Good Press is.....Good Press!

Blogger’s Disclaimer: This post is full of shameless self promotion. It’s not intended to offend nor is it meant to tick anyone off. I simply need a place to brag…and for today, this is it! 

I love good news. And, high scores on new release wines are always a welcome bit of news.  I’ve always treated press reviews (scores) with a little apprehension. When you get ‘em, great. But when you don’t, it’s not such a big deal…or at the very least, it’s not worth sweating bullets over.  Wines come in as many different styles as human beings do. There are fat ones, skinny ones, short ones, tall. White ones, black ones, pink ones, small. And, just like people, there’s a special wine out there for everyone. So, when a respected pundit doesn’t like a new release, I usually shrug my shoulders and say, “oh well.”   

Because that’s about all I can do. But when a good review comes in, I secretly jump up and down and thank my lucky stars.  It’s not too dissimilar to watching your kid nail a line drive down the left field line. Sheer joy and pride fill the heart.

That’s how I feel now. Not one but two great reviews have crossed my desk that made my heart burst with pride. The first is an 89 point score for our brand new 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. If you’re a regular Wilma reader, you know that this new debut (in our Sauvignon Blanc line up) is a bit of a departure for us stylistically. And, while we think it’s damn good, one can never predict the taste buds of the critics.  The other review is a 91 point rating and “Best Buy” selection for our 2007 Chardonnay.  Now, I gotta admit that one feels particularly satisfying as we have worked extremely hard to improve our Chardonnay program. There were lots of whoops and hollers in the cellar as word got around the winery.

We’ve certainly had our fair share of ups and downs in the wine review department. But I’ll never forget the time we happily touted a 144 point score from the Wine Spectator. It was back in the mid 80s and my father had sent in a sample of the 1986 Chardonnay. The wine scored a pitiful 56 points. That same day, we received notification that it had won a Double Gold Medal at the Tennessee Wine Competition. Tennessee might not be known for its wine competitions, but it seemed strange that the exact same wine could receive such opposing reviews. So, we sent another sample to the magazine. That second one received an 88 point score. Combine the two, and…you get 144.  How’s that for positive thinking?!

As a wine marketer, I’ve learned to do the best I can with the tools I have—whether they be scores, resources, or people. But when all else fails, I just laugh and tell myself it’s only wine we’re talking about here.

And then I quickly pour myself a glass.

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Honorable Mentions

Fermentation
Wilma Hits The World of Blogs
Most Intriguing New Wine Blogs of 2008
Julia Flynn Siler
Meritage wines - and a fascinating glimpse into family business
Winery Web Site Report
New Winery Blog: Wilma's Wine World
Start Up Ladies
Insider’s View of Family Owned Dry Creek Vineyard
The Glue that Keeps the Whole Thing Going
Atlanta Dish
Blog of the Week
Blind Muscat
The Merits of Meritage
Wineries.net
Boston Wine Expo exhibitors, and the reason why winemakers are so darn happy