Small Town Caterer Continues To Make Good

Martha Stewart is launching new products at a dizzying pace of late. Announced in May, a fresh and frozen line of foods for Costco under the label Kirkland Signature by Martha Stewart.  ( Her Mega Martha Macy's "home products" line was just launched nationwide.)

And soon, a wine deal with Gallo. ( I remember when this was the schlockiest of giant bottle vino...)Martha Stewart Vintage, at about $15 a pop, rolls out in some markets next January.

AP reported: "The initial launch of 15,000 cases will include three wines: 2006 Sonoma County Chardonnay, 2005 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvingon and 2006 Sonoma County Merlot. The wines will be offered in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, N.C., Denver, Phoenix, and Portland, Ore."

A San Francisco Chronicle article noted that the hooch is aimed at Martha's female fans. Wine industry analyst Jon Frederickson stated: "They say, 'Gee she's endorsing wine, she's my role model, maybe I'll step up and try this product. "

Not when I can get a decent red for $7 at Trader Joes, thank you!  But am I a fan? I am impressed indeed by her biz and style acumen. And a very high end, aesthetically-driven pal of mine in San Fran swears by her curtains.

No, I am more arrested by quirky wine labels on very drinkable wines --like the blended red produced by the Goats Do Roam people in South Africa. ( Martha has no discernible sense of humor when it comes to her products, so............)

"( Charles) Back ( of Fairview Winery) is proudly South African and has a deep-seated belief in the potential of Cape wines and a strong sense of integrity. But he also has a quirky, irrepressible sense of humour, which led to the creation of the first Goats Do Roam label, which many with great amusement interpreted as a friendly jibe at the French – and in this case, the Côtes du Rhône growers’ – sense of proprietary right when it comes to branding the source of a wine.

‘Not so’, says Back, though with the barely disguised air of a naughty schoolboy delighting in his own mischief. The ‘legend’ goes that some errant members of Fairview’s long-established goat herd, supplier of milk for Fairview’s internationally award-winning cheeses, took the gap when Charles Back’s young son Jason and buddy Justin had left open the gate to the paddock containing Fairview’s famous goat tower. The little group happily roamed among the vineyards, showing rare discernment by selecting the ripest berries off some of the choicest vines…"

Comments

[al]

What a news.
Sounds like a lot of people loving wine so much.

[Kelly Mahoney]

Glad to hear smaller caterers are getting their fair share.