The fourth virtual event in the series Wine: Behind the Curtain shifts from the scientific production of wine to the business side of commercially producing, marketing, and selling quality wine. This event was moderated by Joe Sweeney ’06, ’12 MBA, an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Management & Organization Department at the University of Notre Dame. Sweeney was joined by Andrew Waterhouse ’77, the Director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine & Food Science at UC Davis and Co-Editor in Chief of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture and David Duncan ’88, family-owner of Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars. This discussion began with conversations about marketing, sustainability, and multi-brand vineyards. The session concluded with an opportunity for the speakers to answer some questions from viewers.
Sweeney jumped into the conversation by asking Duncan to contrast wine marketing from other forms of product marketing like that of toothpaste and cereal. Duncan explained that while wine is a product to be consumed, it is also contextualized by the moment in which it is enjoyed. Duncan also discussed the different channels wine might be sold through — in a grocery store, at a restaurant, or at the vineyard itself — and clarified that in buying a bottle of wine through one of these distributors, one engages in a different experience and has unique expectations for the beverage.
Duncan also explained the brand image of vineyards, wine companies, and the wines themselves. For Duncan’s winery Silver Oak, he used the word “humility” to convey their mindset of constant improvement, from the wine itself to the consumers they sell to. Sweeney also elaborated on the issue of sustainability and environmental impacts, for Silver Oak and the industry at-large. Conservation and sustainability is important in winemaking beyond consumers’ expectations that brands are eco-friendly; for vineyards that rely on the land to produce delicious grapes to turn into wine, the earth is an essential resource and thus prioritized as both a marketing tool to attract potential buyers and as an operational focus to help ensure future success. Waterhouse and Duncan also mentioned ways individual players in the industry can adjust their production to better serve the environment. For example, Duncan’s winery switched their labels and shipping processes to reduce Silver Oak’s carbon footprint.
Sweeney also posed a new consideration for winemakers in response to consumers’ growing interest in internal operations and the well-being of a brand’s workforce. Employees that are well-respected and valued by their bosses (or the company as a whole) put in better work and make the brand more appealing to customers.
Duncan also explained the brand marketing strategy for his two wine brands, clarifying why there is a distinction between Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars. While Silver Oak is an established winery producing quality wines (often Cabernet Sauvignon), Twomey is an “exploration of other varietals” that has ranged from Merlot and Zinfandel to Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.
The speakers also discussed wine ratings, both industry ratings and populus consumer reviews. Duncan prefers reviews from consumers because they are more genuine, varied, and have little influence from industry moguls; reviews from Yelp and other social review platforms also allow for the evolution of wines, tastes, and widespread consumption. Tangentially to that, the speakers also considered how wine consumption is shifting to favor casual sobriety and higher quality wines (instead of drinking poor beverages more often). Duncan tries to appeal to these preferences by making the wine-tasting experience and consumption in general more approachable. Wine descriptors and building muscle memory to recognize common wine flavors also plays a role in each wine drinker’s journey with wine and the construction of their palette.
The conversation concluded with mentions of the speakers’ favorite wines, wine publications, and advice to guide viewers in their wine journey.
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