Local industry leaders are currently exploring ways to solidify bonds with growers and wineries throughout the state. A unified front for the California wine industry can help the state remain strong in the American wine market, especially as other states expand wine production. “What happens in Napa especially resonates everywhere else,” says Paul Mabray, former CEO of Pix.wine, a Napa-based online wine discovery platform. “Right now we’re learning how to market Napa and Sonoma wines, and wine in general, to customers who are not coming to wine country in the numbers they used to. We’re underinvesting in marketing in comparison to other categories of alcoholic beverages, like beer. Spending more money and energy on acquiring new customers who don’t visit wine country is the new imperative,” says Mabray. The return of restaurant dining is encouraging “Restaurants are back in full force since people want to go out again. If guests have a positive experience, that increases brand awareness. Wineries that learn more about restaurant guests develop opportunities to market through email and social media,” says Michael Jackson, vice president of sales and marketing of Rutherford Wine Company in St. Helena. The caché of the names “Napa” and “Sonoma” means there is always a place for North Bay wines, says Gina Schober, owner of Vinifera Wine Marketing in Napa. “Pinot noir from Sonoma County and cabernet sauvignon from Napa County are known as top of the line. Right now, we’re representing several local wineries in talks to offer their wines in grocery stores,” says Schober.
Gina Schober, of Vinifera Wine Marketing, at left, holds a glass of the 2022 Estate Chardonnay from Truchard Vineyards in Napa, owned by JoAnn Truchard, right. [Photo courtesy Gina Schober]
Schober says the key is weaving interesting stories into online experiences for customers and tastings for buyers. “All customers who buy wine, from those who buy at grocery stores to those who buy on online marketplaces, want an emotional connection to the winery, the winemaker and their stories. We emphasize how the wines are made, the care that’s given to the wine, and how the owners came by the land,” says Schober. Ideas for the current market It is not a surprise that wine sales are low and lag behind other categories of alcoholic beverages. Data in the 2024 State of the U.S. Wine Industry report from Rob McMillan, executive vice president and founder of Silicon Valley Bank’s wine division, is in line with information from previous reports from the past few years. The wine industry is still overproducing. Sales growth continues to trend down in traditional wine countries, including the U.S. The question is what consumers want to see from wine as a category. “The primary purpose of wine is to enjoy conversation with other people. We deliver joy in a glass. We need to start treating wine as a beverage to enjoy instead of something to be admired,” says Mabray. Ben Varquez, managing director of Youth Marketing, a Washington, D.C.-based marketing firm, says younger people feel pressure to buy the right type and quality of wine.
28 NorthBaybiz
March 2024
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator