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”