Sold-Out Tastings for both Trade and Consumers at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek

The famed Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas was the backdrop for fifty Sonoma County wineries and six sponsoring regional associations to educate and entertain 306 members of the trade and media, and 417 qualified consumers at this year’s Sonoma in the City Dallas, which took place Tuesday, March 19.

Supplementing the popular trade and consumer tastings was a morning panel and seminar, followed by a pairing luncheon led by Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein for VIP trade.

Feedback from Trade Attendees:

• Fantastic representation of top quality wineries from Sonoma, and great speakers during lunch.  This is the best Full Circle event I have been to!
• Great! Very informative.  Mr. Goldstein is a great moderator and stand-in for the winemakers that were not here.  Thank you all for hosting.
• Really appreciate the opportunity to taste this amount of Sonoma wines in a single setting. Insightful and in-depth approach- site and vintages.

Early Media coverage:

Hayley Hamilton Talks Sonoma Wines on D: The Broadcast

http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2013/03/19/hayley-hamilton-talks-sonoma-wines-on-d-the-broadcast/

What To Drink Now: Wines of Sonoma

http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2013/03/22/what-to-drink-now-wines-of-sonoma-county/

Special thanks to Sonoma County Winegrowers, Sonoma County Tourism, Full Circle Wine Solutions, and our regional sponsors for their support for Sonoma in the City!

March 13, 2013, Santa Rosa, CA – Sonoma County Winegrowers and Sonoma County Vintners recently received the results of research commissioned last fall to study consumption and perception of Sonoma County wines among high frequency wine consumers, representing a demographic responsible for over 50% of $10-20 sales and over 90% of $20+ sales nationally. The content and format of the research was designed to serve as a baseline to measure effects of the joint brand and marketing campaigns that launched at the end of 2012 and conjunctive labeling which is to be fully implemented by January 2014. The research will be repeated within two years to determine the impact of these programs on consumer perception and preference.

Conducted by established wine industry market research firm WineOpinions, the survey group included over 900 respondents, 43% female and 57% male,  all of whom are core wine drinkers, meaning that a vast majority (87%) drink wines at least a few times a week, and almost half of them (45%) purchase wines costing $20+/bottle once a month or more often.

The main objectives of the 2012 research were to measure awareness and trial rates of Sonoma County wines, its AVAs, and that of competing wine regions, as well as measure perception of quality, value, and reliability of Sonoma County wines. Additionally, the research dedicated a few questions to consumer interpretation of conjunctive labeling when Sonoma was present in the AVA name as well as county. This was to provide further clarification to the research conducted in 2009.

Among the key findings in the Fall 2012 Sonoma County WineOpinions survey:

• Over half (56%) of respondents consume Sonoma County wine on a monthly+ basis, following closely behind only Napa Valley wines (60%) and higher than any other top national or international wine region.
•  Sonoma County is the only wine region ranking in the top three for both quality and value-focused questions. Their peer groups were completely different in each category, with Sonoma County being the only one appearing in both lists.
• When measuring understanding of wine labels, listing only the AVA (without Sonoma County) is associated with a higher degree of confusion about whether the AVA is in Sonoma County or not, with 36% – 42% assuming it is, but roughly one-third unsure. The rate of correctly associating an AVA’s location as being in Sonoma County rises with the addition of Sonoma County on the label.
• In further label-related findings, between 10% and 20% of respondents believe that the geographic designation refers to where the wine was made, rather than where the grapes were grown. This (incorrect) assumption is diminished when both Sonoma County and the AVA are listed.
• Wines labeled with Sonoma County are clearly perceived as being of higher quality and higher priced than the same wine labeled as from California.

“The recognition of Sonoma County as a wine region and the high frequency of consumption of Sonoma County wines at least monthly is testament to past marketing efforts and the quality of grapes and wine produced in Sonoma County,” said Karissa Kruse, Director of Marketing and President Elect for Sonoma County Winegrowers. “This recognition and subsequent purchase behavior should only increase over time as the Sonoma County Winegrowers, Vintners and Tourism work together to promote and educate the marketplace on the diverse and unique wine offering and experience offered here.”

“The awareness of quality and value offered by wines from Sonoma County and each of its AVAs among the best wine customers is gratifying to see,” said Sonoma County Vintners Executive Director Honore Comfort. “As we repeat this research in coming years, our hope is that consumers will have better understanding and appreciation of our wines through our marketing efforts and the effect of conjunctive labeling.”

About WineOpinions

Wine Opinions is a provider of consumer research to wine producers, importers, marketers, and industry associations. As the only Internet-based research group with a sole focus on the wine industry, Wine Opinions offers research insights and analysis on issues including trends in taste and usage; brand preferences and perceptions; package and concept testing; and regional awareness and qualitative evaluations.  With its proprietary panel of high-frequency, high-end wine consumers and members of the U.S. wine trade, Wine Opinions is able to serve wine companies of all sizes with studies that are specific to their needs, timely, and cost-effective. Learn more at www.wineopinions.com.

To view the slides summarizing these findings, email Sara@sonomawine.com.

]]> http://www.sonomawine.com/blog/sonoma-county-tops-in-wine-quality-and-value-according-to-new-consumer-research/feed 0 http://www.sonomawine.com/blog/record-breaking-sonoma-wine-country-weekend-revenues-support-local-charities-and-economy http://www.sonomawine.com/blog/record-breaking-sonoma-wine-country-weekend-revenues-support-local-charities-and-economy#comments Sat, 02 Mar 2013 00:43:10 +0000 sara http://www.sonomawine.com/blog/?p=890 (Sonoma, CALIF.) — A total of $483,500 in proceeds from Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, the annual Labor Day Weekend collection of wine and food events jointly produced by the Sonoma County Vintners and the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance, were distributed to thirty-two Sonoma County beneficiaries today at St. Francis Winery and Vineyards in Sonoma Valley.

Two of the primary beneficiaries, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley and Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Sonoma County, received grants that totaled $264,000 raised from the “Fund-A-Need” lot at the 2012 Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction, one of Sonoma Wine Country Weekend’s flagship events. The balance of funds was disbursed through the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation and the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation in small grants to local organizations across Sonoma County, from Petaluma to Geyserville, from Guerneville to Sonoma.

“Our goal is to support local groups that reflect our little towns, and multiply their efforts by supporting those in need while at the same time enriching the lives and neighborhoods of those engaged in helping,” said Dan Goldfield, Sonoma County Vintners Foundation President who chaired their grant program which donated $100,000 to organizations throughout Sonoma County, “The Wine Country Weekend grants don’t reflect the wine community giving anything away, but only doing our best to be involved in the culture that nurtures us, and of which we are a part.”

Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation President Paul J. Hoffman, who oversaw the allocation of the organization’s $119,000 fund, said, “This year we were pleased to support even more worthy groups, increasing the total recipient list by 25%. As a result of Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, thirty-two non-profits received funds critical for continuing the services they provide.”

The 2012 charity beneficiaries include: 10,000 Degrees, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Sonoma County, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley, Ceres Community Project, Friends in Sonoma Helping, Global Student Embassy, Green Acre Home & School, Jewish Community Free Clinic, La Luz Center, Operation Access, Parks Alliance for Sonoma County, PDI Surgery Center, Petaluma Health Center, Redwood Empire Aqua Stars, Redwood Empire Food Bank, Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma County Family YMCA, Sonoma Overnight Support, Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, Sonoma Valley High School Agriculture Department, Sonoma Valley Hospital, Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, Sonoma Valley Teen Services, Sunny Hills Services, SVVGA Scholarship Fund, The Living Room Center, Tomorrow’s Leaders Today, Transcendence Theatre Company, Verity and Willmar Family Grief & Healing Center.

Including the charitable grants, the event generates a total of more than $830,000 that supports the community through local non-profit organizations. Of the event’s $1.7 million gross revenue, organizers noted that with the Sonoma County organizations and businesses used to produce Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, approximately 90% of the total event revenue is returned to the Sonoma County economy. As the tourism dollars generated by the event are added to the equation, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend creates exponentially more impact.

Over the years, the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation and Sonoma County Vintners Foundation have raised a cumulative total of more than $11 million that has been donated directly to Sonoma County’s non-profit organizations. The 2013 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend is set for Labor Day Weekend, August 30 – September 1, 2013.

About 2013 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Sponsors and Beneficiaries

A partnership between Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance and Sonoma County Vintners, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend is California’s premier wine, food and social event, taking place on Labor Day weekend each year. The events comprising Sonoma Wine Country Weekend have raised over $11 million of support to local charities that benefit students, children, farm workers and people in need. For more information visit www.SonomaWineCountryWeekend.com.

PHOTO ID:

Front Group, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Representatives, L to R:

Maureen Cottingham, Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance; Cathleen Gorham, Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance Board; Tom Menzies, Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance Board; Squire Fridell, Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance Board; Danny Fay, Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance Board; Dan Goldfield, Sonoma County Vintners Foundation Board; Mike Pucci, Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance Board; Andrew Bottene, SWCW Executive Sponsor TricorBraun WinePak and Sara Cummings, Sonoma County Vintners.

Back Group, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Beneficiaries, L to R:

Barbara Cullen, WillMar Family Grief & Healing Center; Daniel Rabkin, Operation Access; Benjamin Aune, Operation Access; Holly Butler, Petaluma Health Center; Ramona English, Petaluma Health Center; Viveka Rydell, PDI Surgery Center; Claudia Mendoza Carruth, La Luz; Joyce Giammattei, Sonoma Valley Community Health Center; Chris Castillo, Verity; Lisa Leeb, Sonoma Overnight Support; David Brown, Sonoma County Family YMCA; Michelle Head, Sonoma County Family YMCA; Laura Zimmerman, Sonoma Valley Education Foundation; Cathyrn Couch, Ceres Community Project; Harmony Plenty, Sonoma Valley Hospital; Cate Steane, Redwood Empire Food Bank; Kate Crigler, Global Student Embassy; Mike Reilly, Parks Alliance for Sonoma County; Linda Alwitt, F.I.S.H.; Tina Baldry, Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance; Cheryl Parkinson, The Living Room Center; Katie Barr, Tomorrow’s Leaders Today; Deborah A. Roberts, Jewish Community Free Clinic; Kate Ecker, 10,000 Degrees; Kate Eilertsen, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art; Bob Florez, Sunny Hills Services; Amy Miller, Transcendence Theatre Company; Liz Treacy, Sonoma Community Center; Anna Logvinova, Operation Access; Anastasia Pryor, Sunny Hills Services and Rich Aguirre, Green Acre Home & School.

Over 300 Sonoma County Vintners Winery and Affiliate members gathered for the 2013 Annual Meeting at the Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa.

January 10, 2013, Santa Rosa, CA – Sonoma County Vintners, the trade marketing group representing over 200 Sonoma County winery and affiliate business members, gathered today in Santa Rosa to get a first look at new marketing research focused on assessing current consumer awareness of Sonoma County and its appellations among core wine drinkers.

John Gillespie, founder and CEO of Wine Opinions, presented the research to a packed ballroom at the Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa, following an overview of Sonoma County Vintners marketing plans for 2013 by SCV Executive Director Honore Comfort, which include full launch of the region’s first comprehensive marketing campaign, “We Are Sonoma County”.

The goal of the consumer research, commissioned by SCV and Sonoma County Winegrowers, was to establish a baseline of consumer awareness and perception of Sonoma County and its AVAs among core wine drinking consumers in order to measure any movement generated by the new “We Are Sonoma County” marketing initiatives in coming years. “Sonoma County is already in a very solid position among the world’s best known wine regions for both consumer awareness and quality perception,” said Honore Comfort. “Our goal is to make the awareness and perception even greater in coming years, and see consumers coming to understand and appreciate our region and our fifteen AVAs even more.”

New Sonoma County Vintners board member Russ Joy from Patz and Hall Winery was announced. Officers for 2013 are President, Matt Gallo, Gallo Family Winery; Vice President, Corey Beck, Francis Ford Coppola Winery; and Secretary and Treasurer, Gerry Forth, Forth Vineyards.

In addition to the new members and officers noted above, members of the Sonoma County Vintners Board of Directors are Jeff Bundschu, Gundlach Bundschu Winery; George Christie, Saini Vineyards; Stan Fridstein, Mulberry Trample Wine Brokerage; Dan Goldfield, Dutton-Goldfield Winery; Tom Hinde, Popcorn Wine Co.; Bahaneh Hobel, Esq., Dickenson, Peatman & Fogarty; Dan Kosta, Kosta Browne Winery; Steve Messinger, Vinum Exports; Joel Peterson, Ravenswood Winery; Caroline Shaw, Jackson Family Enterprises; and Dan Wildermuth, Rodney Strong Vineyards.

Sonoma County Vintners Annual Meeting attendees take a moment to smile for the camera. Photos: George Rose

SCV Board Member Stan Fridstein and Kelley Perez, Director of Member Development, take a moment for a photo. (Photo: George Rose)

SCV Executive Director, Honore Comfort (R) with Regina Martinelli (L) and Peter Habicht (Ctr). (Photo: George Rose)

Current and prospective SCV Winery and Affiliate Members are invited to attend the SCV Annual Meeting on Thursday, January 10, 2013, from 3-5 PM at the Vintners Inn Business Center in Santa Rosa.

Maximize membership for your winery and be among the first to see results of recent Sonoma County wine consumer market research presented by special guest John Gillespie, Founder and CEO of Wine Opinions.

For details and to RSVP, please visit http://scv2013annualmtg.eventbrite.com/

Reminder: You may bring your SCV Annual Wine Commitment Wine to the Annual Meeting

2011 Jordan Winery Toys for Tots donation drive gondola delivery.

Jordan and J wineries host competition between Alexander Valley and Russian River Valley wine regions to fill grape gondolas with donations

John Jordan, CEO of Jordan Vineyard & Winery, and Judy Jordan, Founder and President of J Vineyards & Winery, are inviting Alexander Valley and Russian River Valley wineries, respectively, to join them in a friendly head-to-head competition to see which wine region collects the most toys and coats for those in need, beginning today through December 14, 2012. Donations will be given to Toys for Tots for distribution.

The Alexander Valley grape gondola “sleigh” is stationed at Jordan and the Russian River Valley gondola at J; the challenge is to fill each of these multi-ton behemoths with the most donations. The winner will be determined by scale house weigh-in on Friday, December 14, at 2 p.m. All donations must be received by 12 p.m. on the 14^th. New, unwrapped toys and coats of any size are encouraged.

“We want local wineries to join together this season and take up the challenge of improving the lives of our more vulnerable fellow citizens,” said John Jordan, CEO of Jordan Vineyard & Winery, who created the John Jordan Foundation earlier this year. “My sister and I have set a fun goal for our respective appellations, and I’m looking forward to breaking last year’s record.”

“J Vineyards & Winery has a 25-year legacy of giving back to the community,” said Judy Jordan, Founder and President of J Vineyards & Winery. “I look forward to participating in this friendly charitable ‘competition’ with my brother. This is the perfect time for giving.”

Jordan Vineyard & Winery hosted its first gondola toy drive in 2011, pitting different departments within the company against one another. Nearly 1,000 pounds of toys were donated by Jordan employees and Jordan Estate Rewards members—the largest donation Toys for Tots received that year. Retired gondolas that were used to transport grapes to Jordan back in the 1980s have been repurposed by winery staff, transformed into sleighs with paint, pin stripes and other holiday decorations.

A winery toy drive delivery event, including scale house weigh-in and holiday toast, will be held on Friday, December 14, at 2 p.m. at Jordan Vineyard & Winery’s crushpad, 1474 Alexander Valley Road, Healdsburg, CA 95448. Locals are encouraged to attend and find out which wine region wins the challenge, bragging rights and an engraved plaque. Alexander Valley wineries with questions, please contact Lisa Mattson at Jordan: 707-431-5268 or by email. Russian River Valley wineries with questions, please contact Lindsey Auchter at J: 707-431-5482 or by email. We’ve also created a promotional flyer wineries can download in Word or PDF format for convenient distribution to their employees to help spread the word.

Toy and coat drop-off instructions: November 26-December 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donations accepted on December 14 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. only. ALEXANDER VALLEY:  Jordan Vineyard & Winery, 1474 Alexander Valley Road, Healdsburg, CA 95448 * RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY:  J Vineyards & Winery, 11447 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Toys and coats for kids ages infant to 16 are requested; must be new and unwrapped. Donations can be placed in the Toys for Tots donation boxes located in each winery’s retail/tasting area. Gondolas will be on display when weather permits. * Note: Jordan Vineyard & Winery will be closed on Sunday, December 2, Saturday, December 8, and Sunday, December 9.

Details about the December 14th weigh in event will be posted next week. Santa Rosa-based U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots will distribute toys and coats to needy children in Santa Rosa, Windsor, Healdsburg, Guerneville, Forestville, Sonoma, Rohnert Park and Petaluma the week of December 17^th.  Challenge updates and gondola photos will be posted regularly to the Jordan Winery Twitter and Facebook pages and the J Winery Twitter and Facebook pages.

Sonoma Summit attendees take a moment from their tour and tasting of vineyards in the Rockpile AVA for a group photo. Photo: George Rose

Sonoma County Vintners and Sonoma County Winegrowers, in partnership with Full Circle Wine Solutions, presented the fifth annual Sonoma Summit November 5-7 at wineries and vineyards throughout Sonoma County. The event convened 31 top wine decision makers from across the US and Canada for three days of intensive tastings and education under the tutelage of Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein and Full Circle Wine Solutions in a program designed to deepen knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the region.

In the span of their three day visit, Sonoma Summit attendees traveled to four Sonoma County AVAs, tasted over 80 wines, and met countless vintners, growers, and chefs during the program. Events took place in vineyards and wineries, as well as the new Culinary Center at Santa Rosa Junior College. Attendees represented a broad array of local and national accounts from across the United States and Canada.

“Post-event surveys indicate that most attendees intend to carry more Sonoma County wines on their restaurant wine lists after completing the program, and that shows us that we have accomplished our goals when we see those results”, said Sonoma County Vintners executive director Honore Comfort. “When we conduct well organized and focused educational programs with leaders in the wine industry, the quality of Sonoma County wine sells itself.”

“The whole event was absolutely relevant and clearly done for sommeliers by a sommelier,” commented Jared Hooper, wine director at The Royce at the Langham Huntington, Los Angeles. “Learning about the different aspects of Sonoma County definitely gives me a better understanding of the whole.”

“The experience was a deep dive into Sonoma County–not a cosmetic deal,” said Philadelphia journalist and wine consultant Marnie Old. “Evan does a great job of adding multiple layers of communication. Regardless of your level of experience, you can take something from the event.”

“Even though Sonoma County isn’t a new region to me, the diversity I’ve experienced during this event has been remarkable,” said Thomas Price, MS, wine director at the Metropolitan Grill, Seattle. “The Sonoma County Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines we’ve tasted have been spectacular, and the visit to the Rockpile vineyard was off the hook.”

“The Sonoma Summit program improves understanding of Sonoma County’s regions, growers, and producers, and our attendees leave with higher appreciation and understanding for our wines,” said Sonoma County Winegrowers president Nick Frey. “We work to deepen their connection with Sonoma during their time with us, and we had an enthusiastic group this year. Their response to our wines was gratifying to see.”

With harvest wrapped up for most of Sonoma County, bringing what is being called a textbook perfect growing season to a close, Sonoma County Vintners and Sonoma County Winegrowers are issuing their third and final harvest update from the perspectives of vintners and growers based in the region’s largest appellations, accompanied by comments from Nick Frey, President, Sonoma County Winegrowers.

Alexander Valley

“Since my last report on October 17, we have had about 1.75 inches of rain at Robert Young Vineyards in northern Alexander Valley. It seems that this year, the red grapes have handled the rain exposure very well. We are expecting to finish up harvest with our remaining Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc October 29. We are finding tremendous flavors have developed in the fruit from the overall ideal weather this season. I think this will prove to be an outstanding vintage once the new wines are fully evaluated.” — Jim Young, President/CEO, Robert Young Vineyards

“2012 has been a very good vintage. We finished our last block on Thursday, October 18. The fruit quality was excellent and yields in our vineyards were up 20-30%. The resulting wines are tasting excellent, as well.” — Brad Peterson, Vineyard Manager, Rawah Vineyards

Sonoma Valley

“We just finished harvesting our estate vineyards at Kunde on October 30. We haven’t seen such a tremendous harvest in terms of both volume and quantity in years! Our white varietals come in showing beautiful flavors, and our Cabernet and Zinfandel fruit has exceptional color, flavor, and quality. Our biggest issue has been tank space due to the bounty of this harvest, but we’re squeezing by. All of the cards certainly lined up in Mother Nature’s favor this year. Our winemaking team is going to have a lot of fun making exceptional 2012 vintage wines. This is one vintage that consumers are not going to want to miss!” – Marcia Kunde Mickelson, Fourth Generation Winegrower, Kunde Family Estate

Carneros

“It has been an ideal growing season with mild temperatures and opportune heat spikes to get the grapes to full maturity. We have finished the harvest just in time (October 19) — before Mother Nature delivers the first storm of the season.  We feel very fortunate to get everything in, and most importantly, with the quality at such a high level.” – Steve Sangiacomo, Sangiacomo Family Vineyards

Russian River Valley

“We wrapped up the 2012 J Vineyards & Winery harvest Thursday, October 18, with 15 tons of Russian River Valley chardonnay.  Interestingly enough, we brought in 369 tons of extra grapes that were not counted in our early crop projections. This works out to 17% above initial projections.  Overall, I’d have to say that 2012 may have surpassed 2007 as the ‘perfect vintage’.”-—Melissa Stackhouse, Vice President of Winemaking, J Vineyards & Winery

Dry Creek Valley

“The last of our Cabernet Sauvignon crossed the scale October 27. The last two weeks have been full of long days, but when we needed an adrenalin blast, the Giants came through!  We had settled into a routine of barreling down new reds, pressing off tanks, and refilling them immediately to open up room for more of this year’s abundance. Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel and Cabernet crops were big, but we had done our thinning work, and nature gave us good stretches of warmth in October to bring everything to full ripeness.  Colors and aromas are beautiful in the fermenters. We achieved that win-win situation that makes both growers and wineries happy: a bountiful and high-quality crop made possible by careful work in the vineyard.”  —Tim Bell, Winemaker, Dry Creek Vineyard

Sonoma County Overview

“It has been a great harvest for Sonoma County growers and winemakers. Yields and fruit quality have been exceptional. The rebound in grape yields was badly needed for Sonoma County growers after two harvests with lower than average yields. The record tonnage harvested in Sonoma County was in 2005 with 231,000 tons and 2006 yielded 216,000 tons. I think the 2006 total could be exceeded this year, perhaps reaching 220,000 tons. As we celebrate the 2012 vintage, growers are already beginning to plan for 2013.” – Nick Frey, President, Sonoma County Winegrowers