Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/10329
Medea Vodka founder Tim Goldburt (right) with co-founder Matt Sandy (left). istry from Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science (voted by The Scientist magazine recently as the best university in the world for life scientists to conduct research) his goal in creating Medea was to reach a perfect balance between 18th century distillation processes and 21st century LED display technology. Goldburt unabashedly characterizes his achievement as “a paradigm shift” in the liquor industry. “Everyone we’ve shown Medea to embraces it,” says Goldburt, founder of the company that produces and markets Medea in the United States. “At tasting events so far, one out of every two people who try it have bought a bottle [SRP $39.99], and we’ve sold as many as 60 bottles at a single in-store tasting.” Some restaurant bar mixologists have already begun working with Medea. At Amarelle, a new restaurant in Wading River, NY that serves up “contemporary country cuisine,” bartender Katie Maurice Dombroski pours a “Medea Martini,” which consists of Medea vodka shaken (not stirred) with ice and poured over a skewer of two olives and a cocktail onion into a frosted tall-stem glass. Dombroski programs the bottle to read “Amarelle,” which she displays at the bar while mixing the Martini. Customers, she says, seem to love it and want to know more about the vodka. Initial sales appear to portend real potential for Medea in other upscale restaurants like Amarelle as well. According to Matt Sandy, the 32-year-old Columbia University MBA graduate who oversees business operations for Medea, the company sold more than 1,000 cases to a handful of key accounts in the New York metropolitan area in less than four months. In fact, sales have been going at such a rapid clip that Southern Wine & Spirits has recently taken on Medea for distribution. Meanwhile, both Goldburt and Sandy have been hitting the road, visiting spirits retailers in Florida, Illinois, Nevada and California. Sandy, an Oxford Scholar in economics who cre- ated the name, Medea, says he saw the merits and potential of Goldburt’s idea from the outset. “The idea behind Medea was never about a quick gain, which some might mistakenly think,” says Sandy. “We realized the inherent value in the product almost immediately. Our initial challenge was in how to realize the idea in the biggest possible way. There was beauty in the idea, but the possibility for success was lodged in the reality of the market.” “It was never a case of ‘Let’s come up with another idea that nobody really needs’,” adds Goldburt, who confesses that his greatest initial concern was never bringing a new product to the already crowded premium spirits market or if Medea would eventually find favor and acceptance on the palates of American vodka drinkers. “What mattered to me most, what kept me up at night when we first began, apart from all the hard work,” says Goldburt with a smile, “was whether or not we could actually realize our idea and vision. And, get it done before anyone else.” Quick Programming Guide Present Medea Vodka for the first time to a friend by programming their name. For example, to program “Joe,” press the On/Off button (top left) to turn the screen on. Press the Enter button (bottom left). A blink- ing number will appear (showing which line to assign the message to). Press Enter again. Keep pressing the Down button (bottom right) until you scroll up the alphabet to J, and press Enter to store J. Repeat same to scroll to O, press Enter. Repeat to scroll to E, press Enter. Finally, press On/Off to save “Joe,” which will begin scrolling on the screen. More advanced instruc- tions are available at www.medeaspirits.com. may 2010 / the tasting panel /