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2010 in review, outlook to 2011 vintage



It’s finally here, but will it stay for good?…the sun that is. With the 2011 growing season starting off very similar to 2010, the coolest summer on record for Sonoma County in recent years. Many vineyard managers and winemakers alike are scratching their heads. As shown in the 2010 Grape Report for Sonoma County, much of the fruit grown was lost to shattering when the canopy was heavily trimmed in hopes of greater exposure to the sun….only to be dwarfed by the rain. The cool summer forced many growers to adjust their practices to reach a crop that would express all the fine nuances of the vineyards. Some were met with great success while others were not so lucky. What did come from the season was increased quality and concentration of must, lower alcohols, great color and preferred acidity structures. The lengthy, cool growing season of 2010 allowed for greater acid retention in the berries and extended the time for flavor development, all without the higher sugar levels associated with warmer conditions. This slower ripening at a cooler temperature resulted in the harvest being physiologically ripe with fully matured tannins, but with lower sugar and alcohol levels overall making them more food-friendly and suited to an ample array of pairings.

Zinfandel, Estate Oldvine Bud Break 2011 We won’t be able to see the true fruit of our labor until the vintage matures in upcoming years, but we are optimistic 2010 will result in very balanced wines with great potential. Will the 2011 vintage follow in the challenging footsteps laid before it by the previous year? Alternatively, will this summer turn out to be another exceptional vintage like that of 2005 or 2007? With it already being the second week of June and this is the first real glimpse of summer we have seen thus far, optimism is running high in the county and the jury is still out. One thing is for sure, it will be interesting to see how this growing season will undoubtedly change vineyard management practices, but in which ways and will it benefit the fruit? These are questions we will not fully be able to answer until the season progresses, so here’s to hard work, high hopes and a successful  2011 Vintage! ~ Chris

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What is Marketing? Analysis - Marketing Test 2

What is Marketing?Analysis- Marketing Test #2

As with learning any new task, skill, or ability we all have to start at the bottom. Having a solid grasp on the fundamentals of any subject provides a better foundation on which new understanding can take place. It is my honest opinion that a future marketing student should read What is Marketing, by Alvin Sink. The reason this book is a must for all marketing students is because it reads as an outline with an easy to follow progression, provides the necessary foundational tools for marketing, helps with the breakdown and conceptual analysis of key concepts, and is a great price for the amount of knowledge contained within.

First, this book is formatted as an outline or text. The book contains three parts that build upon themselves as the book progresses. The first section contains information on the structure and makeup of the market. This includes a detailed explanation of the marketing mix, product definition and planning strategies, and overall market strategy. This book keeps a concise and straight forward standpoint without going into to long and unnecessary detail. This is one of my more preferred qualities in books, the simple fact that it starts with broad, encompassing overviews of the underlying topics surrounding marketing and by the end gets down to specifically discussing the plan of attack for a business. By starting with the simplest concepts and advancing to the actual practices and strategies, we can better understand all that goes into strategy design and implementation. And once we understand how most, if not all, business approach marketing strategies we can adjust our own habits when we recognize ourselves falling for a scheme or ploy to buy the newest Apple invention.

Second, we never want to feel like we are outside the circle of knowledge, we like to all feel like we are “in” and “hip.” This is often not easily accomplished since it takes time to learn the lingo or jargon associated with a certain lifestyle we would like to portray. What is Marketing meets that necessity, our want to fit in and not sound like we are new to the scene. By providing an explanation of the fundamentals and how they are used in the marketing sector, we gain a better understanding of how they are used in the real world. Understanding consumer behavior, how people act in the market and how they respond to certain stimuli, better allows us to plan a strategy for a new product to capture the consumers, and make them feel like never before. After we understand the ways consumers act, we can further breakdown a target market and position our product so they are the consumers captured. If a marketer can make a consumer feel like they cannot breather without their product, revenue will be virtually guaranteed. This along with a good sales force is a lethal combination that often results in success, as long as the necessary elements are in place. I would have no idea this was all included if I had not read this book, and if I were asked about the Five C’s, a puzzled look may cross my face. Being able to talk to marketers about terms they understand break down that wall of separation further allowing for the spread of knowledge.

This book also offers considerable help with the breakdown and conceptual analysis of key components to marketing. Rather than putting emphasis on memorizing definitions, charts, and diagrams, What is Marketing actually breaks down each factor and presents not only a detailed explanation but a live scenario when the concept is used. Being able to relate what I am reading to a real life scenario, whether it was met with success or failure helps me to better understand the application of the practice. Reading about the Four P’s of the Marketing Mix is justified because they are the four aspects all marketing departments wish to satisfy, but then going a step further to explain how a men’s golf apparel company was able to use this to establish a successful product line further proves this book has everything a student would seek from a novel.

Finally, the price paid for the knowledge gained is not even comparable. While this book may be considered short, a mere 200 pages and is printed with large print, I was able to leave this book with a complete understanding (more complete than what I received from Buying In) of all the elements of marketing. This is from the basics of what our needs and wants are, how we go about satisfying them and to what extent, and how corporations tap into our drives to sell is their product. It is understandable that in today’s world we as consumers need to not only see a product but have a certain feeling about the product instilled in our brains before we will buy it. This book was an easier read for me compared to others I have read because this book provides the reader with real scenarios based upon learned concepts that include both success and failure, and how the company adjusted their strategy to gain even more revenue.

After reading What Is Marketing, I feel that I have a better idea of what marketers do. Coming into this book I was under the impression that a marketer just came up with new colors for products or new ways to promote them. I was unaware that so much time and effort went into studying the market, those who consume and why, and how to better target those people to maximize revenue for the company. On the back of the novel, it clearly states “This book provides the foundation for developing those skills and abilities.” I feel that I have gained an increased understanding of just what those skills and abilities are, and how they are used everyday by marketers. I would highly recommend this book to all incoming marketing students because it gives such a good explanation of the foundations, fundamentals, and strategies used to sell products.

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