Dennis Samala

Wine IQ: How is a vintner different than a winery and vineyard? Vanessa Robledo, owner of Vintne’sr Diary, was gracious enough to explain the differences to me during our conversation at the inaugural La Onda music festival in Napa. A vintner grows the crop as well as produces and markets the wine. Whereas a vineyard only grows grapes and a winery produces wine. Those in the cheese world , may consider a vintner similar to a farmstead cheese. Vanessa clarified this distinction to me with great patience and knowledge as well as discussing her vision. Vintner’s Diary (Napa, CA) is a third generation female owned business. It is the only Latina vintner and produces a delightful Rose’, which continues to find its way on menus, in homes, and venues like La Onda. Vanessa explained the choice of the word Diary is specific to the story she is sharing. Wine and the food industry are paired closely and are a great example of how 1+1=3. Whether paired with cheese, fruit, or your favorite meal, Rose’ is flexible and versatile. Napa, Sonoma, or anyone of the other great wine producing regions across the USA, are great destinations to get to know the story and the people behind the wine. #vintnersdiary #laonda #wine #foodindustry @foodservicexpert.com

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Over 10,000 jobs lost in the QSR/fast food space in California alone according to the California Business and Industrial Alliance (CABIA) Operators needed to raise prices and lay off workers to avoid shutting down Some still shut down These 10,000+ workers need to be repositioned in the workforce because QSR/fast food operators will turn to automation to stay afloat Food/beverage operators can't fight economics and math with heads in the sand Any job or repetitive task that can be automated will be so let's focus on how we can leverage workers in other roles that can't be automated #automated #repetitivetasks #workforce #operations

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"'The VSP system is a dinosaur at this point,' Bryan Babcock, the winemaker at Babcock Winery & Vineyards, in the Sta. Rita Hills, said in an article for Wine-Searcher, 'because it exposes the fruit to too much sun and maximizes labor and fuel consumption.'” ☝ Primary reasons I've been advocating different trellis designs in Texas for years now! Why on earth are we using VSP in a HOT, HIGH altitude, HIGH UV, DRY growing region...??? It makes no sense! Our primary issue IN TX High Plains AVA has always been sun OVER exposure to fruit (sunburn, raisin) due to the extreme heat (110*F+) and extreme UV intensity (3,000'+ elevation). Dappled sunlight with single high wire or California sprawl canopies tend to do MUCH better for us and produce more balanced fruit (especially red grapes). "Adam Casto, the head winemaker at Ehlers Estate, in St. Helena, is moving to high-wire trellises as he replants part of the property’s 42-acre vineyard, planted predominantly to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. 'There’s been a pretty decisive move away from VSP over the last 10 years or so, but especially over the last five,' he says. 'The vast majority [of growers] are either bringing up the fruiting wire or converting to cane pruning altogether. Climate change is increasingly the reason.'” While 98%+ of our acreage is in single high wire trellising, we do have ~15 acres still set up in VSP. We actually use our existing VSP trellising to make a modified California sprawl system as we have moveable catch wires. Only one pair is lifted to tuck cane growth at a much shallower angle, producing something similar to a Cali sprawl. Works MUCH better and can still be adjusted as needed for each variety's growth habit. Quotes from Virginie Boone's article "California’s Trellising Systems Adapt with the Times" published July 3, 2024. Link below, please go read it! https://lnkd.in/gdXziCEV Texas Vine Country FermForge 🍇 TEXAS LEGACY VINES #TexasVineyards #TexasWine #GrapeReturns

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🥇Casalú Wins Gold Medal at the San Francisco Spirits Competition by The Tasting Alliance 🌴 This entry was for our latest flavor: Maracuyá -- a.k.a Passion Fruit Much has been said about our Limón flavor. Which , if you think about it, was very evident: Rum, soda, lemon. That's it. But our second flavor on the other hand was a complete guess. This is the story of how we came up with it and how Maracuyá became our top seller just two weeks after launching it: The Idea for The Flavor: I had this idea stuck in my head that Passion Fruit and Rum made sense together. However, in most of Latin America you find Passion Fruit by itself and Ron Añejo by itself. Rarely you find them together. Even though it'd make sense to combine the two, it's not really that evident. I ran it by Ricardo A. Sucre, it made sense to him, so we rolled with it. He whipped some tests in the Soda Stream using rum and some Goya concentrate and it was incredible. However, knowing this could just be an "us" thing, we decided to test it. How we tested it: It's not like back in the day were we would just show up with a keg to strangers' homes. We were a "bit more serious" now. So what we did was to create a cocktail mix of Chinola Fresh Fruit Liqueurs (shout out!) with our Limón Casalú and some mint. We would serve this in glasses at events as a drink option next to our original can of Casalú Limón and a third cocktail. That's the test we were running. It just flew off the bar! We kept doing it for events but buying Chinola at retail and giving it away at events was just getting crazy at this point. So we knew it was time to make it happen. We went for the formulation we now have, low sugar and density to make it a real seltzer instead of a full body cocktail. That's how we ended up with our very balanced formula. Just 130 grams of cals at only 4g of carbs using real juice. Banger. Naming it: We chose Maracuyá because it's the most common use of Passion Fruit in Latin America. Venezuelans call it Parchita, Puerto Ricans call it Parcha, and Dominicans call it Chinola. Yet, we guessed the unifying thread here would be Casalú. We knew we were running the risk of alienating the American crowd by not knowing what the heck is Maracuyá. But that's ok, we know our audience. The customer response: We released it in December at Total Wine across FL as a variety pack. Within 4 weeks that VP became 34% of our total yearly sales. People went ballistic. So now we have a Gold medal and are releasing Maracuyá as a six pack later this month. Stay tuned for the next flavors. I think you'll like them. Salú

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An Honest Conversation about Making Money in Wine: "Most wineries in the U.S. are tiny.... profitability is almost unheard of." "For us, image is more important than profitability" Just two of many potent quotes from this revealing article by ARENI Global. Such transparent truths about the state of winery financial health, and how a re-focus on driving sustainable, healthy businesses is overdue. Some key takeaways: 💠 More often than not, lack of financial stability --> lack of strategy --> lack of focus 💠 Reputation has come before profitability for many wineries 💠 Wineries try to do everything, and as a result, without specificity, they can't scale and the business isn't sustainable 💠 Younger generations are taking over without the financial backing of their predecessors from other lucrative businesses, and they're unwilling and unable to operate at a loss 💠 Wineries need to stay on top of the numbers and be transparent with management on where they're overspending to better manage costs 💠 Focus on building relationships with essential sales partners and top customers to drive sustainable growth 💠 Invest in your team by paying them more than living wage Incredible proof points that wineries need to operate like real businesses, driving towards cash flow positive, be honest about their financials, come to terms about their long-term financial health, and prioritize improvement. This is why InnoVint has designed the Healthy Winery Framework - to help wineries become more informed to drive change! https://lnkd.in/gxV3tcdn https://lnkd.in/e4_T5RGc

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The Perception Project: critically rethinking the wine industry. The wine industry needs to stop thinking about Millennials, Gen Z, or any other demographic segments as uniform segments with shared values and aspirations. They are far from amorphous masses, and significant opportunities exist for the wine industry to capitalize on by breaking these groups down into more specific categories based on a range of factors, including preferences, attitudes, behaviors, aspirations, geography, education, lifestyle, and finances. While it's easy to generalize these generations as having similar values or consumption patterns, they are incredibly diverse in their approach to wine. Not all are interested in or aspire to the same experiences. Some may seek to learn more about wine, aspire to expert-defined quality, or take wine education classes—but many others do not share these aspirations. Some segments within these generations may embrace wine discovery, education, and experiences such as wine and food pairing, or seek out specific wine styles like dry or organic wines. Others seek enjoyable, affordable options that fit their lifestyle without needing deeper learning. This variety in consumer motivations underscores the need for the wine industry to avoid treating these generations as a single entity with uniform preferences and to embrace instead segmentation that takes into account the full spectrum of behaviors, from casual drinkers to wine connoisseurs. Vinotype distribution, which accounts for individuals’ physiological and psychological differences in taste preferences, remains relatively stable across generations, meaning the demand for a broad range of wine styles—sweet or dry, bold or light—will persist. Trends such as fashion, the occasional desire to appear sophisticated, or enjoying wine with friends will always influence consumer behavior, but the diversity of preferences will remain constant. The wine industry must learn to embrace, understand, and communicate with all consumers, acknowledging that some will want expert-driven experiences while others will not. The wine industry must abandon the notion of Millennials and Gen Z as uniform segments with shared values and aspirations. Instead, marketing and product strategies should be shaped by accurate data and behavior, focusing on observable patterns of how individuals in these generations discover and engage with wine. This shift requires the industry to be adaptable, to innovate, and to acknowledge that while some consumers might be drawn to wine education, a significant portion of younger consumers will be driven more by enjoyment and convenience than by the desire to follow traditional wine appreciation pathways. Understanding and catering to this diversity of preferences will help brands connect more meaningfully with consumers and remain relevant across generations. #winemarketing #rethinkingthewineindustry #winebusiness #winemarketdata #wineeducation

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The pace of bankruptcies are picking up in the restaurant industry. We are seeing a lot of concern from California due in part to recent labor cost increases. It’s an imperative to develop new business models and plans ahead of sitting down with creditors. In many cases, effective turnaround plans can gain traction and confidence, but they require credibility and objectivity to convince other shareholders and stakeholders to come along. It’s essential to win not just their consent, but their renewed trust and enthusiasm for a new and inspired vision. #restaurants #bankruptcy #turnarounds

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A huge thank you to Wine Industry Network for featuring my article on the rising demand for premium and artisanal wines. 🌟 In the article, I delve into the trends and consumer preferences driving this dynamic segment of the wine industry. Check it out to learn more about the trends shaping our industry! #WineIndustry #PremiumWines #ArtisanalWines #WineTrends #winenews #winebusiness

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It looks like the talks about the alcohol drinks sales recovery were premature. Wine sales from wholesalers to retail stores, restaurants and bars dropped 8 % in the 12 months that ended August 2024. Spirits sales dropped 3.9 %. Also, it looks like the days of super premium tequila (over 100$) are over. The only category doing relatively well is Prosecco with its 2% growth. #drinks #drinksindustry #wine #spirits #prosecco #tequila #superpremium #markets #usa https://lnkd.in/dBbwfpCi

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WIN Insider series featuring Michael Haney, Executive Director of Sonoma County Vintners! In this episode, Michael shares how he first entered the wine industry almost 35 years ago, how he met his wife, Juliana Martinelli of Martinelli Winery, and the work that SCV does, including their commitment to their members, their community involvement through the SCV Foundation, and their political advocacy for the wine industry. Watch Now!

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What value can be unlocked by focusing on digital natives Gen Z and Millennials #Food #FoodserviceSolutions #2024RestaurantShow #RestaurantShow2024 #SUJ #USF #UCLA #UW #WSU #NationalRestaurantAssociationShow #FoodSales #GrocerantGuru #Technology #FoodMarketing https://lnkd.in/gcTp8Y2c

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Over the chag we tasted this absolute treat from Shirah Wine: the Power to the People, Santa Barbara County, 2014. An always generous friend with a great cellar brought this wine to share. I've heard lots of confident talk about Shirah's inability to create age-worthy wines. While there is good consensus that Shirah wines are well-regarded and consistently good to great upon release, I hear lots of chatter that there is no point to cellar these wines. I will (again) vehemently disagree. This is not to say that each wine Shirah releases will improve. In fact, some are done a great disservice by aging - e.g. the CounterPunch, with its incredible juicy fruit. It's been some time since I've tasted the 2014 PTTP (Pesach 2022 to be exact) but, man, was this worth the wait. This wine has continued to improve and evolve. The 2014 is 98% Syrah (50% Thompson Vineyard, 48% McGinley Vineyard), cofermented with 2% Viognier. The label is very distinctly Shirah- black velvet with silver underlayment text- a conversation piece on its own. (And notoriously difficult to photograph.) In the glass, deep, dark purple, almost quite dark to the rim and no bricking, with pronounced still-youthful aromas of primary black fruit. Closer inspection yielded incredible aromas of tart red cherry, game, soy, mushroom, red cherry, and a floral character. What a heady nose! Waves of dar fruit and acid up front with mid palate depth and rich red and black fruits with plenty of umami and spice. There was still good concentration and far more depth and interest than I'm accustomed to with Syrah. Black peppercorn, soy, wild strawberry. The finish was lingering and elegant. An incredible showing. With one bottle remaining I'll plan to revisit in about 2 years. I think this wine is likely at its peak but its stark improvement in the last 2.5 years leads me to believe otherwise. There is some thought Syrah shows its true greatness at 10 years and here is some corroborating evidence. Drink now until 2026 or longer? https://lnkd.in/eBMizieE

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Just like cheese, wine needs two places in the grocery store. A quick grab space of commodity wine that fills a functional need - your cheddar, jack, and swiss cheese priced by half pound. Then in a separate aisle your fancy wine place - your Epoisses, fancy blues and tartuffos - so that those who feel confused, haven't leveled up, or are only moderately interested won't need to agonize in confusion. Bonus, the marketers can then stop lumping consumers and wine together into one erroneous aggregate! https://lnkd.in/gW4z2mVi

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April 15, 2024 Drinks Business article by Patrick Schmitt "Why a fine de-alcoholised wine starts with an ‘undrinkable’ base" Schmitt's article describes the reasoning why French Non-Alc (NA) sparkling wine company French Bloom came out with the highest priced NA wine at £109,00 for their vintage-dated sparkling wine called La Cuvée which is meant to have the taste profile of a 10-15yr old aged Champagne/sparkling wine. Schmitt interviews French Bloom winemaker, Rodolphe Frèrejean-Taittinger and Tattinger mentions some of the production methods used, why they used Chardonnay from Languedoc and took over four years of R&D to perfect their "aged" sparkling La Cuvée. They produced 17,000 bottles (~1417 CEs) and targeting upscale retailers like Harrod's and higher-end restaurants. I'm curious if they will succeed in establishing an ultra-premium NA wine sector as their shelf price is about 4-5 times more than what the usual NA wine consumer will pay for a NA wine in most markets. From a business standpoint, I hope in the coming years we do see higher price points thriving in the NA wine space, and just worried that French Bloom might be a bit too early with coming out with this based on what we/ProofNoMore are seeing with NA wines in NYC where we do distribution to many high-end/fine dining/Michelin starred restaurants & some of the top cocktail bars where typical by the glass pricing of NA wines is $12-16 so a max wholesale of about $12-13 per bottle. I personally can see $20-28 /bottle if the quality is there and where an educated wine person can identify the grape & region so one could distinguish a Pinot Noir NA wine and identify it was from Burgundy, Sonoma, Yarra Valley, Willamette Valley etc... Hope we can get to this point with NA wines where the sense of terroir is apparent.

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California Sustainable Winegrowing Ambassador Course. Even though it is a short course, it is a valuable resource for getting a general overview of the subject. It also provides some links for those wishing to learn more in-depth. #californianwine #winesoftheworld #sustainability #wsetglobal

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Seinfeld fans: Remember the one about the yogurt shop?   Kramer invests in a “non-fat” frozen yogurt shop whose product is both delicious … and deliciously crowd-pleasing.   The only problem? The yogurt’s flavor-boosting ingredient turns out to be (spoiler alert) fat, spurring the shop’s angered fan base to cry false advertising.   Bogus product claims can land businesses and brands in hot water, and fast. This harsh truth is why, at GoTo Foods, we’ve woven education on marketing, claims and trademark law into our annual compliance training.   Like most big corporations, each year our associates must participate in several hours of compliance training. And while everyone completes certain trainings—such as sexual harassment awareness and AI policy updates—we also take this opportunity to connect associates with courses tailored to their roles.   Marketing and trademark education, for example, is earmarked for members of our PR, social media, marketing and brand teams. Those teams, and the seven incredible brands they support, manage a robust and far-reaching social media presence, and it’s imperative that each individual has a good working knowledge of what is—and is not—considered appropriate when it comes to logos, trademarks, images, cross-promotion and product claims.   [Case in point: Mentioning Seinfeld as a point of entry to compliance talk? A-OK. Photoshopping Jerry and the gang inside a Carvel to illustrate the point? That’s a no-no.]   For our international and retail channels/licensing teams, we require training on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and Office of Foreign Assets Control, providing valuable insights into international  trade sanctions and anti-corruption policies (like the fact that simply gifting a bottle of wine, under certain circumstances, could be perceived as a bribe!). For other teams, we’ve developed joint employer risk training to assist in compliance with ever evolving laws and regulations around the franchisor-franchisee relationship.   We know people are, hands down, the most important resource to any company. However, without the right investments and guidance, they can also be the biggest liability. That’s why we even make our compliance training a prerequisite for individual team members to receive their annual bonuses.   Like it or not, ignorance of the law doesn’t free us from accountability to it—and at GoTo Foods, one of the ways we’re developing people and potential is by empowering our associates with the knowledge they need for informed, independent decision making.   After all, it’s that knowledge base that helps our colleagues think more strategically, problem solve with confidence and engage a “No Limits” mindset that leads to the craveable experiences our guests love.   #GoToFoods  #CorporateCompliance #TrademarkTraining  #CareerDevelopment  #NoLimits #InternationalLaw #SocialMediaTraining

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September is California Wine Month🍷 Celebrated annually, this statewide event honours the Golden State’s vibrant wine industry. It coincides with the annual grape harvest and showcases the state’s rich winemaking heritage, diverse wine regions, and world-renowned wines. Throughout the month, wineries and wine regions across California host special events such as tastings, vineyard tours, festivals, and wine-pairing dinners. To mark the occasion, here's five lesser known facts about California wine - 🍇 California is the 4th largest wine producer in the world – If it were its own country, California would rank just behind France, Italy, and Spain in global wine production. 🍇 California produces over 80% of U.S. wine – The state’s massive output includes over 4,000 wineries, ranging from small family operations to world-famous vineyards. 🍇 Napa Valley represents only 4% of California's wine production – Despite its fame, Napa’s output is small compared to the rest of the state, focusing more on high-quality wines. 🍇 Wine grapes were first planted in California in the 1700s – Spanish missionaries established the first vineyards, laying the foundation for California’s modern wine industry. 🍇 The "Zinfandel" grape is originally from Croatia – Though widely associated with California, DNA testing revealed Zinfandel’s origins trace back to Croatia. Learn more - https://lnkd.in/ehqFzdFR Pictured: Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery, Sonoma County #travelandtourism #travelindustry #luxurytravel

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