2008's Best-Read Headlines
Our top 10 news articles: industry transitions, a sting, and the economy
San Rafael, Calif. -- Wines & Vines keeps track of which online news articles bring in the most readers, and as 2008 draws to a close this top 10 list shows which topics most interested you. The beauty of the Internet, of course, is that the articles are all still here at winesandvines.com for your reading, or re-reading pleasure. Some, like our No. 1 story, were obviously compelling. Others left us wondering what made these particular Headlines stand out. As always, your comments are most welcome.
1. "Economists Question Real Value of Wine," Aug. 19. A first-hand report from the American Association of Wine Economists' annual conference went viral. But the main thrust of the article -- covering what economists said about wine sales trends -- was not what captured readers' interests. Northwest correspondent Peter Mitham tangentially broke the news of Robin Goldstein's now infamous sting/scam of Wine Spectator's restaurant wine list awards. When we fact-checked the story that day, there were only three Google listings for Goldstein's imaginary restaurant, Osteria l'Intrepido, in Milan, Italy. And sure enough, there was also an answering machine to take our "reservations." As all the world now knows, the Osteria never existed, and there are now more than 4,000 Google mentions, some of which link to our story.
2. "Many Wine Consumers 'Overwhelmed'," March 10. This recap of Constellation Wines U.S.' "Project Genome" summed up new insights into consumer segments identified by Constellation's massive project. Who are they, what motivates them, and how can producers bring them into the wine-drinking fold? Perhaps already intuiting the current economic downturn, this was a must read for marketers.
The largest percentage of consumers identified by Constellation's Project Genome are overwhelmed by the selection of wine presented to them, and need careful guidance.
Source: Project Genome
3. "Winemaking Calculators Go Online," Sept. 4. Timed right at harvest, this introduction to a winemaker's new website that provides free, instant tools for fellow vintners proved an instant hit. Founder Petar Kirilov continues to add to his website.
4. "Tough Love for Napa Growers," April 10. The Napa Valley Grapegrowers' annual "Ahead of the Curve" seminar brought good news and bad, with irrepressible retailer, video wine blogger and talkshow staple Gary Vaynerchuk warning the growers that the Napa brand is not immune to competition.
5. "Winemakers on the Move," Aug. 14. We put the annual flood of pre-harvest winemaking job changes online, and thousands of you looked to see where your compatriots and competitors were heading.
6. "California Wine Seized in Belgium," Jan. 10. When a third party shipped a concealed cargo of Gallo sparkling wine labeled "California Champagne" and "André Champagne Cellars," E.U. inspectors made a point--and an entertaining video--of the ensuing glass-crunching destruction of the 3,200 bottles.
7. "Who Buys Wine Direct?" May 1. Surprising results from the Direct to Consumer Symposium show that the market is far more diverse than many would have expected.
8. "Behind the Constellation Sell-off," June 13. The much-reported deal that included well-known properties from Sonoma, Napa and the Northwest was not as simple as much of the coverage suggested; we brought in details to explain the complicated transaction.
9. "Copia to Sell Building by New Year," Nov. 11. This scoop by Paul Franson revealed the penultimate chapter in a sad tale that rapidly led to Chapter 11 for Napa's grandiose but ill-fated Center for Wine, Food and the Arts.
10. "Goldschmidt Leaves Beam Wine Estates," Jan. 14. This precursor to our No. 8 Headline, when Constellation was still in acquisition mode, reported the departure of a respected international winemaker. People, obviously, do like to read about people.
So, readers, no need to miss us while we're gone for the holidays. We hope this will encourage you to revisit all of our Headlines, and put us on your "favorites" for next year. It's sure to be exciting.