For wine producers looking to gain media coverage, developing a relationship with the media – Journalists, Writers, Influencers and Wine Communicators - is the most important way to do so.

Without stating the obvious, articles, features, and reviews in print, online and via social media can introduce your wines to new audiences, build credibility, and create long-lasting awareness for your brand and sustainability for your business.

But there is a small irony within the wine industry.

Many journalists say the same thing: when they reach out to wineries, they often struggle to receive a response.

Sometimes a reply arrives days or weeks later. Sometimes it never arrives at all.

At first glance, this may not seem like a major issue. After all, wineries are busy working environments, and most wine production teams are small and work all hours. But when it comes to working effectively with the media, slow responses can mean missed opportunities.

Let’s take a closer look at why this happens and why it matters.

Journalists work to tight deadlines

One of the biggest differences between the media world and nearly everyone else is the pace of work.

Journalists often work to extremely tight deadlines, all the time. A writer may only have a few hours, or at most a couple of days, to gather quotes, facts, and images for an article.

To counter this, sometimes writers send out the same request to a handful of relevant producers to hedge their bets. This is usually by email; most don’t have time to pick up the phone. And then it's sometimes first-come-first-served on whether you are featured. Or if they contacted you specifically for an article, and they don’t hear back quickly enough, they'll move on to another producer who can provide the information in time.

The result is simple. The story still gets written, but your wine story may no longer be part of it.

Media opportunities are often time sensitive

Many media enquiries relate to specific themes, trends, or seasonal features.

A journalist could be working on anything from wines for summer entertaining, to new English sparkling releases, or a story on the harvest, or perhaps female founders in wine for International Women's Day.

These pieces are often planned ahead of time, but some are asked for last minute, and require efficient input from producers. If communication is slow or unclear, the opportunity can disappear even before the conversation begins.

Journalists need clear and accessible information

Another common challenge is providing the right information.

If a journalist does receive a response but it lacks useful detail, high quality images, or clear background information, they may still struggle to include the producer in their article.

This is why having basic PR materials ready, such as high resolution images, technical sheets, tasting notes, business history facts, and bios of the key players in the business can make a significant difference. It allows journalists, especially those that may not be familiar with you or even the industry, to quickly understand your business and confidently include it in their story.