Spier Wine Farm’s Post

The 2024 PACK Design Awards highlighted three major wine packaging trends: Sustainability: Wineries, like Ridge Winery, showcased eco-friendly packaging, such as minimalist boxes, reducing carbon footprints while maintaining luxury. Informative Back Labels: Detailed back labels, like those on and Ancient Peaks and Bogle’s Element[AL] Wines, provide consumers with key information and sustainability messaging, aiding purchase decisions. Black Labels for Luxury: Black labels are increasingly used for upscale wines, signaling elegance and higher price points, as seen in Lasseter and Barra’s redesigns. The judges also shared tips on avoiding issues like conflicted messaging, poor artwork, and overly minimalistic designs in packaging. Read the full article by Michael S. Lasky: https://zurl.co/f1qNC

When Paso Robles rattled the wine industry and became the new face of luxury wine, Pandemonium was ready to offer a taste of it - and we stepped up to open the door for them! A new website launch, content creation, and enticing social media strategy were all part of the plan. Pandemonium’s conception was grounded in disruption, their wine boundary breaking, and their brand identity status quo-challenging. Our website and content needed to bring this identity to life and incorporate another world important to Pandemonium: the ground-breaking movement of Abstract Impressionism - a revolutionary period that set a new standard for fine art, just as Pandemonium has set a new standard for fine wine. From the second you enter Pandemonium’s website, we made sure visitors were aware that this is not just any wine. This wine is part of a new era, it doesn’t follow rules, and it never stops pursuing greatness. From renowned Paso Robles, to their delicious and mouth-watering varieties, to the work of famed Carlos Corres adorning the labels, we filled the site with content that evoked luxury, confidence and rebellion. Easy to manage and easy for visitors to order, this site was also designed to hand off to Pandemonium’s team with ease. They would be able to make changes and communicate with their customers with little to no confusion. The new chapter of luxury wine is here and we’re so excited that we helped to pave the way for it! Cheers to Pandemonium, rule breakers, and industry disruptors!

THE TIMELESS ART OF "COOPERAGE"🍷🔥 Follow us: Wine International Association (WIA) by Napa Valley Wine Academy The art of making wine barrels, known as cooperage, is a centuries-old craft that combines meticulous craftsmanship with a deep understanding of both wood and wine. It begins with the careful selection of wood, typically oak, prized for its tight grain and ability to enhance wine with nuanced flavors. The wood is aged and seasoned to perfection before being transformed into staves, each precisely shaped and smoothed to fit seamlessly without nails or glue. A pivotal stage in the process is toasting, where the barrel’s interior is gently exposed to a controlled flame. This step imparts flavors and aromas that complement the wine, requiring the cooper to strike a delicate balance based on the type of wine the barrel will hold. More than just containers, these barrels act as partners in the aging process, shaping the wine's character and complexity. Cooperage is a true marriage of tradition and skill, where precision and intuition come together to create vessels that play a vital role in the journey from vineyard to glass. #winebusiness #vino #sommelier #champagne #ai #Innovation #Technology #Future #advertisingandmarketing #travel #automation #food #sustainable #wine #restaurant #export #italy #france #spain

OK…so this one might be a touch controversial I’m sat recovering from this weekend’s Napa Valley Marathon and scanning the lots sold at this years Premiere Napa Valley (PNV) auction The highest bid of 2024? A Cabernet from Fairest Creature. Now no doubt this is a beautifully crafted wine (given the lot reached comfortably north of $1,000 / bottle you’d certainly hope so)... 𝘽𝙐𝙏…𝙞𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙨 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 Exec 1: “We want a luxurious wine, opulent, exclusive” Exec 2: “OK…who shall we get to make it” Exec 1: “We’ve got Phillipe Melka lined up” Boss: “Everyone’s got Melka” Exec 1: “OK, well we’ll get Rivers Brown” Exec 2: “How about we get Benoit Touquette too” Exec 1: “Yeah, we’ll make the first 300pt wine” Boss: “I like it. What else can we do” Exec 3: “OK, how about we fly in Michel Rolland for a final touch” Exec 1: “And we bottle the wines at dawn, under a full moon, by hand into rare crystal jugs”* *OK. I’m getting silly now. A quick glance at the Fairest Creature website says their signature Triniceros blend is “only available in oversized formats”; no mention of a full moon there 😉 I don’t doubt the wine will be superb. Clearly no expense has been spared, and the roll call of winemaking talent is beyond repute. But is this what we want Napa Valley to stand for to the world? 𝘼𝙣 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 “𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩” 𝙘𝙖𝙗 More. Bigger. Richer. More Luxurious. More Expensive. The same names and faces? The theme runs down the PNV docket. Nearly 80% of lots were Cabernet (not including the Cabernet led red blends) Or is there room for more diversity? More innovation? 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿? I think it does. While PNV is only a handful of wines it’s a massive showcase for the valley. For the valley to be healthy, not just the leading luxury brands we need a next generation of wine drinkers. If not, Napa risks following Bordeaux into a sharp divide between elite brands and a struggling majority If we are serious about asking how we engage the next generation of drinkers and have them fall in love with this slice of paradise I think it’s a question we need to ask? 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸? Are you still excited by the quest for the “best Cabernet ever conceived” or have we reached peak cab?

Looking to start a wine collection? This guide offers a deep dive into the essentials of curating, storing, and showcasing your finest finds. #WPSIR #SothebysRealty

Discover the costs and benefits of taking your boutique winery online A detailed breakdown from domain names to development costs

Chateau d’Armailhac 2009 & 2012: The colour is in both cases medium ruby. On the nose also pretty similar. Both display an aroma of herbs, red and black berries, with the addition of leather and tobacco for the 2009, and coffee and chocolate for the 2012. In the mouth they are both very elegant. The tannins of the 2012 are edgier. The aftertaste medium long in both cases. This the first impression, with the bottles just opened. After a while, the superiority of the 2009 vintage clearly shows off. In fact, 2009 was a great year for Bordeaux, while the 2012 is considered a classic vintage. The 2009 vintage is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The 2012 is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Château Mouton d’Armailhacq was classified as a Fifth Growth in the famous 1855 classification drawn up by Bordeaux wine brokers. Count Adrien de Ferrand, "son-in-law of Armailhacq", acquired the estate in 1878. Following the difficulties created by mildew, phylloxera, WWI and the 1929 crash, in 1930 some Médoc’s Chateaux were auctioned or sold off cheaply. In this financially difficult context for the entire vineyard, in 1931 the Count of Ferrand created the “Société anonyme du Domaine de Mouton d'Armailhacq”. A back then young Baron Philippe de Rothschild became a minority shareholder. In 1933 he bought all the shares. In 1956 Mouton d’Armailhacq was renamed Mouton Baron Philippe, then Mouton Baronne Philippe until the vintage 1988. In 1989 Baroness Philippine decided to restore Mouton d’Armailhacq to its original identity and renamed it Château d’Armailhac. I bought both wines En Primeur. I paid 39.20 EUR for the 2012 and 46.80 EUR for the 2009. Nowadays they sell for 60 EUR (+50%), respectively 80 EUR (+70%). An appreciation of roughly 3.8% a year each.

On the blog I share my thoughts on how our winemaker Stephanie Cohen is changing the style of Col Solare Cabernet Sauvignon. Elevated elegance. https://lnkd.in/gHAS8eVY

For restaurants, long-term wine storage goes beyond aesthetics—it’s key to preserving value. Climate control, bottle orientation, and humidity management (60-70%) protect wines from spoilage while keeping them accessible for service. This display integrates sleek design with practical functionality, enhancing both the guest experience and the quality of wine served. Investing in custom wine storage systems elevates your restaurant’s service and long-term profitability.