Listen Now

Trained in chemistry and born blind, Hoby Wedler, an entrepreneur and sensory expert, has trained his palate to pick up aromas and nuances in wine more acutely than most.  Hoby describes how he does "Tasting in the Dark," which helps wineries connect with buyers and his thoughts on accessibility in the wine industry.  Detailed Show Notes:  Hoby's background Born blind, studied history and chemistry (Ph.D.) Francis Ford Coppola asked him to design a blindfolded wine experience, which became "Tasting in the Dark" Went into food & beverage, consulting on product development, comparative set tastings, and aligning wines with wine critics' palates Tasting in the Dark structure Try to make people feel comfortable under blindfold Use eye masks to change attention away from sight Prime the aromatic vocabulary w/ samples of aromas found in wines Create memories through a truly blind tasting Most impactful for trade teams, distributors, buyers, and for higher-end wines w/ 3-tier distribution E.g., Coppola did tasting for Safeway Group (grocery w/ wine stewards) and saw a significant increase in sales at Safeways for 5+ years afterward Reasons people buy wine Like the label Read about the wine Like the story, particularly for premium wines ($20+) Most consumers don't know what they're looking for Blind tasting helps imprint a story with the wine in people 2018 - Thomas Keller used Tasting in the Dark to train front-of-house staff to enable them to describe food and drinks better Aligning w/critics' palates Mostly aligned on aromatics and mouthfeel, abv levels Wineries can adjust when to send certain wines to critics Sometimes helps wineries w/ blending Wine & accessibility Chapoutier is classic example w/ braille labels Accessible websites important QR Codes put in the same place can help bring people to accessible websites This can lead to unexpected benefits; e.g., wheelchair ramps were found to be useful to many more than those in wheelchairs Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fueled by the pandemic, grocery stores have made significant investments in selling digitally, with wine being an essential growth category for online sales.  With estimates of ~$6B in wine sold through online grocery by 2025, Jessica Kogan, Chief Growth & Experience Officer of Vintage Wine Estates, gets into the trends, key success factors, and the opportunity that online grocery represents.   Detailed Show Note:  Vintage Wine Estates (Ticker: VWE) 11th largest wine holding company in the US 12 wineries, a couple of digitally native businesses, 12-15 lifestyle brands Heavy focus on DTC Online grocery trends By 2025 - 22% of Americans will buy groceries online (i.e., anything not in-store and digitally enabled) Alcohol is the fastest growing segment for online grocery - by 2025 - $5.97B in wine online from <$1B in 2018 vs. $7.97B DTC from wineries in 2025 Target saw 4x amount of alcohol when bought online vs. in-store purchases in 2021, most of which was wine Digital grocery brings up basket size and provides more flexibility for consumers (e.g., curbside pickup; Target provides lots of flexibility) ~50% digital is pickup, ~50% delivery today Post-pandemic trends Wine DTC is seeing slower growth, but online grocery is continuing to grow Covid led to increased investment by grocery in online Grocery has goals of going beyond grocery into becoming a “lifestyle” store, e.g., leaning into wellness Why consumers enjoy buying wine online Feel overwhelmed by the selection of in-store Like learning about the background and story of brands Often use phones in-store to learn more about brands Gen Z - born digitally, love stories & authenticity, committed to wellness - makes wine compete w/ RTD cocktails and hard seltzers Consumers are more open to taking risks on new brands online Selling into grocery stores Believes in-store demo events are powerful Making the story accessible and easy (e.g., QR codes on labels) key Selling in online grocery Uses Salsify (a “PIM” - product information manager) to publish info to grocery stores, allows producers to control data shown to consumers 94-95% of searches for wine are by varietal (or basic descriptors like red/white), not by brand Digital algorithms - can’t buy ads due to Tied House Laws, but can influence algorithms w/ customer reviews or customers saving products Using metadata to show up as recommended product vs. search displays helpful Being in the “above the fold” carousel of products where consumers don’t need to scroll down is vital for sales, as big as being on the end-cap in-store Tips for brands for online grocery Have a website w/ e-commerce - helps understand the whole process Go w/ distributors to stores w/ digital info for products Future trends for online grocery Virtual tastings will continue More information on wellness and wine Women to play an essential role in connecting w/ customers since most grocery buyers are women Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grocery stores are one of the biggest sales channels for wine. Curtis Mann, Group Vice President of Alcohol of the Albertson’s Companies, gives us the inside scoop on buying trends, how to sell into Albertson’s, and the rise of the use of digital. Learn about the dynamics of the grocery wine market and what makes Albertson’s “locally great, nationally strong.” Detailed Show Notes:  Grocery as part of the wine market Multi-outlet wine market ~$12-13B / year Total wine market ~$60-70B / year (multi-outlet ~20% of the total market) Albertson's Companies' wine overview ~25 different grocery brands, ~2,000 stores Wine is a key element of business - it drives sales and customer loyalty, some customers come to stores because of the wine selection Some stores have up to 3,000 wine SKUs Stores with more premium selections are correlated with location (high socio-economic demographics) vs. grocery store brand The focus is more on the “premium” price segment ($9+ based on IRI) Top brands - Barefoot, Kendall Jackson, up-and-coming brands - Butterl Josh, but wine is very diversified, big brands are still a small part of the market Premiumization helping imports, including New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Wine buying trends Consumers are called to authenticity - they want to know what’s in their wine, the appellation, sustainability, and organic Convenience - cans, seltzer, ready to drink  Premiumization - $10-20/bottle, $30-50/bottle, up to $100/bottle (e.g., high-end Bordeaux, Napa Cabernet) ranges all doing well, some categories accelerating with potential out-of-stocks Wine customer demographics Gen X & Baby Boomers - still buying a lot (more in bulk and volume), but less than before Millennials are the new customers - buying more, less loyal to wine vs. other drinks, and have less expendable income; their preferences are different from Gen X and Baby Boomers To meet the changing demographics, Curtis looks forward 3-5 years to develop his shelf set/selections of wine Promotions/discounting Limited brand loyalty in wine, customers often default to price Promotions are very important Need to work between price and product to optimize sales and not over-rely on price Wine selection What does it mean to customers? Each wine must have a purpose vs. the other ~1,500 SKUs on the shelf Tagline - ‘locally great, nationally strong’; try to give local stores more voice (e.g., Portland stores have more Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs) Flagship Stores (e.g., Andronico’s, Pavilions) - higher-end, eclectic offerings Steps to sell into Alberston’s - have the 4 P’s put together - distribution network, pricing, product, and where you fit on the shelf Generally need to place wine 4-6 months in advance Needs a UPC code on the bottle Private Label/“Own Brand” wines The goal is to provide the best price to value for customers The intent is to drive loyalty Not a dominant part of the business Trying to create wines that are a draw and get good scores Selection is built around education, the desire to learn about the wine category through own brands Suppliers have connections to maintain supply, which can help Own Brands overcome supply challenges (e.g., 2020 Napa, 2021 New Zealand) Core elements of success for the grocery channel The selection keeps people in the store Relating the wine to the food in the store (food-wine pairing) E-commerce Convenience (e.g., ready to drinks) Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being a celebrity helps and hinders the launch and selling elements of a wine venture. Kyle MacLachlan, an actor with a broad base of work from Twin Peaks to Sex & the City to The Flintstones, details his journey of starting Pursued by Bear (“PBB”) in Walla Walla, Washington and how he thinks about imbuing his personal brand with the wine brand. From getting approval for the brand name from Steve Martin to designing his newly launched tasting room, Kyle weaves his stories around how branding has worked for PBB.  Detailed Show Notes:  Kyle’s background - an actor, including Cooper from Twin Peaks, Sex & the City, Desperate Housewives, How I Met Your Mother, and one of his favorites is The Flintstones He just wrapped filming of Fallout for Amazon, based on the video game He grew up in Eastern Washington, always been a wine drinker over beer & spirits Met Ann Colgin & Doug Shafer in Napa and wanted to start a Napa brand in the late 1990s, but it was too expensive His wife pointed him to WA wine, met Eric Dunham looking for a WA Syrah for his wedding, and partnered in 2005 to launch Pursued by Bear PBB ~3,000 cases, 5 wines PBB Cab Sauv (launched ‘05; ~500 cases) - was Cab, Syrah, Merlot blend, now Bordeaux blend Baby Bear Syrah (launched ‘08, ~300 cases) Rose (launched ‘15) Bear Cub (launched ‘16, ~1,000 cases) - an entry-level red blend Twin Bear - “prestige wine,” 100% Cabernet Winery name He wanted it to speak to his ‘day job’ of acting and bring it back to the theater, a Shakespeare reference Refers to a stage direction in Winter’s Tale - “Exit, pursued by a bear” Steve Martin approved of the name, which solidified it Kyle’s role at PBB Took over 100% ownership of the brand in 2016 Very involved in the business, hands-on with operations (e.g., copywriting for labels) and parts of winemaking (e.g., blending trials) Dan Wampfler winemaker since 2008 Leveraging celebrity Has helped bring attention to wine (e.g., using personal social media), but most fans aren’t wine people Gotten more press than otherwise Some product placement (has been in the background of Desperate Housewives and How I Met Your Mother - like an “easter egg”) Tries to be an ambassador for WA State wines Made short videos during the pandemic - “Beary Tales” It is a hindrance at times as people think wines aren’t good Hollywood connections have not helped much - many aren’t big wine drinkers or collectors Customer acquisition Most effective has been 1:1 hand selling Opening a tasting room in Walla Walla - April 2023 Zoom tastings were effective at selling wine during the pandemic He wants people to feel they are on a journey w/ Kyle around PBB Tasting room Designed to be comfortable - cork floors, oak tables, big bronze bear Located in Walla Walla downtown - a wine-tasting destination, mostly from WA, ID, OR, and Canada Very little acting memorabilia - a Twin Peaks bobblehead & mug Spring Release 2023 - will have 3 musicians playing music, walking around town Likes surprise and delight elements, has had discussions w/ an AR company about embedding elements, but hasn’t figured it out yet Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Educating students about wine is more about the “psychic paycheck” than the monetary one for Peter Marks, MW, partner and Vice President of the Napa Valley Wine Academy (“NVWA”), the leading provider of Wine & Spirit Education Trust (“WSET”) courses globally. Peter tells us about the different levels of the WSET (from Level 1 to Diploma), the full costs of wine education, and the benefits. He also discusses the innovations happening with online learning, including sending wine kits out with their courses and best practices for virtual seminars. Detailed Show Notes:  Being in wine education is more about the “psychic paycheck” - getting feedback from your customers and students Napa Valley Wine Academy Founded in 2011, offering WSETbprograms Now the largest WSET provider in the world An Approved Program Provider (“APP”) for WSET - it’s like a franchise; NVWA buys materials, study packs, and exams from WSET; grading is done by WSET in London 65% of business in WSET, 35% in other wine programs Develop proprietary courses - e.g., Wine 101, Wine 201, Napa Valley Wine Expert, Oregon Wine Expert, and the Business of Wine (with Tim Hanni, MW) WSET 4 levels, 1 through 4 (4 is called the Diploma) Levels 3 & 4 provide more understanding of the subjects The diploma includes the business of wine and is a precursor for the Master of Wine program Geared towards all aspects of the wine industry, very broad view vs. other programs (e.g., Court of Master Sommeliers is focused on restaurants/service, and Society of Wine Educators is focused on education) Wine industry (or “trade”) participation in courses Level 1 - ~90% consumer, 10% trade Level 2 - ~75% consumer, 25% trade Level 3 - ~40% consumer, 60% trade Level 4 - ~10% consumer, 90% trade More consumers are coming into the program The benefits of a wine education, the 3 C’s of the WSET Credential - showing your accomplishment Confidence - knowing the facts about wine, speaking with confidence Culture - participating in the culture of wine...the pay may be low, but being a part of the friendship and social aspects of the wine industry ~100,000 WSET students/year - now the “go to” wine education organization - it covers the entire industry and is global Recent changes to the program - giving students what they want Launched a Sake program Split spirits from Wine for the Diploma Introducing Beer soon Virtual classes Has always been an option - was called “self-study” and had to go in person to take exams Exams for L1 and L2 are now offered online; L3 and Diploma cannot be because they include tastings NVWA launched wine kits (wine samples re-bottled into small vials) for virtual classes - do virtual tastings with them; the wines are disguised to be blind Had to learn how to better engage students online - using breakout rooms, polls/quizzes, reducing seminar times to 1-2 hours, best practice is to engage with students every 3-5 minutes Do live webinars that are recorded Pricing is the same as in-person, but no travel costs The cost of wine education Course fees, wine (for Diploma ~200-220 wines are recommended to know; wine can cost $500-2,000 for samples), travel Wine kits are included in course costs Scholarships - NVWA has several partners for scholarships Wine Unify for L1-3 Wine Access The Roots Fund John Hart (former NBA star) - for the BIPOC community The return on wine education Constellation Brands paid bonuses for employees who passed WSET qualifications and also offered tuition reimbursement Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The hardest wine exam in the world, an elite community of >400 wine professionals, and learning how to engage with wine more. All those elements describe the Institute of Masters of Wine and the Master of Wine (“MW”) exam. MW Mark DeVere tells us how becoming an MW landed him a full-time job in Napa to all the rigors required to pass the MW exam. This a must-listen episode for those considering applying for the MW program or those who love learning about challenging wine exams.   Detailed Show Notes:  Institute of Masters of Wine (“IMW”) background Currently, 418 Masters of Wine, >490 have passed the exam over time It started in 1953 in London as London was the most globally focused wine trading hub in the world ~20 people sat the exam in 1953, with 6 passing; it was only open in the UK at that time The purpose was to measure who was a master of the overall wine trade 1st non-UK residents were Australians and Americans who went to the UK to work and sit the exams Now a global institution - MWs in 30 countries, exams offered around the world (London, California, Australia), head office is still in London The mission of the IMW - is to promote excellence, interaction, and learning in the global wine trade Interaction through tastings and the MW symposium (held every 4 years) Excellence and learning through setting the MW exam Not an educational organization like the WSET IMW vs. Court of Master Sommeliers (“CMS”) MS has a more laddered program (i.e., more levels before the master level) MW has no practical service element MS exam is oral, MW is all written The MW Study Program Goal: to help orient people to understand what the end goal is - to gain the depth and breadth of the challenge of the MW exam Need to know every step of the wine business, from the vineyard to wine landing on the table There are time limits for getting through the program now, ~5 years, with the goal of not getting people stuck in it 3 Stages Stage 1 - 1st orientation to the program, has the Stage 1 assessment - proving you can understand the issues, 12 wines blind, 1 set of theory essays Stage 2 - preparation for the MW exam, which is 3 x 2.25-hour blind tasting exams with 12 wines each, 5 x timed theory exams Stage 3 - research paper, developing something new for the world of wine Pass Rate of the MW exam Used to say ~10% of people that sat the exam Hard to calculate a rate due to people who sit multiple times and can pass certain portions of the exam IMW is actively trying to increase the pass rate by making it more challenging to get in and sit the exam ~15-20% of people who enter the program actually complete it; ~75-100 are admitted to the program each year, and ~10-20 people become MWs each year The value of the program, if you don’t complete is learning how to understand the issues around wine better, engaging with wine differently, and building communication skills More people are applying for the MW program, and it’s becoming a more global program The IMW and diversity The exam is entirely blind, making it unable to discriminate via grading Conduct outreach to all parts of the world to generate a diverse pool of candidates ~150 female MWs today Being an MW The title does carry some weight within the wine world It got Mark a permanent job at Mondavi after being hired for only a seasonal position Join a community of MWs, where giving back to the wine world is one of the core tenets Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s a lot of data hidden in a price…and a lot to consider by wineries when they set the price. During the Nov 2022 wine2wine conference in Verona, Italy, host Peter Yeung presented the five factors that price communicates for fine wine. Building off his research for Luxury Wine Marketing, Peter dives into the various messages embedded in a winery’s decision to set price.  Detailed Show Notes:  Wine2Wine presentation link Defining fine and luxury wine Vs. commercial or mass market wines which are more substitutable For fine wine, the brand value is more than just the wine It has different consumers than commercial wines Different sales channels (e.g., specialty wine stores, higher-end restaurants, direct-to-consumer) The fine wine consumer For mass-market wines - more women, lower price points For fine wine - older and male; however, more women buying fine wines Fine wine pricing drivers Costs more to produce (land, labor, packaging) Higher willingness to pay from consumers Higher brand value makes the wines less substitutable - e.g., entry-level Champagne is ~$50/btl high-quality traditional method sparkling from the US can be ~$25/btl What price communicates (for fine wine) - i.e., what a winery is communicating to consumers / the market with their price Value proposition to consumers - the offering a winery is giving their customers Expected quality - higher prices tend to be correlated with higher scores, including in the Luxury Wine Database of prices vs. Wine Spectator scores Brand reputation - getting a 100-point score can often make a wine trade for $300/btl; however, the many wines priced above that do so based on their brand value Relative quality - showing how a wine stacks w/in a winery’s portfolio or against other peer wines; the most expensive wine implies its the best Consumer willingness to pay - e.g., Liber Pater made an “original Bordeaux” wine from own-rooted vines, 500 bottles w/ the 2015 vintage, and ran a Dutch auction to set the price, a record 30,000 euros/btl Price is more than one number; there are: Suggested Retail Price (set by winery) Average selling price (retail, restaurants) Secondary market Secondary market price from trading through merchants (e.g., on Liv-Ex) or via auctions It gives wineries a sense of consumers’ willingness to pay Often small volume - not enough trading for true price discovery Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Library Release was selected in conjunction with the next episode discussing pricing and was initially released on December 2nd, 2020. Robert and Peter discuss how luxury wines are priced, delving into the core insights from the Pricing Chapter of Peter’s book, Luxury Wine Marketing. They discuss the luxury wine price segments, the types of luxury wine buyers, and how you need everything to be working right to build a luxury wine brand. “You can’t just stick a label on two-buck-chuck and price it at $1,000.”   Detailed Show Notes:  Luxury Wine Marketing (“LWM”) was published in late 2019 It contains industry best practices for how to sell luxury wines vs. more “commercial” wines Includes new research on the market size, customer segmentation, and frameworks for marketing luxury wines Wine pricing segments The overall wine market has an average price of $7-8/bottle That makes $20+ sometimes classified as “luxury” In LWM, luxury wine is more of a luxury good - where the product is used to differentiate $50-99 - affordable luxury $100-199 - everyday wine for the luxury buyer $200-499 - special occasion luxury $500-999 - icon wines $1,000+ - dream wines Luxury wine consumer segments The Wine Collector The Wine Geek - seeks knowledge True Luxury Buyer - buys top brands Aspirational Buyer - looks up to the True Luxury Buyer Brand impact on price Dom Perignon is a special occasion wine at $170/bottle vs. if it was $40/bottle Price signals an element of quality Price makes some people think it’s better quality Strategies to launch luxury wines Build Up - start lower priced and build up Build down - start higher and build down Need a good story and quality to back up pricing E.g., Penfolds - from Grange to $10-15/bottle wines, Grange provides the halo effect for the cheaper wines as people associate themselves with the brand Luxury branding - using price over value as the luxury driver, e.g., Harlan Estate Luxury wine demand Sometimes when you increase the price, you increase the demand Two types of demand - consumption and investment demand Wineries want people to drink, not sell the wines, to keep the secondary market high Still need to have value - quality and reputation of the wines Burgundy - driven by wine collectors who want the scarce and rare Tricks and tips for buying luxury wines Know what you like and target those types of wines If you want something special - brand strength is essential, a la the gifting culture in China Follow critics whose palates are similar to yours and track their scores to find values Check out the best wines from less well-known parts of the world Winery pricing strategy has four major determinants Quality Brand strength Competition External factors How do some Napa wines come out of the gate pricing $250+?  Sometimes they leverage the brand strength of the winemaker Primarily selling to friends and family Sometimes they need to play the long game and sit on wines for a while Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a lot of economic uncertainty in early 2023, the fine and luxury wine space has remained relatively robust. Charlie Fu, an LA-based lawyer, wine collector, Wine Berserkers moderator, and caviar purveyor, gives us his thoughts on the state of the wine-collecting market. From Dry January, how they find new wines, navigating price increases, and Berserker Day, Charlie provides a good overview of wine collecting from his group's point of view.  Detailed Show Notes:  Charlie's background - LA-based collector, lawyer, caviar purveyor, and @clayfu.wine on Instagram He has a few thousand bottles of wine in his collection Wine collecting group ~5-6 people meet for dinners in downtown LA Total group ~20-25 collectors Mostly early 30s-mid-40s, mostly male Focused on Burgundy, Rhone, & Champagne Dry January has become more common Finding new wines Recommendations from people in the industry, friends (including from IG), other collectors Someone they know personally and trust More guarded response when it's retailers recommending Wine pricing Seeing secondary marketing pricing dip at the top end Retail release pricing keeps going up Secondary premium key to keeping collectors buying a "relatively good deal" He believes incremental price changes are less shocking than large shifts People want to know why the price is escalating; communications are critical to significant price changes There are thresholds when people stop buying - relative value, secondary pricing, and personal decisions on value "Everyone's always looking for alternatives to Burgundy" e.g., Willamette Valley Pinot and Chard are seen as "Burgundian" e.g., Walter Scott as a white Burgundy substitute Where people buy wine Retailers w/ an existing relationship where they offer reasonable pricing Brokers & auctions for the secondary market Domestic wineries mainly bought direct, "as long as it makes sense" Wine.com gets a reasonable allocation of high-end wine, but not flash sale or other sale sites Mailing list/allocation systems People don't like forced purchase quarterly - e.g., the wine club model They prefer the optionality of offering systems Too much choice in an offer gets challenging - w/ no US vineyard hierarchy (vs. Burgundy), it's hard to distinguish between the wines Collecting groups has not shown interest in wine investment Wine Berserkers Site upgrade in Aug 2022 took some time to get used to Berserker Day - 2023 was the biggest ever Now two days, Preview day for "Grand Cru" subscribers Tips for wineries:  Be active before Berserkers Day (e.g., Goodfellow Winery from Willamette Valley was very active and did well on Berserker Day) 150+ listings need to have a good offer and stand out with a good description and potentially catchy one Collecting trends Natural wines have had their phase More small production wineries, often connected to more famous ones, e.g., sons/daughters of prominent winemaking families Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jackson Family Wines is at the forefront of many sustainability efforts as one of the world’s largest wine companies, with >40 wineries. Though they have made significant efforts in renewable energy, climate change, and social impact; they have also done a lot with waste prevention and green purchasing. Katie Jackson, a 2nd generation family member, leads these efforts to become more sustainable and describes some of the major programs they’ve undertaken.  Detailed Show Notes:  Intro from Anna Brittain of Napa Green Only 30% of glass is recycled, and 30-50% of emissions are from packaging and distribution Katie’s background - 2nd generation, worked in multiple departments but joined the sustainability team in 2011 after it was founded in 2008 JFW background Founded in 1982 as Kendall Jackson Invested in high-quality vineyards across the state Founded Cambria (1986) and Stonestreet (1989), now >40 wineries (mostly CA, 3 Oregon, Chile, South Africa, France, Italy, & 2 in Australia) Broad sustainability programs with four current focus areas:  Social impact, including DEI - has an internal team called “idea alliance” to develop new ways to improve diversity Carbon/climate change - most difficult goals - 50% reduction by 2030, climate positive by 2050 Farming/regenerative farming Water management 2015 - publicly released a comprehensive plan w/ 11 different focus areas, including Zero Waste and getting more growers to be sustainable Sustainability investments and ROI Invested $18.5M since 2015 Biggest spend in renewable energy (primarily solar - powers ~30% of winemaking needs, installing a new wind turbine which will generate ~5% of needs) Generated $19.5M in savings and gov’t grants Lightweighting of glass has saved $1M/year in glass and ~$500k/year in transportation Solar initially had a 6-year payback No set corporate threshold for sustainability investment ROI Sustainability team Two full-time staff ~80 people in 9 working groups volunteer ~3-4 hrs/month to work on sustainability initiatives Green purchasing - developed preferred purchasing plan, looking at more environmentally friendly materials E.g., the sales team is looking at biodegradable POS neckers made w/ seeds Waste prevention - critical for climate change goals, focused more on wineries currently Achieved <2% to landfill at wineries; the rest recycled and composted Mostly organic materials  (e.g., composting) Sister company - Whole Vine - turns waste into nutrient-dense Chardonnay marc that is used for chocolate bars Have not yet gotten certified Zero Waste due to cost, instead investing in other areas Water conservation - since 2008, reduced water intensity/bottle by 43% Created the “Water Wise Winery Award” competition to conserve water (2016) Recycled water in cooling towers Installed rainwater capture systems, 1st at Carneros Winery - 60% of water usage from system Spreading sustainability practices The sustainability team helps spread the word Annual Winegrowing Summit also shares best practices in production Consumers showing interest and support for sustainable certifications Luxury brands benefit from higher margins for investment Mass market brands have the scale to innovate Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now known as Bonterra Organic Estates, Bonterra has long been associated with organics. But, they have pushed well beyond that with sustainability processes and certifications such as Climate Neutral, True Zero Waste, and now focusing on Regenerative Organics. Joseph Brinkley, Director of Regenerative Farming, describes the history and communication processes that have led Bonterra to become a leader in the sustainability space in consumers' minds.   Detailed Show Notes:  Joseph's background - started in biodynamic farms, became a vineyard manager, joined Bonterra in 2013, a role now as a spokesperson for education and advocacy of farming and sustainable practices Bonterra Overview Founded in 1968 as Fetzer Vineyards in Mendocino County Emphasis on farming practices & sustainability The late '80s - moved to organics 1991 - 1st vintage of Bonterra Organic Product lines: Fetzer - $5-6/btl Bonterra - $10-12/btl; ~500k cases Bonterra Estate (regenerative organic, "Reg Org") - ~$20-25/btl Single Vineyard (biodynamic) - ~40-60/blt Estate & SVDs ~10k cases An early adopter of solar, recycling, and tracking & reporting of GHG emissions Changed company name to Bonterra Organic Estates from Fetzer Vineyards in 2022 Affirmation of commitment to Reg Org farming Bonterra is already synonymous w/ organic SF Chronicle and Forbes published articles about it Certifications B Corp, Reg Org, Climate Neutral, True Zero Waste Backs up claims w/ verified certification, provides accountability w/ consumers B Corp - looks at the approach to business, all-encompassing, incl land, people, and community (~600 companies at Champions event) Farming certs:  Organics now federally regulated Biodynamics the "gold standard" Reg Org - "next level gold standard" - intersects w/ environment and social pillars (e.g., living wages) (now up to ~500k acres) Younger generations are more aware and interested in certifications Knowledge of certifications differs dramatically by geographic markets Some certs are brand specific and intersect w/ brand price points:  True Zero Waste - <$15/btl tiers Reg Org - believes ~$20-25/btl is the suitable range, but just launching Biodynamics - $50-80/btl Cost of certification in the thousands, some based on royalties ($/btl) Bonterra does not charge a premium for organic certification When a winery does a non-organic spray, they get de-certified for at least three years Certification benefits include increased consumer loyalty and brand value, witnessed by Bonterra growing from 200k -> 500k in the last decade Campaign: "Delicious Taste of Saving the Planet" Did a 360-degree activation - commercials, social media, PR They poked fun at themselves and the industry Media consumption now focuses on short snippets and getting people to like and share them Video ads were the most effective; they got people to share them Returned measured by brand growth and some media metrics (e.g., # of shares) New Campaign: "Cultivate the Future" - focused on Reg Org wines Goal to educate consumers on the purpose of Reg Org farming Help model sustainable comms for others and bring other producers in to collaborate Will focus on social media, events (wine dinners, press), and media coverage Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a lifelong hunter, David Duncan, CEO & Proprietor of Silver Oak in Napa Valley, has a keen appreciation for nature. This has driven David and Silver Oak to pursue many sustainability investments, including being the 1st existing winery and new build winery to be LEED Platinum certified and be at the forefront of energy efficiency for the last 20 years. From solar panels to using waste heat to get water up to sanitization temperatures, David dives into the details of Silver Oak’s sustainability efforts and how they think about them in terms of long-term return on investment.  Detailed Show Notes:  Silver Oak’s background - founded in 1972 Two wineries - Oakville (Napa) and Alexander Valley (Sonoma) ~100k cases/year ~700 acres of vineyards, ~75% estate owned fruit Four wine brands total, and Oak Cooperage in Missouri Sustainability efforts began in the vineyards in the late 90s, and early 2000s Oakville winery 2006 dumpster fire burnt the winery down Wanted to do the right thing in re-building (2008) Installed solar panels and became 1st LEED Platinum winery (existing building) They looked at LED lighting, but it was 3x as expensive at the time Alexander Valley winery Built in 2014, 1st LEED Platinum winery (new build) A “living building,” which is mostly energy and water use Uses ~1 gallon of water per gallon of wine vs. ~7 gallons of water as the industry average Generates 105% of annual electric usage All LED lighting, which is now more cost-effective Ammonia chiller for glycol cooling to keep tanks cool - was old-school technology in the 30s and 40s; new technology is very efficient Sanitation water uses solar power to heat to 105F, then waste heat from the cooling system adds 10-15F; the rest of the heating uses electricity It has a 3-4 month peak season (harvest) where electric usage is higher and sometimes pulls from the electric grid; it has a small battery system but not a large one Used recycled materials, which reduced painting needs Working towards LEED certification for other wineries Vineyards - moving towards electric tractors, but haven’t bought one yet Cooperage - burns scrap wood to bend barrels instead of natural gas ROI for sustainability 2.5-year payback for Alexander Valley solar system - highest of all investments It looks at the “life cost of building” to calculate ROI, a long-term evaluation - the long-term view matches the long-term production cycle (5 years to produce Silver Oak) No set target IRR cutoff, but ~5-year payback is the approximate cutoff Looks at the impact on employees, which they call “The Whole Bunch” like a bunch of grapes, and assesses the safety of workers Highest payback investments - solar panels and water use to treat barrels using recycled water Sustainability also improves quality - e.g., minimizing water use in vineyards Barriers to making sustainability investments are often due to 1 chance a year to make changes; Silver Oak does small trials on 1-2 acres to evaluate Shares learnings w/ the industry - gives many tours of winery and vineyards, interviews, seminars and conferences, works w/ UC Davis Also improving packaging Moving towards a lighter glass They used to send empty bottles to Canada to decorate and then ship them back to CA to fill. For the 1st time in 25 years, Silver Oak Napa Valley will have a paper label to avoid this environmental impact Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sustainability is as much about people as it is about the land. That’s how Maryam Ahmed, founder of Maryam + Company and the Diversity in Wine Leadership Forum, connects Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (“DEI”) to sustainability. Maryam shares how DEI creates access and relevance to new customers and markets for wine and how “doing the work” creates significant ROI for businesses.   Detailed Show Notes:  Maryam’s background - worked in Finger Lakes, distribution in NYC, moved to Walla Walla, then Napa, was on Somm TV show Sparklers Maryam + Company - educational program & strategic initiatives for food & wine companies, further sustainability and diversity Works w/ associations, portfolios, or specific wine businesses & non-profits All clients have a demonstrated commitment to DEI Help broaden their network and provides accountability consulting Helps with conference and panel development, changing from panels on diversity to core topics with diversity integrated into it Field Blends - wine travel program to regions that don’t always get the spotlight (e.g. - 2022 in Walla Walla, WA); for both professionals and consumers; scholarships for diverse candidates; brings regional orgs to support programs; provides regions with diverse travelers and new customers to region Wine Writers Symposium - helped make the event virtual during Covid, broaden the audience from 30 to 300 people, and more diverse writers received jobs from it Working w/ diverse influencers w/ trend towards micro-influencers (<10k IG followers) w/ ROI on sales and new market conversion Clif Family - advised to let micro-influencers tell them what they wanted to do vs. the brand directing DEI benefits Creativity from multiple perspectives in the organization Problem-solving with new ideas Enables access and relevance to a broader customer base and new markets Diversity in Wine Leadership Forum (“DIWLF”) Created in 2020, cofounded w/ Elaine Chukan Brown Getting the many initiatives for diversity in wine to collaborate instead of compete ~20 organizations participating Orgs primarily focused on creating access, elevation, education, & inclusion; all ties back to sustainability Do the Work Series - educated >150 professionals Wine Unify - creates access and elevation through education (WSET scholarships) Lift Collective - has an entrepreneurship program 280 Project & Industry Sessions - creates immersive education from a black and brown lens Sustainability needs to be not just for the land, but also the people, making DEI critical DEI “B” - belonging also important, working in supportive spaces Doing the work is both personal and professional; common barriers for people:  People don’t want to be wrong / embarrassed -> advise them to “fail forward” Don’t want to make other people feel uncomfortable -> discomfort is part of doing the work Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sustainability is just good business practice, according to Drew Bledsoe, former New England Patriots Quarterback and now founder and proprietor of Bledsoe Wine Estates, comprising three wineries in Washington and Oregon. Josh McDaniels, CEO, and Drew discuss their biodiversity initiatives in detail, as well as their people and packaging efforts, as part of their sustainability ethos. From improving quality to increasing customer loyalty, they believe taking a long-term view on sustainability proves it is a good investment.  Detailed Show Notes:  Drew’s background - grew up in Walla Walla, WA; NFL quarterback for 14 years; started Doubleback winery and now has 3 Josh’s background - also grew up in Walla Walla, worked at Leonetti for 10+ years, and worked with Paul Hobbs in Argentina Sustainability is critical for wine because of the long-term, generational nature of the wine business Biodiversity initiatives Built wildflower perimeter around vineyards - harbors beneficial insects, reducing mite infestations that happened when spring vetch growth dies Working w/ The Bee Girl Organization in OR to study amount and species of bees for regeneration farming Designed specific cover crop seed mix to attract more bees, improve Nitrogen in soil, have longer taproots to improve soil oxygen, and maintain water in the soil Moving to dry farming through the cover crop, no-till, and drought-resistant rootstocks Easier to make investments in estate vineyards vs. contracted ones Benefits The main goal is to increase wine quality Builds emotional connection with consumers - more about customer loyalty/retention vs. new customer acquisition Reduced spray expenses Reduced water costs Consumers expect luxury wine to be environmentally responsible An early leader of people sustainability - focused on vineyard crew five years ago w/ higher pay, year-round employment, and full benefits, leading to benefits of not having to rehire and retrain crew Other sustainability initiatives Consolidating shipping across the country Installing solar panels at the winery Conscious of Doubleback bottle weight Reducing packaging Family Wine - currently bottled in 1L bottles that were meant for reuse, but issues around sanitization for reuse; now considered bag-in-a-box a la Tablas Creek Looking at sources products, including glass, closer to home vs. glass was from China previously Sustainability for the wine industry - with a long-term view, sustainability is a good investment and good business practice Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a goal of 46% carbon reduction by 2030 and 6,000 companies to wrangle, Marie-Catherine Dufour, Technical Director of the Bordeaux Wine Council, has a big job to undertake. With an action plan that covers five key climate change strategies, Bordeaux can become carbon neutral by 2050. Some of those strategies include promoting bats to combat grape moths, reducing the weight of bottles, and capturing CO2 from fermentation to make baking soda.   Detailed Show Notes:  Marie-Catherine’s background - daughter of winegrowers in Bordeaux, studied agronomy Mission as Technical Director of Bordeaux Wine Council - think of innovation needs for the sector to be more competitive Defines sustainability as the linkage between environmental, social, and economic issues Climate has a direct impact on the environment, but it also impacts the health and well-being of people Bordeaux Climate Action 2007 - 1st carbon assessment 2019 - 3rd assessment - reduced GHG emissions by 39% from 2007 Developed Carbon Strategy for Bordeaux w/ science-based targets The goal of 46% GHG reduction by 2030 Five key strategies Glass and packaging (28% of GHG emissions) - reduce bottle weight by 10% Winemaking practices (22% of GHG emissions) - do less in the vineyard to minimize oil and pesticide usage, balancing environmental goals and yield Freight - fewer planes, more boats (30% of emissions from planes from only 4% of volume); fewer trucks, more trains (the primary port is now Le Havre in the north, and would like to ship from Bordeaux in the future) Energy efficiency - underground cellars, natural light, gravity flow  Carbon sequestration - when they can’t reduce any more; increase area w/ covered grass (+32% of the area), plant trees and hedges (150 km hedges planted / year); can lead to carbon neutrality by 2050 Action plan for each strategy developed A collective regional strategy helps when working with suppliers to have more influence ROI is difficult to define European impact of climate change is 1% of GDP w/ 2 heat waves in 2022, production reduced by 20% of normal Cost of climate change in 2022 estimated at ~$24k/ha (~$10k/acre) E.g., electric tractors are 30% more expensive but use less fuel; one solution is to amortize the cost over a more extended period High-end wineries can do more Reducing bottle weights - the idea of luxury will change and consumers will no longer accept heavy bottles as luxury due to climate impact E.g., Chateau Montrose produces baking soda from CO2 emitted during fermentation, a type of sequestration; need to develop uses (e.g., sales to food companies) for it Chateau Brown uses cardboard w/ nice printing over wood now; NY merchants prefer it Chateau Lagrange has solar panels on the cellar that cannot be seen by visitors and produces 50% of electric needs Driving action Requires communication with members (6,000 companies) Hosts an annual event for environmental issues Do webinars and offers collective tools to promote action Has an annual budget of €2M (€1M for scientific studies - e.g., for bats eating grape moths and reducing larvae by 40%; €1M for collective action) Recommendation for wineries - start w/ carbon assessment, as every company is different, then develop a winery-specific plan and leverage tools available on the Bordeaux Wine Council website Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Known for its world-class art collection and Pinot Noirs, Donum Estate is also serious about sustainability, investing heavily in integrated pest management and biodiversity. Dan Fishman, the winemaker, discusses the benefits and tradeoffs of moving to organic and regenerative farming with an IPM framework. From sheep, ducks, and chickens to mealybug destroyers, it’s creating a diverse ecosystem that is improving the soil, vines, and wines for Donum.   Detailed Show Notes:  Dan’s background - Donum winemaker since 2012, took over farming in 2019 Donum Founded in 2001 in Carneros to create the ultimate Pinot Noir Added Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast vineyards CCOF (organic) and pursuing ROC regenerative certification Integrated pest management (“IPM”) is a critical 1st step for sustainability; it changes philosophy from exploiting resources to maximize cash crops (conventional) to looking at the system holistically and thinking about the entire ecosystem (IPM) Not about eliminating pests but managing them and creating resilience in the ecosystem Examples of IPM Sheep for weeding in winter - less tractor passes & fuel use, brings compost back to the vineyard, uses contract grazer w/ 500 sheep/herd, need sheep out before bud break, or they will eat green shoots Compost teas (biologically active sprays) - when used on the canopy, introduce microbes that compete w/ others like mildew Chickens & ducks eat ground insects Committed to organics in 2019 Stopped using herbicides, which kill weeds but also other fungi in soil; stopping created living soils, insect life returned right away Without synthetic nitrogen, we need to get the nitrogen cycle back (e.g., sheep compost helps) Benefits of IPM Reduced vigor reduced the need to crop thin and hedge, which was done before to get to target yields, therefore no reduction in overall crop yields Improved grape chemistry - 7-8 years ago harvested at 25+ Brix to get phenolic ripeness with 3.7-3.8 pH and 4-5 g/L TA; 2022 - 23-23.5 Brix, 3.5 pH, 5.6-6+ g/L TA -> less work needed in winery Can ferment with native yeasts (not killed by sprays) Increased vineyard lifespan - vines can live 50-60 years vs. 25-30 typically in Sonoma for Pinot Noir Reduced cost of synthetic fertilizers Costs of IPM Some upfront investment, e.g., Clemens weed knife for under-vine weed management instead of spraying Roundup More monitoring of vineyard, e.g., people monitoring for mealy bugs, which are then treated with an organic essential oil Estimates ~5-7% more expensive vs. conventional farming The highest impact process was getting rid of herbicides Other elements used Root Applied Sciences - monitoring stations that check for mildew spores reduce organic sprays by 20%, kill less yeast in the vineyard VineView aerial mapping to identify potential problems Water probes to monitor vine stress to determine irrigation needs Biodiversity Cover crops, every 6th row is a native wildflower encouraging native insects Introduce predators - e.g., wasps & mealybug destroyers to reduce mealy bugs Encourage raptors with owl boxes and raptor perches to help control moles & gophers Next for IPM and biodiversity at Donum - more chickens & ducks, may own a small flock of sheep, and set up a truffle grove Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Building an entire ecosystem in the desert requires water at its core. With a 3,000-ha property that includes 2,000ha of vineyards, a winery, and a town to support it, Raimat, part of the Cordorniu Group, has been at the forefront of sustainability, particularly with water efficiency. Joan Esteve, General Manager, explains how >€5M of investment has substantially reduced water usage and made the property more sustainable, which in his mind, is leaving it a better place for future generations.  Detailed Show Notes:  Raimat overview Purchased in 1914, it was a desert 150km west of Barcelona Continental climate, no Mediterranean influence Close to the Pyrenees, water from snow melt ~3,000 ha (~7,400 acres) property ~2,000 acres of vineyards, ~40% (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay) goes to Cordorniu, rest for Raimat’s still wines (~12M bottles/year) Had to build a town to support farming Winery and town designed by a disciple of Gaudi 100% organic, many sustainability certifications Tons of biodiversity - e.g., releasing Turons (i.e., wild ferrets) to control the rabbit population Sustainability definition - “leaving a better world than how we found it” Founder of Wineries for Climate Protection in Spain - requires 5% average annual water and energy savings Water efficiency projects: Built ~€4M water pipe to replace the channel that supplies Raimat water 1m diameter with natural pressure Originally a > 50-year payback project Saves 15% water (no evaporation, losses), ~2,700 MWh/year of energy / equivalent to ~1,400 tons CO2/year Irrigation optimization Developed by Cordorniu Research Institute Dynamically applies water based on differences in soil, grape variety, desired wine style, and vine age Saves ~10% of water Spun off company Agropixel to consult other wineries on precision viticulture Partial Root Drying It uses two irrigation lines and rotates irrigation every 15-20 days It makes the vine believe it’s under water stress when it’s not ~40% water savings, slightly lower yields, better quality Conducting on ~300ha ~20-25% more expensive (mostly additional irrigation line) Total vineyard water savings of ~30% Cellar water optimization Measured water consumption in different parts of the winery Fixed leaks Use tools to reduce usage (e.g., hot water vs. cold for cleaning, nozzles for hoses, UV light to disinfect tanks) Total water efficiency investments ~€5.1M (~€4M pipe, ~€1M vineyards, ~€100k cellar) Future efficiency - believes Raimat may need to use more water to offset the impacts of global warming Water from the Pyrenees is not at risk as the region primarily produces corn and alfalfa, which use significantly more water than grapes (~800mm water/year vs. ~150mm for grapes) ROI challenging for sustainability investments Owners (now majority owned by The Carlyle Group) usually require < 3-Year payback on investments Water pipe investment made by the family as a legacy for future generations Quality was the main rationale behind water efficiency investments Advice for the industry It’s good business to be efficient Agriculture is slow, needs longer payback hurdles, and can use quality improvements to justify the investment The quality impact is significant; small amounts of compounds can impact the entire production Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Focused on the 20% of the wine market doing things differently, Byron Hoffman and Tyson Caly, co-CEOs of Offset, are focused on enabling “Brand Differentiated Commerce.” At the intersection of design and technology for wine, Offset has significant experience operating allocated offerings of wine. These unique event-based sales methods, which limit how much customers can buy, create new challenges and best practices, unlike other sales channels.   Detailed Show Notes:  Byron & Tyson met while collaborating on Last Bottle, combining e-commerce and design Offset - the intersection of design and technology for wine Focused on the 20% of the industry doing things differently Most clients in Napa & Sonoma, major ones include Kosta Browne, Aubert, Larkmead, Raen, Bedrock, DuMOL DTC business models - open cart / online store, clubs, subscriptions, allocations Allocated offerings (“allocations”) definition - the event-based, controlled release of wine Geared around exclusivity Offering types - first come, first serve; guaranteed; order request Allocation types - individual, group-based, wish only Use wish requests to prevent underselling Differences in doing allocations vs. other models A significant effort to decide who gets what, limiting what people can buy Timing of sales important - need to consider things like shipping windows Checkout experience language is important Best practices “Brand Differentiated Commerce” - how the brand is integrated w/ commerce can be different for every winery Simplify and align customer experience w/ the brand Full allocation button - can simplify the purchase The design flow of customer experience (e.g., initial email, graphics at the beginning of offering) is important Invest in website design - many wineries think a lot about packaging and forget about their website or don’t want to appear to be selling wine, but still need a clear call to action Too much automation is not always better Examples of the intersection of design and commerce Kosta Browne re-designed how to explain wish requests on their website, reducing phone calls and emails coming in Text messaging & magic links (auto-login) enable 20 seconds to purchase, ~98% of texts get read w/in 3 minutes, partners w/ Slick Text Costs of allocated models Similar to e-commerce costs, Offset pricing is a transaction based w/ no monthly fee Can have cost efficiencies if wines sell out (e.g., team labor used for other things when not selling, shipping process condensed) Hybrid approaches E.g., Larkmead has a tasting room, club, & allocations E.g., Kermit Lynch has clubs, open cart, and behind-the-scenes allocations Benefit - providing choices for people w/ different sales models, e.g., clubs for people who want convenience, allocations for VIPs to enable access to special wines Cons - a lot more setup People want to customize wine club shipments, which is similar technology to allocations and has now been enabled Allocated offering research w/ professors from Kellogg & Peter - creating the data to get more insight and reduce guesswork for the industry Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a California-like atmosphere, Texas wine country enjoys a strong local following. Eva Horton, the owner of Flat Creek Estate, shares how they are creating more than a Texas winery but a destination. With multiple venues, including a full-service restaurant and a disc golf course, Flat Creek is getting visitors to come back and enjoy the estate and wines.  Detailed Show Notes:  The goal is to be a destination, a real estate development play, not just a Texas winery Texas wine country - west of Austin TX wine trail - 290 corridor, flatter, mostly European & Spanish varietals Expanded to Hill Country, NW of Austin 3 hrs from Dallas & Houston, 1 hr from San Antonio, 45 min from Austin #3 state in US for # of wineries Visitors to TX wine country The majority from Texas come for a weekend As Austin becomes more of a definition, it gets more visitors Looks California like Flat Creek overview In Hill Country, elevated, grows mostly Italian varietals 80 acres, ~26 planted, ~18 producing currently Produced ~4,500-6,000 cases, capacity for ~10,000 Three venues on the property - tasting room, restaurant, pavilion The consulting winemaker from CA - Jean Holfinger Wine pricing - ~$30 whites, ~$40-50 reds, premium to other TX wineries Estate destinations Tasting room - outdoor areas, fire pits, barrel tastings Ellera - full-service restaurant, only Flat Creek wines and alcohol Pavilion - live music, different food 18-hole disc golf course, PGA qualified Walking trails - like a winery in a park Average spend $25 for a tasting of 5 wines Can range from ~$50-60 to hundreds for higher-end dinners at Ellera # of visitors - typical weekend - ~400-500/day, special events ~1,000 Sales channels 95% sold on site 5% online Not in distribution yet, but a goal for 2023 Hospitality sales & wine clubs ~75% of visitors buy wine Loyalty club - get benefits when you buy 12 bottles each year “Being part of a destination/club” Developing unique members-only benefits to drive membership - e.g., food & wine pairings, creating a VIP room (like a cigar lounge) for higher tier members ~40-50% of visitors join the loyalty club  Capturing non-customer emails - using cards to capture emails, ~50% uptake ~20-30% of customers repeat purchases, using personalized communications to target customers Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In less than three years, Jen & Zach Pelka, the sister and brother co-founders of Une Femme, have taken what was supposed to be an in-house wine brand for their Champagne Bars The Riddler to the fastest-growing sparkling wine in the US. Leveraging data from The Riddler sales with a mission of promoting women and enabling the shattering of glass ceilings, Jen & Zach have taken a CPG approach to rocket Une Femme to become a national player.   Detailed Show Notes:  Une Femme launch Initially designed as an in-house brand for The Riddler Data from The Riddler, from 2 bars, 150-200 wines sold by the glass, 70% women, difficult to find affordable, approachable sparkling rosés by the glass led to Une Femme design Launched Feb 2020 - a bad time for on-premise, Covid closures forced more national distribution Wine portfolio The Betty - sparkling white, named after Betty White, no dosage, 80% PN / 20% CH The Callie - sparkling rosé from California, 1st wine to take off $32 retail  Product Work directly w/ wineries and winemakers, capital-light model Mostly Central Coast, CA Made in 3 locations w/ a Type 2 winery license Made w/ Charmat method (tank) - faster, less expensive, more scalable, spends 1-3 months in tank Motto - “World-class women-made wines that give back to female-centered charities” Each wine partnered w/ charities, which gets a lot of press The Callie - Breast Cancer Research Fund The Betty - Dress for Success Limited Edition Wines (Piquettes) - Tree Sisters Batonnage Forum (for more detail, see XChateau Ep 40) Assesses donations every quarter for contribution amount; can’t tie a specific $ amount to a bottle due to alcohol compliance Fastest growing sparkling wine brand in the US 2020 - 1,500 cases 2021 - 5,400 cases 2022E - ~100,000 cases 2023E - >200,000 cases Aspiration - 400-500k case brand to become a “call brand” for sparkling wine, where customers ask for it by name Diversity at scale is mostly restricted by access to capital (Une Femme just able to raise $10M Series A) Packaging Multiple formats - 750ml, 187ml, 250ml cans Small formats launched to take advantage of events, charities where small bottles (w/ straws) / cans will be photographed/seen vs. drinking from a glass 250ml cans driven by Delta - lighter, more scalable, sustainable Price - will be ~$24.99 from major retail partners as the product scales Targeting premiumization categories ($20-40 range) and growing the sparkling category Promotion Brand partners - Marriott (by the glass in high-end hotels - Ritz Carlton, St Regis, JW Marriott), Delta Most successful promotion - Hall of Femme awards program celebrated 365 women who have shattered a glass ceiling. Sent them a crate of wine with stunt glass and a hammer to shatter it. Based on the brand name “Une Femme,” meaning it only takes 1 woman to shatter a glass ceiling Has done social media, paid advertising, email marketing, & just started text marketing Does a lot of events and donations to lots of charities Word of mouth from friends in the industry (e.g., wine shop owners, sommeliers) Branded credit card - to be part of customers' lives, introducing similar, women-focused, women-owned brands (e.g., Milk Bar), capitalizing on the movement of women supporting women, esp with their wallets Brand ambassador program - run through a 3rd party as a way to have affiliate marketing for influencers Highest ROI marketing - things that lead to partnerships w/ large national players, e.g., trade shows Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.