This document provides guidance on determining a wine's path to market based on the target consumer. It advises winemakers to start by identifying their target consumer group - "juice buyers", "connoisseurs", or "hipsters" - and understand what influences their wine purchasing decisions. It then outlines how to price wines for the target consumer and select appropriate retailers, distributors, and importers to reach that consumer group. The entire winemaking and marketing process should be tailored based on the needs of the target consumer.

1. Wine - Path to Market
Vineyard Winery Importer Distributor Retailer Consumer

2. Start backwards by identifying who your consumer is
“Juice Buyers” typically buys the least expensive juice, in the
US that is around $3/bottle
“Connoisseurs” have knowledge of wines and enjoy showing
it off; higher income, educated, older and stays the known
course
“Hipsters” is a party goer an influencer, an engaged buyer and
may or may not have wine knowledge, hipsters will try
new things and want a bottle to look good under their
arm, or good on the table but also cares about taste. Will
be influenced by labels, branding and social media

3. Understand the influences on your consumers wine
buying decisions so you can market to them

4. How to tell if your wines are priced to sell to your target
consumer

5. With your target consumer pricing solidified, you can now
pick what retailers you want to sell to and in turn what sort of
distribution you need
Premium Wine Sellers will typically deal with
local distributors that know and understand their
specific needs
Liquor Stores, Wine Shops and Supermarkets will
need fast refills and fast turning wine at mid
ranged prices and availability to reorder quickly
Discounters, Hypermarkets and large volume
buyers will be looking for fast turning
items, typically lower price and in high
demand, so availability needs to be high

6. Now that you know what sort of
distributor, retailer and consumer you are
working for, you can begin to talk to
importers who focus in that segment.

7. How you manage your winery from vineyard
cultivation methods and picking the fruit, to
making the wine, choosing a label and
marketing strategy will all be based on who your
consumer is, because that will determine who
your distributor is and that will in turn define
your importer

8. iwinefind.com Independent Winery Finder
A commercial resource for Wineries, Importers, Distributors and Wine Buyers