Marketing Mendocino Wines on Track

MWI winery members will benefit from two major marketing opportunities this summer. Based on strong member feedback, both the Taste of Mendocino and the Sommelier Tour are coming back.

This year’s Taste of Mendocino (TOM) will build upon the success of previous years. TOM is a terrific platform for Mendocino County wineries to get in front of wine experts, sommeliers, buyers, journalists, educators and consumers who come to one place to learn about the wonderful things we’re doing in Mendocino. The event is scheduled for Tuesday June 11 at the Golden Gate Club in the Presidio.

The 2013 TOM is designed to be more intimate and provide better connections between the wineries and our target audiences. Media and trade are already signing-up to attend this popular event. We only have 35 winery tables available and they are available on a first-come first-served basis to MWI members only.

The Sommelier Tour is coming back this summer. Last year’s Tour was a tremendous success, and this year should be no different. After reflecting on last year’s event we decided to add a twist to 2013: in addition to sommeliers we plan to invite retail wine buyers and perhaps even media. Thus we need to change the name to something more inclusive. One leading candidate is the Discover Mendocino.

Regardless of the name the plan is similar: to wow our guests with an amazing Mendocino experience. We all know how special our corner of the world is. This is our chance to host a handful of experts and allow them to discover it for themselves. The date for the tour is tentatively set for July 22-24. We plan to host 12 VIP guests.

Like every event that promotes Mendocino, we need your help. We need volunteers to meet once each month to plan the event. And we want to learn how we can showcase your winery or vineyard during the tour. Contact MWI (info@mendowine.com) with your ideas.

No Grape Left Behind
MWI Makes it Easy For Buyers to Find Mendocino Grapes

MWI has been fielding inquiries from grape buyers since the beginning of the year. When we put together our Grape Buyers Directory we were able to build connections with the key players who buy Mendocino grapes. Now it is time to leverage these relationships.

Our “No Grape Left Behind” program will have three campaigns in 2013. Each campaign is a four-week effort where we identify un-sold grape lots and market them directly to our database of grape buyers via email and postcards. The program was popular with both vineyards and grape buyers in 2012 so we expect many success stories in 2013.

Every grape grower in the County is invited to participate in the first campaign.

REGISTER NOW:
Go to http://mendowine.com and click Member Login. Don’t have an account? Call us at 707-901-7629. Create a “classifieds” listing for each grape lot that is available.

We believe we can sell 500 tons of grapes with this first phase. We hope some of these grapes are yours! If you have fruit available for 2013 there is no reason not to participate.

Scorecard

MWI promised a new ballgame. Here is what we have accomplished in the last three months:
–Pour Mendocino wines at key events
–Print Grape Buyers Guide
–Organize pruning contest
–Connect grape buyers with Mendocino vineyards
–Assist media with articles about Mendocino

Grower Report: Brad Wiley (Wiley Vineyard)

For the past 10 years I have been working with a cane pruning system I adapted to my 25 acre cool climate Anderson Valley vineyard. The system was introduced to me by Jess Madrigal, a generous Napa Valley contractor, vineyard and winery owner, who provided vineyard crews for my vines ten years ago.

Here is the vineyard setting: principally Pinot Noir, with a couple of acres each of Pinot Gris and Riesling. Spacing is generally 5 X 8 feet, with a seven wire trellis system, six above the cane support wire. The soils are highly variable and the vineyard’s proximity to the ocean makes the location one of the coolest vineyards in the county.

The “Madrigal” cane pruning system is a modification of the two cane/vine arrangement that enables the pruner to adjust the number of fruiting buds selected to the overall health and vigor of the previous year's canopy. On each fruit cane crews typically leave 10 buds, although the exact number can be adjusted based on the pruner's assessment of the vines vigor.

Here's the interesting part: the Madrigal system leaves no replacement spurs to provide fruit wood for the post harvest year. The buds near the trunk in all three varietals are vigorous enough to provide sufficient replacement canes for post harvest pruning. It is a rare event with this system to find a vine not having replacement wood properly placed, 2-5" away from the trunk.

Another aspect of the system is to remove excess buds that don’t fit into a uniform spacing of fruiting buds. Specifically I encourage the pruning crew to leave only two buds, those facing the "right" direction relative to the trellis wires, near the trunk, then to remove any other "extra" buds along the cane until the remaining buds are located 4-5 inches apart.

The benefit is both efficiency and improved shoot placement. The shoot thinning process in late Spring, which was previously time-intensive, becomes a simple fine-tuning pass. The system does take some patience and concentration on the part of owners, vineyard managers, and crews. But the benefits of the Madrigal system - a more efficient solution to canopy management and fruit balance - have proven themselves in my vineyard.

Mendocino Pruners Show Their Talents

The 2013 Mendocino County Pruning Competition was a great event! Held on Friday, February 22 at La Ribera Vineyards in Ukiah this year, the competitors and guests had a fantastic day. More than 30 contestants from vineyards and management companies throughout the county met in the late, warm morning and faced the block of unpruned Cabernet they’d shortly be tackling.

A handful of MWI members, judges, press and other guests joined them for a welcome lunch before the rules were outlined and the contestants broke into groups of five. Each pruner was given five vines to prune, and was judged not on speed alone, but accuracy, good form and care. Five judges followed the contestants, deliberating on bud placement and the cleanliness of each cut.

After a final heat amongst the ten top-scoring pruners to determine the winners, Gregorio Velasquez of Chevalier Vineyards took the top prize of $500 cash, a gift certificate for Mendocino Farm Supply, a handsome plaque and serious bragging rights for another year. Second, third, fourth and fifth-place winners received $200 cash and award certificates. The remaining top ten winners each received $100 cash.

Many of the vineyards and management companies matched their employees’ winnings, making the event extra lucrative for top pruners. Following the main event, the competitors and guests joined La Ribera’s gracious hosts, the Thornhill family, for wine and chili across the vineyard.

For a full list of this year’s sponsors (without whom the event would not have been possible), a complete list of the competition winners, and more photos, visit our website http://mendowine.com.

Briefs, tidbits, and a rumor

MWI Board Elections: This week MWI emailed ballots to its membership to choose the new Board of Directors. Candidates for the three open grower seats include Peter Chevalier, Tim Norgard and Dave Downey. Incumbents George Lee and Tyler Rodrique will keep their seats for another year.

On the winery side candidates include Aaron Niderost from Brutocao, Linda Baker from Handley, Rusty Martinson from Testa and Jake Fetzer from Masut. Incumbants Zac Robinson and MJ Girard will continue their current term

Wine Spectator Has Mendo on its Mind: The current issue of the wine spectator recognizes Mendocino and 16 wineries making Mendocino wines for their high scores and low prices. The article is called "Golden State Values." Nice job everyone. MWI has been helping Spectator with a coming article about the region. Stay tuned for the June 15 issue.

Budget Realities: Grants to the Rescue: MWI knows that membership dues alone won’t generate enough revenue to cover basic costs to market Mendocino grapes and wines. Outside funding is therefore a key part of our strategy. We have three grants that we plan to pursue this year. The potential payout ranges from $50,000 to $500,000. With a few dollars from our members we hope to parlay a much bigger return. Join us!

Welcome Aubrey: MWI is pleased to welcome Aubrey Rawlins to the position of Staff Coordinator. Aubrey is a graduate of New York University with a B.A. in Performance and Contemporary Anthropology, and has work experience in database management, grant research, event coordination and social media research.

Aubrey will coordinate the internal functions of MWI and serve as the lead contact person to the membership. Aubrey also has deep roots in Mendocino county; he grew up Yorkville (where his family still lives). Aubrey can be reached at the new MWI office at 200 S. School St or by phone (707) 901-7629.

and Finally, the Rumor: An unnamed vineyard sold 3.7 tons of pinot noir last year at a price of $5392/ton. This was the best Mendocino price listed in the 2012 grape crush report. Wow!

Newsletter

In this April 2013 newsletter: