Balletto Vineyards


Good brand messaging and PR introduces Balletto Vineyards to Pinot Noir lovers
Client: Balletto Vineyards
Goal: Raise Profile of a Pinot Noir Specialist Balletto Vineyards, a respected and established grape grower in the Russian River Valley, California, retained Benson in 2015 to hone brand messaging around its emerging wine brand. The project evolved into a national PR campaign for the winery, wines and family owners.
Brand Messaging Plan Where do you start with wine marketing? A thorough brand messaging plan helped to align the whole team under one core message: a family-operated Pinot Noir specialist in Russian River Valley.
PR Actions
- Constant story pitching has raised awareness of the family’s compelling story, a transition from row crop farmer to successful grape grower and winemaker (John Balletto, pictured)
- Strategic press sampling of single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, and Russian River AVA wines in broader, 3-tier distribution leads to coverage used in sales
- On-site and in-market press meetings around U.S.
- Trade emails providing selling news for wholesale partners
Select Results 2016-2020 Each year, Benson has driven 8 million to 15 million earned media impressions for Balletto Vineyards
- Food & Wine: RRV Pinot Noir named a “Bottle to Buy”
- Wine Enthusiast: Rosé, 2016 Top 100 Wines List
- Sunset Magazine: Brut Rosé named a “New Favorite”