Wineries On Twitter Folio Winemakers Studio

Wineries on Twitter

www.foliowine.com/pages/winemakers_studio.html 

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/foliowinemakerssudio

On Twitter: http://twitter.com/foliowinemakers

How long have you been using Twitter?

We’ve been using Twitter for about a year or so now.  It hasn’t been until the last 6 months though that we really started getting more involved and engaging though.

What prompted you to dive in?

We first signed up shortly after signing the winery up on Facebook.  Just looking for different ways to interact and build relationships with existing and new customers.

What type of strategy or approach do you use when posting content?

I have to admit; at first we were doing it all wrong.  We were using Facebook and Twitter primarily as a sales driver.  Now we see it as more of a brand and relationship builder. So we try to post things to help people keep in touch with what’s going on in Napa and also when we’re out on the road in their home area.

What have been the benefits of using Twitter/Facebook? (increased traffic, increased brand awareness, customer connection, etc)

For us the traffic and sales are tough to quantify, because you may have someone that comes to the winery but doesn’t necessarily say they saw us on Twitter or Facebook.  I’d say the biggest benefits to using social media is creating and maintaining relationships with new and old customers and spreading the word about what we’re up to.

Is there a single success story that you can point to with using Twitter/Facebook?

There isn’t one particular success story that comes to mind.  The biggest success is being able to stay connected with people who care about us nationally and internationally!

What do you think is the single biggest barrier to why we don’t see more wineries actively using Social Media tools?

I think right now the biggest barriers are 1) some companies not being able to quantify and get results to justify allocating someone’s time to work different social media avenues. 2) I also think that even though social media sites are being used by multiple generations, there are some people across all generations that just don’t have the knowhow.

What advice would you give to wineries joining the stream or getting back into the stream?

For wineries new to social media or those giving it another shot, I would say first to just be natural with your postings.  Don’t use it as a constant sales pitch.  Once you’re able to create relationships with your followers and fans, then you can have sales offers occasionally.  But if this is all they get from you, you will see your followers and fans leaving a lot quicker than they join.  Another thing is to provide meaningful content from all areas of your business (hospitality, cellar, vineyards, etc.).  Lastly, the sales results will come organically by creating long-term, dedicated relationships with people who enjoy your wine and what the winery is doing.

Briefly tell us about your winery, a new release, or something unique about you?

Our winery is Folio Winemakers’ Studio and we are privately owned by the Michael Mondavi Family along with select employees within our company.  We have a beautiful property in the Carneros region of Napa Valley, which we have been at for 3 years now making our wonderful selection of wines from Napa Valley as well as other surrounding areas.  One thing that makes us unique is that we are not the traditional winery that has 4 or 5 wines.  We have a wide variety of wines, 23 in fact, that appeal to wine novices and connoisseurs alike.  The great thing about having these wines is we allow our customers to make their own selection of which wines they want to taste!

What is your favorite rock band and why?

My favorite rock band would have to be Pearl Jam.  The thing I like about them is that they make great music and have been for about 20 years now!  They‘ve never been sell-outs and changed who they are due to their fame and success.  Plus they enjoy great wine!

Wineries on Twitter: Lange Twins

The goal of this series is to connect with wineries and wine business that use Social Media (Twitter and Facebook) effectively. These interviews can serve as a catalyst to help other wineries and wine businesses to see the benefits (and pitfalls) of joining the social revolution. Click http://drinknectar.com/tag/wineries-on-twitter/ to view all interviews.

Lange Twins:       On the Web    -    On Twitter    -     On Facebook

How long have you been using Twitter?

I’ve been on Twitter since Sept. 2008 – my how the time flies!  I actually had to Google search ‘how to find out when you joined Twitter’ to get this answer.  Not a good sign – do the questions get harder?

What prompted you to dive in?

I’m an addict for new technologies and with all the media coverage on Twitter, it looked like it was here to stay.  Now look at it – something like 600 tweets per second?

What type of strategy or approach do you use when posting content?

I look at Twitter as just one more way for us to interact with our fans – the keyword there is interact.  It’s tempting to just scream offers and news from the rooftops but it’s much more enjoyable when you get to know your Twitter fans.  It’s amazing who is following you!

What have been the benefits of using Twitter/Facebook? (increased traffic, increased brand awareness, customer connection, etc)

Brand awareness and interaction is the goal for me.  If someone buys your wine, enjoys it, and tosses the bottle, that’s where the interaction stops.  If this same customer does a simple Google search for the winery and finds a great way to interact with the winery (enter Twitter & Facebook) then that experience is strengthened. 

Is there a single success story that you can point to with using Twitter/Facebook?

Oh, there are tons!  My favorites are the customers who find our wines out in the market and tweet about how much they enjoyed it.  For such a small brand like LangeTwins, it’s really cool to see where people are finding our wines and what they think of them.  On the flip side, if they don’t like it, Twitter and Facebook give you a line of communication to have a dialogue with that customer – that’s vital.

What do you think is the single biggest barrier to why we don’t see more wineries actively using Social Media tools?

I think the biggest barrier is time – most family wineries like ours are running 110% all year long.  It’s fun, but incredibly consuming.  I’ve made social media (blog, Twitter, FB) a priority because I see the value in it, and, I enjoy it!  But it took a bit for everyone @ LangeTwins to come around.

What advice would you give to wineries joining the stream or getting back into the stream?

Jump.  Pour yourself a glass of wine some night and spend 30mins browsing around Facebook and Twitter.  Then watch that 30mins turn into 3hrs!  Now you’re hooked.

Briefly tell us about your winery, a new release, or something unique about you?

We’re a multi-generational family owned winery that crafts wine from sustainably grown winegrapes.  As a 5^th generation family farmer in Lodi, California, it’s important to preserve the land we farm for future generations.  From using solar panels to produce green energy to restoring native habitat areas amongst our vineyards, we take an all-encompassing approach to sustainability.

New release?  Nice timing!  We are just releasing our Proprietary Tier of wines, which are limited individual lot selections sourced from our favorite vineyards.  Our initial release is a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2008 Chardonnay.  The wine label was chosen by our fans on Facebook and our blog!  Talk about a social media wine…

What is your favorite rock band and why?

Oh man – I am probably going to be ousted by the family now.  Metallica!  Since I was a kid, they’ve always stayed in my Top 5 (well, there was a rough patch there with Load/Reload) and Dec 08 my wife surprised me with concert tickets.  It was insane.  Their last album, Death Magnetic, is amazing. *changes Pandora station to Metallica*

Wineries on Twitter Black Star Farms

Black Star Farms on Twitter     Black Star Farms on Facebook

The goal of this series is to connect with wineries and wine business that use Social Media (Twitter and Facebook) effectively. These interviews can serve as a catalyst to help other wineries and wine businesses to see the benefits (and pitfalls) of joining the social revolution.

How long have you been using Twitter?

Black Star Farms has been using Twitter since July of 2009.

What prompted you to dive in?

We attended a wine marketing conference last spring called License to Steal  where there were several sessions devoted to social media.  Twitter was the most popular topic that generated the most discussion.  At that time we were not using Twitter but we quickly realized the importance of adding it to our social media strategy for the important reasons that I have listed below:

1. Create meaningful relationships with customers as well as our vendor partners
2. Establish relationships with wine bloggers
3. Be aware of what is being said about our “brand” and wine growing region
4. Engage in conversation with our followers
5. Talk about trail events, promotions, and special offers

What type of strategy or approach do you use when posting content?  

We post content two to three times daily — usually in the morning and late afternoon.  Content varies to include what is newsworthy, educational or perhaps comical, what may generate conversation and anything that promotes our brand and region.  We do use Twitter to post promotions as well as special events but this information does not drive 100% of our content. 

What have been the benefits of using Twitter/Facebook?

The benefits of using Twitter and Facebook are increased brand awareness, a connection to our customers, and real time exposure to media and wine bloggers. Since joining the social media realm we have definitely experienced an increase in publicity on-line as well in print. 

Is there a single success story that you can point to with using Twitter/Facebook?

We are working with Shannon Casey at Michigan By the Bottle on our first virtual wine tasting to be hosted on Twitter on March 8^th. It is called Tweet and Taste Michigan (#ttmi).  The response to this event has been amazing! There are 57 confirmed participants and we are anticipating more as it gets closer.  There are daily tweets and mentions about  #ttmi on Twitter and Facebook which are leading to press coverage in several local and regional publications. For an event that has not even happened yet we are extremely pleased with the results.

What do you think is the single biggest barrier to why we don’t see more wineries actively using Social Media tools?

For the smaller wineries in our region I would have to say the reason is a perceived lack of time.  The educational process for learning how to effectively use social media tools combined with the daily maintenance can be daunting.  The employee managing the social media for a winery is usually the same employee with many other job responsibilities and the idea of adding more work to their daily plate is viewed negatively and sometimes impossible.

What advice would you give to wineries joining the stream or getting back into the stream?

Educate yourself and staff about how to use these tools correctly. There are great websites and bloggers who can teach you what you need to know – find them! Attend seminars and conferences about how to use social media. Create a plan or strategy before diving in.

Briefly tell us about your winery, a new release, or something unique about you?

Black Star Farms is a unique agricultural entity that features two winery production facilities, their adjacent tasting rooms, a distillery, Inn, and equestrian facility.  Our winery just celebrated its 10^th year anniversary and is proud to represent the viticultural diversity of the Northwest Michigan region, and its proximity to the 45^th parallel – the same parallel that runs through so many of the great wine regions of the world.  Our varietal wines are of high character, acidity, and balance. Fruit is sourced from both our own vineyards and local grower partners. This consistency allows us to obtain replicable quality across vintages.

What is your favorite rock band and why?

The Rolling Stones because almost every album is awesome and something that you can listen at anytime. Not to mention I worked at an awesome bar called Beggar’s Banquet – an experience that was life changing in many positive ways!

Wineries on Twitter: Cleavage Creek

Below is the story of Cleavage Creek Winery and how they use Social Media. Theres is a unique story. To help spread their amazing story, please comment on this post, follow them on Twitter, and re-tweet this to all of your followers. I was truly touched by the compassion of a 77 year old man and the love for his late wife.

How long have you been using Twitter?

Cleavage Creek Wines joined Twitter in April of 2009.

What prompted you to dive in?

Twitter offered a great opportunity to spread the word about Cleavage Creek’s passions of making great wines and funding breast cancer research.  Fighting cancer starts with raising awareness.  Reaching the Twitter audience only enhances the ability to do such.

What type of strategy or approach do you use when posting content?

On Twitter, you are who you are. Cleavage Creek uses the friendly approach which is precisely who we are.  We love to talk about wines. We make mention of breast cancer in an effort to raise awareness.  We like to engage others.  So many entities and individuals are using Twitter so the opportunities are endless to establish relationships and learn and share.

What have been the benefits of using Twitter/Facebook? (increased traffic, increased brand awareness, customer connection, etc)

In using Twitter, we’ve met a plethora of people from around the world, literally, whose acquaintance we might not have made with out it.  That’s amazing! It’s also very vital to our goal of raising awareness about our fight against breast cancer.  Almost everyone’s life has been touched by breast cancer in some form or fashion.  When new Twitter pals learn about the efforts of Cleavage Creek to fund breast cancer research by using our award winning wines, it helps the cause.

Is there a single success story that you can point to with using Twitter/Facebook?

Since joining Twitter, Cleavage Creek has enjoyed a good deal of wide media coverage – all has been appreciated and important to our cause.  The most touching Twitter experience is when we hear from those who are fighting breast cancer or have a loved one. They thank us for our efforts and many times tell us that upon learning about Cleavage Creek, they encourage a loved one to get their annual checkup.  It’s very gratifying to know that the mere existence of Cleavage Creek can have a positive impact. This motivates us everyday, literally.

What do you think is the single biggest barrier to why we don’t see more wineries actively using Social Media tools?

Many wineries might not have the resources to dedicate to using Twitter.  It can take a fair amount of time.  Once they learn the benefits and possibilities that might change.

What advice would you give to wineries joining the stream or getting back into the stream?

Don’t be afraid to engage anyone on Twitter.  Most people are friendly and receptive if approached in a respectful manner.  Do your Twitter home work.  Seek out others with similar interests.  Have something interesting to say. Treat Twitter members like you would wish to be treated and you’ll enjoy a rewarding Twitter experience. It’s actually great fun!

Briefly tell us about your winery, a new release, or something unique about you?

One man & a small vineyard…making award winning wines & funding breast cancer research.

Cleavage Creek is owned by Budge Brown who lost his wife of 48 years to breast cancer.  Mr. Brown obtained the Cleavage Creek label after deciding that he wanted to fight the disease and raise awareness so that others would not suffer as his wife had.  www.CleavageCreek.com

Budge Brown released his first Cleavage Creek wines on October 15, 2007.  His second wine release took place on October 4th, 2008.  Cleavage Creek wines have won numerous awards in international, national, and regional competitions - 32 medals won thus far. These are seriously good wines doing seriously good work. The latest release of new wines was October 1st, 2009.

Dedicated to fighting breast cancer, Brown and Cleavage Creek donate 10% of gross wine sales to breast cancer research.  At least 10% was the original commitment.  Brown has far exceeded that number, reaching deep into his own pockets to bolster the contributions made by Cleavage Creek. Over $70,000 has been contributed to date to efforts to fight breast cancer. Most recently, Cleavage Creek has funded a new Integrative Oncology Research Center for breast cancer at Bastyr University.

 On each bottle of Cleavage Creek is the image of a breast cancer survivor — her story is told at the Cleavage Creek website.  These ladies are not paid to do this, but they lend their time and experiences to fight the disease. A total of 20 breast cancer survivors have appeared on the Budge Brown era of Cleavage Creek wines.

 In a time when about all we hear news wise is negative, this is a wonderfully positive story — amazing what one determined 77 year old man can do!    

Here’s the complete story:

http://www.cleavagecreek.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=21

 What is your favorite rock band and why?

The Eagles…great music & fun times.

Wineries on Twitter: Sokol Blosser

Wineries on Twitter: @sokolblosser on Twitter

The goal of this series is to connect with wineries and wine business that use Social Media (Twitter and Facebook) effectively. These interviews can serve as a catalyst to help other wineries and wine businesses to see the benefits (and pitfalls) of joining the social revolution.

Interview Questions

How long have you been using Twitter?

Sokol Blosser has been using Twitter since the fall of 2008.

What prompted you to dive in?

A few of our consumers and colleagues were using Twitter and other free social media outlets to express their food and wine interests, share information, and quickly get the word out about events and other industry news.  We wanted to be in that “inner circle” and make sure Sokol Blosser stayed in the forefront of our consumers’ minds.

What type of strategy or approach do you use when posting content?

We didn’t want to just jump in and hope that social media worked.  Once we learned how to use sites like Facebook, Flickr, and Twitter, we created a plan that mapped out several specific things: what kind of information we would post, whether or not we would use social media to sell wine (promoting deals and sales), the “voice” of our brand on social media, how many times a day we would post, what our goals were for social media, among other things.  Having a plan from the beginning helped us to have a clear understanding of what social media could provide for us, spared a lot of headaches of the “figure it out as we go” method, and helped us to feel confident.

What have been the benefits of using Twitter/Facebook? (increased traffic, increased brand awareness, customer connection, etc)

The biggest benefit to us is the connection to our consumers.  We don’t use our social media for promoting deals, simply for relating relevant content to fans who are interested in what’s going on at the Winery and in the wine industry.  We get a lot of visitors to our Tasting Room who say they’ve been following us online and just had to come out and see what Sokol Blosser is all about.

Is there a single success story that you can point to with using Twitter/Facebook?

There are many!  We have seen more visitors to our Tasting Room in the past year than ever before, more RSVPs to events, and more press releases being picked up by the media.  By connecting with people using social media, we are taking advantage of a free tool to tell our message to an audience that is interested and wants to learn.

What do you think is the single biggest barrier to why we don’t see more wineries actively using Social Media tools?

I believe that most wineries think that social media tools take up a lot of time – time they can’t afford with their already full schedules.  Sure, it takes a little time to get your social network set up, but those wineries might be surprised to know that we really devote very little time during the day to social media – we’re just consistent.  Every day there are more tools available that make networking easier, and with the possible return on what is actually a very small time commitment, I’m surprised more wineries aren’t jumping on the 2.0 bandwagon.

What advice would you give to wineries joining the stream or getting back into the stream?

Create a plan!  Know what your company’s goals are for your social networking endeavor, how much time you plan to invest each day, and who will be in charge of the “voice” of your brand online.  Then – and this is the tough part – stick to the plan and be consistent.

Also, keep it real and stay positive.  Nothing turns fans, friends and followers off faster than promising something you can’t deliver,  over-posting about certain topic or special deal, or bashing other companies, wines, or people. 

Briefly tell us about your winery, a new release, or something unique about you?

In 1971, Susan Sokol Blosser and her husband planted grapes on just 5 acres in the Dundee Hills.  As one of the pioneering wineries of the region, Sokol Blosser has played a key role in developing and shaping the now-prominent Oregon wine industry.  The winery is still family owned and operated, with the second generation now at the helm: siblings Alex and Alison Sokol Blosser.  While the estate has grown to over 85 certified organic acres, the winery works to create wines of world-class quality, produced in a sustainable manner, which reflect the distinctive flavors of the grapes, soil and climate.

What is your favorite rock band and why?

Personally, my favorite rock band is No Doubt – I dig their hip style and the way their music has evolved over the years.  Around the winery during harvest time we listen to a lot of Beatles tunes, though – gotta love that!

Wineries on Twitter: Woodward Canyon

Wineries on Twitter – Woodward Canyon @woodwardcanyon on Twitter

The goal of this series is to connect with wineries and wine business that use Social Media (Twitter and Facebook) effectively. These interviews can serve as a catalyst to help other wineries and wine businesses to see the benefits (and pitfalls) of joining the social revolution.

The Interview: Woodward Canyon

How long have you been using Twitter?

We’ve been on Twitter for only about 8 months now.

What prompted you to dive in?

I’ve personally had a twitter account for a couple of years and I knew that it was the direction that marketing and social media was heading. When I approached our GM and our marketing coordinator they had also heard about twitter and knew that it was something that we needed to get into before we were doing nothing but chasing the market.

What type of strategy or approach do you use when posting content?

It really depends on who is posting that day. There are a couple of us who try to keep it updated and we each have our own style. But, I like to try to post and re-tweet anything with relevance to the wine industry, Walla Walla Valley and Woodward Canyon. I’ve tried to develop more of a connection with others but will also throw out specials or things going on at the winery as well.

What have been the benefits of using Twitter/Facebook? (increased traffic, increased brand awareness, customer connection, etc)

We’re still fairly new in the whole world of social media even though we’ve been on Facebook for over a year now. I hope that having a profile on both makes us a little more accessible in the eyes of the public and increases brand awareness.  

Is there a single success story that you can point to with using Twitter/Facebook?

I know that there have been a few times where I’ve posted something about a wine being released or poured for the first time and someone has seen it and they’ve come in specifically to taste it. The first time it happened was fun for me because it meant that someone was actually reading the stuff I was posting and I wasn’t just posting things for my own enjoyment.

What do you think is the single biggest barrier to why we don’t see more wineries actively using Social Media tools?

Social media is a hard one. I’ve seen some who join because it’s the new thing or fad and then they fall off in a couple of months. Others are still going strong. It’s definitely something that you have to have a plan to follow. It’s not a form of marketing that usually shows immediate results or sales and I think that this deters people. It’s definitely a large amount of time spent on building up your brand awareness and making connections with people rather than trying to directly sell them wine. It is such a foreign concept. 

What advice would you give to wineries joining the stream or getting back into the stream?

If you’re interested in social media then you should definitely do it. Make sure that you have someone who is somewhat familiar with what is going on or is willing to learn. Enthusiasm for your company and the different forms of social media are necessary along with enough time to put everything into action.

Briefly tell us about your winery, a new release, or something unique about you?

We are a small, family owned winery in the Walla Walla Valley and we are the second oldest winery in the valley. Rick and Darcey Small started the winery in 1981. Rick and Darcey are both a part of the every day decisions at the winery. Rick, our original winemaker is now head of production and Darcey is our general manager. I love working for them because they treat all the employees very well. We just finished birthday lunch for Kevin, our winemaker, which consisted of Thomas burgers, Rick buns, salad, sweet potato fries and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. We don’t mess around here!  And of course I wouldn’t be talking about Woodward Canyon and some of my favorite things without mentioning our wood fire oven out back. I didn’t realize what I was missing in terms of good pizza until I had one of Rick’s very famous, homemade, garden fresh pizzas! Rick makes the dough himself and then most of the toppings are either from our Estate Garden or from local merchants. Yum, I’m getting hungry again just thinking about them!

What is your favorite rock band and why?

Hmmm … that’s a good question. I’m not sure I have a favorite rock band. There are so many good ones out there. I guess I’ve been following Pink Floyd for years now so they would have to be one of them. Floyd just brings back so many fond memories from high school and college and gathering with friends. I’m a big fan of Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Dave Matthews Band. And then there’s Kings of Leon – I love this upcoming band!

Follow Woodward Canyon on Twitter http://twitter.com/woodwardcanyon and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/woodwardcanyonwinery

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