Wine Blog
"Juicy Tales by Jo Diaz"

“An Impatient Publicist” will be the name of my book, when it’s published, because I am she.

I’ll have my soap opera Cheesecake in the Vines buried in there somewhere, because it’s too good of a story to be left unwritten, and I’d like to develop these characters of intrigue. I didn’t write about the neighbors in my blog story about Cheesecake in the Vines, but they’re a hysterical lot of winemaking dog breeders on one side, and crotchety old grumps on the other. It makes for a funny neighborhood.

[This image is borrowed from the Pre War Buick Website.]

As I wrote earlier, I’ve now been writing this blog for the last five years. I’ve launched over 1,000 stories (just barely making it over that threshold), as I’ve participated in the wine industry since moving here on December 29, 1992. I’ll always think of that one day in my life as The Day From Hell.

• Two kids
  • each with two checked bags
  • each with two carry-ons
• Jose and me
  • each with our two checked bags
  • each with our two carry-ons
• One 55 pound black lab
  • and his crate
• Three cats
  • each in their own crate…

All we needed was the Clampett’s rickety old car. It would have all made perfect sense for those looking at us, as we faced that (small-sized, not the big one) Sonoma County Airporter. Flight delays along the way meant that we missed the ginormous bus, which was to take us from our SFO landing to our Windsor home… awaiting our migratory arrival. As I looked inside that small bus, I could see all the eyeballs rolling back into the heads of each person already on that bus, as they were thinking to themselves, “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

What a sight we must have been…

Interestingly, I didn’t notice our eighteenth anniversary when I wrote my fifth anniversary story, until my daughter Lyla pointed it out on Facebook… December 29, 2010 was our 18th anniversary of having moved from wintery Maine to Mediterranean California. I was so caught-up with my other numbers and achievements that I didn’t even see that one coming or arriving… another amazing benchmark and tie-in.

Why do I write this blog?

I’m writing this follow-up, because I’ve never been really clear to anyone about what got me blogging, and why it’s an important discipline for me.

It began when I read Tom Wark’s blog ~ Fermemtation, who started months ahead of me. As I read his blog one day, I became inspired… He’s also a wine publicist, and I thought… “How cool is that? I can do that, too… In fact, I want to do that, too.”

I asked Jose to build a blog site for me. He honestly didn’t get it at the time. He’s since changed his mind, but at the time, he didn’t understand. Here’s what I saw that would be in it for me:

• Having been in the wine business for 13 last years (at the time), I had a lot of stories inside of me that no one knew about.
• Most of them were about my own clients, granted, but they were of a much more personal nature than what was written inside of any press release.
• These stories were never going to make it into a press release (which was all that I was writing at the time).
• The stories were of a more human nature, the real guts and glory that I had come to learn with each experience.
• They were stories that other writers would love to write, had they had the experiences that I had.
• I also – and this is the most important reason – was sick to death of waiting for a press release that I had written, to create that story that my wine clients were wanting to be published.

My clients all wanted their stories on the Internet or in print, and so did I. Many of them eventually got there, but too many of the stories were falling through the cracks. This is normal for us all, given the 10,000 gazillion brands that are on the market, so nothing new there. What was new with Web 2.0 was to send the press releases to writers, wait a month, see if anything would come of it; and, if it didn’t, just publish it myself on www.wine-blog.org.

When I began, Jose had serious doubts about my wine writing credibility, and why having those stories on my blog would mean anything to anyone. I understood his angst, but I also knew that I had already begun writing with print media (below), and I just had to segue.

• The Wine News, Coral Gables, Florida (stopped printing in 2009, and it is a great loss)
• Wine Business Monthly
• Patterson’s Beverage Journal (it is now called The Tasting Panel)
• Wine Country This Week
• Vine Times
• Winefest (Texas)

So, segue I did. I now find that I’m being asked to contribute to not only print media, but also to on-line sites. My answer has to remain the same, because writing for others doesn’t pay my bills; while being a wine publicist does. Besides, I love being a publicist. I’ve already found my passion and I’m living it. Wine blogging is really my hobby. I knit and I blog… Those are my hobbies.

While this is only a journaling process for me, it has still become a serious outlet for others. It has gone way beyond my client base, while some credibility in this arena continues to be established.

When I started this blog, I knew that if I only focused on my own clients, this blog would be really boring, regardless of how great the stories would be. It would be self serving and useless to anyone, including my clients.

I once had someone call me to become a client, because he said that he realized being one of my clients would also give him some Web exposure. At the time, I was so busy I couldn’t take him on. I’ve lived to regret that I didn’t have the time, because someone who understood what I was doing would make a good and appreciative partner… But, it wasn’t meant to be.

I knew this blog would have to contain new material, and I’d be off on a different learning curve. I was prepared for that.

What I didn’t realize was that I’d also learn firsthand the following about the public relations process from a writer’s perspective:

• What interests a writer, and makes him or her want to tell the story contained within a press release.
• How many brands can’t wait to tell you about their gold medals (which I’ve always said doesn’t offer inspiration and is a faux pas).
• The best publicists seem to operate the same way I do (or maybe I’m just attracted to their style, because I can relate… who knows?).
• How rare the best ones are on any given day.
• Print press releases in the mail are all but dead, which means that a print press release is now an exception (versus the rule), giving the ones that are still delivered via snail mail even more visibility.

I’ve had more than one writer tell me that a press release delivered by the Post Office gets more time in opening it, holding, reading, and possibly storing it… So, I’m not stopping that for my clients. I’m continuing with my traditional methods, while embracing all of the electronic ones as well… Because, regardless of how impatient I may be, I’m still a stickler for tradition with my established relationships, and love giving them scoops when it makes sense. When it’s not addressed in a reasonable amount of time, though, that info will work into a blog posting, which I’m all too happy to be publishing, so it becomes Web-based info.

Related articles

• Today: Celebrating Five Years of Wine Blogging, and what I’ve learned (wine-blog.org)

Tags: Blog, Coral Gables Florida, Diaz Communications, Juicy Tales by Jo Diaz, Press release, Tom Wark, Web 2.0, Wine, Wine Business Monthly, Wine News

I just had a Pinot with pizza the other day, wondering how that would fare… It did really well as a combo.

1. I don’t enjoy a lot of red sauce on my pizza, so I ordered it that way. This seemed to keep all the acid in balance. Mary’s Pizza always gets it right for me.
2. Next, I love tons of mozzarella cheese on my pizzas, also ordering it that way. The amount of cheese it had married well with the rustic Pinot I was enjoying. It was a 2009 “The Seeker” Pinot Noir, Vins de Pays du Puy de Dôme – France.

So, when I got a press release in the mail about Pinot & Pizza at J Winery, I began to drool.

SIDEBAR: Last week, I read a wine editor’s comment on Facebook. It was written: I can’t believe some people still send press releases by snail mail. Yes, it makes them stand out, but not necessarily in a positive way.

I respectfully disagree. I love press releases that come via snail mail. I can take my time with them, they hang around, they get used as material, and this one about J was a tempting, in my neighborhood event. I’m heading over there…

Details…

Saturday, June 16, 2012 ~ 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

A Celebration of Pinot & Pizza

at J Vineyards & Winery

$20 per person for J club members ~ $40 per person for the general public

J is teaming up with Healdsburg-based chef and author Andrea Mugnaini, for a Pinot & Pizza wine celebration at the J Vistor Center. Mugnaini has a large pizza over that she’s be using to cook up her tasty treats. J’s executive chef Mark E. Caldwell is going to be joining Andrea, and they’ll be creating a variety of pizzas featuring farm-fresh organic vegetables, Bellwether Farms artisanal cheeses, and Merchants & Millers olive oil.

All of the pizzas will be paired with J Vineyards Russian River Valley Estate Pinot Noir wines.

For tickets, call 707-431-5479, or 707-431-5430. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.jwine.com.

Mugnaini will also be signing copies of her book, The Art of Wood Fired Cooking.

I’ve enjoyed many J Wine events, and I can tell you that they’re always a class act.

Tags: Chef, Diaz Communications, Facebook, Healdsburg California, J Vineyards & Winery, Juicy Tales by Jo Diaz, Pinot noir, Pizza, United States, Wine

I wonder if it’s because most writers are men, or at least appear to be. It seems to be something we know subliminally; otherwise why would female authors of days gone by (and even some today) take a male pseudonym as a pen name?

Eliot (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I was just reminded of this phenomenon as I picked up a small book in my library the other day while dusting, and decided to take a sojourn; like, opening the book for more information. I looked for the copyright. None… “First edition,” I thought, especially based on its age. Published by The Mershon Company.  The book is titled, Romola, and it’s written by George Eliot. “Hum,” I thought. “George Eliot sounds familiar,” but I couldn’t bring up any other references in my brain. I did what we now all do, I Googled “George Eliot.”

WIKI: Mary Anne (alternatively Mary Ann or Marian) Evans (22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880), better known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, journalist and translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era.

Romola, 1863: Romola, an historical novel set in late 15th century Florence and touching on the lives of several real persons such as the priest Girolamo Savonarola, displays her wider reading and interests.

So, here’s a copyright range, from Thoughts of Bibliomaven

The Mershon Company was an active publishing house between 1897 and 1906. Mainly known as a reprint house of classics and juvenile literature, it also published a number of original…

And, this is an original “reprint,” printed after George Eliot’s life ended, still over 100 years old. “What a sweet little book,” I thought.

Back to my original title… Men reading men, women reading me and other women  – in that order…

About a month ago, my friend and writer colleague Alana Gentry (Girl with a Glass) started a private Facebook page for women writers (and bloggers… but, we now all know that “bloggers” are writers, the difference between writers and bloggers being the publishers… But… bloggers are self publishers. I feel like a dog chasing my tail/tale, here.)  Although there are some women invited into this group who are in the wine business but not writing a blog or articles, like Julie Weinstock (Ledson Winery’s writer and editor of everything relating to the winery, and all their social media)), most of the women are wine writers with their own blogs, and/or publish stories).

Let me also make clear, if someone like Julie is a PR person, her writing skills are top notch… She’s just got a great, steady writing gig; which lots of people choose to do in the world of writing, versus trying to sell one story at a time. This, too, is why I’m also a publicist, besides my self publishing.

When I found myself put into the group, my first thought was (being very honest here), “Do I want to be part of another group? I don’t have time for another group.”

Still, intrigued, I went to the Facebook page to see what was going on. Within seconds I was drawn in. It had all the elements of a “guy” site (snarky stuff going on, included), but in a very different dialogue with each other, and very entertaining. (Thanks, ladies, for working that one out, sorta.) It’s also one of the first things I do each day, check in with this page to see who is doing what, and what ideas are being shared. I’ve now segued from reading men first and foremost, simply because this group holds more interest for me… Maybe now I’m getting why men read men, and rarely gravitate toward women writers, first and foremost.

Perhaps it’s because there are now more women writers readily available that women might gravitate more in that direction? Only time will tell.

What’s most interesting to me is the sense of urgency to be helping each other, because we know we’re such a small minority. Not only helping each other, but now a month later, Alana has her thinking cap on and is coming up with awards that will impact other women. Alana’s an innovator and is on the move with this group.

She asked, “What can we be doing to help each other?” I decided to create and have been adding daily to a list of women bloggers/writers, taking my lead from within this group. I have a list of other bloggers that I have reciprocal links with, but I decided to create a new list called: A List of Women Wine Writers | Bloggers. The list is actually of the women within this group; otherwise, the list could become longer than my Web page, and I’m not trying to have the longest Web page in the history of Web pages. Still, it a great list, and if you’re wondering about what women wine writers are having to say, this link list is a good resource. It takes a lot for me to create another link list on my blog these days. This one is definitely worth it.

• A List of Women Wine Writers | Bloggers

  • A to Zinfandel’s Blog
  • Another Wine Blog
  • Brix Chicks
  • Cellar Mistress
  • Deborah Gray
  • Enobytes
  • FabOCwinechick
  • Girl With A Glass
  • Good Libations
  • Grape Friend
  • Hoot ‘n Annie | Drining Wine for the People
  • Hudson Valley Wine Goddess
  • Italiana
  • Lorrie’s Food & Wine World
  • Luscious Lushes
  • Maker’s Table
  • Mimi goes to London
  • Missinwine
  • My Wine Words
  • Planet Grape
  • Rachael Voorhees
  • Sondra Barrett, PhD
  • Taylor Eason
  • The Epicurean Scribe
  • The Terroiriste
  • The Wine Broad’s Board
  • The Wine Law Blog
  • The Wine Sleuth
  • The Wine Witch
  • Traveling Wine Chick
  • Vindulge Wine Blog
  • VineSleuth Uncorked
  • Vinously Speaking
  • Walla Walla Wine Woman
  • Wanna Be Wino ~ Sonodora
  • Wine and Good Food
  • Wine Harlots
  • Wine Predator
  • WineOhTV
  • Women Wine

Tags: Diaz Communications, Facebook, Facebook features, George Eliot, Girolamo Savonarola, Juicy Tales by Jo Diaz, Romola, Romola (Everyman's Library (Paper)), Victorian era, Women's writing in English

My wine blog has allowed for me to get my “stuff” out there.

That’s what writers do, get the stuff from inside of themselves into the outside by communicating.

And, now this blog is six years old. As I sit here eating a spring salad that Mother Nature and I’ve just grown, and thinking about writing…

Just how much do I still feel like doing with this hobby/journal? I’m loving my garden, I thought…

Then I thought…

Even The Maharishi Goes On Television

And had a good laugh.

We’re all such social junkies. Oh, what a great title, I can use that someday.

So, I came onto the back end of my blog, and as I was writing Even The Maharishi Goes On Television, I had another thought…

A better title would be Confessions of a wine publicist, social media junkie, because I’ve written a ton of draft titles, always thinking,

Some day I’d like get “into” this.

But, I’m loving my garden so much that I’m going to give you – my friends – that list, so you can laugh with me, as I weed these blog weeds out. This short list fills in for “the long it?” (I’ve got plenty more, but I won’t bore you.)

1. Starbucks and Wine, bring it on
2. Dewey Decimal System and other dinosaurs
3. The Cast Away ~ Grape Leaves
4. Irish Setter Story
5. Grammar Check ~ A great laugh for the day… But, is it really all that funny for the sake of our language?
6. Traditional Media vs. Social Media ~ Do PR people handle the needs of each differently?
7. The Injustice of my Youth ~ It’s a Bird Story
8. If someone handcrafted it, I feel a responsibility to *really* enjoy it
9. Giving them hell, and having them looking forward to the ride…
10. Reflections of an extraordinarily ordinary week in the life of a wine publicist, circa 2011

Nothing earth shattering, just all stream of consciousness “stuff” that each story brings up so many thoughts.

Now, I need some wine and back to the garden.

Tags: Arts, Marketing, Publicist, Social media, Starbucks, Twitter, Wine

A day in the life of a wine publicist includes interacting with clients, Suisun Valley – for me – being one of them.

I was just asked to get this onto Suisun Valley’s blog, and I thought to myself that this is great public service material. For those of you who read this blog, this is a very interesting look into the back side of the wine business, and what growers face during those months when a vine has started to grow, and now it needs protection from things that impact it over the life cycle of this season.

Please take a moment to read the email below this from Monica Cooper from UC Extension For those growers/vineyard managers with grape vineyards that are within 500 meters of the 2010 European Grapevine Moth (EGVM) finds in Solano, a letter sent earlier this week pertaining to EGVM treatment for 2012. In the letter, we ask that grape vineyard(s) located within 500 meters of a 2010 EGVM find are treated for the EGVM first generation in accordance with the treatment recommendations provided in the attached document: European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana) in California.

Treatment timing for 1st generation applications in 2011

After vineyards have been treated for the EGVM first generation, please:

• Notify me either by telephone at 707-784-1310 or by email at lpinfold@solanocounty.com shortly after you have completed treatment of your vineyard(s) for EGVM.
• Submit Pesticide Use Reports that include your treatments for EGVM no later than the 10th day of the follow month after the treatment.

It is critical that we receive your Pesticide Use Reports for EGVM treatment as we must ensure timely reporting to the USDA. To date, we have had a total of eleven EGVM finds in Solano County, all of which occurred in 2010. Due in part to your efforts in participating in vineyard treatments within 500 meters of the 2010 EGVM finds, we have had no further finds in Solano County since 2010. Neighboring us, Napa County caught a over 100,800 moths in 2010, with 99,000 moths caught in the first generation. In 2011, Napa County caught 113 moths, with 96 moths caught in the first generation. Please keep in mind that in 2011 there was a find in Napa County just north of the Solano County border off of Gordon Valley Road that may likely impact potential future quarantine adjustments when considering the TWG recommendations discussed below.

So far for 2012, there have been only 4 moths caught on three sites over the past two weeks in Napa County. The EGVM Technical Working Group (TWG), which is composed of a panel of scientists from around the world who have expertise in controlling EGVM, convened in Sacramento in mid-December to discuss the 2011 year’s program activities and to make recommendations for the
program’s continued progress in 2012. In late January, the TWG provided a finalized written report of recommendations for regulatory policy and management practices for EGVM in California.

The following TWG recommendations apply to Solano County and are adopted for 2012:

• Reduce quarantine areas throughout the State from 5 miles surrounding detections down to 3 miles from detections.
• Those portions of Solano that are over 3 miles of any find site that occurred in Napa County, could potentially be deregulated (removed from quarantine) as early as August 2012 provided that:
  • trapping levels within 500 meters of detections made in 2010 are conducted at 100 traps/square mile for the first two generations with no additional finds, and
  • grape vineyards within 500 meters of detections made in 2010 around find sites (500 m) are treated for EGVM at least the first generation of 2012.

Continued participation in ensuring treatment of vineyards within 500 meters of EGVM finds for at least the first generation in 2012 is important in the goal our eventual exit strategy from quarantine for Solano County. Provided we do not find any more moths, we will not ask you for the second or third EGVM generation treatment. If you have any questions pertaining EGVM, including treatment and quarantine requirements, please feel free to call or email me.

Best regards,

Linda Pinfold Deputy Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer
Weights & Measures Solano County Agriculture Department 501 Texas Street
Fairfield, CA 94533 Phone: 707-784-1310 Fax: 707-784-1330
____________________________________

From: mlycooper@ucdavis.edu
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2012 9:29 AM
To: Pinfold, linda
Subject: New Issue of European Grapevine Moth Available 1st flight and 1st generation treatment update:

It is time to treat for the 1st generation of Lobesia larvae. Ideally treatments should be applied between cluster elongation and the beginning of bloom. Applications should be made before 5% bloom. Starting May 7, in Napa Valley and a week later in cooler areas, treatments can be combined with fungicide sprays anytime during the next 3 weeks. Hillside vineyards that are behind Oakville vineyards can be treated at the later end of the 2-3 week period, depending upon cluster development. Organic growers will need to make multiple applications, at 7 to 10 day intervals. We are inferring that the peak of the 1st flight of Lobesia in Napa occurred during the week of April 23. This is based on recent trap catches, degree-day model calculations, and our experience with Lobesia over the last 2 years.

Most eggs are laid during the peak flight period. We expect these eggs to hatch in 118 DDF. From April 25 to May 2, we accumulated 93.22 DDF in Oakville. Once most eggs start hatching, there will be a window of 2-3 weeks to control small larvae. For those following degree-days, here are historical numbers for Napa (Oakville CIMIS) for the peak of the 1st flight:

• 2010: April 19 (485 DDF)
• 2011: April 19 (572 DDF)
• 2012: week of April 23 (588 DDF). _Download and view the newsletter here. (Click)

HTML Link: _http://cenapa.ucdavis.edu/?newsitem=43077_ (http://cenapa.ucdavis.edu/?newsitem=43077)
____________________________________

Tags: Diaz Communications, Juicy Tales by Jo Diaz

Thursday, June 7, 2012, 8:30 a.m.

The best and brightest talent in Oregon is once again gathering to discuss the potential of Oregon’s Pinot Gris, putting Oregon on the map as “the Pinot state” (both Gris and Noir), at Oak Knoll Winery.

My friend and president of Oak Knoll Winery Greg Lint travels the United States conducting wine sales. In that process, he’s learned that Oregon needs to be known for more than Pinot Noir. “Oregon can’t survive on Pinot Noir alone, if we’re to flourish in the global wine market,” he told me years ago. “Oregon must also be known for our Pinot Gris. Pinot Gris is our second largest grape crop, second only to Pinot Noir.”

At this year’s 2012 Oregon Wine Industry Symposium, the 2011 Oregon Pinot Gris Symposium’s theme, “that Oregon cannot survive on Pinot Noir alone,” seems to have taken hold, as the Pinot Gris Symposium message was delivered to the attendees. I believe that as the stepson of Ron Vuylsteke, Greg’s carrying on the banner of being a wine industry visionary.

ABOUT OAK KNOLL WINERY: Oak Knoll Winery was founded 42 years ago, as one of the leaders of the Oregon Wine industry, by Ron and Marj Vuylsteke. As pioneers of the Oregon wine industry, the Vuylstekes received the 2006 OR Wine Industry Symposium Founders Award. At the time, Greg told me, “The Vuylsteke family is so humble, and this so deserved for all of their quiet leadership. It also meant so much to our winemaker Jeff Herinckx, Ron Vuylsteke’s cousin and me. The Founders Award is an honor that recognizes all we’ve done, as we live our passions and dreams in Willamette Valley.”

The 2011 Oregon Pinot Gris Symposium’s goal was to openly discuss Oregon’s unique climate, soils, and vineyards and viticulturists, as well as unique winemaking techniques. After the first symposium, our mission was met. Keynote speaker Paul Gregutt of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, however, took it to the next step, when he stated, “You’ve got to stop with the Alsace and Italian comparisons. It’s time to talk Oregon Pinot Gris!” This was a new concept, and created a new stage in the marketing of Pinot Gris for many wineries, including a marketing group that I  formed with my Diaz Communications company, under the name of www.oregonpinotgris.org.

SIDEBAR: Evan Goldstein MS, author of several books including daring pairings (which steps outsides the boundaries of the usual wine varietal suspects), just said to me, “You get involved in such interesting projects.” Right he is… as with this Oregon Pinot Gris.

This year’s symposium’s goal is to begin to have a more clear vision of what constitutes Oregon’s unique flavor profile, with discussions primarily focused on Oregon Pinot Gris tipicity. At the end of this symposium, attendees will again walk away with more talking points, for another year.

Oregon Pinot Gris Symposium presented by Oak Knoll Winery
29700 SW Burkhalter Road, Hillsboro OR
Thursday, June 7, 2012, 8:30 a.m

For Proprietors, Winemakers, and Grape Growers ONLY, and seating is Limited. (Last year we sold out way ahead of schedule.)

Attendees will again be welcomed by Greg Lint and Jeff Herinckx (Winemaker):

The Program

• KEYNOTE SPEAKER
• Paul Gregutt ~ Seattle Times, Wine Enthusiast, Wine & Jazz, and PaulGregutt.com
• The Tipicity of Oregon Pinot Gris, Regarding its Terroir
• ENOLOGY
• Joe Dobbes, Joe Dobbes Wines, Polk County in Willamette Valley
• We’re Blessed With Some Of The Best Fruit in The World
• Jesse Lange, of Lange Estate Winery & Vineyards, in the Dundee Hills Appellation
• Crafting Our Light, Crisp, Approachable Pinot Gris True To Varietal Character With Beautifully Balanced Acidity
• Jeff Kandarian, of King Estate Winery, Eugene, Oregon, Willamette Valley
• Producing Oregon Pinot Gris of Exceptional Quality Through Impeccable Winemaking Practices and Judicious Blending
• MARKETING
• Greg Lint, Oak Knoll, Hillsboro, Willamette Valley
• Dealing With the Frustration That Wholesalers Only Want Our Pinot Noir
• Ellen Brittan, Brittan Vineyards of McMinnville AVA, Willamette Valley
• The Naked Truth About Distribution; What Wholesalers Want From Us
• LUNCHEON w/MEDIA ~ 12:30 ~ 1:30 p.m.
• BEST OF THE OREGON PINOT GRIS TASTING ~ 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. With MEDIA

Registrations will be accepted on line at www.oakknollwinery.com, during this week

This year’s event continues to be one of exploration, education, and enlightenment for Oregon’s Pinot Gris wine grape variety.

Tags: Oak Knoll Winery, Oregon, Oregon wine, Paul Gregutt, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, United States, Willamette Valley

Yesterday’s blog was called: Marketing 101 ~ When You Get a Gold Medal, What to Do With It.

In my comments, Old John wrote:

We give the medals to the growers who supply us with the grapes. This way they get to share in the win.

I wrote back to him:

Old John,

That’s the best use of medals I’ve ever heard of. That’s a great story.

I honestly can’t think of any better use of those medal. If you must, take a picture, and then share them with those who helped win them, from the ground up. What an amazing concept.  Thanks, John, for commenting.

Tags: Bronze medal, Gold medal, Medals Orders Decorations, Old John, Silver medal

This question came up at the UC Davis PR Extension class: PR for Small Wineries, where Jose, Steve Heimoff, and Bart Hansen (Dane Cellars) and I were presenters for Rusty Eddy’s annual class on wine PR.

This is a constant question that’s asked by winery owners, once the gold medal has been achieved (and I get a lot of communications to tell me about winning an award).

My first answer is always, “Let’s just make sure that you don’t ask me to write a press release and go tell every writer you and I know.”

Why?

Writers are looking for news; a gold, silver, or bronze (kissed-on-the-lips-by-your-sister) medal isn’t news, in the correct sense of the word. There are tons of wine competitions, some more credible than others, some more relevant to a region (Sonoma County Harvest Fair, for instance, impacts wines sales in Sonoma County), there are some where the panel of judges are just sommeliers, etc.

So, back to the original question, because it’s a common one, a good one on many levels, and I’ve got great marketing answers for you.

Tell the world, sans wine writers. If writers happen to fall upon the news (in a wine shop on a bottle of wine as a shelf talker), within social media options like Facebook and Twitter, your newsletter and your blog), not to worry. That’s an accidental happenstance. And, they’ll digest it their own way.

The audience for this news is consumers… p-e-r-i-o-d.

Get the word out there in as many ways as you can, as I mentioned above:

• Get your marketing department to create shelf talkers, and hand them to your sales team
• Social media options
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
• Your newsletter
• Your blog
• O-n-l-y Media
  • Your local newspaper (they’ll post all awards, sports, academic, artistic, business, which also includes wine)
  • www.AlaWine.com

You’re the one responsible for spreading the news to the right people, but not the media; with the exception of your local newspaper and the AlaWine site.

Why?

Imagine being a wine writer, and you’ve decided to start writing about gold medals. Honestly, that’s all you’ll ever write about again. With over 6,000 wine brands in the California (alone), if each one has six wines that are being offered (give or take), that’s 36, 000 potential awards that could be given out in a year’s time, in just one wine competition. Let’s say there are about 30 wine competitions. That’s an astounding number of 1,080,000 potential awards.

Okay, not every wine gets a medal, so let’s take that back by a third, that’s still 360,000 potential stories–again, for California, alone–and we’ve only got 365 days in the year.

There’s only one Website in the world so diligently devoted. It’s AlaWine.com; so make hay while the sun shines on that vintage, and get ready to do it all over again next year… and all the years thereafter, because it’s part of your marketing job.

Just don’t think this is “news” in the United States; because, while it may be to you (and it should be), it’s not news for writers looking for meaty stories, because there are 10,000 wineries… Imagine the communications that would be coming in if every brand wanted to toot its horn!

Your fans will love knowing, so go for it in that arena.

And, by-the-way, congratulations on a job well done.

Tags: Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Diaz Communications, Facebook, Juicy Tales by Jo Diaz, Steve Heimoff, Twitter, United States, Wine, Wine competition