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6 WINES&VINES May 2018 A member of Wine Communications Group Inc. ADVERTISING Vice President and Director of Sales Jacques Brix jbrix@winesandvines.com (707) 473-0244 West Lydia Hall lydia@winesandvines.com (415) 453-9700, ext. 103 Midwest Hooper Jones hooperhja@aol.com (847) 486-1021 East (except New York) Laura Lemos laura@boja.com (973) 822-9274 New York and International Dave Bayard dave@bayard.com (973) 822-9275 Advertising Production Manager April Kushner ads@winesandvines.com (415) 453-9700, ext. 114 DIGITAL EDITION All print subscribers now get digital access to Wines & Vines. You can: • DOWNLOAD pages or full issues • BROWSE current and archived issues • WATCH videos • ACCESS via desktop, tablet or smartphone • SEARCH by keyword or table of contents • NAVIGATE by topic or page thumbnail • QUESTIONS? Contact customer ser- vice at custserv@winesandvines.com or (866) 453-9701 Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. PDT. 30 WINES& Here's What Works DRY CREEK VINEYARD n ANDY STARR CONNECT WITH US CONTRIBUTORS In the second part of a two-part report on the role of thiols in Sauvignon Blanc wines (page 68), Dr. Carien Coetzee wraps up what researchers and winemakers in New Zealand have learned about these strong aromatic compounds, and especially how to enhance their sensory effects. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa and is currently employed at Vinlab, a laboratory supporting the South African wine industry. Bill Ward retired as the wine columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune in 2014 and has since then contributed several articles to Wines & Vines and other publicatios. Living in the upper Midwest, Ward is close to wineries that mostly specialize in cold-climate grape varieties, so that subject has become a bit of a specialty for him. In this issue he contributes a piece on the new Itasca and Crimson Pearl varieties (page 82) based on a tasting and presentation at the recent Cold Climate Grape Conference. For grape growers, especially in cold climates, the most important decision is location, location, location (as in any real estate transaction). In their article "Cold Hardiness of Grapevines" beginning on page 84, three researchers from Michigan State University, Paolo Sabbatini, G. Stanley Howell, and Josh VanderWeide, look at what it means for a grapevine to be cold hardy and how vines have adapted to survive in cold climates. The researchers discuss site and variety selection, and detail best strategies in managing vineyards. ON THE COVER Packaging suppliers are offering more services for smaller wineries. The three bottles on the cover reflect some of the decorative touches such as letter press, embossing and metallic inks that can make a wine stand out on retail shelves even if it's not a nationally distributed brand. QUESTION FOR MAY: How can packaging enhance tasting room and DtC sales? Cynthia Cosco Owner/Winemaker Passaggio Wines Sonoma, Calif. A wine tasting should be all about the experience. From the wine bottle and label you have created, to the package you have just placed it in for them. Going a step further by wrapping it in tissue paper and placing it in a beautiful bag or box creates a sense of completion for their experience. If the package has your winery name or logo on it, it is a walking billboard. Raechel Sims Director of communications and consumer sales Cristom Vineyards Salem, Ore. Displaying unique packaging throughout the tasting room is a great "soft touch" approach in upselling, and also a way to ensure the visual component of your hospitality experience is in keeping with big-picture messaging. When we invested in luxury gift boxes from Columbia Corrugated Box for the holiday season, we saw a noticeable increase in gift set sales. Jessie Poshepny Director of DtC, Hospitality and marketing communications Trione Vineyards & Winery Geyserville, Calif. What the consumer sees when they open their box of wine is their first impression (at home) of that brand they loved and spent money on. The box has to be clean, the wine set in with labels face up, and any additional material, such as a brochure or a personalized note is set right in the center. It has to look as though the box was packed by hand with care.