So what do you do after a long day of listening to sustainable issues? Go out for dinner and talk about them, of course. To facilitate this, SB2011 sets up ‘Birds of a Feather’ dinners at local restaurants, where attendees can gather in smaller groups to discuss issues of shared interest. Or just stuff themselves on the corporate account and have a bunch of laughs.
At one of these, I was seated next to Kelly Lentz Marketing & Sales Coordinator for Parducci Wines. One of the larger independent wine producers in the Central Coast, Parducci is also a leader in biodynamic farming and sustainable winemaking techniques. One of Kelly’s first tasks with the winery was to make it a carbon-neutral facility, a first in North America . From there she has proceeded to take on all of their Facebook and Twitter activity, as well as all of the traditional marketing roles of advertising, label design, trade promotions and tastings. (Any marketer who complains that they can’t do it all should drop Kelly a line and get some tips)
On this particular night, we sampled the Parducci ‘Sustainable Red’ (a blend of 39% Zinfandel, 26% Syrah, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Carignane) which for my green palate, was very rich and full tasting with some nice complexity.
Parducci provides the wine for the Whole Foods supermarket chain private label, a distinction that provides both a regular volume of sales and some well-deserved credibility amongst ‘green’ consumers. (This partnership with major retailers is one opportunity that Canadian wineries do not have with our state controlled liquor incarceration system).
Parducci also produces the Paul Dolan Vineyards line, which is made from organically-grown grapes with biodynamic production. This brand distinction lets them offer even ‘greener’ wines without stretching one label too thin on messaging.
Kelly and I discussed some of the new trends in creative wine branding, and the strategy of creating another sub-brand to test some wine-beginner-friendly creative labeling. (I personally believe that rampant creativity can generate a lot of product interest and trial in the wine category. But maybe that’s just the grapes talking)
In any event, if you like sustainability and wine (and really, who doesn’t?) keep an eye on Parducci.
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