Each year, as soon as Dark & Delicious is announced, the PS I Love You group gains new members. It’s just a marketing 101 phenomenon. People get that they’ve got to get out there and pour their wines, if they’re to be known for them.

With at least 755 producers (we search for them daily, over here in PSland), having a membership of 87 producers doesn’t even really scratch the surface of the group’s potential…

I was once told and am a firm believer:

You are the power of the number of your members squared; e.g., one member is the power of one, two members is the power of four, three members is the power of nine, etc.

I understand that not everyone is into membership; and not everyone gets the warm fuzzy feelings of our PS passion, but we do continue to slowly grow ever so slowly with those who are in the know for great marketing exertion.

And, it’s these new members, along with the faithful standbys (some from Day One) that continue to edge the Petite Sirah movement slowly forward. When I started PS I Love You, I did it because at the first PS symposium, the growers and producers kept saying, “We need publicity for this variety.” Knowing that I could do that, I sent out registration forms, and the rest is history.

• 2001 – 65 growers & producers combined
• 2002 – 67 growers & producers combined ~ Started PSILY in October 2002
• 2003 – 160 producers (Only producers from this point forward with the facts) with PSILY having just begun at the end of 2002
• 2004 – 187 producers
• 2005 – 269 producers, and really beginning to pick up steam
• 2006 – 332 producers
• 2007 – 378 producers
• 2008 – 425 producers
• 2009 – 620 producers
• 2010 – 755 producers

If you think that an advocacy group doesn’t have influence on its subject matter, you need to review these numbers, again.

Why don’t you see all 755 of these wines on the shelves?

Because most of them (about 600) only make 500 or fewer cases of Petite Sirah, and sell them to their own consumers directly from their wineries. They just don’t leave a wine company for any major distribution. It’s mom and pop at its best with handcrafting of their wines.

That seems to be the new audience which is attracted to PS I Love You… New and emerging companies that have lots of passion and their loyal fans in mind. Having an annual event is where they have one more opportunity to showcase their Petites.

This year’s new and exciting line-up of artisans who are all new members and are taking advantage of the tasting at Rock Wall Wine Company, also sponsored (again) by the National Pork Board:

1. Brown Estate
2. Diamond Ridge
3. Don & Sons
4. Ehrenberg Cellars
5. John Robert Eppler Wines
6. Nottingham Cellars
7. Page Mill Winery
8. Tercero Wines

Along with so many of your favorites returning wine brands, D&D 2011 promises to be another really yummy experience.

It is these small, struggling wineries that keep PSILY moving forward, along with our long standing members’ faithful contributions. I see all of these guys as the visionaries, the leaders, and the most caring about and for the wine business… because they’re willing to support the cause. They get it!

Hopefully, if you’re passionate about Petite, you’ll give these wines a try. If you’ve come to the bottom of this story, and you’d like to taste these wines, Dark & Delicious is $63.00 per ticket this year. Leave me a comment, and I’ll help you to purchase tickets at $53.00… As my small gift to you. Hope to see you on February 18, 2011 at Rock Wall Wine Company for D&D 2011.