Wines & Vines has a new article that paints a positive image of the future of the wine industry. They tell us that wine sales are continuing to climb, and the number of wine retailers in the U.S. has seen excellent growth. A very interesting aspect of this article discusses some facts regarding age demographics.

John Gillespie, president of the Wine Market Council, breaks the "millenials" age group (18-34) into two separate groups to reflect the changes each group is experiencing given the current state of the economy. The younger millenials are those aged 18-25, and the older millenials are those aged 26-34. As you can see from the chart above, there are distinct differences in the amount of wine consumed per week by each group.

The article also discusses a few ideas on how to market to these age groups as well. It's a pretty interesting read, so head on over to Wines & Vines to read the whole article!

Shipcompliantblog has a new article that looks at what we can expect during the upcoming year in terms of wine sales and distribution. They begin with a look back at 2011, covering a few items of note, and then quickly jump into the analysis of what we can expect in 2012, beginning with a look at direct-to-consumer shipping. They then take a look at digital marketing in the wine industry, and all of the red tape that comes with it thanks to governmental regulations. They also take a quick look at upcoming federal legislation that will have an impact on wine shipments. Be sure to head on over to Shipcompliantblog.com to read the full article!

Welcome back! We're exciting to get back to work after the Holidays, and to show our appreciation for all of our loyal customers, we've decided to offer special pricing on NoChip Dip for the months of January and February. There is a catch though! (Isn't there always?) You'll need to look for our ad in the latest copy of The Grapevine Magazine. In that ad is a coupon code that you can apply in the shopping cart to receive 15% off your order! 

A few of you have been customers of ours since the beginning, and may have even visited us during the early days of Etched Images, but for the majority of you, we thought you'd like to learn a little about our "humble beginnings". 

The Etched Images story began in 1989. At this time, we were a one-man-shop running out of the "Hen House" located on the Lincoln Ranch in Yountville, CA. 

As the popularity of etched wine bottles grew over the years, so did our business. In short time, it became clear that we were outgrowing the hen house, and that larger facilities would be required. So what's a young, growing company to do? Move into the cow barn, of course! 

After a few renovations, the barn became the new headquarters of Etched Images, and with the increased size came more equipment and our first employees. Of course, with the ever-increasing popularity of beautifully etched bottles, it didn't take us long to once again outgrow the barn, and begin the search for a proper industrial facility. That's when we found the building at our current location. After a brief stint in three units across the parking lot, we eventually moved into our the six-unit location we currently occupy.

For the full story, please visit our Etched Images Story webpage!

Take a look at this neat infographic found at Blog your Wine. It's pretty interesting to see the breakdown of the costs of raw materials that go into each bottle! I bet many consumers don't realize that the cork is often almost as expensive as the empty bottle. 

According to Wines & Vines, the wine economy experienced some good growth this past August. As you can see in the chart above, direct-to-consumer shipments were up 14% over the same period last year. They also state that domestic wine sales were up 7% during the same period. All this during what is typically a slow month for the wine industry. Additionally, take a look at the chart below which shows that the Winejobs.com index is up 15% from the same period. All in all, it's great news - and it looks like things are only getting better! 

According to Wines & Vines, domestic wine sales are steadily up, with varietal wines in single bottles growing by 9% in September! For the four weeks ending September 4th, sales hit $351 million, and grew 7% over the same period from 2010. Similarly, the year-to-date growth rate was also 7%. Comparatively, imported wines only grew by 1% during the same period. 

Interestingly, the sales of Oregon table wine was measured as being 14% higher for the year to date, with $38 million in sales. 

Looking at the chart made by Wines & Vines shows that Chardonnay is clearly the top seller of "The Big 3" varietals, the exception being the $8-10.99, and the $20 and up segments, the latter being no real surprise. For more information, head on over to Wines & Vines for the full article!

Do your customers know that you sell those beautiful large format etched & painted bottles of wine on display in your tasting room? Often, visitors to tasting rooms aren't even aware that they are available to purchase. There's an easy way to remedy that situation while increasing your tasting room and wine club sales! All you have to do is let them know, like Darioush Winery does with a simple, yet effective sign.

If you would like more information, or our assistance in providing you with a sign to display in your tasting room, please don't hesitate to give Lori a call at (707) 252-5450 or email her at lori@etchedimages.com. 

This technique adds a nice little touch to bottles dipped in NoChip Dip. The contrasting colors provide a little more "pop" to the bottles, and the accent color can really set off the right label. With 20 colors to choose from, there are plenty of options to match almost any label. Give us a call to ask about double dipping your bottles!