Case studiesProof, in every room.
Every engagement starts the same way, with a wine that deserves more attention than it's getting. What happens next depends on the room: a trade panel, a curated dinner, a festival tasting, a gala with no booth at all. The format changes with the brand. What doesn't change is the result. Each one leaves with a wine that's more known than it arrived.
Press & Trade • Family Owned Winery • april 2026Emerging Varietals Panel
One
35 guests. National press. Distribution that extended well beyond the room.
THE ASK
Mascarin Family Wines partnered with ORH to elevate brand awareness among media and trade professionals, generate meaningful press coverage, and create new opportunities for wholesale distribution through a highly curated industry event.
THE APPROACH
Rather than hosting a traditional tasting, ORH designed an intimate panel and guided tasting around the conversation of emerging varietals. The event brought together respected wine writers, media outlets, buyers, and industry professionals in a setting built for thoughtful discussion instead of quick introductions. Moderated by Ana Carolina Quintela of Decanter, the event created the kind of environment where genuine relationships could develop naturally. While only thirty-five guests attended, the conversations that happened in the room extended far beyond the event itself through national media coverage, new distribution opportunities, and meaningful industry relationships.
THE RESULTS
This single event generated more than 84 million monthly unique visitors in earned media reach, approximately $778,000 in advertising value equivalent, multiple wholesale placements, and a 75-case Bottle Barn order.
THE WINS
84 million monthly unique visitors in earned media reach
Approximately $778,000 in advertising value equivalent
Coverage in Forbes, Wine Business Monthly, BevNET, Wine Industry Advisor, Vinography, and Pacific Sun
TRADE EVENT PLACEMENT • Sparkling Wine Partner • March 2026James Beard Foundation Taste America San Francisco
One
Four placement opportunities from one evening inside one of the country's premier culinary events.
THE ASK
Our client partnered with ORH to increase visibility with influential restaurant buyers, generate qualified wholesale leads, and strengthen its presence within the Bay Area hospitality community during one of the industry's premier culinary events.
THE APPROACH
As the exclusive sparkling wine partner for James Beard Foundation Taste America San Francisco, ORH designed an activation that stood out without feeling promotional. Large branded signage, a floral bottle display, and an illuminated brand sign created a memorable visual identity within the VIP experience. Thoughtfully placed signup clipboards encouraged guests to engage organically throughout the evening, allowing conversations to develop naturally with restaurant buyers and hospitality professionals.
THE RESULTS
The activation generated meaningful wholesale momentum in a single evening of relationship-building. Conversations with buyers from Lazy Bear, State Bird Provisions, The Progress, and Slanted Door became qualified placement opportunities; a by-the-glass tasting with Niku was confirmed; and the event's success established James Beard Foundation Taste America Los Angeles as a natural repeat opportunity.
THE WINS
11 unsolicited email sign ups
4 qualified wholesale placement leads
Confirmed by the glass tasting
Curated Dinner • Multi-Winery Collaboration • April 2026Heirloom Supper Club
One
Twenty carefully curated guests proved that the right room creates conversations a tasting table never can.
THE ASK
Merriam Vineyards and Dancing Wines partnered with ORH to introduce their wines to a thoughtfully curated audience through an intimate dining experience that would foster genuine connection, conversation, and lasting brand affinity.
THE APPROACH
Before Rooted Dinners had a name, the format was already taking shape. ORH partnered with Heirloom Supper Club in Brooklyn to host a four-course wine pairing dinner featuring Merriam Vineyards and Dancing Wines. Rather than focusing on volume, the evening centered on bringing together a carefully selected group of guests from New York's food, beverage, and creative communities. Around a shared table, conversations unfolded naturally, allowing guests to engage not only with the wines, but with one another and the stories behind each bottle.
THE RESULTS
The dinner sold out a full week before the event and validated the power of curated hospitality over traditional tasting formats. The evening attracted influential guests, sparked meaningful conversations that extended beyond the wines themselves, and ultimately became the blueprint for ORH's Rooted Dinner model.
THE WINS
Sold out one week before the event
Curated audience that included a future wine bar owner, a restaurateur, and food industry professionals
Four-course pairing featuring two winery partners
Professional video content captured for future marketing
LUXURY HOSPITALITY • Hospitality Partner • March 2026V Foundation Sonoma Epicurean Gala
One
No booth. No sales table. Just meaningful conversations that opened doors into luxury hospitality.
THE ASK
Our client wanted to deepen relationships within Sonoma's luxury hospitality community, increase visibility among influential buyers, and establish meaningful connections that could lead to future placements.
THE APPROACH
Rather than exhibiting from a booth, ORH focused on embedding the brand within the event itself. Alex volunteered throughout the evening while the brand founder attended as a guest, creating opportunities for authentic conversations and introductions that would have been difficult to achieve from behind a tasting table. As the official sparkling wine, the brand also benefited from menu placement and recognition before the full room, reinforcing its position within a luxury hospitality setting.
THE RESULTS
The event demonstrated that intentional presence can outperform traditional exhibiting. Meaningful conversations led to three warm placement opportunities, including a meeting request from the Montage Healdsburg sommelier, while new relationships with hospitality professionals and members of the media created opportunities that extend well beyond a single evening.
THE WINS
Meeting requested with the Montage Healdsburg sommelier
Placement conversations with Ferry Merchant Wine Plaza and Birdsong SF
Editorial exposure with Art Culinaire
Long-term hospitality and media relationships established
CONSUMER FESTIVAL • Sparkling Wine Brand • may 2026Healdsburg Food & Wine Festival Grand Tasting
One
A thoughtfully designed brand experience that stood out among 2,500 attendees.
THE ASK
Create a memorable presence within a large consumer tasting event while growing the email list, strengthening consumer relationships, generating placement conversations, and building connections with the media.
THE APPROACH
ORH approached the activation as a complete brand experience rather than simply a tasting table. Farmers market florals, friendship bracelets, framed press coverage, and branded signage worked together to create an inviting space that consistently drew guests into conversation. Every touchpoint was intentionally designed to reinforce the brand's identity and encourage meaningful engagement throughout the day.
THE RESULTS
The activation successfully combined consumer engagement, media outreach, and wholesale relationship building within one event. Guests responded enthusiastically to the experience, all friendship bracelets were distributed within three hours, new media relationships were established, and multiple placement conversations emerged alongside continued growth of the brand's consumer community.
THE WINS
New media relationships, including the Press Democrat
New email subscribers
New wine club membership
Placement conversations with Guiso, Napa Valley Music Hall, and Fiamma
COMMUNITY ACTIVATION • Sparkling Wine Brand • March 2026Bubble Bar × Asahi Sushi Pop Up
One
Five cases sold before the event even began, proving the power of the right venue and the right audience.
THE ASK
SEPPI partnered with ORH to create an intimate event that would strengthen community relationships, introduce the brand to highly aligned consumers, and generate opportunities for future wholesale growth.
THE APPROACH
ORH intentionally paired the brand with Bubble Bar, a female-owned sparkling wine venue whose identity closely mirrored SEPPI's own. Before guests even arrived, the venue had purchased five cases, demonstrating an immediate investment in the event's success. Familiar relationships between the host and many attendees created an atmosphere that encouraged authentic conversation rather than transactional tasting. The evening became less about pouring wine and more about building community around a shared appreciation for the brand.
THE RESULTS
The event demonstrated how thoughtful venue selection can amplify every aspect of an activation. Beyond the immediate case purchase, ORH facilitated introductions that opened conversations around both wholesale placement and a future pop-up collaboration, creating opportunities that extended well beyond the event itself.
THE WINS
Five cases purchased before the event
Wholesale opportunity with Acorn Cafe
Future Pop-up collaborations in the works
Strong community engagement through an intentionally aligned audience
CORPORATE MARKETPLACE • Women-Owned Wine Brand • December 2025Hanson Bridgett WIN Holiday Marketplace
One
Thirty-four bottles sold in a room where the audience connected with the founder before the wine.
THE ASK
SEPPI partnered with ORH to introduce the brand to a highly aligned professional audience, increase direct-to-consumer sales, and generate meaningful new relationships within the community.
THE APPROACH
ORH secured prime placement within Hanson Bridgett's marketplace celebrating women-owned businesses. The audience, largely made up of attorneys and legal professionals, connected naturally with Kelsey's background in corporate law, sparking conversations that extended well beyond the wines themselves. Rather than relying solely on product education, the activation led with the founder's story, allowing the brand to resonate on a much deeper level with attendees.
THE RESULTS
The event reinforced one of ORH's core philosophies: that audience alignment consistently outperforms audience size. Although attendance was modest, the quality of engagement led to strong sales, meaningful email growth, and new wholesale opportunities.
THE WINS
34 bottles sold, including one case purchased before the event
Six to seven qualified email leads
Wholesale opportunity with Grove 45
Strong consumer engagement driven by founder storytelling
RETAIL ACTIVATION • Family-Owned Winery • November 2025Bottle Barn Thanksgiving Wine Guide
One
A $200 investment that extended the brand's reach to more than 81,000 wine lovers.
THE ASK
Dancing Wines partnered with ORH to increase holiday visibility, strengthen retail relationships, and maximize consumer exposure through a strategic retail activation with minimal investment.
THE APPROACH
ORH leveraged Bottle Barn's established Thanksgiving Wine Guide event by pairing the activation with wine influencer Raquel Royers of Watch Me Sip. With only four sample bottles and approximately $200 in staffing costs, the team focused on authentic conversations around both the wines and the mother-daughter story behind the brand. The event demonstrated that thoughtful partnerships can create meaningful visibility without requiring a large production budget.
THE RESULTS
The activation generated immediate consumer engagement while significantly extending the brand's reach through influencer content shared with more than 81,000 followers. Combined with strengthened retail relationships and enthusiastic consumer response, the event demonstrated how a modest investment can create lasting marketing value.
THE WINS
Approximately $200 total investment
Instagram post and story from Watch Me Sip reaching more than 81,000 followers
Strong consumer engagement with the Dancing Wines brand story
Increased visibility through a strategic retail partnership