Posts Tagged Texas Winery Passport

I can’t believe March 20th will be the first anniversary since the creation of this blog. I started the blog with some goals in mind and they haven’t changed since:

• Help consumers discover wineries they may not know about and they should visit
• Help wineries with marketing
• Help wine related events with marketing

Gloria and I have at this moment visited 125 Texas wineries and have enjoyed every minute. We’re still learning to tell you what the aromas and tastes are in wine, and probably never will be able to, hence the idea of telling about our experiences at the Texas wineries. We were big proponents of the previous Texas Passport Program which started us on the journey of visiting Texas wineries, and look forward to learning how the new program will work.

The blog started out as an extension to my personal website and after a couple months I decided to make it more professional and came up with the name TX Wine Lover. This allowed me to move the blog to http://txwinelover.com, create a Facebook page, and switch to the Twitter account of @TXWineLover.

A lot has happened in the first year:

• Posted about our experiences at 61 Texas wineries
  • More than one winery’s website has put links to my posts about them
• Posted about visiting and comparing Texas wineries with New York State, Illinois, and San Diego wineries
• Attended and posted about special tasting events and food competitions
• Volunteered at wine festivals to help wineries pour their wine
  • Received our TABC Certification
• Told of our experiences harvesting grapes and bottling wine at more than one winery
• Road trip diaries to Driftwood and Hill Country and Fredericksburg wineries
• Attended my first TEXSOM (Texas Sommelier Conference)
• Participated in and helped host some #TXWine Twitter Tuesday events
• Created lists of:
  • Autumn and Spring wine festivals
  • Texas wineries with lodging
  • Texas wineries on Twitter
  • 2012 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Texas wineries with medals which is the only list I know that was done
• Created the first TX Wine Lover awards which seemed popular
• Featured local blogger at Spoken City
• Was a guest on a wine podcast
• Guest blogger on Thirsty Girl website
• Mentioned in other blogs and websites like the Houston Press
• Did a review on a Texas wine but with a viewpoint from many people instead of just my own
• Held our own blind taste test for eight Texas Orange Muscat wines
• Met some great Texas winery owners, winemakers, winery employees, and fellow Texas wine lovers. Some I originally met on Twitter so it was fun to meet them in person.

I guess it has been a busy, but definitely fun year. I have a queue of winery visits to discuss and was always afraid if I wrote about every one we visited, then I wouldn’t have anything else to blog about. From looking at the above list though, I think I should be able to find something.

Already there are plans for the next year. Since a lot of our winery visits were done before the idea of the blog came about, we have had to revisit some of those wineries for pictures, information, etc. before I can write about them, and we have more which need to be revisited. Plus there are wineries which we have not been able to get to yet, not to mention new Texas wineries which are always opening.

I will be attending at least two conferences this year. First up is DrinkLocalWine in Colorado next month and then in August is TEXSOM again. Various other things are planned and it should be another fun year.

I want to especially thank all the people who have tolerated me during the year including the winery owners and winemakers for patience in answering my questions and letting me take photos, but especially Gloria who has had to listen to me talk about Texas wine and the industry in general. Most of all, I want to thank you the reader, for stopping by the website every so often and hopefully enjoying what I write. Please don’t be afraid to give feedback and possible suggestions to keep the blog interesting, and we’ll take this journey together.

Here is the information for current Texas Winery Passport users about the end of the current Texas Winery Passport program and the start of the next one. Be sure to enter your Passport codes!

Dear Texas Wine Enthusiast,

During the recent state legislative session, changes were made to the Texas Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) marketing programs. Among these changes was the elimination of the standalone Texas Wine Marketing Program.

While the Texas Winery Passport Program will end on October 31, 2011, TDA is excited to announce that a new passport program is being developed to continue helping consumers and businesses buy Texas products, including Texas wines.

With the new GO TEXAN Passport Program, we will expand membership participation to include wineries, microbreweries, florists, nurseries, retail shops, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, farmers markets and pick-your-own farms in a virtual passport that can be accessed through our GO TEXAN smart phone app.

We plan to launch this new program in Spring 2012.  Remember, until the new, expanded program launch, you can continue to find up to date GO TEXAN products you love through the GO TEXAN Facebook page, Twitter feed and smartphone app!

TDA would like to thank all of our Texas wineries and dedicated Texas wine consumers for participating in the Texas wine passport program since 2008; I hope each of you discovered something fun, made some new friends along the way and enjoyed your tour of Texas wine country.

For those of you currently engaged in the passport program, we will honor each level you obtain up to the closing date on October 31, 2011, and you will have until November 15, 2011, to redeem your rewards. If you have any questions, please contact us at gotexan@TexasAgriculture.gov or (877) 99-GOTEX.

Thank you for your participation in the wine passport program, and we hope to see you all GO TEXAN with the NEW passport next year!

As we found out earlier from Bobby Champion, Jr., former State Coordinator for Wine Marketing at the Texas Department of Agriculture, the Texas Winery Passport program was going to be restructured. An email was sent to Texas wineries yesterday regarding the current Passport program and a “new and improved” program will begin next year. Be sure to enter any Passport booklets you have by the end of October.

As you know, during the 82nd Texas Legislative Session, budget reductions were imposed on the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) and funding for the Texas Wine Marketing Program, along with many successful wine outreach initiatives, was dissolved on August 31, 2011. As our valued partner, we want to inform you that as a part of these changes, the Texas Winery Passport Program is ending on October 31, 2011 and a broadened passport program funded by all GO TEXAN members will take its place early next year. Consumers will soon be sent an email informing them of this change, and the information will be posted on TDA websites.

While we have all celebrated the success of the Texas Winery Passport, we look forward to new opportunities for the promotion of wine along with other Texas products under the GO TEXAN program. Most significantly, we are excited to announce that a new passport program is being developed to include participation by all GO TEXAN businesses so consumers can GO TEXAN all the time. We will include wineries, microbreweries, florists, nurseries, retail shops, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, farmers markets and pick your own farms in a virtual passport that can be accessed through our GO TEXAN smart phone app. Knowing the success of the original passport program, we hope you will be an active participant in the development of this new initiative, and we will keep you posted on our progress. We plan to launch this new program in Spring 2012.

TDA would like to thank all of our Texas wineries which have participated in the program since 2008; working with each of you has been a pleasure. I think we all discovered something new, made friends along the way and enjoyed working to grow and prosper Texas wines and wineries. The new passport is an opportunity to continue this successful tradition.

For those participants currently engaged in the passport program, TDA will honor each level obtained up to the closing date on October 31, 2011, and participants will have until November 15, 2011, to redeem rewards. Please direct consumers to contact us at gotexan@TexasAgriculture.gov or (877) 99-GOTEX if they have questions about how to complete their passport.

Thank you for your participation in the wine passport program, and we hope you will GO TEXAN with the NEW passport next year! If you are not already a member, please visit www.gotexan.org to join the GO TEXAN program today.

As we identified in an earlier post, Robert (Bobby) Champion Jr., State Coordinator for Wine Marketing, would be taking a new position in the Texas Department of Agriculture on September 1st. Today, Bobby sent out an email discussing his new job and the growth of the Texas wine industry.

Ten  years of Texas Wine Marketing – this calls for a toast!

As most of you know, this is my last day as State Coordinator for Wine Marketing at TDA. Beginning Thursday, I am the agency’s new Food and Beverage Coordinator. It seems like only yesterday that I first walked into this office and thought, “What have I gotten myself into?”

It turns out, I’d gotten myself into the best events, best conversations and best friendships in Texas. So if you don’t mind, before we all take that next step forward, I’d like to take just a minute to look back.

In 2001, progressive Texas winemakers, the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association and Commissioner Susan Combs worked side by side with our Texas Legislators to launch the Texas Wine Marketing Assistance Program (TWMAP), a different kind of partnership that would provide the industry with new resources and promotional tools.

Wineries and retailers displayed the newly created GO TEXAN logo alongside Texas wine banners, posters and other marketing items, giving the state’s industry a continuing, unified theme. Ad campaigns put Texas wine on the tip of consumers’ tongues. The program expanded to include seminars, wine pairing classes, grants, restaurant partnerships and other initiatives to encourage wine tourism. Lawmakers joined in, passing bills allowing wineries to sell in dry areas and ship wine anywhere in the state. It was an exciting time for Texas wines… and it was only the beginning.

I’d like to extend my personal thanks to so many people, and especially to the late Senator Frank Madla and his family for helping make all of this possible.

When the Legislature expanded our outreach capabilities in 2005, our industry’s economic impact was $997 million. Currently, it is $1.75 billion and growing.

Six years ago, the challenge was to take a booming industry and find ways to push the marketing envelope even further so it could reach its full potential. The injection of new funds and the arrival of newly-elected Commissioner of Agriculture Todd Staples provided new opportunities. It also meant our impact and impressions had to be bigger, better and stronger.

We geared up for a surge. In marketing, we expanded our media outreach by hiring public relations firm Hahn, Texas and aligned ourselves with Texas wine powerhouses like Russ, Ron, Jeff and Guy. We established the State Fair of Texas wine garden, implemented the Texas wine passport program, created the Texas wine website, elevated social media activities, launched the “GO TEXAN or GO THIRSTY” campaign and established the Texas vineyards grants. None of this would have been possible without the expertise and assistance of the people in the Texas wine industry. You have embraced and supported every initiative and, as a result, each of these programs was successful and very well received.

Despite recent legislative cuts, the Texas wine industry is still strong and well positioned for future success. Continuing the climb will take the involvement of every industry stakeholder—a challenge you’ve proven you’re more than capable of meeting. You have an excellent voice in TWGGA and your grassroots efforts in Austin and Washington will pay big dividends in the future.

The beauty and strength of our dynamic industry, in my humble opinion, is that while we may compete with each other on some level, we are all proud Texans who work hard and honestly care for one another. We have excellent grape growers, fantastic university resources and winery owners who are creating world-class wines. While TDA is honored to be part of your story, it’s you and your hard work that are responsible for elevating the Texas wine industry to unprecedented heights.

My hat’s off to you. Well done.

I close this e-mail with a heavy heart. I’ve made many good friends and this experience has been much more than a job for me. I care for each and every one of you and consider the people of this industry part of my family. While I embark on a new role here at TDA, I will still be here to help you in any way that I can. My e-mail and phone number will be the same (for now) and, if you ever need anything, please let me know.

This isn’t the end of our story. It’s just the next page. But I wanted to take this moment of transition to say thanks for the memories and for doing so much to help me, this program, and this industry be the best we can be.

It’s been a fun ride! I hope we’ve made a difference in your life. You’ve definitely made a big one in mine.

Sincerely,
Bobby Jr.

We would like to thank Bobby for his past service with the Texas wine marketing program and also wish him the best in his future position!

As we learned before, the Texas Winery Passport program will be restructured in some way starting in September. If you have any Passport codes you have yet to enter into their website, I would recommend doing it today before the end of this month (August).