TASTING ROOMS THE BULL OF THE INDUSTRY?
As far as building your brand goes, just how effective are wine-tasting rooms? For many people, that first visit to California or Washington marks a whole new foray into wine-drinking, jump-starting a trend that stays with them forever – and gets passed to neighbors and friends alike. (“You’ve got to go to Napa,” or “this wine is amazing, try some.”) Wine knowledge is a commodity, and an impressive commodity at that. SFGate.com ran an article over this very topic which got me thinking – tasting rooms just could be the crux of the business.
Tasting rooms give small wineries the opportunity to build business and brand awareness, while also giving large wineries the chance to connect with consumers on a more personal level. It’s not just about the wine’s quality anymore. It’s also about reenacting a memory of that particular winery and everything associated. People choose the wine they will drink for years based on things like the personality of the winery, and the people leading the tours and pouring the wine. Most importantly, consumers associate the wine they choose with how they see themselves. Some might like Peju because of the funny guy in the back leading the tastings, while others prefer St. Supery with modern art paintings and sheer, white curtains – something they also enjoy. MFK Research managing director Barbara Insel says that 72% of consumers cited a previous visit to a winery as a factor in why they buy a particular wine – just behind recommendations from friends and sommeliers or wine shop owners.
All in all, wine tastings don’t come cheap. Some wineries in Napa charge as much as $25 for an entry-level tasting, and even more to move up to the “reserve room.” It’s a great marketing move because it’s teaching tourists that wine is valuable, and worth the money. Even for the wineries that don’t charge extra, most people will not leave empty handed. MKF reports that the average tasting room visitor spent $42.54 in 2004. Even more astonishing, wineries that produce less than 5,000 cases per year sell approximately 40% of their product directly to consumers, mainly through tasting rooms.
Wine sales are boosted by word-of-mouth recommendations, plain and simple. Every time people enter a wine tasting room, it delivers a message whether it’s family-owned or backed by a corporation. And once someone decides they like a particular winery, they will often join a wine club and then spread the news to family and friends. It’s almost like the consumer is paying the winery to advertise its product.
Tasting rooms give small wineries the opportunity to build business and brand awareness, while also giving large wineries the chance to connect with consumers on a more personal level. It’s not just about the wine’s quality anymore. It’s also about reenacting a memory of that particular winery and everything associated. People choose the wine they will drink for years based on things like the personality of the winery, and the people leading the tours and pouring the wine. Most importantly, consumers associate the wine they choose with how they see themselves. Some might like Peju because of the funny guy in the back leading the tastings, while others prefer St. Supery with modern art paintings and sheer, white curtains – something they also enjoy. MFK Research managing director Barbara Insel says that 72% of consumers cited a previous visit to a winery as a factor in why they buy a particular wine – just behind recommendations from friends and sommeliers or wine shop owners.
All in all, wine tastings don’t come cheap. Some wineries in Napa charge as much as $25 for an entry-level tasting, and even more to move up to the “reserve room.” It’s a great marketing move because it’s teaching tourists that wine is valuable, and worth the money. Even for the wineries that don’t charge extra, most people will not leave empty handed. MKF reports that the average tasting room visitor spent $42.54 in 2004. Even more astonishing, wineries that produce less than 5,000 cases per year sell approximately 40% of their product directly to consumers, mainly through tasting rooms.
Wine sales are boosted by word-of-mouth recommendations, plain and simple. Every time people enter a wine tasting room, it delivers a message whether it’s family-owned or backed by a corporation. And once someone decides they like a particular winery, they will often join a wine club and then spread the news to family and friends. It’s almost like the consumer is paying the winery to advertise its product.
posted at 11:09 AM
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