Ep. 2202 2024 Recap with Juliana Colangelo and Barbara Fitzgerald | Masterclass US Wine Market

I think these partnerships are just such a great strategy that people should be should be looking into, and they don't have to be wine partnerships. There's something wrong with wine partnerships, but, like, if you're talking about engaging new consumers or opening up new occasions for drinking wine, like, let's go outside. Welcome to Masterclass US wine market. In this show, we'll break down the complexities of selling wine in the US by discussing the relevant issues of today with experts from around the globe. Each episode serves up three key insights to help elevate your winery's presence in the US market. So grab a pen and paper and let's pave the way for your success in the US. Hello. Welcome to Masterclass US wine market. Today, I'm here with my co host, Barbara, to recap the twenty twenty four year. Welcome, everybody. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for having me here, Juliana, and thank you to everybody for listening. What a year it's been? Oh, yeah. Quite a year. Yeah. Well, our format today will be a little different since it's the two of us talking to each other. So we'll recap this past year with our guests and use our guest interviews to talk about kind of where we've been in this past wild and crazy year and where we're headed in twenty twenty five. Yeah. Exactly. And I think it's been quite a year. So we're excited to recap and It's been great having Barbara come on as well. And in this episode, here are three key takeaways. You're gonna be number one. What were some of the most impactful conversations in twenty twenty four for both of us? Number two, what have some of the greatest industry challenges, and we're facing a lot, but also the greatest industry challenges of twenty twenty four that we've tried to address with this podcast. And finally, what do we have in store for the first part of twenty twenty five and and what comes next? So, you know, I know. Yeah. Let's dive right in. So, Juliana, I'll ask you first since you're the o g host. But is there a particular conversation or conversations that really stuck with you this year? Yeah. There were so many great conversations, and thanks for that question. I I think that what really stood out to me was an interview I did back in in January, early February with Anna Chiola from Mianetto about the launch of Mianetto zero. And then later in the year around the summertime, an interview I did with master Shamay Babi Stucki, how about the intersection of wine and health and fitness. And, obviously, both of those episodes episodes are quite related. Also had a fantastic conversation with Beck Hopkins of a balanced glass, again, about that dynamic of wine and health. And for me, those conversations were really impactful and really important because of so many of the challenges and headwinds we're facing as a wine industry. As it's related to decline in consumption as it relates to people taking their health into account in different ways and for that reason pulling back on alcohol and the proliferation of alcohol alternatives. You know, we we look at a zero alcohol perseco like Munetto. But also outside of the wine space, you know, cannabis and and other other things that people are indulging in, RTDs and spirits, of course, So those conversations to me were packed well because they highlighted, of course, the challenges as an industry we face when it comes to these topics, but I think they were all really positive, and they also all offered tangible ideas and ways in which we, as an industry and as a wine industry, can navigate these headwinds, but also work with them. Like, for example, look at Bobby. He's a master shop. He compared studying for the master Psalm exam to training for a marathon. I love that, and he talked about how he's always incorporated running into his career as a song. And, you know, someone who's gotten into running recently myself, that really struck a chord for me. And then remember something really important that Henry said about, you know, non alcoholic wine is not here to take market share away from alcoholic wine. They are on the same table, and I wholeheartedly agree because you have a table of ten people, and maybe there's one person who's pregnant and cannot drink or cannot drink for another reason, and you've got your non alvemianeto, or you've got your alcoholic version right on the same table. So I really appreciate those conversations because they talked about things and headwinds that we're facing, but in a way that was pragmatic and also really spoke to some of the ways in which we as an industry can tackle these challenges head on. Definitely. I really appreciate I'd listened to those conversations, and I really appreciated, especially Bobby talking about how kind of healthy lifestyle and wine co exist. They're not independent of each other. You're not sacrificing one for the other and how you can very much kind of live a life of moderation and still have a great time with wine. Exactly precisely. And, Barbara, you join midway through the year, and it's been so great to have you on board as a co host. So thank you for joining me, and I love our East West Coast dynamic with New York and you out in California. But, you know, same question to you. What really in weeks and excited you about the guests that you've had on the shows since you joined? Well, first, I wanna back up really quickly and say thank you again, Juliana, and Stevie, for for giving me this opportunity because podcasts are really one of my favorite ways to learn. And as you know, I was an avid listener before joining you as a co host, so I'm still really pinching myself that I'm now part of a show that's been such a valuable tool for me. Oh, thanks for sharing that. But Yeah. You know, I think most of us in the industry are having conversations about all of these things, the headwinds, the successes to all the time. And so, you know, I'm just excited to have the ear of some amazing x experts to ask them the questions that I feel are really relevant for the moment. So I, you know, I'm kind of really lucky as a consultant that I work with more than one brand or even one portfolio, to really hear, like, anecdotally, but also to see through their data, like, where are wine brands really struggling the most right now? And so that's kind of what drove the conversations that I had and and the guests that I spoke with. But I guess specifically I can call out some, you know, I felt it was really important to talk about generational marketing, which I did with former Italian White podcast host and also leading marketing expert Poly Hammond. So there's so much stress around younger generations right now. And what they're doing with wine, which kind of, to me, begged the question, like, is someone's age enough of a segmentation to invite them into the category? So Poly was really insightful about giving us you know, some answers to that. Like, should we be so focused on their age, or is there another way that we should be trying to approach these younger consumers through other avenues, through other segmentation methods? Yeah. It's just it's just so happens that they're of this age, but their interest is gonna grab them more than, you know, the the candles on their birthday cake. Absolutely. And then I also felt it was really important to look at kind of the reality of what I'll I'll call new age distribution, you know, kind of where the really logistics of distribution sit right now, to get a firm understanding of what distributors are capable of, kind of in this day and age. And it's really different than what it was. Definitely, you know, ten, fifteen years ago, but even from two, three, four, five years ago, you know, as we see the consolidation of distribution brands, I thought it was really important to look how wine race can, like, kind of what they need to take into their own hands and and how they can do that. And so we talked I talked to Ben Salisbury about that, who offered some really great insights, you know, and how even from afar wineries can really be part of the wheel that spins the distribution machine. Absolutely. I was gonna ask you, like, were there any notable solutions, you know, in those conversations around how does a smaller, maybe more boutique Italian winery really tackle the the beast that is a three seventy seven, the US. I thought one of the best tips that Ben gave was, you know, definitely everything that you think about as as a winery needs to be your strategies, they need to be scalable, right, because that's how the world works now. And so we know an Italian winery can't be out here every month, but they need to be able to develop strategies that can be grown from from afar. So definitely digital marketing is one of these tools, but that doesn't just mean social media anymore. And so he called out, you know, you can almost treat your distribution teams as a marketing segment and develop content specifically for them. Like, get them on an industry mailing list where you're sending them little nuggets of digestible information frequently so that you're not having to be out here in front of them every week telling them about who you are and why your brand is unique they're just kind of getting that plugged straight to them. Right. I like that a lot. Yeah. Like, when we're in a way that integrates with their lifestyle too. Information that's cool. So maybe it's a recipe guide or maybe it's a newsletter with entertainment tips, for example, that could be one way to to get in front of them. And kind of importance of all of those pieces together, not just want you know, it's like they need variety of content just like everyone needs variety of content so we can start almost treating the distributors like a demographic. Like, how would we wanna talk to a specific demographic that we really want to be highly engaged with us? Yeah. That makes sense. A lot of sense. Absolutely. Yeah. So then I'll ask you another question. So what, what would you say were some of the ways that the industry navigated the global challenges and changes in the past year and what kind of innovative strategies have emerged as a result? Yeah. Great question. You know, I think I I spoke earlier about the challenges of current health claims and alcohol and and lower consumption. So I think, you know, one great campaign and initiative that we saw come out this year was come over in October. And, you know, that was led by Karen McNeil and Kimberly Charles and someone I know well, Gina, Paulo, but the three of them meeting came together with the resources of agents to years of many decades of years of experience from agency but also as, Karen with with her prominence in the industry to try to inspire and engage, not just consumers, but, wineries, I think, directly, to really put messaging out there around how wine inspires conviviality and how wine inspires connection. And I think, you know, in an age where so many people work remotely and we've we've gotten more disconnected. I think that was a really impactful message and a really relevant message as well. And I think it was reported too to have, let's say, a non branded campaign, something that a lot of different brands came together around to support and rally. So the response that we saw from the industry to that campaign, I think, was really proof of the fact that how necessary campaign like that was and how important something like that was for for the industry at large. We'll say at wine to wine this year in verona, there was, you know, actually a lot of talk. Like, Gina and and Robert Joseph did a whole seminar about kind of their viewpoints, then they took very different ones to come over October. But even if you didn't, you know, Robert Joseph was on the was on the kind of devil's advocate side, and even if that was the side that you sit on, you I think we can all admit, at least got the conversation going. And being part of the conversation is an important way for us to figure out, okay, if you didn't think come over October was the way to do it, then what are you gonna do about it? Like, how are you going to invite more people into the category? How are you going to remind people of of the conviviality of this of this beverage. Now, Pat, how are you attracting a new generation, right, what are you doing then to bring new new drinkers into the fold for a product that does let's face it and have an older consumer largely. So you know, agree with that response of, like, let's be solutions minded and oriented towards the future as well. So, yeah. I mean, I think that to me was an innovative strategy that I've seen. I mean, as a result of these these challenges, I also think, you know, you you see some some great non alps popping out in this space. I think also seeing some fun co branding campaigns where wine brands partnered with maybe not, you know, your typical expected type of partnership, but something like seeing Kendall Jackson and Jackson Family Wine's partner with the NBA, you know, hitting wine out there into more mainstream lifestyle speeches. I think it's really, like, cool to see and then getting another great way to look at how we can win, in front of new consumers. So I also love seeing, like, new campaigns like that, come about. Yeah. Definitely. I have that in my notes too to talk about partnerships because it is I'd love to see all of the ways that people are trying to inspire, you know, new consumers or find new occasions for drinking wine. And definitely, Kendall Jackson with the NBA or FEDadi with f one, But, actually, when I interviewed Michael Traverso from William Wilson Daniels, he told me about a campaign that they did with John Luca Bistol, who makes a beautiful prosecco and prosecco Supriore from Kaptizo. And they partnered with Alfa Romeo to have him drive a little forced car across the US on a on a press tour. And I was like, what a fun way to get more people intrigued, interested? Like, you know, they don't they weren't invited to a party because of Presecco was kind of like this whole experience the sports car tour. So, yeah, I I think these partnerships are just such a great strategy that people should be should be looking into, and they don't have to be wine partnerships. There's nothing wrong with wine partnerships, but, like, if you're talking about engaging new consumers or opening up new occasions for drinking wine, like, let's go outside. Absolutely. Yeah. I totally agree. I think those partnerships are are so creative. They're fun and, you know, capturing the expected interest of new numbers. So, absolutely. Yeah. Let's look and embark on any next, you know, ahead. Like, what's what's going to happen and what's on the on the horizon. And, you know, if you look to towards the coming year, what are some predictions, expectations, based on the interviews that you had that you might have for the wide industry? Well, I already talked a little bit about thinking about those scalable strategies. So, like, whatever we have to do has to be able to have the potential to grow without needing so many, you know, hands on it so much manpower because the world is getting bigger and bigger, and you we are still the same size humans. So ways. Yeah. So ways to be able to kind of spread the message, your very targeted message, though. Just, you know, it's not enough to just, like, open a social media account as we know. It's like, you have to create an experience for when somebody lands on your social media page much the same way you create an experience for when they arrive in your tasting room if you have one or your retail shop. So I think that, you know, leaning into the digital side and really putting some good thought and intention behind it. And then also I'll say, you know, we know this this is a face to face industry and how many of our experts respond in the rapid fire quiz, you know, that their best tip for mastering the US wide market is to be present in the market. But I I think there needs to be strategy around that too because, you know, what ends up happening is, you know, we we have this, like, trade show cycle in the US, you know, maybe that starts in, like, early February and goes into, like, April or so with all of the great events, like, you know, sucklings tastings and slow wine and all of those things. But is that the best time for like a small brand to come out here, when there's a lot of demand for attention from from consumers, from distributors, from wholesalers, So, you know, I think maybe identifying yes. You gotta be out here in the market, but be strategic about when you're here so that you can be more of more of the main attraction and make the most out of your your dollars or your euros and your miles. Well, yeah, that's a really practical, great piece of advice for ever. I totally agree. And especially when you're the smaller producer, it's definitely gonna be hard to get that mind share when everyone else is into your company's work. Yeah. How about you? What are what are some insights that you have as we I can't believe it's twenty, twenty five in two weeks, but what are some of your insights for two weeks from now? God. You will when you put it that way, more, like, how to and getting really nitty gritty, like, how do you build your out to market strategy? And how do you manage a distributor at a small boutique winery? How do you, to your point, make the most of a market visit? But really, practical advice. I really want, you know, I think it's, we we spend a lot of time talking in this industry, and and it's great to connect in that way. But I really wanna get people practical advice. I mean, I I know that I think we're both doing that through these conversations, but get even a little more specific sometimes and and really drill down, to to that really, really practical useful information that can help people feel more confident and give them some inspiration and how they're approaching the market. Just give them some ways and ideas and approaches for for how to tackle the headwinds that we face, but also, you know, feel like they're they're making an impact in their role and in their in their job. At the end of the day, you know, we're still so lucky. To be in in such a great industry that we are in line, of course, specifically. But, you know, I think it's important to try to give some advice to how to how to think new and and how to bring some energy to to the to the industry as well. Definitely. So speaking with our structure of our rapid fire quiz, we will end, today with our rapid fire quiz, and we'll each ask each other three questions to help our listeners better understand the US market. So Barbara, you can ask me first. How about that? Sure. So, alright. What is an Italian wine trend or category you want to see continue to grow in twenty twenty five? Good one. Well, I don't think anyone's gonna be shocked to hear this if you follow me on social media, but Lambers go. I, you know, bias slightly, but I I think Lambersgo is poised to really capture the energy we've seen behind Perseco. It's sparkling. Awesome. And it's red sparkling, and it's fun, and sometimes it's sweet, and sometimes it's funky. So there's a whole range for a lot of different people out there. And I love Lambrisco with food. So, yeah, you know, I know I'm seeing a lot more Lambrisco here in cocktails. In New York City menus and on bottle lists and by the glass. So I'm just hoping to see that grow, across the country as well. Yeah. I love a good Lambrisco. I think, you know, you said, like, sometimes it can be funky, but I, like, When you think about what you're eating in Emilia Romagna, and even if you've never been there, like, all these things are from Amelia. I'm like, I can almost, like, taste that in the wines. Like, I know now why why it's like this. It's so perfect for I did an event in Philly in, early November, and our chef actually took one of the Lambers, goes I work with, and he put it into the beef fry again. So there you go. Yeah. There you go. That sounds outstanding. Okay. So I'll answer the same question. For me, well, you know, I'm very partial to the south of Italy, and I love seeing the moment that Sicily is having in terms of their wines. I mean, they really the wines across the board, of course, Aetna, what a special premium region that is, but everywhere in Sicily, the forepattos, the, you know, ceteris swallows, like, everything is just so kind of what I want right now, like mineral driven whites, light reds, lots of flavor without being intense. And, like, I just I want to see more of Sicily everywhere. Okay. So then what in terms of the podcast is your focus for twenty twenty five or maybe just one focus? For the podcast for me in twenty twenty five, it's gonna be iTunes. It's gonna be guides, you know, how to tackle different parts of the market. I really wanna get more deep into topics and more specific. So, really, I'd say it's very it's structory if we can make up a word. And, yeah, just just just dive in like that. How about you, Barbara, what is your focus gonna be for the podcast in twenty twenty five? I love that. I think for the first, you know, for what I'm scheduling right now, we definitely have a really big focus on kind of the state of wholesale. We know that wholesale right now is really, looking a little bleak right now in the US, but also, you know, wine's wine's not gonna stop being sold tomorrow. So there's gonna be ways to navigate that. And I wanna talk to the people that can best help us answer those questions, like how can we navigate this challenging place and not lose, you know, not lose our footing because it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the challenges. But we can do this. Yep. And has. Yeah. I agree. We can. It's, like, we're still lucky. We're incredibly lucky to be in this space, and and I think the more we can have these conversations that work together, you know, the more the better off we'll be. Absolutely. Okay. And just for fun, what is your favorite Italian wine to drink at the holidays? Oh, I love all those as we know. I'm not gonna give the same answers question number one. So instead, I will say press record that. I think There are so beautiful expressions of French support that's under rated and under developed category here in the US in terms of what's available. But when you can find a beautiful bottle of, you know, whether it's Verluki French reports or one of the classics or some of the more boutique producers. They're just, I think, excellent, except wine's great value. So, for me, it's it's always bubbles. So Yeah. Okay. Well, not to sound, not to sound incredibly boring. I'm also if it sparkles, it's for me, But I'm going a little a little farther northeast, and I'm gonna say and same thing for me. Like, I'm all about kind of altitude minerality, and, like, those wines just have every elegant, but approachable point that I love. And I'll give a really quick story for an anniversary recently. My husband and I got a bottle of the Julia Ferrati, the really nice one that Ferrati makes. It was in a restaurant. In Pulia, it was about two hundred euros, but the price to value for that, it was like, I've had, you know, some other very, very high end champagnes, and I was like, this is this is everything that I want, and it's a fraction of the price. So it's like the price to value, you just cannot beat it. And also the entry level fit audio, you can get it here in the US for, like, twenty five bucks. And, oh, my god. I'm gonna use a very technical term that my wine director friend likes to say it slaps. I love that. That's pretty loud. Yeah. No. Those wines are fantastic. That and you definitely, when I said, it's from Chacorto, it's like, I gotta switch it off. So I'm like, both covered. Yes. Fantastic, Barbara. Thank you so much again for joining me as a podcast cohost and really to continue conversations into next year. Yeah. It's me too. Thank you so much for having me today and period. It's like, I'm so honored to share this this stage with you. And like you said, we're so we're so lucky to be here doing this. Like, wine people and especially Italian wine people make me feel so warm inside. So I just feel so lucky to be helping them and working with them. Me too. And thank you again, Barbara. It's such an honor to have you. A co host, thank you for bringing such a great energy thusiasm organization to this show. I I love it. And that's a wrap for this episode of Masterclass US wine market. Thank you so much for joining us. If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay up to date with the latest industry trends, remember to like, follow and share our podcast. And if you find value in our conversations, please leave us a review to help others discover the show and grow our community. Stay tuned for new episodes every Monday. Until then