Lieb Behind the Scenes – March 2016

Hello spring!  While officially still a few weeks away, for us, it’s here.  We’re close to completing winter pruning in the vineyards.  Rosé is bottled and being shipped out to our wholesale markets by the pallet full.  Weekend tasting room traffic is picking up, and #TeamLieb’s spirits are lifting, too.  Music is playing in the office again and open windows are letting in the fresh country air.  While fall on the North Fork is hard to top, spring is my favorite season because it means 7+ months of warm weather ahead.  Spring, you have my heart!

Last month I teased a “behind the scenes” look at our rosé business – what we make, how we make it and how we market it.  Let’s get right down to it.

As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, rosé has seen a surge in popularity in the US over the last 3-4 years, and each year wine industry professionals debate the likelihood of the bubble bursting.  Although only a few weeks into this year’s rosé selling season, I can tell you with confidence that there will be no bursting anytime soon.  On the wholesale side, we’re seeing earlier and heavier demand from retailers and restaurants for our rosé.  Our box rosé is currently our #1 seller online, and it’s only March.  On social media, rosé posts are getting the most likes by far.  And in the tasting rooms, sunny days = rosé.  When the sun is out, customers want it.  The rosé craze is definitely here to stay, and all early indications point to it intensifying this year.

So, how are we capitalizing on the trend?  What are we doing differently from previous years?  And from our competitors?

2015 is my fourth rosé vintage with Lieb.  When I started in summer of 2013, we were pouring the 2012 Bridge Lane Rosé.  Across the past 4 vintages, the constants have been 1) Cabernet Franc and 2) no residual sugar, or sweetness.  Like several other North Fork producers, we took a cue from some of the killer rosés made in the Loire Valley in France and put Cabernet Franc in the driver’s seat vs. using more common domestic rosé varietals like Merlot, Pinot Noir and Syrah.  Cabernet Franc’s inherent flavor profile lends itself to producing rosés with an ever so slight “edge” that’s not easily achieved with other varietals.  While Merlot rosés, for example, give you ALL fruit, Cab Franc rosés offer subtle but distinct notes of spice, fresh herbs and/or minerality – an extra layer of complexity and savoriness to an otherwise one-dimensional, “tooty fruity” wine.  We could sell our Cabernet Franc at a significantly higher price point as a varietal red wine, but we choose to reserve a large portion of it for rosé because we believe it makes the best rosé.

While we’ve consistently produced dry, Cabernet Franc based rosé over the years, we’ve evolved other stylistic elements.  Our 2012 Bridge Lane Rosé was bright cherry in color with brisk acidity and robust cranberry, rhubarb and raspberry notes.  Our 2015 Bridge Lane Rosé is noticeably lighter in color, more of a peachy salmon, and the fruit more “feminine” if you will – citrus, fresh watermelon, strawberry.  The acidity has been toned down as well.  Overall, the 2015 is lighter and more delicate than past vintages, while still retaining that hint of Cabernet Franc minerality.  This, we believe, is our jam.  And preliminary feedback from somms and customers on our 2015 has confirmed that we are getting it right.

New to our portfolio last year was our 2013 Lieb Cellars Sparkling Rosé, which we decided to make my first year at Lieb.  With our still rosé being marketed under our Bridge Lane label, there was opportunity to produce a sparkling rosé under our Lieb label.  It’s one of only a handful of sparkling rosés being made in NY and – I’ve said it before – my favorite wine in our portfolio.  It’s bright, frothy, delicate perfection.  The somms in NYC go crazy over it and demand more cases than we can even give them.

With our new style Bridge Lane Rosé and stand-out Sparkling Rosé, we have the product side of the equation covered.  What are we doing this year, then, to market them?  A few key strategies, with the first and most straight-forward being: STARTING EARLY.  Several years ago, rosé selling season kicked off in spring, in April.  This year, we had our rosé bottled and ready for sale on February 22nd.  Because of its popularity, restaurants and retailers are more eager every year to be the first to announce new rosés on their shelves and menus.  They’re ordering in February and March instead of April or May.  We had to hustle to get the wine and dry goods (bottles, boxes and kegs) ready by February, but we made it happen and bought ourselves an extra month’s worth of selling.  Check!

Our second key marketing strategy is social media.  Following suit with our competitors, we’ve advertised through tradition media in the past – print, online banners, even some outdoor signage.  This year, we’re ditching all of that and going all in on social media.  Posting about our wines on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and (soon) Youtube, means instantly and cost effectively connecting with fans, influencers and in some cases, even wholesale buyers.  It drives conversation, referrals and sales.  Consumers (and increasingly wholesale buyers) crave a personal connection to the wine brands they purchase.  Social media creates that connection.

Of course, while social media is clutch, there’s simply no digital substitute for a good, old-fashioned personal experience.  Having a customer taste our wine and love our wine, either at our tasting rooms or at off-site events, is our #1 sales driver.  The more people taste, the more they buy.  With that in mind, we’re continuing efforts this year to sample, sample, sample.  We’re scheduling as many in-store tastings as possible, participating in as many relevant food & wine events as we have time for and even drumming up a new event or two at our tasting room centered strictly around rosé.  (Save the date: June 11 J!)

If you’re one of the rare wine enthusiasts who haven’t jumped on the rosé wagon yet, I’d suggest you hop on up.  Rosé wine as a category in this country has shown dramatic improvement over the past few years in quality, diversity and availability.  The dry versions are versatile food pairers, rosé-themed events are always a festive, stylish time and there’s a whole fantastic social media world out there dedicated to all things rosé.  Rosé’s what’s up, and we’re riding the wave.

So come grab a glass and toast with us!  To spring!

Ami Opisso

General Manager & Certified Sommelier, Lieb Cellars