Their parents didn’t have social media to Facebook and Tweet directly to
wine consumers about their newest wine releases or off-the-beaten path tasting
rooms. However, despite being labeled by some in the industry as “wine brats,”
these young, savvy and enterprising group of winemakers and grape growers referred
to as the next generation are setting trends and breaking the old-world wine
rules.
Lisa Broman Augustine, Sales & Marketing Director of Broman
Cellars and one of the founding members of NG:
The Next Generation in Wine, says that this non-profit organization was
created “to unite the next generation of winemakers and grape growers so they
could collaboratively market, educate the public about wine and basically have
fun.”
What began as a group of winery owners’ children venting about the
frustrations of working for their parents slowly turned into a brilliant idea
to form a formal organization that lends to the success of their family
operated wineries. Augustine says, “The group got its official start in 2007
when they planned on organizing and marketing promotional wine-related events.
One of the coolest things is that all the members span almost every aspect from
growing the grapes, to putting wine in the bottle and getting it in the
consumer’s hands.” Now the organization collects dues, has by-laws and meets
quarterly in hopes of expanding their wine labels not only locally but
nationally.
Requirements to join the organization are that you must be a second or
subsequent generation of winemakers or grape producers. Augustine said, “Many
people have the impression that being a next generation winery family means you
don’t have to work hard, but that’s not true. All families have conflicts, and
sometimes it seems that children are unpaid servants. We work extra hard to
prove that we have value in this industry.” A demonstration to her assertion is
the fact that a majority of the seventeen members have earned viticulture degrees,
and many have paid their dues by working at competing wineries.
One key difference between this generation and their parents,
Augustine notes, is that “We have a fresher and newer viewpoint on wine, and
have seen a total turn-around in wine drinking habits. This generation sees it
as a lifestyle instead of a luxury.” A lifestyle that many next generation
members savor themselves; however, it’s not all
hedonistic. Their hard work is paying off; wine sales are rising, branding recognition
is increasing, and growing interest from
the next generation of wine consumers warrants this group of trend-setters a
step ahead of the curve.
Elizabeth Marston always knew she would return to her family’s
vineyards on SpringMountain. As one of the
founding member of NG, Marston arrived back in St. Helena via a career in
publishing, years in London
and a serious passionate study for classic literature. Now she is the sole full-time
employee at Marston Vineyards, wearing many hats from production to marketing.
She says that “learning the importance of relationships in all aspects of
business and how to properly multi-task” are some of the key ingredients that
make her successful today, and were learned in her prior career. As Vice
President of Spring Mountain AVA, Marston shares that being part of NG “is
reminiscent of past generations where there was commodore in sharing tractors
or referring vendors, and it’s nice that that isn’t lost. That’s very special.”
James Stewart, General Manager of Stewart Cellars, manages three
different brands and is excited to be part of NG because “the group has
inspired many families to start second labels that better reflect the price
point of the next generation of wine drinkers.” Stewart says, “There is more
experimentation in wine with this group, new ways to use social media and a
natural gravitation towards fund-raising in this organization.” Stewart works
closely with his father to strategize their wine in a very competitive market,
and chalks up all his experience to “hands-on experience and a good amount of
trial and error.” Having been a member of NG for three years, Stewart sees its
positive impact in exposing new drinks to wine, and “wants to continue to see
that grow.”
National sales and marketing manager Janet Viader of Viader Napa
Valley, a member of NG,
aspires to keep the winery true to her mother’s vision of “creating the best
possible wine from the best possible vineyards.” Originally, the UC Berkeley
graduate who spent time traveling abroad questioned her place at the winery,
until her mother, Delia Viader, who founded the winery in 1986, took her
daughter under her wing to mentor her. Janet believes that “the difference
between large wineries and small family-owned wineries is the mind-set. And at
the end of the day, the aim of a family winery is just to be good farmers.”
Being part of NG has allowed her to firmly plant herself in this industry, and
she says it has been an experience of “lifting everyone up as we work together.”
There’s little doubt that this organization is changing perceptions,
and continuing, some would even say revitalizing and modernizing, a family
tradition.
Autumn Millhouse is NVL Lifestyle Editor and Author of Romantic Napa Valley: An Insider’s Guide for
Couples and can be found at www.romanticnapavalleybook.com
