plonk's posterous

The trials and tribulations of creating a wine label

The first written review of Plonk wine

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As anyone who has ever created anything knows, putting your creation out there for people to try and to judge, especially the first time, is a defining moment.  I recently sent a couple of bottles of plonk to the Wine Diva, Linda Blakely, who is someone I follow on Posterous.  She definitely knows the wine biz as she and her husband owned a wine shop and I'm sure they have tasted and evaluated thousands of wines.  

I had no idea what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised when she sent me the link to her review.  Check it out for yourself and see why I'll be having a bottle of bubbly tonight.  Thanks Wine Diva!

Plonk Wine - looking for a Distributor in Colorado

It's approaching the end of January and it's time to try and expand distribution of plonk wines outside of Montana and Wyoming.  So, I decided to contact Blair Taylor of Enotec Imports in Denver.  For a young man, Mr. Taylor is one of the original fine wine importers in the States and his restaurant, Barolo Grill, is one of the finest in Denver.  I worked with Blair as a rep for his wines when I worked for a Distributor called Grand Vin.  I later sold his wines in my wine bar in Bozeman.  He's a true pro and a true gentleman.  He's why people love the wine business.

Anyway, I contacted Blair about Distribution in Denver and he suggested that I contact Kate Jankowski of Grand Vin.  I used to work with Kate and I'm hoping she remembers me.  I am going to try to set up a meeting and tasting sometime in late February.  I know, as my friend Kurt Winegardner says, if you want to present your wine to a Distributor, you'd better be holding it in your hand.  That means, don't just send the wine in a box and hope for the best.  They get thousands of wines for samples.  It's the story and the personality that will make the difference - at least that's what I'm hoping.  Stay tuned.

Plonk Wine Weekly Follow Up

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Well, so far things are going pretty well.  We're creating more and more of a presence in Montana and trying to stretch outward at a reasonable pace. 

The good: 

  • Wine clubs, good retail presence and lots of good wine list action in some great locations here in Montana. 
  • Wonderful Montana wine distributor - Winegardner's Wines and great wine reps - Porter Elliot and Lacey Capps.
  • Website is almost finished
  • Bills are all paid

The hopeful:

  • After my meeting with Greg Hanks in Yellowstone, I feel like we have a great chance to make it on their list.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  This would be absolutely huge for our visibility.
  • Still hoping Gary Vaynerchuk at Wine Library TV keeps his promise about featuring my wine on his program.
  • Planning a visit to Denver in February to meet with some Distributors.

More good news coming next week!

 Cheers

MW

Plonk Wine and Yellowstone National Park

I just contacted Greg Hanks, who is the Food and Beverage Director for Yellowstone National Park in hopes of getting Plonk wine on the restaurant menus for this summer.  I was a bartender at the Lake Hotel from 1992 to 1994 and I remember master brewers from Teton Ale (Jackson, WY) and Black Dog Ale (Bozeman, MT) coming in and selling their beer in the park.  It was terrific exposure for them as there are tourists from around the country, as well as from all over the world, who visit the park in the summer. 

 

I left Yellowstone N.P. in 1994 and moved to Burgundy, France where I lived for 4 years.  I eventually completed the International Wine Commerce program in Beaune, France in 1999 and returned to the States to work in the wine business.

 

It’s only fitting that I should now be back in Bozeman and trying to get Plonk wine on the menus of the many restaurants in the park.  I have a meeting with Greg Hanks on Sat Jan 10th at 2pm.  I’m crossing my fingers that he loves the wine and that my love and history of Yellowstone will be compelling enough for him to showcase it in the park.

 

To be continued...

Cheers

 

MW

 

PS   If you’ve never been to Yellowstone National Park, you’re missing a National Treasure that has amazing food and accommodations for a place as pristine as it is.

 

Here is the lobby of the Lake Hotel.  They traditionally have a string quartet that plays in the evenings while visitors sip cocktails, read books or just wait for their dinner tables to be ready.

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Plonk Wine and the Vino per tutti wine club

Plonk wine has made its first move in to the wine club world.  A beautiful downtown Bozeman wine shop called Vino per tutti has graciously decided to feature Plonk wine for their January wine club.  The owner of the shop, Tim Christiansen, is very hands on in choosing his wines and they are selected based on his experienced palate and not on magazine scores or ratings.  If you see his store or check out his website, it's apparent that this is someone who is passionate about wine and loves to share that passion with others.

For a new wine label, being a part of a wine club is such an important step.  It shows that someone, other than me, is willing to showcase this wine to his or her most valued clients.

Now, I really have to finish the plonk.com website.

Cheers

MW

Vinopertutti