Qupé

What Qupé does

QUPÉ Wines is a heritage California wine brand founded in 1982 by Bob Lindquist, recognized as a pioneer in cool-climate Rhône varietal winemaking (Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, Marsanne) and Burgundian-inspired Chardonnay. The brand sources grapes from cool-climate vineyards across the Central Coast—including Arroyo Grande, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, and Sta. Rita Hills—producing appellation blends and single-vineyard estate wines (e.g., Bien Nacido Hillside Estate) with a terroir-driven, SIP-Certified sustainable farming philosophy. Its core product portfolio centers on Chardonnay, Syrah, and Grenache, supplemented by Roussanne, Marsanne, and Sauvignon Blanc, with wines aged in French oak using traditional techniques.

Name

Qupé

Legal name

QUPÉ Wines

Website

https://qupe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Qupé is a heritage California wine brand (est. 1982) specializing in cool-climate Rhône varietals and Chardonnay from the Central Coast, serving wine enthusiasts and restaurant/retail wine programs via its estate winery, two Los Olivos tasting rooms, and U.S. wholesale distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Winery

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Grape Growing & Canopy Management (In-Season Vineyard Operations) (AFAGAJAB), Organic Vineyard & Wine Grape Farming (AFAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Cool-climate winemaking
• Rhône varietal wines
• Estate wine production
• Sustainable viticulture
• Central Coast winery

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Olivos

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer wine sales through estate winery, tasting room, and online shop. Wines sold in bottles with pricing based on varietal and vintage.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Sales through restaurants, retailers, and wine lists across the country. Wine available at home markets, stores, and restaurant wine lists nationwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

QUPÉ produces and sells cool-climate Rhône varietal wines from California's Central Coast, including Chardonnay, Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Sauvignon Blanc. Wines are crafted using French oak barrel fermentation, hand-harvesting, and sustainable viticulture across estate and contracted vineyards. The portfolio is sold direct-to-consumer through the estate winery, E11EVEN tasting room, and online shop, and distributed wholesale to restaurants and retailers across the United States.

Product overview

Qupé is a legacy wine brand (est. 1982) now owned by Andrew Murray Vineyards, focused on crafting balanced, cool-climate Rhône varietal wines from the Central Coast of California. The product portfolio centers on Chardonnay, Syrah, and Grenache as core offerings, supplemented by Roussanne and Marsanne white wines. Wines are sourced from cool-climate vineyards across Santa Maria, Los Alamos, Sta. Rita Hills, Arroyo Grande, Santa Ynez Valley, and Ballard Canyon. The portfolio includes both appellation blends (Santa Barbara County, Central Coast) and single-vineyard estate wines (Bien Nacido Hillside Estate). The brand emphasizes sustainable farming practices and traditional winemaking techniques including hand-harvesting, barrel fermentation, and extended aging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Qupé Chardonnay
• Qupé Syrah Central Coast
• Qupé Grenache Santa Barbara County
• Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate
• Qupé Sauvignon Blanc Santa Barbara County
• Qupé Roussanne

Quantifiable outcome

• 93 points Wine Enthusiast, Best of Class, and Double Gold at 2022 Central Coast Wine Competition for Grenache

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Andrew Murray VineyardscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Andrew Murray Vineyards acquired Qupé brand and all assets including library wines in October 2024. Andrew Murray Vineyards was founded in 1990 right next door to where Qupé started on Foxen Canyon Road. The acquisition brings Qupé back to its origins with plans to carry forward its legacy into its fourth decade and beyond.
• Coastal Vineyard CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVineyard manager committed to sustainable, organic, and biodynamic vineyard farming. Low input viticulture methods ensure minimal environmental impact with practices including soil structure attention, cover crops, biodegradable pest control, and microorganism introduction for nutrient cycling.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Tablas Creek Vineyard: Rhône varietal specialist in Paso Robles focused on cool-climate expressions of Syrah, Grenache, Marsanne, and Roussanne. Directly competes with Qupé in the California Rhône category and shares the French-imported clonal selection and regenerative viticulture philosophy.
• Stolpman Vineyards: Ballard Canyon (Los Olivos) Rhône specialist producing Syrah, Grenache, and Roussanne from limestone soils. Highly comparable in terroir focus and varietal mix to Qupé's Central Coast Rhône program.
• Andrew Murray Vineyards: Parent company and Rhône varietal specialist based on Foxen Canyon Road in Los Olivos. Andrew Murray produces Rhône-style wines from Central Coast vineyards and now operates Qupé under the same roof, making it the most directly comparable producer in portfolio, geography, and varietal focus.
• Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards: Sta. Rita Hills producer focused on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with strong Burgundian and cool-climate positioning. Shares Qupé's Sta. Rita Hills sourcing and Burgundian-style Chardonnay winemaking approach.
• Ojai Vineyard: Cool-climate-focused California producer making Syrah and Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County vineyards. Similar small-lot, terroir-driven philosophy and overlap with Qupé in sourcing regions and varietal mix.
• Bien Nacido Vineyards: Historic Santa Maria Valley vineyard that is the source of Qupé's flagship Bien Nacido Hillside Estate Syrah. As a key grower-partner and producer of its own estate wines, it overlaps with Qupé in fruit sourcing and premium Rhône/Chardonnay positioning.
• Zaca Mesa Winery: Central Coast Rhône-focused winery based in Santa Ynez Valley producing Syrah, Grenache, and other Rhône varietals. Geographic and varietal overlap with Qupé makes it a direct competitor for tasting room traffic and on-premise placements.
• Chronic Cellars: Paso Robles Rhône-focused producer known for approachable, fruit-forward Syrah and Rhône blends with strong tasting room presence. Comparable varietal mix, DTC-led GTM motion, and California Rhône positioning versus Qupé.

Regional players

• Foxen Vineyard & Winery: Foxen Canyon Road neighbor of Qupé and Andrew Murray producing cool-climate Rhône and Burgundian varietals from the same Santa Ynez Valley region. Same geographic terroir and direct on-premise competition in Los Olivos tasting circuit.
• Eberle Winery: Established Paso Robles Rhône and Bordeaux-style producer with estate winery and tasting room operations. Comparable DTC tasting room model and Rhône varietal overlap, though based in Paso Robles rather than Santa Ynez Valley.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/QupeWine
• Xx.com/Qupewines
• Facebookfacebook.com/qupewine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Qupé