Helping winery owners make informed decisions about growth, production, staffing, capital investments, and long-term profitability.

Whether you're expanding production, purchasing equipment, planting vineyards, hiring staff, or preparing for an ownership transition, thoughtful planning helps avoid costly mistakes. My role is to help owners evaluate those decisions through the lens of operations, production, and long-term business performance.

Waller Wine Consulting helps winery owners, vineyard developers, investors, and lenders make informed decisions backed by real winery experience. Whether planning future production, evaluating capital investments, forecasting growth, or building a business plan, every recommendation is grounded in practical winery operations—not generic business theory.

Whether you're launching a new brand, evaluating a vineyard acquisition, planning future production, or preparing information for lenders or investors, I help turn complex production and financial considerations into practical business decisions that support long-term success.

Planning Beyond the Next Harvest

Many wineries operate harvest to harvest.

Successful wineries don't just plan for the next harvest—they plan for the next five years. That requires balancing production capacity, vineyard potential, market demand, staffing, and capital investment before critical decisions are made.

With more than 24 years of experience leading premium wineries, I help owners look beyond today's production schedule and make informed decisions that improve efficiency, profitability, and long-term value.

Services

Winery Business Planning

Develop practical winery business plans that align production capacity, staffing, sales goals, financial objectives, and long-term growth.

Production Forecasting

Estimate future production, tank requirements, barrel needs, labor, packaging materials, and capital investments before they become expensive surprises.

Capital & Financial Planning

Evaluate operational changes, equipment purchases, vineyard development, and production strategies with profitability in mind.

Vineyard Expansion & Redevelopment

Plan new vineyard projects or redevelopment with realistic production timelines and long-term operational goals.

Ownership Transitions

Support buyers, sellers, lenders, and ownership groups through operational assessments and transition planning.

Operational Assessments & Performance Reviews

Identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, unnecessary costs, and opportunities to improve winery performance.

Good planning isn't about creating a binder that sits on a shelf. It's about making better decisions before they become expensive mistakes.

Strategic Planning Process

1. Evaluate Current Operations

2. Identify Opportunities & Risks

3. Define Business Goals

4. Forecast Production & Resources

5. Develop an Action Plan

6. Support Implementation

Questions We Help Answer

• Is it financially sound to expand production?

• How much tank and barrel capacity will future growth require?

• Should fruit be purchased or should new vineyards be planted?

• What staffing levels will be needed over the next three to five years?

• How can production costs be reduced without compromising wine quality?

• What operational improvements will have the greatest financial impact?

• Is the winery prepared for expansion, sale, or ownership transition?

Experience That Informs Better Decisions

Every recommendation is grounded in hands-on experience—not spreadsheets alone.

Over more than 24 years, I've helped establish winery operations from the ground up, manage harvests ranging from boutique producers to more than 1,000 tons, oversee custom crush programs, develop vineyard strategies, improve operational efficiency, and guide wineries through periods of growth and transition.

Strategic planning is most valuable when it's informed by real production experience, practical operational knowledge, and an understanding of how decisions made today affect a winery years into the future.

Start Planning with Confidence

Whether you're launching a winery, expanding production, evaluating a vineyard investment, or preparing for an ownership transition, strategic planning can help you make informed decisions before significant resources are committed.

Every winery faces different challenges and opportunities. Let's discuss your goals and develop a practical roadmap for the future of your business.