Strategies Wente Uses to Connect with Consumers During Pandemic

Wente Vineyards released an app on Alexa and Google Home devices in May that allows customers to experience a virtual wine tasting.

One of the digital team members of Livermore, California winery pitched the idea earlier this year, and it was immediately jumped on. From ideation to execution it took about a month, with a small internal team working collaboratively and with an external agency, Southern Made, that has experience developing voice apps.

“We were excited to try and leverage a technology that had not previously been used by other wine companies to connect with consumers,” said Aly Wente, Senior Brand Manager. “We are excited to keep learning about how we can evolve and grow the experience to be meaningful and exciting to consumers.”

In the experience, people have the option to learn more about tasting wine in general with a “how-to” if they are new to tasting.

“Consumers can expect to enjoy a new way to experience a ‘wine tasting,’ that encourages them to make time for at home fun and education,” Wente said. 

“They will learn about Wente Vineyards; our history, impact on Chardonnay, appellations (Livermore Valley and Arroyo Seco), and some of our core principles of winemaking. We also walk them through three of our most ‘popular’ wines, Morning Fog Chardonnay, Riva Ranch Vineyard Chardonnay and Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon.”

COVID-19 has made the winery turn to technology more than ever before. 

Aly and Niki Wente, 5th generation winegrowers, began hosting Wente Wine Wednesday each week on Instagram and Facebook live when the shutdown started in March. They launched a #MakeTime blog, supporting Wente’s #MakeTime movement, a core value — “to inspire people to make time for what matters” — to the company.

“So far, we have received a lot of great feedback on the Wine Wednesday series and ongoing #MakeTime content,” Wente said. “We plan to keep these two programs running beyond the world of COVID-19 to continue to reach across geographic boundaries and connect with consumers around the globe.”