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.
Absolutlely love this idea, and the generosity of spirit that exists within that winery. Gold medals don’t necessarily do a lot to influence me to buy wine, but that gesture does.
Me, too, Deborah. What a great spirit of sharing, and getting those who are in your process to care so much more. Brilliant!
Jo, Everytime we win a medal, we provide a case of the award winning wine to the grower, after placing the obligatory stickers on each bottle. We normally place the actual medal on a bottle of the wine for display in the winery. Funny but people still seem to get a kick out of seeing a bunch of medals on display, whether it influences buying or not, I’m not sure…
Marty, I only spoke as someone in the business – accustomed to relying on my own palate.
My father started a wine region in Australia, which developed quite a respected national wine show. I still get a kick out of seeing medal stickers from the Cowra Wine Show on wine bottles here in the U.S.
I am sure that your medals make a big difference to your cellar door visitors and their wine buying decisions.
Marty,
You’re a good man, and more of an anomaly than the rule. I’ve worked for a lot of wine companies, and know this fact to be true. I know of one man who had a hard time even getting one bottle from the winemaker who got a 91 score in Wine Spectator. (Ouch!)
I’m with Deborah…
Medals in a tasting room have influence. If they didn’t the process would stop. People flow to harvest fair tastings of award winning wines.
As someone who’s poured at these events, if it’s got a GOLD they’ll taste it. If it’s a silver, then can be convinced. If it’s bronze, they treat it like the plague. As people, we’re all so funny (and influenced).