Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/113109
MILLENNIAL MAVERICKS: Vintage Point M illennials tend to think globally and they root for the little guys when pitched against large corporations. So it must be comforting for them to know that a company like Vintage Point exists. Its mission is to help smaller wineries overcome the often daunting challenges bringing their wines to the global marketplace. It should then come as little surprise that a company with such egalitarian goals should place heavy emphasis on building a portfolio of wines that appeals to Millennials. ���The Millennial generation is the irst generation growing up with parents that drank wine. So they are early adapters of the wine lifestyle,��� says David Biggar, President of Vintage Point. ���Millennials are also into the thrill of discovery. While their parents might be more loyal to traditional labels, they want to discover new brands, new varietals and new wine regions for themselves. Plus, they also don���t hesitate to spend $12 to $20 for a bottle of wine.��� For the most part, Vintage Point���s portfolio includes wines tailor-made for Millennials. A perfect example is if you see kay (SRP $22), a 2010 Italian red wine from the Lazio region. The tongue-in-cheek label is clever and unorthodox, which is precisely the point. Another label sure to attract the attention of your wine-loving Millennial is Educated Guess 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $20), from Napa Valley. It���s a self-described fun, approachable and food-friendly wine. The scientiic design on the label is part of the chemical formula for fermentation, giving this one appeal to the high-tech wine consumer. Biggar believes their marketing approach is helping propel their sales with Millennial consumers. ���The non-traditional packaging attracts them at irst, then the story about the wine lures them into learning more. Finally, the quality/value relationship seals the deal. For us, it starts with the wine quality. We work very hard to over-deliver value.��� The Vintage Point repertoire also includes the SIP 2011 Moscato, bearing a California appellation (SRP $15); the Layer Cake 2011 Malbec (SRP $16) and Mountain Door 2011 Malbec (SRP $9), both from Mendoza, Argentina; Lo Nuevo Sorbo a Sorbo (���Sip Sip���), a 2010 Garnacha from Ateca in Calatayud, Spain (SRP $9); the Makara 2011 Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand (SRP $11); and the Garnet 2011 Monterey County Pinot Noir (SRP $11). Says Biggar, ���We try to make our partners��� wines look like $50, taste like $30 and sell for $15. Creating that type of relationship has worked well for us, both with Millennials and those in preceding generations.��� www.vintagepoint.com march 2013 / the tasting panel / 121