Every winery hosts events. A release party, a tasting experience, a harvest dinner. They’re great for engagement, but not all events drive wine club growth. Then, there are signature events—the ones that members build their calendars around, the ones they wouldn’t dream of missing. One of our winery customers hosts an event so popular that thousands of wine club members travel from all over the country to attend. It’s not just another wine release party—it’s a destination experience. The result? A wine club that people don’t just join—they stay in, year after year, because they don’t want to miss out. Not every winery can host a festival-scale event, but the concept holds true at every level: a well-crafted, exclusive event can drive massive growth for your wine club. What Makes a Signature Event Different? Not all winery events move the needle on wine club growth. A signature event isn’t just another tasting or release party

By Cheryl Durzy, Founder & CEO, LibDib From my desk here at LibDib, the recent closure of Drizly has been a topic of both professional and personal contemplation. Drizly wasn't just another tech startup; it was a pioneer in the compliant delivery of alcohol, blending innovative tech with a flair for irreverent marketing—exactly what the beverage industry needed back in 2015. Despite its downfall, partly hastened by a significant data breach, I have only respect for what Drizly achieved and for its team, some of whom I've been fortunate enough to know personally. In fact, one of the Drizly founders reached out to me within days of LibDib's launch. We discussed potential synergies, shared visions and experiences that highlighted the power of innovation in our field. Later, during the pandemic, we even exchanged town hall meetings and company swag, fostering a spirit of camaraderie. These interactions are cherished memories now (along with my Drizly hoodie), especial

Our fourth installment of LibDib's multi-part series on the topic of E-Premise features Barcart, a company focused on powering alcohol brands by enabling compliant DTC sales with geo-targeted marketing capabilities. As you know by now, E-Premise is an important part of the evolution of three-tier distribution. LibDib is honored that so many great partners have joined us in this quest to bring exciting new products to market. Interested? Read LibDIb’s other E-Premise features with partners including Big Thirst, LiquorStorefront.com and Speakeasy.  What’s your company’s origin story? A: Barcart is a technology company transforming the beverage alcohol industry and providing unprecedented transparency across the three-tier system for suppliers, distributors, and retailers. Our solutions generate new revenue streams, increase product reach with industry-compliant online sales, and help reach new audiences using buying intelligence from our award wi

The focus on E-Premise continues here at LibDib! Welcome to the third installment of LibDib's multi-part series on this important topic. This week Big Thirst, Inc. takes the center stage to talk about its e-commerce platform that further accelerates sales for spirits brands.  For those of you new to E-Premise, check out our other E-Premise features with LiquorStorefront.com and Speakeasy. E-Premise is an important part of the evolution of three-tier distribution and we are thrilled so many great partners are joining us in this quest to bring exciting new products to market.  What’s your company’s origin story? A: While Big Thirst is an e-commerce start up, it is founded by passionate beverage industry veterans and is powered by a distribution and sales consultancy, Big Thirst Consulting, and a full-service marketing agency, Big Thirst Marketing. Over the past several years we have tirelessly explored ways to help our clients reach

Welcome to the second installment of LibDib's multi-part series on E-Premise. E-Premise is a term we LibDibbers use often. It's really important as we think about the evolution of this industry. We took some time to sit down with each of our E-Premise partners to find out more about their company and offerings to makers. New to E-Prem? Be sure to check out our first blog in this series. Thank you to Tory Smith, founder of LiquorStorefront.com for participating in this week's edition. What’s your company’s origin story? A: LiquorStorefront.com started as a passion project during a time when I was living in Mexico on and off for 10 years. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to discover and immerse myself in the world of Artisanal Mezcals just as its popularity started to grow in Oaxaca, Mexico City, the U.S., then Globally. I worked closely with many small producers and brands to create and launch Mercado de Mezcal, the first online marketplace exclusivel

Welcome to the first installment of LibDib’s multi-part series on E-Premise. E-Premise is a term we LibDibbers use often. It’s really important  as we think about the evolution of this industry. Now, more than ever there are three channels to invest in when developing a brand: On-Prem, Off-Prem and…E-Prem! We took some time to sit down with each of our E-Premise partners to find out more about their company and offerings to Makers. First up is Speakeasy, based in San Diego. For the newbies out there: What is E-Premise? E-Premise is a “direct to consumer” (DTC) way to build a brand online. DTC is in quotes because these programs are within the three-tier system where all orders to consumers are fulfilled via licensed retailers. In the past, wine and spirits brands were separated from the end customer (sometimes by two tiers), but E-Premise strategies have ended that division, compliantly, and allowed for more visibility into the person buying and cons

Afternoon Brief, July 6th

Delicato-Coppola Collaboration: Industry Implications: The wine world raised eyebrows when, on June 24, Francis Ford Coppola Winery announced its deal-in-progress to sell Sonoma County wine properties to Delicato Wines and take a seat on the company’s board...

On-Premise. Off-Premise. Two concepts that we, in the beverage industry, are all too familiar with. But now, there is another universe to think about when it comes to developing an alcohol brand and selling products: E-Premise.  What is e-premise and why are we talking about it these days? At LibDib, we define e-premise as a “direct to consumer” brand built primarily online. DTC is in quotes because these programs are within the three-tier system and all orders to consumers are fulfilled via licensed retailers. Makers commit time and marketing dollars to drive consumer brand building and sales through a fourth-tier platform, which drives the retailers to then purchase via LibDib as the distributor. But, one of the more interesting factors of these programs is the data collection. These fourth-tier platforms provide customer data back to the Makers, which can be used in various ways. This is a new-ish development in the wine and spirits industry.   In past years, a

Creating and executing an effective growth strategy is where a lot of successful Makers hit a stumbling block. Their wine and spirits products are selling well, there’s demand and room for expansion, but what do the next steps look like? LibDib’s Director of Maker Experience, Tanya Riesbeck, has the answers. Step one is simple: “Get out from behind the still, get out of the cellar and BE the Seller,” she says. “We know that buyers want authenticity and more than ever, people want to support small and local wine and spirits producers who pour so much into their craft.”  It’s sound advice--just as much as it’s fun wordplay. Putting a face to the name of the brand is helpful: it shows passion and pride and adds a grassroots sensibility.  Look at the recent success of Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation Gin. Of course, it certainly helps that he is the famous movie star Ryan Reynolds… but the point still stands. It wa