One example of this is what Amanda described in her family's partnership with a Chinese businessman who wanted to be able to create wine for gifting purposes, but another example I stumbled upon is the Vines of Mendoza, which allows people to buy plots of land on which grapes are then farmed on their behalf. Individuals and families can then participate in the harvesting and crushing of these grapes if they so desire, and can decide what they might want to do with that wine (store, sell, gift etc.) over time.
Although it's hard to determine exactly how well they are doing, I'm surprised and touched by the variety of customer testimonials they have online. Plot owners range from older Brazillian educators on the boards of universities fulfilling a lifelong dream, to younger medical professionals in San Francisco hoping to make their own bottle even if a trip to Mendoza isn't feasible. Many of the blurbs articulate a desire for that personal touch, or "authentic" experience, without the fuss of having to own that end to end process fully.
I'd be curious to see how they grow over time, especially as some of the wines produced by Vines of Mendoza (not on behalf of individuals) begin winning more awards and being served at restaurants.
Here is their website for reference - http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/private_vineyard/en/
Trish, thanks for the post. The trend of authenticity and "putting your mark" on a product is strong. I think this has also contributed to the rise of private label wines. Private label wine is thought of most commonly as store-brand grocery store wine, like Kirkland Signature wine or Trader Joes wine, but consumers and small brands are also getting in on the game. For everything from weddings, corporate events, and winemaking hobbies, private label producers allow folks to get as involved as they want with the production of wine, without having to reinvent the wheel by creating or acquiring their own winery. The convenience and outsourcing-of-expertise factors you mentioned apply here, too. Private labels let customers learn as much as they want about the process, but step in when the customer no longer wants to be involved.
ReplyDelete