The problem
A small vineyard's new sparkling release or limited still wine often sells slowly at first because the people who'd buy it don't hear about it. Visitors leave the tasting room keen and are never contacted again. A vineyard with 400 past visitors who signed up for news, and no regular way to write to them, is leaving every release to Instagram and passing trade.
What the AI does
Brevo is an email marketing platform with a drag-and-drop editor, sign-up forms, contact segments and an AI tool for drafting email copy. Collect sign-ups at the end of each tasting and at the till, with a clear promise of what you'll send. Send one email a month: the new release, a tasting weekend, harvest news, with links to the online shop and tour bookings. Use the AI tool for a first draft, then check every price, date and stock level. Under PECR you need consent, a clear sender and a working unsubscribe in every email.
A worked example
A 6-hectare vineyard in Hampshire with a cellar door has 400 visitors and buyers who signed up for news after tastings. It sends one email a month, with links to its online shop and tour bookings.
Before
400 sign-ups but 0 emails sent; releases announced on Instagram only
After
One email a month to 400 people, with an assumed 15 extra bottles sold each time at $43£32€38A$61C$60
What it's worth
About $319£240€286A$461C$451 a month in profit, at an assumed 50% margin on $638£480€571A$922C$902 of extra wine sales (15 bottles at $43£32€38A$61C$60 a month). Brevo Starter is $8£6€7A$12C$11 a month for a 400-person list, or $17£13€15A$25C$24 on Standard without the Brevo logo. The 15 bottles are an assumption; use a code just for the email to count real sales.
How to set it up
- Add a sign-up card at the end of each tasting and a form on your website saying what you'll send and how often.
- Record when and how each person agreed; a tour booking alone isn't a sign-up.
- Build a template in your label colors, with a photo and a link to the shop.
- Each month, draft with Brevo's AI tool, check prices, stock and dates, then send.
- Use a discount code just for the email so you can count the bottles it sells.
What goes wrong
- Marketing emails need consent under PECR and UK GDPR; buying a tour ticket isn't consent to marketing.
- Alcohol marketing follows the CAP Code's alcohol rules. Check AI drafts don't link wine with health, social success or anyone under 18.
- Brevo's free plan sends up to 300 emails a day, too few for a 400-person list in one go.
- Starter emails carry the Brevo logo unless you add removal at $11£8€10A$15C$15 a month or move to Standard at $17£13€15A$25C$24.