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? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

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? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

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? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

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? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

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

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

Ann Reynolds started her compliance consulting company Wine Compliance Alliance 15 years ago. She and Carol talk about the entrepreneurial mindset, how to launch a consulting firm, and of course, compliance! One of the things that make the wine business so difficult is the complex regulatory environment for beverage alcohol production and sales. Ann and Carol discuss a few sample topics in winery compliance that new entrants to the business should be aware of. Ann also talks about her book on wine labelling “The Inside Story of a Wine Label” (link below).

https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Story-Wine-Label/dp/1481859846

Questions? Comments? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

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

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of artist, musician, wine business advisor and co-founder of Global Wine Partners, Vic Motto, at his home in Florida on September 1, 2024. In honor of Vic, we would like to revisit our first episode.

Questions? Comments? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

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

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

Vineyard appraiser Tony Correia and M&A Advisor Carol Collison engage in a wide-ranging discussion on the economics of today’s wine industry: Who’s buying vineyards in California today and why, how the bankruptcy of Vintage Wine Estates is affecting the market for winery facilities and brands, and what today’s market implies for transaction volumes in 2025.

http://correiaco.com/index.html

Questions? Comments? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

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

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

There are lots of ways to be successful in the wine business, and lots of ways to fail. In this conversation with famed Napa winemaker Cathy Corison, you will hear about an artist’s approach to business success. Growth for the sake of it is not a value, indeed Cathy has kept the company the size it is (only 3,000 cases) so that she can have complete control of the production process from vine to bottle. Carol and Cathy talk about her experience of past wine industry downturns and the future of the winery now that her daughters are becoming involved. To Cathy, the keys to success in the wine business are standing for something, being passionate and a little bit crazy, taking the long view, and perhaps most important of all - being stubborn.

https://www.corison.com/

Questions? Comments? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

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

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran