Full Steam Marketing & Design

August, 2007 – Salinas – Monterey County boasts more than 40,000 acres planted with wine grapes – more than Sonoma Valley and nearly as many as Napa Valley. But it’s the diversity of the area’s climate, topography and soil composition—not the quantity of grapes—that makes Monterey County’s wines special. From the fog-blanketed coastal hills to the sun-drenched Salinas River valley, vineyards in the county’s nine appellations, or American Viticulture Areas (AVA), produce wine that is distinctly theirs and uniquely Monterey County’s.

But how many consumers and members of the industry are aware of the breadth and depth of Monterey County’s wine appellations? Until now, no single marketing piece captured and fully explained the diversity of the county’s nine distinct AVAs. The county’s AVAs are Monterey, Carmel Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands, Arroyo Seco, San Antonio Valley, San Bernabe, San Lucas, Chalone and Hames Valley.

MCVGA has teamed up with Full Steam Marketing & Design in Salinas to tell the story of Monterey County’s diverse wine country. The result of the collaboration, a 50-minute video entitled “Elements of Taste,” offers an intimate portrait of each Monterey County AVA. The MCGVA represents 85 grape growers and winemakers in Monterey County.

The video explores the particular microclimates, soil characteristics and topography that distinguish each AVA and make them ideal for growing certain varietals, be it Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir in the Santa Lucia Highlands, or Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah in the Hames Valley. Growers and winemakers from each area describe their AVA’s special characteristics and how they translate into the wine grown and made there. The video was shot over a 10-month period so that each growing season was represented.

“The video is an excellent educational tool, both for wine connoisseurs and for people who are just getting into wine,” said Rhonda Motil, executive director, Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association. “It’s also a very beautiful and entertaining video that features glimpses of the county’s dramatic and diverse natural scenery.”

“The Monterey County wine industry, which is about 35 years old, is now experiencing its coming of age,” said Craig Kaufman, Full Steam Marketing & Design. “This video demonstrates how the individual AVAs are fine-tuning what grows best in their area and are starting to reap the benefits of their knowledge and experience in the products they are creating.”

“Elements of Taste” was produced with a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It will be distributed to wine distributors and national media as part of a media blitz to promote the Monterey County wine industry.

“We want people to appreciate the fantastic and unusual wines we produce in Monterey County and to look for our appellations on the bottle when they purchase wine,” Motil said. “This video will help make that happen.”

Copies of “Elements of Taste” are available by contacting the MCVGA at (831) 375-9400. For more information about the MCVGA and the Monterey County wine country, visit www.montereywines.org.

About Full Steam Marketing & Design:

For 24 years, the professionals at Full Steam Marketing & Design have delivered highly effective marketing communications and outstanding creative services to a variety of clients in Monterey County and beyond.

With offices in the historic Granary Building at 60 West Market Street in Salinas, the agency has several in-house specialty departments: New-Media providing video, DVD and website development; Merchandising, providing in-store racks and custom point-of-sale displays and Packaging, offering unique design and expert art production across a wide range of packaged goods.

Full Steam’s client roster includes public companies, private firms, government entities and non-profit organizations, each faced with unique marketing challenges and communications needs that Full Steam helps them solve.

For more information please call (831) 757-4164 or visit www.fullsteam.com.