Cellar 426 Winery

What Cellar 426 Winery does

Cellar 426 Winery is a private, family-owned winery founded in 2012 by the Hilske family in Ashland, Nebraska, operating a single hilltop estate located halfway between Omaha and Lincoln. The company produces small-batch wines and hard ciders from cold-hardy grape varietals suited to the Nebraska climate, drawing on 3 acres of estate vineyards supplemented by partnerships with southeastern Nebraska growers (including Old Cellar Vineyards). Production techniques include bourbon barrel aging (Willet, Old Elk, Wild Turkey barrels used for Blaze) and French/American oak barrel aging of reserve wines for 10-12 months. The portfolio spans dry to sweet red wines, dry to sweet whites, rosés, sangrias, sparkling options, and hand-crafted hard apple ciders, plus limited seasonal releases such as Winter Spice and Mulled Wine.

The business operates a multi-channel revenue model combining direct-to-consumer tasting room sales (glass, bottle, flights, and tastings), a quarterly subscription wine club (The Cellar Wine Club, three style tracks), retail distribution through Hy-Vee and specialty wine shops across Nebraska, e-commerce shipping to 31+ states, phone orders, food and beverage sales (charcuterie plates, cheese boards, desserts, non-alcoholic drinks), and ticketed live music and event programming (summer concert series at $7.50 advance / $10 day-of-show, Uncork & Unwind quiet hours, workshops, bingo nights). Pricing on food ranges from $3.95 (ciabatta with herbed butter) to $19.45 (charcuterie plate), while wine club benefits include 15% off bottles, 20% off cases, complimentary glasses and concert tickets, and access to release events, with a $40 cancellation fee after one year.

The technology stack is intentionally minimal: Square is used for gift card purchases and event ticketing, and Vinoshipper powers The Cellar Wine Club subscription management. The customer base is composed of SMB/individual wine enthusiasts, regional tourists, and event-goers drawn by 360-degree views, a lodge-style tasting room, and an award-winning reputation (200+ medals at International Wine Competitions, Best Winery eight consecutive years per Omaha World Herald readers). The business is independently owned with no external investors or parent entity.

Name

Cellar 426 Winery

Legal name

Cellar 426 Winery

Website

https://cellar426.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cellar 426 Winery is a private, family-owned Nebraska winery founded in 2012, producing small-batch wines and hard ciders from cold-hardy grapes for tasting room visitors, wine club subscribers, regional retail partners, and DTC e-commerce customers across 31+ states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Winery

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Grape Vineyards (111332)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA), Organic Vineyard & Wine Grape Farming (AFAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Small batch winery
• Wine tasting room
• Wine club subscription
• Cold climate wines
• Hard cider production

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales at Winery: On-site wine sales by the glass and bottle to visitors at the tasting room. Also includes wine flights and tastings.
2. Wine Club Membership: Quarterly subscription delivering 4 bottles of wine per shipment, with three style options (Dry Side, Perfect Blend, Sweet Side). Includes member benefits like discounts and event access.
3. Food & Beverage Sales: Sale of food items including charcuterie plates, cheese boards, desserts, and non-alcoholic beverages to enhance the wine tasting experience.
4. Event Tickets: Ticketed live music events and special experiences. Summer concert series tickets priced at $7.50 advance, $10 day of show.
5. Retail Distribution: Wholesale distribution to retail stores and restaurants across Nebraska. Products sold through Hy-Vee, specialty wine shops, and boutique retailers.
6. Online & Phone Orders: Direct-to-consumer shipping to 31+ states. Orders placed via website or phone with delivery to customer doorstep.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cellar 426 Winery is a small-batch, family-owned Nebraska winery that produces award-winning red wines, white wines, and hard ciders from estate-grown and locally sourced cold-hardy grape varieties. The winery operates a lodge-style tasting room with on-site wine flights and food pairings, and sells its wines through a wine club subscription, retail distribution across Nebraska, and online shipping to 31+ states.

Product overview

Cellar 426 Winery is a small-batch, award-winning Nebraska winery producing a portfolio of red wines, white wines, and hard ciders. The core product consists of small-batch wines crafted from estate-grown grapes (3 acres on property) and grapes from southeastern Nebraska vineyards. Red wines range from dry reds like Big Bold Red and Aspire Reserve Petite Pearl to sweeter options like Rocky's Red and Berry Sangria. White wines span from dry (Uplifting) to semi-sweet (Linoma Lighthouse, Sunflower White). Hard ciders include Original Hard Apple Cider and specialty ciders like Apple Pie Hard Cider. The winery offers complementary services including wine tastings/flights, The Cellar Wine Club (quarterly membership), a food menu featuring charcuterie and desserts, live music events (Summer Concert Series), private event rentals, and non-alcoholic beverage options. Seasonal offerings include Winter Spice and Mulled Wine during winter months.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Red Wines Small-batch red wines ranging from dry to sweet, including bourbon barrel-aged and oak-aged reserve options, made from cold-hardy grape varieties suited to the Nebraska climate. Targeted at wine enthusiasts visiting the winery or subscribing to the wine club.
• White Wines Small-batch white wines spanning dry to sweet styles, made from cold-hardy grape varieties such as Edelweiss, Itasca, Traminette, and Brianna. Targeted at wine enthusiasts visiting the winery or buying via online and retail channels.
• Hard Ciders Hand-crafted hard apple ciders made from Nebraska apples, including sparkling Original Hard Apple Cider, Wild Berry Cider, and Hilske's Hill Top Homemade Apple Pie Hard Cider. Targeted at visitors and online customers seeking alternative beverages.
• Wine Tastings & Flights On-site tasting room experience offering wine tastings (4 one-ounce samples) and wine flights (4 two-ounce samples served simultaneously), plus by-the-glass and by-the-bottle pours. Targeted at visiting wine enthusiasts and tourists.
• The Cellar Wine Club Quarterly wine subscription membership delivering 4 bottles of wine three times per year, with three style options (The Dry Side, The Perfect Blend, The Sweet Side). Members receive 15% off bottle purchases, 20% off cases, 10% off gift shop, 2 complimentary wine glasses at sign-up, complimentary tickets to Summer Music Concerts, and access to release party events. Targeted at loyal wine consumers seeking recurring access to Cellar 426's wines.
• Food Menu (Charcuterie, Cheese Plates, Desserts) Light appetizers and food items specifically chosen to pair with wines, including charcuterie plates, assorted cheeses, salami, hummus and veggie trays, ciabatta bread with dips, and specialty desserts. Targeted at tasting room visitors.
• Non-Alcoholic Wine & Beverages Selection of non-alcoholic wines and other beverages for guests who prefer not to drink alcohol, including sparkling Bubbl'r drinks, soda, bottled water, and unsweetened iced tea. Available at the tasting room.
• Live Music & Events Programming Year-round event programming including the Summer Music Concert Series featuring ticketed live music performances, Uncork & Unwind quiet hour events, creative workshops, bingo nights, ladies' nights, guided tours, and charcuterie pairings. Targeted at visitors seeking entertainment and social experiences.
• Seasonal Wines Limited-availability seasonal wines including Winter Spice (festive red with cinnamon, orange peel, and cloves, available mid-October through February) and Mulled Wine (warm spiced wine made with mulling spice packets). Targeted at holiday and winter-season visitors.
• Private Event Rentals Private room rentals available on a limited basis for special occasions during morning and early daytime hours, with a special rental menu including charcuterie, sandwiches, and desserts. Targeted at small private groups and corporate/event organizers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lost Lake wine earned 94 points at Monterey International Wine Competition
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Old Cellar VineyardsminorOthersGrape supplier located in Arapahoe, Nebraska that provides additional grape quantities for wine production, specifically mentioned for Brianna grapes used in Sweet N Sexy wine.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Wollersheim Winery: Wisconsin destination winery on a hilltop with tasting room, tours, and events. Comparable experience-led DTC model in the Upper Midwest.
• Galena Cellars Vineyard: Illinois winery with multiple tasting locations, small-batch production, and a wine club — parallels Cellar 426's DTC subscription and event-driven model.
• Chateau de Pique Winery: Indiana cold-climate winery with tasting room and events. Similar small-batch, cold-hardy varietal strategy in an adjacent Midwest market.
• Glacial Till Vineyard & Winery: Small Nebraska winery specializing in cold-climate grape varieties with a tasting room. Same niche as Cellar 426 — cold-hardy Midwestern viticulture.
• St. James Winery: Missouri winery producing cold-hardy varietals with broad retail distribution and a wine club. Comparable business model with deeper wholesale footprint.
• James Arthur Vineyards: One of Nebraska's oldest and largest wineries (Raymond, NE), producing cold-hardy varietals with a tasting room and events program. Direct competitor for Nebraska wine tourist share.
• Prairie Creek Vineyards: Nebraska-based small winery with on-site tastings and events, competing for the same Omaha/Lincoln weekend tourist traffic.
• Soaring Wings Vineyard & Winery: Nebraska winery near Springfield offering small-batch wines with a tasting room and live events. Closest geographic and scale comparable to Cellar 426.

Emerging players

• Winc: National DTC wine subscription brand with curated selections and direct shipping — comparable wine club mechanics and national shipping scale, though without a tasting-room component.

Broad incumbents

• Benziger Family Winery: Established Sonoma destination winery with tasting room, wine club, and broad distribution — illustrates the scaled-up version of the experience-led DTC model Cellar 426 is pursuing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Cellar 426 Winery