No matter how good their wines are wineries can have a tough time selling their wines outside of their tasting rooms. Wineries located on a heavily traveled road can do well. As it has frequently been said, “It’s the location, location, location.”

We have been to almost 700 wineries both large and small, boutique wineries. Large wineries have the staff and resources to help get their wines sold off the premises.

Small wineries that make small batches of wine do not make enough wine to have distributors. Distributors do not want to distribute wines if there is not enough to keep the stores stocked with the wine.

A new enterprise located in California has set out to help small wineries, charities and wine enthusiasts at the same time.  Cellar Angels has several goals that revolve around wine. Goals include: 1) providing small wineries with access to a larger audience for their wines 2) providing wine enthusiasts with exclusive wine purchase opportunities and 3) providing help for charities.

Each week one wine is promoted by Cellar Angels. For instance, the latest offer I found was Modus Operandi 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon that normally sells for $75 was available for members. One needs to sign up for a free membership to discover the member price.

Wineries who choose to participate in this program can select the charity that will benefit. Charities include The V Foundation, Soldiers’ Angels, The Sea-thos Foundation, Auction Napa Valley, The Ounce of Prevention Fund, and American Society Preventing Cruelty to Animals.

The concept behind Cellar Angels is good. Wine enthusiasts, wineries and charities can all benefit from this business. For details visit the Cellar Angels website.

Have you purchased wine through Cellar Angels yet?

Cheers! Kathy