Is Sebastiani Making a Comeback?

[Rebel Rose]

A 'Don & Sons' Press Release

Plungerhead is currently available in the California market and Hey Mambo will be released this spring. Both wines have a suggested retail price of $14 and will be distributed nationwide.

Their inhouse distribution companies are 'Three Loose Screws' and 'The Other Guys.'

Has anyone seen / tried the new wines? What do you think of the marketing?

[David94928]

A 'Don & Sons' Press Release

Plungerhead is currently available in the California market and Hey Mambo will be released this spring. Both wines have a suggested retail price of $14 and will be distributed nationwide.

Their inhouse distribution companies are 'Three Loose Screws' and 'The Other Guys.'

Has anyone seen / tried the new wines? What do you think of the marketing?

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This Sebastiani is, of course, Don Sebastiani and Sons not "the" Sebastiani winery in Sonoma. Don, brother of Sam Sebastiani, became president of Sebastiani in 1986 when Sam was fired by the family. Don left the family business in 2001 to form Don Seabastiani and Sons with his sons August and Donnie. They started with the Smoking Loon and Pepperwood Grove labels.

Now they've branched out into even more humorous labels with the Three Loose Screws. Their first release of Screw Kappa Napa 2002 Napa Cabernet was very good for the price (about $11.99 at BevMo). The Mia's Playground 2003 Dry Creek Zin is supposed to also be very good for its price. Most of the wines seem to garner mid 80's scores from the wine magazines.

Their target audience seems to be the millenial generation (and to an extent Gen X) which enjoys the somewhat sarcastic humor the TLS are providing in their labels and marketing. Being a big proponent of the use of humor in marketing, I really like what they're doing. As long as they can continue to put decent wine into the bottle for the price.

David in Sonoma Co.

[Rebel Rose]

Thanks for the details, David! I find wines rated in the mid-to-high 80s to be very, very nice wines, generally from producers with a consistent style, and often a very good value. Too bad we don't still have our tasting tag going--we could do a Millenial theme. Or critter labels . . .

[rich]

One of the best marketing names came from an old Sebastiani wine - "Eye of the Swan." It was a very nice, refreshing Pinot Noir Blanc - very good summer wine. I haven't seen it recently, don't know if they still make it.

[Rebel Rose]

According to today's press releases, their latest offering is Used Automobile Parts!

[dockhl]

Can't say that a wine called 'Plungerhead' makes me want to slurp it up..........

[djsexyb]

i think they're trying to hit a younger, possibly more "hip" or "trendy" crowd. there is deffinantly a market for those types of wine. (ie easy drinking, intense fruit flavor, with, yes, sometimes interesting names). take the "3 blind moose" brand, as well as "monkey bay" or even yellow tail and alice white.

i preferably like the catagory, eespecially if the wines offer good value for what they are. the way i look at it is if im going to the wine shop, im going to pick up something to put in the cellar untill prime age, and i pick up a bottle that can be drunk right away. it keeps me from "wandering" into my cellar and not getting the full benefits of not fully aginf my wine.

woow, ive come waaay off the topic...anyway....lol

[David94928]

According to today's press releases, their latest offering is Used Automobile Parts! 

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I was interested in trying these Bordeaux blends until I saw the $50 price tag.

I don't even want to spend $50 on "new" automobile parts!

David

Edited March 31, 2006 by David94928 (log)