Italian Wine Podcast Ep. 2305 Barbara Fitzgerald interviews George Christie | Masterclass US Wine Market
Welcome to Episode 2305 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Barbara Fitzgerald interviews George Christie, Founder and CEO of Wine Industry Network and Partner of Saini Vineyards, to discuss winning brand strategies and his insights on customer engagement.
Key takeaways:
- Brands that are thriving despite current challenges.
- Essential changes in brand strategy for success.
- Effective customer engagement across all age groups.
More about the guest: George Christie
Originally from New Jersey, George Christie moved to Sonoma County in 1991 and quickly found his passion in the wine industry. Since then, he has built a diverse career spanning winery management, vineyard operations, grower relations, distributor management, and national marketing campaigns. George has held leadership roles on the boards of key industry organizations, including the Russian River Wine Road, Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County Vintners, Sonoma State Wine Business Institute, and WineAmerica.
In 2008, he and his wife, Tami, partnered with the Saini Family—fifth-generation grape growers in Sonoma County—to establish Saini Vineyards. The following year, George launched Wine Industry Network (WIN) as an online directory. Over time, WIN has grown into a premier B2B marketing and media platform, serving as a vital resource for the North American wine industry. Today, WIN collaborates with over 600 industry vendors and produces major events, including the North Coast Wine Industry Expo (WIN Expo) and the Wine Sales Symposium, along with educational webinars.
Additionally, WIN publishes Wine Industry Advisor, the Afternoon Brief—a daily wine business newsletter with over 38,000 subscribers—and WIN Jobs, a dedicated employment platform for the industry.
Connect:
Website: http://wineindustryadvisor.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgechristie/
More about the host: Barbara Fitzgerald
With a career of nearly two decades in the wine industry, Barbara specializes in D2C marketing and business development. She's led roles from entry level to senior management, combining her extensive experience with data analysis, critical thinking and storytelling while driving revenue growth and brand recognition for California wineries. As a part of the 4th generation of an Italian-American family among the California wine industry pioneers, Barbara has spent her life around wine growing, production, marketing, distribution and hospitality. A Syracuse University graduate, she returned to California to gain diverse industry perspectives from a range of wineries.
As an Italian Wine Ambassador, she brings her expertise to the Italian wine market, known for its authenticity and consumer demand. Barbara now runs Apri La Creative Consulting, coaching wineries in Italy and the US to strategically develop their D2C channels in line with their brand values. Together with her husband, Barbara also owns and operates a boutique wine production company, and a small import company specializing in Italian wines to the US.
Connect:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbarajeanfitz/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-fitzgerald-iwa/
Website: https://www.aprilacreative.com
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