Quady Winery
Quady Winery is a family-owned California winery that exclusively produces sweet and aperitif wines from rare Muscat varietals, manufacturing 250,000 cases annually and distributing across 48 U.S. states and 17 export countries via DTC, wine club, and wholesale channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersMadera, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Quady Winery does
Quady Winery is a privately held, family-owned California winery headquartered in Madera that operates exclusively in the sweet and aperitif wine category. Founded in 1975 by Andrew and Laurel Quady and currently led by a multi-generational management team that includes the founders' children (Herb Quady, Allison Quady), the company is the only one among California's more than 4,700 wineries with complete focus on sweet and aperitif wines. Its portfolio spans three Muscat dessert wines (Essensia Orange Muscat, Elysium Black Muscat, Deviation), the four-SKU Electra Moscato "Angel Wine" line (White, Red, Rosé, Black), three Vya Vermouth styles, Starboard port-style wine, and Palomino Fino solera sherry, all produced from rare Muscat varietals grown in the San Joaquin Valley.
The company's winemaking relies on a proprietary cold fermentation process that arrests fermentation at very low temperatures to preserve natural sweetness and CO2, plus a unique grape temperature cooling system that drops grape temperature by 30 degrees between crusher and crush tanks. Production scaled from 1,600 cases in 1975 to 250,000 cases by 2024, supported by 2013 and 2016 facility expansions (six 25,000-gallon tanks) and a 2011 partnership with primary grower Denis Prosperi (Salt of the Earth) to secure rare Muscat supply.
Quady monetizes through three channels: direct-to-consumer sales via its own e-commerce site and Madera tasting room ($5 tasting fee, free for club members); a free wine club with twice-yearly releases in April and October; and wholesale distribution through a national distributor network covering 48 U.S. states plus export to 17 countries. Tasting room sales, wine club, e-commerce, and shipping are operationally supported by WineDirect, ShipCompliant, UPS, and MailChimp. Pricing is positioned at the premium end, with category-defining credentials including the 2025 California State Fair Golden Bear Award (100-point score) for Essensia and multiple "Best Vermouth" wins for Vya at the International Wine and Spirits Competition.
Quady Winery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Quady Winery
- Legal name
- Quady South Winery, LLC
- Website
- https://quadywinery.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Quady Winery is a family-owned California winery that exclusively produces sweet and aperitif wines from rare Muscat varietals, manufacturing 250,000 cases annually and distributing across 48 U.S. states and 17 export countries via DTC, wine club, and wholesale channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Quady Winery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Winery — Dessert, Aperitif & Fortified Wines
- NAICS
- Wineries (312130), Wineries (31213), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Vineyard Certification & Sustainability Programs (Organic, Biodynamic, Regenerative, GAP) (AFAGAJAL), Wine Bars (CRANACAE)
Keywords
Where Quady Winery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madera
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Quady Winery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer Wine Sales: Online wine shop and tasting room sales directly to consumers. Includes Electra Moscatos, Dessert Wines, Vya Vermouth, Port & Starboard, and Palomino Fino.
- Wine Club Memberships: Club Quady/Electra/Vya memberships requiring purchase of two Wine Club Releases within one year (April and October). Members receive free tastings and discounts on all purchases.
- Wholesale/Distribution: Sales through distributor network to retailers and restaurants across 48 U.S. states and 17 export countries
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Tasting Room Tasting |
| Subscription | Annual | Wine Club Membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Quady Winery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Quady Winery produces and sells dessert, aperitif, sparkling, and fortified wines made primarily from rare Muscat grape varietals (Orange Muscat, Black Muscat, Muscat Canelli) grown in California's San Joaquin Valley. The portfolio includes the Essensia and Elysium dessert wines, the Electra Moscato sparkling line, Vya Vermouths, Starboard port-style wine, Palomino Fino sherry, and the Deviation aromatized Orange Muscat, distributed direct-to-consumer, through wine club memberships, and via a national distributor network.
Product overview
Quady Winery is a certified sustainable California winery specializing exclusively in sweet and aperitif wines. Founded in 1975, the company produces a portfolio of products centered on rare Muscat varietals (Orange Muscat, Black Muscat, and Muscat Canelli) from California's San Joaquin Valley. The product line includes: three Muscat dessert wines (Essensia Orange Muscat, Elysium Black Muscat, and Deviation Aromatized Orange Muscat); four Electra Moscatos known as 'Angel Wines' (Electra Moscato, Red Electra Moscato, Electra Moscato Rosé, and Electra Black); Starboard Batch 88 port-style wine; three Vya Vermouth styles (Sweet, Extra Dry, and Whisper Dry); and Palomino Fino Sherry. The winery also offers wine club memberships and tasting room experiences. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through their e-commerce platform and through distributors across 48 states and 17 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Electra Moscato: Premium Moscato d'Asti-style wine made from Orange Muscat and Muscat Canelli grapes. Known as 'Angel Wine' due to angel label design. Available in White, Red, Rosé, and Black varieties.
- Essensia
- Elysium Black Muscat
- Vya Vermouth
- Starboard
- Palomino Fino
- Deviation
Products and services
- Essensia A flagship dessert wine made from Orange Muscat grapes grown in the San Joaquin Valley, designed to be paired with desserts or enjoyed on its own. Targeted at adult wine drinkers who enjoy sweet, aromatic wines and at on-premise dessert lists.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100-point perfect score and Golden Bear Award at California State Fair for Essensia (2025)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Quady Winery
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Quady Winery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature2 records
Quady Winery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- High West DistilleryminorCollaborative brand education event at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. High West bartenders created cocktails using Quady fortified wines and vermouths, showcasing the magic of whiskey and wine combinations.
- Salt of the EarthcorePartnership formed in 2011 between Quady Winery's primary grape grower Denis Prosperi, Director of Winemaking Michael Blaylock, former General Manager Cheryl Russell, and the Quady family. Produces high quality domestic Moscato for the U.S. market using the same winemaking philosophy and facilities at Quady Winery in Madera.
- Denis Prosperi (Grape Grower)corePrimary grape grower supplying Orange Muscat and Black Muscat grapes from Madera, California. Key supplier for the majority of the increase in rare Muscat grape supplies needed to sustain growth.
- UPSminorShipping carrier for wine shipments. All orders shipped UPS Ground with adult signature required at delivery.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Quady Winery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Trinchero Family Estates (Sutter Home): Trinchero owns Sutter Home, a major producer of Moscato and sweet white wines in California at much larger scale; both target the same sweet-wine consumer with mass-market positioning, making Sutter Home the closest direct competitor in U.S. Moscato.
- Bonny Doon Vineyard: Iconic California boutique winery known for unconventional, category-creating wines (including Picpoul, Le Cigare Volant); similar producer scale, brand-led marketing, and specialty distributor relationships that overlap with Quady's premium niche positioning.
- St. George Spirits: California craft distillery specializing in artisanal vermouths, absinthe, and aperitif-style products; competes most directly with Quady's Vya Vermouth line for craft-cocktail and on-premise accounts.
- Frog's Leap Winery: Napa-based premium, organically and dry-farmed boutique winery at comparable production scale to Quady; similar commitment to sustainability certification, family ownership, and DTC-focused tasting room economics.
Broad incumbents
- E. & J. Gallo Winery: The largest U.S. wine producer (Barefoot, Apothic, Carlo Rossi) with a deep Moscato and sweet-wine portfolio; competes broadly across all price points and channels that Quady participates in.
- The Wine Group: Major U.S. wine producer (Cupcake, Franzia, 7 Deadly Zins, Love Noir) where Quady's newest winemaker Crystal Weaver-Kiessling previously worked; competes across mainstream wine categories and on retailer shelf space.
- Carpano Antica Formula (Fratelli Branca): Italy's leading sweet vermouth brand (Antica Formula, Punt e Mes); competes with Vya Sweet in on-premise cocktail programs and represents the dominant incumbent in the premium sweet-vermouth category Quady entered in 1999.
- Treasury Wine Estates: Global wine major (Beringer, Penfolds, Lindeman's, Stags' Leap) with broad Moscato and dessert-wine offerings; a competitor at retail for shelf space and at the wholesale level for distributor attention.
Regional players
- Quady North: Founded in 2006 by Herb Quady (second-generation Quady family) in Southern Oregon; produces dry table wines from Rhone varietals and shares the Quady brand DNA and family, but targets a different geography and product category.
Emerging players
- Carol Shelton Wines: California boutique winery producing premium dessert wines (including late-harvest and port-style offerings from rare varietals); similar production scale, DTC emphasis, and award-driven positioning to Quady.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Quady Winery social profiles
Digital presenceQuady Winery compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Quady Winery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Quady Winery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Quady Winery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Quady Winery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Quady Winery
What does Quady Winery do?
Quady Winery produces and sells dessert, aperitif, sparkling, and fortified wines made primarily from rare Muscat grape varietals (Orange Muscat, Black Muscat, Muscat Canelli) grown in California's San Joaquin Valley. The portfolio includes the Essensia and Elysium dessert wines, the Electra Moscato sparkling line, Vya Vermouths, Starboard port-style wine, Palomino Fino sherry, and the Deviation aromatized Orange Muscat, distributed direct-to-consumer, through wine club memberships, and via a national distributor network.
Is Quady Winery a public or private company?
Quady Winery is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Quady Winery founded?
Quady Winery was founded in 1977. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Quady Winery based?
Quady Winery is headquartered in Madera, United States, in the North America region.
How does Quady Winery make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer Wine Sales are the primary driver. The others are wine Club Memberships and wholesale/Distribution.
Who are Quady Winery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Trinchero Family Estates (Sutter Home), Bonny Doon Vineyard, St. George Spirits and Frog's Leap Winery. Broad incumbents are E. & J. Gallo Winery, The Wine Group, Carpano Antica Formula (Fratelli Branca) and Treasury Wine Estates. Quady North is listed as a regional player. Carol Shelton Wines is listed as an emerging player.
Does Quady Winery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Quady Winery.
What industry is Quady Winery in?
Quady Winery's product category is Winery — Dessert, Aperitif & Fortified Wines. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAAAB, Wine Production & Winemaking, with a secondary code of CRADAIAB, Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands. Its NAICS code is 312130 and its SIC code is 2080.