Is your wine PR message getting to the right people?

 

Today I received a press release from a winery that said: "You are not important enough to send a sample to, but here is what other wine writers thought about a wine you have not tasted."

Not in so many words, of course, but that was the clear message.

And it was sent by high-profile PR company that no doubt charges handsomely for its services.

I get the message. Some wine writers who saw the wine liked it, and reviewed it favourably. 

"It has captivated wine reviewers," the release said. "It has emerged as an unexpected superstar."

That is a message the winery probably wants to get into the hands of cellar door staff, its reps, its distributors and even to sommeliers. 

But instead this was sent to media. Not the right/write market.

I don't know of a single wine writer who would run a story about what other reviewers think of a wine that they haven't sampled. That just wouldn't make sense and would also be unethical. 

It is, of course, up to wineries who they send samples to. If they send them at all. Understood. 

Budgets are tight and ROI is important. And I am no James Halliday or Huon Hooke, who incidentally scored the wine 91 - hardly a superstar result. 

But here is the kicker: "The wine recently earned a bronze medal at the Langhorne Creek Wine Show, underscoring its exceptional quality and recognition within the industry."

OK. The producer is happy. But the agency should have offered some sage advice to its client.

I have asked this particularly agency not to send me any more of its releases.