Why the Six Regenerative Organic Certified® Wineries in Paso Robles went Grass Roots for our first Media Tour

Last week, the six Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC™ [pronounced "rock"]) wineries in Paso Robles banded together to host the first Paso Wine ROCs Media Tour. You may have seen the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance's press release announcing the certification of the sixth winery in our region, noting that we have the highest concentration of ROC wineries of any wine region in the world. That achievement felt like something worth making a collaborative effort to spread awareness of. Paso Robles truly is the epicenter of regenerative viticulture in the country.

The first way (after the press release) that we decided to spread the word about Paso Robles as a ROC hub was to host a group of 12 writers around Earth Day (from April 21^st to April 23^rd) to share how we each approach the standards of ROC on our respective farms. These stories will come out in the coming weeks and months (the first one, from Matt Kettmann, came out last week!). We'll let the group of talented writers speak to the details and impact of the tour.

Here on the Tablas Creek Blog, I wanted to share the process that went into making it a success. Hopefully, someone out there is thinking about coordinating something similar, and this blog will act as a resource.

The Idea: A Roundtable Realization

The idea came late last year during a Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Marketing Roundtable meeting when Kelly Asuncion (from Halter Ranch) and I were chatting about our wineries' shared ROC status. The concept of "collaboration" had come up multiple times in that meeting. We realized the high concentration of ROC wineries in our area (MAHA Estate | Villa Creek, Booker Vineyard, Robert Hall Winery, Halter Ranch Vineyard, Le Cuvier Winery, and Tablas Creek Vineyard) presented an opportunity to lean in on this concept.

We brought the idea to the other wineries, and the response was an immediate, "We're in." The plan was simple: invite writers from across the country to show them that Paso Robles is the epicenter of regenerative organic viticulture.

Our Approach: The "DIY" FAM Tour

FAMs (or familiarization trips) are a common tool for introducing media to a region or concept. We have great local organizations like Travel Paso and the PRWCA, who do this on a regular basis to showcase what Paso Robles has to offer.

Normally, a tour of this scale coordinated across six winery locations, over three days, with journalists flying in from around the country, would involve hiring a third-party PR agency to manage the moving parts. However, we decided to leverage the "rising tide" mentality, pool our resources, and do it ourselves. That decision came from the realization that, between our six brands, we had a network of contacts that we could reach out to personally. This "grass roots" approach would save us the cost of third-party support, and we felt a personal ask felt authentic to the goal of the FAM.

This decision required a lot of coordination and commitment from the stakeholders involved. Those included:

1. A commitment from the winery principals to reach out personally to the writers that they knew, and to open their facilities and wine cellars to the tour and its guests.
2. Weekly Zoom meetings (Fridays at 11 am) to share ideas, recap progress from the week, and make plans for the upcoming weeks.
3. Creating a Google Drive folder with editing access for everyone involved.
4. Sharing agendas and meeting recaps for anyone who couldn't make it.

The Stakeholders: Beyond the Wineries

We knew that to pull off a national media event like this, we would need the help of multiple stakeholders. Here were the resources that key organizations made possible:

1. The Power of the Alliance: The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance (PRWCA) provided support as part of their larger goal to bring international attention to Paso Robles wineries. Communications Director Chris Taranto coordinated travel for the writers and acted as our host for the entire three-day stretch, keeping the energy high and the schedule on track.
2. Telling the Paso Story with Travel Paso: Travel Paso supported the tour as part of their organization's goal to bring national attention to Paso Robles. The FAM fits the agro-tourism campaign that is a major focus for California this year. Their expertise in media trips was invaluable.
3. Public Relations Support: While we didn't hire a full-service agency to manage the logistics, Robert Hall employed their PR agency, Calhoun and Associates, to bring in the majority of the writers to the trip. Their deep ties to the media world were instrumental in connecting us with several of the 12 writers who made the trip.
4. Regenerative Organic Explained: We wanted to ensure the technical side of the certification was represented accurately. The ROA was a phenomenal partner, helping us connect with agriculture writers. Their CEO, Chris Gergen, joined us for the duration of the FAM, kicking things off with a deep dive into the pillars of ROC and remaining a resource for the writers throughout the three days.
5. Transportation: Logistics are the "make or break" of any FAM. Our travel partner, Toast Tours, handled the driving, ensuring our writers moved safely (and comfortably) between the six estate locations.

An All-In Effort: Donated Goods

We wanted to show that Regenerative Organic goes beyond wine. We reached out to other ROC brands to see if they'd be willing to help us round out the experience, and the response was overwhelming.

The writers experienced the breadth of the certification through donated products from:

1. StarWalker (Beef Jerky)
2. Dr. Bronner's (Soap)
3. Wild Orchard (Tea)
4. Evan Healy (Beauty Care)
5. Pachmama Coffee (Coffee)
6. Recoup Wellness (Hydration Beverages)
7. Farmwell Drinks (Superfood Antioxidant Drink)
8. Philosopher Foods (Nuts)
9. Reelie (Plantain Chips)
10. Regenerative Organic Alliance (Tote Bags)

Free Time: "Oysters and Estheticians"

In planning the itinerary, we noted that it was going to be a packed schedule for three days. It seemed necessary to create a "free time" portion on Saturday, with an optional activity for those who didn't need the rest.

Enter the idea for "Oysters and Estheticians".

We wanted to show that the regenerative philosophy doesn't stop at the fence line. Halter Ranch and Robert Hall shared their sparkling wines, the team from Evan Healy showcased the world's first-ever ROC beauty products, and the Morro Bay Oyster Company came inland to discuss the "land-to-sea" connection. It was a fascinating look at how regenerative agriculture on our hillsides positively affects the water quality and ecosystems of our local oyster farms. It perfectly illustrated the "Soil health = Human health = Planetary health" mantra.

(Note: I may have consumed a dozen oysters while drinking sparkling wine and getting a facial. Even the marketing guy needs to indulge from time to time!)

The Goal: A Living Itinerary

From the very first meeting, our goal was for this to be more than a one-off event. We wanted to create a repeatable blueprint.

For the media, this is an open invitation. We want to continually welcome writers to Paso Robles to showcase how we are approaching regenerative organic agriculture as a necessary piece of making great wine, and why the conditions in Paso Robles are such that we can benefit so greatly from these investments.

For the consumer, consider this your new weekend roadmap. Where else in the world can you visit six Regenerative Organic Certified wineries in one weekend, in one town? We've done the legwork, and the path is cleared.

Come See Us

If you are a writer interested in seeing the future of farming in action, feel free to reach out to me, and we can set something up. I'm easy to find at ian@tablascreek.com.

If you are a wine lover who wants to support responsible agriculture, we're ready for you too. The movement is growing, the community is collaborative, and the wines are delicious.

Let's keep the conversation going. #PasoWineROCs.