NOTE: Wine journalism is a great way to work in the wine industry! Our author transitioned to wine writing and wine marketing after a 30-year career in other industries.
I know. Participating in a three-day wine media conference sounds like tough work—but somebody has to do it . . .. And fortunately for me, I got to do it last month with 150 other wine aficionados hailing from Canada to Italy.
With this year’s conference being hosted in Eugene, Oregon, I had “local” status and did not participate in the pre- and post-conference media tours, but I heard lots of valuable feedback from attendees on their winery/tasting room experiences as well as the overall organization of the media tours. Fortunately, I did participate in a winery dinner one night, providing me with another winery to add to my website’s visit list.
Thinking back, there was one session that stood out from all the others—a Discovery Session for Consorzio di Tutela dei Vini d’Abruzzo. The three elements that made this session so memorable were the presentation/presenter, the collateral and the wines.
The two women who presented the wine, landscape, geography and history of the region were so engaging, I was instantly hooked! The collateral was beautifully designed, and the branding made my marketer’s heart sing. From the tote bag and ball cap to the practical notepad and tasting placemat, the branding of “The Charming Taste of Europe” was brought to life.
The session showcased the wines of Abruzzo although this “Charming Taste” campaign is much broader. It’s co-funded by the European Union and is promoted by the Consortium for the Protection of Abruzzo Wines, the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Kavala, the Agricultural Cooperative of Rachi Pieria and the Union of Sweet Bordeaux wines. They intend to promote these products to consumers, journalists and professionals for three years, beginning January 2021.
Our group was delighted to learn about the wines of Abruzzo—crisp whites made from indigenous grapes including Pecorino and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.
According to the promotional materials, “In the last decades Abruzzo viticulture has made a leap forward in terms of qualitative growth, thanks to the constant and pervasive work conducted by a new generation of producers, focused on the enhancement of the territory of its most important indigenous grape varieties.
“The Consortium includes grape growers, winemakers and bottlers, always closely focused on quality, from the care of the vineyard to the scrupulousness in the transformation of the grapes. There is no region in Europe like Abruzzo where more than 30% of the territory is protected by four parks (three national and one regional) and a dozen nature reserves and protected areas.”
If this session had one outcome for me, it is the desire to visit the Abruzzo—and taste more of their lovely wines. Salud!
Grazie
Prego!