The world of wine is dominated by virtues such as infinite patience, meticulousness akin to that of an old Chinese master, an attunement to the rhythms of the seasons, or the measurement of time in the number of harvests… But sometimes, this apparent slowness is interrupted by moments when speed is essential – like when the grapes from a plot have reached their optimal harvesting time, when the sun starts to warm the vineyard and the grapes need to be rushed to the winery, or when an instant decision about a wine’s evolution must be made.
And, sometimes, there are other "bursts of speed," like last week, when tickets to Gramofon‘s Must Party on October 5th sold out in just four hours after going on sale. A short and moralizing story about the potential of wine tourism in Dealu Mare.
Marcel Vulpoi: "I managed to save a few tickets for our regulars"
“We opened ticket sales on Thursday at 1 PM, and by 5 PM, all 150 tickets were sold out. Our maximum capacity is around 200 people, but a few tickets were set aside for those who haven’t missed a single party so far. There are some people who have attended every single event. Even I haven’t achieved that – I’ve missed one party, and one lady scolded me because she had been to all of them, while I missed one… Go figure,” says Marcel Vulpoi with his usual mischievous kid tone.
Is it a record? Definitely. But what this performance shows is the true potential of wine tourism in Dealu Mare and, by extension, for all easily accessible wineries in the country.
Reservations at Gramofon Inn? Maybe next year…
In fact, the record ticket sales speed is just one of the notable aspects. The way winery tourism took off is much more impressive, even though Gramofon Inn only opened its doors this summer.
“Right now, our we are sold out for every weekend until the start of next year, and the rooms are already booked for Christmas and New Year’s, even though prices and events haven’t been announced yet. As for what happens during the week – you know I’m optimistic, but everything has far exceeded my expectations,” says Marcel Vulpoi, before explaining the success of the wine tourism project.
At Gramofon Wine, it’s about selling experiences, not just wines
“Our parties, it’s true, involve music, grills, gourmet treats – Chef Dumitru Telpiz creates some wonders that you just can’t stop tasting – every day, I congratulate myself for bringing him to the winery – but first and foremost, it’s about people and community. It’s an experience, and I believe that’s what wine should be. Not a product to be placed on a shelf; it’s not corn. If you treat it like corn, the customers will perceive it that way too. And the impact on the business is incredible. People come, taste a few wines, and simply become attached to one of them, and then they fill their trunks with boxes.
Look, we had a tasting with a wine that’s not even on the market yet, not even labeled. Someone liked it so much that he couldn’t imagine leaving without buying it. He told me, ‘Look, I’m buying the wine, not the label.’ Next year, I’ll have a limited edition of about 1,200 bottles, and I don’t even think I’ll put it on the market – I’ll just sell it at the winery. The way sales are going, we might soon reevaluate some listings and cut back on some labels in the market to have enough for our guests. I can’t even begin to explain what team-building events, corporate events, and what wonderful groups we’ve had at the winery. And they have stories to tell – when they see that wine on the shelf, they grab a bottle to show their friends and say, ‘Hey, I was there, let me tell you how crazy it was!’ I thought I was getting into the wine business, but now, with how well the hospitality side is going, it’s hard to decide which I like more,” concludes Marcel Vulpoi.
By the way, Marcel’s birthday (we won’t say which one!) was this past weekend, so we wish him the traditional "To many more good harvests!" and hope he serves as inspiration to many more investors in the potential of Romanian wine tourism!
Photo source: Gramofon Wine
