Wine, what are saving it for?

[Thomas]

Nancy,

Who needs a marketing firm? The Wine Council; that is why they hired one.

I am not advocating that price is the only issue. I am saying that by not taking price into consideration, the ad campaign bypasses a major need. But then, they specifically want to bypass the need, according to what John Gillespie told me. The campaign is directed toward those who already drink wine at least once a week. Their aim is to increase the frequency -- end of story. They discount ever being able to woo the non wine drinkers, which means they abandon them.

Just yesterday I got a Wine Institute press release that talks of premium domestic wine sales on the rise, generic sales on the wane. Fine for now, but are they thinking about who will buy wine after us boomers and yuppies die? If they aren't bringing new wine drinkers in, then they won't have any left when we cash out.

Nancy, under $8 a bottle brings a fair amount of interest -- $6 even more interest; that is the generic market, which is failing and apparently being abandoned. Funny thing is that while California generics are failing, European varietals (Pay D'oc, et al) in the $6 to $7 range are doing well. See a pattern, anyone?