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NEW NORMAL

strictions, and even wine competitions have
suffered the consequences over the past year.
Yet, where there is a will, there is a way. And
because of this, a new normal has emerged.
As for wine retail, this may have been one of
the busiest years on record. It’s like they say,
“When times are good, people will drink; when
times are bad, they will drink more!”
Forward-thinking retail shops immedia-
tely put new protocols into place. Ordering
on-line, exclusive shipping offers, curbside
pickup, home delivery - these were crucial to
keeping the businesses afloat and even highly
successful.
And wine competitions have forged ahead,
creating their own new decorum for safe and
secure methods that ensure participants com-
fort as well as the integrity of the results. And
thank goodness for that! These competitions
are a crucial part to helping wineries stay visi-
ble and in the news. For the US competition very rare tasting sheet re-
I hope that wineries know how powerful the flects Ron‘s experience of European competitions
wine competitions can be as a marketing tool.
Of course, it can depend on the competition(s) midst of the COVID pandemic with many new
you choose to enter. protocols. So what’s different now? As with all
Besides a medal and a showing in the online wine competitions, certain guidelines regar-
results page, consider what else the compe- ding health, safety and social distancing will
tition does for you to help you promote your change some of the operational aspects but
winners. At the Great American International should not affect the overall quality of com-
Wine Competition (GRAMIWC), Rochester, petitions. But the top competitions know that
upstate New York, our graphic arts team has entries and operations are not the only impor-
created professional, ready-for-print Award tant considerations. At the Great American, we
shelf talkers, bottle tags, and digital medals continue to invest a great deal in studying the
which are free to all winners. Additionally, we science of wine competitions - palate fatigue,
post photos/branding of Platinum and Gold palate bias, jury selection, ambient conditions,
medal winners across our Facebook, Twitter etc. We have developed specific methods of
and Instagram accounts. However, these don’t tasting which protect the judge’s palates over
work if you don’t take full advantage of them! a long session of flights, and our statistical
Follow, link, re-post and re-tweet your winners analysis team provides data which informs
across social media. Work with a local printer how our jury panels are selected.
to get shelf talkers, bottle tags and bottle stic- The wine competitions of today may still
kers into your wholesale channels. This can all have travel challenges to physically bring the
have a real impact on the consumers. international judges to the judging location.
The fifth annual Great American Internatio- But thanks to the phenomenal amount of wine
nal Wine Competition will take place this year professionals world-wide, as compared to just
in July. Last year’s competition was held in the a few years ago, the selection of certified jud-
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