Creating Memories through Experiences w/ Kim Busch & Kylie Enholm, Folded Hills

XChateau Wine Podcast

With 600 acres, a polo field, a lake dock, and even a zebra and camel onsite, the Folded Hills Winery and Farmstead in Santa Barbara is able to create unique and memorable experiences. Kim Busch, Founder and Co-Owner, and Kylie Enholm, Director of Operations, discuss how they bring this vision to life through the platform of Rhone varietal wines. From hiring for the “hospitality gene” to having a full-time events manager, Folded Hills is creating memories they hope to get people to tell their friends and add to their wine club program.

Detailed Show Notes

Folded Hills founding - intended to grow and sell grapes, vineyard manager convinced the Busch’s to start a label, Folded Hills ties into family history

• Heritage labels - e.g., Lilly Rose after Lilly Anheuser (grandmother)
• Photo labels (reserves) - mostly from photos the Busch’s took themselves

Folded Hills overview

• 600 total acres for Homestead, Farmstead, private ranch
• Southernmost winery in Central Coast, right off 101
• The urban tasting room in Montecito, Homestead (winery tasting room), and Farmstead at the winery
• Rhone varietals (Grenache, Syrah, Clairette Blanche, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc)
• ~5k cases/year
• 98% DTC, would like to increase wholesale to 10% for more exposure
• Has its own polo field

Visitation

• ~8-10k visitors/year total
• ~2.5k in Montecito (more club members, a “Cheers” vibe), rest at Homestead
• Mainly from Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Diego

Creating memories through events differentiates Folded Hills

• Sparkling rose launch party in Montecito - brought in a mini horse with a unicorn horn
• Launch vinyl nights (Thurs, Sun) in Montecito
• Does 1 large event/month at estate Homestead - e.g., polo games, tailgate contest
• Oktoberfest - beer & wine
• Animal feeding (including zebra, camel)

Prices events to primarily cover expenses (range from $15 - 195 winemaker dinners)

The focus is on creating memories vs selling wine to create word-of-mouth buzz

• Andy’s dad said “making friends is our business.” - he created beer and baseball while owning the St Louis Cardinals

Hospitality differentiation through events and experiences

• Has a full-time events manager
• Enabled by lots of land (600-acre ranch), private lake dock, ATV group tours in the vineyard, animals to feed
• Homestead appeals to families (w/ Farmstead - U-pick fields, animal feeding)
• Hires people w/ the “hospitality gene”

Wine club benefits

• Wine is the biggest draw (“purity” of wines believes does not lead to “stuffy nose” or “headaches”)
• Word of mouth around Folded Hills taking care of club members (access to private lake, private ranch)
• ~10% of club members are local (live w/in 1 hour), next largest group from St Louis (does ~2 events/year, launched brand in St Louis)
• Get 15% off organic produce at Farmstead
• Plan to relaunch farmstays on a adjacent private ranch

Farmstead - “heart of soul” of brand

• Best sellers - animal feed, ice cream, baked goods
• ~30% of visitors go to both Homestead and Farmstead, increasing as tasting room visitors now given free bag of animal feed

Santa Barbara wine region differentiation - diversity, 75 varieties grown; unique climate (transverse mountain range)

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