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The begining
The begining
Submitted by Mike Castleman on Sun, 2009-03-08 10:31.
Getting going a little late with the whole blog thing but let's just say that the mental gymnastics have been heavy since signing my first contract last summer.
What has started out as a "I like wine" day trip is slowly (or is it quickly) turning into an attack on my serial entreupreneurship as i am taking two barrells and adding four more.
I'll probably spend the balance of this year obsessing over the commerce program and trying to develop a brand that sustains my efforts.
Next stop...the economic question:
Am i just sustaining my wine drinking for the next decade or does this become a business?
Cheers
Mike Castleman (aka DaddyO)
Mike Just stumbled across
Mike
Just stumbled across this blog, and your post.
I am the point man for a 6 member consortium (a fancy way to say a group of college buddies) who currently are in the process of entering into contract to make our 4th vintage of high quality Cab. Our group is called "Shared Fare", and we have made one barrel through Crushpad each year. Since our first vintage, our original group of 6 has grown into now 11. Each of our original 6 maintains right-of-first-refusal on the initial allotment of 4 cases each, but several of us have "sublet" a portion of their wine to other friends. We have been vacillating back and forth between wanting to keep our group (and our wine) closely held (to minimize the input/interference into the winemaking decisions from the second generation members) to considering making the jump to that second barrel (or beyond).
I am impressed that you jumped in feet first to commit to multiple barrels so soon. How has your experience been so far?
I also have considered making additional barrels to try to sell, not for profit, but just to help finance the wine we want to make to keep for our own consumption. I'd be most interested in hearing how things are going.
In vino bankruptitas,
Bob Baker
Well...i've always been
Well...i've always been somewhat of a dive in the deep end kind of guy. I'm adding four more barrels this year.
I am expanding the Coombsville by one more barrel, repeating the Rafael and adding a Syrah. My goal is to end up with a Zin in there and either a Sav Blanc or Voignier.
So far so good but obviously I have nothing to show for it thus far. I'll have my first bottle next year.
I have convinced myself that i can succeed at the "Cover my cost...pay for my habit" approach. My plan is to keep about 30 to 40 bottles (about 10%) for myself from every vintage...sell 10 to 20% of the remaining to friends at the distributor price (15 to 20% markup on cost), sell 40 to 50% to distributors and the remaining direct retail through the web (this is the most uncertain component).
In order to break even...i have to sell at least 10% direct to consumer at full retail for my Cabs (around $70)...otherwise i think that i'd have to bump the price to friends by a couple of bucks and not count on any retail...that's the only way i can figure to break even.
If I want to make a profit...i give my friends a 15 to 20% break off of retail and stick to it.
Let me know how it goes...sign up in my group
It will take about an hour
It will take about an hour to get to the south end of Napa Valley from San Francisco. Take U. S. Hwy 101 north across the Golden Gate Bridge. Exit at CA Hwy 37 East (exit 460A), then follow ase exams Hwy 121 north and east, and finally, go jncia questions north on CA Hwy 29.Race days at the Infineon Raceway at Sears Point can cause slow going through the Hwy 37/121 intersection. An alternative (which is also a good route anytime if you're traveling from the east side of San Francisco) is to take the Bay Bridge to I-80 north, exiting at American Canyon Rd. west, which connect to CA Hwy 29 north.If you're taking our advice to skip the rental car while staying in San Francisco, you can rent mcitp certification one for the day from Avis or Hertz's city offices near Fisherman's Wharf or Union Square. Or if you want to sample as much wine as you like without worrying about driving, some Napa Valley tour companies will pick you up at San Francisco hotels.