Harvest Calendar

Goosecross Cellars mentioned this informative 2009 Harvest Calendar in their blog update about this year's harvest.  Not only does it show when things were picked, but what is happening to them now that they're fermenting (e.g. remaining brix in the Cabernet tank).

This was done using Google Calendar (free!) and framing the result (using HTML) on their Web site, so it's something that you could emulate next year with very little effort (each update is basically an all-day event on the calendar).

Best of all, Goosecross fans can subscribe to the Harvest Calendar with their blog/RSS reader, meaning that they don't have to come to the Goosecross Web site to see if anything is new.

A well-deserved shout-out to Goosecross for this excellent innovation using off-the-shelf parts!  This is a winery which really does seem to embrace technology to tell the story behind their wines.

Comments

[Jon Bjork]

Goosecross was one of the first wineries to get seriously into leveraging the Internet for more than just ecommerce. Their Napa Valley Wine Radio continues to be an excellent podcast.

[David Topper]

I'm not sure what the message is here...

1) What a great educational service Goosecross offers?

2) Yes! Finally! No need to think for yourself! Just come back to copy everything Goosecross does and how they do it?

3) No need to be loyal to a winery that works so hard to provide genuine value... just subscribe to their Google RSS so you never need to come back?

I "think" there is a compliment hidden in here about our hours of time and "thoughtful" energy to provide value in new and innovative ways but then I'll need to succumb to "thinking" about it. Bummer... Who the heck wants to think for themselves anymore... ridiculous... just copy and you too will be successful!

For more items to copy (oh, I'm sorry "emulate"), just visit goosecross.com

[Mike Duffy]

David:

I'm not quite sure how to respond. I like to point out the best things I see on winery Web sites. Should I stop doing that (or at least, not include the good things I see Goosecross doing)?

From my experience, the chances of any winery copying your stuff is small, and the chance of them being successful with it is even smaller, since they don't bring your passion for educating people about how your wines are produced, and how that differentiates them in the market. Please let me know if you see anyone copying your Harvest Calendar as a result of my post -- I'd love to know that someone actually reads and takes action on my posts. :)

Regarding RSS, here's my take: when people have to come back to your site to see if anything is new, they tend not to do it. RSS *tells* people when something is new -- there's no requirement to include the content itself in the feed. It's a better user experience.

I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment on a post that obviously upset you. I welcome your comments and further discussion.

[David Topper]

Mike -

My message was meant to be more along the lines of: "Think for yourself."

What upset me (as I read it) was a push to "copy" and not a push to "think" message. Copying to copy is all too pervasive in business, especially the wine business.

At Goosecross, our entire presentation is based on "open systems" and therefore nothing is truly unique about the tools we use. It's the way we combined the tools to present our stock in trade to the benefit of our consumer that makes the difference.

My martial arts instructor once told me: "I know ten ways to kill a man... I will teach you nine." So, at Goosecross, we have no fear or anxiety over those that choose to copy what we do.

Before doing anything, knowing why you are going to do it is more important than the action itself. That requires listening to your consumer and much thought.

David