I have big news for all of you “drinkers of the vine.” As of this week, you can order Spanish Vines wines on our on-line retail site! Just go to spanishvines.com and shop under “products.” (The only exceptions are the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Utah). Once you’re an on-line buyer, you’ll also receive our newsletter with special promotions that are only available to you and our other on-line friends. Salud!

I have more whirlwind news from the road to report. This week we presented our new wines and most recent vintages to distributors, wine stores and restaurants in Raleigh, Columbia, and Charlotte. All the meetings went incredibly well! We’re especially excited as people continue to tell us how much they love the wines.

We’ll all be in Savannah, GA on the 31st and Atlanta on the 1st to present our entire portfolio at some annual trade-shows. If you know any restaurants or wine shops that would like to be introduced to Spanish Vines’ wines while we’re in the area, please send them to the 45 Bistro at the Marshall House Hotel in Savannah, GA from 1pm to 5pm, or to The Mansion at Peachtree in Atlanta, on September 1st from 1pm to 5pm. Keep an eye out for us as we travel all around the southeast!

Stay tuned to http://www.facebook.com/spanishvines for updates on when the online retail site and newsletter opportunity will go live.

See you all on facebook this week!

Entender es Disfrutar!

~Josh

Obviously, I dropped off the radar for the past couple of weeks, but I think when you find out what’s been going on, you understand why:

Tim, the Spanish Vines Sommelier, and I managed to get major meetings for distribution of SV across Miami, Atlanta, and NY. At the same time, we’ve been immersed in a nationwide search to find the perfect fit for sales director at Spanish Vines.

Let’s start with the first slam dunk!

Mackenzie M. Skeen is now the Spanish Vines Regional Sales Director for the Mid-Atlantic region. Mackenzie’s resume is something straight-out of a “Rising Stars of the Wine World.” And she’s even more impressive in person. Mackenzie’s energy for growing a start-up and her passion for the industry makes her a perfect fit. Look for her in at our upcoming wine events and special promotions up and down the East Coast. (Bit of advice: don’t challenge her to a game of lacrosse unless you’re in the mood to wear mud on your face!)

Aside from building the SV sales force, we’ve been spending some quality time sprinting through the airports of Miami, Atlanta, & NY.

First: Miami. Hot as hell, but incredible!

Tim and I were invited to give a presentation to one of the largest wine & spirits distributor in FL- not to mention the country. All of the preparations and airport delays were worth it. As we left we were complimented on our success and better yet, they acknowledged that what we are doing with Spanish Vines is something they’ve never seen before. Bottom line, Spanish Vines is being considered for FL opportunities and national markets as well. Wonder what the decibel level was in the rental car on our way back to the airport?

The next day we were in Atlanta meeting with one of the largest French wine importers in China. As luck would have it, after tasting our wines over lunch, his company is looking to expand his portfolio into Spanish wines. (Anyone want to guess the meaning of “GAMBEI”? Impress us with your post on Facebook.)

So how could this week get any better?

From Atlanta, Tim and I met with the heads of one of the largest and most prestigious wine & spirits distributors in the Northeast. (Large and prestigious is becoming a theme here, no?). By the end of our presentation and wine tasting they committed to representing our entire portfolio on the spot. Cut to the same ridiculous fist-pump and scream in the Miami rental car, except this time it’s outside a train station in NYC.

Having stirred up enough excitement stateside, Tim and I jump on a flight back to Spain for pre-harvest. Our agenda had us in La Mancha within the small DO of Ribera del Jucar for the first two days. Then Wednesday we headed to Ribera del Duero to discuss our new proprietary blend being launched under the Spanish Vines label in the beginning months of 2011. Ssshhh…keep it in the family.

While in Espana, we also put together an incredible portfolio for our China importer, representing the regions of: Rias Baixas, Bierzo, Ribera del Duero, Rioja, Navarra, Somontano, Priorat, Emporda, Penedes, Toro, Ribera del Jucar, La Mancha, Valencia, Jumilla, and Bullas. Check out www.winesfromspain.com to learn more about the historic regions.

Finally, a drum roll please… Who is the contest winner from a few weeks ago? Brooke Parongao, from Columbia, SC! Congratulations! Please email your mailing address to info@spanishvines.com so that we can get your case of wine out ASAP.

Stay tuned as we’re back in Spain at the end of August for the harvest — and then off to Shanghai and Beijing to learn more about their markets. (Let me known if you have any video request from the road in China. Perhaps a demonstration of GAMBEI??

Until next week that’s all I’ve got for now. Continue following me on twitter.com/spanishvines and on our facebook.com/spanishvines. Let’s continue the adventure together!

Entender es Disrutar!

Josh

-Overview of a wine dinner in Myrtle Beach: Myrtle Beach Alternatives magazine link

Read more: MyCarolina article about Josh

• “Spanish Vines drinks to business success”- The Daily Gamecock,  11/26/07

• Spanish Vines NV Tempranillo, Wine Enthusiast Rating: 85- Wine Enthusiast Magazine, 04/01/08

• Spanish Vines NV Tempranillo 87 points- Daily Wine Tasting, 04/06/08
• Spanish Vines ‘06 Tierra de Castilla listed as a “Summer Sippers” wine, The Free Times 05/21/08-05/27/08
• “Spanish Vines Inc. Broadens Distribution, Product Line“- Linux, 05/29/08
• “Spanish Vines, Inc. Broadens Distribution, Expands Product Line“- Kiplinger.com, 05/29/08
• “2008 Finalists: America’s Best Young Entrepreneurs: Spanish Vines“- BusinessWeek.com, 09/08/08
• “Spanish Vines Tempranillo Seleccion 2007“- Vino Mundo Blog, 12/21/08
• “South Carolina’s Spanish Ambassador”- SC BIZ Magazine, January 2009
  • excerpt of article also featured in Charleston Regional Business Journal, 01/05/09
• “On the Itinerary: Your Future.  Study abroad, and find the business opportunity of a lifetime”- Entrpreneur Magazine, October 2009
• “24-year-old brings Spanish wines to the South“- The Charlotte Observer, 10/06/09
• “Best Young Entreprenuers, Class of 2008″ Update- BusinessWeek.com, 10/06/09