'Moving the needle'

Since we first opened the shop nearly five years ago, we have hosted many wine tastings and winemaker dinners with our restaurant partners and winemakers from all over the wine producing regions of the United States and with some great importers of old world wines. We have found that some of these events virtually fill themselves while others take a bit more coaxing of the wine consuming public. So we naturally thought, "Why do some wines and wineries "move the needle" of interest from the consuming public while others "not so much?"

Clearly the caliber of the wine is vastly important. If the wine is good and in some cases great and priced right the producer tends to have a following, but just as clearly there is more at work here that causes that metaphorical needle to jump if you will, when it is announced that a particular winemaker or winery is going to join us here in North Idaho.

Here are our thoughts on what drives some events to be filled more quickly than others. Winemakers are all smart people and each one we have worked with over the years brings something different to the event we hold with them, whether it be the entertaining stories of Gordy Venneri and Scott Woodward of Walla Walla Vintners and Appellation Wine Company respectively, the extraordinary knowledge base of Dr. Wade Wolfe of Thurston Wolfe, or the immense experience of Brian Carter all make compelling presentations about their business and their product that consumers love to hear.

Some of the other factors though are less tangible and perhaps are equally responsible for the reception. We have found that packaging of the wine is a very big deal. Surprising but true if you have two wines on the shelf of similar quality at similar price points the more attractive label wins every time. Perception of label is subjective but the beauty and elegance of some labels says a tremendous amount about the wine, attention to detail and the consumer's perceptions. It is in short all about the branding, and those brands that folks remember will cause the events to fill more quickly.

The marketing approach of the winery is another determining factor. Different than some other industries exclusivity in wine "moves the needle" and helps with the events too when the winery comes to town. Wines that are "everywhere" gain the perception (whether it be justified or not) of being less desirable, while those that are tougher to find and harder to come by garner higher status in the consumer mind. The other phenomena we have witnessed is for wines that go into big box national chains, even though it may only be a single varietal, comes with the risk of painting the entire brand with the same label as a discount brand.

The total production size will determine much about the reception of a wine in the marketplace. We have witnessed over the years some really great wines fall by the wayside when the production of the individual varietal and the winery overall ramps to a level of two or three or four times what it was when the wine had the "cool factor" going for it. It all goes back to the exclusivity part of the equation, and when production is increased by factors it is challenging for a wine/winery to command the same pricing and attention from wine buyers.

Finally, there is a balancing act that we have seen with the great wineries, the ones that sell out their events in hours or days, that encompasses longevity and staying true to their roots while at the same time recognizing changing tastes of their own palate and the palates of consumers, and the creative evolution that is inherent in so many winemakers. They in essence remember where they came from but focus on the future to prevent from getting stale. We can name a long list of wineries and winemakers who are always updating their offerings and staying current in their winemaking style, but also provide for their customers the touchstone that brings consumers back to their brand over and over again.

For us as wine professionals we too always work to not only get the "big names" that move the needle on their own to join us here in North Idaho for events, but also introduce consumers to the new up and comers that must work to garner attention now, but in the future will sell out their events with little urging.

If there is a topic you would like to read about or questions on wine you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George is also the managing judge of The North Idaho Wine Rodeo and writes frequently for the online version of Coeur d'Alene Magazine at www.cdamagazine.com. You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. You can get all of these articles as well as other great wine tips by friending us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.