Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/369547
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m S e p t - O c t 2 014 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 1 9 in a simple, factual way, why these details matter. Consider including recipes to pair with your wines, as they appeal to food-focused media. Underscore unusual varieties and techniques, and your special areas of interest, which could include charity, commu- nity service, recreation or the arts. And I can't emphasize this too strongly: Have interesting, striking imagery available to illustrate all of the above. Glossy magazines and even newspapers require high-res- olution, color photography, with 300 dpi (dots per inch) and 1-plus MB file sizes. What you shoot for your web- site likely won't work for most print publications, so have both high- and low-resolution images available. BE CLEAR ON THE PURPOSE A press kit is not a sales kit. It's targeted to the media, not the trade, and should include only facts and verifiable information, without pumped-up prose, scores from other writers and selling sug- gestions. To include the latter will turn off media and they'll look else- where for subject matter. GO ELECTRONIC I can't remember the last time a writer asked me for a printed press kit. These folks are on deadline. They have limited time and they know how to use a computer. Why would you send them a printed ver- sion of anything, when you can send them an e-file, or direct them to a trade page on your website? At a sit-down interview or tasting with a writer, provide a thumb drive with all the press kit materials loaded on it. You have a good story, right? Make it as easy as possible for the media to find it, and use it. Paul Wagner formed Balzac Com- munications & Marketing and is an instructor for Napa Valley College's Viticulture and Enology Depart- ment. He has been a columnist for V&WM since 2003. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. captures how each principal views his or her role in fulfilling the vision of the winery is a good thing to include as well. The core articles should include a basic fact sheet on each wine in current release. This is neither a comprehensive analysis of the his- tory of the variety nor is it a sales piece to promote the new discount structure on the wine. The focus should be the facts. A short note on the winery's style for the variety is a good place to start, followed by short notes on the vintage, vine- yards and winemaking techniques. Then add a short tasting note from the winemaker. Most writers also want to see basic technical data (pH, acidity, residual sugar, alco- hol by volume and cooperage), and increasing numbers also want to know about the clones, rootstocks and yeasts used for fermentation. You must provide the suggested retail price. I know, I know, the wine will sell for different prices in differ- ent markets. God bless the three- tier system. But a journalist cannot write about a wine without knowing what it will cost readers. Establish a "national retail price" or use the price charged in the tasting room in the press kit. Journalists who write for specific markets know how to adjust pricing for their area or will call local wholesalers to verify. If you don't include the price, you run a great risk of a writer bypassing your wine for someone else's. PERIPHERAL COMPONENTS That wraps up the basic press kit, but your job is not over. Doing a good job means going beyond the basics. If you have additional infor- mation you think might be of inter- est and sets you apart, write up a summary of that information for the kit. Are your grapes mountain- grown and if so, how do they differ from valley floor grapes? Have you replanted and if so, why and what is the impact on the wines? Are you using indigenous yeast? New technology? Reverting to some old ways? Are your barrels formed from the remnants of Tsar Nicholas II's sleigh? Write it up and explain,