Some call it a strategic centering point – a single, encompassing statement which consolidates everything about an operation. I prefer “gathering point,” as it defines the action that is inclusive to everyone within a business. Gathering denotes a welcoming of people who come together for a specific reason, and isn’t that what many direct marketing operations are established on? Farmers market vendors I’ve spoken with more specifically call it “esprit de corps,” or a common issue which bonds a group of people together.

by Jon M. Casey
For some in the wine industry, marketing is nothing more than letting the public know you have opened a winery and that you are lending your name to a wine label. Wayne Gretzky, the famous retired NHL Hockey great is one example that comes to mind. Others like Mike Ditka and Joe Montana from the football world, or Richard Childress and Mario Andretti for those in the racing community, are still more whose names give visibility to their marketing efforts. The list goes on and on. (more…)

by Jon M. Casey
It has been a long time coming, but the expansion of the vineyard at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello near Charlottesville, VA is currently underway with the addition of approximately three acres of Pinot Noir grape vines at Montalto, a 482-acre property previously known as Brown’s Mountain, a parcel once purchased by Jefferson in1777. Following Jefferson’s death and the passing of the property to his heirs, the property was sold and bought several times over the years. In the early 1900s, a dwelling was built on the site by then-owner James Addison Patterson. The house was given the distinctive name, “Repose.” Following Patterson’s death in 1931, the property changed hands several times and has since been used for various purposes including residential rental units and a visitor’s attraction. Ultimately, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation acquired the property, returning it to its original name, Montalto. (more…)