This article argues that every winery employee, from the oenologist to the owner, is fundamentally a seller. It redefines direct-to-consumer sales not as a high-pressure tactic, but as a collective responsibility focused on building authentic customer relationships, listening, and creating lasting value.
Whether you are an oenologist, a welcoming winery guide, a sales figure, or the owner, I have news for you: you are also a seller. You might not have a sales contract; you might hate the idea of “being a salesman.” But every time you talk about your wine, every time you make a technical decision in the cellar thinking about the final consumer, you are selling.Period.
And you don’t need to have taken courses on persuasion techniques or read American manuals. The truth is, we were all born sellers. The best in the world? Children. Try telling them “no” when they want ice cream. They understand timing,they read your eyes, they know how to insist without giving up. And they manage to get a “yes” with an art form we have only forgotten. But we can recover it.
Selling isn’t just closing. It’s building trust.
Selling is a process. It’s not shouting “buy!” from the wine shop counter. It’s creating a relationship. It’s knowing how to listen. It’s having a clear understanding in your head that your goal is to get a “yes,” but without ever making it feel heavy.Anyone who arrives at the winery doesn’t want to feel like they have a credit card pointed at their temple.
This is where awareness comes in: every phase of customer contact is a micro-sale. It starts with the approach, then you investigate, you stimulate, you propose, you resolve doubts, and finally—if you’ve done your homework—you close. But beware: skipping phases is like trying to dance without music. It’s off-key.
Wine sells when value is created
The true seller doesn’t impose. They create value. They ensure the customer trusts them, feels heard, and recognizes themselves in what you are offering. Because, let’s be honest: we don’t buy from the person who is best at talking; we buy from people we like. From those who inspire our trust. This is why listening is a strategic skill. It is not passive. It’s the first step to understanding who is in front of you, adapting your style, and creating a connection.
And if you feel you aren’t great at one phase of the sale, that’s perfectly fine. No one is perfect at everything. But if you know your strengths, you can make them shine. And as for the weak ones, you work on them. Like in jazz: first, you learn the theory, then you improvise.
Selling with a smile. Not because you have to, but because you can
If you are demotivated, frustrated, tired… the sale won’t work. Period. Happy people sell better. People who are in love (yes, truly in love) are contagious and convincing. So, besides learning the stages of negotiation, remember that selling is an act of enthusiasm. It’s telling the world: “I believe so much in what we do here that I want you to take it home with you.”
Because if we don’t sell, we lose an opportunity. Not just an economic one, but a relational one, too. That’s why today, in this winery, you aren’t just opening bottles. You are opening possibilities.
Key points
- Everyone in the winery is a seller, regardless of their official role.
- Winery sales is a process of building trust and relationships, not just transactions.
- Strategic listening is key to understanding the customer and creating a connection.
- The goal is to create value and make the customer feel understood.
- Authentic enthusiasm and belief in the product are your most convincing sales tools.
