THE CHALLENGE: Gramercy Cellars in Walla Walla is an 8,000-case winery founded by Master Sommelier Greg Harrington and his wife, Pam, producing Rhône and Bordeaux based wines widely considered to be some of the best in Washington State, if not the world. Their focus on great Washington vineyards, minimalist intervention and balanced, earthy wines has garnered numerous awards, including “Best New Winery in America” and a “Top 100 Wineries in the World” listing three years in a row. With this level of attention and a growing and intense following, they needed an updated website that better reflected the sophistication and passion so clearly put into producing their wines.
THE WORK: We overhauled the entire website, from the underlying technology platform to the brand experience online. The content management system was built from the ground up on WordPress with customized tools so internal teams now have full control over content authorship in an intuitive, code-free environment. The online store, wine club membership and account pages were rebuilt on the eCellar customer relationship management and ecommerce platform as a single page application. And everything was seamlessly integrated for easy navigation and a consistent look and feel throughout.
THE RESULTS: The end result is a new website that pairs beautifully with the personality of Gramercy Cellars. Clean, elegant and sophisticated design reflects the unique attributes of both winemaker and wine. Subtle animations, local photography and an interactive map plotting out their tasting room and ten vineyards add visual interest and richness to the user experience. Kudos for the new site continue to flow from both client and customers; since launch, both sales and engagement are up, with an increase in return visits, wine club memberships, email subscriptions and online sales – all perfect conditions for one of Washington State’s most exciting wines.
