ABSTRACT
Wine’s history as an essential beverage to complement a meal is a familiar story. However, the rise of certain regions renown for producing excellent quality wines has catapulted a commonplace beverage into the category of luxury. Most people are familiar with Bordeaux as a region that for centuries gradually built its reputation for producing a fine wine and then branded itself accordingly. This was a gradual process that rested on the distinctiveness of the region’s terroir and the skill of winemaking practitioners. Whilst several old world wine regions occupy a privileged position by virtue of their longstanding tradition of excellence and continued demand by discerning customers worldwide, a small number of wineries in Napa Valley California have pursued a deliberate strategy of instantly replicating such oenological excellence. They focused upon producing small quantities of high-quality and expensive, limited-availability wines that were accorded high approval ratings by external critics. These wines were marketed to oenophiles whose own wealth permitted indulgence but who also were seeking status approval and legitimation (by wine critics) for what they bought. Here is a story of an industry segment that acquired legitimacy and reputation by purposefully pursuing a luxury branding strategy that coincided with the growth of a newly rich consumer segment, in many cases eager to flounce the “cultural” trappings of their new found wealth.
