In the past, the winemaker cultivated the vineyard, produced the wine and sold it to a loyal, steady clientele. Wine was part of everyday life, just like bread and meat. Competition was virtually non-existent, and foreign wine accounted for only a tiny share of the wine market. Wine legislation was less strict, making the work less demanding.
Today, borders are open to foreign vintages, wine has become a luxury item, and people no longer drink simply to quench their thirst. Wine has become an "art of living". Wine shops are springing up on every street corner; consumers "learn" how to taste wine and become critical and fickle. Wine lovers are constantly in search of a new oenological discovery. How does the winemaker adapt to this new reality?
The winemaker continues to cultivate the vineyard and produce the wine. It is the profession he has learned. However, modern times require him to master a new profession: marketing. This somewhat barbaric English term has become indispensable if he wants to sell his wine and keep the cash register ringing.
He is rarely prepared for this activity, which he does not particularly enjoy either—often for lack of time. Viticultural and winemaking work is heavy and demanding, and the administration linked to increasingly nitpicking legislation leaves him little time and energy to develop a "marketing plan" worthy of the name.
Moreover, he is a man of the land! Very comfortable with his terroir, less so with modern communication tools. But he adapts, just as he adapts to the vagaries of the weather, which constantly requires him to revise his approach. Most of them have websites; some are even on "Facebook", but Twitter still does not have many "followers" in the wine world, at least in Switzerland. Official bodies are offering more and more courses on the subject, and continuing education is in full swing in this field.
Once confined to cellar work, today he must introduce himself to prospective buyers through wine fairs, which are legion nowadays. Customers want to hear his stories; he must convey an emotional message. He must take part in competitions, where he can win medals that build recognition. The winemaker is a craftsman with many talents: winegrower and oenologist, but also manager, outstanding organiser and a conveyor of emotions. Let us pay tribute to him for all these qualities and raise our glass to his health!
