Taltarni’s fully integrated trade- and social media-driven “Your Moment to Sparkle” competition for Taché, Australia’s number one selling sparkling rosé within its category*, came to a climactic close on Tuesday, May 1st.

Competition entrants were required to describe a sparkling moment in their life, in 20 words or less, to win a Holloway Diamonds pink diamond pendant valued at over AU$8,500.

There were three pink diamond pendants to be won in one of three ways:

1. The “People’s Choice”, as voted by fellow Facebookers

2. “Taltarni’s Choice”, as voted by Taltarni Vineyards

3. Random Selection, as chosen by a random generator

The competition response, both in size and calibre, exceeded expectations. With just under 4,000 “sparkling moments” submitted, the entries ranged from personal, intimate moments to proud moments of achievement to celebratory moments with loved ones.

The winner of the “People’s Choice”, an award designed to bolster the competition’s virality, generated 2,189 Facebook “shares” (recommends and sends) and 404 unique comments. The monthly minor prize draws, each involving 100 entrants being selected at random to receive a Taché Sparkling Moments Gift Box, also created surges in competition interest and excitement throughout the campaign. The winning entries can be viewed at http://www.taltarni.com.au/sparklingmoments/winners .

The competition homepage was “liked” by 6,055 Facebook users, while the competition entries as a collective generated a phenomenal 15,000 Facebook “shares” and 8,000 Facebook comments. The total brand reach of these figures equates to approximately 4.5 million targeted Facebook eyeballs.

It was a nationwide competition, with promotional stock available in all Dan Murphy stores as well as other fine wine retailers. Each bottle of Taché “wore” a pink diamond neck pendant, advertising and promoting the competition via QR code at an in-store level. The competition was also supported by online advertising, window displays and in-store POS. It ran from February 1st, 2012 to April 30th, 2012, covering Valentine’s Day, Easter and “diamond month” in April.

Both Taltarni and Holloway Diamonds are aspirational, lifestyle brands that produce some of the finest pink sparkling products within their respective field. Taché is the French word for “stained”, which refers to the fact that the wine is “stained” with red wine. A sparkling pink diamond pendant promotion helped to reinforce that Taché is, in actuality, a pink sparkling within the minds of consumers.

To view Ann Smedley, the “Taltarni’s Choice Award” winner, receive her prize diamond pendant, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watchv=wGkCFRl_vfc

To view the competition, please visit: http://www.taltarni.com.au/sparklingmoments/

Taltarni Tache & Holloway Diamonds - Both For Life's Sparkling Moments

* AC Nielson; sparkling rosé $20 – $30 price category.

For more information, please contact: Rosemary Shisler
Marketing Manager Australia/Asia | Goelet Wine Estates rshisler@goeletwineestates.com | 0437 394 637

Loïc Le Calvez Bids Taltarni & Clover Hill Adieu

After more than ten years with Goelet Wine Estates (GWE), the umbrella company for Taltarni Vineyards and Clover Hill, Loïc Le Calvez, chief winemaker and chief operating officer for the two aforementioned Australian wineries, reluctantly bids the company adieu.

With a wife recovering from cancer, Loïc has made the tough decision to leave the GWE family, and his base at Taltarni, to spend more time with his family in Melbourne. Loïc’s final day of full-time employment with GWE will be on Friday, May 25^th.

Loïc Le Calvez arrived in Australia from his native France for Taltarni’s 2001 vintage, and he never left. He went from assistant winemaker the following year to chief winemaker in 2006 to his current post of chief winemaker/chief operating officer in 2009. This rapid progression, according to GWE CEO Adam Torpy, “reflects Loïc’s talent and abilities as well as his professionalism and dedication.

“Loïc is responsible for a great many of GWE’s successes. He designed and established Taltarni’s current disgorging line, a critical element in us becoming one of the country’s leading producers of méthode traditionnelle wines. His skill and flair as a winemaker has resulted in countless accolades for our wines and placed him as a finalist twice for the Young Winemaker of the Year award. It is under Loïc’s direction that Taché became the market leader within its category and Clover Hill rose to become one of the country’s finest sparkling houses. We will certainly miss him, but we wish him all the very best with the next chapter of his life, both personally and professionally.”

GWE’s Australian operations is currently undergoing an exciting restructure, the details of which will be finalised and announced at the end of this month.

“We have some incredibly talented and capable young winemakers rising up the ranks at Taltarni and Clover Hill,” says Torpy, “and we look forward to revealing all the details regarding their new roles and responsibilities later this month.”

Photograph: Loïc Le Calvez

For more information, please contact:

Rosemary Shisler | Marketing Manager Australia/Asia | Goelet Wine Estates
rshisler@goeletwineestates.com  | 0437 394 637

Alternatively, Loïc Le Calvez can be contacted directly on 03 5459 7920 or at loiclc@taltarni.com.au.

4.5 stars!

A blend of the traditional Champagne grapes, chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier that are sourced from Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Taché is the French for stain, and this is dosed with 20ml of shiraz, turning, or staining, the wine pink. It smells of red berries, nectarine, toast and a pretty rose-oil perfume. Bright, complex flavours include refreshing zesty lemon, strawberry and some refined yeasty notes are balanced with grippy, vibrant acidity that drives its long finish.

Food match \ Smoked salmon blinis

Purchase Taltarni Tache 2009

Grampians Grape Escape

Saturday May 5 10am-4.30pm + Sunday May 6 10am-4pm

Join our wine club from our stand at Grape Escape and you will receive a complimentary Tache Party Pack valued at $50.

Read more about Grampians Grape Escape: http://www.weekendnotes.com/grampians-grape-escape-food-wine-festival/