Wine Meridian addresses criticisms regarding its credibility due to not selling wine directly. The article argues that expertise in the wine industry isn’t solely defined by sales experience but by comprehensive support in strategy, market analysis, and brand building. It emphasizes the value of diverse perspectives and continuous contribution to the sector’s growth.
Occasionally, we encounter criticisms that, rather than upsetting us, make us smile. Recently, a reader accused us of being unreliable or lacking credibility because, in fact, we at Wine Meridian “have never sold a bottle of wine.” An accusation that, if taken seriously, would necessitate a complete overhaul of the world.
Following this logic, should we doubt the reliability of a film critic because they’ve never directed a movie? Or question the value of a nutritionist because they’ve never opened a restaurant? Or perhaps think that Oliviero Toscani wasn’t a great fashion photographer because, after all, he never directly sold a Benetton sweater?
Irony aside, our profession isn’t about selling bottles of wine, but about supporting wineries in their commercial strategies, helping them position themselves in markets, analyzing trends, and assisting them in building a solid image and reputation. We delve into their strategies, participate in working groups with their export managers, analyze price lists, positioning, and approaches with national and international buyers. In short, we know wine well, we study it, we narrate it, and we help those who produce it to sell it better.
What sets us apart is the ability to have a broad and cross-sectional observatory, allowing us to span various types of companies, from large industrial realities to small independent winemakers, from the most renowned denominations to those still to be discovered. We frequent established markets but also explore emerging ones, seeking to grasp the opportunities and challenges of each. This enables us to have a wide and articulated vision, which is difficult to achieve for someone working in a single company, immersed in their daily reality.
If it were true that only those who directly sell a product can speak about it with authority, then we should stop trusting historians because they haven’t lived through the eras they describe, or football coaches because they’ve never played in a Champions League final.
The beauty of our profession lies precisely in this: experiencing the world of wine from within, without necessarily having to uncork and sell bottles to demonstrate our competence. Those who work with us know this well. We leave others the right to believe otherwise: after all, freedom of opinion is sacred.
We certainly don’t claim to know everything, nor to have perfect recipes for every situation. We thrive on doubts, are aware of our limits, and don’t presume to be the best. But what we guarantee is a constant, daily effort to make a concrete contribution to the improvement of our wine sector and the competitiveness of wine companies.
Keep giving us your opinions, even when they’re provocative: they help us grow and improve our work.
Key points
- Wine Meridian’s role is to support, not sell, in the wine industry.
- Expertise isn’t limited to direct sales experience.
- Broad industry perspective enhances strategic support.
- Criticisms are welcomed as growth opportunities.
- Continuous effort is made to improve the wine sector.
