Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/457084
{ SOMMjournal.com } 71 Aude Olive, a specialist in wine- marketing communications—and herself descended from Languedoc winemak- ers—is a founding member and current Secretary of the association. She helped model it after a similar organization, Les Femmes Vignes Rhône. "Our purposes are multiple as a new and different promotion of Alsace wines, or as a group to share and help each other," Olive, 36, says, adding "I think it is always very posi- tive and rewarding when a new generation brings its own personality [and] influence to the winemaking of a region." With a Master's degree in wine busi- ness—one of several members to hold such advanced degrees—Olive has a keen awareness of the group's challenges and its assets. "I dare to say this generation will give Alsace wines more modernity and qual- ity through a revival of their terroirs," she says. "Now this generation has all the aces in their hand: a very high level of technical knowledge, international experience and an old tradition in inheritance of the 'fathers.' " Pfister, 33, a former professional basket- ball player, says the association shows "a united Alsace from north to south, from small growers, négociants and co-ops." "It is very pleasant to see that a team spirit exists. We are colleagues, not com- petitors. We don't have mentors, we try to learn from each other," she says. Like many of her diVINes peers, Pfister wears several hats. "I am the winemaker and also the one who travels and communicates. We are independent winegrowers, so we have to do everything, from production to sales," she says. Two other family wineries have tapped the jack-of-all-trades prowesses of their daughters: Anne Trimbach (13th genera- tion) and Anne-Laure Helfrich (sixth), both of whom grew up around up around the cellars and now have become sellers. Both hold wine-related business degrees and travel the globe as ambassadors for Alsace as much as for their estates. "People are usually very happy to see a woman from a winemaking family, traveling alone to show great wines," says Trimbach, 30, who spends one-third of the year on the road, and is also a diVINes charter member. "I'm asked all the time if it is too hard to be in such a man's world, but I've honestly never had a problem so far, and I do work with more and more women." What is hard, she says, is coaxing Alsace out from under the shadow of better- known regions. "Alsace has never been good to market itself as a top white wine region with terroir . . . It is unfortunately not yet a name that brings sparkles in the eyes of a lot of people—not as much as Burgundy or Bordeaux or Champagne," she says. "No matter where I go, I still hear some people say 'We do not sell Alsace wines; we can't sell Alsace." My answer—with a big smile of course—is often 'When there's a wish, there's a way.'" Strong-willed herself, Trimbach harnessed social media to create conversations about winemaking in Alsace, engaging in overseas Twitter chats and enlivening the company's staid Facebook presence. "I'm never say- ing, 'Stop here; we are fine.' There's always something to improve," she says. "I'm already thinking where I would like to help to take the winery in 20 years from now." She adds, "I think that our new generation in Alsace, especially women, have another point of view on how we could market ourselves." Hers is an idea that Helfrich, 27, has taken and run with. Charged with packaging, new launches, direct sales and communication, her marketing programs often target female audiences by leverag- ing lifestyle preferences and wines such as the pink-hued Pinot Gris. "Our winery is first a family passion," she says, giving the feminine sensibility second priority. "[But] I work closely with my brother to define the style of our wine, with my female touch." Helfrich has created woman-friendly programming such as "After Work in Alsace," special food and wine tastings during the national football cups, and events with female winemakers. She's also keenly aware of the cocktail trends steal- ing away wine consumers and has found a way to reinvent the message, by tapping the region's famed food culture. "I appreciate life and good food; for me the best way to explain wine is through foods," she says, adding "A wine is noble when it pairs with a nice meal. In this way I really influence our winemaking, to offer wines very with beautiful aromatics, deli- cate palate, crisp acidity and a clean finish." No matter the audience, Helfrich says one message is consistent, and she speaks for all of Alsace. "Our predominant winemaking philoso- phy lets the grapes' and terroir's inherent character shine through by using the least intervention," she says. "Let's say it belongs to the Alsace culture." Aude Olive. Anne-Laure Helfrich. PHOTO COURTESY OF AUDE OLIVE PHOTO COURTESY OF DOMAINE HELFRICH