To combat the doom and gloom plaguing the wine industry right now, many regions have established Wine Improvement Districts (WIDs) to help producers band together and expand their marketing reach as one unit. These WIDs collect a small portion of profits from every winery in a given region (typically 1 to 2 percent of tasting room sales) and use that to fund marketing initiatives and promote wine tourism.
WIDs have worked in the past, but for some reason, wineries in Sonoma County are reluctant to follow suit. If a rising tide lifts all boats, why are these wineries so hesitant to jump on board, especially given the current state of the industry? Every other sector of the beverage industry is spending money on marketing, so why should wine be any different?
On this episode of the “VinePair Podcast,” Adam and Zach discuss a recent piece outlining Sonoma County’s contentious plan to create a Wine Improvement District to collectively market the appellation and its wineries. While similar efforts have been used to solid success in Temecula, Livermore, and Santa Barbara, this effort has been fraught, to say the least. Why is it that many wineries, which ostensibly would all benefit from increased marketing and visitation, don’t want to get on board, and what does it have to do with the broader industry? Tune in for more.
Zach is drinking: 2011 Archery Summit “Arcos Vineyard” Pinot Noir
Adam is drinking: De Sterlich Trebbiano d’Abruzzo
