Wine Marketing Archives

Unlocking the Digital Future: Liz Palmer’s Insights at the 8th UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism

Liz Palmer Presents at the 8th UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism: Strategies for Crafting and Preserving a Strong Digital Brand for the Wine Tourism Industry

The 8th UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism, held in Yerevan, Armenia, from September 11 to 13, 2024, hosted by the United Nations World Tourism Organization in partnership with the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia, stands as a landmark event in the wine tourism industry. The conference theme, “Heritage in Every Bottle: Crafting Authentic Wine Tourism Experiences,” highlights the essential balance between modernizing wine tourism and preserving cultural heritage.

The conference provided an unparalleled platform for experts in the burgeoning field of wine tourism to collaborate on finding tangible solutions to make tourism a driver for a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future for communities. Attendees included renowned producers, tourism professionals, government officials, and representatives from international organizations.

I was thrilled to be asked to be a keynote speaker on Digital Branding in Wine Tourism. My presentation, titled “Strategies for Crafting and Preserving a Strong Digital Brand for the Wine Tourism Industry,” covered several key topics:

What is Digital Branding?
Evolution of Digital Branding
Key Trends (2020-2024)
How Digital Branding Drives Success in Wine Tourism
Current Trends in Digital Branding for Wine Tourism
10 Key Elements for Structuring an Effective Digital Brand Strategy

I’m also delighted to share my presentation from the 8th UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism in Armenia, 2024

Here it is on Slideshare + available to download: https://tinyurl.com/4peyfrye

Happy Birthday, SA Wine! Celebrating 366 Years of Winemaking Excellence

South Africa Wine is excited to announce the “Happy Birthday SA Wine” campaign, a celebration from January through February to celebrate the South African wine industry’s official birthday on February 2nd. This campaign invites wine lovers, producers, retailers, and industry stakeholders worldwide to celebrate South Africa’s rich winemaking heritage.

South Africa is unique among wine-producing countries in that it knows the exact date of the inception of its wine industry: February 2, 1659.

This campaign encourages the wine community to participate.. “We call upon the entire wine industry, tourism sector, local and international partners, and wine enthusiasts to join us in this celebration,” says Basson. “Together, let’s raise a glass to South African wine’s past, present, and future.”

“Our vision is to create an annual celebration that honours this heritage and promotes the spirit of South African wine,” says Rico Basson, CEO of South Africa Wine. “We want to raise awareness both local and global about the contributions of South African wine to the world and to encourage a sense of pride and connection within the industry and among consumers.”

Join South Africa Wine in this vinous voyage, as they honour the traditions, celebrate the innovations, and toast to a future filled with exceptional South African wines!

Wine Industry Study Finds Growing Use of SMS, Online Chat & Age Gates in 2025

VinterActive, a leader in direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing within the wine industry, has published its latest research report, VinQuest™ 2025: Adoption of SMS Marketing, Online Chat & Age Gates by U.S. Wineries. This rigorous study, utilizing a methodology with a 3% margin of error at a 95% confidence level, presents pivotal benchmarks in contemporary wine marketing practices:

20% of U.S. wineries have implemented online age gates to prevent underage website visitors.
13% of U.S. wineries offer an option for website visitors to engage via text messaging.
3% of U.S. wineries provide an online chat feature.

Bryan St. Amant, Founder & CEO of VinterActive, underscored the significance of these findings: “As competition evolves, wine marketing benchmarks help merchants make better business decisions. Since the impact of email and social media is well documented in the wine industry, it’s time to look ahead by focusing on emerging digital marketing tools.”

Key Research Findings

This study involved detailed surveys of 500 winery websites, randomly selected from the top nine U.S. wine-producing states. It revealed critical insights into:

The variability of digital wine marketing tactics across different U.S. wine regions.
The types of online age gates currently deployed by U.S. wineries.
The nature of consumer consent is collected when visitors opt-in to receive SMS messages.

Implications for U.S. Wineries

The complete report, VinQuest™ 2025: Adoption of SMS Marketing, Online Chat & Age Gates by U.S. Wineries, further delves into how these findings translate into opportunities and risks for individual wine brands, wine regions, and the broader U.S. wine industry in 2025.

For more information or to request a complimentary copy of this research report, visit VinterActive Research.

The Wine Market Journal Announces the Top Appreciating Wines of 2024

The Wine Market Journal, the world’s top resource for rare wine valuation, has released its list of the top appreciating wines for 2024.

“2024 was a challenging year for much of the alcohol industry, but high-end wines provided a bright spot, as they generally do, with good strength. The Wine Market Journal has been tracking the values of wines at the world’s auction houses since 1997 and this year we decided to release our list of the top appreciating wines,” says David A. Parker, Publisher and Owner of The Wine Market Journal. “With wine collecting proving to be one of the most popular hobbies in the country and a large portion of high-net-worth families listing a wine collection as a part of their investment portfolio, we thought this very eventful year would be ideal to start our Top 10 list of appreciating wines. Looking at these provides a glimpse into the fascination and the potential return the hobby brings.”

“Putting this list together took substantial thought and analysis”, said Peter Gibson, Editor and head data analyst of The Wine Market Journal. “Since rare wines trade less frequently than stocks, we had to first be sure there were enough trades in both 2023 and 2024 to get consistent averages. For wines less than 25 years old, we made sure a wine had at least 6 trades in each of 2023 and 2024 and an average price of at least $50. For those more than 25 years old, we only looked at wines that had at least four trades each in 2023 and 2024 and an average value of at least $75. All of our top 10 wines appreciated at more than twice the rate of the stock market this year. Here are the winners.”

Number 10

Vietti Barolo Ravera 2013. Average auction hammer in 2023: $177, in 2024: $295. Average appreciation: 67%. Scored a perfect 100 points by Vinous magazine, this wine demonstrates the overall demand that Italian wine has enjoyed in the US this year. Italian wines were the best-appreciating market segment tracked by The Wine Market Journal’s exclusive regional indices. As with the Chave Blanc above and as the youngest red wine on the top 10 list, this also has plenty of time to develop further and appreciate in value.

Number 9

Cos d’Estournel 1978. Average auction hammer in 2023: $81, in 2024: $136. Average appreciation: 69%. This may seem a puzzle as 1978 was not initially heralded as a great vintage in Bordeaux and this wine has “only” garnered scores in the 93–94-point range. However, as the sole Bordeaux on our Top 10 list, it demonstrates the popularity of second-growth Bordeaux, which performed better as a class than the more highly celebrated First Growths, according to The Wine Market Journal’s market indices. 1978 is also receiving more recognition as a soft but complex vintage, demonstrating the trend of collectors enjoying lighter, lower-alcohol reds. And, even at its appreciated price, it is still a relative bargain among highly recognized reds. Finally, it is participating in a resurgence in popularity of wines from the 70’s. Indeed 6 of the wines on our top 10 list are from that decade.

Number 8

Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve 1979. Average auction hammer in 2023: $1247, in 2024: $2125. Average appreciation: 71%. This is the most highly valued wine on our top 10 list, due to its rarity and acclaim. With the bare minimum four trades each in 2023 and 2024 to be considered for inclusion, and a reputation as consistently one of the greatest wines from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this can fairly be called a “unicorn”: legendary but very rarely seen. Again, part of the trend of drinking lighter, more complex reds with lower alcohol, this and other imported wines may also be appreciating due to the perceived potential for tariffs to go into place for wine originating outside the U.S.

Number 7

Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon 1974. Average auction hammer in 2023: $150, in 2024: $256. Average appreciation: 71%. The first of three 1974 Napa Cabernets on our top 10 list, this is a classic from that acclaimed vintage. While the Heitz Martha’s Vineyard 1974 may be the single most famous California wine ever made, this longstanding producer has always had a reputation for great wines and clearly made one in this, the Golden State’s best vintage of the. The fact that this is a 50-year-old wine also likely figures into the increased popularity as it certainly was part of gifting and pouring decisions for those with major reasons to celebrate in 2024.

Number 6

Beaulieu Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve 1974. Average auction hammer in 2023: $158, in 2024: $277. Average appreciation: 75%. This classic California Cabernet from BV also benefited from the renewed desire to drink older, lighter wines – and the celebration of the great 1974 vintage in its 50th year. The fact that about four times as many auction trades occurred in 2023 and 2024 for this wine as for the Clos du Val, and appreciation was slightly higher, this seemingly became “the wine to drink” at 50th birthday parties and anniversaries during the year.

Number 5

Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons 1996. Average auction hammer in 2023: $120, in 2024: $222. Average appreciation: 85%. The sole Burgundy to make the Top 10 list demonstrates that wines from this region, which had been the fastest appreciating category for more than a decade but suffered a correction since spring of 2022, are coming back. A relative bargain for a Grand Cru red Burgundy with appreciable bottle age, this wine may be getting snatched up in preparation for celebrations in 2026, in anticipation of possible tariffs, or just because it’s hitting its peak of consumability right now,

Number 4

Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 1990. Average auction hammer in 2023: $287, in 2024: $546. Average appreciation: 90%. Receiving 100 points from Wine Advocate qualifies this as “perfect” to many people, and this Syrah-dominant wine from the northern Rhone by one of the most famed producers reconfirms interest the Northern Rhône category was strong in 2024. Here again, we are seeing ready–to–drink wines from the best producers drawing the greatest increase in attention from collectors. To paraphrase a noted wine personality: “I don’t have the time to age wine for 35 more years, but I can buy those years.” Increased interest in this wine may also be heightened by the upcoming 35th anniversary in 2025 and the potential for tariffs for wine coming in from outside the US.

Number 3

Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley 1974. Average auction hammer in 2023: $157, in 2024: $302. Average appreciation: 92%. The third classic Napa Cabernet from the acclaimed 1974 vintage to make our list, this was the rarest, with only 4 trades at auction in 2024. Here again, we are seeing the perfect confluence of factors for appreciation: a classic producer, a classic vintage, the resurgence of interest in the time period, and an anniversary year. A savvy investment indeed.

Number 2

Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Cask 1978. Average auction hammer in 2023: $92, in 2024: $183. Average appreciation: 99%. Surprisingly, the fastest-appreciating California Cabernet for 2024 is not from the hallowed 1974 vintage and won’t be an anniversary wine for three years, but unsurprisingly, it is from a legendary producer and the newly rediscovered 70’s. One of the “big 4 producers” of the era, this is further confirmation that reasonably priced, perfectly-aged California Cabernets are gaining increased attention by investors and connoisseurs alike.

Number 1

Sandeman Vintage Port 1963. Average auction hammer in 2023: $88, in 2024: $184. Average appreciation: 108%. Appreciating almost as much as BitCoin during this period, is this classic fortified wine from Portugal. Long the “sleeper” in terms of appreciation, Vintage Ports have received renewed interest and have often been the fastest appreciating category tracked by The Wine Market Journal’s market indices. Top Vintage Ports are garnering more recognition by top bars and restaurants as wines that last after opening and short pours have become popular. While the 1963 vintage is a classic and Ports are known to age effortlessly for the better part of a century, Sandeman is regarded as a mid-tier producer, so perhaps this appreciation can be best equated to the Cos d’Estournel, with second-tier, reasonably priced wines garnering the strongest appreciation in this market.

There were some trends in 2024 with anniversary wines, and Napa Cabs from the 70’s being notably strong. And 100-point wines are popular for collectors. But the joy of collecting wine goes beyond the profit motive, to the unique social and artistic aspects of the product. A top collector states: “Some wines go up in value. Some go down my throat. They both bring pleasure.”

Alto Adige Wines Announces a New UGA Classification

Nestled in Italy’s northeastern corner, Alto Adige, one of the country’s most compact yet pioneering viticultural areas, is advancing its esteemed Alto Adige DOC designation with a significant new addition. The Consorzio Alto Adige Wines has recently announced that, starting with the 2024 vintage, 86 well-defined and meticulously documented vineyard areas have been granted special legal status as Additional Geographical Units (in Italian “Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive” or UGA).

“Our goal is to capture the unique character of each vineyard in every bottle,” said Martin Foradori, Vice President of the Consorzio Alto Adige Wines and owner of the J. Hofstätter estate. “Terroir” should not be just a marketing term—it should be something you can truly taste in each glass of wine.”

Defined by rigorous criteria, each UGA reflects an ideal alignment of soil type, microclimate, altitude, slope inclination, sun exposure, rainfall, and more. While forward-thinking was essential to this process, tradition also played a significant role, as many of the selected vineyard sites hold historical importance. A land register dating back to the mid-18th century provided access to valuable historic land names, testifying the region’s rich viticultural heritage. Additionally, within each UGA, permissible yields have been further reduced by 25% compared to DOC regulations, ensuring optimal grape quality and exceptional wines.

The ideal grape varieties for vineyards within each UGA have also been carefully defined. Eduard Bernhart, Director of the Consorzio Alto Adige Wines, explained: “Wines that qualify for a UGA designation must be made exclusively with grapes from that specific site. Depending on the vineyard’s location within a UGA, up to five varieties may be permitted, while some UGAs restrict production to just one or two varieties.”

As of the 2024 vintage, the geographical designation—such as Gries, Mazon, or Eppan Berg, to name just a few of the 86 recognized UGAs—may be listed on wine labels alongside “Alto Adige DOC.”

Producers wishing to use a UGA name on their label are required to include a pictograph specially designed by the Consorzio. Alto Adige Wines This will allow consumers to clearly recognize these special wines, as the pictograph must appear on both the front and back labels.

“Much like other renowned wine regions, we believe this initiative will set new benchmarks for exceptional and distinctive Alto Adige wines,” commented Andreas Kofler, President of the Consorzio Alto Adige Wines and of Cantina Kurtatsch. “These UGAs establish Alto Adige as a leader in the highest quality, terroir-driven winemaking.”

The creation of UGAs marks the culmination of years of research, collaboration, and vision led by the Consorzio Alto Adige Wines. Contributions from agronomists, enologists, growers, and producers helped shape the new classification, blending innovation with a deep respect for tradition.