April - Merlot Wine
Marketing Wine on the Internet
The Australian Wine industry is experiencing a tough time as oversupply of product is creating downward pressure on prices. Large producers have had their well publicised problems, leading to merger and takeover activity. Small and medium producers are feeling the pinch.
Over the past twelve months I have discussed internet marketing with quite a number of smaller winery operators. The overwhelming experience seems to be "We have a web site but it doesn't generate any sales."
This experience mirrors that of other small business where the overwhelming majority fail to get significant benefit from their Internet presence. During the research I conducted as background to developing my own website I have visited several hundred wine related sites. It is not hard to see why they are not succeeding in generating sales.
Despite this gloomy record I feel that the Internet has lots to offer small to medium wineries in their marketing efforts. Some people are making sales through the internet: the challenge for the others is to get their sites going.
Small and medium wineries have several advantages that they can exploit to enhance their sales. Many are growing alternative varieties, and thus have a natural point of difference to build their marketing around.
Tourism is a booming industry and wine is an integral part of the tourist experience in most regions. An intelligent and integrated approach can exploit powerful marketing synergies.
For several reasons the Australian wine industry stands to reap great benefits from the internet, at least for those who are able to use it effectively.
My optimism is based on several emerging trends
- There is obviously a much greater volume of wine being produced, both by the big wineries and the plethora of small and medium producers, new and old. The success the export trade has thus far kept problems of oversupply to a minimum, but the environment for marketing Australian wine is certainly becoming much more competitive.
- There is increased diversity in the wine produced in Australia. New varieties have been introduced into emerging regions, the Rhone varieties into the Nagambie Lakes region and the Italian varieties into the King Valley, to name just the more prominent.
- A growing number of consumers are looking for something new. There is a limit to how many marginally different chardonnays or shirazes they can drink and still remain interested.
- Wine consumers are faced with more choice which is driving a thirst for knowledge about new wine experiences.
- The Internet is primarily an information distributing medium, and consumers seek information about wine more than most other products
- E-commerce is growing as more consumers are becoming comfortable with the internet. Warning! There is much more to e-commerce than having a website with attractive graphics. Too many businesses are overspending and underacheiving on the internet.
- There is still a wide gap between those are producing something new and those who want to find something new.
Like any transforming technology the effects of the internet will take many years to unfold. There are hundreds of lessons still to be learnt. But with persistence, some Australian wineries will gain great benefits from marketing their wine on the web.
About The Author Darby Higgs is an expert on alternative grape varieties and the wines made from them in Australia. He is webmaster of Vinodiversity at http://www.vinodiversity.com
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April 2008 - Vintage Charts
Vintage Charts For Your Reading Pleasure
Take A Trip Into Fantasia At The Cape Winelands It's easy to forget you're that you're still in South Africa while standing with your feet on the plush green valleys of the Cape Winelands. The historical backdrop of gabled Cape Dutch villa's and leafy vineyards creates a setting like something from a fantasy flick. Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington, Franschhoek and Pniel are home to the finest and most distinguished wines of the world, it's hard to believe it's only a 45 minute drive away from Cape Town.
About the AuthorVilla Grande offers warm-hearted http://www.villa-grande.com/ guest house accommodation in Stellenbosch and is situated in the historic centre of the town in the beautiful Cape winelands(http://www.villa-grande.com).
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April - Iron Wine
A Iron Wine Artilce for Your Viewing
A Glimpse at Popular Wine Makers For centuries now, vintners and great wine makers have been tirelessly fermenting grapes, other fruits and flowers to produce the wine that is served at feasts, parties and dinner tables. Cultivating an appreciation of wine is a growing trend in the US. Shops specializing in wine are appearing throughout the country, not just in the traditional vineyard regions of California, Oregon, and Virginia. People who may not have grown up around wine are now drawn not only to sampling but also to collecting it. Tasting parties and special wine pairing events are a common theme in restaurants and in the home. With this comes an increase in interest in home storage. While proper storage can help wines become even more exquisite, improper storage can lead to ruined wine. There are thousands of varieties or types of wine to choose from. White, sparkling, red or rose wine are just some of the ?colors? that you can choose from. Wine making is a very lucrative venture because there is a worldwide market. France, Italy, Australia, Spain, Chile and the United States have their share of the worldwide market and are the leading countries which export and produce wine. Meanwhile, South Africa, Argentina, Portugal and Germany aren't far behind. California is the state which boasts the most of wine producers in the US. Vineyards are mostly found in Sonoma Valley, Monterey, Paso Robles, Santa Ynez and Napa Valley. Here are just some of the popular wine makers in the country: 1. Greenvale Vineyards & Winery This vineyard is located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. They produce red and white wines located from grapes which are locally grown. Chardonnays and Cabernets are produced from the fertile soils of Greenvale Vineyards. 2. The Mount Pleasant Winery Located north of St. Louis in Augusta, the Mount Pleasant Vineyards and Winery produces the best wine out of quality grapes. With Chambourcin grapes, a Nouveau-like wine is aged and fermented. Chambourcin is a type of red grape grown mostly in states located on the East. 3. Domaine Drouhin Located in the Red Hills of the Dundee in Oregon, this vineyard claims a sense of history since it is owned by the Drouhin family. Their wine has received worldwide recognition due to class and quality. The Pinot Noir wines that they produce have the distinct flavors of berries and vanilla for an exquisite taste. Learn the art of Wine Tasting 4. Savannah Chanelle Vineyards Located in the mountains of Santa Cruz in California, the Savannah Chanelle vineyards produce Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is mostly produced in the vast vineyards of Savannah Chanelle and are on the top of the list when it comes to this type of wine. 5. Chappellet Winery California, being the wine-producing state in the US, includes the Napa Valley region. This is where the Chappellet Winery is located and they produce Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. This winery produces wines which undergo as little processing as possible. 6. Sanford Winery This vineyard is located in Buellton, California in the Santa Ynez valley. They make Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. When deciding which wine to serve your family, consider the bottles produced by such popluar wine makers and you can't go wrong. Art of Wine Tasting. Wine Tasting for beginners A synopsis on Iron Wine. I Love Italian Wine and Food - Aosta Valley Region, Piedmont Wine If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Aosta Valley region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you?ll ... Click Here to Read More About Wine ... Featured Iron Wine Items Wine Enthusiast Italian Waiter Style Corkscrew - White  Traditional waiter's style corkscrew used in many restaurants around the world.
Price: 6.95 USD Iron Wine in the news How to Become an Energy Drink Connoisseur Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:12:12 PDT Energy drinks don't have the cachet of wine or coffee. There are no magazines, websites, or specialty stores to support your interest in sugary concoctions of taurine, guarana, ginseng and caffeine. On the other hand, analysts estimate energy drinks generate $10 billion in annual sales, with growth rates that far outstrip sodas, juice and water. And there's enough variety in the market that it's possible to become an energy drink connoisseur. Here are some tips on connoisseurship from "En Giftable green goodies Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:00:55 PDT Eco-friendly choices for earthly beings, reclaimed wine bottles turned into wine glass, sustainable shopping bags, handcrafted photo frames and 1,001 Ways to Save the Earth. Burglars Rob Beauty Salons, Barber Shops Overnight (KMGH 7 Denver) Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:33:28 PDT Police officers are searching for the burglars who robbed several beauty salons and barber shops overnight. Bubble Time Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:10:23 PDT Bubble Time Thirty Champagnes by the glass? What is Ali Mackani thinking? Big, again. Mackani, who in the fall of 2005 opened the electric Restaurant 55 Degrees along Capitol Mall, is close to launching his next ambitious project, Lounge on 20, where the beverage menu is to include 30 Champagnes by the glass. Lounge on 20, which Mackani hopes to open in early June, and possibly as soon as late May, will occupy the southeast portion of the MARRS building at 20th and K in midtown Sacramento. M Love thy neighbour. Wouldn't it be better if I just gave them a cup of sugar? Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:03:18 PDT Love thy neighbour. Wouldn't it be better if I just gave them a cup of sugar? I haven't been on friendly terms with my neighbours since I moved away from Dublin about seven years ago. In Dublin, people know if you fart in a different way to the way you did the day before and everyone feels like they know everyone. The whole neighbourly thing is just not the done thing in London where it's a cardinal sin to ask a stranger for directions nevermind acknowledge that there are people living next Courvoisier to Open U.S. Pop-Up Shops (Display & Design Ideas) Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:23:58 PDT Courvoisier Cognac, a division of Deerfield, Ill.-based Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc., and lifestyle clothing brand Lifted Research Group (LRG) will bring the "Find Greatness Within" campaign to life with a temporary, co-branded retail experience called the "Pop-Up Shop." The shops will be featured in five major U.S. cities, launching on April 17 in Los Angeles. Mix Restaurant (5/5) on Yelp.com Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:53:09 PDT Mix Restaurant Categories: French, American (New) We splurged at Mix. And we splurged in style. The photos of the truly glamorous restaurant located on the 64th floor of THEhotel at Mandalay Bay speak for themselves: http://www.yelp.com/bi... The incredible views and stunning modern decor alone are worth the visit. The superb service, fantastic wine & cocktail menu and amazing food complete the experience. Our server, Lee Christopher, had a wonderful way about sharing his know Wine Products Pinot Noir Wine Cellars Labels: Wine Label | Wine Labels 
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