Easter, Passover Spring Wine Sales

Retailers tap grand tastings, social media blitzes, and traditional advertising to promote wines to observe religious celebrations

Boutique Wine & Spirits in Fishkill, New York, hosts an annual Grand Wine Tasting the weekend before Easter Sunday. The event (some featured wines pictured) consistently has a huge impact on wine sales.
Boutique Wine & Spirits in Fishkill, New York, hosts an annual Grand Wine Tasting the weekend before Easter Sunday. The event (some featured wines pictured) consistently has a huge impact on wine sales.

The first spring wine holidays come as welcome signs to the beverage alcohol retail tier. “Easter is a key wine selling event, especially in the first half of the year,” says Mat Dinsmore, owner, of Wilbur’s Total Beverage in Fort Collins and Wyatt’s Wet Goods in Longmont, Colorado. “We see domestic Chardonnays and rosès move, and the other hot one is New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. We see a kick in our Provence rosès sales. We still feel the bump. We also sell a lot of Pinot Noir, especially with holiday fare like ham.”

Dinsmore’s stores also do fine with Kosher wine sales. Heading into the first day of Passover on Thursday, April 2nd, leading sellers include traditional offerings like Baron Herzog Cabernet Sauvignon ($15 a 750-ml.), Golan Heights Winery Hermon Cabernet Sauvignon ($17), and Mogen David Blackberry and Concord ($8). “Mogen David is a ceremonial wine that brings people back to their youth,” he says.

Wilbur’s Total Beverage in Fort Collins and Wyatt’s Wet Goods in Longmont, Colorado traditionally see an uptick in Pinot Noir (pictured) sales leading up to Easter.
Wilbur’s Total Beverage in Fort Collins and Wyatt’s Wet Goods in Longmont, Colorado traditionally see an uptick in Pinot Noir (pictured) sales leading up to Easter.

Dinsmore promotes wines with print advertising and a lot of social media leaning in the week before Easter Sunday, April 5th. “Traditionally we sell a lot of wine in the $8 to $14 range,” he says. “We see a lot of folks trading up and buying in the $12 -$25 price range to wines like Meiomi Pinot Noir ($20), La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($27), and Angel Landing Pinot Noir ($25). Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay ($15) is always a safe bet. Customers are trading up a bit because they are hosting their friends and family.”

In Fishkill, New York, Boutique Wines & Spirits will hold its ninth annual Grand Wine Tasting March 28th, the weekend before Easter. The event is promoted on Eventbrite, Facebook, through the store’s email list, and in store handouts. “Getting liquid to lips is a key strategy to getting wines moving for Easter,” says store co-owner Gennaro Flori. “We structure the tasting with more than 10 vendors, and we tend to rotate who shows and what SKUs they show, all with the spring holidays in mind.”

The historically well-attended event is designed to pair wines with traditional spring holiday dishes. “For the Easter holiday, we have customers looking to pair wine with dinner, but also for family and friends that come over for the weekend, so they can also reach for things like Mimosas, light white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or bubbly for socializing and things for cocktails,” says Boutique co-owner and sommelier Paige Flori. “We generally see a 50%-100% increase in retail sales from the three-four weeks before time period to the two weeks leading up to the Easter holiday, partially due to the tasting the weekend before the holiday.”

Red wines featured at the tasting and expected to gain momentum for the holiday include Abtoble Crianza Rioja ($14) and Barry Family Cellars Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes, New York ($23 a 750-ml.). “Besides the wine being a wonderful pairing for turkey and ham, this low intervention wine is being presented at the event by the wine maker himself, Ian Barry,” Gennaro Flori says.

White wines at the tasting and expected to attract customers at the Boutique include Quartzia Vino De Pago Spanish white blend and House of Brown Chardonnay ($18). “We also expect some of our fine wine drinkers to really appreciate Chateau Fortia Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc ($55) and bring it home to pair with honey glazed ham for Easter dinner,” Gennaro Flori says.

Boutique Wines & Spirits in Fishkill, New York is prepared to meet growing demand for organic, sustainable or biodynamic wines (pictured) for the upcoming spring holidays.
Boutique Wines & Spirits in Fishkill, New York is prepared to meet growing demand for organic, sustainable or biodynamic wines (pictured) for the upcoming spring holidays.

A growing interest in organic wines is also coming into bigger play. “There are absolutely customers looking for organic, sustainable or biodynamic wines for the upcoming holidays,” Paige Flori says. “People also request things like low or no sulfite and vegan wine. The Curto Arborina Barolo ($63) at our spring tasting is a good example of an organic, low intervention, low-sulfite wine that would pair beautifully with lamb for Easter dinner. We are excited for the Quartzia Vino de Pago white blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, Orange, and Rosè of Garnacha ($15 each), which are all organic and vegan and pair well with charcuterie boards, and vegetable heavy dishes.”

Flori notes other beverage alcohol customers are looking for during the spring holiday are hard ciders, with cans being the primary request and specifically rosè cider, pineapple cider and traditional styles. “In terms of canned cocktails, we see an uptick in Tequila cocktails, like flavored Margaritas leading into the holiday.”

With the warmer weather and spring gatherings favoring traditional cocktails like gin and tonics, sales of gin (pictured) are increasing at Total Beverage in Fort Collins and Wyatt’s Wet Goods in Longmont, Colorado.
With the warmer weather and spring gatherings favoring traditional cocktails like gin and tonics, sales of gin (pictured) are increasing at Total Beverage in Fort Collins and Wyatt’s Wet Goods in Longmont, Colorado.

Dinsmore says since wine sales became legal in grocery stores in Colorado in March 2023, he has increased his focus on spirits sales during the spring holiday season. With the warmer weather and spring gatherings, sales of Tanqueray ($30 a 750-ml.), Bombay Sapphire ($29), and Hendrick’s ($40) are ticking up. Cotswolds Dry Gin ($50) is also gaining traction. “It’s still a wine holiday, but we lean into gin and tonic, vodka tonic, and Aperol ($25 a 750-ml.) spritz because we are getting warmer weather,” he says.

Dinsmore is upbeat, moving into the spring holidays. “We are trying to make sure we have the breadth and depth, and everything priced, programmed, and tuned in correctly,” he says. “It is an even more important opportunity to get the right bottle of wine in the customers’ hands and remind them why wine is important and part of the dinner table.”