I‘d checked out the screw cap, but it just wasn’t right for the rest of the package. Since my Passaggio’s tagline is ‘New Generation,’ I definitely wanted something new and progressive. So ZORK was a perfect fit. Not only was it easy to apply, it reinforced my brand’s differentiation. I really think it’ll become a bartender’s and consumer’s best friend because it's durable, doesn’t leak, and you don't need a corkscrew.

I know I’m not alone among winemakers when I say marketing my wine is my biggest challenge. Having produced only 50 cases of my ’07 Chardonnay, I pretty much single handedly managed initial sales, landing accounts with some prestigious retailers, including Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant in San Francisco, Oxbow Wine Merchants in Napa, the Valley Wine Shack in Sonoma, and the trendy new café/wine bar, The Corner, in San Francisco’s Mission district. The few cases I have left can be purchased on my website www.passaggiowines.com.

I just bottled 125 cases of my second Passaggio release—another un-oaked Chardonnay with the same crisp fruitiness, but with increased complexity—again using the ZORK. This time around, though, I'm trying some new marketing techniques. For my '07 release, I sent out direct mailers to specific San Francisco/Bay Area zip codes, but that was costly and resulted in only a few inquiries.

So this year, I'm relying almost entirely on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to drive people to my website, as well as some door-to-door visits to local establishments to promote on-premise sales.

The last two years have been quite a journey, a rite of passage into the art of winemaking and the making of two Passaggio releases. While it's been challenging, I've loved every minute of it, and am ready to embark on my next project. Who knows, maybe I'll try a red.

In 2004, Cynthia (Cindy) Cosco moved to the Bay Area to pursue her passion to make wine after a fifteen year career in law enforcement. Cindy works at Crushpad, Inc where she has been the Lab Manager for two years. Crushpad, located in San Francisco, is a custom crush facility that makes wine for approximately 1800 clients (both commercial and private).

825 Rockdale Drive
San Francisco, CA 94127
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www.traversant.com

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