Podcasts about chateau margaux

Highlighting some famous red wine blends! Hester Creek Grenache Syrah Mourvedre 2022. ($34.99 Platinum National Wine Awards of Canada and double gold at All Canadian Wine awards) 45% Grenache, 38% Syrah (includes 2% of co-fermented Viognier), and 17% Mourvedre Roche Wines Nuances 2020 ($36). A blend of 47% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Barossa Valley Estate Grenache Syrah Mourvedre 2020 ($25) Emiliana Novas Gran Reserva Carmenere Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Chile ($18.99) Chapoutier Belleruche, Cotes du Rhone ($22.99) Chateau Margaux 1990 ($5550) Chateau Belle-vue Haut Medoc ($50) Guest: Karl Kliparchuk - Writer at mywinepal.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's often said that fine wine gets better with time, and this week's oenophile listener Jeremy has a cellar full of dust-covered bottles. He is curious whether chemistry can account for the range of flavours that develop as wine matures, but also wonders why some of it tastes like vinegar if you leave it too long? We head off to the Bordeaux region of France, where vines were planted almost 2,000 years ago. Here, winemakers are joining forces with scientists to better understand wine ageing, a process so subtle and intricate that even the scientists refer to it as magic. In the world-famous vineyards of Chateau Margaux, presenter Marnie Chesterton learns that the key ingredient for good grapes is a sandy soil type; and that in this part of France, the warming climate is actually having a positive effect on the vines, which need very little water to thrive. Over in the lab, we meet the chemist mapping the molecules responsible for aromas associated with a well-aged Bordeaux. Featuring: Philippe Bascaules, Chateau Margaux Prof Cornelis van Leeuwen, Bordeaux Sciences Agro Dr Stephanie Marchand-Marion, ISVV Alexandre Pons, ISVV Presented by Marnie Chesterton Producer – Marijke Peters Editor – Cathy Edwards Production Co-ordinator – Liz Tuohy Studio Manager – Sarah Hockley(Photo: Aged bottles on wine racks in a cellar. Credit: Morsa Images/Getty Images)

In this episode, Gaelle reveals a silent but important crisis in the world of French wines. If famous bottles of Chateau-Margaux are ever so expensive, the same story is not true of the more ordinary Bordeaux wines, which have been struggling to sell in recent years. You will understand why this crisis is hitting a lot of winegrowers hard and what solutions have been put in place. Check out Langua, a cutting-edge AI platform to help you become fluent in French: https://languatalk.com/french-AI-chat?via=gaelle You can find an interactive transcript for this episode on Langua, and you can see the vocab list here: https://languatalk.com/blog/podcast/french?via=frenchpod Looking to learn French fast with a tutor like Gaëlle? Meet a tutor for a free trial session here: https://languatalk.com/french-tutors-online?via=frenchpod

To download the transcript CLICK HERE This is the forth part of my mini series on wineries in South Africa. Today's episode is with Winemaker Andries Burger of Paul Cluver Winery based in Elgin. This region is known for it's Pinot Noir and Chardonany and as Paul Cluver is the pioneer of this wine region, who better than to discuss with them. So we will focus on Pinot Noir, talking about the importance of oak usage, how to bring out the grape's natural characteristics, how to not over power, walking through the process of making the very best Pinot Noir from harvest through to bottling. Of course, you will know all about this wine region, Elgin by the end of it. And there's so much to know about the conservation initiatives of this winery. Paul himself is an absolute superhero. So, you will find out about this very incredible man alongside the region and their wines. If you want to skip ahead: 2.07: How Andries ended up working as a winemaker at Paul Cluver 4.00: Some of the first plantings in this cool climate region were surprisingly Bordeaux Varieties 6.03: How the advise of Paul Pontallier from Chateau Margaux encouraged them across to Pinot Noir 7.59: Being the pioneers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and the increase in reputation of this wine region 9.32: The terroir and location of Elgin 11.37: Discussing nutrient poor soils and the advantage of planting cover crops 14.00: Talking about Dr Paul Cluver himself and his recognition for conservation efforts 17.10: Slack packing in the mountains around Elgin (basically glamping for hikers) 20.46: Comparing Pinot Noir to other regions in South Africa and across the world 22.49: Talking about the Seven Flags Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are the top wines of their portfolio £56.95 Frontier fine wines 26.00: Talking and tasting the Village Chardonnay 2022 £13.99 Waitrose 28.17: Talking about concrete eggs and it's effect in wine 31.25: Talking and tasting the Village Pinot Noir 2020 £14.30 Vinvm 38.45: How does Andries balance the expressions of Pinot Noir's natural characteristics with techniques such as maceration and colour? 40.47: Working with Paul Pontallier of Chateau Margaux and what he learnt 43.29: Oak usage in Pinot Noir 46.59: Working with only blonde/light toasted barrels and how this can't hide anything. 47.55: The Burgundy Coopers that Paul Cluver work with And if the podcast isn't enough.... Fancy watching some videos on my youtube channel: Eat Sleep Wine Repeat Or come say hi at www.eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk Or contact me on Instagram @eatsleep_winerepeat or on email: janina@eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk Until next time, Cheers to you!

As your first soirée into wine study, one might say study Bordeaux and particularly the Classification of 1855. Here Napoleon III ordered a ranking of wine of the Medoc for the Paris Exhibition of 1855. Here you will find fascinating wines, fascinating history and fascinating pedigree. And that is what we have here in this podcast with Guillaume-Alexander Marx.   The four first growth Bordeaux (now there are five) were Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau La Tour, Chateau Margaux and todays podcast subject, Chateau Haut Brion.   Wine is about the story....most of life actually is about the story. But something about wine connects one to the earth through the wine, through the story.  I think you will be intrigued by the story and the history to be told about Chateau Haut Brion.

For this podcast, we present the CBS Radio Mystery Theater and the episode The Case Of Chateau Margaux and it aired on Oct.12,1977. This story is based on the Edgar Allen Poe tale Thou Art The Man which was published in 1850. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michael-perry6/support

EP465 보르도 와인 4-1 [마고] 샤또 마고 (Chateau Margaux) 와인 스토리ART19 개인정보 정책 및 캘리포니아주의 개인정보 통지는 https://art19.com/privacy & https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info 에서 확인하실 수 있습니다.

In this Episode Jack Maraffi, The Affluent Traveler, Visits Bordeaux. France's second-largest city. The region houses the heavy-hitters like Chateau Lafite- Rothchild, Chateau Margaux, and Chateau Latour;  We find out what makes them among the most revered and costly in the wine world.Watch The Complete Episodes Of Jack's Splendid Wine and Food Show on AppleTV, Roku, and Verizon ConnectedTV Devices. Add The H20 Channel To Your Device.

Francouzské město Bordeaux si asi většina z nás spojí s výbornými víny a světově vyhlášenou vinařskou oblastí na jihozápadě Francie. Právě tam člověk najde ty nejprestižnější vinařské domy jako Chateau Margaux nebo Chateau Latour. Už méně lidí asi tuší, že Bordeaux je taky vyhledávanou základnou pro surfaře.

Francouzské město Bordeaux si asi většina z nás spojí s výbornými víny a světově vyhlášenou vinařskou oblastí na jihozápadě Francie. Právě tam člověk najde ty nejprestižnější vinařské domy jako Chateau Margaux nebo Chateau Latour. Už méně lidí asi tuší, že Bordeaux je taky vyhledávanou základnou pro surfaře.Všechny díly podcastu Zápisník zahraničních zpravodajů můžete pohodlně poslouchat v mobilní aplikaci mujRozhlas pro Android a iOS nebo na webu mujRozhlas.cz.

This episode was a ton of fun. I was jacked to be able to spend a little over an hour talking to an "old" friend, Margaux Alvarez. She has accomplished so many things in her time on this planet and is a beautiful soul, which becomes very apparent throughout this podcast. 

James and Philippe Bascaules, the managing director of Chateau Margaux, talk about the estate's latest releases, including the Chateau Margaux Margaux 2019."'19 from the beginning was an exceptional vintage," Philippe says. "It has the same level of concentration" as the '18, but with a small change: the rain between merlot and cabernet sauvignon that "changed completely the style of the cabernet sauvignon." The result in the '19, he said, is a wine that has a lot of charm and is open: "In '19, I think we have a great expression of Chateau Margaux."James says upon tasting the Margaux Margaux 2019 that it "really has this aroma of crushed stones, like the soil of Margaux." Philippe agrees, saying the minerality is an indication of a fresh and pure wine.Have a listen to their conversation about vintage, vinification and winemaking, which lasts until the 14:31 mark, when they turn their attention to tasting.

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Petit Verdot is often the secret weapon in a blend -- providing unique aromas and flavors plus acidity and tannin. In this show, we discuss this essential grape and the vital role it plays in wines around the world. What is Petit Verdot? The name means “little green one”, since it's hard to ripen, the berries remain green when other grapes are ready to harvest The grape is used in Bordeaux blends but sometimes made as a varietal wine Petit Verdot ripens later than other varieties and is used for tannin, color and flavor, gives structure to mid palate Photo: Virginia Wine Origins: Around in Bordeaux before Cabernet Sauvignon Could have been brought to Bordeaux by Romans Probably from Southwest France around the Pyrénées but gained recognition in the Médoc and Graves (on the Left Bank of Bordeaux) Plantings shrunk after phylloxera and the big 1956 frost in Bordeaux Petit Verdot was uprooted to be replaced in Bordeaux with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Now – more being planted, can withstand heat and drought   The grape: Small, thick-skinned berries that look almost black because of high anthocyanins -- lots of color and tannin! Early budding, late ripening -sometimes too late for the Bordeaux climate but that is changing (more similar to Cabernet Sauvignon than Merlot in the vineyards   In the vineyard: Best on warm, well-drained, gravel-based soils  Canopy management to maximize sun exposure is important If the weather does not cooperate in the spring during flowering, the fruit will not ripen well  Sensitive to water stress Winemaking: Even in small amounts (0.5%!), Petit Verdot can make a big difference Most winemakers will age these wines in oak, fostering undercurrents of vanilla   Aromas/flavors: Pencil shavings, violet, black fruit, spice, tannins, acidity Very acidic if not fully ripe but can be elegant and refreshing if it's ripe Cool climate: Dried herbs (sage, thyme), blueberry, blackberry with violet, leathery, pencil shavings Warm climate: Jammy, spicy, dark fruit, full-bodied, decent acidity, high tannin   Old World France Almost all Petit Verdot in France is in the Médoc of Bordeaux Big proportions are in: Chateau Margaux, Chateau Palmer, Chateau Pichon Lalande (Pauillac), Chateau Lagrange in St. Julien, Chateau La Lagune, Chateau Siran in Margaux Italy Primarily in Tuscany in the Maremma Toscana DOC (we mention the PV by Podere San Cristoforo), and in Sicily in the Menfi and Sicilia DOCs. Some in Lazio and Puglia Other Old World Places: Spain: Petit Verdot grow in warmer areas like Castilla y Leon, Jumilla, La Mancha, Alicante, Méntrida DO Portugal: Success in Alentejo Found in Turkey, Israel   New World United States Virginia: Often blended with Merlot of Cab Franc Needs free-draining soils (gravel is best) and high heat We get a firsthand account of PV from Elizabeth Smith of Afton Mountain, who makes outstanding wines. California: Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Lodi, Central Valley used in Meritage/blends often, with a few boutique standalones Washington State: PV is grown and made in Columbia Valley, Walla Walla, Yakima, Red Mountain Other Places: Planted in Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Texas, Michigan, PA, Maryland, New York, and more   Canada: Okanagan Valley of BC, Niagara Peninsula in Canada   Australia Used to make big bodied, lots of floral and dark fruit flavor single varietal wines. The grape has good acidity and tannin that will age for several years Ripens very late, often weeks or a month later than Shiraz Regions:  More bulk wine: Riverland, Murray Valley, Riverina, region is home to Australia's largest plantings of Petit Verdot (which maintains acidity, even in heat) Better areas: McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Barossa, Clare Valley, Coonawarra, and the Limestone Coast.     Argentina Every region from Patagonia to Calcahquí but mostly in Mendoza -70% or more is there. Verdot has good results in Bordeaux style blends Other South America: Peru, Chile, Uruguay – in blends and a varietal wine   South Africa: Mainly in Bordeaux blends and as a varietal too   Food Pairings with PV: Grilled or roasted red meat or hearty vegetables Spicy pork and spicy foods in general – Latin American spices ____________________________________________________________ Thanks for our sponsors this week: Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal   To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople   To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes  

In this episode, I was talking to Father and son team of Paul Cluver Senior and Junior about their Elgin vineyards and wines. It is a fascinating account filled with brave and visionary decisions and visions. Planting a vineyard against all professional advice, in times when South African wines were not exported in any volume and when there was no other vineyard planted anywhere in the valley. We chatted about the early years, planting and trying hard to ripen Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot despite the cool climate, aiming to make a Bordeaux blend, and how finally, after advice from Paul Pontallier of Chateau Margaux, deciding to abandon those and realising the region's potential of world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. You can also hear them describe their wines, from the village series, to the Estate range to the flagship label of Seven flags, now considered amongst South Africa's best Pinot and Chardonnay. Sustainability, climate change, growing tomatoes and figs also featured.

James spoke with Philippe Bascaules of Chateau Margaux on April 16, about the 2020 Bordeaux vintage, which so far has provided excellent wines, on a par with 2018 and 2019. Bascaules noted that the grapes were slightly smaller than in 2019. “We knew that the yields would be slightly lower in 2020,” he said, adding that the flowering was two weeks early. But the big event in grape growing in 2020 was the very dry summer. “We had intense drought for two months. I don't think we have ever seen that. For 50 days, we had no rain.”His wine, the 2020 Chateau Margaux, was the best en primeur sample James had tasted at the time of tasting, describing it as a “wonderful combination of refinement and power.”Check out the video on JamesSuckling.com for more details from their conversation and see the wine note below.Château Margaux Margaux 2020

An interview with Richard Dittmar, President & CEO of Trialto Wine Group. Trialto is one of Western Canada's leading premium wine import agencies with a 20 year history of building top brands. Trialto represents some of the most prestigious premium wineries from around the world including Chateau Margaux and Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

An interview with Richard Dittmar, President & CEO of Trialto Wine Group. Trialto is one of Western Canada's leading premium wine import agencies with a 20 year history of building top brands. Trialto represents some of the most prestigious premium wineries from around the world including Chateau Margaux and Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

I det här avsnittet får ni möta Jonas som arbetar som bartendern på resturang Allegrine i Stockholm. Han är uppvuxen i Eskilstuna och gick restauranglinjen för att bli kock på Rinmangymnasiet. Efter utbildning så börjande han på resturang Grappa i Eskilstuna, men hamnade i servisen och bartendern. Han var även med och startade upp Grappa i Stockholm och sen blev det olika kända krogar. För nio år sedan var han ut med sin bästa kompis och beställd in en Chateau Margaux och där började Jonas stora vinintresse. Så häng med och möt Jonas som tar med oss på en resa om vin, cocktail och några bar och resturang tips i Stockholm.

Chateau Margaux is in the house! Winemaker Margaux Alvarez that is. If you're a Titan Games fan then you may have seen our guest running the obstacle course, defying time and gravity, to claim Mount Olympus in victory as the Season 2 West Region Champion. Margaux is fierce in the gym and in competition, and she also brings it to making wine. After all, who else could call her or his wine The G.O.A.T. Wine? Grab a glass, or a pair of dumbells, and enjoy our conversation, and learn which came first, weights or wine.

INTERVIEW AND TASTINGJames had an insightful Zoom tasting with Philippe Bascaules, managing director at Chateau Margaux. They tasted three 2018 wines - Château Margaux 2018, Pavillon Blanc 2018 and Pavillon Rouge 2018. Philippe pointed out that the grapes were so small and thick-skinned in 2018 that he didn't need to extract much during fermentation and maceration. In fact, he didn't pump over many vats. This resulted in balanced yet rich young wines. Listen to the full podcast to hear the whole tasting and discussion.THE WINES TASTED:Château Margaux Margaux 2018Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Bordeaux Blanc 2018Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux Margaux 2018

CBS Radio Mystery Theater 77-10-12 (0723) The Case Of The Chateau-Margaux

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INTERVIEW AND TASTINGOn Thursday, May 28, 2020, international wine critic and Masterclass.com Instructor had a conversation and tasting with Philippe Bascaules of Chateau Margaux. He was sent the samples from Bordeaux and tasted them in his tasting room at James Suckling Wine Central. He was impressed with the structure, balance, and depth of fruit of the Chateau Margaux 2019. Listen to the podcast to hear more of James' thoughts on the wines and find out what Bascaules thought of the 2019 and how it compares to other vintages.This is part of an extensive en primeur tasting campaign being conducted by James, which has already covered 1,000 wines, with more to come. The reports are listed below:Bordeaux en primeur first report: A potentially challenging vintageBordeaux en primeur second report: 1,000 notes and scoresPricing report: Pontet-Canet's decision to slash its prices

Segunda parte de ATRAPADO EN EL TIEMPO donde te cuento el concepto de "vino envejecido" o vino viejo. Además trataré de explicar qué tiene que ver Elvis Costello con Chateau Margaux. Por otro lado seguiremos con un programa muy musical presentando a SAMUEL MIRANDA ESPECIALISTA EN MARKETING MUSICAL PARA VINOS quien nos contará todo sobre este concepto tan chulo y novedoso. Con la inestimable ayuda del gran comunicador JOSE ANTONIO NIETO, y la participación de HONORIO ZAMBUDIO y mi ABUELO VICENS. Vino para Camaleones es una idea original de Ferran Pacheco para dar a conocer el mundo del vino bajo en tonterías.

Segunda parte de ATRAPADO EN EL TIEMPO donde te cuento el concepto de "vino envejecido" o vino viejo. Además trataré de explicar qué tiene que ver Elvis Costello con Chateau Margaux. Por otro lado seguiremos con un programa muy musical presentando a SAMUEL MIRANDA ESPECIALISTA EN MARKETING MUSICAL PARA VINOS quien nos contará todo sobre este concepto tan chulo y novedoso. Con la inestimable ayuda del gran comunicador JOSE ANTONIO NIETO, y la participación de HONORIO ZAMBUDIO y mi ABUELO VICENS. Vino para Camaleones es una idea original de Ferran Pacheco para dar a conocer el mundo del vino bajo en tonterías.

A cozy conversation with Master Sommelier Thomas Burke and Chateau Margaux's Pavillon Rouge.

Chateau Margaux with Master Sommelier Thomas Burke Pt 2 - 8 Mins 41 Sec

Touch HD — Carrie is joined in studio by special guest Thibault Pontallier of Chateau Margaux to discuss his career & a new movie which he's helped to produce.

Touch HD — Carrie is joined in studio by special guest Thibault Pontallier of Chateau Margaux to discuss his career & a new movie which he's helped to produce.

This week on Barrel to Bottle, Kristen and Greg sit down with two VIPs of California wine, Chris Benziger and John Concannon. Chris Benziger carries the tradition of his family’s winery into the next generation, with all of Benziger’s releases certified sustainable, organic or biodynamic. John Concannon is an advocate for environmental stewardship and sustainability. As a fourth generation vintner, he is hoping for a future as bright as his family’s rich legacy: from bottling the first petite sirah in 1961 to importing key cab clones from Chateau Margaux in 1893 that are now found throughout California. Plus, Chris and John stick around to help with this week’s customer Q&A about wine in cans.

It’s time to give Central Coast Syrah its due. Not only does it produce age worthy wines, but you’ll find a wide variety of styles and regions to explore. Wine discussed:  5:48 Stolpman 2017 Syrah So Hot Syrah (Ballard Canyon) 13:52 Samuel Louis Smith 2016 Sandstone Terrace Syrah (Santa Cruz Mountains) 17:25 Joyce 2016 Tondre Grapefield Syrah (Santa Lucia Highlands) Transcript Jameson Fink:  Welcome to Wine Enthusiast's What We're Tasting Podcast. I'm your host, Jameson Fink. Join we as we discuss three fantastic wines, and why each one belongs in your glass. This episode I'm exploring Syrah, from California's Central Coast with contributing editor Matt Kettman, who covers and reviews wines from the region. What We're Tasting is sponsored by Vivino. Vivino is the world's largest online wine marketplace, powered by a community of 30 million wine drinkers who use The Vino app to engage with 2 million wines (including Central Coast Syrah from California) every single day.  So when it comes to the top grape, the top dog in California, especially with red wine, everyone wants to talk about Cabernet. It's the wine people collect, it's the one that can age, it's the one that gets the most love, and press, and it's well-loved for a reason. It's a famous, famous grape. But I think we're giving short shrift to Syrah. it's underrated, it's versatile, and it also belongs in your cellar. So Matt, you have recently made the case for Central Coast Syrah, the area that you cover, as being age worthy. Can you talk about sort of your awakening with Syrah as a grape that is age worthy? Matt Kettman: Yeah, of course. I've loved Syrah since I started liking wine. I've always found it to be kind of one of the more interesting wines out there. And it was actually one of the first wines where I was in a tasting room, I read a note that said "cracked pepper", and I actually smelled cracked pepper. So I was like, "Wow, this isn't all completely made up. There's some truth to these tasting notes." Jameson Fink: Of course, they're completely objective. Matt Kettman:Of course, yes. So that really kind of turned my head not just for Syrah, but for wine in general. This is obviously a dozen or so years ago at this point. So that really kinda made me interested in Syrah. And then over the years I've been lucky enough to try some older vintages from people like Bob Lindquist at Qupe, he's been making single variety Syrah since the 1980s, and doing it really well. And then more recently, a couple things happened. One, I did a long vintage flight with Joey Tensley of Tensley Wines, and we tried every vintage he'd ever made from Colson Vineyard, which is this really remote spot in Northern Santa Barbara County. And they were all phenomenal, and not in ways that you would necessarily expect. Some of the older vintages tasted younger than some of the more recent ones, so it was really kind of eye-opening in that regard. And it also showed how Syrah can really speak of a specific place, and do so while also referring to that year's, the vintage's characteristics as well. And then a little while ago, couple months ago, I had been up at Hospice du Rhône and and tried zillions of different Syrahs and other Rhône varieties from around the world and the region. And I came home, and was hanging out with a buddy in my garage, which is kind of a defacto tasting den of sorts. And we popped open this bottle, this was pretty late at night, but we popped open this bottle of 1987 Qupe from Bien Nacido Vineyard, and we tasted it and we were both like, "This is maybe the best wine we've ever had in our lives." And I actually posted that to Instagram. And people were very not so much surprised, but they were surprised that I would say something like that I guess so publicly. Jameson Fink: Yeah. Matt Kettman: But also that somehow Syrah was up there. And I wasn't really surprised at all, because I had been tasting older Syrahs for a while. And I try to seek out old stuff as much as possible. But it was really just this phenomenal wine that you kept coming back to. And it really had developed beyond secondary and tertiary notes. There were just a lot of kind of crazy flavors and textures going on that were really memorable. Jameson Fink: Yes, I went back and stalked your Instagram, and I saw that post. Your quote is, "Very possibly the best wine I've ever had." And then two of the responses are, "That is quite a statement." "Bold statement." Matt Kettman: Right. No, and I wasn't, I stand by that statement. It was a phenomenal wine. And you know, it was obviously properly cellared and all of that, so it was kept well. You know, I don't know it was kind of mind blowing, which is funny. A lot of people have that happen with crazy old Burgundy, or some Chateau Margaux from 1954 or whatever. But for me it was just a simple 1987 Syrah from Bien Nacido Vineyard, and it was awesome. I taste a lot of great Pinot Noir, so when people ask me what my favorite grape is I usually have to say, "Well, I taste a lot of great Pinot Noir from this region." 'Cause we have that. But Syrah is still kind of my, you know that's the one that ... My heart goes out to Syrah I guess. It's had a lot of struggles over the years. It's been a little bit too widely planted, probably in regions where it doesn't do as well. But I love, especially cool climate Syrah. Stuff that comes from really coastal regions, I think it brings out a lot of the kind of inherent uniqueness to the grape where you start to get these really kind of gamey, meaty flavors. But you also get a lot of the pretty purple flower aromatics too. So I don't know, there's just a lot in Syrah that's there to love. And those flavors and aromas really develop over time as it sits in your cellar. Jameson Fink: Yeah, when you say there's a lot of Syrah, that first one I wanted to talk about was pretty much just for that reason. It's the Stolpman 2017 Syrah So Hot Syrah from Ballard Canyon, 92 points. And it's a wine made without sulfur, a natural wine. And you talk about chilling it down. I'm just wondering, are you tasting a lot more wines like that with no sulfur added, or minimal sulfur and the kind of light weight Syrah that you do wanna put a chill on and enjoy in an ice bucket? Matt Kettman: I'm starting to see more, I guess you'd call them kind of sessionable reds. Lighter reds. They're not all Syrah by any means. Some are Syrah. Ones that you would wanna put a chill on. They do tend to be Rhône varieties, or Cab Franc can kind of show up that way as well. But I've had some Cinsaults recently that were really light, and sessionable I guess. So I am starting to see that. As far as the natural wine movement goes, you know, there's a lot of people, especially in Santa Barbara County, but in other parts of the Central Coast that have always used kind of minimally effective sulfur. So they've never been big on adding too much. I don't see, I know there are a few brands that do it. I don't see a lot of all natural wine branding here, or brands here. There are some, but for the most part people are, I don't know, I guess professional about making their wines here. And they'll put a little sulfur in there to make sure it lasts. What's great about this Stolpman wine was that they tried to do it a different way. So they actually fermented it carbonically for the most part, which is to stay in a closed container without oxygen and without crushing the berries. So their Syrahs tend to be pretty rich and sumptuous, and thick. And that's because they get pretty warm days in Ballard Canyon and it makes the skins thicker, so that will lead to kind of a thicker wine during the fermentation. So for this one, they wanted to make something fresher. So if you ferment it carbonically the juice starts to ferment inside the berries, so you get less skin tan and extraction. So you can make this kind of lighter, fresher wine. And that's what they did. And to keep that freshness, they decided not to add sulfur. I think it was partially kind of an experiment to see how it would go. But it makes this really light, lovely, fresh wine, that really I think does deserve a bit of a chill to properly experience it. It's funny, I was trying to remember where we were, but now I do. We were at the World of Pinot Noir this past March. And the guys from the Stolpman team were walking around with a chilled bottle of this Syrah as kind of an antidote to some of the Pinot. So if you think about it in that way, using Syrah as a refresher for a bunch of Pinot, it kind of goes to show how light and refreshing this particular bottling is. Jameson Fink: Yeah, I was impressed, I was reading your review, and you actually called the aromas joyous. "It's a joyous wine." Matt Kettman: Yeah, I use that when it's, it almost means kind of juicy, or I'll also use the word playful from time to time. It just kind of means it smells like a fun wine. Smells like a wine that you wanna hang out with for the afternoon. And I think it's reflective of sunshine, and kind of that warmth during the growing season leads to some riper flavors. And especially, you know, when a wine's released that young, they bottled that in January. So for a red wine, that's pretty crazy to have it on the market at all at this point. But to have it on the market as early as March and February, right after harvest, it's gonna be just by design extremely lively, and really primary on the palate. It's not the most complex wine in the world, and I think my note kind of eludes to that. It's pretty ... I don't wanna say simple, 'cause that makes it seem kind of demeaning. But it's a light, fresh, fruity wine. And I think as much, for many decades, people have been trying to make these really rich, and layered, and deep wines. And they still do. But it's nice to have another choice in your arsenal there for something that maybe you have with lunch. You can have red wine with lunch and it's not too much. And you can enjoy that and go back to work, and not have to worry about it. 'Cause it's a lighter wine. Jameson Fink: I like the life you live, your lunch life. Matt Kettman: That's right, yeah. Jameson Fink: But I like also you say, "Get it cold and chill out." That's literally the last sentence in the review. I think that's actually, well chilling out is good advice for everyone when appropriate. But get it cold, I think not even just with a wine like this, but I come across wines at restaurants and things like that, the red wines are just way too warm. Matt Kettman: Yeah, and that's kind of the mantra I've heard for the typical American serving practice is that our whites are typically a little too cold in a restaurant, and then the reds are typically too warm. I think that's changing a lot in the last few years, especially as wine has become such a major part of our culture, and Sommeliers are in every single restaurant you go to. So I think there's a little bit more knowledge on that front. But yeah, that is something that I think people tend to forget even when serving at home is that those red wines should be served kind of at cellar temperature, which is not room temperature. It's a little bit more cold. And really you can just throw it in the fridge for 10 minutes and pull it out and you're gonna be probably at a more optimal space than if you just serve it too warm. Jameson Fink: Yeah, I've kinda talked about this concept earlier, but if you can just buy two bottles of any red wine, the same red wine, and put one in the fridge for 20 minutes and serve the other one at room temperature, it's pretty astonishing the differences in the wine, and what flavors poke out. Alcohol dominates for things like that. It's a pretty simple exercise that anyone can do with just two $10 bottles of red wine. You can have it be a little parlor game, and serve it to your friends and say, "Which wine do you like better?" And then be like, "Aha, it's the same wine." Matt Kettman: Right. Yeah. And sometimes chilling it, it'll hide certain flavors, but it's not like it's hiding the bad flavors. It's just allowing other flavors to stand out a little bit more. And in the case of this Stolpman, it allows those crisper fresh fruit flavors to stand out away from maybe some of the warmer, riper aspects. So it's I don't know, I wouldn't chill all, I wouldn't put a big chill on big Cabs, or anything like that. Because you do kind of want, when they're these kind of lush wines, you do wanna experience those full waves of lush-ness. But you know, for a wine like this, it's just great to have a red wine option that you can drink on a sunny day. Sunshine and red wine are not necessarily the best of friends. But chill it down, and they can be buddies. Jameson Fink: That's right. Summer, it's not just for white wine and rosé . I want to shift gears from this really unique Syrah in Ballard Canyon to move onto the Santa Cruz Mountains. And that's a region that's always been kind of, I've never been there, but kind of magical to me, just because some of my favorite wine drinking experiences have been drinking the wines of Mount Eden there. The Cabernet, the Chardonnay, and the Pinot Noir. But I actually hadn't heard of Syrah from the Santa Cruz Mountains, so that's why I wanted to talk about the second wine that Samuel Lewis Smith 2016 Sandstone Terrace Syrah from the Santa Cruz Mountains, 94 points, Editor's Choice. What's your experience with Syrah in the Santa Cruz Mountains? Matt Kettman: Sam Smith, the winemaker there, he started actually down in Santa Barbara County, he worked for Margerum Wine Company down here, which makes a lot of great Rhône wines, now they also make some Pinot and Chardonnay. But he started down here, worked here for a few years, and now he's the winemaker at Morgan Winery, which is actually one of the more famous wineries in the Santa Lucia Highlands, and throughout Monterey. So that's his primary job. And then this is his side label, or his personal label is this Samuel Lewis Smith. So he's really focused on making really I think fairly small batches of really hands-on wine every vintage. So I think in last year's release was really only this Syrah, and then one Pinot Noir that he made from Albatross Ridge which is this other crazy vineyard above Carmel Valley. By anyways, so he's really kind of adept at finding these sites that have not yet been used. So he was able to find some Syrah from there. And it's an excellent wine. Like you thought, there's not a lot of it out there. Another great example of Syrah from Santa Cruz Mountains would be Big Basin, which is a fairly well-known brand. It's not a big brand, but it's fairly well-known. And they're at the top of the Santa Cruz Mountains. And that's where the proprietor there, Bradley Brown grows, he grows a lot of Syrah. Really at the top of the Santa Cruz Mountains, surrounded by redwood trees. Santa Cruz Mountains is mostly dominated on the coastal side by Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and then on the more inland side by Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and some of the Bordeaux varieties like Cab. Just like what Mount Eden does. They kinda nail the three main ones. Jameson Fink: Yeah, and do you see this wine, the Samuel Lewis Smith as one you wanna hold for a few years, or more than a few years in your cellar? Or crack it open now? Or works both ways? Matt Kettman: You know, I think like you suggested buying two bottles of any wine and doing the cool trick. You should also buy two or three bottles of every wine and drink one now, and drink one in five years, and drink one in ten years. Then you're really gonna get to taste the life of the wine. I do recall that wine having a really solid amount of structure, whereas the Stolpman was much more of, like I said, joyous fun wine to really chill down and drink right now. I believe the Samuel Lewis Smith wines will hold for quite a long time. You know, it's just a really well-made wine. And it has the acidity to keep it alive, and then some tannins to kind of hold it up too. So I think that one's gonna last quite awhile. But it is quite delicious now. So I would be remiss in not advising you to drink at least one of the bottles as soon as you get it. Jameson Fink: We gotta open up a retail wine shop where I'm like, "Buy two bottles," and you're saying, "Oh, buy at least three." Everyone's gonna be walking out of there with at least a case. And then of course you'd get a case discount too. Matt Kettman: That's right. Yeah. Yeah, we'd be good at that. Jameson Fink: We'll have to talk about that offline. Matt Kettman: Yeah. Jameson Fink: And I did hear you mention the Santa Lucia Highlands, so for the third wine, for a third Central Coast Syrah, I chose the Joyce 2016, hopefully I'm saying this right Joyce 2016 Tondre Grapefield Syrah, 91 points, editor's choice. What can you tell me about this Syrah as far as where it fits in with the Samuel Lewis Smith, or is it more of its own unique expression? Matt Kettman: You know, the way it fits in with Samuel Lewis Smith is that like the Santa Cruz Mountains not having that much Syrah, the Santa Lucia Highlands do not have that much Syrah either. You get so much more money for Pinot Noir from regions that are known for Pinot Noir than you do for Syrah. Most places that had Syrah have ripped it out and replanted Pinot. But there are still a few Syrah plantings left. And there's actually some I think smart vineyards that are actually putting in a little bit more Syrah in the Santa Lucia Highlands right now. But overall it's declined quite a bit over the years. I was looking it up earlier today, I couldn't actually find anyone else that made a Syrah from Tondre Grapefield. So I get the sense that Russell Joyce, who's the winemaker for his family winery, Joyce Cellars, I get the sense that he might take it all and make it all. And he must get a fair price for it, because I think that bottle's only like $25 or so. Which for a wine, any wine from the Santa Lucia Highlands, that's a pretty good price. And that wine is also kinda actually fits a little bit in between the Stolpman and the Sam Smith wines, in the sense that it is really ... I remember it being very fresh and vibrant, but also it had a little more structure than maybe the Stolpman did. So I think it's a nice kinda fit in between there. Joyce Cellars is kinda one of the, there's this kind of new guard of Monterey County wine makers, and Russell Joyce, who's I think only in his mid-30s, younger guy. But he's taking the label that I believe his father founded, and he's really kinda upping the quality level, putting more of a younger, hipper vibe to the labels, a little more colorful, a little less old school. And then he's really ambitious about betting on, especially the Carmel Valley. So he and his wife took over this property right in the middle of Carmel Valley. And developed their new tasting room, they put another tasting room in there. Chesta Rosa Winery is also in this spot. And then they built something, I believe it's called the Wine House, something like that. And it's essentially a, I believe it's a wine bar/retail shop/small restaurant. And outside of it are bocce ball courts, and lounge chairs, and all this kind of outdoor fun. And it's right in the middle of Carmel Valley. So the Joyce family really paid for all that, and are kind of betting on that region. So they make wines, they make a lot of Santa Lucia Highland wines, but they also make some Carmel Valley wines. And they're keeping it kind of fun. So this Syrah really fits right into that program.  They're also doing, they do a Gamay wine, which is really cool. And they do a Rose of Gamay I believe. So they're exploring varieties that are really kind of more or less brand new to Monterey County at this point. Or maybe they were there many, many decades ago, and now they're back again like Gamay. Jameson Fink: Yeah, and I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention you wrote up a nice little exploration of the Santa Lucia Highlands if you're a wine tourist, where to go, where to taste, all kinds of things. That's Exploring California's Santa Lucia Highlands, that's on winemag.com. I haven't been to that area, so I don't know what, you obviously just gave us a nice little slice of what's available there. But is it a region that's exciting for wine tourism, or has a lot of possibilities? What is your take? Matt Kettman: Santa Lucia Highlands is a little bit funny, because Monterey County, the government is very I guess aggressive in protecting the historic farming philosophies, and the farming traditions of Monterey County. So they've made it, and I think that's a good thing. But they've made it very difficult for wineries to open tasting rooms in the region, they've made it very difficult for any kind of real hospitality to emerge in that area. So Santa Lucia Highlands sits above the floor of the Salinas Valley. So there's all these little kind of quaint, but fairly poor farm towns. Like Gonzales, and Greenfield, and places like that, that don't have a lot of hospitality infrastructure. At least not the level of hospitality infrastructure that the modern California wine tourists would expect. So there are a handful of places in the Santa Lucia Highlands that do have tasting rooms, and it's beautiful to visit. You can see almost all the way to Monterey Bay on a clear day. And all the way across the Valley to the Pinnacles National Park. So it's really beautiful. But not a lot of people go there, because there's just not a lot of tourist infrastructure. So that article you mentioned, I spent a little bit of time just kind of explaining what I just explained. But then I also say, "If you really wanna taste a lot of these wines, you really have to go into Carmel by the Sea, or Carmel Valley," where most of the tasting rooms are.  So I think in Carmel by the Sea, there's something like 20 or two dozen tasting rooms. And then the same is true in Carmel Valley, there's like two dozen tasting rooms in a mile stretch of road. So that's if you wanna bang out Santa Lucia Highlands tastings, you're gonna be better off trying to do it in the Carmel Valley or Carmel by the Sea. That said, it's certainly worth a day trip to drive through and check it out. And there's rumors of a potential kind of glamping option that might go in along the Arroyo Seco river. Although, like I said, it's a struggle getting any of those things approved. So that'll take probably a number of years to even get close to construction.  But hopefully I think in the future there'll be some places that come online. I think it'd be a smart place to build something if you could. Maybe the cities around there would be more hospitable to that sort of thing. But right now, your best bet is gonna be staying at a chain hotel or motel in Salinas, or one of those little farm towns around there. Jameson Fink: And finally Matt, we've taken a quick little tour of Syrah around the Central Coast, and just kind of to bring it back full circle, you've recently championed Syrah as age worthy from the Central Coast. We've talked about three totally pretty different, unique wines that different styles, different regions. Syrah in the Central Coast, where do you see it going from here? Do you see it growing, or just more of a thing where there's gonna be producers who just love working with it, it's maybe not their bread and butter, but it's certainly something that they're passionate about? Matt Kettman: You know, I think it depends on which part of the Central Coast. If you look at Stolpman, they're in Ballard Canyon, which is really a small appellation, and it's basically an appellation that was made for Syrah. Syrah is always gonna be really strong there. In other regions I think it's gonna probably play second fiddle for a long time, for the years to come. The one thing I will say, though, is that Syrah, and especially cool climate Syrah is kind of a favorite wine for many winemakers, for many sommeliers, for many wine professionals. People can't get enough of it. So as the American wine customer gets more and more educated over the years, I wouldn't be surprised if you see them shift in that direction too. If you see people who used to like Cab and maybe Pinot Noir shifting to liking this cool climate Syrah. Because it frankly is one of the most interesting wines out there. And once you've gotten used to other varieties of more noble varieties, or these standard varieties that our chocolate, vanilla, strawberry world likes, I think Syrah offers this really nice portal into a whole different wine experience. And when you're talking about throwing some age on those bottles too, it becomes even more interesting. So I don't know. I have high hopes for Syrah. But people have been singing its praises for decades now. So I don't know what's gonna happen. Maybe this'll be the third or fourth rebirth of Syrah in the years to come. But you know, I guess it's like a phoenix. The phoenix of the California wine world. Jameson Fink: Rising from the ashes. Matt Kettman: Keeps rising from its own death. Its own demise. So maybe, I don't know maybe we'll enter a new era of Syrah popularity. I hope so, because I think it's good stuff. Jameson Fink: I agree. You're preaching to the choir here. Well thanks Matt, for joining me and talking about Central Coast Syrah. It's a great journey, great education. And I hope someday to hang out with you in the garage, drinking '87 Qupe. Matt Kettman: Yeah. We'll do it. I'll go track down some more bottles. Jameson Fink: You got a folding chair waiting for me? Matt Kettman: I actually have a vinyl covered couch in my garage now. Jameson Fink: Oh wow, okay. I'm gonna look at flights right after this. Matt Kettman: Yeah, all right. Jameson Fink: Thanks again, Matt. Matt Kettman: Okay, thank you. Jameson Fink: And thank you for listening to the What We're Tasting Podcast. What We're Tasting is sponsored by Vivino, buy the right wine. The wines we talked about this episode were the Stolpman 2017 Syrah So Hot, the Samuel Lewis Smith 2016 Sandstone Terrace, and the Joyce 2016 Tondre Grapefield. Find What We're Tasting on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you find podcasts. And if you liked today's episode, please give us a five-star rating on iTunes, leave a comment, and tell your friends. What We're Tasting is a Wine Enthusiast Podcast. Check out Wine Enthusiast online at winemag.com.

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American Idol runner up Haley Reinhart joins Heather in the studio to talk about her run on the season, working with comedian Bill Burr on F Is For Family, growing up with a musical father, and her new album's throwback to the 60's era of music."Dad, hope you are somewhere playing your best hand of Bridge and drinking a glass of Chateau Margaux. May your memory be for a blessing. Love, Hedy"

In this episode, Steven Mario Cavallo discusses luxury retailing, upmarket brands and selling high end goods and services. What are luxury goods or services? (to answer this question , we need to look at the definition of some terms used in economics)   In economics, inferior goods are items that exhibit a negative elasticity of demand; that is, an increase in income will lead to a decrease in demand for that good, so consequently those buyers then shift to more desirable goods. Examples of inferior goods include: cabbage, cheap car brands like Hyundai, generic label FMCGs, some financial goods such as pawn-broker loans and many of the items found in discount stores or category killers. A luxury good is a good for which demand increases more than proportionally as income rises, and is a contrast to a "necessity good", for which demand increases proportionally less than income. Luxury goods are said to have high-income elasticity of demand: as people become wealthier, they will buy more and more of the luxury good. This also means, however, that should there be a decline in income its. demand will drop. If the elasticity of demand is greater than 1.0, it is a luxury good. Price elasticity of this nature represents a wonderful commercial advantage in good economic times…(story…e.g. of ladies fashion boutique on King William Road during 1991 Australian recession).   The prestige-value of some superior goods is so high that a price decline would lower demand; in which case they are referred to as Veblen goods. Examples of Veblem goods are ultra-luxury items such as Rolls Royce cars, iconic wines such as Penfold Grange Hermitage, handmade jewellery from Italy, exclusive perfumes from France and Rolex watches from Switzerland. The ultra high price of these items (which is known to all) is used by purchasers as a status symbol. These goods are at odds with the Law of Demand in that if their price were to be lowered then they would experience a decrease in demand. In any given market, regardless of the good or service, there exist buyers willing and able to spend significantly more than the average market price per purchase occasion. Therefore, almost all markets have a luxury segment. known industries include: automobiles (BMW, Mercedes, Ferrari, Maserati, Jaguar); yachts (SunReef), wines (Penfold Grange Hermitage, Chateau Margaux) bottled water (Perrier), coffee (Illy), foods (Tre Marie panettone), watches (Rolex, Breitling), clothes (Giorgio Armani, Gianni Versace, Zegna), jewellery (Bvlgari, Cartier), electronics (Apple) and high fidelity audio (Bang and Olufsen, Bose, Denon, VAF). While the number of units sold in the luxury segment is relatively small, the profitability per unit is very high. Providing the rest of the range provides economies of scale to cover fixed distribution costs, it makes sense for many businesses to develop a luxury offering to capture spend from the affluent buyer. In many cases however, if a mass manufacturer is perceived as unappealing, then it is better to launch the luxury product under a new brand: for example, when Toyota wanted to sell cars at the higher end of the automotive market, they badged their cars as Lexus, rather than Toyotas. There are three main macroeconomic drivers that fuel the growth of luxury brands: Globalisation International tourism Web-based, instant, borderless communications spreading brand awareness around the world The expansion of distribution systems around the world of luxury brands Integration of world views, product ideas and culture (socio-political standardisation) Growing middle class (and new millionaires) in the former third world Leads to conspicuous consumption (to show off wealth) Consolidation The merger and acquisition of many smaller companies into much larger ones. For instance, LVMH acquired Heng Long´s leather business in Singapore in October 2011 The players in the luxury market are merging and cooperating in order to gain greater control over raw materials supply, in order to produce exclusive goods and lower their total manufacturing costs. The ownership of brands across many categories Independent businesses closing and being replaced by franchises of famous brands Diversification Existing mainstream brands create a luxury entrant in a new market (e.g. Toyota creating the Lexus brand) Alliances with a complementary company (Mobil and BMW) Trademark and brand licensing (you don’t own the brand, just ‘loan’ it) e.g. Apple allows third-party manufacturers to create products that work with their hardware. The licensees win because they build a business, and the licensor of the luxury brand (Apple) forms an entire accessories industry around their core product, at no cost to them; and collect licensing fees in the process Some statistics on luxury brand retailing. Largest markets: Italy France Germany Switzerland S. K. Japan Spain Brazil China Russia Australia According to EuroMonitor International, the largest luxury brands in 2016 are: Giorgio Armani, Prada, Gucci, Tod’s, Dolce & Gabbana, LVMH, Moët, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton. The global market for luxury brands is expected to grow at an average world rate of 3.5% to reach almost USD 400 billion by 2020. Most of this growth will occur in developing countries (Asia, Africa) due to improved standards of living. The Chinese market for luxury goods is expected to be some 900 billion Euros in the next few years. This is enormous incentive for the large luxury brands from Europe and America to create distribution there. However, it is important that advertising in countries outside the brands’ home country is done carefully and with regard for the differences in culture.   Let us look at the business of luxury retailing through the lens of the marketing mix as we touch on a few of the most important aspects that pertain to management. Product Refers to the physical good or all the features of the service offering. What you can do: Product mix WIDTH: the breadth of different products that a firm sells to their customers focus solely and sell only one type of product to specialise in (Rolex only makes watches) offer numerous types of products for diverse markets (Versace makes clothes, hotels, jewellery) DEPTH: the number of varieties at each width (for example, a luxury watchmaker would have a depth of two if it sold two types of watches (round face and square face) and each were available in two colours. Product Line Stretching Often used to add a ‘high end’ product to an existing range (e.g. aged balsamic vinegar from Modena, priced well above normal) Quality Features (luxury items must surpass customer expectations: e.g. the Novotel overlooking Darling Harbour in Sydney lacks nothing (room, food, view, transport, etc.) but at the same time, must avoid gimmicky extras: e.g. cup holders in a Ferrari) Engineering & design (blueprint for how good it will be) e.g. (BMWs drive better than Fords for a reason!) Built production & conformity to design specs (how well it is manufactured) Materials (only the finest wool is used in a Zegna suit) Stringent quality control in manufacture/service delivery (zero tolerance of errors) Strive for impeccable customer satisfaction Try to extend the product lifecycle for timeless pieces (Steinway grand pianos) Maintain model heritage over time (e.g. Rolex still make Perpetual Oyster; Alfa Romeo still make Giulietta) Aim for ‘shock and awe’ that your offering can not be meaningfully compared to any other Augmented Product Warranties Packaging Software Delivery Training Certificates or documentation (e.g. Salvador Dali lithography from Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice came with a framed certificate of authenticity Induction or ceremony (e.g. service offerings come with tours etc.) Service entitlements (e.g. prestige car insurance policies come with a ‘replace with new’ feature) Loyalty privileges (club membership etc.) Service (talk about this a little later) Ambiance (talk about this a little later) Price Always set high to reflect the value of the brand and the reality of the cost structure of producing and retailing luxury goods. Remember the effect of lowering price on Veblen goods’ elasticity?   By its very nature, luxury retailing could only ever use a market skimming price strategy anyway. To not do so, is to no longer be a luxury brand. Discounts should never be used as they reduce the ‘reference price’ in the consumer market Place Distribution should remain limited and very tightly controlled. Luxury brands must resist the temptation to dramatically increase the number of physical stores they supply, as the increase in short term sales can seriously jeopardise the profitability of the brand long term. Be careful with the type of distribution channel – pick the most highly regarded channel in your category. For example, luxury cosmetics should only ever be sold through high-end chemists, beauty salons and premium department stores like David Jones. Choose socioeconomic locations carefully. Document your luxury brand’s high standards and train your distributors, then police their upholding those standards. Where necessary, eliminate distributors that do not uphold the brand’s standards. Wherever appropriate, require your distributors to stock only your product. (May not always be possible: e.g. a pen retailer could not feasibly stock only Mont Blanc pens; but a Mercedes Benz dealer would never be allowed to also stock BMWs; and Gucci franchisees only stock Gucci products).   Promotion Obviously, must convey luxury, exclusivity, prestige, a feeling of ‘being special’ across all parts of the promotional mix; both in terms of strategy and execution. Only use appropriate media vehicles: e.g. choose glossy national magazines as opposed to a neighbourhood newspaper. Always use the highest possible stock on printed materials (e.g. thick paper). Ensure the highest possible production values: e.g. videos must be professionally made in high definition/cinematic effect; website must be stunning; and graphic design must be world class. Anything less cheapens the brand. If you do any sales promotions in order to achieve short term sales boosts, these must NEVER result in a discount in the retail price. Use cobranding partnerships or service add ons instead to increase the perceived value. Websites must be function pristine, be responsive, of impeccable taste and integrated with the corporate brand   Physical Evidence It goes without saying that the quality of all physical evidence that is associated with luxury brands must be extremely high and must convey all the prestige and the unique character of the brand. If you are selling a luxury service such as such as an opera performance or executive coaching, then you must work extra hard at developing exquisite physical evidence to provide the cues your customers need in order to make an assessment of the quality of your brand, in particular if you sell a high credence service they can’t easily assess the quality of, such as chemical engineering, medical advice, marketing consulting, computer networks maintenance etc. But for all luxury businesses, even those selling physical goods; physical evidence provides material proof that reduces purchase apprehension and the confidence that the luxury item indeed offers the value it promises. Keep in mind that interactions with other customers will have a large impact on buyers of your luxury brand. (protect clients from non-clients) Physical environment in which brand is bought or consumed Ambience (luxury health spa versus a grotty gym) Spatial layout (plus impact on service consumption) e.g. Apple stores Corporate branding (signs, symbols, artefacts) Ermenegildo Zegna store have identical Building itself & design & elevation & view Interiors Packaging (last chance pitch & differentiator) i.e. could do entire episode on packaging! Paperwork (invoices, tickets, programmes) Furnishings Signage (high quality, professionally installed, perfect finish, integrated with brand) Uniforms, dress code Business cards The two biggest determinants of your organisations ability to deliver high levels of customer service quality (which is critical to luxury brands) are two marketing mix variables of People and Processes. In fact, the most widely used measure of customer service that is used in management practise is in the SERVQUAL model, which tracks: reliability, responsiveness, competence, access, courtesy, communication, credibility, security, understanding the customer and tangibles. Of all of these, only the last relates directly to the physical product. All the others are functions of the People and the Process variables as they impact the strongest on customer satisfaction.   People Begin with a proper understanding of whom the customer expects to deal with when interacting with a representative of your brand. The brand promise comes to life in the people that represent it. Buyers buy from people that they like and they can relate to, so the attitude, skills and appearance of all staff needs to be first class – even those that you don’t control (e.g. couriers etc.). The best product, engineering, promotion (ads, pr), physical environment etc. can be ruined in a moment when the attitude or the competence or even the personality of the person selling it is not up to speed. This applies to all commerce, but especially so in luxury retail. How you want your people to be, must first be modelled by leadership Develop clear expectations Create appropriate SOPs, training programmes, help manuals, supervisory systems (for belonging & recognition), rewards etc. Recruitment Policies that preclude amateur intake of staff (forced professional recruiters) Job descriptions that filter applicants Training and development Frontline management Learning organisation (allow for sales staff feedback loops > product development) Rewards and incentives Monitoring performance is very important (particularly in luxury services e.g. the output of a poorly performing car worker can be kept from customers by way of quality control inspections, but a bad facial delivered by rude beautician for which the client paid big dollars for, cannot. Your employees must be the most passionate disciples of your brand with full belief and enthusiasm Process Processes include direct activities and indirect activities. Direct activities add value at the customer interface as the consumer experiences the service. Many processes are supported by indirect activities, often known as back office activities, which support the service before, during and after it has been consumed. Your operations management is fused into the experience your customers will have of your luxury brand, in particular in service settings where the client becomes a co-producer in that service delivery (e.g. a singing teacher can’t deliver good customer satisfaction unless the buyer (the student) also puts in effort in ‘producing’ the service outcome of learning).  By periodically redesigning your retail workflow and operations processes, you can get closer and better at surpassing your client’s expectations. In retailing of luxury products, having the correct processes are fundamental in delivering incredible customer satisfaction (beyond just the quality of the good). Beginning with purchasing , maintaining inventory levels, warehousing, internal shipping, scheduled cleaning of stores, accurate stock taking, electronic payment options, waiting periods, filling out forms, accounting software that displays correct price for region, effective reorder point triggering to prevent outages, how you handle queuing. We are joined by Davide Bonanni in the Presidential Lounge. He is a luxury brand consultant from Italy. 

Bach & Petersen Vine er på Børsen i anledning af Philipson Wines 23. fødselsdag. Efter at have smagt 50 vine fik vi chancen for også at smage en Chateau Margaux 1. Cru Margaux fra 2007. Det gjorde vi så ... lettere tipsy.