Camaraderie with loyalists and an open arms policy to new recruits is key for wineries seeking to maintain healthy bottom lines in a challenging economy.
By Kathleen Willcox
There’s never been a better time to get to know your wine community than right now. We are all deeply familiar with the headwinds the wine industry is facing, from declining sales and tariff turmoil to the dawning of fire season. But amid all of the panicked hand wringing, are we ignoring the very real opportunities perched on the stool in front of us?
In an era of globalization and the possibility of having their wines sold in restaurants from Tennessee to Timbuktu, it’s easy to forget how important tasting room and wine club sales are to the average winery’s bottom line.
There are more than 11,000 wineries in the United States alone, 82% of which produce fewer than 5,000 cases of wine annually. Simply from a logistical perspective — especially amid widespread consolidation among distributors — the vast majority of these producers need to sell most of their wines directly to consumers themselves.
While wine tourism declined precipitously post-pandemic, there are signs that it’s bouncing back, with the smallest wineries (less than 1,000 cases in production) showing an incredible 14% increase in visitors year-over-year, according to the most recent numbers gathered by WineBusiness Monthly.
Winemakers themselves say they are finding that getting back to basics (prioritizing personal relationships and the art of hospitality) in tasting rooms and vineyards is paying off. But for maximum effectiveness, it’s back to basics in spirit, with a twist in delivery.
Creating Authentic Community for All
“Our tasting room is busy from the time it opens until the time it closes,” says Barry J. White, executive vice president and general manager of Ancient Peaks Winery in Paso Robles. “We get a lot of visitors, but at its core are loyal supporters who have stood by us, vintage after vintage. In this business, I think it’s easy to focus on the next customer, but we think it’s equally important to cement our relationships with our loyal supporters.”
Ancient Peaks’ wine club, which has grown 1200% since its first year of life in 2008, and accounts for about 45% of Ancient Peaks’ direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales, represents that loyal core of supporters. (About 14% of the winery’s sales overall are DTC).
That kind of growth doesn’t happen “Field of Dreams” style — building it ain’t enough these days. Wineries have to create the business, and then create reasons to stay.
In addition to hosting regular meetups and free happy hours, holiday parties, a Luau BBQ and offering discounting shipping and other perks, Ancient Peaks offers concierge services to all club members.
“They all know we are one phone call or text away to help customize shipments, place special orders or even handle bookings in the region,” White says.
Rookie of the Year
At Vina Robles in Paso Robles, director of operations Nina Leschinsky realized they weren’t doing enough to connect with young wine lovers.
“Traditional wine clubs tend to be formal, expensive and inflexible, which doesn’t appeal to people who are just starting their wine journey,” Leschinsky says. “We wanted to create something that felt more casual, welcoming and relevant to the way this demographic experiences brands. Rookie Club was born from that idea, with the goal of building community, keeping things fun, and removing the pressure often associated with wine clubs.”
Rookie Club is to wine clubs what Tinder is to marriage. The commitment is low, the outreach is via text, there is a strong social focus, and monthly pickup events feel dangerously culturally relevant, with DJs, swag, food pairings and vision boarding events.
“They’re fun and laid back, and they’ve led to increased engagement and onsite sales,” she says. “People stay, they bring friends, and they often buy more while they’re here. The approach has also fostered a genuine sense of community with our members.”
All Hands In
Dutcher Crossing Winery proprietor Debra Mathy has taken an all-hands-on-deck approach at her Dry Creek Valley winery with club members, throwing casual BBQs, pouring barrel samples, taking folks on pedicab tours and personally providing tours of the estate at pickup events.
They also throw tongue in cheek galas, like the Lady Noir Blanc release (in honor of Mathy’s dog, Lady) and offer crafty workshops like floral design where participants snip and sip. The team even occasionally lets wine club members collaborate on limited production blends.
“At Dutcher Crossing, winemaking is a collaborative and deeply personal journey,” Mathy says. “I work hand-in-hand with our winemaker, Nick Briggs, and associate winemaker, Paul Kochevar, to craft small-lot, handcrafted wines from seven distinct AVAs across Northern California. This broad sourcing gives us the creative freedom to make both classic varietals and unexpected, expressive blends.”
For the 2023 Kupferschmid White Wine — a blend of Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc — wine club members took part in an intimate blending session with Mathy and the winemaking team, exploring different combinations until the vibrant and fresh final finished wine was agreed upon.
Stoking FOMO With Exclusives
Camaraderie with loyalists and an open arms policy to new recruits is key for wineries seeking to maintain healthy bottom lines in a challenging economy. But inclusivity actually pairs surprisingly well with exclusivity, if done correctly.
At Clif Family Winery in St. Helena, which produces 15,000 cases annually and sells 85% of its wine DTC, creating a welcoming space for loyal supporters while quietly but obviously showcasing the benefits of being an insider, has engendered a sense of community with the “in crowd” and a desire to join among observers.
On Wednesdays, the tasting room has become a hub for wine club members, local fans and visitors alike, as it is one of the few wineries with a space open after 5 p.m. (It closes at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, a few hours after most tasting rooms in Napa shutter for the evening).
The Clif Family Bruschetteria Food Truck, which offers organic estate-grown and now legendary locally prepared dishes such as seasonal salads, porchetta bruschetta and street food options (including funnel cake and chili cheese dogs) on Wednesday, often sells out well ahead of opening time thanks to an online menu-ordering system, winemaker Laura Barrett explains. Wine club members get 20% off of every food truck order (so far this year, insiders have redeemed this perk 500+ times), a free espresso drink and, often, a personal greeting upon entering.
Ancient Peaks, meanwhile, is in the process of building out an airline-style insider loyalty program that recognizes the people who have helped make their business feel more like a family for decades.
“Our highest club tier, the 12-gauge, with 12 bottles delivered quarterly already offers six complimentary tastings, a complimentary Ranch and Vineyard Tour for six, zipline for two, a round of golf at local golf course and a 30% discount on wine,” says White, explaining that the “freebies” offered on the 14,000-acre launch and through long-term local business partners, add up to $760. “But we want to do more. We’re still working out the details, but there may be pins that celebrate milestones, like a black pin for one year in the club, copper for five years, platinum for 10. The idea is to signal our tasting room team so we can make an extra effort to build upon the long relationship.”
If you build it they may come … but if it ends up being an impersonal snooze, they will leave. The wine industry is a business built on relationships and a sense of community. Inclusive, exclusive, with perks.
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Kathleen Willcox
Kathleen Willcox writes about wine, food and culture from her home in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. She is keenly interested in sustainability issues, and the business of making ethical drinks and food. Her work appears regularly in Wine Searcher, Wine Enthusiast, Liquor.com and many other publications. Kathleen also co-authored a book called Hudson Valley Wine: A History of Taste & Terroir, which was published in 2017. Follow her wine explorations on Instagram at @kathleenwillcox
