The Winery Web Site Report

Lazy Sunday: How to Pronounce Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    

More at The Pronunciation Guide.

Lazy Sunday: Wine By The Glass

Literally.

If you don't follow Serious About Wine, you're missing out on some interesting design and marketing ideas.  Those wacky Kiwis!

Lazy Sunday: Why Seth Godin Is Not On Twitter

Starting at the 4 minute, 17 second mark of this video interview:

You may want to watch the whole 7 minutes or so, or visit Seth's blog.

Lazy Sunday: Lifehacker Does Wine

My pal Dave Goodman passed along this post from Lifehacker with a nifty Excel spreadsheet for rating wines.

And who could resist a bath mat made out of used corks!

Lifehacker ("tips and downloads for getting things done") is a blog worth following, even if it's not about wine most of the time.  Take a browse with your Sunday cup of coffee.  I'd be surprised if you don't find something worth the time.

Lazy Sunday: Bricks to Wine

I would think that winning this contest would be a walk in the park for people who sell fermented grape juice for a living.

And if you won, think of the free publicity!  Especially if you're these guys.

(I saw the contest a couple days ago, but it took Steve Heimoff's post to see the connection to the winery business.)

Lazy Sunday: Wine For Dummies?

I was surprised to see how many wine-related titles there are on this list of all the For Dummies books (in order of popularity): 

• Wine For Dummies *
• Wine All-in-One For Dummies
• French Wine for Dummies *
• Italian Wine for Dummies *
• California Wine For Dummies *
• White Wine for Dummies *
• Canadian Wine for Dummies

The "All-in-One" combines all of the starred titles in one book.  Reflecting the growth of interest in certain wine regions,  Australian & New Zealand Wine For Dummies will be released on March 18, 2010.

(Just to put wine books in perspective, the best-selling For Dummies book has an Amazon sales rank of 413.  Wine For Dummies is ranked 13,943rd.)

In contrast, the Complete Idiot's Guide series has only a couple of titles related to wine:

• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine Basics, 2nd Edition
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting and Running a Winery

I've purchased the latter title, and will review it in a few days with respect what it says about a startup winery's online presence.  It appears, however, you must be a complete idiot, and not merely a dummy, to start a winery. <grin>

Lazy Sunday: Seth Godin On Your Packaging

Have a read with your cup of Sunday morning coffee: The brand, the package, the story and the worldview

A teaser:

We start with this: if I've already purchased and liked your product, the packaging isn't nearly as important. I'm talking here about packaging as a sales tool for converting browsers into buyers. (If you're already a buyer, all I need to do is remind you what we look like).

If this doesn't make sense to you, wander into the wine section of your local market and look at the all the pretty labels.

Enjoy your Valentine's Day!

Lazy Sunday: The Crystal Ball

 

MyWineDirect has some interesting predictions for the future of the wine business to accompany your Sunday morning coffee.  

I found #10 (white wine will make a comeback), since according to Nielsen Marketing Research, Chardonnay is still far and away the most popular wine in America (followed by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot).

(my Nielsen information came from a breakfast talk by Bob Aldridge of St. Francis Winery last month.)

What do you see in your crystal ball?  Leave a comment.

Lazy Sunday: Another Use For Boxed Wine

Don't try this at home, kids!

 

If you visit the page on YouTube, you'll see there's some controversy regarding the veracity of this video.  If anyone attempts to confirm the results of this experiment (outside!), I'd love to hear about it.

If that wasn't enough for your, yhere are only two days left to take my 2010 Winery Sales Survey (to be summarized in a future post on this blog). If you own a winery and haven't taken it yet, please do.  Thanks!

Lazy Sunday: Please Take My Survey

The 2010 Winery Sales Survey.  It's confidential, and I'd really appreciate it.

If you don't own or manage a winery, please pass it along to any wineries you know.  That's just as helpful.

If you don't want to take the survey, please leave me a comment telling me what's wrong with it from your perspective.

Thank you!

Lazy Sunday: Judging Wine

From this excellent Wall Street Journal article on wine judging, it appears that wine critics aren't particularly consistent, nor do they share the same opinions of a given wine.

Francesco Grande, a vintner whose family started making wine in 1827 Italy, told me of a friend at a well-known Paso Robles winery who had conducted his own test, sending the same wine to a wine competition under three different labels. Two of the identical samples were rejected, he said, "one with the comment 'undrinkable.' " The third bottle was awarded a double gold medal.

So, drink what you like, medals and points be damned!

Lazy Sunday: Soda Pop

It's just fascinating to listen to John Neese, the owner of Galco's Soda Pop Stop in Los Angeles, talk about soda pop:

Their soda pop Web site isn't elegant, and they have an extremely obnoxious sound loop on the first page, but they do have a good call to action (featuring 3 different sodas) and clear navigation once you enter the online store.

This is an engaging video because the guy has a good story to tell, and the video itself is professionally edited.

(thanks to Seth Godin for the pointer - you may want to read his take on what this video represents.)

Lazy Sunday: Do You Have A List Like This?

Whether you agree with this list of 50 things a restaurant staffer should never do or not, it's probably worthwhile to consider a list like this for your tasting room personnel.  Consistent, pleasant, and respectful conduct is one mark of a great customer service organization.

Is this too heavy handed?  If you had a list like this, would you share it publicly (e.g. post it on your Web site or blog)? What do you think?  Leave a comment.

(tip of the hat to the always-interesting Jason Kottke)

Update 11/06/2009: here's part 2, containing another 50 things staffers should never do for a grand total of 100.  As with many things online, the comments are nearly as instructive.

Lazy Sunday: The Social Media Guru

Definitely NSFW (Not Safe For Work) or anywhere delicate ears might hear it (no sex or nudity, just good old Anglo-Saxon words).

This cartoon is spot on with regard to the rise of the Social Media carpetbaggers.  Remember the main point: With social media, you do the work.

Please let me know if I stepped over the line with this one.

Lazy Sunday: Web Site Story

Here's 4 minutes or so of humor for your Sunday morning.

It has absolutely nothing to do with winery Web sites, but it is pretty funny.

Lazy Sunday: Social Media

I hadn't watched this until now. Pretty amazing. Particularly the Kindle statistic.

I know for a fact that traffic to this blog increases when I tweet about a post. As with blogging, other forms of social media like Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube aren't for every winery, take time to pursue, and can be (sometimes unwittingly) abused.

Enjoy the video (the music is Fatboy Slim's "Right Here, Right Now").  And, for those who haven't see it, the inspiration for this video, also full of illuminating factoids:

Lazy Sunday: Ask the Pinotblogger

Schools in session: Josh Hermsmeyer teaches us what an interesting winery video looks like.

Admittedly, "brett" is a somewhat-estoeric subject for a video, but Josh does a great job talking about it.  He's a natural in front of the camera, and he tells a good story.

Take 4 minutes and 34 seconds with your Sunday morning coffee and watch Josh show how it's done.

(Josh - if you read this, I'd love a comment from you about the why and how of this video series, i.e. the backstory.)

Lazy Sunday: Teeny Tiny Text

Consider that at least some of your customers and potential customers are getting older.

Then see what Google, who thinks long and hard about making changes, and then tests the bejeezus out of them, has done to their home page.

Something to think about if you're planning a site upgrade and you have lots of teeny tiny text, particularly on pages where people shop.

Just sayin'.

Lazy Sunday: What's Wrong With Winery Videos

What's wrong with winery videos?  People think they're making movies.  Instead, they should be putting the  important stuff first .

Lazy Sunday: The $11,000.00 Tweet

A pretty cool example of how, when social media words, it *really* works.

Even for a winery, which can't create products on the fly, it does point to the value of having devoted followers (not just quantity, but quality) and making special offers to them.

Do you have your Facebook and Twitter information on a nice little sign next to the cash register in the tasting room?  If not, you're missing an opportunity to gain followers.  Of course, that little sign should also point out the benefits of being a Fan or a Follower of your winery (cool offers not available to anyone else, of course!).

Lazy Sunday: The $1 Million Wine Book

For $1 million, they throw in the wine.

Better hurry if you want one - 25 of the 100 copies of this "book" have already been pre-ordered.

Recession?  What recession?

Lazy Sunday: Active Users

As you know, Lazy Sunday posts tend to be a bit off-topic.

Here's a thought-provoking post about non-active users, active users, and transactors from venture capitalist Fred Wilson.  Maybe it will provoke some thoughts about your winery's Web-based community.

Active users tend to become transactors, so the question is, how to turn your non-active customers into more active ones?  I think this may be one of the reasons that Twitter shows promise for some wineries.

Lazy Sunday: There Can Be Only One!

Here's something fun to do while you have a cup of coffee: WhichTestWon.com

The game is to see if you can tell which of two Web pages did the better job of converting visitors.  For example, one test offers two pages, each with the same three pricing options (expensive, less expensive, cheapest) for a virtual PBX service .  Does it make a difference to people when you order them expensive to cheapest, or vice-versa?  Of course it does!  But which order?  That's what you must answer.

As with M&Ms, there can be only one.

(bonus points if you get the Highlander reference)

Lazy Sunday: Freakonomics on Wine

For those of you who enjoyed Freakonomics, there's a New York Times blog written by the same fellows, along with guest writers.

A newly-added guest economist, Robin Goldstein, writes about wine and the wine industry.

Lazy Sunday: What's Your Dream?

My wife and I are big fans of the movie Pretty Woman.  At the end of the movie, there's a street person who walks through the frame:

Welcome to Hollywood! What's your dream? Everybody comes here; this is Hollywood, land of dreams. Some dreams come true, some don't; but keep on dreamin' - this is Hollywood. Always time to dream, so keep on dreamin'.

Dreams are a large part of what makes us tick as human beings.  Neuroscientists say that our ability to pre-visualize outcomes is enabled by our complex cortical structure (read Jeff Hawkin's On Intelligence for a great, readable take on our brains).  

Wine country is the land of dreams, too.  I was talking to a guy last night who is growing Cabernet Sauvignon on some leased acreage in Kenwood and dreams of making a $20 bottle of Cab that he would like to drink.  Maybe his dream will come true.  

And then, of course, he'll raise the price to $75.

But, the important thing is to have a dream.  Seth Godin phrases it very nicely in Ruby Slippers.  Read it with your Sunday morning repast, and then take some quiet time to articulate your dream.

(What's your dream?  Leave a comment.)

Lazy Sunday: Conflict of Interest

There's been a lot of talk about what constitutes a conflict of interest for wine bloggers and wine writers (and now I'm contributing to it ).  

Josh over at pinotblogger has his usual thoughtful take, along with a lot of interesting comments (including one from me).

Add to it this interesting point-of-view on conflict of interest from someone who is pretty savvy about new media, and completely removed from the world of wine.  (Note to the prudish: it mentions oral sex.).

Finally, Debbie Weil of Blogwrite for CEOs has an excellent post summarizing what the Federal Trade Commission is doing about endorsements and disclosure.  She asks some great questions:

• Amateur vs. professional: is this the key question we should be asking about bloggers vs. journalists?
• Conflating conflict of interest and disclosure (aren’t these two different things?)   
• What constitutes payment (cash vs. in kind) and when is it appropriate or required for blogger reviews?   
• Credibility: if I tweet that I love Zappos do readers assume the online retailer is "paying" me (in shoes or money) to say that?
•  Finally, is it editorial, advertorial - or something in between - if a blogger is paid (in cash or in kind) to write about it? 

Her "required reading" list is just that if you're interested in this topic, and like me, she references the same "provocative" post from Penelope Trunk.

Lazy Sunday: Previously, on "Lost"...

Here's an interesting thought for your Sunday morning from Seth Godin: Eternal September

There are people who've never visited a tasting room before (let alone yours).  There are people who've never bought wine online before (let alone yours).

If you want to attract and retain a new audience of fans, you ignore this at your peril.

Lazy Sunday: Customer Loyalty

The Harvard Business Review has an interesting post, titled When Customer Loyalty Is a Bad Thing.

A good quick read with your Sunday morning cup of Joe.

(And a happy Mother's Day to my readers who are also moms.)

Lazy Sunday: Saran Wrap

From Lenn Thompson, this interesting use for Saran Wrap.

Lazy Sunday: Wine Aerialists

An interesting story and a 2-minute video about the "wine aerialists" at the Texas de Brazil restaurant in Chicago.

I don't think I'll be buying that $7,600 bottle of Pétrus, though.  Watch the video and you'll see why.

Lazy Sunday: What's Your Baxter?

Baxters are cool.

Does your winery have a baxter?  I know some that do.

If you've got one, tell us about it.  If not, take time over your Sunday coffee to think about what your winery might be missing by not having a baxter.

(Vincit Veritas means "Truth conquers")

Lazy Sunday: WWRPD?

WWRPD? = What Would Robert Parker Drink?

If you haven't spent 26 minutes watching the abrasively-named Robert Parker's Bitch, it's worth taking the time with your Sunday morning cup of brewed beverage to listen to the dulcet voice of Tina Caputo.

Robert Parker's Bitch from Josh Hermsmeyer on Vimeo. 

I know at least one winery owner whose express strategy is to craft 90+ point wines for Mr. Parker.

On the other hand, what's the point of a wine that's made to "taste and spit?"

Is winemaking Art or Commerce?  What is Lost really about?

(Note: this is Tina's mini-documentary, although Josh, who appears in it, posted it on Vimeo.)

See Tina's and Josh's original posts.  And of course, Save The Feral Unicorn!

Lazy Sunday: Dharma Initiative Merlot

Who could resist the chance to bring a bottle of Dharma Iniative Merlot to the next dinner party they attend?

(note: requires a bottle of Merlot with an easily removed label -- any suggestions?)

My apologies to anyone who's not a Lost fan.  Here;'s a little more on the fictional Dharma Initiative.

Lazy Sunday: What Consumers Want

This 15-minute video of a TED presentation by Joseph Pine (author of "Mass Customization") should stimulate the thoughts of anyone who runs a winery.  

If you're not sure you want to watch the whole thing, skip to the 12:00 mark and watch the last 2 minutes.  I'm pretty sure that you'll warm up your Sunday morning coffee and sit back to watch the whole thing.

Lazy Sunday: Chocolate and Wine

With Valentine's Day next Saturday (men: don't forget!), I feel obligated to bring you this story about chocolate-covered wine bottles.

Another example of creative packaging is dipping a bottle in eight ounces of chocolate. "I was reaching out to my local Napa chocolatier for our typical 'wine and chocolate truffles' gifts, when we thought, 'how cool would it be to dip the entire bottle in chocolate?'"

Here's a direct link to the Cellar360 order page for 2005 Souverain Dessert Syrah, Alexander Valley - Chocolate Covered, just in case you're still shopping.

Lazy Sunday: Review Methodologies

Most of you probably don't follow Merlin Mann's blog, 43 Folders, but I encourage you to take 5 minutes and read On Thumbs, Stars, and Little Men with your Sunday coffee:

If every critic ala Ebert, in his way would disclose the yardstick by which he generates the stars, thumbs, or Little Man of his reviews, it would go a long way toward educating readers;

I think it's valuable advice for wine reviewers.  What do you think?

Lazy Sunday: Rating Systems

You think the 100-point scale is bad?  Take a moment from your Sunday morning to look at rating movie rating systems.  When it comes to rating movies, it appears there's a difference betwen "signficance" and "enjoyable."

The most interesting item is at the end, where movie critics rate the "how many stars"  movie rating system.  And then, as some sites do, the results are averaged.

Are there any wine review sites which aggregate wine scores to arrive at a consensus?  Inquiring minds want to know!

Lazy Sunday: Wacky Wine Labels

Take 5 minutes of your Sundary morning to review these tech-themed wine brands from the fevered minds at woot.com. A sample:

Don't miss the final selection, Pirate Bay Pruno!