{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/62301a5c63c97500122f8a76/6998f0ed0e5c959d5951d950?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Finding shared vision & passion w/ Erni Loosen, Loosen Bros","description":"<p>Driven by passion, Erni Loosen, Managing Director of <a href=\"https://loosenbrosusa.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Loosen Bros</a>, has spun up countless joint ventures in his career.&nbsp; All with no business plan or goal of making money, but a greater purpose of driving a Renaissance for Riesling and out of passion for Riesling and Pinot Noir.&nbsp; Erni goes into the qualities that make for good partnerships and some pitfalls to avoid.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Detailed Show Notes:&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Erni’s background: Managing Director Loosen Bros, Dr Loosen Estate in Mosel; took over in 1987</p><p>Loosen Bros overview &amp; history</p><ul><li>~200 years in the family</li><li>Only Riesling in the Mosel (Dr Loosen)</li><li>1996 bought Villa Wolf in Pfalz</li><li>1999 JV w/ Chateau Ste Michelle (Eroica), largest Riesling producer in US</li><li>2003 founded Loosen Bros USA in Portland OR as an import company for Loosen wines, then imported other people’s wines; desired to have more flexibility (e.g. - deciding on lower margins due to tariffs)</li><li>2005 Appassionata (OR Pinot Noir)</li><li>2009 purchased 40 acres in Willamette Valley, planted vineyards, and built winery</li><li>2015 JV w/ Telmo Rodriguez (a big Riesling fan) in Rioja w/ Lanzaga</li><li>2017 1st vintage of JV w/ Peter Barry in Clare Valley Australia to see if Oz Rieslings were always limey; tried 3,000L barrels - Wolta Wolta</li><li>2019 took full ownership of J Christopher in OR</li><li>Burgundy purchased part of Vieux Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet to start Perron de Mypont and started a negoce</li><li>2023 founded Dr Loosen Int’l China</li></ul><p>A great wine starts w/ an idea in your head</p><p>For successful JVs, need the right partners with real passion and the same vision</p><ul><li>Need to see the spirit from the beginning</li><li>Has never had a business plan</li></ul><p>JVs are not one way, but learnings on both sides (e.g. - Erni learned how to delay ripening in WA)</p><ul><li>Erni’s goal for JV’s was not making money, but trying to create a Renaissance for Riesling, which used to be the most expensive wine in the world ~1900, but got a low quality image w/ Blue Nun and Liebfraumilch</li></ul><p>Most partnerships structured as 50/50 and handshake deals (except Eroica is 40% Loosen, 60% Chateau Ste Michelle, which is also the only contract)</p><ul><li>Key challenge of JVs are when two visions don’t fit, had one that went bankrupt</li></ul><p>Would love to do an Alsatian Riesling at some point</p><p><br></p>","author_name":"Robert Vernick, Peter Yeung"}