It feels like yesterday when I was first seduced by the romance of the grape which convinced me to pursue a career in wine.  Now, 17 years later, I am writing this on an SAA flight heading back from an International Wine Club conference in Champagne, France.  When the International Wine Club Association selected Reims as the host city, I was sold on attending. 

Our first stop was the historic underground cellars of the famous Taittinger Champagne house. With only 5 million bottles of bubbly each year, their production is a long way short of the 40 million bottles churned out by the luxury goods producer Moët et Chandon, and even smaller than Moët’s prestige cuvee the Dom Perignon, which sits at 8 million bottles per annum.  Being a big fan of any decent Méthode Champenoise (referred to in South Africa as Méthode Cap Classique), their spectacular chalk cellars 35m below ground fascinated me.  These cellars were tunneled for the dual purpose of producing perfect cellaring conditions as well as hiding and protecting their precious stash from Germans invaders during WWII.

Put to work the following day, the first day of the workshop, it was drummed into me that the internet and digital marketing is the essential channel to connect with our customers.  The internet has shifted the balance of power to the consumer and we need to embrace the technology as a long term commitment.  For marketers out there, it’s not the silver bullet, but rather a great medium to engage, interact and connect with our clients.

The second evening we entertained and hosted by Jean-Pierre Ridont, the Taittinger ambassador, at the oldest property in Reims dating back to the 13th century.  Seduced by the quality of their range, the charm of our host and the inspiring historical setting, my love affair with Champagne was blooming.

The next day while listening to Charles Goemaere of the Committee Inter-Professional Du Vin de Champagne it hit home that French Champagne is run like a cartel in terms of controlled pricing, branding and through strictly managed supply and demand. (A bit like OPEC influencing the price of oil).  I have to admit that it did somewhat dampen the romance and cachet of champagne for me…but I have no doubt that next time I pop the cork, those stuffy French bureaucrats manipulating 300 million odd bottles of champagne each year will be the last thing on my mind. 

C’est la vie!

Send me your comments to wadeb@thewinesociety.co.za