A short guide to media relations
Thursday 18 March
How wineries can rub a journalist up the wrong way in three easy steps:
1. On arrival, don’t tell them you are too busy to host them for the dinner as arranged, leaving them with no time to arrange anything else. “There’s a restaurant at the hotel,” I am informed. They have clearly never eaten there.
2. Do have the technical sheets ready in case your visitor wants to know the finer details. Don’t suggest they can go on the winery website after the visit.
3. Do take the ten minutes to drive your visitor back to their accommodation as pre-arranged. Don’t suggest they could walk (“although it might be a bit far” particularly with an overnight bag) then call them a taxi, leaving them to cover the fare.
That is not what I call good press relations. Yes, it is currently harvest time at Stonyridge, but just because you make a ultra-premium $220 wine and there are some Malbec grapes cold-soaking does not mean you should treat any visitor this way.
I am certainly not a prima donna but I have never felt so unwelcome on a winery visit. It really makes me wonder how the public get treated when they visit the cellar door.
Thank goodness the other producers on Waiheke island were more hospitable.
Ouch! That’s rough. Not a nice thing to do to anyone, never mind a journo who is hopefully there to spread their message.
- by Robert McIntosh, London
Ooh, you named and shamed! Go girl!
- by Louise Hurren, France
I can confirm that when we visited Stonyridge last year as mere members of the public, our experience was similar: staff really not interested in telling us anything about the wine, overpriced tasting samples etc. Suffice it to say, we didn’t stay long, didn’t buy anything, and had a much more positive time at other less ‘prestigious’ wineries on the island!
- by Helen Hewitt, London
What a contrast with the “speed tasting” event I went to courtesy of Sonoma Country Vintners earlier this week.
OK so I wasn’t visiting the winery but each of the wineries I spent my allotted 8 minutes with couldn’t have been more helpful. They showed off their wines, handed over technical sheets, answered questions and were all on the ball with putting across good public relations. And these are small premium wineries who don’t really need to put themselves about - but they did.
Guess whose wines I will now look for next time I’m buying wine from Sonoma? And guess whose wine I won’t be seeking from Waiheke Island having heard about your experience?
- by Colin Smith, UK
This has clearly touched a nerve. What a shame that you had a poor experience too Helen. Stonyridge have been in touch to apologise but it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Let’s hope that the level of service improves!
- by Rebecca