Sales Trip: Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome

I appreciate your honest discussion of your efforts to promote your wines. I was wondering what your feelings are about the 3-tier system that dominates the industry especially as distributors continue to consolidate. Is DCV in the toughest spot marketing wise as you are too big to sell locally but not big enough to win the distributor war against the behemoths?

On a positive ending...have a happy Easter.

Mark

Good question Mark. Unless a winery is extremely small, say 500-1500 cases, it's pretty hard to by-pass the 3 tier system. This is especially true if you want to have your wines available nationally, and perhaps internationally. For us, the 3 tier system is very important. We have distributors in every state, and in some cases, several. Without them, our wines would never make it to market. Thankfully, because we've been in business so long, we have many longtime relationships with distributors. But they are under extreme pressure from the bigger brands and generally have way to many brands and labels to sell. It's a tough situation on both ends, ours and theirs. That is why it's important to get into the market personally. Without this "facetime," it's very easy for a winery to get lost in the shuffle.

When I first became acquainted with DCV vinification the label was dignified but was before the epoch of the schooner which has become so recognizably DCV.

Occasionally there is Dry Creek lore on local websites. I wonder if DCV would consider a series of labels honoring the Dry Creek AVA tradition, like some of the early homesteads and viticulturists' techniques. It could be like the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing develops for series of commemoratives.

Although I loved sailing locally, not the ocean variety, as an experience akin to hiking in wilderness, my ocean travels and shorebird swim and beachSoccer memories are tinged, in modern times, with the changes in patterns of currents, and waves at some of my favorite remote places from college years, e.g., this image of what has occurred now for two years in winter along the coastline of Galicia, Asturias, and Viscaya; 16 meter waves evidently are part of the changing patterns which extend from the North Sea.

I suppose I should be daring and try a DCV.

Hi! Depressing klooper hoodwink over with in reinforce of my english jer, buti picky unsettled re reciprocate .

I have a nice joke for you) Did you hear about the farmer who was found guilty of selling rotten fruit? He was judged by his pears!