“Do something!” That’s my mantra when we face challenges, and there’s no better example than Come Over October, an international promotion of wine as the beverage that has brought us together for 8,000 years. Co-founders Karen MacNeil, Kimberly Noelle Charles and Gino Colangelo volunteered their time and creativity, inspiring many members of the wine industry to join the celebration for a second year. See the results below. —Jim Trezise, President, WineAmerica
By Kimberly Noelle Charles, DipWSET
When Karen MacNeil, Gino Colangelo and I launched Come Over October in 2024, we knew the wine industry needed a positive message. What surprised us wasn’t just how many people joined in, it was how the concept resonated to every corner of the wine world — from restaurants to retail shops to wholesalers to winery sales and even to gatherings at home.
This year brought two important developments worth noting.
First, Canada came aboard. Wine Growers Canada launched a coordinated national digital, social and earned media campaign that reached more than 25 million consumers. The campaign was amplified through unique wine country activations, retail and destination marketing partnerships, and direct-to-consumer initiatives under a unified programmatic theme.
Timed around Canadian Thanksgiving and the Toronto Blue Jays‘ World Series run, the campaign leveraged moments of national pride and community to deliver authentic messages of human connection, Arterra Wines Canada ran a countrywide program that reached more than 32 million people through media coverage and retail displays at stores like Fortinos and Metro. It hosted an event with the Toronto Star, paired the campaign with a $25,000 donation to Right to Food Canada, and essentially demonstrated how the concept translates across borders.
Creative applications
We were also inspired by new and creative ways to express the campaign’s core message of gathering. Sonoma County’s Jackson Family Wines tracked real results: $78,000 in wine sales, 65 new club members, nearly 3,000 tasting room visits. It now has a year-round Social Hour event to inspire locals and out-of-towners to make JFW wineries their favorite post-work get-together spot. In Napa Valley, PEJU Winery built a 10-week culinary series for our spring campaign, Share & Pair Sundays, pairing everything from aguachile verde to Peking duck with their wines.
Many meaningful activations leaned into cultural authenticity. LXV Wine in Paso Robles coordinated with Theópolis Vineyards and RD Winery to highlight South Indian, Southern soul food and Vietnamese cuisines — each winery sharing recipes that connected their wines to heritage and memory.
During Share & Pair Sundays this past spring, noted chef Lidia Bastianich contributed family recipes and was featured on our content channel, Wine, Food & Friends, where we continue to showcase what wine means to cultural influencers across the spectrum.
Growing across sectors
Retail outlets proved more willing to experiment than we expected. Total Wine & More once again activated 270 stores with signage and video content. Constellation Brands worked with Kroger on in-store media that delivered strong sales and high visibility. Gary’s Wine in Napa Valley filmed weekly segments with its staff and local food artisans, turning the campaign into a platform for great storytelling rather than just a sales vehicle.
Regional groups added local flavor, including Texas once again anointing its October wine month as “Come On Over Y’all.” Long Island Wine Country jumped in with enthusiasm, encouraging email marketing and special events among its members, while the Boisset Collection activated its Wine Society to host in-home events with various winery selections for instant entertaining ideas. We loved the velocity of new adopters this year.
Connect and celebrate
Our Wine Enthusiast nomination for Person(s) of the Year for this year’s Wine Star Awards was a great surprise and, although we didn’t win, the recognition mattered. President and Publisher Jacki Strum’s comment resonated when she said Karen, Gino and I “harnessed the power of collaboration” to bring people together, “unifying the fragmented wine community under a single banner, and inspiring other regions and organizations to embrace the cause.”
That’s what Come Over October has always been about — creating a space where everyone can participate, connect and celebrate wine culture together. The three of us cherish the European notion that wine is food and that it is a beautiful bond that connects us better than any other beverage. And now the movement is no longer just an idea; it’s a growing international effort that continues reminding us that wine is best enjoyed together.
Kimberly Noelle Charles, DipWSET, is the president and founder of Charles Communications Associates and a co-founder of COME TOGETHER: A Community for Wine along with Karen MacNeil and Gino Colangelo. For more information about Come Over October, visit www.comeoveroctober.com
