Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/1031957
68 WINES&VINES October 2018 BUSINESS As head winemaker, Warren is involved in every step of the winemaking process from vine- yard to bottle, according to Hummer. He also oversees a team of nine, which includes fellow winemaker Ramona McSpadden, a lab manager, a lab technician and six cellar workers, who work out of the Woodridge, Ill., headquarters. Brit Zotovich, Cooper's Hawk's California- based grower relations manager, handles the majority of grower and winery relationships along the West Coast. There are a lot of scenarios in which wine, in its various stages, makes its way to Cooper's Hawk headquarters in Woodridge, which is home to a fully functioning winery, facilitating every part of the winemaking process from crush to bottling. Hummer said that some of the grapes sourced from domestic vineyards, usually those along the West Coast, arrive at the winery as whole clusters just days after harvest via refrigerated trucks. Those travel- ing from farther away may arrive as pressed juice. Still others may show up as fully fer- mented but not yet blended wine. In these cases, the wine comes from a partnering winery where Cooper's Hawk's winemaking team has established the winemaking pro- gram with the host source. Aside from wines that need to be made at the source's location, such as Cooper's Hawk Prosecco from Italy, all final blending and bot- tling happens in the Woodridge headquarters, according to Hummer. "Regardless of where the winemaking hap- pens, we're all involved in overseeing the pro- cess every step of the way," Hummer said. "Tim has a sommelier certification and gives just as much attention to the wine program as he does to the restaurant business. ... He sets the vision and expectations for our wine program, and we do the best that we can to deliver." When asked why the winery doesn't source more from Midwestern vineyards closer to Cooper's Hawk's home base, outside of a few ice and fruit wines, Hummer simply said that that decision is based on their customers' un- deniable satisfaction. "Right now, our custom- ers and wine club members are responding to the wine we're making from the AVAs we're sourcing from," Hummer said. "One of the things I am proud of … is not just the number of wines we oversee TIPS ON DTC SUCCESS A few insights on the success of Cooper's Hawk business model, according to direct-to- consumer sales expert Sandra Hess • Build a DtC sales strategy with consumer engagement activities as the first priority. • Provide opportunities for brand loyalists to self-identify and be rewarded for time and money invested in your brand. • Make it fun and easy for brand loyalists to convert to membership by offering a variety of wine events throughout the year. Include event tickets and registration options on the winery website three to six months in advance. • Match the event to the type of consumer. Provide meaningful invitations to engage by analyzing consumer engagement trends by age demographics, geography, buying behaviors, product preferences and purchasing channels. For a wealth of useful viticulture and enology research and information, visit AVF.org, ngr.ucdavis.edu, asev.org, or graperesearch.org AMERICAN VINEYARD FOUNDATION • P.O. Box 5779, Napa, CA, 94581 • tel (707) 252-6911 Visit our Web site at www.avf.org for information on funding and current research projects For a wealth of useful viticulture and enology research and information, visit AVF.org, ngr.ucdavis.edu, asev.org, or graperesearch.org AMERICAN VINEYARD FOUNDATION • P.O. Box 5779, Napa, CA, 94581 • tel (707) 252-6911 Visit our Web site at www.avf.org for information on funding and current research projects Thanks to generous industry research support, new generations of rootstocks are being developed that address critical vineyard challenges. Research by Peter Cousins and Michael McKenry, along with ongoing work by Andy Walker, provides growers with rootstocks tolerant and resistant to: • nematodes • drought conditions • salty soil environments. The industry has partnered to revolutionize grapevine rootstock breeding. Research funding sources include: The American Vineyard Foundation, the CA Rootstock Commission & CA Rootstock Foundation, The CA Table Grape Commission, E & J Gallo Winery, the CA Fruit Tree, Nut Tree & Grapevine IAB and others… AVF-funded research drives our industry into the future while saving our farmers money now. Thanks to generous industry research support, new generations of rootstocks are being developed that address critical vineyard challenges. Research by Peter Cousins and Michael McKenry, along with ongoing work by Andy Walker, provides growers with rootstocks tolerant and resistant to: • nematodes • drought conditions • salty soil environments. The industry has partnered to revolutionize grapevine rootstock breeding. Research funding sources include: The American Vineyard Foundation, the CA Rootstock Commission & CA Rootstock Foundation, The CA Table Grape Commission, E & J Gallo Winery, the CA Fruit Tree, Nut Tree & Grapevine IAB and others… AVF-funded research drives our industry into the future while saving our farmers money now. Industry-funded research through the AMERICAN VINEYARD FOUNDATION leads to more economical grapegrowing, and your support makes it happen. Industry-funded research through the AMERICAN VINEYARD FOUNDATION leads to more economical grapegrowing, and your support makes it happen. Dr. Andy Walker