THE GRAPE HUNTER

The power of the Tweet...

2009-09-12T23:39:00.000-07:00

I am what you would call a newcomer to the world of Tweeting. If you asked me what I thought of this online communication tool about 9 months ago, I would have told you to piss off and not waste my time.

Well I must say, it's definitely not a waste of my time and my sales are proof of that. It has become one of the main ways of sharing my wine related thoughts and day-to-day wine business outcomes with my industry peers and lovers of wine across the globe.

Being a small wine brand, based out of Eden Valley, South Australia, Tweeting is one of the easiest ways to get people to at least think about your brand and possibly go and try a bottle. I think like anything in life, there are good and bad aspects to all sales & marketing tools. My suggestion to you is, set up an account and have a crack at it. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Happy Tweeting!

The Wine Flu

2009-08-25T19:12:00.000-07:00

The following was sent to me from a mate. Just had to put it up....

A friend of mine was at a dinner party last night, where she and other guests enjoyed copious amounts of alcohol.

She awoke this morning not feeling so hot, suffering from what could be described as flu-like symptoms: headache, nausea, chills, sore eyes etc. From the results of some initial testing, she unfortunately tested positive for what experts are now calling Wine Flu.

This debilitating condition is very serious and it appears this is not an isolated case. Reports are flooding in from others diagnosed with Wine Flu.

To anyone that starts to exhibit the aforementioned tell-tale signs, experts are recommending a cup of tea and a bit of a lie down . However, should your condition worsen, you should immediately hire DVDs and take some Nurofen. Others are reporting a McDonald's SuperSize Meal with Nuggets followed with a bucket load of chocolate and crisps. This remedy also seems to do the trick.

Wine Flu does not need to be life threatening, and if treated early can be eradicated within a 24-48 hour period. If not, then further application of the original liquid in similar quantities to the first dose has been known to do the trick.

The Private Cellar

2009-08-25T04:11:00.001-07:00

There I was with my good mate Andrew (Brisbane) cracking open a range of wines in his newly built, climate controlled wine cellar. One word, Outstanding! A great space with tasting table and enough room to fit in 1500 bottles.

Andrew is what I call a true Wine Lover. He is so passionate about his wines and more importantly about sharing them with his mates. To me this is what is all about. I have the pleasure of being part of the grape growing, winemaking and marketing process of the wine industry, but the best part is when you crack open a bottle with a fellow Wine Lover and truly enjoy what's in that bottle.

So to you Andrew and every other passionate Wine Lover out there, we thank you.

Riesling - To be sweet or not to be ...

2009-08-21T04:16:00.000-07:00

I had recently put up the above title as a discussion point on a wine industry group on LinkedIn. The responses were fantastic and it was a great way for me to see what styles of Riesling people are drinking out there.

The positive outcome for me was that many of the comments were very positive about Riesling being dry, whlie having lemon, lime characters, with a hint of acid at the finish. Thank goodness for that!

BUT, there were those who commented on liking their Riesling's more on the sweeter style. No one actually said more fruit driven.

So, where does this leave me? I have decided that when I source and have made my new vintage Riesling, I will be releasing two styles. One to drink now and quite fruit driven (some may say slightly sweet) and the second to be dry, which will age and develop beautifully.

THE GRAPE HUNTER

2009-08-19T04:05:00.001-07:00

Michael first started turning his passion for wine into working reality back in 1992 when he first started visiting the Hunter Valley at the ripe young age off 22. At that time he fell in love with all aspects of wine; from growing the grapes,making the wine and then actually selling it.

Michael knew one day he would move away from what was then a corporate career and dedicate his life and future goals to producing excellent grapes, supporting small growers and producing high-end, top quality wines.

In 2000, the first stage of achieving his end goal became reality. Michael left the lucrative world of consulting/recruitment and set up a small wine business consulting firm. This business simply gave boutique wineries what they wanted; which was end-to-end business services covering, vineyards, winemaking, and sales & marketing.

For many years now, Michael has been highly regarded by his peers as a person who gets stuck into his passion for wine and all that goes with it. His mates in the industry know him as THE GRAPE HUNTER. He loves sourcing the best grapes, which he co-makes into high end, handcrafted wines. He is also a true advocate of the small growers and boutique wineries across Australia.

Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

2009-08-19T04:01:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of attending the Coonawarra regional tasting last night at the Menzies Hotel in Sydney. Must say, it's been along time since I've really got stuck into focusing on trying so many Cabernets.

I was very happy with the result. I got to try a few Cabernets and most were above average to excellent. Well done to the Coonawarra and great to see the mighty Coonawarra Cab Sav is better than ever.