Vintner’s Alliance Closes Doors, Says Good-Bye

Friends-

After 5 remarkable years, it’s with sadness that I write to you today and let you know that we’re shutting Vintners’ Alliance down.

The accomplishments of our Team have been, quite literally, extraordinary:

*** We were integral in rewriting the Prohibition-era regulations governing how wine is sold- advancing our cause while simultaneously simplifying the operating environment for the nearly 7,000 wineries across the US.

*** Our team created unprecedented technology systems and reach within the wine industry- knocking down traditional “walled-gardens” along the way.

Ultimately, we solved a problem as old as eCommerce itself- how to make money selling wine online. We assembled a great team, unlocked the right formula, and created value through sustainable, systemic changes. Where Amazon, the Federal Government, and many others have failed, we managed to succeed.

It’s my hope that the legacy of VA will be the partnerships that our team created- 700 wineries giving us data, 1.3M monthly unique customers in our network, every major industry technology provider, incredible business partners, and countless friends. My favorite of all are the ones that we formed internally to create our Team. We operated a distributed Organization that was driven and sustained by individuals and families who understand the value of team and the accountability that goes along with it. Maintaining that standard and quality of work when the Organization extends into 4 continents is remarkable. That dedication makes it easy to jump out of bed in the morning and get back into it very late on nights / weekends/ and holidays.

In the end, we did fail. It simply took too long to finalize the “plumbing” of our business. We ran out of time to create the compelling customer-face. In turn, without that, we could not overcome investor level skepticism of “wine”. In fairness, wine is a cataclysmic investment category, we knew that going in. Unfortunately, we miscalculated the needed escape velocity.

Today, I’m a mix of pride and anger. Hopefully, the pride came through every day – leading a Team and Organization like Vintners’ Alliance is a privilege. Failing, in turn, pisses me off. I know there is an incredible business where we failed. We no longer have the opportunity to build it, but I hope someone else will.

On a personal level, my first priority is to make sure the Company is unwound properly. There are a lot of thank you’s to send. And I’m going to do everything in my power to create good landings for my Team. Second priority is getting myself back into the game. I still want the ball.

Your support over the last few years has been incredible. Thank you for helping to enable such a remarkable journey. I’m looking forward to the next one.

Best,
Ahin
Co-Founder & CEO, Vintners’ Alliance