Social Media & Selling Wine (or anything else)

We use Twitter (and other Social Media like Facebook) to promote both the wine shop and the B&B we have as well as marketing consulting that I do for other small businesses

While there are different things to talk about for each of the individual businesses, the basic usage really remains the same – only the conversations are different.  The ‘goal’ with social media is about creating relationships, not simply putting advertising out there over and over.

Recently we were selected as one of the Top 60 Business profiles on Twitter by other users that was organized by kBuzz Marketing – I guess we got more attention from being mentioned in the recent NYT’s article about how small businesses are using social media than I had realized.

I think the most often asked question I get from small businesses I work with is “how do you do it?” and it dawned on me how misunderstood much of this is – needlessly.

Cabernet Sauvignon Blind Wine Tasting – Aug 28 @ 5:30

We’re doing a blind tasting of various Cabernet Sauvignons to help recognize the true character of the grape as well as the more subtle influences of the terroir from which each wine originates

With blind tasting we’ll remove any prejudice we may have for any given region and allow the wine to sing its song on our palate. We definitely will sample wines from a couple of obvious areas, like Napa and a few lesser known areas also. There will be sensory triggers to help identify various subtleties in the wine and assist both the experienced and novice wine connoisseur.

Most importantly, we will enjoy great wine with the company of great friends.

Advanced reservations are always suggested – $15 advance purchase or $20 at the door on a space available basis. Please call 828-414-9111 (toll free at 866-713-9437 for our out of town guests)

Long Shadows Vintners Tasting – Monday, Aug 24 @5:30

Please join us as we taste through the best wines Washington has to offer made by the most critically acclaimed winemakers.

Wines and Winemakers Featured…

2008 Poets Leap Riesling, Armin Diel
2005 Chester Kidder, Shoup/ Nicault
2005 Pirouette Red Wine, Huneeus/ Melka
2006 Pedestal Merlot, Michel Rolland
2005 Feather Cabernet Sauvignon, R. Dunn
2006 Sequel Syrah, John Duval

Leading winemaking and viticulture pioneer, Allen Shoup, forged winemaking partnerships with Piero Antinori and Dr. Ernst Loosen that won acclamation throughout the world. He now builds upon those successes with some of the top talent in the winemaking community. These artists and craftsmen have partnered with Allen in a visionary goal: to create world class wines that showcase the viticultural excellence of Washington State’s Columbia Valley.

They have devoted hundreds of hours sampling the many wines originating from the most important vineyards, and chose those particular vineyards that fit the desired style and type of wines each hopes to create. Grapes from every sub-appellation of the Columbia Valley were selected to take the fullest advantage of the region’s individual microclimates and terroirs.

Click Here for More Details

Advanced reservations are always suggested – $15 advance purchase or $20 at the door on a space available basis. Please call 828-414-9111 (toll free at 866-713-9437 for our out of town guests)

Bourassa Vineyards Barrel Blending Workshop Aug 21st @ 5:30

A not to be missed event – The chance to experience what a winemaker actually goes through in bringing a finished wine to your table. Vic Bourassa, proprietor of Bourassa Vineyards will be here doing a blending seminar of Bourdeaux varietals along with tasting 4-5 of their award winning wines.

If you were given the five Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot), what portion of each tastes best to you? Participants will have the opportunity to get to know each varietal on its own, and then learn what each does in a blend (add depth, fruit, spice, etc.) Winemakers often refer to blenders like Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc as the spice cabinet—they are like adding salt and pepper to make a recipe sing.

Additionally, Vic will be leading us through a tasting of:

• Bourassa Merlot 2005 – $31.99 * “The 2005 Reserve Merlot is a Cab Lovers Merlot” – Joel Pfeifle, Mustards Grill.- Lavender and ripe cherry components are evident in the nose. Favors of spice, cherry and chocolate make this wine ideal for any BBQ dish. The finish is long and graceful. A perfect balance of fruit, tannins, and acids make this wine very cellar worthy.
• Bourassa Zinfandel 2006 – $26.99 * The 2006 Zinfandel is another gem, wonderfully ripe fruit but not a total fruit bomb, beautifully layered with dark cherry and warm spice notes, a gentle vanilla from the American oak and a hint of hibiscus in the finish.This wine has the perfect balance of Fruit, acidity, and tannins.
• Bourassa Rhapsody3 Syrah 2005 – $29.99 * This Rhone varietal is a thick skinned grape that produces a vibrant magenta color n the glass. Rhapsody3 Syrah has a rich earthy aroma with blackberry, plum and sweet chocolate with exotic spices on the long smooth finish.
• Bourassa Petite Sirah 2006 – $39.99 * Historically, Petite Sirah is know as the ultimate blending grape. It offers great complexity, robust flavors, and a big tannic structure. The flavor profile expresses big fruit flavors followed by Spice and pepper. It has been said that Petite Sirah is derived from two grape varieties that grow in the Rhone region of France (Syrah and Peloursin). In France, this grape is known as Durif, named after the man who cloned the two grapes. The grapes for this wine come from the northern hills of Calistoga were the heat of the afternoon sun help ripen the fruit to its full potential. This wine offers abundant flavors of apricot, with a hint of rosemary, followed by a subtle hint of spice and pepper on the finish. Enjoy this wine with a rich hearty meal this winter.

Click here to reserve your spot
Advanced reservations are always suggested – $15 advance purchase or $20 at the door on a space available basis. Please call 828-414-9111 (toll free at 866-713-9437 for our out of town guests)

Wine & Artisan Bread Pairing

What food, what drink can lay claim to be more basic to civilization than bread and wine? Naturally they go together in metaphor and in spirit. But at the dinner table? If we think about bread in connection with wine at all, it’s most likely as a side dish, something to push a bite of your main course onto the fork or sop up the gravy. Or served during wine judging to “cleanse the palate” between tastes, chosen specifically because it presumably does not alter one’s impression of the wine.

But bread and wine together, playing off each other as a direct food-and-wine pairing? It’s not a concept that would occur to the average wine lover. This isn’t quite as crazy as it sounded. Fresh-baked French bread, made with care and given plenty of time for a slow, cool rise to develop its subtle, sweet-nutty wheaten flavor, is a treat good enough to enjoy contemplatively – not unlike a fine wine – and that’s even before you slather on the butter.

Put them together and give them a little attention, and the results are … going to surprise you.  Join us Friday night as we pair up a selection of wines with local baker Bruce Ezzell, owner of The Bread List (http://www.thebreadlist.com/) and taste these magical combinations.

$15 advance / $20 at the door.