From bobcats and pigs to pheasants and hawks, Oregon wine labels sure feature a lot of animals and birds. So it is only fitting that Oregon wines return the favor in the Oregon Zoo’s new wine club.
The Oregon Zoo Foundation Wine Club ships red and white Oregon wines four times a year to its subscribers. 25% of the wine club sales go directly to the Oregon Zoo Foundation’s education, conservation and animal welfare programs. The wine club is managed by Bob Wolfe, owner of Specialty Wines NW and a veteran of the Oregon wine scene.
Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the Oregon Zoo can use the money.
Ticket sales cover 60% of the Oregon Zoo’s operating costs. With foot traffic significantly down this year, the zoo has suffered a severe financial blow.
“Because of the reduced visitor flow mandated by COVID-19 safety protocols, revenues are 50% below what the zoo expects during normal operations,” Julie Fitzgerald, the Oregon Zoo Foundations’ executive director, said.
The Oregon Zoo Foundation raised a million dollars in emergency donations this past April to offset the shortfall. Citing the $43,000 it costs just to care for the animals each day, Fitzgerald said it won’t be enough.
“The wine club idea was appealing because it gave the zoo’s supporters a different way to help. Plus, you don’t have to come to the zoo, so it really fits this challenge of visitor flow, especially now that we’re closed again,” Fitzgerald said.
Membership in the Oregon Zoo Foundation Wine Club is free. Members will receive six bottles of wine quarterly, with the option to cancel at any time. Given Wolfe’s long career in the industry, club members can expect their shipments will include premium selections from our industry’s top winemakers. The wines will change for each quarterly shipment.
Oregon wine lovers will have options when deciding on a club membership to suit their taste and budget. There is currently a white wine club and three tiers of pinot noir clubs available. There is even an option to work with Wolfe to design a custom wine club. The à la carte option on the club’s website also allows non-club members to purchase wines from the website.
The clubs run the range from $140 to $750 per quarter, with several price points in between. There is a shipping fee, and Wolfe only ships to Oregon addresses.
In September, the inaugural wine club shipment was a huge success, with Wolfe collecting $2,800 for the zoo in just two weeks. Wolfe’s goal is to have 500 members signed up for the club within the next year.
“This is a great way to help a great cause. It allows us to create an ongoing revenue stream to support the important work of the zoo,” Wolfe said. When quizzed about his favorite animal in the Oregon Zoo, Wolfe hesitated before answering. “I really like elephants, and there are so many cute and fuzzy animals in there. But man, those giraffes are impressive when you stand next to them.”
The next wine club shipments go out on Dec.15. I can’t think of a better holiday gift for the animal and wine lovers in your life.
Oregon Zoo Foundation Wine Club, ozfwineclub.com or 503-946-6040.
-- Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine.
December 01, 2020 at 01:00AM
https://ift.tt/3lrldAy
New wine club raises money for the Oregon Zoo when it needs it the most - oregonlive.com
https://ift.tt/31lUVcw
Wine
No comments:
Post a Comment