If only starting a business was as easy as watching men’s diving…

Phwoar!! Unfortunately its proving more like watching synchronised swimming or female weight-lifting. It’s hard going and kind of weird at times, but you just can’t turn away. We never thought it would be easy, but starting a business from scratch is proving tricky. Let alone an online wine business. The most common questions we get asked these days are “What’s happening with Kampai? and “Can we buy some wine from you?” (we particularly like that question).

We’re making great progress and there have been many funny moments. So this week’s entry is a progress update for our Kampai watchers out there …

First, the boring stuff: sorting out the legals, licencing, finances, insurance etc etc has been like swimming through treacle. But our licence application is finally in and we should be legal in a months time! (Fingers, toes and all available appendages crossed).

Second, the really cool and fun stuff: construction of our website (www.kampai.com.au) is underway; creating of a brand that you will all love; having fantastic discussions with wineries from around the country – we’re super excited about the wines we’ll be stocking in the cellar; attending wine courses to up our knowledge and skills; attending about five thousand industry events and talking and tasting until we can’t take it anymore (hard to believe but true); discovering some amazing wines and meeting the wonderful people who make them – we can’t wait to introduce them to you and the Kampai community in the coming months…

We could go on, but instead here’s the executive summary:

PROS:

• Not having to deal with (a) office gossip, (b) office dragon/s, (c) office politics
• Being passionate about what we’re doing!
• Having a business partner who buys you chocolate when you’re having a bad day
• Having free wine sent to us to sample (have we died and gone to heaven?)

CONS and OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS:

• Envelope stuffing and letter box dropping to half of Sydney’s inner west. Twice. (We’d better get this licence…)
• Dealing with ego-inflated industry dinosaurs who think we are lightweight girls who won’t last. You’re a great motivation boys, keep it up
• Getting drunk at wine tastings (but trying really hard not to)
• Not mastering the spitting technique (see point above)
• Splashback from the spittoon (ewwwww). (Fortunately due to the point above this hazard has been largely avoided)
• Budgeting (lack thereof) and the wrath of our accountant
• A marketing ‘budget’ (read spend) that uses our own money rather than that of a large company!!

What we said in our first post is still definitely true – starting Kampai is certainly a journey that we are loving. Especially having all of our wonderful friends and supporters encouraging us along the journey.

Thank you and stick with us… we’re almost there!

Kampai!

Kampai makes headlines in London!

Perhaps it wasn’t Kath and Kim after all.  A new theory into the demise (and possible rebirth) of chardonnay has emerged.  This time courtesy of The Guardian newspaper in the UK and the culprit – none other than the queen WAG herself, ‘Chardonnay’ from the UK series Footballer’s Wives.  If Kath and Kim didn’t kill off chardonnay then that series most definitely would have. 

Your can read the Guardian’s article here: ‘Is it OK to drink Chardonnay again?’.

We make two interesting observations from this.  Firstly, Kampai’s reputation and has gone global (it was only a matter of time).  Certainly publications like the New York Times are set to follow the lead of The Guardian and read the ‘Creating Kampai’ blog as inspiration for their social/wine commentaries. 

Secondly, its interesting that we’re not alone in our observation of the possible reincarnation of Chardonnay amongst consumers (for those game enough to give it a chance that is!)  And its made us wonder, who influences who when it comes to taste trends??  Where fashion is dictated by Milan, technology from Silicon Valley, where do the head honchos of winemakers herald from?  In the old days it would most certainly have been the French and/or Italians dictating wine styles.  But who sets the agenda today?  Who are the people predicting and deciding what we consumers will be drinking in the next five or more years? 

I don’t know the answer – I doubt there is a single source.  But its interesting that if the chardonnay trend is anything to go by, its possible that as a collective of consumers, we may have similar wine tastes after all.  Styles come in and out of favour – whether you’re enjoying your SSB with fish and chips by the Thames or by Sydney Harbour – the same styles are in vogue at about the same time (seasons notwithstanding of course). 

There is one interesting (and worrying) theory that we want to run past you: the increasing corporatisation of the wine industry is leading to mass production of wines in a much more limited range of styles.  As a result, there is a gradual influencing of the consumer palate – particularly for newer drinkers – towards mass produced, less interesting (and cheaper to produce) wines styles.  If this is true, the trend-dictators may in fact be the accountants of the big business winery owners, who are motivated by our $$, rather than the traditional winemaker who is motivated by creating beautiful wines for us all to enjoy.

I think i know who i would rather support.  Especially if they make a good chardonnay

Kampai!

PS.  Thanks to friend of Kampai and London correspondent Deb for sending us the Guardian piece!

Are you in the know when it comes to vino?

One of the most daunting aspects of creating Kampai is entering a new industry we know little about.  So we’ve thrown ourselves into the deep end of the bottle and have been attending a lot of industry events.  Tasting a lot of wine, talking to a lot of people and attending as many wine seminars as we can…what a tough job!

While out amongst the action, a few interesting wine trends seem to be emerging.  Given our reputation for carrying a penchant for 80′s music and even more recently being dubbed chardonnay-loving nannas, we thought we’d run the trends past you – check that we’re on the pulse of the zeitgeist and all. 

So read on and tell us if you too have noticed any of the following while out doing… whatever it is that trendy people do…

Organic Wine – Along with biodynamic and preservative-free wine, they’ve suffered a bad rap in the past (probably justifiably too).  But organic wines are emerging as credible in their own right, with vast improvements in quality.  And better yet they are gentle on the environment, our health and if the myths our true even gentle on our heads the morning after.  A more detailed blog on organic wine is in the works, so all we want to say now is keep your mind open and give one a go.  We think we’ll be seeing many more in the years to come as organics progress from hippie to mainstream and more wineries embrace the practices.  You can trust that we’re on the hunt for some delicious ones to stock in the Kampai cellar.

Rose – It is so easy to picture – lazy summer afternoons, BBQs with friends and pink festive fizz.  There’s no better time to ‘think pink’ than summertime in oz.  Rose in all its styles (there are a few) is on the rise with consumption increasing significantly over the past two years.  Bring on summer!

Less common varieties – Sangiovese, Barbera, Zinfandel, Petit Verdot… just a few varieties i’ve tried and enjoyed recently and wondered ‘Why did it take me so long to discover this?’  Interesting varieties (or ‘varietals’ as those in the wine-know say) are gaining popularity as people become more interested to try something new and enjoy a lighter, easy to drink style.  At a recent tasting night with friends all the usual suspects were there, however the pick of the night was a Sangiovese from Orange – the perfect partner for pizza!  

The Pinots – Gris and Noir – They are the new black (err, white in the case of Gris).  Expect to see Pinot Gris overtaking Sauvignon Blanc this summer as the drink de rigeur with the girls about town.  And for you blokes take note – nothing screams class more than a man who knows his Pinot Noir (except maybe a Martini and a sharp black suit…). 

Wine Fairs – They’ve always been around, but is it just us or do there seem to be so many more happening these days?  And they attract thousands of people.  We’re fresh from attending (and working at) the Mudgee Wine & Food Fair at Balmoral last Sunday and there are two more next week alone.  The drawcards?  A fun, social outing and the opportunity to try out some new wines and wine styles without breaking the bank.  It’s fun, its relaxed, it sounds suspiciously like Kampai!?

Any more trends that you’ve spotted?  Let us know…

Kampai!