Monday, November 2nd, 2009

News from Charles Communications Associates

We know most of the country is peaking with the end of fall season, getting ready for winter.  For us, here in San Francisco, we’re asking ourselves, where did summer go? We have been fortunate to be busier than ever the past few months, so I am sure that had a lot to do with it. Our amazingly talented clients are full of new products, brave ideas and winning the palates of critics and consumers across the globe. We spent a lot of time this past summer getting our clients in the groove with social networking which we know is time well spent when you reach over a million people in one minute with Twitter, Facebook and Wine 2.0…  Harvest has wound down here in California for the most part, and once again, we can revel in the fruits of the summer and contemplate our fave fall recipes and wine pairings.

-Kimberly Charles 

Entrepreneurs, Bloggers & Video.

It seems the words "millennial" and "multimedia" have become synonomous. However, at CCA we've found that multimedia trends, especially video, have taken the wine industry by storm- regardless of your generation. Be sure to check out this captivating pairing of wine veteran Brice Jones from Emeritus Vineyards and Wine 2.0 superstar Gary Vaynerchuk - each an entrepreneur in his own right: watch video. 

Another hint of online trends changing our lives for the better is the population of smart Bloggers out there today. We were lucky to join Pine Ridge Vineyards this summer, where they hosted a dinner in their caves as part of the annual Wine Bloggers Conference. Being the gracious hosts they are, Pine Ridge even set up WiFi in the caves (you can have your wine and tweet it too...). At the dinner, Bloggers were treated to an early peek and taste of Forefront - a new wine just launched last Wednesday, October 28th, in select markets. 

Keeping on the tradition of "untraditional," Lander-Jenkins  launched their inaugural Cab and Chard to online media first, knowing very well the impact of viral marketing. (Sorry Spectator, you'll get it soon enough...) The 100% sustainable practices behind Lander-Jenkins include fascinating stories of natural insect predation and preservation of the land. Eco-friendly + online savvy... it's the new norm nowadays. 

Innovation Keeps it Alive.

These changing economic times have really brought out the innovative spirit in the wine industry. We've been privileged to be part of some brilliant ideas & traditions being challenged.

Boisset Family Estates launched Fog Mountain, the first CA wine in a PET bottle in the U.S. Lucky for us, it comes in 1L bottles that weigh significantly less than the traditional 750s: more wine = less weight... its a natural new favorite on picnics and for gifts - available as part of Boisset's Eco Wine Trio, a new partnership with Wine.com and EarthEra. Just on its heels DeLoach Vineyards announced their Barrel to Barrel program via a video release (above). This on-premise program is the first of its kind & the lowest carbon footprint available! Oddly enough it's back to the future as this was the way wines were enjoyed in Europe over 100 years ago, now the same concept executed with the benefit of technology for preservation and freshness. To learn more about the thought behind these and other similar initiatives, follow Jean-Charles Boisset as he writes about sustainability and the triple bottom line in the wine world on his new blog on the Huffington Post. 

Just when we couldn't be more excited about DIAM's technical cork (TCA-free and with controllable oxygen transmission, what more could you want in a wine seal?), their new environmental policy bore fruit: over the last two years, Diam reduced the carbon footprint of their signature closure by 12%. 

We're excited to share a special creative project we've been working on with Mark West Pinot Noir to redesign a new website concept. This has been a really fun project and we'd love your thoughts... Just in time for Thanksgiving Pinot Noir lovers! 

Kudos

We're so proud to be San Franciscans first and foodies second, as we watched the 1st annual SF Chefs. Food. Wine. Festival, organized by our long time friends and office mates Andrew Freeman & Co., take over Union Square this summer. We attended seminars featuring Domaine Carneros, Boisset, Carneros Bistro and our own Kimberly Charles talking about beverage trends. For some great food porn, view the TableHopper's photos:

Staff Highlights of the Summer 

"My summer was filled with great music: Saw Elvis Costello at Wente Vineyards' concert series with the sun setting behind. Although, The Gun & Doll Show at the Great American Music Hall takes the top spot..."  

"A backcountry trip to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and canyoneering through Zion National Park. There are very few ways to be completely off the grid nowadays, this was one way..."

"As a new West Coaster, being surrounded by snow-capped mountains while swimming in Lake Tahoe for the first time was a definite highlight! It instantly justified my decision to move west.