As you planted grapes, built a winery, and bottled wines, did you have any idea who was supposed to be buying them? Most production-oriented attitudes are slanted towards the philosophy that if the wines are good, they will sell themselves. Many producers bottle wine because they have access to the grapes or juice, without any knowledge of how their selected varietals are doing in specific markets.

Marketing Links Production to the Consumer. Your marketing efforts directly link consumer demand with the wines you have to offer. By beginning with the end-user's needs instead of the production process, you can develop marketing strategies that can anticipate consumer trends and help guide critical future production decisions. Agreeing on your product portfolio, case quantities, and packaging are examples of how production and marketing departments can align to meet customer demands.

Marketing-driven wineries achieve notoriety through advertising, videos, and innovative point-of-sale materials. Occasionally they are lucky and may gain instant, widespread recognition, but it may not last. Market-driven companies concentrate on developing distinctive wines, build long-term customer relationships, and understand what's happening in their various chosen markets. They know their products, create a niche that their competitors cannot penetrate, and develop marketing plans with measurable objectives and specific goals. They are in it for the long haul.