The The rise rise of cult wine of cult wine (prices)(prices)

1976 - The Judgment of Paris Top CA wine = top French wine

CA/French joint ventures Opus One = Chateaux Mouton Rothschild

Robert Parker and the 100 point scale 95 point Russian River Pinot Noir = 95 point red Burgundy

Celebrity/consulting winemaker Michelle Rolland wine in CA = Michelle Rolland wine in

France

Charity wine auctions Napa Valley Wine Auction prices = Hospice de Beaune

prices

Cult Wine Cult Wine ConceptualizationConceptualization

Wine Industry

Celebrity Winemaker

Special Vineyard

Small Production

95+ Rating

Economics

Veblen Good Price

Demand Exclusivity Snob Effect

“A working definition of cult wines can be elusive.” James Laube, 2000 (April 30th), The Wine Spectator.

Marketing Marketing Conceptualization of Conceptualization of

CultsCults Cults (Rushkoff 1999)

Brand cults (Belk and Tumbat 2005)

Brand culture (Thompson 2004)

Cultural branding (Holt 2004)

Brand communities (McAlexander, Schouten, and Koenig 2002)

Tribal marketing (Kozinets 1999

Sacred consumption (Belk, Wallendorf, and Sherry 1989)

Rushkoff’s 20 Rushkoff’s 20 Characteristics of CultsCharacteristics of Cults

1. The Goal

2. A Charismatic Leader

3. Sacred Doctrine

4. Divine Coincidence

5. Positive Results Through Commitment

6. Extraordinary Measures

7. Member Complicity

8. A Cycle of Breaking “Self”

9. Confusion and Transference

10. Prescriptive Behavior

11. The Goal of Inclusion

12. Never Expose Uncertainty to Those Lower in the Pyramid

13. Never Expose Uncertainty to Those Higher in the Pyramid

14. The Cult Precludes All Other Commitments

15. Never Refuse a Request

16. All Requests Can Be Challenged

17. Never Take Action in the Cult Leader’s Name

18. Act Automatically

19. Witness and Accept the Leader’s Faults

20. The Cult Leader is Perfection

Which Apply to “Cult” Which Apply to “Cult” Wine?Wine?

1. The Goal

2. A Charismatic Leader

3. Sacred Doctrine

4. Divine Coincidence

5. Positive Results Through Commitment

6. Extraordinary Measures

7. Member Complicity

8. A Cycle of Breaking “Self”

9. Confusion and Transference

10. Prescriptive Behavior

11. The Goal of Inclusion

12. Never Expose Uncertainty to Those Lower in the Pyramid

13. Never Expose Uncertainty to Those Higher in the Pyramid

14. The Cult Precludes All Other Commitments

15. Never Refuse a Request

16. All Requests Can Be Challenged

17. Never Take Action in the Cult Leader’s Name

18. Act Automatically

19. Witness and Accept the Leader’s Faults

20. The Cult Leader is Perfection

?

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?

?

Research MethodsResearch Methods

1) Exploratory Interviews

53 filmed interviews of wine customers and winery/restaurant employees

Gain a better understanding of cult wine perceptions in Napa and Sonoma, CA

Adapt Rushkoff’s 20 characteristics of cults to cult wine

2) Cult Characteristics Interviews

10 filmed interviews with wine customers on a winery with a closed mailing list or wine industry employees knowledgeable about cult wine.

Is “cult” an appropriate term for “cult” wine?

1) Exploratory 1) Exploratory InterviewsInterviews

General

(How often do you drink wine?)

Specific

(What makes a cult wine different than a non-cult wine?)

2) Cult Characteristics 2) Cult Characteristics InterviewsInterviews

20 questions, one for each cult characteristic.

Examples: A charismatic leader: Are cult wine winemakers

charismatic? Are cult wine winery owners charismatic? Do cult wine winemakers/owners follow a past philosophy, or do cult wine winemakers/owners follow a new philosophy?

Extraordinary Measures: After joining a cult wine mailing list, did you have to do anything extraordinary to get future wine shipments? Did you have to go through extraordinary measures, such as attend special events, travel, or pay even higher prices for more cult wine? (What about other cult wine customers?)

Prescriptive Behavior: Have you ever sought guidance from cult wine winemakers or winery owners on how to behave (what to eat, what to drink, etc.)? Have you been given instructions on how you should behave by cult wine winemakers or winery owners (what to eat, what to drink, etc.)? (What about other cult wine customers?)

Which Apply to “Cult” Which Apply to “Cult” Wine?Wine?

1. The Goal

2. A Charismatic Leader

3. Sacred Doctrine

4. Divine Coincidence

5. Positive Results Through Commitment

6. Extraordinary Measures

7. Member Complicity

8. A Cycle of Breaking “Self”

9. Confusion and Transference

10. Prescriptive Behavior

11. The Goal of Inclusion

12. Never Expose Uncertainty to Those Lower in the Pyramid

13. Never Expose Uncertainty to Those Higher in the Pyramid

14. The Cult Precludes All Other Commitments

15. Never Refuse a Request

16. All Requests Can Be Challenged

17. Never Take Action in the Cult Leader’s Name

18. Act Automatically

19. Witness and Accept the Leader’s Faults

20. The Cult Leader is Perfection

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Cult Wine in 2009Cult Wine in 2009

Crushpad: $14,900/barrel

Extra rigorous fruit sorting to remove imperfect grapes

Extra saignee (bleeding of juice) to concentrate wine

Fermentation in new French oak puncheons

Optional extended maceration

Up to 150% new French oak, including barrel rotation and finishing barrels

Luxury-class packaging including heavy bottles, custom corks and gold foil labels

Gary Vaynerchuk:$? speaking fee

WineLibraryTV.com video blog.

GaryVaynerhcuk.com blog

600,000+ twitter followers

29,000+ facebook fans

http://www.crushpadwine.com/wine_making?page=mycultcab

http://winecast.net/2008/03/25/wine-video-and-the-cult-of-gary/

Thank YouThank You

“Cult” Wine?

Dr. David Horowitz

Sonoma State University

DrHorowitz.biz

This study was funded by a Sonoma State University Wine Business Program Research Grant