Tag Archives: Michael Wangbickler

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Winecast 61: Michael Wangbickler and what comes next for wine

michael wangbickler
Michael Wangbickler: Wine tourism looks like it’s back, but serious questions remain about wine demand.

Michael Wangbickler: The pandemic exposed a lot of a weaknesses in the wine business

Michael Wangbickler, who runs Napa’s Balzac Communications, is one of the most clear-eyed people in the wine business — no wishful thinking, no this is going to happen because we want it to, no rose-colored glasses. This is one reason why Balzac is one of the premier marketing companies in the wine business. So who else better to talk to about what comes next for wine in the post-pandemic, young people aren’t interested, and hard seltzer days we’re in?

I’ve known Mike for years; he was one of the people who made Drink Local Wine work when we changed the way the world thought about regional wine. And yes, I’m jealous of his beard. We talk about it, as well as the future of wine marketing and wine criticism, on Mike’s “Hit the Bottle” podcast — complete with production effects. It focuses on trends in the wine business, so our discussion is quite detailed for those of you so inclined. And, not surprisingly, I am critical of the Winestream Media.

In this podcast, we talked about the changes on the way for wine, good and bad. Plus, we learn I didn’t drink when I turned 18:

• The pandemic did spur innovation among many producers, who recognized they couldn’t sell wine the same way they had for years. For one thing, many have 21st century websites in the 21st century.

• Direct to consumer — buying directly from wineries — will continue to grow, and despite the legal difficulties. Mike thinks it’s one of the few ways smaller producers can replace the business they lost when restaurants shut down for a year. And he’s not optimistic about the return of the restaurant wine business.

• He also isn’t optimistic about big changes in three-tier, despite reforms made during the pandemic. Change will come gradually, depending on the political climate in each state. That has much to do with the biggest producers and the biggest wholesalers, who have the political clout to prevent wholesale changes.

• Don’t expect a wine boom coming out of the pandemic. People were drinking less before the pandemic, so why would they drink more now? Premiumization, though, will continue — younger consumers drinking more expensive wine as they drink less. They’re also going to drink so-called “healthy” wine — Mike thinks that’s a key trend.

Click here to download or stream the podcast, which is about 15 1/2 minutes long and takes up about 10 megabytes. Quality is excellent — have I finally figured out Zoom?

Winebits 505: Friends of the Wine Curmudgeon edition

wine curmudgeonThis week’s wine news: Three of my friends have earned top wine honors, so many tips of the WC’s fedora are in honor

• 40 under 40: Kyle Schlachter, who has been a long-time Colorado and Drink Local supporter, has been named to the Wine Enthusiast’s Top 40 under 40 Tastemakers of 2017 – people “who are shaping the future of wine, beer, cider and spirits in America.” This is a tremendous honor, since the Enthusiast is a Winestream media outlet that barely acknowledges wine is made outside of three or four regions on the West Coast, let alone anywhere else in the country. That it honored Kyle for his work spreading the word about Colorado and regional wine speaks to his enthusiasm and success. Kyle has always found a way to inject drink local into a wine conversation, and he is not afraid to do it even when talking to the snobbiest California wine drinker. Which makes him even braver than I am.

• Hail to the chief: Michael Wangbickler, one of the best PR people in the wine business, is the new president of Balzac Communications. This would be a big deal in any event, but it’s especially big for two reasons: First, because Balzac may be the best marketing company in the wine business, and second, because Mike replaces the legendary Paul Wagner, who wrote the book on modern wine marketing. Mike’s perspective and long-term vision are what make him so good – he understands that the wine business is about more than what’s going on at one moment in one place, and that success in wine is about more than one news release, one 90-point rating, or one free sample. This makes him smart and unique.

• Hail to the chief, part II: Dave Falchek, once a newspaper reporter, has been the executive director of the American Wine Society for the past year or so. Dave may be even more passionate about getting Americans to drink wine than I am, which should tell all you need to know about his love for wine. And that’s why he is perfectly suited to the AWS, whose goal is to get Americans to drink wine and to be more knowledgeable about it.