The US marketing drive, headed by Peter and daughter Sharleen was already well underway when Manor Estate applied for assistance through Wine Australia’s US Market Entry program. It’s not every winery that makes it through the selection process. Only a handful wins the organisation’s support. After all, Wine Australia promises its US contacts access to some of Australia’s most exciting brands, and it’s an accolade that isn’t easily earned.

Only 15 wineries are selected for the program, and apart from offering a superior product, the program’s beneficiaries must show a well-developed strategy that demonstrates readiness to invest in US market entry. With generations-old wineries competing for the benefits Wine Australia’s support offers to the select few, Manor Estate was a new kid on the block and, to many, it was a surprise choice in the final selection of program beneficiaries.

Read: McLaren Vale Winery Secrets Wine Club Wines Tasting Events Australian Winemakers

More than Just a Name: Manor Estate Produces Great Wine

Although the Manor Estate name may not be widely known, Peter and his family always believed that the wine itself would do the talking. “That’s fine when you’re talking to New York’s gourmets. They taste it, they like it, and that’s all it takes to secure a deal,” says Peter. However, Manor Estate was less sure about Wine Australia selection. The competition was stiff and included more established wineries – and in many instances, the wines they produce were already known to Peter and his family.

“As a wine-lover, you can’t help but be aware that you’re up against some of the wine producers you’ve admired in the past,” says Peter. “It was uncertain whether Manor Estate would be just another face in the crowd despite its export readiness and the quality of its wines.”

Wine Australia, on the other hand, was duly impressed. The organisation’s listing of Manor Estate observes that the winery has “Some of the best wines the McLaren Vale region has to offer,” and highlights the glowing reviews that Manor Estate Wines Brut achieved in ratings by the internationally respected Wine Enthusiast magazine.

Ready, Willing, and Already Making Progress

Exporting wine to the USA isn’t just a matter of packing an order and getting it shipped. It’s a complex market with regulatory requirements differing from state to state. But Manor Estate was not only geared up and ready to go, it had already begun making inroads into the US market. With a little help from Wine Australia’s mentors and network of contacts, it could and would do so much more.

“It was hard work just getting people to taste Manor Estate wines at first,” says daughter Sharleen, now living and working in the US at the helm of Manor Estate’s US operations. “But being selected by Wine Australia gave us the credibility to be more than just another face in the crowd. There is no doubt whatsoever that winning Wine Australia’s support fast-tracked Manor Estate’s progress in breaking into US markets as a producer of premium wines.”

It’s clear that Wine Australia is as happy with its choice of the Manor Estate brand as the estate’s owners are with being chosen to benefit from the boost into the US market that Wine Australia offers. The organisation notes that although Manor Estate is “first generation,” it is already “forging a path to become a multi-generational icon.”

Read: Sparkling Brut Wines McLaren Vale Winery Accommodation Functions Weddings Events

Quality, Determination, Plus Business Acumen a Winning Combination

Peter concedes that the quality of his estate’s wines alone was not sufficient to earn recognition from Wine Australia as an “exciting new brand” for the organisation to promote in the US. “There is no doubt that quality played a key role,” he says, “but Wine Australia saw that Manor Estate was already making an independent effort to break into the US market, and it noticed that we were already achieving much despite having to go it alone at the outset. From packaging to logistics, Manor Estate had everything it needed to succeed and with Wine Australia to back it up, that success would be assured.”

Manor estate offers wine events and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or to buy wine online, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

However, the winery seems set to grow its local following after its success in the United States captured the imagination of locals. Peter Cap, whose name is now known to many Australians following his “Wine Secrets” documentary series, says that overseas recognition has won his business the home-country support he never expected to see.

“Aussie Underdog” Comes Out on Top in the Big Apple

With wine production in full swing and capacity growing, Peter Cap and his daughter, Sharleen decided to take on what may be the biggest challenge any winery could face: New York. “It was agreed that if Manor Estate could win over New York, our brand could succeed anywhere in the world,” explains Peter. “It’s a superior product – and marketing something one truly believes in and is invested in, is something that can be done with sincerity and passion that shines out far better than any normal sales pitch.”

The self-funded family expedition undertaken by Peter and Sharleen was to bring unprecedented success, even earning accolades from Wine Australia, whose support the Estate won while they were already active in the US. Top wine-bars and restaurants were the first to support the family-owned business and its wines, and top distributors that catered for a discerning clientele were soon to follow.

Then, the 2020 international health crisis hit, and it seemed that momentum would be lost in the wake of business closures, both temporary and permanent, and travel restrictions that limited Peter and Sharleen’s ability to form in-person relationships with prospective clients.

Secret Wine Garden Draws Visitors While US Success Inspires Club Membership

Even before the US adventure began, Manor Estate had already built a reputation for hospitality in McLaren Vale. Apart from welcoming guests to its hospitality business which featured the McLaren Vale location as well as a stately home with gracious gardens, Manor Estate had hosted wine-tasting and “wine experience” events. These “Secret Wine Garden,” and “Cellar Door” functions became more popular than ever before following hard lockdown. And the story of Peter, Sharleen, and their Zero to Hero adventure in New York soon captured the hearts and minds of those who heard it.

Along with an ever-growing stream of visitors through the imposing gates of Manor Estate, the winery’s wine club now saw exponential growth in membership. “Hearing the story, tasting the wine that made it happen – that turned out to be all that was necessary to start growing Manor Estate Wines’ local reputation,” says Peter Cap.

“At Manor Estate, the wine does the talking. Once people have tasted it, a great many of them want to sign up to our wine club for regular, free delivery of our best wines coupled with discounted prices and a slew of benefits for those able to visit McLaren vale for a wine experience hosted by Manor Estate.”

Overcoming Local Bias an Unexpected Bonus

In a wine-producing region, Manor Estate, a relative newcomer on the scene, struggled to gain the recognition its products deserved. But, after winning international awards and receiving votes of confidence from top names on the US wine scene, hometown success was to follow. With the Wine Secrets documentary drawing viewership, and an interesting story to tell, the Australian public began to take an interest – and as Peter says: “The wine does the talking after that.”

Building a Network from the Bottom Up

Sharleen notes that talking to people can be the start of great things. In her case, it began with “talking to waiters.” After all, with New York as a starting point, Manor Estate hoped to capture a share in the fine dining niche market. They were up against wineries supplying already-famous-brand wines to New York restaurants and wine bars. If Manor estate was to “take Manhattan,” it needed to know what Manhattan wanted – then deliver the goods.

As newcomers to the New York scene, Peter and Sharleen didn’t have any contacts to speak of, but through personal connections with frontline staff, they soon gained access to managers – and from there, industry influencers were just a hop and a skip away.

Don’t Count on Marketing Messages: Be There

This raises the second point of the Manor Estate export marketing adventure: few people are interested in emails, brochures, and other marketing materials unless they have in-person contact first. It’s a sceptical market. They’ve seen it all before. Someone can get on the highest rooftop and shout that their product is the best ever, but even if it is, nobody is going to listen. But, when there is a face to face meeting, it suddenly becomes real. They’re ready to give the product a chance, and if they like it, they will share it with their network.

“Once they see and experience what you have to offer and believe in it, they will tell you who to talk to next,” says Sharleen.

Get Third-Party Recognition

Apart from business networks opening up through in-person contact, recognition from authorities in the field will add to the audience of “believers.” Manor Estate Wines was able to achieve Wine Australia’s endorsement as one of the few wineries supported by its export development initiative. With that, came a flood of additional interest in the boutique winery’s products. “Wine Australia has mentorship programs that facilitate introductions to decision-makers and influencers,” says Peter Cap, founder of the brand, winemaker extraordinaire, and father of the family.

In addition, Manor Estates submitted to rating by one of the most influential wine appreciation organisations in the world: “Wine Enthusiast.”  The results of this evaluation surpassed expectations – Manor Estate Wines received highly favourable reviews in a blind tasting process, and with this achievement as a feather in their caps, Peter and Sharleen were able to take their marketing to the next level.

Be Ready to Offer Instant Gratification

In today’s world, nobody wants to wait for satisfaction. In the USA, this adage is even truer. Manor Estate was prepared for export orders. The winery had complied with local regulatory requirements, including those specified for product packaging, and warehousing in the US had already been taken care of. When the orders began to flow in, the company was ready to offer speedy fulfilment, thereby keeping its new client base excited about the “new find.”

The take-home message is – don’t keep US clients waiting. Once their attention is gained, it must be kept. If they have to wait for weeks or months for fulfilment of an order, they’ll be in cool-off mode by the time it arrives.

It Takes Guts to Get Glory

Businesses hoping to enter the US market will need guts to get their glory. It’s easy to advertise – harder to confront possible clients face-to-face. It’s easy to say the product is “the best in its class,” – harder to prove it through third-party ratings. And if someone is ready for the baptism of fire, then New York is the place to start. “If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.” says Sharleen.