Grape Growers Reach Out Directly To Consumers
September 23, 2009 
Wine enthusiasts are often told “wine is made in the vineyard,” but what does that really mean? A new website launched by the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) in time for California Wine Month aims to answer that question. The site, www.California-Vineyards.com, provides wine consumers with user-friendly information about how winegrapes are grown, why they are crucial to making high quality wine, and the role that California’s winegrape growers play in producing flavorful grapes and wine.
The site also provides insight into why California’s wine grape growers are at the forefront of the sustainability movement through their broad participation in the state’s highly-regarded Sustainable Winegrowing Program. “We want wine consumers to understand the role California’s wine grape growers play in creating fine wine as well as preserving the state’s precious natural resources,” says CAWG Chairman John Crossland in a press release.
The new website, says Crossland, will complement the association’s www.cawg.org website, which is directed primarily at its members, wine industry groups and affiliated organizations. “We know that consumers are getting more and more of their information online,” he says, “and the website gives us the opportunity to tell our story directly, to pull back the curtain and let wine enthusiasts learn how wine grape growers help bring the wines they love to the table.”
Using colorful graphics, fast-paced videos, and an interactive California wine region map, the new website contains many features designed to give a face and a voice to California’s 4,600 wine grape growers. In addition to sections on choosing vineyard sites, the vine’s annual growing cycle, and an explanation of growers’ sustainability practices, the site features grower profiles, descriptions of wine regions, as well as information about more than ten popular wine varietals and how wine is made.
“Our research told us that consumers are immensely curious about wine – how it’s grown, how it’s made, and how it should be enjoyed,” says Crossland. “While our members focus on the ‘growing’ part, the site also offers information about the wines themselves, along with links to dozens of wine and regional associations where consumers can learn more.”
To encourage an interactive experience, www.California-Vineyards.com also features an “Ask the Expert” section where consumers can ask wine-related questions. Answers to the most-asked questions will be provided in a quarterly newsletter called “Vines to Wines.” Available to consumers who sign up online, the newsletter will feature vineyard-related news, grower stories and upcoming wine country events.
Established in 1974, CAWG represents the growers of more than half of the gross grape tonnage crushed for wine and concentrate in California. The statewide association is an advocate for farmers, providing leadership on public policies, research and education programs, sustainable farming practices and trade policy to enhance the California winegrape growing business.
Subscribe Today For
