“Every wine has a story to tell…”
Hailed as “the best wine book you’ve never read,” The Mad Crush is making a splash return this fall with the release of a new expanded second edition featuring 30 pages of added storytelling and a new afterword by author Sean Weir.
I am excited to share that my cult winemaking memoir returns this fall with the expanded second edition of The Mad Crush, featuring 30 pages of added storytelling and a new afterword. The Mad Crush: An Obscure California Vineyard and the Quest to Make One Great Wine will publish on October 29, and will be available on Amazon and at select retail outlets on the Central Coast. Excerpts and more at TheMadCrush.com.
Extra Iconic…
When Booker released its latest EXT wines this fall, I was tasked with writing the announcement email. I came up with the banner ‘Extra Iconic’ as a showstopping phrase to draw the recipient into the story: “In the early days of Booker, Founder-Winemaker Eric Jensen reserved a few barrels for additional maturation, and the results were remarkable. Ever since, we have held back barrel selections of Ripper, Fracture, Oublié and other Booker icons for these ultra-limited "EXT" releases each fall.”
A Whole New Flavor
It was a privilege steer the media campaign announcing the opening of Hope on Park, an innovative new tasting space from Hope Family Wines in downtown Paso Robles. I wrote and distributed the announcement press release; coordinated media attendance at the launch party; and arranged private media visits. This campaign netted massive coverage in local media and wine media. “Hope Family Wines today announced the opening of Hope on Park—an experiential tasting room where nearly 50 years of heritage, hospitality and winemaking find a whole new flavor in downtown Paso Robles.”
“The Merchants of Happiness”
I am proud to have written the voiceover script for a new video from the City of Paso Robles titled “Celebrate Local,” highlighting some of the hardworking small business owners and employees who make up this vibrant community. The video is being screened as a movie trailer at Park Cinemas and is also airing through a variety of local organizational channels. Excerpt: "Paso Robles is a place where legendary work ethic meets relentless creativity. And at the heart of it all are those who help us get things done and live the good life."
“Turn Back the Clock”
I not only had the privilege of writing the press release and garnering media attention for Booker Vineyard’s regenerative organic certification, but also of developing content for the winery’s dynamic new FARMING web page, which illuminates the winery's all-encompassing regenerative organic practices: “Regenerative viticulture draws inspiration from nature,” says Farmer-Winemaker Eric Jensen. “It takes organic farming a step further to create a discernible improvement to the ecological and social function of the farm and community. This is something we’ve always strived for at Booker.”
“Where Wine Takes You”
I enjoyed working on the voiceover scripts for the first two videos released as part of Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance’s “Where Wine Takes You” storytelling campaign. For Hope Family Wines, the aim was to create a high-energy storyline that touched on the winery’s wines, legacy and visitor experience with motion and emotion. For Thacher Winery, I tapped into the winery’s uniquely personal, intentional and artisanal spirit. Two distinct videos created for a common cause: to express what makes the wines and people of Paso Robles so special and different.
“Taking Inspiration from Nature”
It was a privilege to write and share the press release for Booker Vineyard & Winery announcing that their estate has become Regenerative Organic Certified, meeting the highest standards in the world for soil health and farmworker fairness.
It was a privilege to write and distribute the press release for Booker Vineyard & Winery announcing that their estate has become Regenerative Organic Certified, meeting the highest standards in the world for soil health and farmworker fairness: “For every problem, there’s an organic or regenerative solution,” says Farmer-Winemaker Eric Jensen. “You have to work and think harder to find it, but that just makes you a better farmer, and a better steward of the land and the community.”
Wine Spectator Video Finalist
It was an honor to help Austin Hope write the voiceover script for “Paso Robles Proud,” a Hope Family Wines video that was named as one of just six finalists for the 17th annual Wine Spectator Video Awards . I wanted to capture the emotion, authenticity and story of Hope Family Wines and their love for Paso Robles, and to do so in a way that went against the grain of a typical winery video: “Experimentation is how we chase perfection…We are dreamers and we are winemakers. Most importantly, we are family. We are born, grown and made in Paso Robles. We are Hope Family Wines.”
Linne Calodo Featured on CNBC
A press release that Sean Weir produced for Linne Calodo helped land the winery on CNBC this week in a morning show segment on the rising costs of wine and winery experiences. Featured CNBC guest Ray Isle, executive editor at Food & Wine magazine, responded to the news that Linne Calodo has reset its tasting fees in order to promote access to its wines and experiences.
A press release that I wrote and distributed for Linne Calodo helped land the winery on CNBC this week in a morning show segment on the rising costs of wine and winery experiences. Featured CNBC guest Ray Isle, executive editor at Food & Wine magazine, responded to the news that Linne Calodo has reset its tasting fees in order to promote access to its wines and experiences. Isle also included Linne Calodo’s Nemesis red blend as one of three wines featured in the segment. In the words of Linne Calodo owner-winemaker Matt Trevisan, “As an industry, I believe that we are at a fork in the road with tasting fees. If we want to win over the younger generation, we have to make it easier for them to come through the door and fall in love with great wine.”
“Our Ballad to Grenache”
I am often amazed at how many wineries shepherd a wine through years of growing and aging, only to under-equip the finished product with anemic marketing support. I believe that each new vintage of a flagship wine should be considered a marketing event, with tech sheets and other collateral to match. On that note, I had the privilege of writing this tech sheet for the 2020 Sticks and Stones, a signature wine from the incomparable Linne Calodo Winery: “Sticks and Stones is our ballad to Grenache, and to our mindset as a blending house...It blurs the dividing line between a varietal wine and a showcase blend—essentially a Grenache done the Linne Calodo way.”
“Of Mavericks and Innovators”
I am proud to have written the voiceover script for this new showcase video from the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. It is a privilege to help tell the true story of my hometown wine region: "Because we are a community of youngbloods and old souls, of mavericks and innovators, and those fearless enough to imagine the future."
“Another Masterstroke…”
Booker Wines needs no introduction. Farmer-winemaker Eric Jensen is a force of nature who has created some of California’s most notable and enduring Rhône-style wines. I recently had the honor of composing story-driven tasting notes for Booker’s fall member collection, featuring the winery’s most coveted new releases. This included the EXT (extended aging) edition of Booker’s iconic Ripper Grenache: “This latest release is vivid out of the glass…Ripper returns with another masterstroke.”
“Inheritance. Legacy. Mastery.”
I had the privilege of writing content for PATRIMONY Estate’s new web site. But how could I define this visionary luxury winery in a single sentence—or less? That was the challenge I faced when working on the home page, and I ultimately alighted on three simple yet powerful words: “Inheritance. Legacy. Mastery.”
“American Winery of the Year”
It was an honor to help Austin Hope and Hope Family Wines share the good news of their incredible award as Wine Enthusiast’s 2022 American Winery of the Year. I wrote a press release that garnered extensive regional coverage, and I also wrote a script for a new Hope Family Wines video that will be released shortly. From the press release: “With Austin Hope at the winemaking helm since 1998, Hope Family Wines has continued to expand its family of brands while dedicating itself to ambassadorship of the Paso Robles region.”
“Driven by Nature”
This excerpt comes from a brand email campaign that succinctly shares the story and labels behind Tooth & Nail Wine Company. Before creating Tooth & Nail, Rob Murray was a full-time winegrower—an experience that informs his approach to this day: “Winegrower-Owner Rob Murray created Tooth & Nail Wine Company from the trenches of the vineyard, driven by nature to make wines that embrace the elements.”
“Blended to Perfection”
I wrote the press release and blog story for Firestone Walker’s next Anniversary Ale, called XXVI to mark the brewery’s 26th anniversary. What’s remarkable about this beer is the fact that, each year, Brewmaster Matt Brynildson calls upon his Paso Robles winemaker friends to help assemble this beer from a variety of component ales: “Firestone Walker today releases its XXVI Anniversary Ale, a masterwork blend of six barrel-aged beers created with the help of local winemakers.”
“The Intention of the Land”
The inaugural 2017 PATRIMONY Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon ($1,000 magnum) from DAOU is a wine of extraordinary provenance. I had the privilege of writing the feature piece that accompanied each bottle of this ultra-luxury wine. The task commanded elevated storytelling that was commensurate with the stature of the wine: “DAOU Mountain ascends to an elevation of 2,200 feet in the coastal forest west of Paso Robles. The surrounding wilderness imbues the mountain with indigenous energy, and the nearby presence of bears, bobcats, boars and other wildlife imparts a feeling of constancy and responsibility. One can only imagine the ancestral forces required to uplift and expose this mountain, and it is in such moments that the intention of the land is revealed.”
“The Stars Have Aligned”
I am honored to work with a diverse family of clients, spanning a range of distinctive brand voices from the elevated to the alternative. On that note, I always enjoy working on Tooth & Nail Wine Company’s forward-thinking campaigns, which often combine a serious winemaking identity with playful youth-driven energy. For this one, I was asked to bring the idea of “Wine Horoscopes” to life, creating a fresh point of engagement and direct sales with the winery’s followers: “Put your fate in our hands…We not only see wine in your future—we have the perfect pairings to fit your personality.”
A Very Good Week
It was a very good week of results on behalf of my media relations client Booker Wines and its affiliated labels, My Favorite Neighbor and Harvey & Harriet. Of course, Booker gives me remarkable wines and material to work with, and there are always dry spells in PR. That said, this week really stood out with a (1) Harvey & Harriet feature in USA Today's For the Win; a (2) My Favorite Neighbor feature in Maxim Magazine; a (3) My Favorite Neighbor feature review in Vinepair; and (4) an inclusion of Booker in a Paso Robles feature story in Veranda Magazine. Boom!
Print Is (Not) Dead
This printed brochure booklet, written for Ancient Peaks Winery and updated annually, has long proven to be a powerful trade and consumer marketing tool. In fact, you could say that it has become even more powerful over time. Why? Because it’s now an enticing anomaly: a tactile resource in an age of digital overload. An excerpt: “Margarita Vineyard spans a rare array of five soil types, blessing our wines with natural complexity and a striking sense of place.”