Dear Friends,
As we all have experienced, COVID has upset businesses and lives across the world. Brooks was greatly impacted too, but thanks to your support of buying wine and visiting us, we have pulled through to take 2021 head-on. One of the greatest lessons I learned last year was how fragile revenue sources can be in our industry. The most stable line for us was our wine club, followed by steady online purchases and visits by you. In running a business, wine club membership allows me to closely predict my revenue for the year whereas online purchase patterns are very hard to predict.
I started our wine clubs in 2006. As we expanded our line of wines and moved into the new building in 2014, I did hours and hours of research about wine clubs and was determined to offer the best clubs benefits of any winery I had seen. Based on our growth in recent years, I would say that goal has been met… although, with the onset of COVID, I just expanded benefits for 2021.
Our wine club has been 1/3 of our revenue for years. We learned last year that a single mandate from governmental officials can shut down 2/3 of our business overnight (the tasting room and restaurants across the country). The beauty of the wine club is that it is made up of individuals. The collective support of all of these individual members is the strongest and most stable part of our business.
We have some of the best wine club benefits in the industry, and I hope you will take a few minutes to read this email and consider joining the other Brooks Wine club family members in 2021.
Happy Sunday!
BASE MEMBER BENEFITS
We have 3 different clubs: 12 bottles, 6 bottles and 4 bottles. The 12 bottle club ships twice a year and the 6 and 4 bottle clubs ship 3 times a year. All club memberships include the following:
- First access to club-only bottlings
- In the tasting room, save 50% on bottles consumed on site, and enjoy a Flight or Glass on the house!
- Invitation to members-only events per year
- Exclusive discounts on experiences and other winery events
Discounts per shipment are as high as 25% for the 12 bottle club and range to 10% for the 4 bottle club. Free shipping is included for the 12 and 6 bottle clubs. The 12 bottle club is the ONLY club where you can pick and choose your wines. More information can be found here.
NEW BENEFITS for 2021
For 2021, we are adding the following benefits to ALL clubs:
- Add The Cheese Please: An option to add cheese to your shipment and attend a wine and cheese pairing virtual event with our winemaker, myself, and Sheri Allen, a Wine Club Member who has more wine knowledge and credentials than most in the USA. All cheeses will be from domestic creameries.
- Exclusive Access To Wines: Given the limited inventory levels because we will not have wine from 2020, we will be releasing many wines (small production, varietals not common in the WV, limited release wines) to Club Members before the public.
- Virtual Events at No Charge: We did over 100 virtual events in 2020. Beginning in 2021, we will be charging an event fee in addition to the wine purchase for these events. This event fee will be waived for Wine Club Members.
HEAR IT FOR YOURSELF
Our Wine Club Members are our extended family, whether near or far. Approximately ¾ of our Members are spread throughout 48 states, the rest are local Oregonians. Our benefits are purposefully intended to please whether you are close in proximity to the winery or not. And as compelling as our benefits and wines are, as you will hear, it is our commitments to the environment, our community, and our hospitality that differentiates us from other wine clubs. Plus, what other winery do you know that has a Director of Wine Club Happiness?
Still have questions? Email Heather, our Director of Wine Club Happiness!
Thank you for your consideration. If Wine Clubs are not for you, please keep supporting us through visiting the tasting room or online purchasing.
It was a tough week out there, but there was a highlight to January 6th–it was Pascal’s 25th Birthday!
Reach out anytime: [email protected] or cell: 831-238-4828.
Be well,
Janie