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With the goal of living a purposeful life, Vida Valiente was founded in Napa as a combination luxury winery and charity.  The foundation is focused on providing last dollar scholarships and mentorship to 1st generation college students.  The winery is establishing a newly planted vineyard as the next “grand cru” site in Napa.  Hayes and Susana Drumwright combine these two elements into a pathway to connect people who have succeeded with grit to the next generation through wine and impactful experiences.  Detailed Show Notes:  Susana’s background: career in tech, now full-time with the foundation and winery Hayes’ background: had cancer early, many early failures, then sold a tech company and founded Memento Mori Winery in 2010, Vida Valiente in 2019, and just bought Edge Hill Winery in 2026; just published The Empty Center Vida Valiente (“VV”) overview Planted vines to create a “grand cru” wine vs Memento Mori leveraged existing “grand cru” sitesHas had 5 100 point wines in the last 3 yearsProduced ~3,000 cases in 2025, goal is ~4,500 casesDonates $100/btl of every bottle of “The Movement,” the signature blend soldHas a guaranteed allocation group “Los Padrinos” (“the godparents”)Foundation founded to uplift 1st generation college students at Stanford Board member, Memento Mori founder, and friend Adriel Lares went to Stanford191 students in the program now, admit 50 students/year of ~100 applicantsGive each student $5k/year for last dollar scholarships, provide mentorship, and leadership offsitesHas raised ~$6.5M to date, ~$500k from “The Movement” (goal is $100k/year); goal is $3-4M/yearWants to raise ~$2M/year from corporate donorsCosts ~$1.2M/year to run, could be $2.5M if all applicants acceptedMany VV customers have done great things and feel alignment with studentsSusana and Hayes are foundation’s only employeesNapa in Cabo charity event, held by Vida Valiente 3 days at the Montage in Los CabosFeatures 10 Napa wineries, e.g. - Scarecrow, Lokoya, EiseleRaised $6M, $2.3M in 20251st night meet & greet, 2nd night charity gala, 3rd night to support other wineries (sold $760k of wine for other wineries)Exploring a “Napa in Napa” eventVV marketing Not as much crossover from Memento Mori as originally thoughtNapa Valley referrals importantHospitality a big driver, including client dinners and impactful experiencesArc of 3 Napa projects Memento Mori - “remember to live”Vida Valiente - “live a purposeful life”Ultra Mortem (at Edge Hill site) - “beyond death, do something worth remembering” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A 7th generation shipper and 2nd generation winegrower, Basile Aloy of Avignonesi in Tuscany, has a unique perspective on the geopolitical and macroeconomic events happening today and how they impact the cost of wine. Oil prices, war, tariffs, and climate change all come into play in this wide ranging conversation that showcases how much some of these macro events impact the world of wine.  Detailed Show Notes:  Basile’s background: Chairman of Avignonesi, wine distribution in Italy & US, 7th generation shipping family, CEO of shipping businesses EBE & Victrix, studied winemaking in Bordeaux Runs a fleet of dry bulk carriers in shipping, does not ship wine Iran war has increased the cost of cargo, a 40 ft container for wine went from $1,600 to $2,700 (~70% increase), however, per bottle (~18k bottles/container) that goes from $0.09 to $0.15/bottle (not a huge impact) Many ships have been re-routed around South Africa instead of crossing the Suez Canal, they don’t send ships through Hormuz, which has caused congestion for trucking in the Middle EastThere has been less fuel on the market, causing some wait times to re-fuel shipsTariffs have had a bigger impact on wine costs, earlier in 2026, Italy paid 15% tariffs on wine to the US, mid-2026 it is now down to 10%, which has outweighed the freight increaseFood costs are rising, ~30% of global fertilizers come from the Middle East, diesel costs are up; food price increases are comingDomesticating production can be challenging, but it is happening in some places, both Canada and China are leaning in; Avignonesi saw China as a big growth market, but has fallen dramatically, partially due to high quality wines made in China Both shipping and wine are very capital intensive, but ships can be purchased on the secondary market, where prices swing dramatically (from $25M to $75M in 5 years); wine cycles are much longer, which can create longer downturns like we’re experiencing today Avignonesi overview 170 ha vineyardsFocused on Sangiovese and some international varieties, as well as Vin Santo~50-60% exportedItalian market is semi-export, as tourists drive a decent amount of consumption (e.g. - during Covid, Italian sales were down ~20-30%)Basile’s family took over Avignonesi in 2009, have a vision to be more transparent with customers, healthy (move towards organic and biodynamic viticulture), and a desire to take care of the environment, broadly speaking (become a B Corp, provide English classes to the community)Avignonesi requested permission from regulators to put “Nobile” bigger than “Montepulciano” for their Vino Nobile di MontepulcianoWine is more brand driven vs shipping, need to be careful about discounting and its impact on the brandShipping can be more sustainable than trucking wine; glass weight of wine has a huge impact on sustainability (~750g of wine in a bottle vs ~400-800g of glass; Avignonesi chose light weight bottles) Europe is like Disneyland, “growers of memories,” which builds a connection to their wines, particularly the premium wines The future of Avignonesi: starting a re-branding exercise, planted a “3rd millennium” vineyard to address viticulture issues with climate change (1st harvest 2027) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Though the seeds were already sown for quality wines in California, the famous Judgement of Paris Tasting in 1976 set the wine world ablaze and created new energy not just in America, but across the world for fine wine production and appreciation.  Andrea Robinson MS has developed The Swirled Cup, a TV series that explores how the world changed with the Judgement of Paris as its “tipping point.”  She covers areas such as winemaking, hospitality, and wine culture in the evolution of the wine market.  Detailed Show Notes:  Andrea’s background: investment banker turned Master Sommelier, Wine Director at Windows of the World in NYC, writing, TV Shows (Quench - Food Network, Pairings w/ Andrea & Simply Wine - Fine Living Network) The Swirled Cup, a location based, documentary series Came out of “Judgement of Napa” tasting that was supposed to happen in 2020 w/ Steven SpurrierSpurrier believed Judgement of Paris legacy is increased wine quality and collaboration globally, that is levelled the playing field for other wine regionsShow focuses on the evolution of the wine business, catalyzed by the Judgement of Paris3 episodes on Delta Airlines flights now (through end of Sept 2026)3 more episodes in productionWill be streaming in 2027 (streamer to be announced)Short film screening version submitted to film festivalsMajor themes coming out of The Swirled Cup include,  Momentum for other wine regions outside of CaliforniaWine country travel and hospitalityCollaboration between wineriesSustainabilityProhibition kept reputation of CA wine in “suspended animation,” took away the economic incentive to invest in production Tim Mondavi noted there were ~100 wineries in Napa in the late 1800sCresta Blanca Winery (Livermore, California) won the Grand Prize at the 1889 Paris ExhibitionGeorges de Latour brought in André Tchelistcheff post-prohibition to bring back winemaking expertise“Mount Crushmore” of American Wine: André Tchelistcheff, Robert Mondavi, Steven Spurrier, Patricia Gallagher Built a culture of quality for American wine“We’re only as good as our weakest link,” collaboration was key; Tchelistcheff had monthly technical lunches, Mondavi mentored a generation of vintnersPatricia Gallagher was the major force behind the Judgement of Paris, was really excited about post-Prohibition quality of CA wines, wanted to do a July 4th tastingSpurrier had the guts to do the tasting, do it blind, and threw in French wines to ensure a fair comparisonMondavi accelerated wine tourism (used to be for trade only), showcased the wine lifestyle with food w/ his wife Margrit; would travel and order his wines and other benchmarks at restaurants to compare → good strategy still today for secondary markets; did partnerships globally (France, Italy, Chile) which opened the world’s eyes to America as a great wine marketWine culture has evolved with more competition (e.g. - cannabis, alternatives) Entry points for learning high as on-premise very expensive as costs to run restaurants highCovid upended social experiences, but provides a potential to overlay wine on top of new experiences (e.g. - book clubs, crochet get togethers)Hospitality has become very luxury and bespoke experience driven, need more accessible options as entry points for wine drinkersReplicating Judgement of Paris today still viable as comparing wines to benchmarks has value, with democratized media, expanding to collectors are well as trade could be useful; trade and media tend to like more restrained styles vs collectors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the birthplace of wine and the vinifera grape species, Georgia (the country), has wine deeply embedded in its culture.  Yet, having survived conquest by three empires, fine wines are not the current norm in Georgia, where the Russian Communists focused on quantity over quality.  Irakli Gilauri is launching Gilauri Wines to change that and to give wine collectors all over the world a chance to taste and connect with the best of the Ancient Terroir that is his home country of Georgia.   Detailed Show Notes:  Irakli’s background: public company CEO (Bank of Georgia, Georgia Capital), wine collector for 20 years, took UC Davis winemaking courses Mission: to make a fine wine from Georgia that showcases the original terroir of wine Georgia (the country) wine history The birthplace of wine, 8,000 years agoWhere vitis vinifera originated (the broader South Caucasus region)Located between the Caucasus Mountains, Black Sea and Caspian Sea; between Russia, Turkey, and AzerbaijanOne of the only biodiversity hotspots with a mid-temperate climateMain wine region Kakheti (Eastern Georgia), ~85% of grapes grown there, similar to Napa as it sits between 2 mountain rangesMain grape is Saperavi, closest to vitis silvestris, one of the original vinifera grape varietiesWine is embedded deep in Georgian culture, people believe grapes and wine allowed it to survive 3 empires (Persian, Ottoman, and Russian) and keep their language, script, and faithThe “oldest wine cellar in the world” ~40k old bottles, from the early 1840s, including First Growth BordeauxsCollection of the Russian Romanovs (originally housed in St Petersburg)During WWII, Stalin moved the cellar into three places, including one in TbilisiGeorgian government is authenticating the wines and will auction some offGilauri Wines Started w/ 10 grape varieties (incl Saperavi, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) in 5 locations, needed to conduct research on mapping terroir to deliver top quality because the Communists only cared about quantityStarted in 2022, but first vintage will be 2024, 2022 and 2023 wines will not be released as the quality was not high enoughHas the potential to produce 75k bottles, but 1st vintage will only be 1,800 bottles (1,200 Saperavi, 600 Chardonnay), with the rest bulked outWinegrowing is very different from the Georgian norm; focused on quality (e.g. - mixed Guyot pruning with only 1 cane, cover crops, green harvesting, 500L barrel fermentation, cold maceration for aromas (which cannot be done in traditional qvevri)Saperavi clonal material from Italy, Georgian nurseries have too much virusDTC focused brand; in order to share with fellow wine lovers, not enough for retail  US, UK, EU, Switzerland availableIn US, also producing a Vine Hill Ranch Napa Cabernet with Nigel Kinsman at Wheeler Farms, and can use that license to import and sell Georgian wines DTC; Napa Cab as the sister wine to Georgian SaperaviHas conducted blind tastings of top New World and Old World wines to compare with Gilauri’s “Ancient World” wineAllocations of 1st Georgian wines Dec 2026, 1st Napa wines Spring 2027Vanessa Conlin MW coming on to help promote the wines in the USJoin the allocation list at Gilauri.comWine, food, & travel go together SommTV producing a cooking show for Georgian cuisine, which is a mix of Asian, European, and Middle Eastern influencesWill have a free private concierge to organize wine trips to GeorgiaTrying to get access to “Stalin Cellar” for list membersLoyal clients will also have access to 4 bedroom house in GeorgiaExpected pricing: $200 for the Saperavi, $100 for the Chardonnay; want more people to taste the wines over time Wine and public companies have similar business models, both require roadshows to sell wine or the stock; have brokers or distributors to market to investors or accounts; and you have analysts or critics who rate the company/product Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With 143 years of history, Wente Family Vineyards is the US’s longest continuously family owned and operated winery, even producing wine through Prohibition.  Aly Wente, Chief Revenue Officer, discusses how Wente leverages its rich history to re-launch historic brands, connect with younger consumers, and embed the messaging in social media and hospitality to differentiate itself.   Detailed Show Notes:  Aly’s background covered in prior episodes, but she is now in charge of all revenue vs marketing and hospitality previously Wente Family Vineyards is the longest continuously family owned and operated winery in the US Based in Livermore, which competed w/ Napa in the late 1800s for quality wine, but benefited from a railroad that went into San FranciscoKnown for Chardonnay, originally planted in 1908, cultivated the “Wente Clone,” which underpins ~75% of California Chardonnay1st to varietally label wine post Prohibition to use transparency to promote the quality and authenticity of the wineSauvignon Blanc Clone 1 is also a “Wente Clone” and is what much of New Zealand SB is based on, originally from Chateau d’Yquem from cuttings brought back by Charles Wetmore, CA’s 1st Agricultural CommissionerWente acts as a historian of CA wine, e.g. - its SB is named Louis Mel after one of the original farmers of SB in CA The re-launched Cresta Blanca brand has deep ties to history Was Charles Wetmore’s original winery and ties to his vision for quality1st CA wine to win on the global stage, winning the 1889 Grand Prix in Paris, 87 years before the Judgement of Paris and put CA wine on the map (pre-Prohibition)The wine label was inspired by an original late 1800s barrel wood carving of a wine goddessChanged branding from Wente Vineyards to Wente Family Vineyards to highlight the family element, with 5 generations of knowledge passed down from one generation to the next Younger consumers don’t always start with history, but they are eager to learn They look for value, authenticity (Wente uses the family to do that), transparency (Wente is working on a new project to highlight this more), and sustainability (may be table stakes vs a purchase driver)Anything but Chardonnay (“ABC”) movement has been picking up steam, especially with younger consumers.  Wente working on counter positioning to make it cool again, led by Aly and her sister Niki including a social video spoofing a Hilary Duff quote that “only old men drink Chardonnay”Organic social media is the #1 priority, Wente has undergone a big evolution with social Aly and Niki use @wine_sisterss to test social content and themes outside of the core @wente accountHired 2 social media interns - did a contest for the internship, social growing significantlyUsing history in hospitality - always testing and learning Launched “5 Generations of Wente” tasting to tell the story with each glassRedid wines in the tasting room to tie back to history of Wente and LivermoreCresta Blanca cave tours start with a museum of old winery items through historic caves Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sometimes data can be overwhelming.  Being able to transform that data into actionable information can deliver high ROI.  Jesse Lange, Managing Director of Lange Estate Winery, and Mark Evans, President of Triumph Advisors, discuss how Enolytics helps them make strategic decisions through actionable information in every part of their businesses, from DTC and wholesale into operational planning.  Thanks to Enolytics for sponsoring this episode.  Detailed Show Notes:  Jesse’s background: 2nd generation winegrower in Willamette Valley, focus on winemaking and grape growingMark’s background: helped build Jackson Family’s fine wine division, ran wineries for ~20 years, now fractional CEO for 2 wineries (higher end, DTC focus)Often there’s too much data (facts) and not enough information (which is actionable)Gut instinct not always the best tool, having data is criticalEnolytics having both DTC and wholesale data can be used for production planning, revenue projections, planning market trips, seeing which varietals/SKUs doing well in each regionThe data enables building 10 year revenue projections by channel at the driver level (e-commerce, hospitality, membership, wholesale)Key metrics to look at: membership retention rate, customer lifetime value by acquisition source, purchase velocityDrilling down on wholesale data allows targeting the right marketsMark requires clients to use Enolytics (or another data platform) to partner with themEnolytics helps move from reactive to proactive, e.g. - Mark often converts tasting room staff from part-time to full-time and has them implement outreach programs to at-risk members determined by Enolytics in their downtimeCan be used like a CRM tool, even where Salesforce was unsuccessfulCan see some impact of critic scores through the data, but influence has been waning since ~2005, younger generations not really looking at scoresOne key insight is understanding member referral, correlating customer acquisition data to new club membersEnolytics is high ROI: can often do 2-3 programs that deliver $5-10k/each that micro-targets people and doesn’t overwhelm the customer baseAdvice for other wineries: looking at peer wineries is critical, need to train people on the data tools, and ensuring the data mapping from e-commerce to Enolytics is accurate is essential Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It appears on some wine labels, winemakers speak lovingly about them, and there are organizations focused on them.  “Old Vines” is a loosely defined term that is often associated with quality in the wine industry.  Seghesio, a historic Californian winery, has a strong focus on old vines with its focus on Zinfandel and Italian varietals.  Andy Robinson, Seghesio’s winemaker, lays out the economics of growing and selling old vine wines.  Detailed Show Notes:  Andy’s background: grew up in the Finger Lakes (NY), studied Chemistry, worked at Charles Krug Seghesio overview Founded 1895 by Piedmont immigrant Eduardo SeghesioAlexander Valley & Russian River (Sonoma)~120k cases / year; 160 acres plantedMostly Zinfandel (oldest 1895 at Home Ranch) and Italian varieties (Sangiovese, oldest from 1910)Defines old vines as 50+ years vs Old Vine Conference defines as 35+ years, conventional vineyards normally have 20-25 year lifespan Must be an excellent vine (both in yield and quality) to become an old vineBenefits of old vines Often head trained, umbrella shape gives natural shading, don’t need trellis supports, requires less maintenance late in the season; overall about the same cost as trellised (head trained harder to mechanize)More flavor compounds (a Spanish company researched this)More textural and complex flavorsCosts of old vines Expect lower yields (sets less fruit)Big cuts from pruning can have bigger impact on vinesNeed to have a focus for old vines to be successful, which is why there are many single vineyard old vines; consistent ownership important for this People are often willing to pay more for old vine wines, wine needs to be good For deciding when to replant old vines: wines not fantastic anymore, yields drop 1 ton/acre, people not willing to pay enough to keep it More diversity of varietals coming with old vines as late ‘70s plantings hit 50 years, historically mostly Zinfandel Old vine organizations Old Vine Conference (started ~2020, Sarah Abbott in London): very internationalHistoric Vineyard Society (started ~2010, Morgan Twain Peterson, Mike Officer, others): non-profit to catalogue old vine sitesCore benefit of organizations is engaging wine writers and getting more publicity for old vines Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Shekar Sathyanarayana, founder of Nalla, began visiting wineries in Santa Barbara and talked about Indian food, winemakers loved the food, but had never paired it with wine.  Now, Nalla has brought Indian food and wine pairing to over 100 events hosted at wineries and other venues and Shekar shares what he has learned about match Indian food and wine.  Detailed Show Notes:  Shekar’s background: 1st generation South Indian, grew up in Kansas, was a talent agent and lawyer Nalla founding Started as Indian food gatherings (2016) to explore different Indian cuisinesShekar knew nothing about wine, started driving to Santa Barbara wine country and learningWineries said they’d never paired wine and Indian cuisine beforeNalla experiences, officially launched 2023 Where South Asian cuisines and wine industry meet, includes culture (live music, dance, decor - e.g. - Thali plates, plates with small bowls in them)Done 100+ events at wineries and 3rd party venues1st winery partner was Brecon Estate in Paso Robles, learned Albarino and samosas work well togetherDoes 4 entrees, each from a different region, coursed w/ 2 wine glasses side by side, and data captured on preferences~25-50 guests at each eventLarge market opportunity: 2.1B South Asians globally, ~6M in the US; highest household disposable income (~$100k for South Asian, ~$150k for Indians); very food forward and know little about wineIndian wine ~200 wineries in IndiaGrow varieties to sell (e.g. - rose), haven’t figured out what grows best yet2 harvests / yearFocus is educating people about wine, not yet integrated w/ food4 components to “spicy” food Capsaicin - the heat in chilis, gives a burning sensation; can be offset by milk/dairy which has casein, a protein that binds to capsaicinAromatics (e.g. - coriander, cumin, cinnamon, clove, cardamon) - no heat, but lots of smell and tasteSichuan pepper - gives a tingle, drying, numbing sensation (not common in Indian food)Piperine - key compound in black pepper, common in South Indian cuisine; can often flatten winesIndian food & wine pairing - match aromatics w/ wine, heat comes second Capsaicin and alcohol make the heat worse, try to stay 14% abv with spicyYounger, tannic reds often fight Indian cuisineWhite wines pair well w/ aromaticsWhen pairing with multiple dishes simultaneously, go back to aromatics, stick w/ whites (e.g. - Pinot Gris, Riesling, Viognier, maybe Chardonnay)When there’s more weight, dairy, can pair with some reds, particularly lighter (Grenache, GSM, Pinots)Creamy tomato based sauce, which alleviates some heat, can go w/ higher alcohol redsAged reds can pair well, as tannins are more resolvedRegional Indian cuisine - 28 states in India, each region has its own cuisine North Indian known for meats (goat, lamb, chicken), dishes have more weightSouth Indian mostly vegetarian (lentils, daal, dosa, sambar), heavier on spices, more heat; sparkling wines work wellCoastal (Kerala, Goa) more fish and seafood~50% of India is vegetarianBengali has heavy mustard paste, Sauv Blanc and Riesling work wellAndhra uses both red and green chilis, makes it hard to pair w/ wineTop 5 Indian dish pairings Chicken Tikka Masala, created by British, not traditional Indian; pairs w/ off dry Riesling, light Pinot, oaked ChardsButter Chicken, chicken cooked in tandoor, more diary and cream, milder spices; Viognier pairs wellSamosas, breaded fried potatoes often w/ chutney (mint-cilantro, tamarind), sparkling pairs well (Cava, Prosecco)Biryani, a very emotional dish for Indians, saffron rice, chunks of meat or vegetarian, highest degree of aromatic complexity; Rose pairs wellSaag Paneer, spinach and cheese, cream, ginger, and garlic; Sauvignon Blanc, herbaceousness pairs well, acid helps Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After retiring twice, Chris Baker, President of Brassfield Estate, was lured back in by a unique opportunity to build one of the world’s largest monopoles in the High Valley AVA of Lake County, California. Its unique volcanic terroir is now being scaled nationally with a 10 year contract and national alignment with Southern Glazers. Chris describes the best practices in working with distributors and partnering together to create a successful brand, built on trusted relationships.  Detailed Show Notes:  Chris’ background: hospitality, distribution, ran wineries, has tried to retire twice and come back due to his love of wine Brassfield overview High Valley AVA, in Lake County CA100% estate grown and produced 5,000 acre property, 500 acres planted, up to 2,000 plantable65k sf cave, only 15% utilizedGrows 17 varietals (10 in distribution), best known from Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot NoirRetail price points - $16-17 whites, $25-30 reds National partnership with Southern GlazersWas in 14 states, now in 45Perks to being nationally aligned - a little more attention, assigned trade development managerHave a 10 year contract (normal is 2-3 years) w/ automatic renewalSouthern chose Brassfield because of its scalability (potential to be biggest monopole in the world) and they didn’t have a national product for Lake CountySales team being built out 9 division managers, 1 national accounts on-premisePicked up experienced people (e.g. - from Vintage, others) who know a lot of accounts and not afraid to put a bag on their shouldersTeam needs to know distributors feet on the street all the way to state leadersKPIs to drive velocity (getting several products in the right accounts, volume goal, rate of sales, accounts sold goal, 50/50 on- and off-premise split)Small, medium wineries need to do more DTC, social media in new distribution environment Need to identify brand’s uniqueness Distributors and accounts want to know what brand will do to create pull Focus on top moving accounts: top 250 restaurants, top retailers, share accounts b/w distributor and winery, need to understand what brands are important for the distributors (to not cannibalize sales) “We’re in the relationship business” National account restaurants - often have 3rd party agencies (e.g. - Patrick Henry, IMI) to work through, hard to get direct contact, can meet some people at Vibe conference, trade conferences, Aspen Food & Wine Need to learn about customers and get to know each other Best practice: being present, everyone is trying to get mindshare of distributors, can’t only go once every 6 months, need frequent communications, involvement, and call on accounts direct w/ or w/o distributor Distributors have big notebooks of incentives (some suppliers have big ones), they cherry pick what they think will be easiest to accomplish The top down approach can work, if distributor leads push down priorities to team Creating consumer awareness (marketing, social, PR) can get attention w/o incentive programs, Brassfield hired a PR agency in NY and a marketing company in Napa Biggest success stories:  Lazy Dog - national account w/ Eruption Red Blend, participates in their annual summitSugarfish Sushi - Sauvignon Blanc is in all 17-18 locationsAnnual Volcano Camp (started 2025) Brassfield responsible for High Valley AVAPartnered w/ SommJournal to bring somms from around the countryDug soil pitsInvestment in education builds brand ambassadors, believes it is high ROI Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As one of the winners of the infamous 1976 Judgement of Paris, Chateau Montelena has a rich history to be proud of.  To optimize that legacy, Montelena’s President and Winemaker Matt Crafton has been embarking on more of a luxury strategy for the brand, reducing grocery and chain presence and working towards pricing growth over volume.  With the 50th anniversary of the Judgement in Paris and the wine market in extreme flux, Montelena is doubling down on the values that made it victorious.   Detailed Show Notes:  Matt’s background: wine production for 23 years, Economics degree, started at Montelena in 2008 Chateau Montelena overview Founded 1882 in Calistoga, NapaShut down during Prohibition, resurrected in 1972 by Barrett familyFamous for 1973 Chardonnay which won the 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting (50th anniversary in 2026)Mostly produces Cabernet Sauvignon and ChardonnayProduces ~35k cases/yearMajority of $ DTC, volume is wholesaleExport not big, focus of growth last 2-3 yearsA full-time sales team not viable, so moved to partnership with Wilson Daniels as national sales agent beginning Jan 2026 Has a Director of National SalesDistributes to all 50 statesTraditionally skewed off-premise, moving more to on-premise; old agency went a lot of chain retailKPIs from 30-40% on-premise to 60-70% on-premise; get out of grocery and be allocated in chain retailWants to use wholesale to build status, get in the right accounts (not necessarily 3 Michelin star restaurants - they don’t move many bottles)Found retail accounts not holding price which would make restaurants and DTC members not buy the wines Judgement of Paris story usage Use social media to get the story to end consumersDavid over Goliath story resonates with peopleNeed to discuss how Montelena still upkeeps the principles and values that led to the winKeeping the story fresh requires mapping today’s actions (e.g. - large replant underway) to the original values (e.g. - curiosity, taking risk)Wine critic influence has waned over last 15-20 years, but scores still have a big impact to certain types of buyers Important to understand the ripple effects of wholesale decisions Tools to navigate wholesale - pricing, mapping market allocations to market potential Managing distributors - need to build direct relationships, get people out to the winery to see and feel the brand Relationships critical to navigating a challenging wine market Goal is to grow through price, not volume Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly two decades after filming Somm, Jason Wise, Chief Creative Officer of Somm TV and Director of the Somm movies, has a deep view of wine in the media.  Jason shares his perspective on what types of media moves the needle, how to get involved as a brand, the ever changing landscape of media itself.  Detailed Show Notes:  Update from the last 4 years: filming tons of food & wine content around the world, a couple theatrical releases Somm TV: video streaming services, partners w/ wineries and wine regions, Jason founded it to not have to ask permission to film stories A lot of people find Somm TV from YouTubeWine industry evolution (2010-2026): a lot more grapes and too much wine; beginner wine content no longer needed; market needs to sort a few things out; tariffs had huge impact on American wineries (some wineries were 20% Canada) Wine helps create more connection and conversation Media filming rights have changed a lot, used to have a pay a place to film, now they are happy to be a part of it Sideways worked because it was unexpected and was done on its own terms Streaming wars haven’t helped media gain influence, only a few shows that have had an impact (e.g. - Game of Thrones, White Lotus); there’s so much content, it’s hard to break through, now niche is king Niche segments sometimes just talk to their niche, don’t bring in new audiencesDocumentaries tell stores people didn’t know existedNetflix used to license shows, now they want to own everything, leads to less originality, just make what’s worked beforeYouTube feeds media, creators build a following, then produce more standard mediaWine industry’s role in the media Nobody wants to watch commercialsHard to push media to do what you want it to doWine should be the drink to push in PR (e.g. - Chateau Angelus in James Bond films has had an impact)Wine cameos in movies can build awarenessWinery engagement with media Influencers are like “maintenance,” believes their influence is waningGet the product in TV shows / moviesNeed the “magic” in the bottle, be known for something (e.g. - Taylor Swift and Sancerre, fans figured it out)Celebrity helps bring a platform if the product had good product-market fit (e.g. - Aveline and Cameron Diaz) Media effectiveness goes in cycle, what works changes over time and circles back; need to try 10 things for 1 to work Believes regional marketing is critical Podcasts are part of people’s everyday routine and movies stick with you, TV is like the “bulk wine” of media Wineries should put budget towards media, spread the money around Many wineries have exited sponsorships and are losing consumer awareness Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the wine world stumbles through difficult times (in early 2026), Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible and co-founder of Come Over October, believes part of the disconnect stems from time.  The fastness of the modern, social media fueled world and the slowness of wine.  Her solution is to focus the narrative of wine with well-being and wine’s long-standing role as a beverage that brings people together.   Detailed Show Notes:  Karen’s background: author of The Wine Bible, writer, speaker, teacher Worried that a change in culture, to a faster one with social media (took off in 2012 when Facebook hit 1B active users and >50% of the population had smart phones), has left wine, a slower product, behind White wine’s appeal may be partly that it implies fastnessWine is slower to create (can take 3-5 years) and to consume (high acid, tannins for reds) Larger selection of beverages may also be competing for wine’s share, including functional beverages that are marketed as “mindful” Wrote an article, “Is wine really in the alcohol business?” on how wine is more than alcohol, but threaded in the culture of food, history, religion, and art Believes wine should promote the notion of wellbeing vs health, which includes better relationships from sharing wine with people Started Come Over October w/ Gino Colangelo and Kimberly Charles, PR professionals 2025: reached 2.9B media impressions, had 1,400 retail store promotions, raised $250kSister campaign is Share and Pair Sundays - to go beyond October, involve food, and help engage more restaurantsAll campaigns need a time, a reason, and a behaviorSeneca Lake Wine Trail doing Share and Pair SundaysTexas Wine Country doing “Come Over October Y’all”Most impactful event was an interview with Pink and sports figures, showing wine connects people across industriesThe wine industry will need to invest to get more people involved, the “Got Milk” campaign spent $23M in the first year Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The on-premise side of wine analytics has traditionally been a black hole, not covered by other data services.  Somm.ai changed that when they launched in 2021, now covering ~100k on-premise accounts in the US alone.  The richness of data allows Somm.ai to help their clients benchmark, prospect for new accounts, and so much more.  Jeremy Hart, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Somm.ai, explains how it is more manpower vs a platform to accelerate on-premise sales.   Detailed Show Notes:  Jeremy’s background: restaurants, wholesale, importing TX became a major wine market during ‘08 Global Financial Crisis; it took the allocations from NY and CA Somm.ai founding: end of 2019 was originally an app for people to find restaurants with wines they wanted to drink; during the pandemic (2020) pivoted to turning restaurant wine lists into retail shops (sold ~$700k of wine); did some smart menus; 2021 launched current iteration of on-premise sales analytics Categorizes restaurants, bars, & hotels in US (100k accounts), Canada, Europe (6 countries, Germany largest w/ 3k accounts), Singapore; data updated every 2 weeksJackson Family is longest client - w/ NBA partnership, Somm.ai developed target lists around NBA stadiums to sell into~70 clients of all sizes (many large suppliers, e.g. - Terlato, Vintus, Concha y Toro, wholesalers, importers)General use cases include:  Benchmarking vs peers (accounts, placements)Prospecting and lead generation (can see accounts that other distributors cover)Identify brand extensionsHelp with pricingIdentifying sales pitches for national accountsROI Some clients have moved up a lot in benchmarking ranksSave money on travel, focused on the right marketsCan save manpowerPricing ~$30-70k/year avg, includes unlimited training and unlimited seats, US and Canada (other geographies are an upcharge) Product roadmap - expanding to more geographies, which can be temporary exclusivity for early partners Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was long assumed that a love of wine runs in the family.  Not so, according to new research conducted by ARENI Global on how young consumers get into fine wine.  Pauline Vicard, Executive Director of ARENI, gets into the findings of their new study titled “The New Fine Wine Consumer - How People Under 40 Embrace Fine Wine.”  From the shrinking middle class to the motivations of wine collectors to what drives women to embrace fine wine, the research and this conversation are chalk full of insights into how wine can attract the next generation of wine lovers.   Detailed Show Notes:  Fine wine trends (March 2026) A trend towards more collaboration and consolidationEntering the age of precision distribution, after precision winemaking and viticultureShrinking middle class is shrinking the middle sector of wineSome retailers in the UK doing well by changing delivery policy (e.g. - free next day delivery at 1 bottle, new events relevant for new consumers)New ARENI Study: The New Fine Wine Consumer - How People Under 40 Embrace Fine Wine Studied several major markets: Paris, London, NYC, Singapore, Shanghai, & Hong KongResearch process: expert led roundtables, questionnaires, & interviews / focus groups with consumers and tradeDid focus groups in Paris & London of wine student groups (e.g. - LSE, Kings College); LSE’s group is 600 members and do 50 events/year with a £400 budget and 50 students attending each oneStudy key insights Pool of fine wine drinkers is shrinking; demographics driven (less young people, wealth concentrating)Routes that create fine wine consumers (e.g. - tech and banking) are replacing internships w/ AIResults very similar across markets (a surprise)It’s friends, not family that drive wine interestComplexity of what’s not understood and the pursuit of knowledge being worthy and fun drives wine interestVisibility and ease of access to wine are importantRestaurants are still important, but the high cost is an issueCollectors are different from buyers Collectors have a reward system (e.g. - dopamine) from the chaseEveryone has a genetic disposition to collect, but activated in 30-35% of the US populationCollecting makes people overbuy, which requires a secondary marketReducing prices after en primeur can erode the trust in the reason to collectThe French have a negative association with being a collectorYoung people often spend ~10-15 hrs/week searching and researching wine when they are collectorsDifferences are bigger between genders than nationality; wine collectors defined when 26-35, when women often start a family or build their career and don’t have the time to collectOnly men reported a benefit from wine knowledge at workEvents are a good way to test if people can be engaged with the brandCollectors learn about producers not regions (Asia different because certifications are important); want to know which producers, why they are important, and where they can be purchasedTo trade up in wine, their community needs to trade up with them Need to sell a community to drink with, not just the wines Women historically have less propensity to become collectors Often have less access to money and drink 3-4x less than menSimilar at the beginning (44% of 25 year olds engaged in wine, goes down to 7% around 40); it’s not an interest problem, it’s a conversion problemWomen overindex in education, events, and the importance of communityThey never ask for a female only space, they don’t mind age or gender, but need to share interests (e.g. - similar spending power and interests)Successful events have thoughtful placement to create connections b/w people, including to be seen by interesting people; requires knowing all the people who comeNext for ARENI: restaurants business models and consumer expectations for fine wine and an update on US distribution Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even though it has been making wine for nearly 5 millenia, Israel is a wine region still finding its way in modern times.  Josh Greenstein, Director of the Israeli Wine Producers Association (“IWPA”), is on a mission to promote “Brand Israel,” which is all about new discoveries.  From winemaker stories to creating new grape varieties to mimic the descriptions in The Bible, Israel is making its mark on the global wine scene.   Detailed Show Notes:  Josh’s background: 5th generation in the wine business, including NY liquor stores and distribution Israeli Wine Producers Association overview ~40 wineries (of 450 total) are membersMission is to promote “Brand Israel”Founded by the Herzog family, of importer Royal Wine CorpFunded by the wineries and Royal Wine CorpIsraeli wine overview Making wine for ~5,000 yearsWines were exported to the RomansGrowing Israeli food scene has helpedGrape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, many others including ancient grapes and new grapes, e.g. - Argaman, a genetically engineered crossing of Carignan and Souzao, designed to have a “crimson” color as referenced in The BibleClimate: lots of micro-climates, Mediterranean climate, lots of farmingSoil types: varied, including volcanic, terra rosa, limestoneTends to be tech forward in farming and winemaking practicesWine consumption in Israel Growing, consume most of domestically produced wineBig use for religious purposesCreated wine tourism industry to grow wine knowledge in the countryUS is #1 export market by far, majority in the NE (top markets - NY, NJ, Miami (fastest growing), LA, Chicago, TX); followed by Canada, Europe, South AmericaTotal Wine has an Israeli wine section different from Kosher section “Brand Israel” About discovery, stories of the wineries and something differentGood QPRConnects to multiple religions (e.g. - Easter is a large wine consumption event and Easter is about Israel)People often respond saying “Israel makes wine?” (e.g. - at South Beach Food & Wine)All wines in the group are kosher, but kosher is not the focus, just a beneficial attribute Judaism has lots of holiday and events with wine integrated (e.g. - Shabbat) Majority of Israeli wine sales in the US are off-premise, trying to push more on-premise Israeli politics can go both ways, some people don’t buy and others want to support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.