Wine tasting with a side of scenery: WA wine conference delves into demand for experiences
KENNEWICK — Over the past 20 to 30 years, Yakima Valley wineries and wine producers across the state have bottled a wide array of award-winning varieties that are increasingly available for the public to purchase and consume.
Nearly all of them are available at the grocery store.
What brings people out to winery tasting rooms, whether they’re located in an urban setting or out on the vineyard, is an experience that goes beyond simply drinking and purchasing wine, industry leaders said as they gathered Monday for the Washington Winegrowers Association’s annual WineVit meeting in Kennewick.
“People aren’t coming to your vineyard just to get a bottle of wine. If they just wanted a bottle of wine, they could go to the grocery store. What they’re looking for is an experience,” said Jessica Murray, a researcher and instructor at Washington State University’s Carson College of Business.
“Besides tangible products, like the wine you’re selling, focus on the intangible aspects of the experience — the setting, taking photos, the interaction with your staff,” Murray said. “We’re not just selling wine. This is a valuable experience for your guests.”
Murray and other professionals in the wine industry spoke Monday afternoon during three hour-long question and answer sessions on business development for wineries and vineyards.
Topics included marketing, coordinating multiple tasting rooms and finding workers in a challenging hiring environment.
The WineVit convention continues through Thursday morning at the Three Rivers Convention Center and Toyota Center in Kennewick.
Survey says …
April Reddout, owner of the Tri-Cities based Reddout Wine Consulting, reviewed the results of last year’s Washington Tasting Room Survey, which had 73 participating wineries of various sizes from across the state.
Of those participating wineries, 64% have one tasting room, with most charging $15 for wine tasting, Reddout said. Many of the survey participants offer club memberships, which she encouraged for both local and out-of-state visitors.
“That’s a sign of a healthy business, to have a very engaged wine club,” she said. “Focus on increasing out-of-state memberships. They can become loyal ambassadors for your business.”
The survey revealed that wine club members spend an average of $35 for each newsletter they receive. It also revealed that wineries are relying primarily on Facebook and Instagram as their social media outreach methods, while virtually ignoring TikTok.
” Facebook appeals to the 45 and over crowd,” Reddout said, encouraging more winery owners to promote themselves via TikTok videos.
Josh Kandle, digital marketing specialist with the Crimson Vine Marketing agency in Prosser, said wineries must continue to review their digital footprint, with Google and Apple business listings, online reviews and social media all leading potential customers to a winery website.
“It’s no longer just your website. Your digital footprint is multi-faceted,” Kandle said. “Optimize your Google business listing and stay on top of it.”
Agritourism
Murray, the WSU researcher and instructor who also is co-founder of the new AgRooted platform, stressed that wineries are the largest sector of agritourism. To attract those tourists, enhancements to the tasting room experience play a big role.
Besides live music and special events, these enhancements can include vineyard tours, lunch and dinner menus and even on-site lodging. Murray noted overnight stays on the vineyard are becoming popular, especially in California.
Tourists are seeking unique experiences and nostalgia, so while walking through vineyards or meeting dogs and other animals might seem ordinary to winery or vineyard owners, visitors will remember those experiences and associate them with the wine, Murray said.
“The number of people who want to see a tractor is just ridiculous,” she added, drawing laughter from the room.
Shane Collins, with Rocky Pond Winery near Chelan, serves as chair of the Washington Winegrowers Association’s Board of Directors, and he agreed that selling the overall experience is important.
“In my area, Douglas and Chelan counties, that’s something that people want,” Collins said. “You see a lot of wineries with vineyards that have restaurants there … you can see what’s going on in the vineyard, taste our wines and eat lunch. People want that whole experience.”
Collins and board vice chair Dustin Tobin, of Precept Wine Brands in Prosser, said WineVit is an annual chance to see others from the wine industry face to face, and learn how they run their operation.
“For me, it’s a rejuvenation every year,” Collins added. “I’m always looking for one or two new things, hearing what people do differently. I’m always looking for a couple things from the trade show, maybe some new innovations that can help me on the farm.”
“The timing is perfect,” Tobin said of WineVit. “We’re just starting to prune, the first movement of the growing season is starting. You may not cover new material, but it’s good to be refreshed. It kind of gets you really excited about the upcoming growing season.”