Page 35 - Grapevine JanFeb 2021_REV

Around The Vineyard

the 1980s with fewer
millennials being attract-
ed to wine.

While wine marketing
may highlight specific
AVAs, according to Dr.
Wilson, less than ten
percent of American
wine consumers could
name the specific AVA
that produces their
favorite wine. “Consumers start by thinking of wine
as a beverage, then an alcoholic beverage, then
style, then varieties of grape, and then region,” he
stated. The other two criteria that most effectively
lead to wine sales are awareness in the consumer’s
mind and the availability of a particular wine at the
point of sale.

Furthermore, Dr. Wilson noted how during
periods of economic upheaval, consumers tend
to switch back to blue chip wines. “This switch
impacts those wines that don’t have the recogni-
tion of say an Oregon Pinot Noir,” he said. Hence,
when marketing say Oregon Pinot, lead with what
consumers know which is the premium attached to
Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.

Keep alternative varieties in mind when crafting
marketing campaigns but make them less of a
focus initially. Continue to conduct research on the
those varieties grown and their popularity with a
customer base. Use these benchmarks to evaluate
marketing strategies, which should be monitored
and adapted over time as applicable.

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