The Newsroom · The Trade
The Trade
Field editorials on the industry, case minimums, lead times, what 'bonded' actually means.
See the the trade program →Private Label Wine Has a New Margin Story
On the cost-of-goods math that has changed enough to make small-batch private label viable for the first time.
Wine for Real Estate Closing Gifts: The Right Calibration
On the bottle the real estate agent gives at closing, and the design discipline that turns it into a referral.
Wine in Hospitality Marketing: When the Bottle Is the Brand
On the hospitality category that has decided the bottle is a brand asset, not a cost line.
The 250-Case Minimum Is the Wine Industry's Oldest Lie
Why the case minimum has never been about the wine, and what changes when the winery owns the printer.
What 'Bonded' Actually Means
A short field note on what 'licensed and bonded' really signals when a winery uses the phrase, and why the answer matters more for a custom-label program than for anything else.
Restaurant Sommelier Selection Programs
On the restaurant whose wine director designs the house wine.
The Corporate-Gift Bottle, Reconsidered
A note for the executive thinking about end-of-year gifting, on why the custom-label wine ages better as a corporate gift than the corporate gift it replaces.
Custom Labels for Restaurants: House Pour, Marketing Dollar
On the restaurant's house wine as a brand asset and a marketing line item.
The Country Club House Wine, in Detail
A short trade editorial for the club beverage director, on what a true house wine actually does for the dining program, and what it doesn't.
Lead Time Realities in California Custom Wine
On the honest numbers between order and delivery, and the bottlenecks in the industry.
Wine Allocations for Private Clubs: A Structural Primer
On how private clubs receive prioritized allocation, and what that means in practice.
The Country Club Reciprocity Bottle
On the bottle a club's members take to other clubs, and the brand asset that follows them.
Importer vs Custom Labeler: The Structural Difference
On why a custom labeler is not an importer, and what that means for the customer's choice.
The Tax and Compliance Angle: TTB Labels in Plain English
On the federal compliance work that happens before the bottle ever ships.
The Reseller Question: Can a Club Resell Its Allocation
On the regulatory and operational question of whether a custom-label customer can resell the bottles.
Estate-Sourced vs Bulk Wine: How to Read the Bottle
On the difference, often invisible to the buyer, between an estate wine and a bulk-sourced custom label.
Distributor Math, And Why It Hides the True Cost
A short trade piece on the three-tier system, the markup chain, and what the customer is actually paying for at each tier.
The Bonded Warehouse, In Plain English
On what bonded inventory actually does, why it matters to the customer who never sees it, and what most marketing copy gets wrong.
The Corporate Holiday Wine Gift: Real Budget Math
On the wine gift to clients and employees, and the honest economics of doing it well versus doing it generically.
Hotel Welcome Wine Programs: Branding the In-Room Experience
On the bottle that arrives in the hotel room before the guest does.