[A note from Tugboat Institute: In mid-March, we pivoted from our scheduled Evergreen Journal publication calendar to produce COVID-related content to address the challenges and uncertainty of this unique time. This week, we are publishing an article written before the pandemic began because we feel the topic—innovation—is one that is more relevant now than ever. We will continue to publish COVID-related content in the weeks and months ahead, interspersed with general articles and videos that are relevant and timely.]

If you’ve spent time in the wine aisle of your local grocery store recently, you know that consumers have an almost endless array of choices. There are literally thousands of wine brands competing for your attention. We actually joke that the experience of picking a chardonnay is like picking a birthday card for your spouse: You find yourself standing in front of a seemingly unending wall of options, staring at the cards, waiting for something that’s just the right fit to jump out at you. It can be a daunting task.