Best Press Releases for 02.07.25

My love of far-off travel, cultural diversity, and wine in general is showing, based on incoming Emails: CROATIA, AUSTRIA, GREECE, CALIFORNIA, and DIVERSITY

• Official Website of Croatia: Croatia Sets Tourism Records in 2024; Looks to 2025 with Focus on Year-Round Travel, Sustainability, and Inland Destinations
• Austrian Wine: Austria continues to set benchmarks in environmentally conscious viticulture
• «ΚΕΛΛΑΡΙ 10 | CELLAR 10» ACHAIA CLAUSS: «ΚΕΛΛΑΡΙ 10 | CELLAR 10» of ACHAIA CLASS Chateau, Patras
• CALIFORNIA: Merriam Vineyards Celebrates 25 Years of Wine growing Excellence in Russian River Valley
• Spero Studio, focused on Diversity: Introducing the 2025 Culture-Forward™ Calendar: Your Gateway to Authentic Connections

 

Croatia Tourism Celebrates Banner Year

“Croatia’s tourism industry celebrated a banner year in 2024, achieving record-breaking numbers. They had over 21.3 million arrivals and 108.7 million overnight stays. Particularly, it had “U.S. travelers contribute significantly to this growth, with 776,304 arrivals, and 2.17 million overnight stays.” This is “reflecting year-over-year increases of nine percent and eight percent, respectively.”

As Croatia looks ahead, it aims to build this success by focusing on year-round travel, sustainability, and promoting inland destinations.” The goal being “over 21.3 million arrivals and 108.7 million overnight stays. Particularly, “U.S. travelers have significantly contributed to this growth, with 776,304 arrivals, and 2.17 million overnight stays.” This is “reflecting year-over-year increases of nine percent and eight percent, respectively.”

Personal Thoughts

This begs the question, “Why would you, dear reader, want to go to Croatia?” I remember being in Senigallia, which is a port town on Italy’s Adriatic Sea. Emiliano Bernardi told me, “Coatia is only 20 miles in that direction, pointing directly across the sea. I immediately thought, “I want to go there,” but alas, I was flying back to California the next day. I want to go, because I have unfinished business, what’s your excuse?

 

Austria Continues To Set Wine Benchmarks

“Austria continues to set benchmarks in environmentally conscious viticulture. Almost 12,000 hectares of vineyards are now cultivated in compliance with the extensive and independently controlled viticultural programme. It is called “Sustainable Austria” (Nachhaltig Austria), and it corresponds to 27 percent of Austria’s total area under vine. “This is a remarkable development, given that the certification programme was only launched ten years ago. At an international level, Austria also leads the way in organic viticulture, with 25 percent.

“One of the most important stages for Austrian wines, in terms of international retail, is the wine fair VieVinum. It reached record-breaking proportions in 2024. Austrian Wine brought over 1,200 international wine experts to the trade fair, which is the highest number ever. Over the space of three days, these visitors tasted wines from more than 500 producers.”Personal Thoughts

Austria is a leader ahead of the sustainability curve in my humble opinion. “Environmental conscious viticulture,” those three words are a deeper level than most Americans are. I’ve also been in wine since 1993, while coming from 40 plus years in Maine. I wrote one of the first, if not the first, story about sustainability in wine. It was published in The Wine News, from Coral Gables Florida. Nobody was thinking of winery cats (nor dogs, for that matter), as something akin to sustainability in wine grape growing. It was taken for granted by viticulturist, but consumers only want to know, “what score did it get?”

 

Greece Regarding ΚΕΛΛΑΡΙ 10 | CELLAR 10

This is all made possible with the support of the Greek Ministry of Culture, the General Directorate of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage. This is as well as the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which took two and a half years of preparation. THE TEΛOS SOCIETY proudly announces the completion of the ΚΕΛΛΑΡΙ 10 | CELLAR 10 production. It’s “…a “middle-length documentary that honors the history and heritage of ACHAIA CLAUSS chateau’s modern winemaking in Greece.” It features Periklis Baltas, the Vice President of ACHAIA CLAUSS Winery and the oenologist of ACHAIA CLAUSS, Sotiris Karagiannis.It was there that he established the renowned Gutland. Over the next 120 years, however, Greece faced wars, occupations, waves of displacement, and severe poverty.

“The modern history of Greek wine begins in 1861, when Gustav Clauss acquired 60 acres of land in Riganokampos, near Patras.” It was there that he established the renowned Gutland. To this day, the ACHAIA CLAUSS chateau remains an active beacon of the art of winemaking.”

Personal Thoughts

Ancient Greece, I haven’t even had time to think that far away, but why not, because I do have wings on my feet? This press release was so alluring, I’m sitting here in goose bumps, seriously. To go back that far into ancient wine territory, it’s a privilege and a passion. All one needs doing is to search on Portugal on this blog, or France, or Italy. My historical perspectives are acute. The landscape is gorgeous, architecture is magnificent, ancient root vineyards, stories matching the photography, additionally it’s just endless. Do you have that travel bug, too?

 

CA: Merriam Vineyards Celebrates 25 Years

“Merriam Vineyards is a pioneering force in Russian River Valley’s diverse winegrowing landscape, announces the commencement of its 25th anniversary celebration. It was founded in 2000 by Peter and Diana Merriam, and the winery has evolved from its initial 12-acre purchase into a distinguished estate encompassing three distinct vineyard properties. Each location expresses the unique terroir of the Russian River Valley AVA.

“Estate Manager Evan Merriam, representing the next generation of family leadership, emphasizes the forward-looking nature of the anniversary: “While we’re celebrating our past achievements, we’re equally focused on the future. Our recent initiatives in organic farming, watershed protection, and enhanced visitor experiences set the stage for our next quarter century.”

Personal Thoughts

I love seeing the developments of sustainability in the US, as I stated above. It’s been a long time coming out here. The US has been in overdrive with chemicals, since the era of chemically laden cereals, TV dinners, and minute rice, to name a few. (Just read the chemicals on any box of anything.)

 

Diversity: Introducing the 2025 Culture-Forward

“Perfect for social media management, event planning, campaign execution, product launches, and more. It’s time to meet your audience where they are—with respect, understanding, and authenticity. The 2025 Culture-Forward™ Calendar is your guide to doing just that.

“In 2020, we launched our groundbreaking Black Culture Calendar, celebrating the immense influence.”  This was a $1.2 trillion buying power for Black American, reported by Nielsen. “Fast forward to 2025, and the story has expanded. The combined economic power of Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, AAPI, and Native Americans has surged to over $4.5 trillion. These communities are the pulse of the culture and  driving force of America’s economy—yet continue to be under served. Enter the 2025 Culture-Forward™ Calendar. Now in its fifth edition, this indispensable resource showcases the vibrant contributions of these dynamic communities. It also equips brands to move beyond superficial gestures to authentic engagement.

Here We Go Again

Diversity, like the Association of African American Vintners, it’s one step forward and two steps back, as we slowly inch forward as human being. If you have diversity in your life, it’s good to know that our friends of ethnicity are finding their way in the discriminating world. Last time I looked, we all have the same body parts, and if we stripped off our skin color, race, and creed would only depend on our history.

 

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Written by Jo Diaz, edited by Jose Diaz, owners of Diaz Communications, helping to make stars realize their dreams. To reprint, please contact Jo Diaz.