Wines From Spain Publicity                                           
"The Great Match Wine & Tapas Tour"

Spain is one of the oldest producing wine countries in the world and certainly one of the largest. Yet, until the late 1980s/early 1990s, Spanish wines were still fairly undiscovered in the US market. Today, Spanish wines are among the top wine imports in the US. Spain’s indigenous red grape varietals like Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mencia, and white varietals such as Albariño, Viura and Verdejo are now getting their recognition, and the proof is in the bottle.

For six years (2000-2006), M. Young Communications served as PR agency of record for Wines from Spain, arranging numerous interviews, media events and press tours to Spain, generating nationwide media coverage in almost every major newspaper and all epicurean and wine media. Special activities included:

• The launch and production of an annual “Superstars of Spanish Wines” seminar, wine tasting and lunch for top press and trade in New York, featuring some of Spain’s most notable winemakers, including: Alvaro Palacios, Peter Sisseck, Alejándro Fernandez, Mariano Garcia, Carlos Falcó, Telmó Rodríguez and Sara Péréz.
  
  
• The launch of the first Far from Ordinary Guide to Spanish Wines (2005), a comprehensive guide on the history, DOC regions and indigenous varietals of Spanish wine.
  
  
• A “must attend” welcome party and numerous media activities surrounding Wines from Spain’s annual participation at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
  
  
• Production and public relations for five annual Great Match Wine & Tapas trade tastings and consumer events featuring between 40 and 50 importers and more than 250 wines. The trade events were walk-around tastings attending by top buyers, retailers, sommeliers and press. The consumer events featuring tapas prepared by 10-12 local chefs in each market, showing the versatility of pairing Spanish wines with a variety of cuisines. Markets included: New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Scottsdale, San Diego and Seattle.