Journey Into The Heart of It All
Journey Into The Heart Of It All:
Elevation Creation Showcases 805 Wine To The Japanese Market
Daniel Montano is not a person known for small ideas. Which is why California based 805 Wines reached out to Elevation Creation to get the ball rolling on an ambitious project: get high-end wines from the Paso Robles Valley into the Japanese market.
The company has begun a comprehensive campaign to reach a Japanese audience in order to increase the sale of American wines, and they’ve asked Denver’s digital marketing experts, Elevation Creation, to accompany them on this journey.
But with any robust and properly organized campaign, a large amount of media was required. Raw photos and videos of the region, the winemakers, and participation from 250 different vintners who are responsible for the exquisite wine produced from this valley were needed. Daniel realized the opportunity and offered to fly to the valley with an expert film crew and obtain the raw media needed for the campaigns. This excited the team at 805 Wines and a coordinated trip was quickly formed. So there we were, in heart of it all, loaded up with state-of-the-art equipment and prepped to capture ten locations in three days! It was a tall order, but the crew Daniel assembled were all professionals and up for the challenge. Filming would involve a combination of vintners, wineries, wine staging, various properties, and interviews with wine owners. By the end of three days, the content captured by the film crew would later be used for a bevy of 805 Wine marketing materials.
Our first stop was Cass Winery. This stunning location was dotted with old world Italian inspired structures throughout the vineyard. We received a warm welcome from a Cass representative and were allowed to film the grounds as needed. As we left for the next area, we noticed the processing center and asked if we could see some of the wine making in action. To our delight, we were allowed access to the facility and were able to speak to the individuals responsible for the production of some of the finest wines in the world.
Our next stop was a vineyard called Rava Wines. We were greeted into a pavilion that had Spaniard influence in mind. After capturing a few shots of the old world architecture, we were greeted by the owner herself, Lauren Rava. After welcoming us to film the spectacular vineyards and her facility, she asked us if we could film her opening a Rava bottle with a saber knife!
We were ecstatic for the opportunity to film and photograph this element of fanfare that we could only assume was reserved for special occasions. The act of popping a cork in one graceful and deliberate movement with a saber knife is an astonishing event to witness. And it doesn’t hurt that you get to taste a bit of the product afterward. I think all of us were mesmerized at that point. The climate and the geography that allow for wine and even the charcuterie and oysters to be produced there is truly hypnotic. Not only were we consuming the landscape with our cameras, but also devouring it all with our eyes, ears, and spirits. When the first day finally came to a close, Lauren graciously told us we could relax near a courtyard right outside a field of Cabernet and Pinot Noir grapes. We concluded with our first successful excursion by soaking in the setting sun and sharing some Rava wine, charcuterie, and oysters.
Our second day in the Paso Wine Valley would be busier than our first, leaving us less time to drink it all in, literally. Pomar Junction was our first stop that morning, a magnificently expanding dreamy landscape with an equally dream-like wine cellar and vineyard estate. We had the pleasure of interviewing a true master winemaker, Jim Shumate, and owner Matt Merrill. The two greeted our team with open arms and were incredibly hospitable. If we had not had more to film that day, we could have stayed all afternoon. But we were on the move and next went onward to Tin City.
There we met with wine makers from Giornata and Union Scaré. We found each winemaker to be defining and trailblazers of wine production in their own ways. Using the unique Paso Robles region each was able to replicate old world Italian and French styles respectively, while also delivering the defining characteristics of the Paso Valley region. Finally, we ended our itinerary that day with a trip to J. Dusi Wines, another independently owned vineyard with memorable scenery and wines. This family style environment felt like a place for the traveler, delivering high-end wine for those who perhaps do not want to dress it.
On our last day in the Paso Valley, we traveled to Tolosa Wines and spent the better part of the day filming and photographing their ultramodern facility and vineyard. Like the other locations, the scenery was breathtaking. The mountains could be seen in at almost every angle of the vineyard or facility.
Afterward, we moved onto filming an interview of 805 Wine’s lead marketing representative and Paso Wine expert, Chris Taranto. Lastly, we ended with a film tour, interview, and photography of Midnight Cellars and their owner, Rich Hartenberger. The day seemed to go by in a flash. Before departing, Rich invited our crew back to taste and film his whisky barrel aged wines. During our three-day tour of the Paso Robles Wine Valley each of us were granted the opportunity to expand our pallets, imprinting a strong nostalgia for the Paso Robles Region. We will certainly miss all of the incredible individuals we met during our time there, and cannot wait to share what this region has to offer to the world. 
Kishan Khana
Writer, Photographer, & Videographer
Elevation Creation
