Everyone and their mother seems to have a twitter account now. But, if you have a business that you are “promoting” thru twitter, what is the best way to maximize this tool?

Well, who better to answer that question than the director of Twitter search, Doug Cook aka @ablegrape.

I met with Cook at the Vino2010 conference in NYC whom had much to say about wine, twitter and all things social media. Cook also started AbleGrape, a search engine for wine information.

Take a look to say what Cook had to say to WineChannelTV ; he should know; he is the director of search at Twitter

Cheers!

J

It’s so simple. Video or Text? What would YOU rather have as a marketing pitch to you? Well, what do you think “millennials” would rather see?

When you think of the traditional target audience for wine, young people usually do not come to mind.  It may be common perception that wine appeals to a more established, wealthy and sophisticated type of crowd.  However, if marketers don’t do their research and continue to market based on this conception, they will miss out on one of their biggest audience opportunities.  Research by Nielsen and the Wine Market Council actually shows that millennials (consumers between the ages of 21 and 30) actually account for almost half of the wine industry’s growth as of 2009. In addition to this change in status quo, another trend has taken a recent shift—purchase location.  Since 2004, while the percentage of on-premise wine sales has remained relatively stable, the amount of off-premise sales has steadily increased.  This fact, coupled with the fact that millennials are becoming more frequent consumers of wine makes social media (the medium used by an overwhelming amount of millennials) a no-brainer medium for the wine industry. WineChannelTV is a great example; ok, self promotion here.

In addition to being a growing consumer of wine products, millennials have also proven to be less pessimistic about the state of the economy, making them more willing to spend higher amounts of money on non-essential items such as wine.  So we’ve now covered what makes millennials a great new target audience for wine producers, but now how do you reach them?

As mentioned before, social media is arguably the only feasible way to first introduce a brand to these consumers.  This is because these young shoppers are very unlikely to make a purchase of an unknown brand after only seeing a paid advertisement.  Millennials have a tighter “SPAM” filter than any generation before them, and a very low level of trust, especially for placements they know are paid-for.  That being said, what these people do trust are their friends.  They like to hear tailored messages coming from people they know, whose opinions they can count on.  This is why there is no other medium better than social media for the future of wine marketing.

Not only is this the best medium to build brand awareness and reputation, but it is also the medium that this generation uses most.  Take Facebook for example—according to another Nielsen study, millennials are known to spend anywhere from 2 to 8 hours a day on the site (as opposed to the overall average of 55 minutes).  A few ways to market via Facebook are to create a fan page for your brand.  But that isn’t all you have to do.  You have to stay active on this page.  Similar to the dis-trust young people feel towards paid placements is the disgust they have for being “talked at.”  This goes for using other media such as blogs and twitter.  You have to engage your consumers—give them a reason to follow your updates, whether it be giveaways, discounts, or even a humorous post or comment every once in a while.  Furthermore, never discount the power of these tools as a way to get your own feedback.  Rather than pay for a stuffy generic survey, ask your fans what they think, what you’re doing wrong, and what you’re doing right.  No matter their age, people like to feel important, so give them the chance and it will come back to you ten-fold.

WineChannelTV attended the “Serata Friulana” dinner at Le Cirque restaurant in NYC for Vino2010 and captured the highlights on video for all

The dinner was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Udine (Friuli Venezia Giulia ) and the Italian Trade Commission-ICE.

The room was filled with Friuli winemakers pouring their finest. Le Cirque chefs were cooking away to compliment the wines a in a buffet-style manner. I had high hopes of the cuisine at Le Cirque, but unfortunately Le Cirque did not live up to them.

If anything I would head back for a glass of vino, their wine cellar was amazing!

The event was a wonderful display of Friuli, just another hidden region of Italy, that many people should take the time to learn about.

Watch WineChannelTV and JustJess speak with Wine Expert/Writer Michael Apstein and others to see their take on the event!

And I want to know, have you tried a wine from Friuli and how was the experience? Mine was memorable!

Cheers!

J

Valentine’s day is notoriously known for providing a difficult wine pairing. Chocolate really doesn’t seem to go with anything, as Bill Nesto MW points out at the Vino2010 event.

If you’re willing to seek out the right wine for this special occasion without worrying about whether or not it will clash with the chocolate you’ve already purchased, then there are plenty of varietals worth pursuing.

You might go with something that has a clean finish and would compliment the bitterness of a dark chocolate with a nice vintage port like Taylor’s. If you’re not a port fan, then mix things up with some Inniskillin IceWine to go with those chocolate dipped strawberries to compliment the juicy flavor of the fruit.

As for whites, Chardonnay is the kind of wine that you can never really go wrong with when paired with a nice, well done cheese platter; the two combined will bring out the best flavors in each other.

And If you must drink a red wine, then go for the sexy Petite Syrah. A great option in this line of thinking yet a bit pricier is a favorite of mine, Stag’s Leap Petite Syrah. Its smoky, berry flavors would be great with that steak dinner and a delicious alternative to the usual Cab Sauv and steak pairing.

Remember, there’s nothing wrong with experimenting a little in this department, but don’t try to get too crazy with the wine and chocolate pairings. It may be better to pair the wine with your dinner, and leave the chocolate for afterwards when the bubbles have settled a bit.

Watch this video clip of WineChannelTV and JustJess talking with Master of Wine Bill Nesto on his wine picks for chocolate, what works and doesn’t, and what his LAST glass of wine would be !

…And, I want to know- What wine pairings are you choosing for the big day?

What ever you choose Just Remember – Wine is just a conversation waiting to happen.

Cheers!

J

How do you rate your wines?  Saying you follow the legendary Robert Parker 0-100 scale is great. But, come on, I know you’re more creative than that !

Tom Mastrianni of Wine and Dine with Mastro had much to share with WineChannelTV at the Vino2010 event in NYC, including his rating system.

Mastrianni rates on a 1-7 scale. 1 being “Do  not touch” while the 7 is “orgasmic.” Now that’s what I call original!

Mine you ask?  4 star system, short and sweet- 1 being pour down the drain…4 is enjoy with that special someone…:)

Mastrianni, the host of  Wine and Dine with Mastro “Where Food and Magic Meet” shares his passion for both the culinary and wine worlds online and on television.

Tom is also an avid lover of prosecco, which seemed to be the buzz word of Vino2010. He shared some Bisol Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Crede and Prosecco Bortolomiol NV Bandarossa at lunch, both which were light & simply delicious!

The Bandarossa was so smooth with a hint of strawberry, fruity sweetness and light pear/almond notes. It went great with my smoked salmon dish.

Take a look to see Tom and I in action talking about our favorite wine rating systems… and more!

Cheers!

J

Ever wonder what a REAL wine tasting that’s run by a Master of Wine is like ? JustJess and the WineChannelTV team captured it all and more at the Vino2010 conference just for you .

This Italian Oltrepo Pavese Pino Nero, aka Pinot Noir, tasting was conducted similarly to how I practiced everyday when I was studying to become a certified sommelier at PCI in San Jose with Master Sommelier David Glancy.

I felt back at home as soon as they started dissecting each wine- A glass by glass examination starting with the color, to nose to palate, with such colorful descriptions you only dream about hearing.

I was in wine heaven…My colleagues were along for the ride as well . They’ve been to so-called wine tastings at friends’ houses or at their local wine bar, yet they never really got what I meant when I’d say that was just a gathering of friends drinking. Now, FINALLY, they understood what I was talking about from my days in San Jose and didn’t look at me like I was crazy:)

If only the spit sinks and magnified lighting was at each spot…

To get a full feel of what I’m talking about, only video will do justice !

Take a look , let me know your thoughts and if you’ve been a part of a wine tasting led by a master of wine or master sommelier. There is a big difference and you’ll only know once you experience it…trust me !

Cheers!

J

USA and Italy were being represented to the extreme last week at the Waldorf-Astoria for Vino2010 !

JustJess of WineChannelTV met with the Executive Director of the Italian Trade Commission Dr.Aniello Musella to see how Italian Wine is best being respresented in the U.S.

The Naples native discussed how big of an event this was for all of the Italian industry leaders that came to the U.S. to attend Vino2010‘s nearly 20 panels in 3 days.

Take a look at JustJess & WineChannelTV capturing all this with Dr. Musella and more!

Kevin Zraly, one of the top wine educators in the world, took a minute during the Vino2010 conference to talk all things wine with WineChannelTV.

Zraly runs the Windows on the World Wine School in NYC and just had his 25th anniversary of his Windows on the World Complete Wine Course book in 2009 with over 3 million copies sold.

I spent MANY nights reading his book when I was becoming a certified sommelier !

Watch this video to see what Zraly has to say about the wine world, where he would live if he had his choice and what’s in store for him next!

Cheers!

J

Jessica Altieri from WineChannelTV covers the Vino 2010, Italian Wine Week Opening Ceremony Press Conference  from the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

Kevin Zraly answers a key question at the event from JustJess of WineChannelTV: “Millennials have taken wine on as their beverage of choice”.

It was standing room only at the event, and the educational & entertaining Zraly was the perfect candidate to lead the panel .

In addition to Zraly, the Italian Trade Commission-ICE, Buonitalia and Vinitaly were among the press conference panel speakers to kick-off this one of a kind event.

Stay tuned to WineChannelTV.tv to see more videos from Vino2010 !

Virtual Vino, Millenials and Social Media were the hits of Day 2 @vino2010 in NYC…

…All things that WineChannelTV and JustJess are about !

JustJess and Tom Mastrianni of Wine & Dine with Mastro !

A few kings of the wine-social media world were in attendance including, Doug Cook the twitter search creator ( @ablegrape ) , Alder Yarrow aka the first wine blogger ( @vinography ) Steve Raye, Susannah Gold , Susanna Crociani and CBS Radio star, among other things, Anthony Dias Blue.

Virtual Vino Panelists- including Doug Cook @ablegrape and Alder Yarrow @vinography

Look for videos to come with these panelists soon…!

…Along with the big debate that occurred over opinions vs. facts in the wine blog-o-sphere …what are your thoughts, and where does VIDEO fit into everything !?

Cheers!

JJ