When you choose a nice bottle of wine to drink, what are you looking for besides balance and structure? How about Authenticity and a touch of Awesome? And if you are selecting a wine to sell, would you stake your reputation on it? That’s the thought process behind the team at Wine Access (www.wineaccess.com) whose management team say they take the guesswork out of selecting wine.
Wine Access offers a selection of curated wines from around the world from both established producers and new discoveries, as well as a selection of sakes. Wine Access also features a selection of proprietary wines created in partnership with top winemakers and sold exclusively through their online platform.
Launched 20 years ago initially as a web hosting platform for brick and mortar stores and wine publications, Wine Access has grown to become one of the leading direct to consumer wine companies in the United States. Wine selections are offered both online and through a daily email offers.
The Connected Table sat down with Joe Fisch, Wine Access CEO/CFO, and Vanessa Conlin, Head of Wine, to discuss how Wine Access works and what sets it apart. Fisch and Conlin were quick to address their #1 priority- offering their customers access, expertise and ease when it comes to buying wine.
Recording The Connected Table SIPS! podcast with Joe Fisch and Vanessa Conlin, Wine Access, at Colangelo & Partners offices in Manhattan. Wine Access has offices in Napa and San Francisco.
“Wine Access is all about going the extra mile. For example, we won’t just post a short description and photo of a wine bottle; we’ll share the brand’s story in a 500 to 1000 word write up. We also produce informational content through video and articles that help inform our customers about different wine regions, styles of wine, buying and cellaring and other features,” said Fisch. “We also leverage our relationships in the industry to offer our members a selection of proprietary wines that we make in collaboration with some California’s top winemakers such as French native and in-demand wine consultant Julien Fayard.
Idiosyncrasy is one of Wine Access’s proprietary wines produced in collaboration with some of California top winemakers. This Cabernet Sauvignon (2016 vintage) is from Atlas Peak in Napa. Its winemaker is Julien Fayard, who is recognized for making 99-point Cabernet Sauvignon wines for Purlieu and Le Pich
The Wine Access tasting team consists of a Master Sommelier, two Master of Wine candidates and other seasoned industry wine professionals. Conlin noted that the wine team at Wine Access regularly travels to scout out wineries and meets weekly to taste and evaluate wines. “Of the thousands of bottles, the team tastes, only around one percent are accepted. We have to all agree unanimously on a wine before adding it as a selection. We each ask ourselves: ‘Would you stake your reputation on this wine?’” said Conlin.
The Wine Access tasting team: Eduoardo Dingler, Neil Mechanic, Vanessa Conlin, Robert Emery, Sur Lucero MS
But it is not only creative content and high caliber wine offerings that matter. The Wine Access team believes it’s important to engage its customers beyond online communications through experiential events. Examples include private Château Margaux and Château Lafite Rothschild tastings for 25 VIP customers. That’s the “awesome” part, they say.
“Who wouldn’t want to experience those tastings,” said Conlin, “we are always looking for new ways to share experiences and stories about wine producers and places with our members. It’s about offering both access and authenticity to the world’s finest wines.”
We’ll drink to that!
Listen to our podcast with Joe Fisch and Vanessa Conlin here on The Connected Table SIPS. Click image below or click here
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