Wine X Magazine down the tubes

[Robin Garr]

News release just off the wire ... I'm sure Mr. Roberts is angry and hurt, but I'm not sure it's reasonable to blame the industry's purported lack of support for the demise of a publication that never quite hit the mark for me. While I'm well past its target age, it seemed to me to base its concept on the notion that 20-somethings won't respond to wine unless it's framed in wink-anna-nudge humor and frankly dumbed down. I'd like to hear what Joe, Otto and other <i>serious</i> younger geeks around here think about this.

<b>Wine X Magazine Ceases Publication
Wine Industry Will Not Support 20-Something Magazine</b>

Santa Rosa, CA: Darryl Roberts, Founder and Publisher of Wine X Magazine, stated today that Wine X will no longer appear in print form. The Wine X website will continue until all contractual obligations are met, then be dismantled.

“There’s a lot of talk within the wine industry about marketing to young adults,” says Roberts. “New wines have been created, new wine divisions have been formed by large wine companies, all with the idea of targeting young adults. Yet they give us absolutely no support. Considering we’re the only wine-related magazine in the world that targets young adults, it’s nothing more than a conscious-clearing PR stunt if you ask me.”

Wine X Magazine was launched in 1997 in an effort to get more young adults (Gen X at that time) to drink wine. Since 1997, young adults (20-somethings) have added 40 percent to per capita consumption in the U.S. and 25 percent to the core wine consumer group. Wine consumption in the U.S. today is at the highest level it’s ever been. Prior to the launch of Wine X (and the funding of the Wine Brats… also out of business due to lack of wine industry support), per capita consumption in the U.S. was dropping at a rate of 2.5 percent a year (it dropped 25 percent from 1986 – 1996).

“It’ll be very interesting to see what happens now that there are no national/international groups or organizations reaching out to young adults,” says Roberts. “The wine industry is going to find out very quickly that animal labels and cheap prices have absolutely no influence on getting young adults to buy wine. It takes a peer-to-peer relationship and support to influence young adults to choose wine over other alcohol beverages. With Wine X gone, that peer-to-peer relationship and support is gone, too.”

Roberts will oversee the Wine X website until it’s dismantled. He has two projects underway, both non-wine related. And he is writing a book on the Wine X experience.

“It was a tough decision to pull the plug,” says Roberts. “At the end of 2006 we had a circulation of more than 330,000, with more than 2,000,000 readers per issue. But we can’t keep publishing with no wine advertising support.”

Robin,

Just a quick note from a geezer:

I agree with you about the magazine's style. But I also agree with Roberts that the overall wine industry has a woeful record with PR to certain market segments.

Puh-f*cking-LEEZ. Wine X was nothing more than a flash-in-the pan attempt to "leather-clad" a wine magazine and lure in (or try to create) the dissatified and rebellious wine drinking youth. There is nothing more uncool than trying to be cool. But, who knows? I turn thirty this year, so I guess my time is up too.


Prost!
Bill

I glanced through the magazine on a few occasions, and IMHO, it came off about as smoothly as my dad attempting to use slang. If I'm going to read a wine publication, I'd rather read one written for "adults."

It seems to me that people who like wine just like wine. They aren't trying to put a "young and hip" stamp on it if they're young and they're not trying to put an "old and mature" stamp on it if they're not. I could never see the point of trying to target a youthful segment of wine drinkers when I don't see them as significantly different in their wine enthusiasm than older ones. The whole "Wine X" enterprise seemed doomed from the start.

But then I'm another one who's well into geezer-hood by their standards, so what do I know?


Mike

I stopped reading the zine after I read this review:

Like an Irish spring, Fruit Loop frosted Cheerio. Hey, we just make 'em up as we go.
Wine X Magazine, Vol. 2.3, on a Sutter Home 1996 Moscato.

I remember being wonderfully passionate about stuff when I was young. This tasting note seemed to embody an entirely superficial approach to wine -- more fluff over substance. Out of touch with the audience it sought to attract.

Just a cranky OF, I suppose, but there it is.

Regards, Bob

It seems to me that people who like wine just like wine. They aren't trying to put a "young and hip" stamp on it if they're young and they're not trying to put an "old and mature" stamp on it if they're not. I could never see the point of trying to target a youthful segment of wine drinkers when I don't see them as significantly different in their wine enthusiasm than older ones. The whole "Wine X" enterprise seemed doomed from the start.

But then I'm another one who's well into geezer-hood by their standards, so what do I know?


Mike

While I don't think the magazine justified its existence, I have to disagree with the conclusion you draw from an observation that young wine drinkers are the same as old wine drinkers. Youthful wine drinkers are not the focus; youthful drinkers are.

Based on my first-hand personal experience, twenty-somethings consume a lot of alcohol. That has been true of every generation I have seen. And a lot of that money goes into beer. Not liquor, not wine. So if I am a marketing type, my focus is to get that beer money moved to wine purchases. Maybe that objective is like tilting at windmills. But it is easier to get a drinker to shift beverages than it is to get a non-drinker to start drinking.

Might be just below my generation [I'm 31], but in my opinion one of the great things about "serious" wine drinking is the commonality of it. It's not all old fogies pining about that perfect bottle from '55, nor it is all about getting the young jetsetters to drink the newest blend of CaberwazzooXtreme or whatever.

It's about tasting as many different kinds of wine as you can in an endless quest to find that perfect glass. At least that's what it is for me.

I'm 30 and I'd never heard of Wine X until this post.

But then again I'm unaware of many wine publications, preferring to focus my money on purchasing wine.

While I don't think the magazine justified its existence, I have to disagree with the conclusion you draw from an observation that young wine drinkers are the same as old wine drinkers. Youthful wine drinkers are not the focus; youthful drinkers are.

Based on my first-hand personal experience, twenty-somethings consume a lot of alcohol. That has been true of every generation I have seen. And a lot of that money goes into beer. Not liquor, not wine. So if I am a marketing type, my focus is to get that beer money moved to wine purchases. Maybe that objective is like tilting at windmills. But it is easier to get a drinker to shift beverages than it is to get a non-drinker to start drinking.

I get what you're saying but it still makes no sense to me. If they were trying to move people into wine because it's hip and fashionable (which seemed to be the approach) then they were inherently limiting their audience because such people will drink it for a short time until something else becomes hip and fashionable. And it seems to me that those who really got into wine would have quickly gone beyond Wine X and into publications like the Spectator.

But like I said - maybe I'm just too far out of the targeted age group to understand.


Mike

Frankly, I'm surprised the magazine lasted 10 YEARS. I looked at an issue about 6 or 7 years ago and thought 'dreck for the Y generation'. As people have said, if you seriously wish to get into wine, you'll graduate pretty quickly from See-Jane-Raise-Glass-See-Jane-Bring-to-Lips type books to those meant for geeks. Perhaps if you had scantilly clad coeds in it it might appeal to the fraternity set, but that would fade soon too I suspect.

So long Wine X...Rest in peace.

Wow. I thought it folded years ago.

Stopped by the website and was immediately turned off by the music playing. [Pet peeve, I hate that.] That and the fact that I clicked on the "Italian White" ratings and saw 5 pinot grigio's from California pretty much turned me off to looking through it any further.

When it comes to "...marketing to young adults" , I don't know about others but I had no cash to buy anything decent until I became an adult, and an older one at that. Let's face it, most of the time you get what you pay for and good wine costs good money. Heck - the whole Classification of 1855 was based on the price a wine could command. What you adult can go grab a case of Screaming Eagle or DRC or Lafite? IMHO, Wine X was doomed....doomed, I say.

Here in Fayetteville, NC there does seem to be a growing interest in wine among young people (I'm a senior citizen so not part of that category). It has been sparked by RESTAURANTS that hold free wine tastings once a week (about three restaurants now plus one grocery store). The wines aren't always top notch but include some decent beverages. Do wish one restaurant would relocate their tastings to a private room or something instead of in a crowded lounge where smoking is allowed! Some of the attraction may be meeting other young singles (bar scene once removed) but some are really expressing interest in wines.
I reported last month on the first meeting of the Fayetteville Wine Society, also sponsored by a restaurant wine director, that attracted 80-100 people. There were some middle-aged couples and older but also some of the younger crowd. Again, it might be attractive partly as a way to meet other people but I like that the ages mingle and anyone of legal drinking age can share their enthusiam for wine.

[Robin Garr]

Here in Fayetteville, NC there does seem to be a growing interest in wine among young people (I'm a senior citizen so not part of that category). It has been sparked by RESTAURANTS that hold free wine tastings once a week (about three restaurants now plus one grocery store).

That process seems to be working in Louisville too, JC. In the past year a couple of spots have opened in an artsy, edgy gentrifying warehouse district east of downtown ... they're basically coffee bars by day, wine bars by night, and attract a hip young crowd. Restaurant tastings are becoming very strong here, too, and tend to attract the restaurant's demographic, so a few of those are picking up the whippersnappers.

[Jenise]

I glanced through the magazine on a few occasions, and IMHO, it came off about as smoothly as my dad attempting to use slang. If I'm going to read a wine publication, I'd rather read one written for "adults."

Hurray! Lisbeth, like Robin I'm not their target audience, but Wine X struck me the a new deodorant product called Teen Spirit once did, conceived no doubt on the your-father-attempting-to-use-slang belief that it would attract young punk and alt rock fans rather than repel them with its obvious pander. I just couldn't see its target audience taking it seriously.

I first took an interest in wine through an organised wine tasting (oddbins in their heydey), long before I'd ever contemplated buying a wine magazine.

To be frank, most wine magazines are rubbish, with the remainder (including this I suspect) far worse than that.

Good wine shops with an encouraging nature will get people into wine. Only once they're in will wine magazines get a look in.

Organised tastings is what I'd invest in if I was in the industry, not an ill-thought out mag such as this.

regards

Ian

I first took an interest in wine through an organised wine tasting (oddbins in their heydey), long before I'd ever contemplated buying a wine magazine.

To be frank, most wine magazines are rubbish, with the remainder (including this I suspect) far worse than that.

Good wine shops with an encouraging nature will get people into wine. Only once they're in will wine magazines get a look in.

Organised tastings is what I'd invest in if I was in the industry, not an ill-thought out mag such as this.

regards

Ian

Ian: While I agree with you in part, I think you end up with a faulty premise at the end statement. It's not a case of either organised tastings or ill thought out wine mags.

Organized tastings...alone...are not sufficient to interest/attract sufficient parts of the population to become involved in wine appreciation. The major problem there is one has to be sufficiently interested in wine in the first place...or at least the idea and concept of wine....to participate in the organized tastings. In other words, first you create the desire, then you fulfill the desire.

The wine mags---which, to be successful, have to really be lifestyle mags---serve a vital purpose in that they help create the desire and suggest a way to fulfill it at the same time.

It might help at this point to differentiate between the wine/lifestyle mags (Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Wine & Spirits, for instance) and the
wine insider/subscription newsletter/tip sheet type of publications (the Wine Advocate), which are obviously for those who already have the wine virus and need to feed it incessantly.

The problem remains that, even today when things are far better, a small portion of society drinks the greatest part of beverage alcohol (the old 80/20 rule, but worse, closer to 88/12, I think). The wine trade caters to a surprisingly small segment of the population, and the majority of that wine consuming population it caters to can't really distinguish between the old Two Buck Chuck (or whatever the English equivalent is) and the $2,000 Petrus, except in impact on the wallet.

So wine needs all the avenues it can find to get new converts. The industry spends a great deal of money, from its disparate parts or tiers, on all types of organized tastings. But that alone is not going to do it. Too much preaching to the choir, and not enough aggressive evangelicing to the unwashed.

Mind you, the Wine X model was doomed to failure from the start. The owner can blame the industry all it wants for the failure; it is still a failure of the magazine, its concept and its execution. If the industry had judged it worthwhile, I can assure you it would have been deluged in money.

Hoke
I'm intrigued by your comments, as for me, I would never have bought a wine magazine until I had an active interest in the subject. You feel it's the other way round (with the casual drinker being inspired/led by the magazine).

Also bear in mind that organised tasting in the context I described was only a little above entry level (say $9-$18 at todays prices). Not a major tasting of top wines.

Different cultural backdrop, or different personal experience perhaps?

regards

Ian

I'm intrigued by your comments, as for me, I would never have bought a wine magazine until I had an active interest in the subject. You feel it's the other way round (with the casual drinker being inspired/led by the magazine).

Well, not quite, Ian: I intended to put forth the idea that maketing/media (whether in established wine mags, or even better in 'wine affiliated' mags or other lifestyle mags, such as Bon Appetit or Gourmet) could stimulate an interest in wine, which would lead the reader to perhaps attend a tasting sponsored by a retailer or industy/affiliated organization.

And I am most certainly not opposed to the idea of tastings (although sometimes the juxtaposition of "organised" and "tastings" doesn't always seem to fit comfortably in the same descriptive phrase ). They can be useful and productive. They can also be a total waste of time and money. I have seen tastings stimulate or whet great interest in gettin more knowledgeable about and consuming more wine. I've also seen an appalling waste of perfectly good wine poured down gullets that never had and never will have the ability to appreciate that wine. And, most usually, I've seen oceans of mediocre trade juice get consumed in vast quantities merely because there was alcohol in it and the people happened to be there.

Most tastings result in the majority of the attendees walking out without having the slightest conception of what they tasted, and highly unlikely to remember it until they got home, much less on the next trip to a wine store. We in the trade depend upon that small percentage we actually get through to.

The fact is society is so busy and complex nowadays, and there's so much information/clutter going out, it is difficult to 'break through' all of it to get a message out, and relying on tastings is not a very efficient way to do that. It's one method, yes, but not the only method, and not necessarily the most effective of cost conscious.

There's a great debate going on right now here in my local wine country about the whole tasting room model. In the 'early days' of CA wine, when the local industry was simply trying to establish recognition for itself and get a little r-e-s-p-e-c-t, it was necessary to have the 'tasting room', albeit a humble, down-home type thereof. As things got better, the tasting rooms got fancier, and turned into shops, kitchens, and sometimes spas.

Now lots of people are questioning whether that sort of tourism actually supports/drives the business, especially at certain levels, and their tasting room programs, as well as outreach marketing through wine dinners and public tastings (festivals, seasonal events, etc.) are being reconsidered, if not phased out entirely. So it has changed from "we have to give this stuff away free to get people to consider buying it" to "why are we giving this stuff away free when we can probably sell it all and make money off off it?" (With the common in-between position being "at least let's charge a fee to defray the cost of pouring out all this wine and keeping the damned tour buses from glugging it down without buying anything, huh?")

I'll repeat my stance, Ian: I think tastings are vital and necessary to the wine business. I simply don't think that the major funding should necessarily go solely to that avenue. One of the industry problems that I've always shrieked about is the continuing use of dollars to appeal to the market we've already got (thereby cannibalizing ourselves) rather than spending the money on efforts to get more people drinking wine.

"One of the industry problems that I've always shrieked about is the continuing use of dollars to appeal to the market we've already got (thereby cannibalizing ourselves) rather than spending the money on efforts to get more people drinking wine."

Precisley, Hoke. It never ceases to amaze me how stupid that is. But then, I've always wondered why Champagne is cheaper during the Dec/Jan holidays, when demand is high, and it is more expensive during the months when demand is low.

I know there's a reason for both situations, I just don't think that in either case the reason is any good.

"One of the industry problems that I've always shrieked about is the continuing use of dollars to appeal to the market we've already got (thereby cannibalizing ourselves) rather than spending the money on efforts to get more people drinking wine."

Precisley, Hoke. It never ceases to amaze me how stupid that is. But then, I've always wondered why Champagne is cheaper during the Dec/Jan holidays, when demand is high, and it is more expensive during the months when demand is low.

I know there's a reason for both situations, I just don't think that in either case the reason is any good.

Oh, heck, that's easy, Thomas: It's the old Gallo "We'll make it up in VOLUME!" mantra. Closely allied to "Fish where the fish are!" for flawed reasoning.

Also leads us to the inherent fallacy of discounting as your only sales strategy: let's see, doesn't that eventually lead you to the point where you're having to pay your customer to buy your product, thereby defeating the whole proposition of your business model?

But my favorite maxim, one I use frequently, is one that I think always applies: "The railroads made the mistake of thinking they were in the railroad business. They somehow forgot they were actually in the transportation business."