The Wall Street Journal had recently launched its Friday lifestyle section, The Weekend Journal. They needed to increase consumer advertising that, prior to the launch, was never a consideration for a business publication like The Wall Street Journal. With the positive reader feedback from its new wine column, Tastings, an opportunity was seen to grow advertising revenue in the wine category, but The Journal had few inroads and little credibility within this group.

Invite every winemaker and winery owner in America to dinner at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in the heart of the Napa Valley. The event would bring to life one of Tastings most popular features: Open That Bottle Night.

Opts orchestrated this prestigious event for The Wall Street Journal and brought The Journal's printed words to life for the guests while generating a remarkable response from advertisers.

Three hundred select attendees were invited to the dinner at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone in Napa Valley as guests of the Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition. Celebrity chef Charlie Trotter created the ideal menu and oversaw its preparation. Master sommelier Larry Stone paired wines with the menu and oversaw wine service throughout the evening.

The evening was hosted by WSJ wine columnists Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher. As they instructed readers at the introduction of the first Open That Bottle Night column, "Take that one old bottle, the one with the special memories, and stop obsessing about it...prepare that special meal and open that bottle."

Prominent vintners from across the U.S., each of whom was asked to bring a special bottle of wine to open at the event, joined business leaders and Journal readers at their tables. Some incredible wines were shared, but more important were the stories and memories that were shared around the table.

This gracious event successfully promoted the Weekend Journal's value to advertisers in the wine category and further established Dorothy and John as beacons in the wine and culinary culture

The evening vaulted the awareness of Weekend Journal to the top of mind for every vintner present, and for those who weren't, they heard about it through the grapevine

Advertising within the category grew an astonishing 400% within the next 18 months. The evening helped cement the popularity of Open That Bottle Night and of the Tasting Column, and established loyalty among wine enthusiast readers.