Hidden Opportunities to use Case Studies in the Wine Industry

A well-written case study can help potential clients see your business from a familiar perspective - that of another consumer. When crafting a case study, the writer focuses on a specific problem, obstacle, or challenge the potential client might face - one that the company writing the study can help resolve.

Traditionally, case studies have been used in tech companies and the business industry. But, that doesn't mean they won't work in other fields.

Take the wine industry! One wouldn't typically think of the wine industry aspresenting problems or challenges that can be shared in a case study. But, there are! Here are just a few opportunities for using case studies in the wine industry:

• Bottles and labels - You've just finished crafting your most recent vintage of wine and are ready for bottling. How your wine is packaged and marketed matters just as much as the quality of wine inside, so you turn to the internet for options. As with any product or service these days, there are myriad of companies trying to sell you their wares. How do you choose? Check their website for customer case studies. 

Sustainability in the Wine Industry

“We cannot hope to create a sustainable culture with any but sustainable souls.” 

~ Derrick Jensen, Endgame, Vol. 1: The Problem of Civilization

With over 1,000,000 acres of American soil dedicated to vineyards, sustaining the land has become a priority for an increasing number of viticulturists. According to the World Commission on Environment and Development, sustainability ensures that humanity “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Sustainable Development, par. 1). To do this, those who work the land must do so with, what the Iroquois Indians coined, the “next seven generations in mind”. 

Sustainability in the wine industry takes on many forms, from water conservation to natural pest control methods to alternative power sources. According to the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), a nonprofit organization created to promote sustainable winegrowing practices, identifies 227 “best practices for the environment and communities from grapes to glass”. No matter what practices, or how many, a vineyard implements, taking any steps towards sustainability is a step in the right direction! 

J. Lohr: A legacy in California's Wine Industry

Visit J. Lohr's website

"As a company, it is important to embrace sustainability on a cultural level, and once you start thinking in this way, you will find more and more opportunities to make positive changes," ~ Kathryn Teissier du Cros – J. Lohr, Sustainability Coordinator

The Birth of a Legacy

Forty years ago, Jerry Lohr planted more than just wine grapes on California’s Central Coast; he planted the seeds that would become a family legacy. A pioneer of California’s wine industry, Jerry set down roots on the Central Coast in the late 1970s. With a farming background to spur his passion and engineering expertise to drive his research, Jerry took a chance on the untapped terroir, now-acclaimed as one of the premier winegrowing regions of the wine industry.  

“Fate Brought Them Together”: How the owners of Ampelos Cellars became hands-on viticulturists

“You’re worried about how you’re going to feel at the end of your life? What about right now? Live. Right this minute. That’s where the joy is at.” ~ Abigail Thomas

It was as if Angela Thomas were speaking those words directly to Peter and Rebecca Work, the founders of Ampelos Cellars. Having purchased 82 acres in the Santa Rita Hills appellation in 1999, Peter and Rebecca continued their “corporate” lives, leaving their son to oversee the start-up process of the vineyard. But fate would have other plans.

After narrowly evading the Twin Towers tragedy in 2001, Peter and Rebecca decided it was time to start living the life they wanted, “right this minute”. And so, they moved to Santa Ynez, where they learned hands-on how to “nurture the soil and prune the vines".

How Tinhorn Creek stays “Mainstream” through “Twitter-stream"

“We are born at a given moment, in a given place and, like vintage years of wine, we have the qualities of the year and of the season of which we are born.” ~ Carl Jung

Tucked away in the rolling hills of British Columbia, Tinhorn Creek stays “Mainstream” through an established presence on “Twitter-stream”.

Desert Vineyards Provide a Unique Terroir for Tinhorn’s Wines

            One wouldn't expect to see regal grapevines mingling with desert-dwelling sagebrush, but at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, the two flourish side-by-side like old friends.  Set atop a hillside in the middle of British Columbia’s famed Golden Mile wine-growing district, Tinhorn Creek Vineyard and Winery crafts quality wines from grapes harvested from their 150-acre vineyards.  Planted on two distinct benches, the Diamondback Vineyard and the Tinhorn Creek Vineyard produce grapes of both the red and white varietals, allowing the vineyard’s winemaker, Sandra Oldfield, to harvest only the best fruit for the winery’s esteemed Pinot Gris, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Gewürztraminer vintages.  Each of Tinhorn Creek’s wines boasts the unique terroir of its desert topography.

YouTube's Impact on Jordan Vineyard & Winery From a Business Standpoint

My final installment of how Jordan Vineyard & Winery uses YouTube highlights its impact from a business standpoint.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery

How YouTube has impacted Jordan Vineyard & Winery

Reflecting on the impact YouTube has had on Jordan Vineyard & Winery, from a business standpoint, Lisa says, “It’s truly brought a face to the winery. Many faces, in fact. That’s so important to consumers nowadays. They really want to know the people behind the wines—and how the wines are grown, the events created, the recipes developed, etc. The videos have demonstrated our ability to be an established elegant winery of the 1970s and a modern, approachable brand.”

Jordan Vineyard & Winery: A Proven YouTube Sensation!

There's more to this case study than just a history lesson. 

I asked Lisa Mattson, Communications Director for Jordan Vineyard & Winery, some engaging questions about her use of YouTube to connect with the social media world. 

Here is what she had to say about how they got started posting videos to YouTube and how they come up with the ideas for their widely enticing video collection:

Preserving Jordan’s traditions and people through timeless videos

Entering Jordan Vineyard & Winery, visitors are treated to a spectacular tree-lined drive.  Majestic Sycamore trees sway above as you make your way towards the winery.  Looking past these noble sentries, you just might catch a hint of what’s to come.  Once on the grounds, you will undoubtedly notice Jordan’s breathtaking vineyards.  With pristine vines atop rolling hills surrounded by nature’s raw, untouched beauty, the vineyard itself is a masterpiece.  Or, your eyes might feast upon the winery’s tasting room, reminiscent of French chateaux, with lush, green vines clinging to its walls.  What you won’t see, from the outside, is that Jordan Vineyard & Winery offers much more than your traditional winery.

Wine Country Captivates YouTube Viewers: Jordan Vineyard & Winery

Jordan Vineyard &Winery,
crafting award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon since 1972

How Jordan Vineyard & Winery preserves the land, and the people, that produce their wines 

My recent reintroduction to the euphoric experience found in a glass of wine has inspired me to expand my writing repertoire to the wine industry. 

Focusing on how the wine industry uses social media platforms to connect with their ever-expanding customer base, I began my journey with Jordan Vineyard & Winery, nestled in the heart of Sonoma's wine country.

Through my own independent research and an online interview with Lisa Mattson, Communication Director at Jordan Vineyard & Winery, I composed a case study, that I will share in a series of three blog posts, highlighting how she uses YouTube to share Jordan's unique culture of people and their crafts: Wine Country Captivates YouTube Viewers: Jordan Vineyard & Winery, Jordan Vineyard & Winery: A Proven YouTube Sensation!, and YouTube's Impact on Jordan Vineyard & Winery from a Business Standpoint. 

Here is a look at what makes Jordan Vineyard & Winery so special:

How Social Media is Impacting the Wine Industry

The Wine Industry and Social Media

My desire to marry my love of wine and my passion for writing has finally come to fruition. 

Currently in the process of crafting a whitepaper, that is looking more and more like it will be an eBook, I share how Social Media is being used in the wine industry.  In my search for vineyards and wineries who use Social Media, I found at least one to highlight for each of the following social networking platforms: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Blogging.

The journey has been a fruitful one, albeit long and arduous at times!  The people I have met and the resources I have discovered have proven to be worth all the time and energy thus far invested.