Notes From The Winemaker

Marketing And Authenticity

In the shower this morning I was thinking about the marketing blitzkrieg and hype around a new music act -- Matisyahu. Everywhere I turn this week, this guy is there -- late-night talk shows, magazine after magazine. The hype is working hard to counter the unavoidable perception that a Hasidic Jew dressed to the stereotype and doing reggae is anything more than a novelty act. At least the music is pretty good, with a bit of a trip-hop element.

Why was I thinking about this? Because marketing is part of making a winery work. And because I read a short interview with Matisyahu where he was trying to articulate the appeal of his music. In the interview Matisyahu talked about the elements of his songs which are derived from his cultural background: elements of "faith, hope and transcendence".

Aren't we all seeking faith, hope and transcendence? I know it sounds a bit precious, but I am looking for these same things from my winemaking. I have faith that every year nature will be beneficent and give me good grapes to work with. I have faith that the laws of the universe have not changed and that the winemaking process will work again as before. I have faith that God has given me a talent for a reason, and that my work expresses spirituality.

I have hope that the wines will turn out well, hope that they will find a receptive audience, hope that the business will continue to be successful and grow, and ultimately hope that I will have something real to pass on to my children, if they wish it.

And transcendence - there is plenty of that in winemaking: the birth-death-rebirth symbolism of the yearly cycle of the vine, the symbolism of the grape transcending its death to become something more, the real transcendent feeling that the act of winemaking takes me out of myself and projects my aspirations into the future.

What was lacking in the interview with Matisyahu was any mention of authenticity. I believe most self-aware humans also crave authenticity, as much as they do faith, hope and transcendence.

I pride myself that my wines are as real as they come: pure, unadulterated, true-to-type, created without any trickery and with a commitment to sustainability, environmental awareness, social justice, and respect for the intelligence of the consumer. I hope that every visitor to our Tasting Salon takes away an authentic experience. As much mystique and fantasy as there is surrounding wine, this is real world real work and I hope I communicate that.

I am sure that somewhere down inside, every musician, artist and even winemaker must feel he or she is "the real deal". But you can't effectively market the real deal. I postulate that "marketing authenticity" is an oxymoron, because hype is the diametric opposite of authenticity. So I ask myself, how can a small winery survive without hype in today's market-driven culture? How can I convey a sense of authenticity to the consumer? It is a conundrum.

And hey, why keep a blog at all if I can't indulge in a little self-absorbed hand waving every now and then?

posted 3/09/2006 06:28:00 AM