“Laying Down the Magical Beat”
Sometimes you gotta have a little fun! I was asked to pen Firestone Walker’s entry into a new “Taste Buds” craft beer collection created by Topps’ iconic Garbage Pail Kids trading card series. Once I learned that the card would depict Brewmaster Matt Brynildson as a drum-playing wizard (a nod to his nickname as well as his passion for all things music), I was off to the races: “Brewmaster Matt ‘Merlin’ Brynildson has been laying down the magical beat at Firestone Walker Brewing Company for more than 20 years. With Merlin at the helm, this coastal California brewery’s greatest hits include Double Barrel Ale, Pivo Pils, Mind Haze IPA and Hopnosis IPA.”
“What a Modern Wine Can Be”
Sometimes you have to zig while others zag, especially when working with farmer-winemaker Eric Jensen and his iconic Booker Vineyard. Which is why, for Booker’s sibling My Favorite Neighbor brand, I like to explore the “beyond wine” media spaces for a broader and more compelling reach, as exemplified by this feature story in leading lifestyle site Cool Material: “But, most of all, My Favorite Neighbor bucks the trend of what a modern wine can be. Affordable, traditional, thoughtful, and fun.”
“Say Goodbye to Boring Whites”
I enjoyed working with Tooth & Nail in positioning their new line of “Squad” wines. This included writing brand statements, product PDPs, tech sheets, sales decks and more. Here is an excerpt from an email campaign showcasing Tooth & Nail’s white wines, including the Squad Sauvignon Blanc. In keeping with Tooth & Nail’s unique mojo, I had some fun calling out “boring whites” and I tied the copy into the striking character on the label: “A uniquely styled and transformative Sauvignon Blanc.”
“The Crown Jewel”
It is a privilege to work with DAOU Family Estates and to help give voice to their incredible wines, including the incomparable Soul of a Lion. For DAOU, I have developed content for marketing campaigns, video scripts, newsletters, trade communications, feature stories and more. “Soul of a Lion is the crown jewel of DAOU, and an emblem of our quest to produce unsurpassed Cabernet Sauvignon from the terroir of DAOU Mountain.”
“Thousands of Oyster Fossils”
I have proudly worked with Ancient Peaks Winery for more than a decade, performing brand strategy, media relations, content creation, trade communications and much more. Along the way, I have helped them lean into the uniqueness of their estate Margarita Vineyard, including the rare array of five soil types that underscores their remarkable wines. “Our estate Margarita Vineyard stands alone as the southernmost vineyard in the Paso Robles region, and as the only vineyard in the Santa Margarita Ranch AVA.”
“A Fearless New Look”
I love working with Rob Murray’s Tooth & Nail Wine Company because they like to push the envelope and challenge the status quo. When they launched their new label design, I wrote several consumer (e-newsletters, wine club newsletter) and trade (sales deck, tech sheets) pieces to help drive the moment. “Your favorite wines are back with a fearless new look—introducing the next chapter of Tooth & Nail.”
“Restored with a Pick and Shovel”
I worked two harvests at Saucelito Canyon back in the day, and I’ve stayed in touch with them ever since. It has been a privilege to help the Greenough family tell the story of their historic Zinfandel vineyard (in fact, I even wrote a book about the place): “Planted in 1880, abandoned after Prohibition, and painstakingly restored by one man with a pick and shovel in 1974—this is a vineyard whose wines bear the imprint of a remarkable history.”
“Brewing for Tomorrow”
Firestone Walker is “Brewing for Tomorrow.” I wrote the copy for this ongoing campaign, showcasing Firestone Walker’s best-in-class approach to sustainable brewing and resource conservation. I have had the privilege of working with Firestone Walker for 20 years and developing content for their press releases, web site, product PDPs, sales materials, e-newsletters and much more over that span. “We believe that our pursuit of the perfect beer must be underscored by a passion for minimizing our environmental impacts.”