Wines & Vines

August 2015 Closures Issue

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8 WINES&VINES August 2015 A member of Wine Communications Group Inc. President & Publisher Chet Klingensmith Chairman Hugh Tietjen Publishing Consultant Ken Koppel Associate Publisher Tina Vierra Publishing Assistant Maria Brunn EDITORIAL Editor Jim Gordon Managing Editor Kate Lavin Associate Editor Andrew Adams Senior Correspondent Paul Franson Contributing Editor Jane Firstenfeld Northwest Correspondent Peter Mitham Columnists Grapegrowing: Cliff Ohmart and Glenn T. McGourty Contributing Writers Laurie Daniel, Richard Smart, Richard Carey, Chris Stamp, Andrew Reynolds, Craig Root PRACTICAL WINERY & VINEYARD Editor Don Neel WINE EAST Editor Linda Jones McKee DESIGN & PRODUCTION Art Director Barbara Gelfand Summer Designer Bridget Williams DATABASE DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Vice President—Data Management Lynne Skinner Project Manager Liesl Stevenson Database & Web Development James Rust, Peter Scarborough EDITOR'S LETTER CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS Email: subs@winesandvines.com Online: winesandvines.com/subscribe Phone: (866) 453-9701 EDITORIAL Email: edit@winesandvines.com MAIL 65 Mitchell Blvd., Suite A San Rafael, CA 94903 CONNECT WITH US facebook.com/WinesandVines twitter.com/WinesandVines youtube.com/WinesandVines1919 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K C M Y CM MY CY CMY K THE MOST DRAMATIC NEWS in the wine industry as this issue was coming together was the surprising sale of 500,000-case Meiomi wines to Constellation Brands for $315 million. It was a lot of money to pay for a brand alone (the purchase did not include real estate or equip- ment), and it turned a spotlight on Meiomi creator Joe Wagner, a member of the Napa Valley family that founded Caymus Vineyards and added Mer Soleil, Conundrum, Belle Glos and Em- molo wines to the business over time. We think the deal also shined a light on the value of wine packaging. In an interview for the news story on page 15, Wagner acknowledged that subtly different, elegant packaging not only helped sell his $20 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but one aspect of it was absolutely integral to the brand's fast rise in the market: the screwcap closure. Since this is the Closures Issue of Wines & Vines, Wagner's thoughts about wine packaging are especially relevant. Wagner said the early focus for Meiomi's sales was not off-premise (where the brand eventually grew exponentially) but in res- taurants. He and his family targeted on-premise accounts—and specifically targeted by-the-glass positions on wine lists—in- cluding discounts through distributors to restaurants that agreed to pour Meiomi by the glass. Wagner said that for the package design they commissioned a custom mold for the Meiomi bottle and decided to close it with a screwcap. "Our on-premise accounts really wanted this," he said, "especially for by-the-glass pours. They didn't want to worry about corked bottles, they wanted to open them quickly and continue pouring." The screwcap decision encouraged Meiomi's placement on wine lists, and the exposure to consumers at white-tablecloth restaurants was important to its later success, Wagner said. Attendees at the upcoming Wines & Vines Packaging Conference on Aug. 19 in Napa, Calif., will hear more from Wagner about his family's innovations in wine packaging over the years, since he will be our kick-off speaker. I hope you will join us. Please visit wvpack.com to review the program and register. While screwcaps worked for Wagner, the Meiomi case does not mean twist-off closures are the best choice for every wine. In fact, this month's cover story gives natural cork its due. Con- tributing editor Jane Firstenfeld's report—"Sticking With Cork," beginning on page 36—cites several examples of super-premium wineries that have either never wavered from the tree-bark stopper or have returned to it after using other closures. In Firstenfeld's article winemakers share well thought out and convincing rationales for those decisions. For Naked Wines, it was direct consumer feedback that turned the tide. This crowd-funded wine business started with screwcaps almost exclusively, but they soon heard from "angels" (or investor/customers) that many disliked and some "hated" screwcaps, especially for gift giving. Plus, when you see the photo on page 38 of vintage- dated corks pulled from bottles of Jordan Vineyard & Winery bottles dating back to the 1970s, you will probably agree that a synthetic cork or an aluminum cap would look out of place in that classic lineup. The Meiomi example contrasts with the Naked Wines and Jordan examples in a way that has become familiar in the wine industry. The reality now is that the variety of available closures enables wineries to choose whatever works for their various brands and bottlings. In the end, we think it's smart that wineries are listening to their varied customers, since they are the ultimate arbiters. —Jim Gordon The Role Packaging Played In Building Meiomi's Brand The screwcap encouraged Meiomi's placement on wine lists, and the resulting exposure at white-tablecloth restau- rants was important to its later success.

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