Amanda McCrossin is a certified sommelier, wine personality, and TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube creator. As the former Sommelier and Wine Director at PRESS Restaurant in Napa Valley, Amanda worked with the world’s largest, deepest restaurant collection of all Napa Valley wines in the world. During her time there, the wine program thrived, garnering nominations, accolades, and awards from nearly every major publication and outlet in food, wine, and hospitality. She has been featured by Food & Wine Magazine, Food Network, and the San Francisco Chronicle, appeared on the cover of The SOMM Journal, and was most recently named as a Wine Star nominee for “Sommelier of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast.

Today, Amanda is widely considered an expert in Napa Valley wine and is regularly sought after for media appearances and speaking engagements including the Aspen Food & Wine Classic and Premiere Napa Valley. A Napa Valley resident, Amanda can be found creating daily content for her popular TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube channels, SommVivant, as well as hosting the Wine Access Unfiltered podcast.

For many wineries, it’s easy to brush off TikTok as a platform solely for the younger generations. However, Amanda McCrossin says that the main demographics are not as young as people tend to think. With nearly 700 million users each month, it’s likely that many of your consumers are already on TikTok. So, how can you build your presence on the platform and engage new audiences? 

TikTok isn’t about a hard sell. According to Amanda, you have to add value to your audience if you want to win them over. Whether you’re answering top questions about the industry, going behind the scenes of winemaking, or showing audiences a day in the life of your winery, it’s crucial that you showcase the inspiration behind your brand, lead with core values, and create content with a purpose. 

In this episode of VINTed, Scout Driscoll sits down with certified sommelier, wine personality, and content creator, Amanda McCrossin. Together, they talk about the best practices for brands on TikTok, the different personas that strike a chord on social media, and how to dive into the TikTok space when you have little to no experience.

Matt Tanaka is the Founder and Creative Director of Stout Collective, a beer branding and design studio. He lives in Chicago with his wife and business partner, Laura, their two boys, and the world's sleepiest french bulldog, Bento.

There’s no question that the wine and craft beer industries have many differences. Wineries are often perceived as more elegant and expensive, while breweries are seen as more casual spots to catch up with friends. Despite their differences, there are some innovative strategies and ideas in the beer world that wineries can learn from. 

One of the ways breweries are succeeding is by leveraging their local market and taking risks. They aren’t worried about maintaining a premium, expensive brand. Instead, they’re leaning into their local culture, creating an experience, and challenging consumers to try something new. What other tactics can wineries borrow from the beer world? 

In this episode of VINTed, Scout Driscoll is joined by Matt Tanaka, Founder and Creative Director of Stout Collective, to talk about insights from the craft beer space. Matt shares how the beer industry is growing and the challenges that come with it, why risk-taking is key for beverage brands, and the various marketing tactics breweries are using to reach a new audience.

Theresa Wray is the Owner of Clarity & Co, a consulting business for the wine and spirits industry that specializes in marketing, trade relations, and US market guidance for both domestic and imported brands. She previously led marketing operations at Maisons Marques & Domaines, the well-known import portfolio and US marketing arm of Louis Roederer Champagne. After working there for 13 years, she departed to start her own business.

Navigating the US wine and spirits market can be tricky for both domestic and imported brands. So what strategies can help you claim your space in the market and create a roadmap of opportunity?

According to Theresa Wray, brands should focus the majority of their time and energy on finding the right partners. Everyone wants to sell more wine and create awareness for their brand, but you shouldn’t rush into a partnership. Because brand building takes time and is not a quick win, you want partners that you can trust who have the right expertise and share your vision. 

In this episode of VINTed, Scout Driscoll talks with Theresa Wray, Owner of Clarity & Co, about how she helps wine and spirits brands improve communications, trade relations, and direct-to-consumer sales. Theresa shares the inspiration behind Clarity & Co, the various challenges she helps brands maneuver, and why clarity and collaboration are vital to a brand’s success.