Curbside Pickups and Hand-Delivery New DTC Options Under Social Distancing
As Americans self-quarantine, whether by choice or based on local government guidance, enterprising wineries are stepping up their delivery games to ensure that those sequestered in their homes can still buy—and drink—wine.
Wineries around the country are offering shipping specials, anything from $5 per case to 1-cent shipping or shipping included. But, as wineries nationwide reported in last year’s WBM/Silicon Valley Bank Insights into Successful Consumer Wine Sales survey, 47 percent of their wine club members are actually locals. In many regions, like Lodi, the Sierra Foothills, Virginia and New York, that percentage is even higher.
To accommodate their best—and closest—customer bases as well as spur sales, a number of wineries are going a step further than shipping discounts.
In Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Stoller Wine Group, owners of Stoller Family Estate and Chehalem Winery, started curbside pick-up to provide local consumers a chance to escape their homes and interact with tasting room employees in an orderly way. Customers need only place an order online or call in, and a member of the winery team will be there waiting to put their bottles in the car upon arrival.
“We’ve heard from many of our members and regular guests that they appreciate the option to still support local businesses and the opportunity to get out of their house in a safe environment,” said Tracy Timmins, vice president of direct sales for Stoller Wine Group.
This isn’t a novel concept for the winery either. “We had a chance to trial-run curbside pickup efforts last August during our wine club party at Stoller Family Estate. We were planning to do curbside pickup at all pickup parties going forward, but with the COVID-19 mitigation efforts growing, we figured we could offer the service as a means to keep our employees working and give our guests access to our wines,” she said.
Down in Santa Barbara, Jamie Slone Wines is offering complimentary shipping for online sales as well as curbside sales—but is also offering a special hand delivery to those buyers in the area. As 95 percent of its business is in DTC, it’s hoping these efforts will keep sales moving. Geyserville, California based Pech Merle Winery is doing much the same, providing a curb-side pickup option as well as local delivery to those who purchase 6 or more bottles in Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties.
To those located within a 30-mile radius of Healdsburg-based Amista Vineyards, purchases will be hand-delivered by either the tasting room manager, director of sales and marketing, or the wine club coordinator.
“We have some members that have not picked up their most recent Wine Club releases and we thought it would be a wonderful gesture to get their wine to them during this time and offer additional purchases to those that are big supporters of our brand,” said Robert Rainwater, director of sales and marketing. So far, they have seen orders from recent visitors as well as wine club members that live a little further.
At Stoller, Timmins is looking into the delivery option as well. “Right now, we are looking into the legal requirements about local deliveries in Oregon. This is an avenue we may adopt as we adapt to the pandemic,” she said.
Will these wineries continue with these procedures after COVID-19 quarantines?
Timmins is very optimistic about curbside pickup. “Absolutely,” she said. “The option for people to swing by Stoller Family Estate or the Chehalem tasting room and pick up wine purchased online or over the phone, without the hassle of getting out of their car has been so well received, why wouldn’t we continue to offer the service?”
When it comes to deliveries? “We're in uncharted waters,” said Rainwater.” We'll assess once things settle down and see if it’s of value to people living within a 30-mile radius of our tasting room.”
New Updates:
In addition to complimentary shipping on orders of six or more bottles, Marimar Estate is offering curbside pickup and complimentary delivery to buyers located within 15 miles of the tasting room.
Willamette Valley Vineyards offers complimentary local wine delivery on new wine orders of $100 or more. They're serving Salem, Keizer, Albany, Corvallis, McMinnville and surrounding area residents. Orders must be placed by 5 p.m. for next day delivery. Someone 21 years or older is required to sign for the package.
Easley Winery is using their downtown Indianapolis tasting room as a hub for curbside delivery.
The J. Wilkes Tasting Room will remain open from 12-7 p.m. daily for wine purchases, and pick-up in room or curbside. The winery will also offer free delivery to Santa Barbara, Goleta, Montecito, and Carpenteria.
Andis Wines purchasers can request a curb side pickup that staff will bring out to vehicles when they arrive.
If you live in the surrounding areas (Geyserville, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Windsor, certain areas of Santa Rosa) and would like Trentadue wines delivered, the team there will arrange to have one of its team members deliver the wines to your home, free of charge.
Moshin Vineyards is accepting online and Will Call “Curbside” orders. Local can call 707-433-5499 and place an order over the phone, as well as schedule a time to drive by. A team member will happily, and safely, place your order in your trunk.
This article originally appeared on winebusiness.com on March 17, 2020.