Case Studies Wine & Spirits | af&co San Francisco Los Angeles

WINE & SPIRITS

Explore Our Work

af&co. has helped launch countless restaurants, hotels and CPG clients over our agency’s lifetime, and we thrive in telling the stories of our hospitality clients, from a new concept to a legacy business wanting to stay relevant. Whether it’s planning a culinary event, coordinating a wine release, or spreading the word on the newest dining destination, we leverage a solid combination of left-brain and right-brain thinking. For each project, we bring a creative edge to the table while keeping an eye on results. Take a look at some of our work to get to know our approach and impact.

SMALL VINES

Sebastopol, CA

Inspired by the precise detail of the greatest Grand Cru vineyards, Paul and Kathryn Sloan launched Small Vines in Sonoma County in 1998. The name reflects the simplicity of their underlying philosophy: smaller vines produce smaller and more intensely flavored grapes, and by extension, higher-quality wine. With a lifelong mission to produce “Grand-Cru” quality wines of authenticity, balance, and structure, Small Vines is 100% estate-grown and regeneratively farmed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. From the beginning, Small Vines has worked in harmony with nature by farming organically, eliminating the use of chemicals, and using traditional methods of winemaking that are pure, transparent, and create naturally precise wines.

af&co. began managing the Small Vines social media account in 2023, taking it from a personal profile to a brand account to boost awareness, engagement and to drive allocation sign ups. We developed a content strategy with a mix of lifestyle reels, sommelier series, educational content, influencer partnerships, winemaking and more. af&co.’s team captured content on a quarterly basis to keep the content seasonal and relevant. We also focused on the team and farming methods to create deeper personal and meaningful connections with the followers. By implementing these strategies, we grew follower count by almost 250%.

MATHEW BRUNO WINES

Napa, CA

For more than a decade, Mathew Bruno Wines has crafted wines from some of the most sought-after vineyards throughout Napa Valley and Sonoma County. The team brought on af&co. to lead media relations and marketing efforts, as well as support its upcoming tasting room opening. af&co. was tasked with increasing Mathew Bruno Wines’ visibility and engaging a younger audience, while maintaining the brand’s status as a luxury wine producer.

af&co. built sustainable relationships on behalf of Mathew Bruno Wines with media covering topics from food and wine to lifestyle and design. Pitching initiatives included holiday pairings, innovative gift guides, exclusive releases and more, allowing af&co. to secure a variety of round-up inclusion and feature coverage that reached Mathew Bruno Wines’ target audiences. af&co. also managed sample requests and tracking, putting Mathew Bruno Wines in the hands of over 25 local and national journalists.

Case Studies