Wine Marketing Science and Art

You've made a great wine but do you know how to market it? I'm Susan Allen with the Fruit Grower Report. Living in Walla Walla small wineries constantly changing hands., in fact, the winery across the street from our farm has had two owners since I moved here both new to the industry with big dreams and poor marketing plans. Heather Runwood, who teaches wine marketing, part of the viticulture program at WSU likes to ask industry people their recipe for success.

RUNWOOD: I've asked folks from wine makers to sommeliers to distributers to restaurant owners what what they thought winemakers should know about marketing. Some of the comments I heard were varied, for example, Jay Dysdale who actually came out of this program said, "make one thing really well, be known for one thing." Other folks pointed out how much time and energy marketing is going to take. One of the comments I really thought was important was from Dough Charles form Compass Wines at Anacortes Washington; " you really want to be able to do things that make people like what you do enough to open up their wallets."

Sometimes people need a reality check

RUNWOOD: Wine that you make is art but as soon as you want to sell wine you are in a commodity business.

Wine making is a convergence of art, science and.....marketing

So if you still want to make wine it might be wise to consider taking Heather's wine marketing class through the viticulture program at WSU Extension.