How Social Media and Social Networking Has Helped Wine Exports in Valencia, Spain

Late August 2008, La Casa de las Vides introduced its blog under the name Casavides.com. The idea of the blog was to create a marketing tool for the export department.  And by default, as a blog is a marketing tool, we also agreed to add all the necessary Web 2.0 tools as well, such as Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, Dopplr, OWC, Linked in, Youtube, Delicious etc.

So, how did we use the various Web 2.0 tools to export our wines? And have we, as a winery, seen any results in the past 3 months? I am writing this post to evaluate my own choice in involving an entire winery in a Web 2.0 strategy that is starting to become a part of our daily life. I am almost 40 now, and I am stuck in between the enthusiasm for Web 2.0 and the lack of knowledge about it to be 100% sure how Web 2.0 works best for me. Convinced as I am to follow the guidelines as lined out in Catavino’s pdf Social media for wineries, I have committed myself to welcome just about everything that comes along my Web 2.0 path. In three months, the strategy has had its ups and downs, like who is writing what post and when and above all why? Well, we do know why, in theory I mean, but our lack of discipline and not having our priorities straight is probably keeping us from doing the things we have to do. This post is about what happened over the last three months at La Casa de las Vides and how Web 2.0 has helped us to export our wines?

In short, we are not exporting yet! Zero, niente, nada, nichts, rien du tout. BUT we do have some very interesting leads, and many of them came through the web 2.0 tools I use!

Do you want to know how? read on…

Introduction at EWBC 2008

The unique event that helped get started was without any doubt the European Wine Bloggers Conference. In one weekend, I received enough contacts to get started on Facebook, OWC and Twitter at the same time. Without all of these invaluable contacts I made there, I probably wouldn’t have had the feedback and comments I needed to get me focused on all these tools.

TWITTER

Twitter was probably the tool I was most obsessed with. In the first weeks, I was watching every single message from everyone I was following. After a while, I understood that life goes on, even if I don’t follow Twitter on a minute by minute basis. However, my astonishment regarding the amount of information coming at me at once, and the dynamics behind it to have a conversation in 5 continents at the same time, was something inconceivable for this export director till now. Now after more than 400 tweets, I use twitter in a more moderate way. I do follow some of the interesting links some leave in their tweets. One of the better posts I read lately came from Wine Brands. Twitter now has become a source of information, a place to hang out, and a great way to get response, like when I introduced a new label for our new casavides 2008 wines. Or the twitter wine box of Slijterijmeisje in Holland who interviewed me at a wine fair Megavino in Brussels, and who will now put some samples of our wines in her Twitterwinebox. Twitterwineblox is an idea that Petra de Boevere put into practice when she discovered that she could get more clients through twitter offering them a six wines in a box that can only be ordered through twitter on her account (slijterijmeisje).

Meisje van de Slijterij meets Emilio Saez van Eerd from Slijterijmeisje on Vimeo.

SOCIAL NETWORKS

During the  month of September, I spent many free hours on checking out all the profiles on OWC, Linked in, Facebook, of interesting people, directly or indirectly engaged in the wine industry. I am still amazed how easy it is to contact people through these social networks. Off course, as an export director, my job is to sell wine.

I used to go wine fairs to try to meet up with importers. Mailings, cold calls, whatever was necessary to get attention, I did it. In general if you are doing a good job, the average response on those mailings would be  around 5% - 10%.  My experience after many wine fairs is that a good wine fair gives you more or less 25 leads, of which 10 are really interested, and if you are lucky, one or two want to start working with you. For that you have to wait until the fair, be lucky and have patience.

Now, with social networks the amount of interesting contacts I got through the above mentioned Web 2.0 tools are much more interesting than the few contacts you can get from a wine fair.  First of all, if you connect with somebody through a network, you already share two of the same interests; the social network itself AND wine. Whereas on a wine fair you only have wine in common. The fact that you both belong to a new and exciting network, makes the cnnection even stronger, because from both sides you want the networks to give you results (why else do you spend time on the social networks?)

The second advantage is that through a social network the communication is relaxed, without the pressure of the wine fair, where most of the visitors already have to work down a list of producers they want to meet, before they want to spend time on you.

The third benefit is that you can be “direct”. You get direct questions and answers if you are both online. In this sense social networks are not less personal, especially if you imagine that you can send al the relevant information about the winery and wines as you speak to each other, share a video of the winery, send technical details, show tasting results on tasting note sites. No way that you can do this on a wine fair. But also for my own information as an export director, I want to know who I am really talking to, and that I don’t waste my time talking to somebody who pretends to be bigger. Internet gives you normally enough information to get a good first impression. No information, or a crappy website, is a serious warning for me. I do spent quite some time on checking out an importer’s website or blog, if he has one (although, until now I haven’t seen many importers with a blog. Does anybody know why importers don’t have blogs?)

In my free time I often follow links and comments through OWC, facebook and linked in, and I found some valuable information read between the lines in the comments of for example linkedin answers and questions section. If an importer is looking for a wine, or an exporter offers his wines, have a look at the comments!

I trust that there are  much more advantages I did not descirbe here! Feel free to add them in the comments.

DOPPLR

The tool that convinced me less, until now is Dopplr, not because of the philosophy of the site, but more because of I don’t find other dopplr users as easily as I find people on twitter, facebook or OWC. For me, Web 2.0 starts when I travel. On Dopplr, though, I can’t find how to use the site on a more frequent basis. I have tried out a few things (read the post about dopplr here), but am still researching Dopplr’s best use. Where Dopplr has helped me to change my perspective is the way in which I view travel.  I now travel around the world with an easy to reach new goal: I force myself to open at least one bottle of my own wine during a trip to anywhere, and share that bottle with bloggers, any blogger, that I can meet through any Web 2.0 tool.

Reflection on Dopplr: probably I need to give it more time, and be more active myself. Check out my next trip to China and Singapore

Web 2.0 EXAMPLES

This led to the best example of how Web 2.0 tools has aided me as a wine exporter: the Casa Vides tasting in Boston. I try to imagine how it must have been in the pre Web 2.0 era to organize this type of event. It probally would have taken years. We (I did not do this all by myself) organized a tasting in Boston only 2 weeks before I went to the US. How did we do this? Simple!

I was looking for Boston bloggers on Twitter, and within seconds, I got a response. Check out “how” through this Boston tasting post I wrote in October.  In the end, two great posts were written about the Casa Vides Boston Bloggers Tasting. One by the hand of Passionatefoodie and the second by Bloviatrix

Casavides got a lot of attention on twitter through many posts, we did a Twitter Tasting Live thanks to Binends. It went all so fast, and being a Web 2.0 dummy, I couldn’t understand the impact at the moment itself.

Bloggers tasting: THE RESULTS

For me, the blogger’s tasting was a success by itself, because it received some great feedback from people stemming from different backgrounds. Food, media, marketing, wine, sales, retail, etc. Put this mix together and you receive more information than you can process.

My surprise was even bigger when I got an e-mail from a major Boston wine importer, who contacted me two weeks afterward. He was seriously interested in our wines after hearing about the tasting notes from one of the participants.

Other examples include a trip we did to Ireland with Bubbelbrothers, a.ka. the blogging wine importer. I met Julian through an interesting conversation last year about undisclosing the process of exporting wines through internet, when I did some blogging for Tintoralba, another Spanish wine producer with a blog.  Actually this conversation even got the attention of some wine marketers in Spain. Julian was so kind to invite some Cork based bloggers and clients for a tasting and the effect of this gathering was absolutely felt at the winery.

It’s been one month after the tasting in Boston, and three months after the introduction of the blog. I assume that you would like to see some concrete results. So does my boss! We can’t live from the great feedback we get, do we? More important questions have to be answered soon like, how many bottles were sold this month? When is the importer going to order at all? etc etc.

It’s kind of contradictory that the most non Web 2.0 activity, the wine fair itself, in a way is the driving force behind my trips, which allow me to do some Web 2.0 activities along the way, like blogger’s tastings. Costs for these extra Web 2.0 activities are almost zero, taking into account that the two major costs items, the trip to the country and sending samples are counted as costs for the wine fair. And although Web 2.0 something I almost do in my own time, let’s after or before working hours. So yes you must like to give up hanging out with friends and family, or do as we did and unplug the tv. But hey, if that means that your (net)working time is becoming more effective and fun, then it makes a lot of sense.

So, my conclusion as a export director for now is that Web 2.0 has not yet taken over my non Web 2.0 activities, but it sure helps me do my job better, quicker, directer, and above all, with more fun.  And as I feel we have so much more to tell and to share, the whole Casa Vides team is getting more and more involved in what they are doing on a daily basis. Videos and photos, stories and comments has makes us realise how lucky we are that we can work with wine, every day!

Comments are more than welcome.

Keep you posted about our interesting discoveries about using Web 2.0 for wine exports!

Hasta luego

Emilio

IX Gastronomy Fair of Vall d’Albaida

During the 7th, 8th and 9th of November, the IX Annual Gastronomy Fair of Vall d’Albaida was celebrated in the city of Ontinyent.

The fair was exhibiting artesanal products and produce from the Vall D’Albaida region located in Valencia on the eastern coast of Spain. More specifically, there were regional sausages, cheeses, olive oils, sweets, and of course, wine.

Fortunately, we had an opportunity to showcase our wines to the local people within the surrounding region.

Surprisingly, the majority of the comments over the course of three days were very positive, referring to the high quality of the wines of the area. And considering that many people perceive the valley as being industrial, I think they were taken aback as to the richness of the land in Vall d’Albaida.

In the three years we have been attending this fair, we have seen people become more familiar with our wines, coming to the fair specifically with the intention of trying new vintages - which is very satisfying.

Additionally the fair has grown, doubling in attendance from the previous year, in part due to the new location. And to be honest, it’s been incredibly rewarding to hear people chat among themselves as to how the wines of the region continually grow in quality.

We have also noticed a trend toward rosé wine, which previously didn’t exist here. Many believe that a rosé  wine is very pleasant to enjoy, as long as it is not excessively fruity, and instead showing fresh and natural flavors on the palate.

The only drawback I see is that the fair lacks the attendance of restaurateurs in the area, and I would like to encourage the organizer, the Commonwealth of Valencia, to invite them personally to understand exactly how our products are made.

So that’s it! We enjoyed a sunny weekend and great wines in the company of many wonderful friends.

Saludos,

Reme

New Spanish Bodegas at Megavino in Brussels

This week, from the 17th to the 20th of October, Brussels will be the center of Spanish Wines in Europe. Megavino an expansive wine fair will be hosting hundreds of Spanish wineries, including Casa Vides. Actually, my idea was to create a small video for the wine importers in Belgium saying something like:

“Hi, I am Emilio Saez van Eerd, export director for the La Casa de las Vides winery in the DO Valencia. All Belgium wine importers, and other visitors of the fair, are welcome to visit me at stand number 3508-11, etc etc.”

I could then add who we are, what wines we make, and that Ana Martin Onzain is the winemaker, but who has the time to read it. I know that I DON’T have time, so why should a wine importer in Belgium have time? Shooting a video is nice if you have a beak in your day to set it up the camera and bottles, while finding a nice angle, good light etc etc.  Unfortunately, in 3,5 hours, I have to be packed and leaving the winery for my trip.

Wait a minute. I can use 12secondsTV!

See if I can set up something, hang on…

12 seconds later: Ok done!

I promise I will dedicate some more time to it next time, but in the meantime, enjoy the 12 seconds video.

Saludos,

Emilio Saez van Eerd

Coming Up: Miami & Boston Blogger Wine Tastings

In a previous post, I mentioned the possibility of hosting some blogger wine tastings on my trips abroad. Here is the follow up:

Next week, I will fly to Miami. The Miami WIne Fair has collaborated with IBERWINE, which has attracted quite a few Spanish wineries that will be present in Miami from 25 to 27 October. It will be Casa Vides first trip to the US with our wines. Our aim is clear: to find serious wine importers who want to import our wines. OK, so the wine fair is nice to meet importers, but why should you care? What’s important for you to know as a blogger is what I am doing when I am NOT at the wine fair.

I think it would be great to do some bloggers tastings like the one I did three weeks ago on my trip to Cork (Ireland) or in Valencia at Enopata.

Wouldn’t it be fun to have at least one in Miami on the 25 or 27 October?

IMPORTANT: If you are a blogger and like to taste some Spanish wines from Valencia in Miami, please contact me, I am still open to any suggestion for the Miami Tasting.

The second blogger wine tasting will be held in Boston, although preparations are still in progress. Why Boston?

Thanks to Twitter some bloggers (note: not only wine bloggers) have showed interest to meet up in an informal way to taste our wines and have fun talking about wine and drinking it. The place and the hour will soon be announced, and I’ll be sure to bring along at least a Valencian rosé and a red wine to taste.

If you read this and you are interested in meeting with me, please do contact me with a comment below.

My only concern is that the laws in the US will make it too difficult for me to ship the wines to Boston. I can use some help from somebody in Boston to guide me how to get my wines there, because it is incredible how many rules each US  state invents to make things more difficult for wine exporters to get their wine samples into the US. Maybe I will have to share my experience with you after my US trip, and dedicate a post to “how you get your wines to the US”.

Follow casavides on twitter and stay tuned. Maybe the next bloggers tasting will be held in your town.

Saludos

Emilio Saez van Eerd

Mechanical Harvesting at La Casa de las Vides

Despite the general view that everything in the wine industry should be romantic, instead of industrial, many wineries prefer to sell the consumer an idealistic and traditional image of the wine sector - or at least that’s my experience here in Spain. Grapes are hand-picked and should not be harvested by a machine. Mechanical harvesting is like a taboo, although this is not true for the producer. If he can, he will prefer to do the harvest mechanically. Nevertheless, the consumer thinks that only big industrial wineries use mechanical harvesting for industrial (cheap) wines.

We are not the only small winery in Spain that uses a machine to harvest the grapes, nor are we the first one to use a machine. However, we might be one of the first wineries to talk about it in public through our blog.

Mechanical harvesting has some advantages for a small company like La casa de las vides. I spoke with Ana Martin Onzain, one of the top wine makers in Spain who also helps in the production of La Casa de las Vides wines, regarding her impressions regarding mechanical harvesting.  For more photos click on slideshow of the casavides harvest 2008

1. What are the advantages in the use of mechanical harvesting in our winery?

First of all, the harvest machine is one of the best inventions in the wine industry as of recent; and the machine we used for the 2008 harvest is one of the latest models. It is important to know the conditions of each winery, and the type of wines the winery wants to make, in order to prepare the vineyards properly.

2. What is the main reason to use mechanical harvesting?

High temperatures and the lack of skilled workers! In general, the harvest takes place in August and September. The temperatures are high, sometimes up to 35 or 40 degrees Celsius in Valencia! Hence where do you get people who want to work under these conditions? And even if you have people, you must be sure they really understand how to cut the bunches. Mechanical harvesting is a solution to both problems at the same time.

3. And what are the conditions?

Another important reason to use a mechanical harvesting is the proximity of the vineyards to the winery. The grapes can head into the winery about 10 to 15 minutes from the vineyards. However, if the grapes come from further away, the risk of oxidation, especially for the white grapes, would be too high.

It is important to know that the winery does not make high-end wines - meaning wines that are valued at 50 euros or more. Additionally, the winery doesn’t have bush vines. This is a problem for many traditional regions in Spain, as many wine growers still have bush vines, and consequently, a harvest machine cannot help them.

And as La Casa de las Vides has planted many different grape varieties, flexibility is important. You want to harvest the grape at just the right moment. A big advantage for the winery is the flexibility to decide when to harvest. You don’t have to depend on a group of people to help you, as long as the vineyards are well prepared, one to two people can do the harvest.

4. What do you mean when you say, “preparing the vineyards”?

You can only use mechanical harvesting if you really prepare the vineyards in such a way that only the best bunches of grapes with no signs of rot are left on the vine. Also, all the leaves must be taken away in order to be sure that the machine will only “suck up” the grapes through a machine similar to a vacuum cleaner.

The conditions at La Casa de las Vides makes it easy to use the harvest machine. Within a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes, all the grapes are transported to the winery. And if we take in consideration the harsh weather conditions, the harvest machine must start early in the morning.

5. How does the machine actually work?

This machine in particular is one of the latest models. Nowadays, harvest machines are much more sophisticated than ten years ago. It doesn’t only “cut” the bunches through vibration, it also de-stems the grapes. About 4000 kilograms are brought to the winery in ten minutes, ready to go directly into the fermentation tanks. The grapes arrive at the winery in perfect condition, without their leaves. There is no need at all to do a second selection of the grapes.

Note: The grapes, especially the white grapes, don’t risk oxidation, because we use carbonic snow (Solidified carbon dioxide) to cool down the grapes. This process is expensive, but really necessary especially here in Valencia with the high temperatures.

Note: Casavides.com likes to thank Ana Martin Onzain to share her knowledge with us and our readers. For any question you might have about Spanish wines, vines in general please drop an email or leave a comment.

The pioneers of the European wine bloggers tasting

The wine bloggers conference gave me a real boost to get started with my blog.

What did I expect from the European Wine Bloggers Conference? Not much and everything at the same time. After the conference, I find that I am still a little bit confused about the whole blogging thing. I know that a blog does not guarantee me anything from a commercial point of view. It will, without any doubt, cost me time, which I will not have as I will be traveling a lot. Nobody here in Europe seems to care about it, and those who do are labeled a “geek”. So where does that leave me? I am not a geek - or am I ? - and I don’t get  much out if it, at least not in the short term, and my clients don’t care at this point, as I haven’t posted anything (yet). So why do I want to blog, spend precious time, money and energy, WHY?

I think I got the answer in Logroño!

I guess it is the same as with learning about wine. When you start you get enthusiastic about it. Then you really need to go into it to fully understand all the concepts. I remember when I was studying wine, I had some moments when I thought: “I am never going to learn everything about wine”. But when I found myself talking to winemakers a few years later at wine fairs or tastings and contributing to detailed wine conversations, I must admit that I have come a pretty long way.  Something similar, I hope, will happen with wine blogging. As a new wine blogger, I’m really excited about my own blog, casavides.com. The more I get into it, and the EWBC helped a lot, the more I know I have to learn more everyday. But in the end, I hope I will be able to say that blogging has become a part of my way of working, that many of my new contacts are made through my own or other bloggers´blogs.

Of course, it was great to meet a few more wine bloggers in person, but what I like the most from the conference was the drive behind them. Some are doing some amazing technical things on the Internet like Doug from ablegrape and the guys from adegga. Others are completely focused on their own winery, one country, or one region, a grape, whatever. In the end, what counted was that approximately 40 bloggers from Europe gathered to exchange experiences on how to use a blog to communicate wine and wine culture. It was one of the most dynamic get togethers in the wine world I have ever had.

For me the big question remains: how will the blog casavides.com help me to get our brand known in the big world, and how will its presence be translated into sales. On the Internet, I am pretty sure I know what to do to get better rankings etc., especially after a few sessions at the conference when I heard some pretty interesting things about ratings, micro retailing, and so on. But will that help me to get better known in the “real world”? Of course, I will talk about my winery, and about wine from Valencia and Spain, and I will even talk about other wines on my page - although I still don’t know how to sell this to the owners of the winery. They probably think I am the crazy guy running around with the camera all day, asking them if they have a good story.

I guess all bloggers are pioneers, which is probably the best part of the conference: sitting together with fellow passionate pioneers knowing that what we do will make a difference.

Hasta luego

Emilio