WMC19: Writing About the Underdog: Unexplored Wineries and Regions

With consolidation happening around the world in the wine industry, it is important to continue to advocate for the smaller wineries and regions that offer excellent wines and unique experiences for the wine consumer. Learn how to be an advocate for these gems by identifying unique properties and brands and creating a narrative that resonates with your audience. Presented by Devin Parr, Devin Parr & Associates

Transcript

1. Writing About the Underdog: Unexplored Wineries and Regions Presented by Devin Parr, Founder & Managing Partner, Devin Parr & Associates October 12, 2019
2. Before We Begin Close Your Eyes. Visualize.
3. Who the Hell is Devin Parr? (And why is she authorized to teach us anything?)
4. 10 + Years(and a LOT of wine) Later
5. The Plan • Review the landscape • Get up close & personal with storytelling • Gain some new resources • Check out some case studies • Watch a video with lots of curse words • Feel inspired • Ask/answer questions
6. The Landscape • There’s consolidation in literally every part of the wine industry • Wineries & Wholesalers: • Retailers • Climate change • Real estate/land prices
7. What Does This Mean? • BORRRRRING • #1 grape in the U.S.? • CHARDONNAY (Shiraz down in Australia and Chardonnay up 9%) • #1 Chardonnay in the U.S.? • Kendall Jackson… FOR 25 YEARS
8. The Reality • # of different grape varieties: > 10,000 • # of different wineries worldwide: > 125,000 • # of countries producing wine: > 70 • Including places like Bolivia, Mexico, Lebanon, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, and Georgia
9. Today’s Wine Consumers Gen X (~1965-1980) • Spends more • Most likely to buy higher-priced wines more than once/month • Willing to join a wine club Gen Y (~1980-1994) • Adventurous (grapes, regions, labels, experiences) • 65% seek rare/unusual wines & vintages • 65% attracted to new ideas in Tech • 61% will avoid buying a product/service because of environmental concerns Gen Z (~1994 +) • Truth-seekers, ethics • Singularity: View consumption as a means of self- expression • Community • Smartphone native – interests determined by YouTube & Social media • Will spend more for products that highlight their individuality In General • 61% visited a brewery/tasting room more than they did in the past year • 30% want to try something new; • 56% want a different selection • 38% want more specialty or limited run options
10. The Big Guys Get it • “I’m excited about the Millennial generation because they’re well informed. They care about quality and a sense of place. They care where their food comes from and that’s good for the wine business because this is an agricultural business.” – Terlato Wine Group COO, Sandra LeDrew • “The younger generation is into exploration, so they don’t care if a wine is from France, California or wherever.” – Rodney Strong chief executive Carmen Castaldi • Gen Z consumers are very different than Millennial consumers. They’re digitally native. How they find brands and learn about brands is different. They’re more experimental when it comes to flavor profiles.” – Stephanie Gallo, CMO, E&J Gallo
11. Picture Yourself as a Reader • What industry stories have caught your attention most this year? • What brands have intrigued you? • What regions? • More importantly… Why?
12. What Makes a Great Story? Let’s Ask Pixar 1. You admire a character for TRYING more than for their successes → Virtually every underdog brand, assuming they are ethical or likeable (or both) 2. You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer… they can be very different → This isn’t about you 3. What is your “character” good at? Comfortable with? Throw the opposite at them. CHALLENGE them. How do they deal? → Every brand & region has faced hard times…the best ones still are, and there’s a story there
13. 1. Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th… get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself. → Sub- sub- SUB- appellations? Vineyard crew v. winemaker? 2. What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don’t succeed? Stack the odds against. → PHYLOXERA 3. Why must you tell THIS story? What’s the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That’s the heart of it. → Family-owned? Women winemakers? Low-intervention? Economic impact? Death to elitism?
14. Where to Look • Google Alerts – get weird • Talk to strangers – inside AND outside of your industry; Find the empty table at a tasting • Wikipedia – But not in the way that you think • Finding a unique angle: • Ask, “what do I want to know?” • Picture story’s main characters; imagine you can ask them anything 1. Have these questions already been answered? 2. Could you get answers to those questions and would the answers be interesting? 3. If the answer is no… move on • HARO • PR people are your friends
15. Region Brand Winery DTC Offbeat grapes No/low alcohol Climate change Next- gen wine- makers Tech Corks, barrels, closures IPM Inspiration is Everywhere
16. “Some people say, ‘Give the customers what they want.’ But that’s not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they’re going to want before they do…People don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” ~ Steve Jobs
17. Case Study 1: Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country • Overlooked & criticized wine region to “Hidden Gem” to “Top 10 Wine Travel Destination in the World” – HOW? • Why does this matter? • $1 Billion in tourism impact to the local economy • Still only ~40 wineries • 9% in distribution; all mostly family-owned
18. Case Study 2: Thomson & Scott • The ANTI wine brand • Not in national distribution • Focusing on: • DTC model • Parallel industries – fashion, fitness, wellness, culinary, women in business • Why important? • We are growing the international wine audience overall by focusing on the a-typical consumer
19. Case Study 3: Wine for Economic Change • Bolivia + Chufly Imports • From natural gas, soybeans, water rights to wine • Premium product + substantial profit margin = basic resources to remain in the country • 10 families are lifted out of poverty for every 25 acres of planted grapes • 500 families would be lifted from poverty if Bolivian wines represented a half of 1 percent of all wine imports to the U.S.
20. You Are More Powerful than you Think Your Story Economic Impact Wider Availability Industry- Wide Shift Consumer Awareness Increased Demand
21. In Summary
22. My Challenge to You: • YOU are the ones shaping this industry • Where do you want to see it go? • Who deserves our attention? • Who deserves our $$? • How can you impact not just a winery or region, but the industry as a whole with your writing?
23. We can continue as is, or we can tell new stories, ones that directly affect impoverished, neglected, or war-torn regions. We can help consumers rethink the way they drink and do good while having a good time. For us, that’s a double win. For the producers who need our support, it’s life altering. ~ Maria Bastasch
24. Before I Go… • I was promised Kangaroos • But then I discovered the humble Echidna
25. Questions?
26. Thank You! (now let’s be friends) devin@devinparr.com @thesocalwinegal https://www.linkedin.com/i n/devinparr/