The Traveling Vineyard News

Traveling Vineyard Releases Second Charity Wine

Press Release | 11/1/2014

The charity wine was inspired by a courageous Traveling Vineyard Wine Guide, Paigeann Mapley-Brittle, who passed away in 2012 after a battle with breast cancer. Paigeann fought cancer three separate times, and ran a full and a half-marathon after her first chemo to raise funds for cancer research.

Rick Libby, Traveling Vineyard’s Founder and Chief Grape Stomper, remarks, “We are committed to working with Living Beyond Breast Cancer to support courageous women like Paigeann who continue to fight this disease. Our Rayado Cabernet Sauvignon initiative kicks off in October during Breast Cancer Awareness month, but we are dedicated to empowering those affected by breast cancer beyond October with the ongoing sale of this wine.”

This year’s Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a different area of Chile, the Limari Valley. This bottling has been modified to include Syrah, yet it still maintains the same beautiful, bold taste profile replete with black fruits, dark chocolate and mineral notes.

Kevin Gianotto, LBBC’s Associate Director, Marketing and Corporate Relations comments, “Living Beyond Breast Cancer is thrilled to again be named beneficiary of Traveling Vineyard’s second annual charity wine. Partnerships like these allow us to continue to provide our programs and services free of charge to those in need.”

Traveling Vineyard Wines Awarded Eight Medals

Press Release | 3/3/2014

The Chicago- based Beverage Institute’s annual sampling netted two golds, four silvers and two bronze wins for The Traveling Vineyard, affirming our belief that value and quality don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Each winning wine is priced at $24.99 or less.

Using a specifically designed tasting space, The Beverage Institute’s panel of expert judges score only 30 wines per tasting to ensure fresh palates and fair assessments. Our winning wines include everything from a Lodi Syrah to a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. Experts praised the "exceptional" 2012 Tria Lodi Syrah ($17.99) as a "best buy" for its "supple, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a long, tangy, nicely meaty finish."

The Tria 2011 Private Reserve Pinot Noir ($24.99) won praise, and a silver medal, for its "black raspberry flavors are explosive, followed by lingonberry, vanilla, mincemeat pie and dark garden soil."

The other gold medal went to our 12 Heist, Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($24.99). Tasters love the aromas of "chocolate nuts, currants, deep fried pickle, and peppery spices with a silky, fruity medium-to-full body and a creamy, mocha, cedar and sour cherry accented finish with fine tannins."

Traveling Vineyard Wins Digital Media Award

Press Release | 2/9/2014

“Sommology” is a “created” word coined as a play on the word “sommelier," one with extensive knowledge of wine who makes recommendations. It is a proprietary food and wine pairing experience built on the idea that wines can be placed along a spectrum based on characteristics like body, fruitiness, oak, etc. This spectrum allows foods and wines to be substituted easily when one or the other is not available to still create a food and wine pairing that works.

The Sommology online experience uses an algorithm integrated into the rest of the website to offer pairing suggestions and links to additional wine information including a tasting video by the winemaker. The system can be accessed through a standard desktop browser by entering a 5-digit pairing code found on the back label of the bottle. It is also optimized for mobile devices. With the use of a QR code, wine lovers can scan the back label and access details about the wine. Pairing pages include appropriate entrées, cheeses and small bite selections.

According to Rick Libby, Traveling Vineyard's Chief Grape Stomper, “The Sommology system puts Traveling Vineyard brands and our wine knowledge in front of many more wine lovers than in the past. This is a true competitive advantage. Our bottles ‘travel’ beyond our wine tasting events and end up in the hands of many more people than you would expect when they are shared or given as gifts.”

“With Sommology”, remarks Libby, “Consultants and Guests can learn more about which food the wine pairs with best, and better understand how the wine was made and where it came from. More importantly, this additional wine content exposes site visitors to the concept of our in-home wine tastings where they can buy more wine. This is just one more lever we can pull to move the business forward.”

Libby comments, “Our Sommology project was a cross-functional team effort – the result of months of work on the part of our corporate employees and the field. We’re so pleased that our hard work resulted in quality digital materials recognized by industry peers. Preliminary results show that Sommology page views have increased by the thousands since launching in October of 2013, and home page visits are up by 20%. We are also seeing our tasting event average on the rise.”

Traveling Vineyard Achieves Stellar BBB Rating

Press Release | 2/5/2014

Traveling Vineyard displays the Accredited BBB Business Seal on its website. In order to be eligible for and maintain BBB Accreditation, Traveling Vineyard must be able to meet, maintain and agree to the Better Business Bureau Code of Business Practices (Accreditation Standards). The BBB Code of Business Practices represents sound advertising, selling and customer service practices that enhance customer trust and confidence in business. The Code is built on the BBB Standards for Trust, eight principles that summarize important elements of creating and maintaining trust in business.

New Traveling Vineyard Wine Will Help Support LBBC

Press Release | 9/26/2013

Rayado was inspired by former wine consultant, Paigann Mapley-Brittle. Brittle was diagnosed with breast cancer three times before passing away at 42 in 2012. She was a wife, mother and enthusiastic wine lover.

Her husband, US army officer Jon Mapley Brittle explained that "during her battle with breast cancer, Paigeann vowed that she would not let the disease define her nor change who she was and what she did. She fought cancer three separate times and managed to run a full and a half-marathon after her first chemo to raise funds for cancer research. Her cancer came back twice and the third time it was just too aggressive. But she was a fighter until the end. It makes sense that TTV would choose an organization that helps women and their families during their battle with cancer."

According to Rick Libby, Traveling Vineyard's Founder and Chief Grape Stomper, "The Rayado is a wine to represent a bold woman and Living Beyond Breast Cancer, an organization that supports women like her affected by this disease. The name Rayado translates as "pinstripe," as in charity event attire, a nod to the fundraising aspect of the wine. This Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the Colchagua Valley, an up-and-coming area of Chile. It is a beautifully intense and strong wine brimming with rich flavors of blackberries, raspberries and plums with a hint of oak. Blended with 15% Carmenère, Chile's signature red grape, it makes the perfect offering as a cocktail or dinner wine."

"It is through the generous support of partners like The Traveling Vineyard that LBBC programs and services are always provided to women diagnosed with breast cancer, their families and caregivers for no or little cost," stated Kevin Gianotto, the nonprofit's associate director of marketing, public relations and corporate partnerships. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with The Traveling Vineyard to raise the funds required to develop and present these resources that further LBBC's vision of creating a world where no one impacted by breast cancer feels uninformed or alone."

Traveling Vineyard Markets Charity Wine to Benefit LBBC

Press Release | 8/8/2013

The new charity wine was inspired by a former wine consultant, Paigann Mapley-Brittle who passed away in November, 2012 after a battle with breast cancer. Paigann was a wife, mother and enthusiastic wine lover whose life was cut too short at the age of 42 from breast cancer.

Her husband, US army officer Jon Mapley Brittle explains, “During her battle with breast cancer, Paigeann vowed that she would not let the disease define her. She vowed, ‘It won’t change who I am or what I do.’ She fought the cancer three separate times, and managed to run a full and a half-marathon after her first chemo to raise funds for cancer research. Her cancer came back twice, and the third time it was just too fast. But she was a fighter until the end. It makes sense that TTV would choose an organization that helps women and their families during their battle with cancer.”

According to Rick Libby, Traveling Vineyard’s Founder and Chief Grape Stomper, “The Rayado is a wine to represent a bold woman and an organization that supports courageous women like her who fight this disease every day.” The name Rayado translates as “pinstripe”, as in charity event attire, a nod to the fundraising aspect of the wine.

“It is through the generous support of partners like The Traveling Vineyard that LBBC programs and services are always provided to women diagnosed with breast cancer, their families and caregivers for no or little cost,” states Kevin Gianotto, the nonprofit’s Associate Director of Marketing, Public Relations and Corporate Partnerships. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with The Traveling Vineyard to raise the funds required to develop and present these resources that further LBBC’s vision of creating a world where no one impacted by breast cancer feels uninformed or alone.”

This Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the Colchagua Valley, an up and coming area of Chile. It is a beautifully intense and strong wine brimming with rich flavors of blackberries, raspberries and plums with a hint of oak. Blended with 15% Carmenère, Chile’s signature red grape, it makes the perfect offering as a cocktail or dinner wine.

TTV consultants at the company’s Annual Harvest convention held July 25-28 near Boston tasted tank samples of the Rayado and 11 other wines. The wines, both domestic and international, will be released over the next 90 days for tasting events. This is the largest number of new wines ever released by Traveling Vineyard since its inception.

The Traveling Vineyard Releases Two New Wines

Press Release | 3/22/2013

Rick explains, "With the 2011 Calamity Sue, Riesling, Monterey County, California, we are delivering a wine that we have had many requests for at tasting events over the years. It carries a quirky but memorable label. You may have heard of the legendary Calamity Jane. She was the adventurous frontierswoman with a generous streak who traveled throughout the Western Plains in the late 1800's. We've characterized the fictitious Calamity Sue on our "racy" Monterey County Riesling label as the spirited little sister of Calamity Jane – just as feisty and just as sweet."

"People are always interested in the backstory of the wine and how the label plays into the product," he continues. "The playful Lichtenstein-style image on the bottle uses a comic book type graphic which ties it all together. We frequently involve our consultants in the field in this naming/label process. They really know the guests best."

According to Francis Sanders, Traveling Vineyard's Winemaker, "It's been a while since we have shown a Riesling at tasting events. This off-dry Riesling should be a winner with our audience as it contains all the "racy" food-friendly acidity you look for in this varietal when it comes from Alsace, France and all of the fruitiness you expect when it comes from Germany. However, it was produced right here in the US! It pairs perfectly with spicy ethnic foods that are so popular today – especially Asian dishes."

Francis points out, "Our second new wine, the 2011 Bentgate, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, carries a more traditional label, but was crafted with a slight twist. It is done in the style of an elegant French blend combining Cabernet Sauvignon with a minor percentage of Syrah as well as Malbec and Petite Sirah. You don't usually see these varietals together in the US. Adding a Rhone varietal like Syrah, is a practice that is typically done in the Cabardès section of France, the only appellation in southern France allowed to blend Bordeaux varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon with Rhone varietals. At 86%+ Cabernet Sauvignon, it tastes like a classic Cab but with that added spiciness you get with Syrah."

"The new Bentgate gives us a chance to teach about this style of Cabernet Sauvignon as well. We constantly weave wine education into our free home wine tasting events and product offerings. As we develop new wines, we keep that in mind," says Rick.

In addition to the company's focus on "fun and fizzy", several other wines are slated for release in the next few months. The company's new California licensed winery facility has been pivotal in making this happen. It has afforded the capacity to efficiently increase production for West Coast winemaking and bring these unique wines to market.

Rick comments, "Our unique free home wine tasting events give us keen insights into customer preferences. In essence, we have a vast experimental laboratory where we can gather direct feedback on our products and gain perspective on guests likes and dislikes. It's a huge advantage for us in rolling out new wines."

The Traveling Vineyard Joins Forces with Award-Winning Food Bloggers

Press Release | 1/26/2013

Several food bloggers have been winners in SAVEUR magazine’s Annual Best Food Blog contest and have been featured in the popular food and wine publications of The Harvard Common Press, one of the nation’s leading publishers of high-quality cookbooks.

The new food and wine web pages include mouth-watering recommendations for your dining table, engaging photography, and light-hearted commentary. Each exclusive Traveling Vineyard wine is paired with multiple recipes. In turn, each recipe provides recommendations for multiple Traveling Vineyard selections that work with the recipe. The website will be regularly updated with fresh food and wine content as more experts join forces with The Traveling Vineyard.

Rick Libby, Traveling Vineyard’s Chief Grape Stomper and Head Cheerleader stated, “One of our main missions is to take the intimidation out of wine. This enhancement to our website brings fun, useful food pairings and wine education to our wine-loving audience. After attending one of our in-home wine-tasting events or receiving our wine as a gift, customers can return to our website for wine information that will enhance their wine-drinking pleasure.

“This wine content also capitalizes on the growing segment of food media. It is particularly relevant with the increasing popularity of Pinterest, as so much of the food and wine experience is visual. Visitors can browse our online cellar, comment on both food and wine suggestions and share their interest with friends on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. It allows us to have helpful dialogue with our wine lovers.”

Rick remarks, “Our wines end up in the hands of many wine lovers beyond those that attend our in-home wine tasting events. This is an opportunity for us to reach those wine lovers with value-added wine knowledge to deepen their enjoyment of our wines. Our food and wine pairing content provides much more than what you see on the back of a wine label. It helps consumers better understand the interaction between food and wine.”

The Traveling Vineyard Announces New California Winery Facility

Press Release | 9/26/2012

This initiative positions the Traveling Vineyard for improved profitability and affords it increased capacity to expand its portfolio in anticipation of continued growth. Rick Libby, Traveling Vineyard’s Chief Grape Stomper and Head Cheerleader stated, "This announcement comes just in time for us to be active for the 2012 Harvest crush. We plan to bring many exciting new wines on line in 2013 and beyond with our new California facility."

The state-of-the-art facility will produce and bottle exclusive Traveling Vineyard wines. Wine will be crushed, fermented, processed and aged with the facility’s modern equipment guided by the time-tested, old-fashioned commercial winemaking experience and oversight of Traveling Vineyard’s Wine Director, Francis Sanders.

The Traveling Vineyard will have complete control over winemaking to advance the custom production of the unique, exclusive wines for which it has become so noted. Francis Sanders stated, "This new facility will give me the opportunity to continue crafting our award-winning wines sourcing the finest products from the vineyards of California, Oregon and Washington. We’ll be able to bring them to market more efficiently and continue our winning streak in the free home wine tasting business."

The Traveling Vineyard Membership Approved by DSA

Press Release | 6/22/2012

In order to be approved and accepted into the Direct Selling Association, The Traveling Vineyard® completed the minimum one-year pending membership period required before full membership is granted by DSA’s Board. During this time, the marketing and business plans of the Company were reviewed to ensure compliance with all provisions of DSA’s Code of Ethics.

“The members of the Direct Selling Association pride themselves in their commitment to the highest standards in business ethics,” said DSA’s President Joseph Mariano. “By applying for membership in the association and going through a rigorous approval process, these companies are demonstrating that they take their ethical obligations to their field salesforce and to the ultimate customer seriously and are willing to make a public pledge to that effect.”

DSA’s Code of Ethics gives the direct selling industry one of the strongest self-regulatory codes in business today. All member companies are not only required to comply with the Code to be admitted to the association, but must also continue to uphold and promote the Code as a condition of continuing membership in the association. DSA’s Code is enforced by an independent code administrator who investigates and prescribes remedies in response to salesforce and consumer complaints against member companies.

“With our recent completion of the DSA’s rigorous one year approval process we are pleased to now be a proud member of the DSA and remain committed to holding our standards to the highest bar set by the DSA and their member companies. In addition to the DSA approval we are also an A- rated business with the Better Business Bureau,” said Rick Libby, the founder and CEO of The Traveling Vineyard®.

The Traveling Vineyard Announces New Consultant Sign On Promotion

Press Release | 5/30/2012

Chief Grape Stomper, Rick Libby states “Consultants are a key ingredient for The Traveling Vineyard – along with the wine, of course. That’s why we deliver everything needed to be a success right at the start. Once a decision has been made to become an Independent Traveling Vineyard Consultant, there’s a three-step process towards the path to making money from the home based business and sharing the love of wine with friends, old and new”.

The first step is to purchase the Traveling Vineyard Success Kit: http://www.travelingvineyard.com/home-based-business/getting-started/. The Success Kit includes all the administrative items and accessories for an Independent Traveling Vineyard Consultant to run their business and offer product demonstrations, including:

Tasting glasses A convenient carry box A six-bottle wine carrier Wine accessories Web site access Marketing materials, including brochure and a news release to announce the business Various administrative forms

The Success Kit costs $99 – and The Traveling Vineyard’s “Make it Free in May” promotion makes it easy to recoup that cost quickly.

The second step is to purchase the first two tasting sets for $75. The wine in these two sets is a $160 value, so that’s a 53 percent discount. Once they are bought, they never need to be purchased again if you’re successful.

What does success look like? Success is a “qualified” tasting event – an event that results in at least $150 in what The Traveling Vineyard terms Interest To Orders. Currently, hundreds of consultants across the country find that it’s not hard to reach that mark. The Traveling Vineyard average event runs well over $400. Even better, Traveling Vineyard surveys show that 2 or 3 people out of 10 at a Traveling Vineyard free home wine tasting event will want to book their very own event, so Traveling Vineyard Consultants find it very easy to fill their calendars.

Every time a Traveling Vineyard Consultant hosts a qualifying event, they receive a bonus to replace a tasting set.

The third and final step on the road to success provides for an incentive to make back the start-up costs.

Hosting three qualifying events in your first 60 days as a Traveling Vineyard consultant and the Company will provide a $174 refund. That refund wipes out what was paid for the Success Kit and the Tasting Sets in step one and two.

That’s how it works.

The Traveling Vineyard provides everything needed to get started in a fun and profitable home-based business. Introduce friends and neighbors to the joys of wine through free tasting events. It’s easy, fun and financially rewarding and fits conveniently into anyone's schedule.

The Traveling Vineyard Announces Harvest 2012 Event

Press Release | 4/4/2012

The tagline, "Let's Grow Together", encompasses the purpose of the event: to provide resources to consultants and to help them expand their business and "improve their yield". Harvest 2012 will include talks by Belinda Ellsworth, direct sales industry expert, and Francis Sanders, Traveling Vineyard's Wine Director. Attendees will also learn from TTV staff and other Consultants how to set and attain goals, improve booking rates, recruit team members, market their business, and much more.

Harvest 2012 will give TTV Consultants the chance to network with other consultants, learn, and make new friends. Rick Libby, CEO of TTV agrees, "Over the years our Independent Consultants have told us that this event is one of the pinnacle highlights of the year. We talk about the Five F's in our business – Fun, Friendships, Flexibility, Fulfillment and Financial Reward. The Annual Harvest ties all of those benefits together in one great, not to be missed weekend."

Early bird registration is now open, with a fee of $325. The registration fee includes training sessions, educational wine tasting events, Thursday evening "Grape Stomper" welcome reception, Saturday evening TTV "Let's Grow Together" gala reception and dinner awards banquet, two breakfasts, two lunches, and morning and afternoon coffee breaks on Friday and Saturday.

Multilevel marketing welcomes wine

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