Think about being a Musician or an Actor. You need an agent right. You also better hope you have the best or the one with the smartest contacts, or you are on a long lonely road, without anyone really hearing your cause, or realizing how talented you are.
It's the same for wineries, especially those trying to crack the UK market. There is too much choice... Buyers are overwhelmed and the old agency model doesn't work anymore. In fact it's a barrier to entry in most cases.
Hence the launch of the WINESTARS awards, with finals on Thursday 24th May at the LIWSF.
"WINESTARS will provide the fastest, most transparent, route to market for wine producers. It will allow for wineries from anywhere in the world without a UK agent/distributor to enter, have a chance to show their wines in a state-of-the-art format that optimizes information, media and networks in order to create opportunities and for the best, to gain listings," says Catherine Monahan, Founder WINESTARS.
"We are partnering up with Robert Joseph, founder of 'Do You Like It', someone who truly sees the future of the wine business and is the guru of events and wine challenges, having previously launched the IWC."
WINESTARS embraces new technology, all technology, to bring change and innovation to the UK wine market and the LIWSF.
WINESTARS IS:
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Open to any winery not presently sold or represented in the UK by anyone.
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Kicking off on the evening of the 26th April live online - on www.WINE-STARS.com - where potential starlet wineries have the opportunity to tell why they are the most outstanding winery or have the most innovative exciting product worthy of being shown to and bought by, the BIG WIGS of the UK wine trade!
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WINESTARS will be supported by a live Twitter site, Facebook site with 5000 supporters and wineries; linked-in site and YouTube site for wineries to upload any video onto. It aims to show wineries how social media can help them grow awareness and communicate and get new business
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After receiving entries, the judges' panel will analyse them based on special criteria and will watch any video submitted by wineries. Entries will then be whittled down to the top 100 and THEN the TOP 10 potential WINESTARS!
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The 90 wineries who made the initial cut, will then be up for online auction for 10 days for any retailer or importer to buy/list their wines.
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Entries need to be sent in online by the 10th May 2012, after which all will be judged and the top 100 will be chosen.
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The finals will take place on Thurs 24 May 2012 at 1pm in the ACCESS ZONE at the LIWSF, Excel.
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On the day of the finals, each winery will be given 3 minutes to pitch and taste their products to a group of judges and a floor panel of up to top bloggers, media tech, producers and journalists. They will be free to tell the group why they feel their product is suited to the UK market and should be sold here.
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Entrants will be encouraged to use the pecha-kucha method of presenting. Needless to say it will take both great wines and remarkable pitches to woo this crowd.
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If producers cannot attend, they are welcome to ask someone based in the UK to present on their behalf.
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The Judging Team is: Justin Howard-Sneyd, Global Buying Director Direct Wines and Laithwaites; Joan Torrents, Mitchell's and Butler; Ben Stephenson, Hanging Ditch Wine Merchants; Catherine Monahan, Owner Clink Wines Ltd; Robin Davis, Founder SWIG; Kevin Shaw, Founder Stranger & Stranger Design. A multiple grocery retailer has also been invited.
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There will be 3 winners - and listings available in either a grocer, pub chain, independent specialist, direct to consumer private business or large direct to consumer.com business
"Finalists need to wow the judges with their stunning wines, razzle-dazzle presentations and flamboyant labels and ideas," says Catherine Monahan, Founder WINESTARS.
FUTURE SHOWS:
WINESTARS will launch a never-seen before consumer event in October which will comprise of an interactive entertainment/food/wine event, followed by an evening LIVE AUDIENCE show where chosen consumers will be part of X-FACTOR type wine competition between winemakers/producers given quirky and fun, entertaining tasks to compete against one another offering new brand development and new listings and innovation to be seen. Consumers will be involved in gaming and iPhone apps to vote and take part.
WINESTARS will be rolled out to Prowein 2013; much bigger at LIWSF 2013 and to Hong Kong 2013, possibly the USA.
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