August 18, 2010

V. Sattui Winery and Social Media Marketing

Posted by John Cesano under Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , |
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With nearly 1,000 hits, my piece about the V. Sattui Winery 125th anniversary celebration lunch at the North Beach Restaurant in San Francisco, near where the winery started, is one of my more popular pieces of writing.

V. Sattui Winery has very loyal customers, selling all of their wine directly to consumers either at their Napa Valley winery or through direct shipment (where legal). Wine buying is not a passive, pick it up at the market sort of activity, but an act of intention on the part of a consumer. V. Sattui enjoys a unique relationship with their customers, who often see themselves involved in a relationship with the winery.

V. Sattui Winery, aware of the perception of relationship, has been active in Social Media Marketing (SSM) efforts, built upon proto-SSM telephone and direct mail marketing efforts.

Today, I approved another comment to my blog, from a V. Sattui fan, Shey Robinson:

I love V Sattui’s Port!

I was just there yesterday and bought a couple of Madeira and of course the 12year commemorative port that they have. It was awesome.

I envy you for getting to meet these wonderful people who make wonderful experiences possible.

Cheers!

What led me back to write about V. Sattui Winery and their Social Media Marketing efforts? I just received a shipment of wine samples from the winery, packaged with cheeses from the deli co-located at the winery, along with a wonderfully written letter from V. Sattui Winery winemaker Brooks Painter.

I receive a considerable number of wine samples, but I was impressed by the attention to detail, the extra effort, the attempt to positively impact, perhaps influence, what I might write in the future. Any review I write will include a disclosure that the wine tasted was received as a sample, at no cost to me; but it is likely that the recommended wine and cheese pairings will lead to greater enjoyment of each wine – everybody wins.

I am grateful for the information provided, for the thoughtful wine and cheese pairing recommendations, and for the personal touch conveyed in the letter from Brooks.

I consult to wineries, help them in their Social Media Marketing efforts, and recently shared with V. Sattui Winery’s publicist Julie Ann Kodmur how impressed I have been by V. Sattui, after some initial SSM hiccups, how they have adapted, learned, improved, and seem to be firing on all cylinders.

I have seen Social Media Marketing managers, hired by wine companies, who tweet and retweet their own personal hair appointments on the winery site, as if anyone cares. I have seen another SSM hire, at a prominent wine company, who declared online at the company’s expense that the his job was to increase his own personal brand awareness – as opposed to increasing the brand awareness of his employer’s wine labels.

Treating a sample wine shipment to wine writers as a Social Media Marketing opportunity is just the latest example of V. Sattui Winery’s dedication to making sure that there is actually marketing in their Social Media Marketing efforts, and a welcome counterbalance to the less than stellar efforts of other more social, less marketing, endeavors from other wineries..

I have just sent off multiple copies of what appears to be a high impact, graphic rich newsletter, but is actually a uniquely formatted cover letter and resume, to officers at a wine company, asking to be their new Social Media Marketing manager. I would like to have the consumers of the brands I would represent feel as passionately, and as involved in a relationship, as the customers of V. Sattui Winery.

 

June 16, 2010

Mac, Zin and Coro

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I’ve missed you. Thanks to everyone who visited John On Wine, looking to see if my favored iMac was repaired and if I was back to writing new posts; thank you for your loyalty, kindness, and patience.

I took my computer to Simon Kerbel, an Apple certified Mac specialist who runs his Mac Angel business out of his Sebastopol home. My computer was repaired in less time and at much less cost than I had initially feared, and I highly recommend Simon to any North Coast wine country Mac owners who find themselves in need of repair or upgrade. Simon, Mac Angel, macangel.biz, (707) 861-0606.

My writing station; a PC, and my iMac with a second display monitor to work with.

__________

ZAP, Zinfandel Advocates & Producers, is an organization that celebrates Zinfandel, the red wine varietal grape, and works to bring attention to Zinfandel, publicizing the varietal’s primacy as the wine that is California’s own.

Earlier this year, I wrote about the Zinfandel tasting events surrounding ZAP’s 19TH Annual Zinfandel Festival; the Zinfandel Festival is held late in January each year at San Francisco’s Ft. Mason.

All varietal wines bottled in California, from Alicante Bouschet to Zinfandel, must have at least 75% of the varietal named on the bottle to be varietally named or the wine must be called table wine. Zinfandel often has a little Carignane blended in, just as Cabernet Sauvignon often has a little Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc often has a little Semillon. These blends are traditional because over time these wine blends have often improved the unblended wines they came from. The sum is greater than the parts, winemaking as alchemy – gold (medals) from the crucible of the wine lab or cellar. There are wines that take the blending farther, and end up with no single varietal reaching the necessary 75% required for varietal naming on the bottle, 40% Zinfandel, 35% Carignane, 25% Grenache as an example; sometimes these wines, often tasting incredibly delicious, carry the name “Red Table Wine.”

Wine lists and market shelves are not set up for “Red Table Wines” or “White Table Wines,” and many wonderful expressions of a winemaker’s art become unwieldy, difficult to market or sell, wines.

ZAP is dedicated to Zinfandel and has required that the wines poured at their major tasting, the Grand Zinfandel Tasting, be Zinfandel, containing at least 75% Zinfandel.

Last year, at the Flights Zinfandel panel presentation tasting, an exploration of Zinfandel blends, many of the wines were “Red Table Wines,” with no varietal reaching 75% content. Some of the blends were the winemaker’s art, cellar or barrel blends, but some of the blends came from what are known as field blends.

Zinfandel has been planted in California a very long time, many old vines are from century blocks, plantings at least 100 years old. Many of these old vineyards have other grape varietals intermixed with the Zinfandel, some Carignane vines planted among the Zinfandel vines. At harvest, the winemaker could pick everything at once, crush it all at once, age it all together, and, in time, bottle a blended wine, a field blend.

ZAP has announced that with a unanimous vote of their Board of Directors, traditional Zinfandel blends, based on historical field blends, where Zinfandel is the dominant grape variety and Zinfandel accounts for at least 34% of the blend, may be poured at the 2011 Grand Zinfandel Tasting at next year’s 20th Zinfandel Festival.

“ZAP’s role in telling the complete, historically accurate story of Zinfandel will be enhanced by the inclusion of classic California field blends as part of the annual Festival and as part of the organization’s educational repertoire,” explains Joel Peterson, winemaker at Ravenswood, and ZAP Board member, “the Zinfandel field blend is the type of wine that would have made California famous 80 years ago, if it hadn’t been for Prohibition, this wine would have been California’s Bordeaux, Chateauneuf-du-Pape or Chianti—a blended wine made from grapes chosen by the people of the region, through mostly trial and error, to produce the best wine they thought the region could produce.  In other words, a fine regional wine only associated with California made no where else in the world.”

Zinfandel blends that come from winemaker choices in the cellar or lab, but use the same grapes traditionally found in classic field blends, and meet the Zinfandel dominant and 34% Zinfandel minimum content, are eligible to be poured as well.

The grape varieties for these Zinfandel field blend inspired wines can be Alicante Bouschet, Barbera, Black Malvoisie, Burger Carignane, Grand Noir de la Calmette, Grenache, Lenoir, Mataro (Mourvedre), Black Muscat, Negrette, Peloursin, Petite Bouschet, Petite Sirah, Semillon, Syrah, Tempranillo, and/or Teradalgo – and, of course, Zinfandel.

Closer to home, Coro Mendocino is a cooperative venture where 11 Mendocino County wineries make individual Zinfandel dominant blends; the idea is to produce wines featuring the best grapes of Mendocino County, thematically similar in style, yet unique to the individual winery’s vision, the blend containing 40-70% Zinfandel, with blending grapes being Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignane, Sangiovese, Grenache, Dolcetto, Charbono, Barbera, and/or Primitivo. Winemakers may also blend in up to 10% free choice in creating their wine. Wines must have at least 1 year in barrel and at least 6 months in bottle before release. The alcohol level must fall between 12.5% and 16%, pH, total acidity, glucose/fructose enzymatic, volatile acidity, and malic acid also have agreed upon ranges. Oak barrels may be 25%-75% new oak.

The 11 wineries of Coro Mendocino are Brutocao, Mendocino Vineyards, Fetzer, Golden, Graziano, McDowell, McFadden, McNab Ridge, Pacific Star, Parducci, and Philo Ridge Vineyards. The 2007 vintage release party will be 6:00 pm on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at the Little River Inn on the Mendocino Coast. Dinner for two, with a tasting of all the wines, and a complete set of all 11 2007 Coro Mendocino wines to take home is just $480. For reservations, call toll free (888) 466-5683.

Some Coro Mendocino wines could be poured at ZAP’s Grand Zinfandel Tasting, but others would be excluded because of varietal choices in conflict with ZAP’s traditional field blend varietal list.

Yesterday, I asked Julie Ann Kodmur, ZAP’s publicist extraordinaire, about an odd anomaly I noticed in the list of ZAP approved field blend grapes. From my e-mail to Julie:

Semillon is a white wine grape. I know that there are numerous instances of white wine grapes being planted in “Zinfandel fields” or barrel blended, but I wondered at the inclusion of Semillon on the list in your press release, but the exclusion of other Bordeaux whites like Sauvignon Blanc. I also wonder at the inclusion of Rhone reds, but the exclusion of Rhone whites like Marsanne.

Are the heritage wines limited to those blended from the list below, or are other varietals allowed? I imagine some Mendocino Coro wines would be excluded if this list is set, while other Mendocino Coro wines, perhaps showing better Zinfandel blend characteristics might be excluded, if the list of varietals above is complete, finite, closed.

It almost seems as if a small handful of winemakers got together and made a list of grapes grown in their wine property blocks and called it a day.

Julie kindly forwarded my note to Zinfandel superstar winemaker Joel Peterson of Ravenswood, who responded today:

Hi John,

Thanks for your comments on the list of grapes included in the Zinfandel field blends.  The inclusion of Semillon in that particular list was the result of an accident.  While we recognize that there were many white grapes that appeared in some of these plantings, (Palomino, Sauvignon Vert, Berger, and French Colombard, to name a few others), the number of vines was usually so small as to be insignificant and they did not warrant inclusion.  While these grapes were on our original list, it was decided by the ZAP board that they be stricken from that list.

The list of Heritage Blend grapes is derived from a number of sources; experience of people in the field with their own old vineyards and various historical records from the era that these blends were being formulated. Understand that the key word here is “Heritage” Field Blends.  While I realize there are a number of other blends being made today that include Cabernet and other varieties not on the list, they would not be included as Zinfandel heritage field blends.  This was meant to be a historical reference point and an augmentation to our understanding of Zinfandel and its kin.

I suspect the list as it exists is not complete and will undergo some modification.  The key to additions is that they exist in significant proportion in existing Heritage Field Blends or in pertinent reference literature concerning these blends.

I hope this is helpful.

Joel

If you read my companion pieces from this year’s ZAP Zinfandel Festival, you know I hold Joel in the highest esteem. In those pieces, I wrote, “I tasted wines that ranged from 100% Zin to a wine where Zinfandel was not the predominant grape. I wondered when a Zin stops being a Zin. I asked Joel, “how much Zinniness (yes, it is a real word, I invented it) is required in a wine to be considered appropriate for inclusion at ZAP?” when we met over lunch at a ZAP event back in January. Joel said, “It is an interesting subject, and the wines that are being made from these mixed black blends have the potential to be some of the best, most singular wines California can produce. It is good to get the conversation about them started again. We lost the thread with the advent of Prohibition and in the process lost what might have been the wine that was our equivalent of Bordeaux, Chateauneuf du Pape, or Chianti. Blended wine made from grapes chosen by the people of that region to represent the best most representative wine that region could produce. Zinfandel is California’s own. There is nothing that even comes close. These talks of blending [Zinfandel] instead of Cabernet or Chardonnay; Zinfandel, Heritage, whatever it will be called, will be how we establish ourselves against European wines.”

Joel’s words then led me to suggest that ZAP might do just what they did, open the Zinfandel Festival up to more wines to be poured. Joel’s words today provide a foundation for a better understanding of ZAP’s announcement.

 

March 29, 2010

Celebrating V. Sattui Winery’s 125th Anniversary

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Part I – Introductions

Vittorio Sattui started his family’s winery in 1885 at 722 Montgomery Street in North Beach, San Francisco’s Italian neighborhood.

Yesterday, Dario Sattui, the great grandson of winery founder Vittorio, filled the Wine Cellar at the North Beach Restaurant to capacity with people to celebrate the 125th anniversary of V. Sattui Winery, as well as share some of the milestone achievements of the winery, all within the context of the enormous importance of Italian family winemaking in America.

North Beach Restaurant, site of the V. Sattui Winery 125th Anniversary celebration lunch

Owned by the effusively welcoming Lorenzo Petroni, the North Beach Restaurant has been one of the best Italian restaurants, specializing in Tuscan dishes, since the early ’70′s.  The North Beach Restaurant’s Wine Cellar dining room was the perfect place to hold the day’s affair. Heavy white tablecloths and napkins, multiple wine glasses at the ready, holding over 500 wines from the Wine Spectator Top 100 wine list, decorated with framed pictures of iconic San Francisco Italian families (including a great picture from the North Beach V. Sattui cellars), and staffed by black and white clad professional waiters; the location lent weight to the moment we had come to celebrate.

Lorenzo Petroni, owner of the North Beach Restaurant

Scheduled events included three speaker, Professor Victor W. Geraci, Ph. D., John A. Deluca, Ph. D., and Dario Sattui himself, a wine reception, and a multi course lunch with paired wines for each course, and an after lunch walk a few blocks to the site of the original winery.

I was in the presence of several notable wine writers including two 2010 Symposium for Profesional Wine Writer Fellowship recipients; as well as Carl Nolte who writes the SF Chronicle’s Native Son column and is maybe San Francisco’s journalistic soul since the passing of Herb Caen.

Arriving a little early, V. Sattui winemaker Brooks Painter, President Tom Davies, and V.P. of Sales and Public Affairs Pat Krueger each personally greeted me with warmth and genuine friendliness.

Brooks Painter, V. Sattui Winery Winemaker

V. Sattui Winery President Tom C. Davies and V.P. Sales and Public Affairs Pat Krueger

Carli Rose, V. Sattui Winery Director of Weddings and Special Events, Courtney Mitros, Asst Director of Special Events, and Claudette Shatto, Vice President of Marketing greeted me warmly as well.

Asst. Director of Special Events Courtney Mitros and Vice President of Marketing Claudette Shatto

The one person I immediately recognized was Danica Sattui who does more Social Media Marketing, and is better at it, than many professionals. Frankly, I was surprised that @DanicaSattui was not also @VSattui1885 on Twitter. It was a pleasure to finally meet Danica in person. I look forward to meeting Nicole Marino, who does handle V. Sattui Winery’s Social Media Marketing one day; V. Sattui Winery’s Social Media Marketing seems to improve in breadth and reach day by day, a genuine testament to Nicole’s dedication to learning and applying each new skill learned in this evolving field of marketing.

Yana Albert-Sattui and Danica Sattui

A glass of reception 2008 Vittorio’s Vineyard Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc in hand, I made my way to where I would be seated for lunch. I noted that I would be seated with Carl Nolte to my left, and San Francisco Chronicle Editor-in-Chief Ward Bushee to my right. Seated on the other side of Bushee was Bruce Kelley, Editor-in-Chief of the San Francisco Magazine. Seated across from us were Dario Sattui, his wife Yana Albert-Sattui, San Francisco Chronicle President Mark Adkins, and his guest Past President of the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation Melanie Hunsberger.

Yana Albert-Sattui and Dario Sattui, sitting beneath a picture of their family’s 125 year old North Beach wine cellar

Fairly amusing to me, I heard a significant accent when speaking with Melanie Hunsberger, her Mississippi accent is sweet Southern music. Dario’s wife Yana comes from a little farther away, the Ukraine, and yet I heard no accent. I only hope my nose for wine is better than my ear for accents. These two women added a healthy dose of grace and beauty to our table.

Melanie Hunsberger and Yana Albert-Sattui

This is a synthesis of the day’s menu and wine notes provided each guest:

V. SATTUI WINERY

Returns to North Beach

Celebrating Our 125th Anniversary

North Beach Restaurant

Thursday, March 25, 2010

SPEAKERS

John A. De Luca, PH.D. Former President and CEO of The Wine Institute

Professor Victor W. Geraci, Ph.D. Author, Food and Wine Historian

Dario Sattui 4th Generation Owner of V. Sattui Winery

IL MENU

ANTIPASTO MISTO

Burrata con Pomodoro e Basilico - Burrata (Creamy Mozzarella from Puglia) with Tomatoes, Basil, and Olive Oil & Vinegar

Calamari Fritti e Prosciutto - Fried Calamari and Prosciutto

2008 Vittorio’s Vineyard Napa Valley SAUVIGNON BLANC - Layers of Honeydew, pear and citrus flavors. 773 cases produced. $22

PRIMO PIATTO

Linguine alle Vongole e Salsa di Vino Bianco - Linguine with Baby Clams in a White Wine Sauce

2007 Reserve Stock Napa Valley CHARDONNAY - A full-bodied and exquisitely balanced blend of the very best of our Carsi and Henry Ranch vineyards, displaying excellent depth and body and toasty vanilla notes from new oak and part malolactic fermentation. 418 cases produced. $39

Spaghetti alla Carbonara con Prosciutto, Una Specialita del Ristorante North Beach - Spaghetti Carbonara with Prosciutto, A North Beach Restaurant Specialty

2007 Crow Ridge Russian River ZINFANDEL - 80-year-old Russian River vines produce this single-vineyard Zinfandel with ripe raspberry, dried plum and cherry cola flavors leading to an expansive and lingering spicy finish. 720 cases produced. $39

SECONDO PIATTO

Osso Buco con Riso e Verdure - Baby Veal Shank braised with Tomato Sauce, served with Rice and Vegetables

2004 “Steve Lee” Reserve Stock Napa Valley CABERNET SAUVIGNON - Rutherford-bred from the finest stocks of Preston and Morisoli Vineyards, this Reserve Cabernet exhibits rich loam and currant flavors and smooth, plush tannins. 214 cases produced. $125

DOLCI

Zabaglione con Fragole Fresche - Cold Zabaglione (custard with V. Sattui Madeira) with Fresh Strawberries

California MADEIRA - Wood-aged, port-like wine fortified with brandy. A small amount of this solera-made Port was originally produced by Vittorio Sattui prior to 1900. Our solera is over 129 years old, one of the oldest in the U.S. Intense, nutty and luscious, with flavors of almonds, toffee and caramel. $42

I will admit that between manic note taking, camera work, information absorbing, table conversation sharing, and wine enjoying, I did have to fend the waiters off, protecting the plate I had fallen behind on from being taken away, and rushing to finish one course before the next was delivered.

My course lagging was nothing compared to the falling behind of Dario Sattui. Dario kicked off the event with introductory remarks, and acted as the Master of Ceremonies and kind host. Initially welcoming everyone, then introducing the first speaker, Professor Victor W. Geraci, Ph.D., Dario was called back to the podium immediately after to receive a proclamation from a representative of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome announcing the day was “V. Sattui Winery Day in San Francisco.” Dario then delivered his own speech, a passionate, informative, personal, and entertaining look into the history of V. Sattui Winery through Dario’s eyes. Before being able to return to the lunch table, Dario was awarded, through the offices of State Assembly Member Noreen Evans and State Senator Pat Wiggins, a resolution presentation from the California Assembly. Dario then introduced John A. De Luca, Ph.D, and was finally able to rejoin his lovely wife and enjoy some of the food that had accumulated in his absence.

The two speakers of the day not named Dario Sattui spoke about the wine industry past and future.

Part II – The Past

Professor Victor W. Geraci, Ph.D is the Food and Wine Historian at the Regional Oral History Office for the Bancroft Library at the Universiry of California at Berkeley.

Professor Victor W. Geraci, Ph.D

Professor Geraci spoke on the history of Italians in the U.S. wine industry, which is the same thing in large measure as saying he spoke about the wine industry period.

Geraci spoke of failed attempts to make wines in U.S. colonies and states, limited or qualified success in a small handful of states, and then the first real success when Northern italians settled in Northern California and started making wines.

Professor Geraci speaks on Italian family winemaking in the U.S.

Beginning with Andrea Arata who planted his grapes in Amador County in 1853, Italians and wine in the U.S. would become forever linked. By 1882, Vittorio Sattui joined a host of Italians making wine in Northern California, and opened his family winery in North Beach at 722 Montgomery Avenue. By the 1890′s, Italian families own over 100 wineries and California produces over 80% of the nation’s wine. By 1900, Italian Swiss Colony, near Cloverdale, was California’s largest producer of wine.

In 1900, prior to prohibition, dry wines were consumed over sweet wines, 2 to 1. At repeal, sweet wines were consumed 4 to 1 over dry wines. Consumer tastes had changed, and wineries were not producing the fine wines they had produced before prohibition.

Nonetheless, within three years of repeal, 1,600 wineries are operating. Within 25 years, by 1960, the number of wineries operating in the U.S. had shrunk to just 271. Italians owned a dominant percentage of these wineries.

Consolidation occurred; in 1947 the 8 largest wineries controlled 42% of the market, and by 1971 that number had risen to 68%.

In 1972, half of the wine consumed in the U.S. was considered premium, or dry, wine.

Consumption of wine in the U.S. doubled between 1963 and 1974.

In 1966, Robert Mondavi opened his Oakville winery. Mondavi goes on to create an incredibly positive perception regarding the quality of California wine.

Giuseppe Franzia, one of the original Italian winemakers of California wines has a descendent who makes enormous waves in the industry, Fred Franzia of Ceres wine giant Bronco makes 2 Buck Chuck.

Part III – The Future

John A. De Luca, Ph.D. served as Deputy Mayor of San Francisco under Mayor Joseph Alioto from 1968-1975. De Luca served nearly 28 years as President and CEO of The Wine Institute. In 2001, De Luca was named “Agriculturist of the Year” by the California State Fair. Wine Spectator gave De Luca their “Distinguished Service Award,” while Wine Enthusiast gave him a “Lifetime Achievement Award.”

John A. De Luca, Ph.D.

De Luca spoke of V. Sattui Winery generally, and Dario specifically, before moving on to more a more general discussion of the present and future environment in which wineries will compete.

De Luca said that V. Sattui Winery was, “controversial,” and recounted being warned by his staff at The Wine Institute against visiting the winery, as they had, “no finesse,” and were, “one of a kind.

De Luca also shared how when he was being considered for the top post with The Wine Institute, and many big names in the industry were displaying typical contentious behavior, Dario came into the meeting, walked to the front, turned and addressed the assembled members, “I think this is the guy we need, and I don’t want any of you to fuss around with him.” Message delivered, Dario then walked out.

John A. De Luca moves from behind the podium to the middle of the room to speak

About the present and future of wine, De Luca said, “face to face is the past, facebook is the present.” Without using the words, the change De Luca referenced is at the heart of Social Media Marketing.

Speaking to continuing challenges, De Luca said, “No one in America has to deal with States, because of the commerce clause, except wine and liquor.”

De Luca noted that last year Gallo shipped 1 million cases of wine to China.

John A. De Luca

George Tabor, the Judgement of Paris journalist, approached De Luca about Fred Franzia’s Two Buck Chuck, which has sold over 500 million bottles. De Luca countered that the larger story of family winemakers is the story of wine now, that together, “they hold the center in this economy.”

“If our wine had not gone global, we would have gone the way of Detroit.”

“Beer has been the most impacted beverage during our current recession.”

“The one product category that grows in this economy, the health care debate and diet helps, is wine.”

De Luca described a battle between the midwest and the their corn people and California and fresh vegetables, fruit, the Mediterranean diet with wine.

“There is a new period of assertion facing our industry now.”

“The one thing about the wine industry is we see change as a period of renewal, while other industries fear change.”

Coming back to V. Sattui, De Luca said, “We’re here to celebrate Sattui; there is only one. I only want one, they’ve broken the mold”.

I’ve taken things a bit out of order, saving the words of Dario for last. The food was great, the company was great. The wine was great. The other speakers, awards, proclamations, resolutions, all of it was great. I appreciate being witness to it, sharing it.

Compared to Dario’s speech, they all fade into the background, they are the oak and tannin, Dario’s speech was the forward fruit.

Part IV – Dario Sattui

Dressed in a blue seersucker suit, with a white pocket pocket kerchief, Dario Sattui is at once the handsome patriarch, the public face, the heart and soul, and the flesh and bone of V. Sattui Winery.

Dario Sattui, Owner of V. Sattui Winery

Passionate, speaking from a giant heart, hands in constant motion, Dario entertained and captivated all those present. Not a trained or polished speaker, he was incredibly effective because he spoke to, not at, his audience.

Dario told of how his great grandfather came to the U.S. from Italy, lured by stories of men becoming wealthy, “picking up gold from the streets.”

Vittorio baked bread, and made wine on the side. His wife Katerina took in washing, and cooked for single men on the side.

Together they leased the Cellar at 722 Montgomery Avenue, and by 1885 were making wine full time.

Faced with a landlord threatening to raise their rent, they moved the winery out of North Beach to 23rd Street and Bryant Avanue in the Mission district, and renamed the enterprise V. Sattui Wine Company.

All of the wine made was sold directly to consumers, delivered in barrels and demijohns by horse-drawn wagon.

In 1920, a horrible thing happened,  the country went dry.  Prohibition stopped the V. Sattui Wine Company as Vittorio said, “I’ll do nothing against the law.”

The winery remained closed until 1975 when Dario decided to restart his family’s winery.

Dario was in a perfect position to restart the winery, he was “living in a van,” had, “no knowledge, no money, ” and his experience with wine involved “cheap wine in college.”

Dario Sattui, great grandson of winery founder Vittorio Sattui

Everyone, including his future ex-wife, predicted failure for Dario, but he believed in himself.

Working as a substitute teacher, Dario became, “known as the Enforcer, because I kept the kids quiet so I could work on my business plan.”

Times were particularly difficult, fighting with his wife often, everyone predicting failure, Dario took to long walks where he worked on his plan in his head.

“If you try hard enough and long enough, you can only fail so many times.”

Dario admits in retrospect that his is an “unlikely story of success.”

The main elements of the business plan for V. Sattui Winery included selling the wine direct, and having a deli with picnic grounds.

Dario worked out precisely what he was looking for in a commercial winery property, location, location, location. In the entire Napa Valley, only 3 sites fit the bill. Choosing the ideal one, Dario obtained a lease option and lived in his VW Van on the property, with no furniture, no money, no equipment, no nothing, “you name it, we didn’t have it,” Dario bought 600 gallons of wine from Mondavi, bottled them the same day, and was selling them the next day.

The winery was reborn in 1975. The building started July 3rd, continued on the next day’s holiday, and was complete early in 1976.

Lack of funds meant hand bottling, hand labeling, and no aging; wines were sold immediately.

To survive at the beginning, Dario slept and lived in his office, with a $15 Burroughs manual calculator and $3 desk. Every call made was made collect, and Dario checked the bill each month.

Repeatedly, Dario talks of his ex wife, “that was the beginning of the end,” and I think that he brings up his ex in a negative light so often in his speech to indirectly cast a light on how much he loves his current wife, Yana, who he described as more beautiful inside than outside – which is a whole lot of beautiful.

V. Sattui Winery had $141 in receipts for day 1, and about $100 less on day two; but at the end of the first year had sold 1,800 cases of wine direct to the customer.

The entire family participated, Dario’s sister worked in the tasting room, his mother helped with the books, and his father was used outside as a picnic ground shill. Cars were parked, and people were paid to sit outside, even in bad weather, near the highway, to create traffic within the winery.

Bob Trinchero of Sutter Home acted as Dario’s personal savior, saving his rear end time after time in the early years.

Long before the Napa Valley became a foodie Mecca, Dario was using Acme bread, truffles, and aging Cheddar cheese two extra years for his deli operations.

V. Sattui Winery “sells more wine each year, and our wines are better each year.”

Dario doesn’t read the writing of any wine marketers, or attend any marketing seminars, because he doesn’t want to contaminate his “wrong” thinking. From the start, Dario “did things differently, [he] gave the average guy what he wants,” proclaiming, “V. Sattui is everyman’s winery.”

Dario Sattui speaking in North Beach on the occasion of his family winery’s 125th anniversary celebration

The marketing plan for V. Sattui Winery is simple, “a little wine education, but not too much; good wine, and a fair price.”

Dario’s marketing plan is what it is because he, “didn’t know better and couldn’t afford different.” The result is that V. Sattui Winery is on their 3rd generation of consumers buying wine directly from the winery.

Dario stressed that, “wine goes with food, without pretension.”

City people could escape to V. Sattui, for the day, “enjoy food from our deli, with our wines, on our picnic grounds in Napa County…it is not about the wine, other wineries make that mistake. It is about the entire experience. People are trying to recreate at home what they experienced at the winery.”

Dario is anti-pontificating, whether it be wine writers, wine markerters, or wineries themselves.

Other insights from Dario include:

“You don’t have to take [out] a second mortgage to buy our wine, but that doesn’t mean compromise, my name is on the bottle.”

“Some things you don’t do for money, you do because it’s right.”

“The secret is there are no secrets.”

“Family wineries are the difference, always look to the long run.”

“If you work for passion, the money is going to come. If you work for the money, well…”

Accomplishments cited by Dario include:

V. Sattui Winery has over 400,000 customers per year.

More wine is sold out of the tasting room than any other winery.

First to host weddings.

Second to have a wine club.

First to have picnic grounds.

First to sell all their wine direct.

More medals than any other winery year after year.

Profitable from first year.

Dario finished his incredible speech with two thoughts:

“V. Sattui Winery is all about family, from our family to our family of customers.”

“If V. Sattui Winery is not a success in the wine industry, I flat out don’t know what is.”

This was Dario’s day. His speech was a huge success. As a writer, I was in Heaven, every thing Dario said was quote worthy. I was taking notes as fast as I could, working to keep up with Dario, sixteen pages of my notebook filled with gems.

Dario had mentioned recycling during his speech, and promised to recycle the pages of notes he used for his speech. When he returned to our table, I asked him if I could have his notes if I promised to recycle them when i was finished, and he kindly let me take them for this piece. I have to tell you that many of the notes that weren’t included in the speech were just as great and quote worthy as the ones that were. Sadly, I will not be writing the “Dario, self edited” speech bits; I can’t use the extra gold when Dario himself chose not to share it with everyone else.

I can share the look of happiness as Dario himself helped pass out the Zabaglione and Strawberry dessert, and the sheer joy he had as he ate multiple helpings. I was happy for him, on his day.

Dario Sattui helps hand out Zabaglione with Strawberries for dessert

A wonderful surprise treat for the invited attendees was a commemorative label bottle of port to help the 125th Anniversary celebration in the minds of each invited attendee.

Jose and Danica Sattui help hand out surprise commemorative 125th Anniversary bottles

Presentation commemorative V. Sattui Winery Port, 125th Anniversary label

After lunch, I joined Dario and other lunch attendees on a three block walk to the site of the original family winery and cellar. Sometime in the last 125 years, 722 Montgomery Avenue became 722 Columbus Avenue, but it was amazing to be able to visit the place where it all started.

Dario and Danica Sattui at 722 Columbus Avenue, site of Vittorio Sattui’s original North Beach wine cellars

Each of us gathered there and then were inhabiting the same Vittario Sattui had been 125 years earlier. All in all, so many changes, but a great day sharing history, and a family’s dedication to their family of customers through direct sales of wine.

There will be more gatherings in the next year to celebrate V. Sattui Winery’s 125th Anniversary, any gatherings that allow Dario to showcase his passion are sure to be equally successful.

DISCLOSURE: I attended this event as a guest of V. Sattui Winery, largely owing to outside consultant Julie Ann Kodmur’s recommendation.

 

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