Wineries are continually coming up with new ideas to provide more personalised experiences that are very popular.  It is human nature to look for something personal and unique when it comes to treating a loved one or friends and family. Of course, gifting is a personal thing and the thought that goes into the gift sometimes outweighs the gift itself.

Customers have a romantic vision when it comes to wineries and many would like to see themselves as the owner of a winery (although only you know the real hard work that is involved). Some wineries offer exquisite luxury services such as a flying helicopter tour or a truffle hunting expedition, but most of them will go with what they have right under their noses with a little thought and a sprinkle of creativity you can provide such unforgettable experiences.

Experiences like walking in the vines with the winemaker or barrel tastings are very popular and in most instances, need to be booked well in advance and are limited in terms of numbers to keep the experience personal. The cost to run these types of experiences is, in the main the winemakers time and many wineries utilise less senior staff but it does depend on the size of the wineries. 

Another big one is vertical tastings, these are only by booking and would be strictly limited in terms of numbers as the tasting numbers need to equate to the full bottle of wine. Verticals are very popular for the more refined palette and as such cost is not normally too important as the cost is not just about the wines being tasted it is the whole experience, the winemaker, the location, the matched cheeses or food if relevant and maybe this is the only way to purchase these wines afterwards, driving even more income.

Some wineries are even charging their customers to help them pick grapes and to assist in various other tasks during vintage, a very clever way of employing a few extra hands to help out for the day. This is often promoted as a full-day event which starts with a breakfast or a morning tea and the following introduction to the day ahead followed by picking and carrying and then lunch in the winery or barrel room followed by a variety of tasks in the afternoon and a tasting with cheeses etc to finish. We have seen prices for this type of experience exceeding $700 for the day and again, limiting numbers is the key to providing a great experience.

Some wineries only offer this to their top tier customers based on spend and with vinCreative, you can add in the loyalty program and give a specific role to these ‘big spenders’ and making them feel even more special. You advertise this on your website and this becomes the classic 'I want to do that so they will spend more money to get the chance to have that experience next year!'