Heeee's Back - Gary V.

WINE TALK
21

This. It is logical play by Social Media influencers. Nothing new from a wine perspective, it is modern branding and the play on it. From The Rock launching sports gear with Under Armor to Kylie becoming America’s youngest self made billionaire selling cosmetics, it is not so much the product but this method. It seems the Rock is going to launch a tequila soon and some guy named Ray attempting it with bourbon. It somewhat endorses a persons true ‘reach’ so it can cut both ways on the influencer’s ego.

Aha. I overlooked that. I don’t pay any attention to the “influencers” on any social media, so I never think about it but I had read about that Kylie Jenner thing. Unbelievable.

22

So he’s bottling shiners under the Empathy label? Or did I miss something?

I like the qualifications of the other dudes. Started as interns at Wine Library. Can’t top that.

23

He does get bonus points for sporting the Macho Man T shirt [cheers.gif]

24

that’s targeting millennials - the great ‘untapped’ market (other than craft beer, which is already their jam)

25

I like Gary. I have had dinner with him and he is incredibly generous with what he shares with others, has an excellent palate, and is a great person to talk to. I have also tailgated with him at Jets games and if you think he is a bit hyper about wine, you ain’t seen nothin’ compared to Gary in the parking lot. His public persona has gotten him lots of followers around the country and made him lots of money while educating a lot of people about wine who normally drink wine from a box. What’s wrong with that?

26

Do you suppose his two “partners” are arguing which one is the right hand and which one the left?

27

That his public persona has gotten him lot of followers and made him lots of money.

28

Jay,
Nothing wrong with that. However, Empathy Wines does not appear to relate much to his palate, his excitement about wine, his educational talent, etc. In the video, the misleading idea that DTC will save consumers half the cost and the misleading map focused on Napa (for Lodi fruit) may be good marketing and may make him a LOT of money, but IMO is not advancing fine wine with millennials. It actually makes me more skeptical that his old marketing pitches reviewing wines were on the up-and-up vs. deceptive promotion of wines he got good deals on. (Yes, I’m naive.) Not illegal and perhaps an approach that impresses marketing pros. Not my cup of tea, but he’s a lot richer than I am.
Regards,
Peter

29

Same here.

I don’t begrudge Gary the use of his celebrity to promote a project like this. He knows more about wine than most celebrities know about whatever product they’re pushing. As long as he doesn’t mislead or misrepresent where the wine is coming from, I have no problem with it.

I did get a laugh out of the “intern at Wine Library” credential.

30

LOL, no oak monster in that wine…still have a bottle pepsi

31

Jay, have you done BUSINESS with the guy? Not being a customer and tailgating, but doing business.

32

Qualifies them in the Black Arts of (mis)Marketing. And nothing else. Makes them just as much responsible for the “Buy Lodi fruit as Napa, just trust us!” Not illegal, but extremely questionable, especially when the ad starts with the “deceptive French wines” BS. Is there anything in the ad that is really true?

33

So to get it to $20 someone would have to buy 3 solid cases, of a red, a rose, and a white. A couple of his wineries seem to sell $11-14 roses based on cellartracker prices. What does the Marietta Old Vine red go for these days- $12-14? From the blends it sounds like he might be taking each farmer’s excess juice and blending.


From press release
$720 for 36 bottles ($20 per bottle). It includes the Empathy Rosé blend of Grenach, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Pinot Noir, Empathy Wine blend of Vermentino, Viognier, and Grenache Blanc, and Empathy Red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel. The Empathy Rosé ships first in the spring of 2019, the Empathy White ships in summer 2019, and the Empathy Red ships in the fall of 2019.

The initial group of farmers growing grapes for Empathy Wines has decades of experience with acclaimed wineries. It includes Markus Bokisch of Bokisch Vineyards (Lodi, CA), Scott Bilbro of Marietta Vineyards (Mendocino, CA), Clay Shannon of Shannon Ranch (Lake County, CA), and the Mettler Family of Mettler Vineyards (Lodi, CA).