Trinchero’s Storied Past and Bright Future

This year marks the 70th anniversary of a dream brought to life, when two brothers, immigrants from Italy, moved from New York City to Napa Valley and set to work renovating a Prohibition-era winery named Sutter Home. From those auspicious beginnings, the Trinchero name would become synonymous with wine for American consumers, propelled into legendary status with their creation of white zinfandel and its explosive popularity in the 1980s. Today, the humble winery the brothers brought back from years of disrepair has grown into an international wine juggernaut. In fact, Trinchero Family Estates is now the fourth largest winery in the world, and the second largest family-owned winery. In addition, Trinchero’s portfolio embraces the world’s finest winemaking, with over 50 brands from beloved regions such as Napa, Argentina, Australia and Chile, as well as their own tequila, Tres Agaves, and whiskey, Amador.

Platinum Records

To commemorate the company’s platinum anniversary, Trinchero is releasing a hardbound, collectible book, Trinchero: Family, Wine, and The American Dream, which delivers a rare, insider’s perspective on the Trinchero family, the story of their business, and the lasting contributions the family has made to America’s ever-evolving food and drink culture. For modern consumers, who place a high premium on a company’s story and values, this book and its stories will greatly enhance the Trinchero brand.

The book’s author, Angela Pneuman, said “The Trincheros are legendary for what they’ve accomplished in the world of wine, and for successfully remaining family owned,” adding “they’re also well-known as hardworking, down-to-earth people, savvy about how they run their business, supportive of their employees and devoted to and concerned about the community, as well as fiercely loyal to their family.”

Planning and Planting for the Future

Wine is a business that takes serious patience, foresight and the ability to adapt. Trinchero Family Estate’s new CEO, Bob Torkelson, understands the importance of changing to meet the needs of an ever-evolving marketplace. After taking the helm last year, Torkelson is looking at the ways Trinchero will grow and change, while remaining true to the company’s seven-decade commitment to creating quality wine.

One way Trinchero is rising to meet the needs of today’s consumers has involved a more global approach. Over the last two decades, Trinchero’s portfolio has expanded beyond Sutter Home, Ménage à Trois and their beloved estate wines of Napa Valley to pick up prestige brands like Joel Gott Wines, Charles & Charles and Bieler Père et Fils. In addition, Trinchero offers import brands such as Doña Paula, Angove Family Winemakers, Avissi Prosecco and Echo Bay. The company is also investing heavily in a plan for “premiumization,” making a name for themselves within the mid- and high-priced wine market.

Torkelson recently spoke to Jeff Quackenbush at the North Bay Business Journal about the need to make premium wines more appealing to millennial consumers as baby boomers age out of the market. “Having a diverse portfolio of authentic brands will be really important for all of us in the future,” Torkelson said. 

“It will be important for us as an industry to figure out how we will bring younger consumers along with us,” he added. “Think about who is still consuming premium wines today and who really drove the premiumization trend; it is generally baby boomers. It’s for us to find a way to connect with younger consumers — whether we call them millennials or Gen X — and get them more engaged in premiumization. How do we get them to appreciate more quality-crafted wines?”

He acknowledges the need for an extra dimension to the wine in order to catch modern consumers’ attention, and how their global portfolio is “creating a way for consumers to enjoy an adventure around the world. Whether it’s a malbec from Argentina or an Italian prosecco, those seem to be the categories that are driving the most interest from younger folks.” He also pointed to portability in packaging as an important factor for the off-premise market moving forward.

For on-premise sales, Torkelson is optimistic about the performance of premium brands in high-end restaurants, saying, “As you go up the pyramid on price, you see a good amount of people trading up and good deal of life north of $15 … You still see good activity in upper-end white-tablecloth restaurants. Wine is certainly a key element in those restaurants, a big part of what those establishments present to the consumer.”

Big picture, Torkelson understands the necessity of reaching consumers with an effective message. “We’re looking more at where we’re trying to connect and communicate with the consumer,” he explained. “We’re investing more in digital. We’ve allocated more of our marketing budget toward that, because we understand that there is a 365-day, 24/7 conversation going on with consumers via technology. … You create a place for the consumer to learn. The web is so powerful, and people are looking for answers to things on their computers and phones. We want to be there to provide intelligent solutions.” However, he acknowledges the importance of face-to-face, boots-on-the-ground work in promoting the portfolio. “We’ve added an awful lot of labor across the country, because we believe we can tell the story.”

The Next Chapter

Breakthru Beverage Group is honored to be part of the Trinchero story, now and in the future. We are thrilled to bring their portfolio of wine and spirits to businesses throughout the country. Talk to your Breakthru Sales Consultant today to place an order and learn more about how your business can grow with Trinchero.

 

Images courtesy of trincheronapavalley.com