How to Build a Wine Brand Without Sounding Like Everyone Else

Let’s get real—how many times have you read a wine label or Instagram caption that sounds like this: "Handcrafted, small-lot wines made with passion and rooted in tradition…"

Cue the yawns.

Not because it’s untrue—but because it’s everywhere.

If your brand voice could be swapped with your neighbor’s, it’s time to zhuzh that sh*t up.

Here’s how to build a wine brand that actually stands out (and makes people want to sip your story).

1. Start with your "why not"

Everyone has a "why." But what’s your “why NOT”? Why didn’t you go the conventional route? Why did you plant Pinot in a place people told you not to? Why do you only make rosé in winter? That tension—that defiance—is magnetic. Lean in to it. Share it.

2. Stop trying to sound like a vineyard brochure

We get it. There’s sun, there’s soil, there’s a “cool coastal breeze.” Tell us something only you would say. If your wine were a character in a film, who would it be? If your tasting room were an 80s mixtape or a classical masterpiece, what would be Track 1?

3. Embrace your quirks

Does your winery dog greet every guest with a cute fuzzy slipper? Does your winemaker swear by the full Billy Joel catalog during harvest? These little moments build big loyalty. They’re the details people remember—and tell their friends about.

4. Write like a human, not a head sommelier

You don’t need to list 14 tasting notes or reference obscure soil pH to sound legit. Speak like you’re pouring for a curious friend, not a judging panel. (Unless it is a judging panel—in which case, still be you, but maybe with cleaner clothes.)

5. Kill the clichés

If you’ve seen it on 10 other wine websites, it doesn’t belong on yours. No more “liquid sunshine” or “a love letter to the land.” Write the first draft. Then delete the parts that sound too safe. What’s left is usually gold.

The gist of it:

A memorable wine brand isn’t just about wine.

It's about voice, vibe, and vision.

Here’s how I see it—if you’re daring enough to plant the vines and bottle the dream, then be daring enough to share your story in your own unique way.

Because in a world full of Cabernets, be the weird little Nebbiolo that nobody forgets.

xo

~ Lee