Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Jacobson.
Ryan, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The inspiration for Longhouse Wines originated on a trip to Italy and Portugal In March of 2017. At the time, I was running a successful CBD business. When California legalized cannabis in January of 2018, and therefore increased regulatory costs, I began exploring new opportunities. In Italy, vineyard tours and local wine tastings opened my eyes to the wine industry. The different styles of winemaking, the over 1000 Italian varietals, how the growing conditions changed the taste of wine. I thought it was so interesting. When I travelled to Portugal, I saw so many decorated ceramic tiles(called Azulejos) used as siding on buildings.
The two experiences kind of blended together to create the idea for Longhouse Wines. The name ‘Longhouse’ comes from my childhood. My friends and I built a fort in the woods and named it ‘The Longhouse.’ It was a meeting place where we all shared a lot of laughs and enjoyed the outdoors.
In late 2018, my brother joined Longhouse Wines when he moved to San Diego from Phoenix. Since then, Longhouse Wines has grown to be available in over 100 locations around San Diego County. We have produced six different wines, of which four are currently available. In 2020, we expect to produce 1600 cases of wine. These wines are sourced from areas like the Sierra Foothills and Monterey County. Winegrowing regions that are high quality, and provide a lot of value for everyday wine drinkers.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has not been an easy-going. The wine industry is dominated by a couple very large companies. Constellation brands, Treasury Wine Estates, and E and J Gallo. E and J Gallo alone produce almost 3% of all the world’s wine. They have a lot of employees and a large marketing budget. In many cases, these wines are right next to us on the shelf. And so figuring out creative ways to increase brand awareness on a limited budget has been a fun challenge.
Another challenge has been logistics. Let’s say we source wine from the Sierra Foothills. We have to coordinate with our bottling partner to pick up the wine and transfer it back to the winery. At the same time, we need to transfer new wine bottles from the glass producer to the label printer. After that, the labeled bottles need to arrive at the winery at about the same time as the wine itself. So all these moving parts have to come together at the same time in order for things to run smoothly.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Longhouse Wines story. Tell us more about the business.
Longhouse Wines produces wines sourced from small ‘mom and pop’ vineyards around California, with an emphasis on the Sierra Foothills, Monterey, and Lodi. We Focus on producing wines that contain refreshing natural acidity, complexity, and richness. The aim is to make wines that are unique, yet true to the classic varietal characteristics. That is really what sets us apart.
Most wines in the $15-$18 price range are mass-produced. Millions of gallons of low-quality wine that is dumped in a tank, bottled and put on the supermarket shelves. The vineyards that we source from give wine drinkers an opportunity to try wines from the backbone of the industry. Smaller boutique vineyards that, in many cases, don’t have the opportunity to get their wines out into the market. That is one of the most rewarding and fun aspects of Longhouse Wines.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I think that the wine industry is at a unique crossroads. Spiked seltzers continue to attract attention from younger consumers, baby boomers aren’t consuming as much wine, and the wines shelves are as saturated as ever with thousands of options. I think that there are three key ways for us to use market trends to our advantage and succeed.
First, we need to continue to produce wines that are unique and a little out of the ordinary. Blending of varietals, interesting flavor profiles, etc. Younger consumers are much more open to trying new wines and brand loyalty is not as much of a thing.
Next, we must make the brand more about the experience. We already organize 5-10 wine tasting events per month, and we’ll definitely be looking for ways to keep things new and exciting.
Lastly, it’s extremely important that we continue to focus on the quality of the wine itself. The second that we compromise quality. It is the beginning of the end. We need to continue to support the smaller vineyards that a lot of larger brands pass over.
Pricing:
- All wines are $15-$18, depending on retailer.
- 2016 Monterey Pinot Noir
- 2018 Lodi Sauvignon Blanc
- 2017 Lodi Stainless Steel Chardonnay
Contact Info:
- Website: Longhousewine.com
- Phone: 607-267-2114
- Email: Ryan@longhousewine.com
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