Following the largest non-asset wine sale in 2015 (Constellation Brands’ purchase of Joseph Wagner’s Meiomi), fifth-generation winemaker Joseph Wagner has returned his attention to an accessible version of his signature robust style of Pinot Noir with Böen. Wagner’s unique vision and style for what a California Pinot Noir could and should be made him famous and brought California Pinot Noir to the mainstream. Böen offers five different wines: Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay made from a blend of grapes from Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara counties (SRP: $24.99 each), as well as appellation-specific editions of Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley, and Russian River Valley (SRP: $34.99 each).
Joseph Wagner’s approach to the winemaking process is a product of his heritage, a respect for the farming process, and a view to how innovation can elevate the experience. Raised within the day-to-day of Caymus Vineyards (founded by the Wagner family in 1972), Wagner has spent his entire life learning the art of winemaking, working with his hands, and looking ahead. Since Wagner was young, the grape-growing process was and still is always a hands-on endeavor. “Böen is a translation of ‘The Farm’ and I chose it as a reminder to myself that the wine I make is indivisible from the land it comes from and that first and foremost, I am a farmer,” Wagner says.
The name of Wagner’s company, Copper Cane Wines & Provisions, is a perfect illustration of his innovative approach to the winemaking process. “When grapevine canes begin to lignify, or turn to winter hardy wood, they take on a copper hue. This color shift signals that the green character and harsh tannins have been purged from the vine (and therefore the wine). Only then are the grapes ready for harvest,” Wagner says. While most growers pick their grapes as sugar content hits a certain mark, Wagner waits for physiological maturity to ensure consistency year to year. The result is a wine full of rich, ripe fruit flavors–a style Wagner has always loved.
In addition to Wagner’s hands-on approach to the grape-growing process, seen across all his brands, Wagner is also trailblazing technology in the industry via Böen’s near field communication (NFC) enabled wine caps. This new tool developed by technological visionaries SharpEnd and Guala Closures Group gives consumers instant access to unparalleled information about the wine they are purchasing simply by tapping the bottle’s cap with their smartphone and taking them to the vineyards where the wines are made. Without ever downloading an app, a portal is opened that takes you to Böen’s farmhouse where consumers can be educated about where and how their wine was made, offering food pairings, and a central place for fans to share their own experiences with Böen within the platform and via social media.
Cameron Worth, CEO and founder at SharpEnd, adds: “There is increasing consumer demand for connected packaging across a range of technologies. We know from experience that brands who leverage connected packaging to drive engagement can learn more about what their consumers want and keep up with emerging trends. A rollout of this scale has been a long time coming, and SharpEnd is very proud to support this trailblazing commitment from Böen.”
After applying so much personal attention to the farming process, Wagner believes this transparency is essential. As a result, when consumers open a bottle of Böen, they are transported to the very vineyards where the grapes were grown, where the California sunshine and long growing season bring forth robust and bold flavors.
Four years after the sale of Meiomi to Constellation Brands, Wagner is thrilled to bring back the everyday luxury version of his signature style back to the world with Böen. Wagner’s Copper Cane Wines & Provisions portfolio also boasts Belle Glos, Elouan, and Napa Valley Quilt.
For more information about Böen, visit www.boenwines.com, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BoenWines and follow on Twitter and Instagram @BoenWines.
