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M ar K eti NG to serious vineyard-designate wines for more than $75. These include eight vineyard-designated Zinfandels but also off-dry Riesling and frizzante Moscato. "Other vintners don't want to make sweet wines," Sattui says. "That's fine; I'll sell people what they want." "Life would be boring if all we drank was red wine," notes company president Tom Davies, who's been with Sattui for 30 years. "And few people start loving 15% (alcohol) Cabernets," like those for which Napa is famous today. Davies adds, "If they don't buy some wine, it's our fault, not theirs." Upscale wine and food pairings are offered without an ap- pointment Monday through Thursday, except during the winter. In addition, V. Sattui has other tasting rooms. One, the Cel- lar Club, in the cellar of the stone winery building, is for club members, including those who buy a case per year. They get free tastings of the best wines, including from barrels. Sattui sells futures this way. The small Vittorio Room, named after Dario's grandfather, who founded a wine business in San Francisco 125 years ago, is in the tower and offers older vintage and reserve wine tastings for $25. The new Gold Room is for people who buy five cases, and it of- fers free food and wine pairings for members ($25 for their guests). Sattui has many long-term employees. He's known to be demanding but fair, paying well (up to more than $20 per hour) and offering benefits such as 401(k) plans and paid vacation days. The company offers incentives for wine club memberships and sales. It formerly offered team incentives, but some people worked harder than others, so now they're individual. The com- pany also pays half tuition for wine classes at local institutions. "But you have to pull your own weight," Sattui says. V. Sattui's four tasting rooms and expansive deli are a natural pairing for its well-manicured picnic grounds in south St. Helena. Is the strategy working? Sales are slightly up for 2010 after being flat in 2009, which Sattui considers an accomplishment, given that many wineries' sales dropped 30% during the same period. Wine club membership has increased more than 10% from a year ago, and on-site sales are up as well. In its retail operations, V. Sattui is using RMS as its point of sale software; its supplier is Elypsis. It uses use eWinery as its website and ecommerce partner and Netflow for eblasts. Mobile Roadie created its iPhone app. Navision is the company's accounting software. All fulfillment is in-house and shipped exclusively with FedEx using ShipCompliant for all its wine compliance. Castello di amorosa: Napa's most colossal attraction Castello di Amorosa hides a state-of-the-art winery that special- izes in making Italian-style wines designed to be food-friendly. Proprietor Dario Sattui says, "I believe people are put off by modern, tasteless, boring architecture that is only about function and building cheaply. That is why I built the castle. People yearn for the past and have a romantic notion of it. Visitors expect a winery to look a certain way, and I tried to fulfill that wish. The romance of wine is an important component of the marketing strategy." He continues, "At both V. Sattui Winery and Castello di Amo- rosa I try to make a great product, sell it at a fair price (we can do this and still make a profit, as we sell everything direct at both wineries), give great customer service, make what the customer wants, create a beautiful environment and take care of all the details. We try to form lasting relationships with our customers." While the castle itself is a big attraction, and entry costs $16, it's there to sell wine. For $31, visitors get a 1¾-hour tour of part of the 107 rooms and eight levels, including a barrel tasting and six wine tastes ($10 more for a reserve tasting). Groups can also get private tours and tastings, while club members can taste in the Passito Room. Sattui emphasizes that it's more about the relationships than the wines or the prices. "The customer is buying the salesperson he's talking to....Treat people the way you want to be treated." Since it's about the people, Sattui says he shares profits at the castle. Of course, the castle winery offers clubs. As at V. Sattui, you can also join the club by buying a case of wine. Buy a case and you get one free admission and 10% off the wine. Buy three cases at once and you get free admission, wine club membership and additional privileges when you return. Spend $3,000 and you become a member of the 500 Knights with special attention. Club members are invited to parties, as well. 84 Wines & Vines JAnUARY 2011