When Naked Wines launched in 2008, it offered an innovative concept. An online wine subscription company, Naked Wines funds wineries and winemakers through their customers, known as 'angels', who can then purchase wine at wholesale prices. In the 15 years that Naked Wines has been in business, they have grown to be one of the largest online wine retailers, with more than 300,000 angels in the United States and thousands more in the U.K. and Australia.
Unfortunately, wine sales have decreased overall, and with winery-direct sales, wine clubs, and retail stores, there is a lot of competition for customer acquisition in the wine industry. However, Naked Wines has a unique offering that appeals to both the customer and the winemaker.
Naked Wines Angels
There is a vast world of wine, and customers have numerous ways to purchase wine. They can purchase wine in retail stores, and they can purchase directly from wineries. They can join a winery's wine club and get monthly or quarterly shipments from the same producer. Or they can join a wine club and receive shipments of mixed bottles, some they may like more than others. But with Naked Wines, the customer can do a bit of it all. If it sounds interesting, you can sign up here.
Naked Wines "Angels" pay a monthly fee of $40, which they can bank. They can then select from hundreds of wines from around the world. The price of these wines is 40-60% less than the retail price, and there are no hidden costs. Customers are introduced to an impressive group of winemakers and wines from around the world. And if they do not like a wine, they receive a credit to purchase another wine. In addition, customers can leave reviews of the wines on the Naked Wines website, and the winemakers are the ones who respond.
According to Justin Lester of Los Angeles, who has been a Naked Wines Angel for five years, "Other wine clubs push off what they want to sell." With Naked Wines, "I pay per month and decide what I want. I am never forced to buy a specific wine and can choose the winemaker I want." Another five-year Angel, Tiki, came to Naked Wines through one of the winemakers, Rudy von Strasser. She had been a Rudy's wine club member and followed him to Naked Wines. With Naked Wines, Tiki explained, "We joined to buy Von Strasser wines but have been introduced to other new wines around the world. We will never leave."
Naked Wines Winemakers
The caliber of winemakers under the Naked Wines brand is remarkable, and the winemakers see the benefits as well. Instead of having to get bank loans or find the money to start and run a winery, Naked Wines completely finances the winemakers. They fund the winemaker to buy or grow grapes and provide access to winemaking and bottling facilities. And when the wine is finished, they take care of the sales and marketing.
Darryl Groom, who made Penfolds Grange in Australia, was one of the first winemakers to join Naked Wines more than ten years ago. He makes wines in California and Australia, all of which sell for under $20. "As a winemaker, Naked allows you to make the wines and the varieties that you are most passionate about and have the expertise and knowledge in. They don't tell you what to make or don't have ready SKUs for you to fulfill." He added that Naked Wines "take care of the things most winemakers don't like doing, like the administration, bottling, packaging, marketing, and sales. You just get to make wine and dedicate your full resources and time to that aspect."
According to Ella Worley, Wine Portfolio Lead at Naked Wines, "We offer a degree of freedom that is not possible with other winemaking jobs. Once you reach a certain level, there's a big focus on administrative tasks. A lot of the people we work with have had incredible careers, have built tons of relationships along the way, and just want to get back to winemaking. It's what they fell in love with in the first place!" By handling all aspects of production and distribution, the winemakers can focus on the art of making wine. Darryl added, "It takes away a lot of stress and makes a much happier household."
Montse Reece, who is originally from Spain, has been the winemaker at Pedroncelli Winery in Dry Creek Valley since 2007. She started making her own wine under her name for Naked Wines two years ago. "After many years working in the wine industry for different wineries, Naked Wines offered me the possibility of making my own wine, under my label, without restrictions. To me, as a winemaker, that means that I can show my style and my voice through the wine without worrying about the financing and marketing."
Working for another brand, a winemaker must keep the style of the winery. Starting one's own brand with resources like Naked Wines can offer may be cost-prohibitive for most people. "That is what makes Naked Wines so great," Montse added. "They are giving a voice to independent winemakers, and in the process, I think we are giving consumers more interesting wine choices and perspectives. I enjoy working for Naked Wine because of the freedom I have when it comes to making my wine, and I also like that I can be part of a great winemaker community."
And it is an impressive community. Domestically, Naked Wines includes winemakers such as:
- Penelope Gadd-Coster, who has been the winemaker at Schramsberg, Mumm, and J Vineyards and now has her own sparkling wine brand.
- Wayne Donaldson, the former head winemaker at Domaine Chandon, now makes his own sparkling wine brand with Naked Wines.
- Matt Parish has his own brand after working for famous brands such as Beringer, Etude, and Stag's Leap.
- Rudy von Stasser was a founding father of the Diamond Mountain District and today makes the iconic Cabernets at a more affordable price.
- Daniel Baron, who was the winemaker at Petrus and Silver Oak, is making his own affordable wine in his "retirement."
- Megan and Ryan Glaab have worked for big names such as Torbreck, Sine Qua Non, and Pax Mahle and have their own label, Ryme Cellars, where they focus on Italian varieties. With Naked Wines, they created another brand where they could focus on varieties that do not fit Ryme Cellars and were able to double production.
- Portuguese-born Ana Diogo-Draper plays with lesser-known varieties like Touriga Nacional and Tempranillo with her own brand.
- Ondine Chatton, who was the winemaker at Geyser Peak, has been making wines for Naked Wines for seven years.
- Scott Peterson, a no-holds-barred winemaker, makes the wines that he wants from California and Argentina.
- Chris Condes, a well-known organic winemaker from Mendocino, offers more affordable organic wines through his Naked Wines label.
- French-born Camille Benitah has worked at prestigious Chateaux in Bordeaux and Napa cult wines and now makes her own wines, including a fun blend of 12 grapes in her Limited Red from Paso Robles.
Naked Wines winemakers can have fun making wine without the added stress of finances and marketing.
Customers are introduced to new winemakers, new wines, and new regions, and the wines are delivered to their doors at attractive prices. Customers can communicate with the winemakers if they have a question or comment, and winemakers receive feedback directly from their customers. Naked Wines is a win-win for both the winemaker and the customer.
About the author:
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique marketing and event-planning agency. Allison is Level 3 WSET Certified from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust and is certified as an Italian Wine Specialist from the North American Sommelier Association. She also has a Master's Degree in International Communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service. As a freelance writer, she contributes to numerous publications, including California Winery Advisor and the Napa Valley Register, while eating and drinking her way around the world. She is also the host of the Wine Soundtrack podcast. You can find additional content on her blog at Please The Palate; Twitter and Instagram @plsthepalate; Facebook: Please The Palate
