Posted on April 19, 2011 by Bill Skrapits
Are your wines distributed? Should they be? Many small wineries ask themselves these questions. The answers are not always easy to come by. Let’s shed some light on the subject.
First, how did we get here? Why do we even have mandated distribution in most states?
The 3-tier…
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Posted on April 29, 2011 by Bill Skrapits
You are passionate about wine. Perhaps you’ve been making your own wine for family and friends. Maybe you’re even growing a few vines! But now you’re really excited and motivated about living the dream – being a winery owners and sharing your passion with many. Where do you start?
One of…
Posted on May 4, 2011 by Bill Skrapits
Building the Foundation for Your Winery
I have found that one of the biggest stumbling blocks for people in starting a business is not asking enough questions. And if they’re asking questions, often they aren’t the right questions of the right people. Many times entrepreneurs are so lit up and…
Posted on May 6, 2011 by Bill Skrapits
Typically in the wine industry, you have one or two out of every seven years where you lose over half your crop. Three to four years out of those seven, you have an average crop level. And one to two years out of every seven you have a bumper crop.…
Posted on May 12, 2011 by Bill Skrapits
What is Colorado wine?
On my Southwest Winery Tour, I was really interested in seeing what Colorado wine was all about. What I found is that the state has not defined what Colorado wine is actually (BTW, this is not unique to Colorado, and most states/regions are in the same boat).…
Posted on May 20, 2011 by Bill Skrapits
First, branding is not advertising. It’s not just the company name, logo or label being recognized. It’s not facts about your winery. Real branding evokes an emotional response when the consumer sees your label or hears your name. Porsche is high performance, luxury, and cool. Apple is imagination, design and innovation. Yellowtail is…
Posted on July 2, 2011 by Bill Skrapits
In remembrance of our Founding Fathers and in celebration of our independence, we pay homage to them and their love for wine. Here are a few quotes from George, Thomas and Ben on wine.
George Washington: My manner of living is plain and I do not mean to be put…
Posted on July 22, 2011 by Bill Skrapits
Often winery owners have chosen to get into the business because they are passionate about wine and making wine, but interestingly they haven’t stopped to think and plan how to sell the wine AND make the winery profitable. It takes more than a good winemaker to establish a success winery.…
Posted on August 11, 2011 by Bill Skrapits It’s no news most of the United States is in the midst of an ongoing heat wave. But how has that affected harvest for the southwest? And what about that late frost that hit much of the south in early May? Let’s take a look.
Back on May 3,…
I am reposting a letter sent out by Bobby Cox, President-Elect, Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association regarding crop insurance, loss and filing your claims. It’s been a hard year and many growers and farmers have had unprecedented losses. Insurance can be a funny thing, so here’s a bit of information for you.
Crop Insurance…