This is a proposition for arête wine project.
arête {ahr-i-tey}is an ideal…loosely translated this ideal involves diligently pursuing the perfection of one’s character and the souls goodness. This is not only the name of this project but the driving force behind everything we do. Our diligence and the grower’s diligence; our soul and the soul of the vine. The goal of this company is to champion family wine growers who are lovingly crafting wines of distinction, personality and terroir.
We will achieve success in this endeavor by listening to people and building relationships. Education will be the key to this project. Education about what wine really is and what makes it special and unique from all other beverages. Mark Twain wrote "There are no standards of taste in wine, cigars, poetry, prose, etc. Each man's own taste is the standard, and a majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard.” We want to help people find their tastes. Wine should taste different from each region and in each vintage and once the client discovers which regions they enjoy and whether or not they like a new world style wine or an old world style wine the possibilities are endless. Imagine walking into a wine store with 20$ and the assurance of satisfaction. Now learning about wine becomes an adventure. Where will I travel tonight? France, Italy, USA, Australia, Spain, South America, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Israel, Turkey, South Africa, New Zealand. Who will I meet and what will I learn. The possibilities are endless.
We believe that wine is a natural product and a gift from God. We also believe that the current trend of winemaking is hurting consumers and bastardizing a beautiful work of art. Winemakers are adding additives to their wines and using technology to alter the wines to achieve a certain flavor profile. Corporations are in control of wine consumption and the people who are lovingly tending vines and making wine the way God intended have no voice. The only way to change the tide is by giving that voice to those vintners who deserve to be heard. We have no desire to police the wine industry or to be whistle blowers; we would simply like to provide an alternative wine buying process to people who care about what they put in their bodies and who they are supporting with their money. Each wine represented by arête wine project will have a family history, vineyard history and taste profile.
Wine falls into categories just like anything else. Typically these categorical puzzles have been solved by region and varietal but without more information it is impossible to tell what a certain bottle of wine will taste like. A novice client may have had a cabernet before and liked it but without more information it would be impossible to predict whether or not they would enjoy another cabernet at the same price point. Cabernet as with any other grape suffers from an identity crisis. It will taste different not only if it is grown in another region but can also vary greatly grown on the same property. Some factors that contribute to this change in taste include vineyard management, rootstock, pruning, soil, drainage, irrigation, sugar levels at harvest, wood treatment, length of time spent on the skins, length of fermentation, amount of secondary fermentation if any, additives, technology, drying or freezing grapes after harvest. All of these factors contribute to how the wine will taste. It then becomes daunting to walk into a wine store or restaurant and try to order wine with confidence that you will like what you are going to drink. Especially for the novice. Experienced wine drinkers have memorized labels, points and regions in an effort to make a more informed decision but branching out of their normal go to wines becomes a gamble. This both intimidates and overwhelms people from into stepping out and trying something new and in turn stunts the growth and enjoyment of learning about wine and regions.
There is another way. This project was birthed after 10 years of ideas, experience, interactions, tasting, selling, conversing, frustrations, disappointments, questions, more tasting, more selling and more questions. Learning from failure and continuing to seek truth in wine has led to this company.
arête wine project will be the innovative alternative to the current wine culture. Learning whether one likes traditional style wines or modern style wines and from there choosing between light, medium or full bodied will be the only thing to learn in this system. From there all that is left to do is enjoy great wine and learn about regions, grapes and families. It can be that simple and it can be that fun.
There will be two main streams of marketing and sales. The first is an online community of information and the second is a retail wine store. Two different approaches to answer the same question. What do I want to drink tonight?
Our website will provide all of the information pertaining to each winery we represent as well as information on where the consumer can purchase that product in any major city. Starting with the Atlanta market we will provide people with retail stores and restaurants where the wines can be purchased. Creating a database of Wine Stores and Restaurants will not only help the consumer it will also build a community of like-minded vendors where innovation can flourish. All of this information will also be available in app form. Simple and functional it will revolutionize wine buying in the United States.
The Retail store will be functional, eclectic, thoughtful and fun. A small inventory of rotating stock featuring only handpicked wines from family owned wineries from all over the world. Regular tastings and education through building relationships will make this store a neighborhood favorite. Catering to a wide range of clientele we will offer something for every budget and every set of taste buds. This will exceed the client’s expectations and result in a very high customer return rate. As patrons begin to understand what they enjoy and why they can then make educated decisions based on past experiences. By building a data base history on every client we can track trends in what type of wine they will enjoy. This will help find the right wine for the client as well as teach them to understand why they enjoy drinking the wines they do and how to find more wines like the ones they love. There will also be regular wine tastings, winemaker dinners, arête wine club, blog and no shortage of reasons to spend more time at this store.
Integrating the app which features all the wineries supported by arête wine project into the retail wine buying process will help consumers narrow down the wines they love and locate where they can be found. Creating not only loyalty but the ability to brand this company outside of its four walls increasing its exposure and impact on all wine markets worldwide. The app will fuel the wine store and the wine store will fuel the app. They will both work in conjunction to provide more exposure for the families we represent.
Every winery that is represented will be handpicked and reviewed each year. By supporting family owned grower’s arête wine project will be a grassroots campaign against the corporations who currently control and seek to control the bulk of wine production and sales. These companies not only swallow most of the market they also profit from keeping people in the dark when it comes to what is being added to and taken away from the wine. We will work with vintners to honor complete transparency regarding their wines and winemaking process. Talking about additives, yeast cultures, modern technology, wood treatment, brix, acid levels and the effects of modern wine making will create a round table mentality that will help the consumer see beyond the curtain and empower them to make informed decisions about the wineries they support.
arête wine project will be a symbiotic relationship involving winemakers, distributors and clients. We will focus on all relationships to make sure everyone feels important and cared for. The goal of this company is NOT to make money. The goal of this company is to help other people make money. We are a broker. We wish to be a voice for these vintners and a vessel for people to be exposed to new wine and a different way of thinking about wine. Connecting people who are seeking the best wine for each respective price point and flavor profile to our friends who are crafting those wines. Relationships will be the heartbeat of this project. Relationships will fuel the wines we carry as well as build the customer base to support the people we care about.
10% of all profits will be donated to help immigrant vineyard workers across the globe.
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