As December comes to a close we’re all reflecting back on the year that has been 2011. Although we’re still going through challenging economic times, spirits of the vintners throughout wine country seem to be rising, as sales are slowly picking up. There’s a feeling of hope and optimism that I haven’t seen in a long time. So keeping that positive state of mind, here are my top 10 wine moments of 2011. Read more
Turning Winemaking Over to Facebook Fans
“They did not pick the yeast that I normally use,” winemaker Tom Johnson says. “It’s a new experience for me.”
The “they” refers to Silversmith’s Facebook fans, 797 of them, who are voting on winemaking decisions for the 2011 vintage. “I thought Matt was crazy when he came up with this idea,” says Tom. “I thought no one would be interested and no one would participate. Boy was I wrong.”
Matt Johnson is Tom’s son and sales and marketing director for Silversmith Vineyards. His idea: crowd source all the decisions in the winemaking process to the winery’s Facebook fans who “like” the winery’s page.
This may be the best use of social media in the wine world. Read more