The Tasting Panel magazine

August 2013

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PARTNERSHIP MARKETING CALIFORNIA WINE IS A NATURAL FOR ECOTOURISM ON THE RIVIERA MAYA The El Dorado Royale & Spa Resort by Karisma on Mexico's Riviera Maya. Everything Tastes Better on F Vacation An open-air cooking demonstration by Justin Wangler, Executive Chef, Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates; Julio Gomez, Creative Chef, El Dorado Royale & Spa Resort by Karisma; and Ryan Pollnow, Chef de Cuisine, Central Kitchen, San Francisco. A few of the Jackson Family wines served at El Dorado. amilies have historically sealed alliances with a wedding, a strategy that often times works better in theory than in practice. But in the case of Jackson Family Wines and Mexico's Karisma Resorts, two familyowned companies have married a portfolio of California wines with a captive audience of vacation travelers for a marketing partnership that could well be a marriage made in heaven. Inspired by vigorous growth for its brands in Canada, Sonoma-based Jackson Family Wines looked south to Mexico's thriving tourist trade as their next destination market. The company has partnered with Karisma Hotels & Resorts, which operates eight all-inclusive gourmet resorts in Mexico and is a leader in ecotourism there, to offer their guests a taste of California wine country. "We see Mexico as a growth market," said Honore Comfort, Executive Director of Sonoma County Vintners. "The demand for California wine is being driven by tourism and it's really starting to take off." Comfort cited the relatively recent development of the domestic wine industry in Mexico for creating a wine culture that will further the potential for Sonoma County wines in particular. In keeping with the chain's emphasis on gourmet cuisine and sustainable practices, Jackson Family Wines developed a year-round Culinary Series for the company's adult-only El Dorado property on Mexico's Riviera Maya. The week-long programs feature wines from the Jackson Family portfolio in daily events that include guided wine and food pairing tastings, cooking classes and winemaker dinners prepared by visiting guest chefs. "For the vast majority of Karisma's guests, wine is social," said Caroline Shaw, Executive Vice President, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer of Jackson Family Wines. "The beauty of this partnership is that the resort attracts a wine explorer audience from around the world and they want to enjoy wine in a relaxed, casual environment. In this context, wine becomes more approachable and food enhances the experience dramatically." Jackson Family winemakers and members of the sales team lead guided tastings and socialize with guests during dinners where theatrical-quality videos showcase the beauty of wine country and the Jackson family's history and values. Jackson Family's sustainably-produced brands such as Kendall-Jackson, MurphyGoode, Arrowood and Cambria fit snugly into the El Dorado's Pasión por el Medio Ambiente (Passion for the Environment) program, in which a massive greenhouse supplies produce for the resort's eight restaurants, water is solar heated and major recycling efforts are underway. "Presenting our brands as part of a lifestyle builds awareness for us and for California wine country when guests return home," said Shaw. "Everything tastes better when you're on vacation." august 2013  /  the tasting panel  /  67 TP0813_066-103.indd 67 7/25/13 3:54 PM

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