

Researchers are now analyzing blogs, using content analysis, to look at the expressions, views and opinions of bloggers about whatever topics pique their interests. These blogs can help track trends in society, the economy, advertising, etc. Implications indicate that wine businesses should pay attention to blogs (just like other social media sites!)

I recently read a research article written by Liz Thach for the 5th International Academy of Wine Business Research Conference. Her article is the first of its kind that conducts a content analysis of 222 English language wine blogs. (Sadly, mine is not included...)

This being said, 9 major categories of wine blogs were discovered by the analysis of the blogs:
1)Wine reviews (the most popular)
2)Wine & Food
3)Wine Education

4)Specific Region

5)Wine & Culture

6)Winery Blog
7)Wine Business
8)Wine-making, viticulture

9)Other

Interestingly enough, 813 different wine brands were mentioned within the 222 blogs. The most cited brands were:

Kendall Jackson

Ridge

Penfolds

Ironhorse

Liberty School

Rancho Zabaco

Ravenswood

Sterling
Twisted Oak

Fat Bastard

In terms of advertising, only 47% of wine blogs analyzed included advertising. Personally, I thought that the blogs would include more advertising (to generate $, among many reasons) Though I can understand the annoyance of reading a blog plastered in crazy dancing monkeys advertising a new cell phone.

All of these random sample of wine blogs were taken from Vinography: A Wine Blog.

The more popular the blog however, the more public relations professionals for these top mentioned brands should take notice. If the blogs are well-written and thoughtful mullings- then the wineries should even consider sponsoring the bloggers. Depending on the number and range of readers, blogs could be golden untapped resources available for the wine indsutry to track and utilize.

According to the article, "The results of this study illustrate the varying types of wine blogs available to consumers on the Internet, with the most predominant type of blog providing author‐generated wine reviews and rating. In addition, this study shows that there are various types of wine blogs that provide useful information ranging from educational to entertainment."

So as public relations professionals, keep on viewing and monitoring blogs. What people have to say always DOES matter!!

On a side note, HAPPY HALLOWEEN to my fellow bloggers & readers.

Go grab a bottle of Vampire Wine at your local package store, I can guarantee that the wine is quite delicious!

Social Media Wine-ing

Who doesn't have a facebook, twitter, linkedin, or tumblr account these days? If you don't have any of these, then you should probably get one. ASAP.

If you are a successful business or organization (or want to be) then you should definitely use social media tools daily. While facebook may seem like a website used to play farm games and chat with long-last friends, it is far beyond any of that.

Social media is a highly successful, accessible publishing technique. As public relations professionals, it is highly important to identify the target audiences so that we can be effective and successful practitioners.

Social media for Public Relations:

• Get the message out faster- and to more people. Why wait for a press release when you can see a Facebook post in 30 seconds?


• Social media can be a highly effective tool for enhancing awareness. "Spread the word" about a company, product, services or WINE!


• Boost the impact of direct marketing.
  

Okay, so I know you are wondering...where's the wine in this?

Once again, wine is an INDUSTRY and that means it wants to make money. Nothing in business is made for "fun", though we all have fun drinking it.

As wine lovers, we all love to talk about wine. Social media has given us an outlet to meet other wine aficionados, discuss our favorite wines, chat about wineries we have visited, and more. It's the perfect community as consumers and contributors of the wine industry.

More importantly, the wine industry should be paying close attention to what we say. By 'environmentally scanning' they can monitor the entire network of wine fans on facebook, twitter, and more.
Just by looking on social media, they can see that one person likes Cabernet Sauvignons from the Rutherford Hills California, while another person only drinks 'super' Tuscan reds from Italy. Oh but don't forget, they all want wine that is between $8 and $10 a bottle, with a nice label and a good name.
Corporate Eye says that social media is one giant 'always on' focus group, a perfect tool for qualitative research!

Want to join a focus group to aid in wine research? There is a facebook link for that.
Want to be interviewed by your local wine magazine to discuss the opening of your new winery? There is a facebook link for that.
Want to discuss only Merlot wines, with only Merlot drinkers? There is a site for that too.

Think I'm kidding? Check out some fun social media wine sites here:
-A site decided to unearthing great old red wines: DeadRed WineGroup
-Barefoot Wine & Bubbly has a fun facebook site!
-Jancis Robinson is a wine expert tweeter, and if you follow her then you'll be connected to a
network of 44,000 people. HELLO. wine industry...follow her!!

So go out there & tweet, with a glass of wine in your hand :)

Wine Opinions Matter

How does the wine industry know what people like and want? How do they figure out what wine best appeals to consumers, and what public relations and marketing they need to make it stand out? Through ongoing consumer and wine trade surveys, everything can be tracked right down the average age, ethnicity and personality of the average Merlot drinker. Just like thriving any other industry, the consumer matters more so than you would believe.

Wine Opinions is one tool that the wine industry uses to help gauge their wine research efforts to ensure that drinkers are getting what they want! Backed behind this online database is a professional wine research and analysis team. If you're looking into research jobs, why not settle into the wine industry? It's an ever growing industry with barely any potential to slow down or stop. Even in times of recession, people will continue to drink. (They'll just start drinking 2 buck Chuck instead).

Some of the surveys that Wine Opinions conducts are based on purchase motivation factor, dealing with type/varietal, price, brand, vintage dates, appellation, label/package. So what is your motivation for buying wines? Do you check out the pretty label or the vintage date first? Whatever it is you do, there is a reason why and research behind it.

Want to join an online wine opinion survey? If you are a member of the wine trade (wine salesman, winery employee, sommelier, etc.) then you can become a panelist. Every time you complete a survey you can be entered to win money. So let me get this straight...drink wine, write about it, and then potentially win money? If you are part of the wine trade, this is a no brainer.

Are you a social media fan? Follow Wine Opinion on Twitter, and check out information about upcoming wine events, wine recommendations, food and wine pairings and more.

Sideways Sensation

Inevitably, you should have all known that one of my blog posts would be about the movie "Sideways". The indie movie is based on a wine loving, slightly pyschotic yet endearing man played by Paul Giamatti. More interestingly, Miles (Giamatti's character) is completely anti-Merlot and an adament Pinot Noir fan. While many have speculated about the positive effects on the Pinot Noir industry, and the negative impact on merlot, it had never been researched.


For those of you living under a rock around October of 2004, "Sideways" was nominated for five Academy Awards, with $100 million made in worldwide sales. It's a strangely funny yet eerily sad and memorable film.


After much speculation on the effects of the movie on the sales of red wines, someone finally decided to put the theory to the test. Dr. Steven Cuellar examined the trends in prices and cases sold of Merlot and Pinot Noir from 1998 to 2008, both before and after "Sideways" release in 2004 in Wines & Vines.


The movie was a spectacular promotion of the red wine grape- Pinot Noir. A blockbuster movie based on two men taking a trip through California wine country, extolling the Pinot Noir, couldn't be better public relations for the grape. Soon enough, even non wine drinkers were beginning to wonder just how amazing Pinot Noir must be. The experiment used by Cuellar, and following research, proves that people DID buy more Pinot Noir.


Annual case volume of Merlot, Pinot Noir and a control group of non-Sideways promoted red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, were thoroughly analyzed. Using the experimental and control groups, research does indicate that "Sideways" resulted in a definite impact on Merlot & Pinot Noir grapes in the wine industry. Case volume of Pinot Noir grew, while Merlot volume seemed to decrease after the release of the movie. The control group indicates a stable consumption of various other red wines, while Pinot Noir were still increasing.


Following the Pinot Noir PR promotion in "Sideways" the prices also increased. Merlot did indeed suffer a minor decrease in price & sales while Pinot Noir reaped all the public relations glory. While there could be various other validity issues affecting the sales and prices of Pinot Noir following "Sideways" this further proves the influence of media on the "real world"!

It's a good movie, especially if you enjoy watching Paul Giamatti's pyschosis issues unfold. Go grab some wine (give poor Merlot a break) and watch the full movie.

In the mean time...

Movie Trailer

*Cheers!*

Your taste buds can't tell the price...

Everyone knows that expensive wine tastes way better than cheap wine.

Wait, who made that rule? Last time I checked, wine tasted good if...wine tasted good. And now, there is FINALLY proof that your taste buds don't discriminate!

A 2008 study, released in the Journal of Wine Economics, revealed the truth behind the age old myth that expensive wine tastes better. The sample of more than 6,000 blind tastings revealed that the correlation between price and overall rating is small and negative. In essence, individuals on average enjoy more expensive wines slightly less.


The nonprobability sampling is based on a data set of over 6,175 observations of volunteer wine tasters in 17 blind tastings across the US. The price per bottle ranged from $1.65 to $150, the average retail prices were obtained from WineSearcher.com. The wine represents a variety of flavors, from red, white, rose, sparkling all from various countries. Participants of the wine study were aged 21 to 88 (I hope I am part of a wine study when I'm 88!)


So let's cut to the chase, and help cut away that high priced stigma. The every day average person unaware of price, will generally enjoy the taste of a less expensive wine more.


Why is it that people look at a $100 bottle of wine and assume it tastes delicious?? Hello marketing and public relations! Marketing provides a channel that consumers can be influenced by, according to Goldstein's article. We look at a pretty, swanky bottle made by a fancy winery and automatically assume it will inherently taste eons better than a bottle of $5 Crane Lake. If the company creates a great campaign- touting the beauty, taste and "cool" factor, we may decide it's worth the price.


Let's theorize.... let's say that the plain labeled bottle cost less to make, and therefore more money was spent on the inside of the bottle (aka, the wine!) Ta da! Here is another theory, who wants to be seen drinking from a $3 bottle of wine at a party? Probably not you.


Lastly, if Robert Parker (wine expert) prefers the $300 bottle of wine, then shouldn't we? He is the wine expert isn't he? One reason cited in the article, is that the average wine drinker doesn't like the same types of wine as experts.


If you can't see the price tag on a bottle, then you are more likely to enjoy a cheaper glass of wine. Next time you stop at a wine tasting, drink the wines without taking a glance at the price. You (and your wallet) will be happy you did!



p.s. These are my three "cheapest" favorite wines:
Frontera Cab/Merlot $5
Columbia Crest Merlot $7
Alice White $6


Close your eyes, they taste like a million bucks!

Cheers!

Genetically-Modified Rootstocks: Public Relations or Science?

In recent news, wine research and development has taken an innovative turn. The French National Institute for Argonomic Research planted vines as an experiment to fight off a virus that affects grapevines. The disease, spread by roundworms, reduces the amount of grape yields by almost 80 percent. The gene implanted in these grapevines was said to be resistant to the disease.

In every controversial research project there will no doubt be environmental or social groups ready to attack the experiments. Vive la Revolution! Attacks from a French environmental group known as Les Faucheurs Volontaires (The Voluntary Reapers) completely decimated an experimental vineyard in Colmar, France. And by decimated, I mean 1.2 million Euros ($1.56 million for you non-Europeans) and 7 years research worth of damage. They dug up and hacked apart about 70 vines on August 15th.

The research being conducted was a controversial topic for Europe, considering they were essentially creating gene sequences that could create disease-resistant faster growing vines.

If you are research and science minded, you are probably asking what the big deal is:

Well, according to Les Faucheurs Volontaires here is the "big deal":

GM Crops have not be sufficiently tested for safety, both in the field and into your glass. This could also disrupt eco-systems, and ruin plants that are unmodified. Lastly, it's a recipe for GLOBAL DOMINATION of agriculture. (I hope you shouted global domination! like I did)

So these self proclaimed reapers, activists from winegrowers in France and winemakers, question the validity of the research versus the public relations of corporations.

"The vines GMO (genetically modified organisms) field test was more of a sociological experiment, to see how far a profession and a population were willing to perform tests designed fo endorse the PGM" activist Jean-Pierre Frick says in Wine Spectator. Interestingly enough, a biologist and head researcher for the vineyard agrees that more research is necessary, though they have the key to fighting the pathogens now.

So as Public Relations professionals, do we agree that the Institute was overstepping the genetic boundaries, without completed research, in order to promote their own name? Is this a faulty public relations effort or an attempt to further wine science? We know that research is key in implementing any experiment, yet research also takes time. Yet isn't the point of "experimenting" to see what will actually happen? Let us not forget the ethics of this debacle, present in every good PR case. Do the ends (successful grape production on a large scale) justify the means (altering nature and disrupting the ecosystem)??

Here's my question to you:

What are YOUR feelings about the destruction of the GM rootstocks??
Is it a great idea to ruin the rootstock, do you somewhat agree, do you completely disagree, do you have no opinion?
Do you think the scientists are right in their research or terribly wrong?

All of these questions, and more, should be taken into consideration and could be turned into an interesting research project.

An activist reaping destruction

In a slightly comical note, the project was a taxpayer-funded research project. The activists are taxpayers, and believe that the French are overwhelmingly against the GMO project. Perhaps then, they should have objected to paying for this million euro project before it's creation??

Click here to learn more about a Non-GMO Project.

Wine & Weight. Let Happiness Ensue.

Drink wine and gain less weight? Sounds like a really bad gimmick, doesn't it?

Well, women who consume light to moderate wine actually experience less weight gain over time. Over 20,000 healthy middle aged women, studied over 20 years, were LESS likely to gain weight than non-drinkers. The link was strongest with the consumption of red wine! (Have you noticed that I enjoy red wine yet?)

The study, done by Dr Lu Wang from the division of preventive medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, is the first to tie alcohol consumption by a normal weight individual to potential weight gain or obesity. Women who didn't drink ANY alcohol, gained the most amount of weight overall. Therefore, it is completely fine for any woman with a normal, healthy lifestyle to drink wine moderately.

This longitudinal trend study is a great extended study over time that suggests something every woman wants to hear! One reason why women may gain less weight, is because of the substitution of alcohol for other potentially high-carbohydrate foods. What woman hasn't skipped the large side of mozzarella stick so that she can enjoy a large glass of wine instead. It sounds good at the time, and apparently works well over time too.

If you enjoy red wine, the benefits of drinking it just keep getting better! This study does its own public relations for red wine, once again touting the benefits. There is nothing better to help promote drinking red wine than some solid research based facts.

I wonder what wineries, wine distributors, and wine advocates will say about this latest study. No doubt, we will see it popping up in the marketing of red wines all over the world. I can picture myself buying a bottle with a POS (point of sale) hung on the bottle neck saying "DRINK RED WINE- LOOK GREAT" soon enough. Let's all keep a lookout and see how well this fairs in the already positive promotion of wines.

In the mood for some great, inexpensive red wines now?

Here are some delicious red wines for under $15:
2005 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot ($11)
2005 Raymond R Collection California Merlot ($15)

2006 Castle Rock Mendocino Pinot Noir ($12)

2006 Chalone Monterey County Pinot Noir ($14)
Feudo Monaci Primitivo ($5-$8)

Carpineto "Dogajolo" ($12)

Hawk Crest Cabernet Sauvignon ($14)
2005 Ravenswood Vintner’s Blend California Cabernet Sauvignon ($12)

2008 Cline Zinfandel ($11.49) --------->

** Check out some of my favorite reds **

Sit down, grab a bottle on nice pinot noir, and watch the video (guilt-free) here!
*Cheers*

No Wine-ing About It

My name is Rachelyn and I am a graduate student studying Public Relations at Quinnipiac University. This blog is all about WINE. Why wine? I have worked in and out of the liquor and wine industry for five years, and have become fascinated with every aspect. This blog will follow the wine industry through a public relations perspective. Like good cabernet sauvignon and cheese, this blog pairs public relations and wine perfectly.

You don't have to live in Napa Valley, California to be a part of the rapidly evolving and growing wine industry. Chances are most of you have sampled wine, whether local, national or foreign. While taking a sip of that sweet libation, most people don't stop to ponder its existence in society; from the vine through fermentation, marketing, distributing and back to their glass. Wineries are changing for the better, day by day. From marketing inexpensive (yet delicious) wines, to creating eco-conscience plastic bottles and caps, this is not the same stuffy old business that people once thought. Audiences are younger, there are more grape flavors than ever, packaging is becoming innovative and inventive, prices are decreasing, and interest is growing.


There are more than a few variables that can affect wine sales, distribution, promotion and reputation. I plan on examining many of these variables, as they relate to current trends and topics in the worldwide wine world! Many of these variables can be easily measured, in terms of crop production affected by weather or poor growth. The impact can be measured and viewed in various reports following the industry closely. Other variables can not be measured so easily, such as the marketing of certain wineries and the impact on consumers. Just like any other product, there is a business behind the bottle of wine you just uncorked (or unscrewed) just ready to be explored!