Vineyard Vines: From Fashion to Wine

The Origins of Vineyard Vines

Vineyard Vines was founded in 1998 by two brothers, Shep and Ian Murray, with a passion for the coastal lifestyle. Inspired by their upbringing on Martha's Vineyard, they set out to create a clothing brand that embodied the carefree, nautical spirit of the East Coast. The name "Vineyard Vines" reflects their roots, but it's not about winemaking. However, given that "vineyard" is in their name, Google consistently ranks Vineyard Vines among the top results for popular wine-related keyword searches, including phrases like "wine near me," "wine bar," "wine store," "wine glasses," and, of course, "vineyard."As a result, the company has decided to venture into the wine game.  

Coastal Roots

Vineyard Vines is renowned for its nautical and preppy fashion collections. From colorful polo shirts and tailored shorts to dresses with playful patterns, the brand's clothing is a reflection of the coastal lifestyle. Whether you're hitting the beach, going boating, or simply enjoying a day in the sun, Vineyard Vines offers a wide range of apparel and accessories to suit your style. Given these coastal roots, the brand will launch a series of canned wines, including a Chardonnay, Riesling, Rosé, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wine, a "Natural Fit"

Their foray into the wine business was long overdue, as Vineyard Vine's Chief Marketing Officer, Graydon Cardiff Conner Michaelson VII, explained. "Given that the word 'vineyard' is in our name, we started getting calls asking what time our tasting room opens as soon as our first shirts started shipping. We should have known that this would be a byproduct of having 'vineyard' in our name, especially with the prominence of algorithms that weigh text very heavily when you search for something online. What's funny is that we get a lot of requests from parents for wine who are doing back-to-school shopping for their kids," Graydon shared. Before heading off to coach his son's lacrosse game, Graydon VII added that making wine was a "natural fit" for the fashion brand. Coincidentally, the Vineyard Vines' winemaker will be the mom of one of Graydon VIII's lacrosse teammates. Rosslyn Ainsley Allsworth of Edgartown, a tony part of the island, did a short stint in Duckhorn's tasting room after college and is always a familiar face at wine bars across the island, so Vineyard Vines feels confident in their choice to lead their wine venture. Rosslyn was not available for comment before publication, but if her LinkedIn is any indication, with a rare Medoc as her profile picture, we can assume that she is a fan of Bordeaux and may be bringing Bordeaux winemaking techniques to the wine she will be making for Vineyard Vines.

Final Notes

While the name "Vineyard Vines" has long conjured images of wine and vineyards, we can look forward to this coastal living brand's entry into the wine business. Graydon has invited us to their launch party, and be sure to subscribe so that you do not miss what will surely be the wine event of the year.