Small Fortune Podcast

In this second of two episodes on the role of the Sommelier in wine sales, Carol Collison and Lawrence Wine Estates’ Carlton McCoy discuss the story of his success which took him from training in the restaurant business, to becoming a Master Sommelier in his early ‘20’s, to today’s wine industry leader.  Carlton describes the Court of Master Sommeliers as a successful industry training organization and probably the most impactful organization for wine consumption in American history. They wrap up the conversation with a discussion of the outlook for wine sales in 2025.

https://www.mastersommeliers.org/

Kelli A White: Wine Confident:  https://bookshop.org/p/books/wine-confident-there-s-no-wrong-way-to-enjoy-wine-kelli-a-white-ms/21449087?ean=9781917084499

Questions? Comments? [email protected]

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

In this third conversation with Bruce Neyers of Neyers Vineyards we hear about Robert Mondavi’s prediction that strong middle management with expertise would be required for the American wine industry to grow. Bruce talks about the role of certified Sommeliers in wine sales. Back in the day when he sold wine into a restaurant, he’d be lucky to talk to a busy owner or head waiter. Today, incredibly knowledgeable restaurant and wholesaler staff – often with high level certifications such as Master Sommeliers - require that wine sales professional up their information game, and provides some simple wine sales tips, as well as recommending a few reference books, links below.

https://www.neyersvineyards.com/

Kelli A White: Wine Confident:  https://bookshop.org/p/books/wine-confident-there-s-no-wrong-way-to-enjoy-wine-kelli-a-white-ms/21449087?ean=9781917084499

Maynard A. Amerine: Book of California Wine

https://www.rarebookcellar.com/pages/books/188692/maynard-a-amerine-doris-muscatine-bob-thompson/the-university-of-california-sotheby-book-of-california-wine?srsltid=AfmBOopQWEN1BPYdsTAlwTAovgU6eL_jrW_j_ln2J85JUJ_rbs23j97Z

Questions? Comments? [email protected]

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

If you were wondering how the Vintage Wine Estate bankruptcy auction went, so was Carol. So, she invited Oren Lewin of Integrated Beverage Group to the podcast. IBG, based in Oregon, was the winning bidder for VWE’s Firesteed and Clayhouse brands. (Want to buy Clayhouse?) Hear step-by-step how the auction process went, how it differed from a normal winey acquisition process, as well as many other topics in wine mergers and acquisitions from two experienced practitioners.

https://www.integratedbev.com/

Questions? Comments? [email protected]

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

In today’s episode, Carol talks with Peter Ficklin, 3rd generation proprietor of Ficklin Vineyards, a California port producer founded in Madera County in 1948. Carol and Peter discuss keys for a successful family transition (allow creativity, talk frequently, listen, and learn), how port is made, and the history of the brand’s sales channels. They also discuss the wide world of Ficklin’s wines, from a ’57 Vintage Port made by Peter’s father available for sale at $600 per bottle, to Rose port aged 6 months in stainless steel for $30, and everything in between.

https://www.ficklin.com/

Questions? Comments? [email protected]

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

In today’s special episode Carol talks with Congressman Mike Thompson about his advocacy for the wine industry and his constituents in Napa, Lake, Sonoma, Yolo and even Carol’s home – Solano County. Having recently won his 14th election to the U.S. House of Representatives, Thompson remains hard at work. Carol and Rep. Thompson discuss his role as co-founder and current co-Chair of the Congressional Wine Caucus, the importance of the Farm Bill, and potential issues for the industry with the incoming 2nd Trump Administration, and how he and his colleagues will move forward.

https://mikethompson.house.gov/

Questions? Comments? [email protected]

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

Carol and returning guest Mark Freund of Silicon Valley Bank discuss the current trends in wine industry lending, including how interest rates and broader wine market challenges are reducing credit availability in the short term.  Listen to this conversation to get an up-to-date understanding of what wine industry lenders are thinking.

https://www.svb.com/

https://www.svb.com/trends-insights/reports/dtc-wine-survey-report-2024/

Questions? Comments? [email protected]

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

In this episode Carol talks to Mark Couchman, the founder of Silverado Premium Properties, the largest institutional investor in California vineyards before its sale to TIAA-CREF.  In this information-packed conversation, Mark and Carol discuss:  the importance of knowledge of the market in general and the asset (whether as a buyer or seller) in question; how to negotiate; offer strategies; building trust as a buyer or seller; how growers should think about decisions to crush grapes for sale as bulk wine; and many other topics.

Questions? Comments? [email protected]

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

Host Carol Collison and Neyers Vineyards’ Bruce Neyers continue their conversation about the wine sales profession. Bruce describes how he successfully sold wine for 25 years for the California-based French wine importer Kermit Lynch, which had a portfolio of as many as 2,500 SKUs (Stock Keeping Unit) of arcane French wines from lesser-known regions. “You don’t sell anything unless you know it.”  Bruce succeeded by educating himself, and then educating his distributors to enable them to make the sale out in the marketplace. Bruce describes how a conversation with the Napa wine pioneer Joe Heitz inspired him and his wife Barbara to launch their own wine brand, Neyers Vineyards, which he continues to own through a partnership with Trinchero Family Estates.

https://kermitlynch.com/

https://www.neyersvineyards.com/

Questions? Comments? [email protected]

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

Bruce Neyers started selling wine for Joseph Phelps winery in the ‘70’s, before selling wine was even a thing. Imagine wine sales before anyone knew you could provide samples??  Carol and Bruce talk about his start in the wine business, about the importance of the wine sales profession, and how selling has evolved in a series of conversations. In this first episode, Bruce describes his start in the wine business during the early days of the industry in the Napa Valley. 

https://www.neyersvineyards.com/

Questions? Comments? [email protected]

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

Merritt Olson, a Pacific Northwest wine sales veteran, (at the ripe old age of not very old) has seen it all. She began her sales career by selling wine in tasting rooms and bars in the Walla Walla area while in college. She then moved to sales management for a wide range of Pacific Northwest wineries such as Charles Smith and Owen Roe, finally finishing as the Director of Sales at Mitchell Wine Group, Oregon’s leading independent wholesaler of fine wines, before leaving to work in her family business. Meritt explains her strategies for selling wine both as a winery and as a distributor and shares some great books on management that have helped her in her career.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/traction-gino-wickman/1100073595

https://www.amazon.com/SPEED-TRUST-Thing-Changes-Everything/dp/1416549005

Questions? Comments? [email protected]

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran