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Wines: the producer, the blogger and the importer #ijf10

One thing emerged over all others from the media140 food & wine event. None of the roles one can have within the enograstronomy industry, from producer to importer, can ignore social media and internet any longer.

The video is in italian

Gianpaolo Paglia, wine producer and one of the Italian pioneers of communicating with his clients trough his website – poggioargentiera.it- said at the event that unfortunately many wine producers don’t know how to communicate with the public through their websites, as by leaving them static, they don’t give the client a reason to come back.

Gianopaolo thinks that as social media and blogs are the closest thing to a conversation online, they are a perfect way to keep clients informed about the wine-making process, but also to receive feedbacks on his products.

Putting one’s self at risk brings respect, he says. So he decided to send six of his wine-bottles to 100 of his clients and to post their comments, without moderating them, on his site, next the each bottle’s information. Showing his clients and those passionate about wine that he accepts critiques is like communicating on the same level, and creates a long-lasting connection.

The video is in English

From the client’s point of view, wine-blogger Ryan Opaz – founder of catavino.net – thinks the same. Ryan says that mobile internet now gives consumers a direct access to a product’s information straight from within a supermarket. If a wine hasn’t got a website on it’s label or has a badly done website the client will get a bad impression of it.

According to Ryan nowadays it’s hard to find a bad wine, so those passionate about it look at other factors like how the wine’s been reviews by other consumers, or -if producers use social media online- the the connection they establish with their clients.

The video is in italian

Samuel Sanders – of spumante.nl – works instead between producers and clients, he imports Italian wine to the Netherlands, and despite he isn’t in direct contact with consumers through his work, he thinks that internet can only help.

Samuel uses mostly Twitter to talk with his clients, he says his office is all there, inside his phone. Since he started using internet his clients know that they can contact him at any moment, and his business doubled.

According to Samuel the immediacy of Twitter shows to his clients and consumers that wherever he goes he is always immersed in the world of wine. This creates a trust that a standard work relationship could never have, and, as both Gianpaolo and Ryan think, creates such a connection with clients that it would add value to any business.

One of the critiques always done to internet is that it divides people. Attached to a computer, it’s said, we don’t communicate with those around us any longer. As all the speakers at media140 food & wine showed internet and social media help instead to create a long lasting connection between those who produce, import, and consume, giving us a chance to immerse ourselves in and appreciate their worlds.