Battling Wine Industry Headwinds One Small Plate at a Time
Navigating today’s wine industry landscape is no easy feat, especially for small, family-owned boutique wineries like ours. With rising costs, shrinking demand, and a competitive market dominated by industry giants, the challenges are daunting. Add to that a global oversupply of grapes, shifting consumer preferences, and unpredictable weather patterns due to climate change. It’s enough to make any winery owner apprehensive about the future.
At Bryn Mawr Vineyards, nestled in Oregon’s picturesque Willamette Valley, we’ve discovered a solution to not just survive but thrive amidst these challenges: food.
As an avid food enthusiast myself, there’s nothing I love more than a meticulously curated tasting menu paired with exquisite wines. So, when a highly acclaimed chef, twice nominated for a James Beard Award, proposed a collaboration to showcase his culinary creations alongside our wines, I knew we had to seize the opportunity.
However, before diving in headfirst, we carefully assessed the landscape. Few wineries in our region had ventured into the realm of food pairing programs, and even fewer had achieved sustained success. Yet those that did became local hotspots, attracting both locals and tourists alike. Could food truly be the key to drawing in visitors and making a profit?
Our experience with the wildly popular “Taco Tuesdays” provided a promising precedent. By combining a taco truck, live music, and wine specials, we consistently drew over 175 guests every Tuesday throughout the summer. This success inspired us to explore a more refined approach – seasonal, hyper-local dishes meticulously designed to complement our wines, served as small plates daily in our tasting room.
But we didn’t stop there. Building on this momentum, we introduced a six-course, paired tasting menu every Friday evening, aptly named “Peak Harvest,” limited to just 18 guests. This allowed our chef to unleash his creativity, crafting dishes that perfectly harmonize with our wine flights, creating a memorable dining experience.
Of course, embarking on this culinary adventure required investment. We upgraded our kitchen facilities, sourced handcrafted tableware from local artisans, and invested in premium, locally sourced ingredients. Moreover, we committed to compensating our talented chef for his expertise and creativity.
The results have been remarkable. Since launching our small plates menu in May and the paired tasting dinners in June, we’ve seen a notable increase in tasting room traffic – a stark contrast to industry trends. In less than two months, half of our Friday night tastings sell out, earning Bryn Mawr a reputation as the must-visit tasting room in our part of the Valley.
For me, a passionate advocate of both wine and food, this venture is a dream come true. It’s not just about surviving the challenges; it’s about embracing them as opportunities to innovate and delight our guests. At Bryn Mawr Vineyards, we’ve found that by pairing exceptional wines with extraordinary food experiences, we’re not only enhancing our offerings but also forging lasting connections with our community.