1. Develop intergenerational experiences, including tastings for young adults of drinking age and their parents. These excursions promote a tradition of visiting wine country, says Celine Chai, co- founder and CEO of NinetyEight, a Los Angeles-based marketing agency. 2. Gather data on what programs are popular in the drive-in market, from winemaker dinners to author talks. Successful events could be taken on the road. They could also be reimagined with different local figures like chefs and sommeliers. 4. Design in-person and digital ad campaigns that explain how the past year’s growing season resulted in high-quality wines. Ads could focus on popular offerings like Napa Valley sauvignon blanc. 5. Establish a strong presence in on- premise venues that offer alcohol at colleges and universities. A campaign could involve a tasting in a campus restaurant, sponsorship of a cultural event, and a pop-up at an alumni- oriented event, such as a holiday mixer. 6. Offer different wines at music and cultural events for young adults. Wine’s presence can be low or non-existent at such events. Targets could include drive- in markets in Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento and the Bay Area.— Jessica Zimmer t owF eii vnnece owsuaarl yae sgs e
Alder Yarrow, the Oakland-based wine writer behind the wine blog Vinography, tastes wines at home. [Photo courtesy Alder Yarrow]
adventurous consumer,” says Leonard. Leonard adds there is also a great deal of excitement about Napa Valley sauvignon blanc. Growers are saying this is the “vintage of the century” because of 2023’s long, cool growing season. Alder Yarrow, the Oakland-based author of Vinography, a wine blog, says tastemakers and sommeliers who express excitement for new wines are integral to driving demand. Wine sales may be relatively low now, but every year there is a new group of young adults who turn 21 and start to explore wine. There are also many older consumers who have tried a wide variety of wines and want new products. “The climate is continuing to warm, offering California wine grape growers the chance to experiment with Greek, Portuguese and Spanish varietals. There is an important place for writers experienced in the wine world to share information about ‘fringe wines,’” says Yarrow. Yarrow adds experimentation by small growers and winemakers helps the wine industry from leaning conservative. Growers and wineries usually move forward with wines that have sold well before. “Most of the time, it’s a tiny producer or a winemaker acting on their own who makes a hundred cases of an uncommon varietal, like Trousseau. As this wine becomes popular, they refine their technique and find more vineyards. The pioneers are where the change comes from,” says Yarrow. g
Please email comments to jwalsh@NorthBaybiz.com
32 NorthBaybiz
March 2024
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator