7 WINERY EVENT IDEAS TO BOOST BUSINESS

Regular events can benefit wineries, whether they are hosting them for wine club members or their customers. Wineries can increase their visibility, generate revenue and improve their local reputation by hosting exciting and engaging events. Winery managers, venue managers, revenue directors, sales teams, and winery owners can also use events to increase business from specific market segments, increase future bookings, and improve their reputation as a unique occasion venue. We can help you find winery event ideas that appeal to your customers and benefit businesses.

This post will explore the many events that vineyards and wineries can benefit from hosting. This article reviews winery event ideas that can help you attract new customers, increase customer loyalty, boost your local business, drive event referrals, and many other benefits. Events can be used to attract wine lovers from all walks of life, including corporate clients and large corporations.

These winery events will increase the appeal of your venue.

Wineries do not receive their revenue solely from wine sales. A winery’s revenue can be affected by special events. Many venues attribute significant portions of their profits to hosting social gatherings and training sessions.

1. You can host wine tastings frequently.

This is the simplest of our winery events ideas for wine tastings. Wineries can make a lot of money by having tasting rooms on-site. Direct-to-consumer tasting room sales offer more significant profit margins by eliminating the intermediary’s expenses of selling through a distributor or supermarket.

Hosting wine-tasting events can appeal to a broad audience. The most popular tasting styles are:

Horizontal tastings. Present wines made from different wineries in the same year. Explore a region to discover the other wines produced during a single year. Note differences in taste as you travel from east to west.
Vertical tastings. You can create a list of wines made at the same winery but from different years. Examine how wines change from one year to the next. Examine the environmental factors that influenced the growth season and the changes in grape production, which impact the characteristics of each wine.
Blind tastings. Choose 3-5 wines from the same variety, wines of similar style, and made with the same grape type but from different regions. Tasters are told the varietal but not the part or brand ahead of time. Based on the characteristics of the wine, guests try to identify the region that produced it.
Double-blind tastings. Double-blind tastings can be the most challenging tasting for wine connoisseurs. Wines are usually placed in bags, and guests are not allowed to see them as the tasters try to identify the vintage and varietal of each wine.

Members-only tastings are available to wine clubs only. Members-only “first tasting” events are open at a discounted rate. Before the general public, wine club members can taste the newest wines at the winery’s first tasting event.

2. Host a bridal expo.

Hosting a bridal show expo will help you highlight your winery’s services for weddings and generate buzz about future events. The event can be used to promote your winery’s status as a top-rated wedding venue in the region. A local tradeshow can significantly impact your business, whether you are trying to increase your wedding business or capture new customers.

Promote the event to increase expo attendance as a stress-free, fun way to simplify the wedding planning process. Include a variety of local vendors to create a one-stop-shop for engaged couples, such as:

Event planners
Caterers
Hairstylists
Makeup artists
Photographers
Cake designers
Officiants
Florists
Entertainers

You can promote the event online by creating a page and inviting people to join you. You can give tours of the winery, show day-of preparation areas, and showcase your event services. You can further cement your reputation as a trusted wedding venue by listing your winery on Cvent, along with a description of your platform, services, and package options.

3. Wine-blending parties are a great idea.

Wine blending parties allow guests to combine wine varieties and experiment with flavors and textures to create unique blends. Wine merging parties allow guests to experiment with wines from different regions and varietals aged in various types of barrels.

Event guests can make their bottles for home by paying an additional fee. Although not all blends will be tasty, partygoers can have fun creating their unique combinations.

Wine blending parties can be promoted as a unique date idea or group activity. You can also drive additional winery revenues by marketing blended take-home wines as the perfect personalized gift. Large workshops for companies and other organizations can maximize the potential of merging parties.

4. Plan a wine- and cheese tour.

Local cheesemakers and farmers can get together to create a “wine-and-cheese walk”. Event Diagramming Software can be used to create the event layout. This will ensure that all vendors have sufficient setup space and access to electrical equipment.

A map with the locations of all the vendors, activities, and shops is given to attendees upon arrival. A variety of stations and activities are set up to keep people engaged.

Exhibit “Cheeses of the world”.
Cheesemaking videos
Grape stomping Station
Pairings of gourmet wine and cheese
Demonstrations of “Cooking with Wine”

Guests should create objectives to win prizes such as wine tastings, visits to every booth, or buying bottles to take home. Participants earn stamps on their maps by visiting various stations, participating in activities, and completing challenges. The event participants will receive a prize if they collect more stamps.

5. Organise corporate team-building events

Add corporate team-building events as part of your unique event offerings to increase your winery’s popularity as a venue for corporate meetings and events. Businesses, corporate groups, and organizations can create customized team-building packages. You can make unique team-building activities tailored to your business clients’ space and needs. Organise wine-themed exercises and activities, such as:

Grape stomping. Grape-stomping, also known as grape-treading, is a memorable team activity. Teams will enjoy the tradition of grape stomping together, creating a lasting memory as grapes squeeze between their toes.
Scavenger hunts. Participants must work together to solve riddles, clues, and puzzles while moving through the vineyard and around the grounds. The activity requires creativity, problem-solving, quick thinking, and resourcefulness.
Blind tastings. Blind tastings are the same as regular blind tastings. The only difference is that the groups work together to identify the wines.

Team events should be focused on communication, trust-building, and group decision-making. Encourage event participants to participate by encouraging enthusiasm and maintaining high energy.

6. Learn winemaking skills through masterclasses.

Ecotourism is a rapidly growing market. Its value has risen from $6.98 Billion in 2021 to $7.68 Billion in 2022. This demonstrates a compound annual rate of 10%. The wine tourism industry will reach $12.99 billion by 2026. You can capitalize on this growing trend by including winemaking masterclasses in your winery event list.

Masterclasses are a great way to learn about wineries behind closed doors. Invite your guests to peek behind the scenes and see what a day is like for a winemaker. Masterclass guests will have the opportunity to tour the vineyards and learn about the winemaking process from the people who made them.

Masterclasses tend to be more intimate and exclusive, so limit your attendance to keep the class small. The course is highly complete and personal, so ticket prices should reflect this. Attendees will receive one-on-one training from an expert winemaker. These events are full of dialogue, which provides excellent opportunities for strengthening relationships and making connections.

7. Announce a dinner with winemakers.

An exclusive winemaker dinner will be held to promote your winemakers and show off their talents. The event will offer attendees the chance to meet and dine with winery stars, learn about their process, and discover winery secrets that are only available to some. The event is a unique opportunity for patrons and winemakers to meet, talk, and see their passion for vinifying.

Make wine the star of your dinner menu and promote local farms by showcasing their fresh ingredients. Promotive wine bundles can help you generate additional revenue. You can include the evening’s highlights wines and other specialty bundles that were hand-picked for you by the guest of honor.

To ensure winemakers can have one-on-one interactions with guests, host a cocktail reception before or after the dinner. Offer to take guests on a guided tour of the winery. This will deepen their connection with the brand.