Vintners target Millennials at Outside Lands festival

<p>Move over beer, wine wants to be the new king of music festivals.</p><p>Two dozen wineries are trekking to San Francisco this weekend to market their wines to concertgoers at the Outside Lands music festival in Golden Gate Park — one of the summer's premier events.</p><p>The growing interest in marketing to concertgoers is a recognition by many wineries that younger consumers such as the Millennial generation not only drink wine, but they also want it at times traditionally reserved for beer.</p><p>“Millennials are into wine,” said Mark Osmun, spokesman for Jackson Family Wines. “Outside Lands is a great place to reach them.”</p><p>About 25 wineries — mostly from Napa and Sonoma counties — will be pouring 75 wines in an area organizers have dubbed Wine Lands.</p><p>Concertgoers will have many options — syrah, pinot grigio, fumé blanc, zinfandel and others. Iron Horse Winery in Forestville will be pairing its sparkling wines with oysters.</p><p>With all the choices, vintners are hoping to attract people who might have otherwise stuck with beer.</p><p>“We're not competing with other wineries,” Rob Sinskey, the owner of Robert Sinskey Vineyards in Napa Valley, told reporters in a conference call. “Our competition (is) beer and soda and more casual consuming beverages.”</p><p>Last year, about 80,000 people attended the concert. Of those, roughly 50,000 ventured into the area devoted to wine, according to organizers. People can purchase a taste or a glass. Each winery has its own area made from the planks of an old wooden chicken coop, which the festival purchased in Sonoma.</p><p>This year, three years after the event started, organizers hope even more people will rock out with wine.</p><p>“We've put in over three years to not only produce a world-class music and rock festival, but also a world-class food and wine event,” said Rick Farman, co-founder of Outside Lands. “Being as close to Wine Country, Sonoma and Napa, as we are, you know, we realized that we could produce a high-quality wine event.”</p><p>Murphy Goode Winery, which got widespread attention within the industry last year when it used social media tools to target young adults, will be among the offerings.</p><p>“This just screamed the right venue for Murphy Goode,” said Mitch Davis, brand director for the winery, which is owned by Jackson Family Wines. “If this goes well, we're going to explore doing South by Southwest in Austin and Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee.”</p><p>Preston of Dry Creek Winery is another local connection making the trip to San Francisco.</p><p>“What a great forum this is. Young people. Music. Food and wine,” said Lou Preston, winery owner. “We are there to tell our story.”</p><p>Preston's two daughters and winemaker Matt Norelli will be greeting concertgoers and sharing their philosophy of enjoying good food and wine while also fostering sustainable communities and environments.</p><p>“Events like this are meaningful to us,” Preston said. “We don't market in a traditional sense. We network.”</p>