Vineyard & Winery Management

May/June 2013

Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/123973

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 113 of 115

END POST TYLER COLMAN What's the Score Now? 114 V I N EYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT | to doom them, since consumers only see high scores and producers want more. Parker gave 50 wines 100-point scores last year, so if a wine gets a 95, you could be forgiven for wondering what went wrong with that wine. The turnover in the California reviewer's chair at the Wine Advocate (and the sale of the publication) reveals how risky a point-chasing strategy can be for wineries. What if the next California critic doesn't like your wine? Another recent example shows the risks of the fragmented nature of wine sales. Post-Newtown, the NRA (National Rifle Association) wine club came to light (it had actually been around for a few years) and, predictably, triggered outrage. Given the controversial nature of the organization, quite a few vintners may have been surprised to see their wines on the club's list of 476 wines. One, Robert Hill Smith of Yalumba in South Australia, said he opposed the NRA and would work with his California distributor to remove his wines from the wine club. As with all things gun-related, discussion ensued, saloon doors flew open and extreme positions were taken, with some online commenters lambasting Hill Smith and saying they would remove his wines from their lists. Yet others said they would add Yalumba wines to their by-the-glass programs as a result of his stand. Even though Hill Smith was alone in publicly decrying the inclusion of his wines in the NRA club, other vintners were probably surprised to see their wines appear on the club's wine list, which was fleetingly published online before being removed. The incident illustrates hazards of the three-tier system, since not only May - June 2013 can wineries lose control of their wines once they are sold to distributors, but they can also lose a focus on consumers. These examples underscore the importance of connecting with consumers. Trying to make wine to please the whims of fashion or a certain critic can leave you in the cold when fashion or critics change. Similarly, selling directly to consumers obviates the need for distributors entirely, so that your wine can never end up in a wine club benefiting an organization you don't endorse. It's not always practical, possible or even legal to sell directly, but selecting a good distributor to represent your wines is vital – pick one that will engage in the discussion of consumer values and education. Even more important is to build relationships with consumers. Events at wineries and in important cities can do this, but social media sources provide a low-cost way to reach the broadest swathe of consumers. The most engaged consumers crave knowledge and discussion about all products, and you are the best-poised to tell your story – better than a critic who merely sips and spits points. By stimulating consumers' minds as well as their palates, you will have the basis for an enduring relationship and be positioned for the post-score era. (Opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect those of Vineyard & Winery Management.) n important reviewer of California wines went out with a bang. In February, Antonio Galloni abruptly announced he was leaving the Wine Advocate publication, informing The New York Times before he even told Wine Advocate owner Robert M. Parker Jr. After the dust settled on the announcement, Parker said he could understand the departure of his heir apparent. How could he not, after Parker had surprisingly announced the sale of the Wine Advocate last December to a group of investors from Singapore? The new editor-in-chief left the door open for departures of the current staff, telling them essentially to accept new terms of work or hit the highway. Two years ago, when Parker handed over California reviews to Galloni, I offered advice on this page for dealing with the end of the Parker era: "Get over it." That applies today, too. Instead of fretting about who the next critical wine overlord of California will be, it's time to recognize that the score-industrial complex has run out of gas. Selling wine on scores is easy: Get a good score and hand it off to the distributor, who flogs the wine with that number to shops and restaurants. In some ways, it's never been easier, since the proliferation of critics today means more scores from which to choose. And those scores are higher: There is pressure for reviewers to boost scores, in order for theirs to be the ones used on shelf-talkers, making it essentially an ad for their publications. Yet upward pressure on scores has the greatest potential Tyler Colman, author of the wine blog Dr. Vino, teaches wine classes at New York University and the University of Chicago, and wrote the book "Wine Politics: How Governments, Environmentalists, Mobsters, and Critics Influence the Wines We Drink." Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Vineyard & Winery Management - May/June 2013