Wine Marketing Services in Napa County, CA

Wine is where we started nearly 30 years ago, and we continue to work with wineries and wine regional associations throughout the world. Every week, we’re in contact with the key wine media, influencers, and trade. We know the wine business intimately, and have the key connections to prove it. We have worked with some of the biggest wine companies and some of the smallest, as well as wine regional associations in the USA, Europe, Middle East, and Australia.

Michael Wangbickler has studied and marketed wine for nearly 20 years himself, and is considered by many in the trade to be a category expert. In addition to his depth of experience, he holds many certifications including: Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 4 Diploma in Wine & Spirits, Certified Wine Educator through the Society of Wine Educators (SWE), and WSET Certified Instructor. He is an Adjunct Instructor at Napa Valley College where he teaches the highly engaged students about a specific wine subject each semester. In addition, he has spoken at many conferences and seminars on wine and wine marketing.

The American craft beer industry has seen tremendous growth in the last two decades and exemplifies the artisanal and locavore movements which have shaped a variety of industries and reflect shifts in consumer motivations, particularly among Millennials. Traditional notions of competition and large-scale marketing practices have changed and consumers are refocusing on community, craft, and social responsibility. This movement presents an opportunity for us to practice two-way symmetrical communication and build quality relationships with niche communities for our beer clients.

Beer is a relatively new area for us, but many of the skills and expertise we’ve picked up with our wine clients are absolutely transferable. Like wine, it is an alcoholic beverage and has many of the same challenges that all regulated segments have. Licensing may be different, but many of the same marketing principles apply. Most people who open a craft brewery are not steeped in the art of marketing and public relations. Plus, craft brewers are so busy producing the product or maintaining the brewery that they don’t have time to commit to marketing and public relations. That’s where we can help.

We have a passion for spirits. No, really! We like nothing more than seeking out a new whisk(e)y or gin, or exploring the uncharted territories of Japanese Shochu or Chilean Pisco. Luxury spirits and wine have certain affinities, and its not unusual to find that key influencers and media review and write about both beverages. We’ve worked with some spirits clients to promote specialty craft spirits, including ultra-premium sipping tequila, the world’s first raw vegan gin, and the national spirit of Japan: Shochu.

Mike’s spirits collection is almost as large as his wine stash. He’s traveled the country (and some of the world) searching for local distilleries, and has visited these establishments in California, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and Washington. As a WSET Certified Instructor, he has presented the WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits, and until they changed the standard, also taught the session on Spirits for the WSET Level 3 Award in Wine and Spirits. As mentioned above, he also passed the section on the spirits business during his WSET Level 4 Diploma certification. He’s constantly experimenting with new and classic cocktail recipes.

Sake (Nihonshu) exports to the U.S. have increased tremendously over the past five years. The shrinking sake market in Japan has led to more international access, especially premium grade versions, such as ginjo-shu. Significant growth in the number of Japanese restaurants across the U.S. is another major contributor to growth. On top of that, the sake market in Japan is witnessing intensive reformation, with key market players exploring new products, packaging, and marketing. This all lays a strong foundation for growth of the sake category in the U.S.

We’re huge fans of the beverage. Over the past several years, we’ve worked with a few trade groups, helping them promote Japanese sake in key markets. These programs were successful, but there is opportunity for individual brewers or guilds to increase awareness and sales in the U.S. In addition to his certifications listed above, Mike also holds a WSET Level 3 Award in Sake and has sat the Japan Sommelier Association Sake Examination.

Whole leaf teas and naturally flavored teas are not only continuing to increase in popularity among consumers, especially millennials, but across all demographics. Coffee continues to grow as more independent and small chain retailers and coffee houses emerge. Millennials and Gen Z don’t have the same drinking habits as previous generations, who were more interested in alcoholic beverages. Consumers who are looking for the “story” behind their favorite products have a treasure trove of history, terroir and tradition to investigate with tea and coffee.

We’re tea and coffee nerds at Balzac. Emma and Mike love to explore new blends, new regions, and new variations. Mike is partial to oolong and black teas, while Emma is a green tea fan. On the coffee front, Mike likes to explore new region and roasts of specialty coffee roasters. We have some experience in tea and coffee marketing, and we see this as a growth area for us, given the shift in American drinking habits.