Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/551222
108 / the tasting panel / august 2015 PARTNERSHIPS G ot slogan? "Sí What's Next" is the catchy motto for a new collaboration between the neighboring Spanish D.O. wine regions of Ribera del Duero and Rueda, located just northwest of Madrid. The campaign hopes to engage the next generation of wine consumers in the U.S. through a mix of events, digital content, robust social media and trade activation, targeting open-minded Millennials aged 21-40—aka "Generation Open"—who are looking to discover new experiences. It seems to be working. "For Generation Open, drinking wine isn't snobbish or exclu- sive—it's part of everyday life. This generation's approach to wine demands styles that are not only unique and surprising, but also approachable," says Felipe Gonzalez-Gordon, Director of D.O. Ribera del Duero and D.O. Rueda. "The wines from Ribera del Duero and Rueda reflect this bold new attitude by offering the next generation of wine drinkers distinct and unexpected choices that are as openly original as they are." Gonzalez-Gordon was on hand at a Los Angeles tasting and dinner that I attended in May at restaurant A.O.C., where a selection of Rueda whites and Ribera reds were poured for a full-house gathering of journalists, bloggers and other Southern California influences, most of whom seemed to fall easily into the Generation Open demo- graphic. In any case, they certainly had their mobile devices open, snapping photos of the wines and the tasty Spanish-influenced food, served family-style. A handful of post-Generation Open enophiles were on hand as well to learn a few new tricks. Ribera del Duero and Rueda, located just northwest Felipe Gonzalez-Gordon, Director of D.O. Ribera del Duero and D.O. Rueda, heads up the collaboration program. Dynamic Duo RUEDA AND RIBERA LAUNCH AN IDEAL COLLABORATION TARGETING "GENERATION OPEN" by Anthony Dias Blue