Dancing Crow Vineyards

What Dancing Crow Vineyards does

Dancing Crow Vineyards is a small, family-owned and operated winery founded in 2013 by Tony Cartlidge, Sarah Forni-Cartlidge, Adam Forni, and Stefan Cartlidge, with a Californian winemaking legacy cited as spanning four generations back to the late 1800s. The company produces sustainably grown, French-style wines from grapes sourced across Lake and Mendocino Counties, working with 30 varieties across 100% certified-sustainable vineyards totaling 50 acres. The portfolio includes a flagship Lake County Sauvignon Blanc, plus Rosé, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon (from the Kelsey Bench AVA at 1400 ft), Zinfandel, a Rhône-style Corbeau Rusé blend, and the site-specific Old Stake 1901 Field Blend—a co-fermented blend of 24+ Old World heritage varieties from 120-year-old vines registered with the Historical Vineyard Society. Winemaking is led by GM/Winemaker Scott Kirkpatrick (Certified Sommelier, ex-Eleven Eleven, founder of Mountain Tides) and Winemaker Rogelio Alvarado.

The company operates a multi-channel direct-to-consumer go-to-market: a Hopland, CA tasting room (opened April 2023) with indoor/outdoor seating and family- and pet-friendly amenities; a wine club with 6- and 12-bottle subscription tiers delivered three times per year at $160–$430 per shipment; an e-commerce shop; a farmer's market circuit spanning Northern and Southern California; and an event venue hosting weddings, corporate events, birthdays, anniversaries, and live music with capacity up to 200 persons. An on-site getaway casita on the 44-acre property adds a hospitality rental layer. Pricing is publicly disclosed, with 15–20% wine club discounts and complimentary tastings for members. The company has no disclosed institutional funding, no parent company, and reports 1–10 employees, consistent with a founder-led boutique operation. Third-party validation includes multiple 90+ point ratings from Wine Enthusiast, James Suckling, Decanter, CA State Fair, SF Chronicle, Sunset Magazine, and The Tasting Panel, as well as inclusion in 'California Wineries to Watch.'

Name

Dancing Crow Vineyards

Legal name

Dancing Crow Vineyards

Website

https://dancingcrow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dancing Crow Vineyards is a family-owned California winery producing sustainably grown, French-style wines from Lake and Mendocino County vineyards, serving wine enthusiasts, tasting-room visitors, wine club members, and event hosts through a Hopland tasting room, subscriptions, farmer's markets, and event venue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Winery / Premium Wines

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

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), Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

Keywords

• Wine production
• Winery operations
• Tasting room experiences
• Wine club memberships
• Vineyard event hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Hopland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

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: Direct-to-consumer wine sales through the tasting room, online shop, and farmers markets across Northern and Southern California. Wines are sold in bottles with varying price points based on varietal and production volume.
2. Wine Club Membership: Subscription-based wine club with 6-bottle and 12-bottle options delivered 3x yearly (April, September, November). Members receive 15-20% discount on all purchases and exclusive access to library and first release wines.
3. Event Hosting: Revenue from hosting weddings, corporate events, birthdays, anniversaries, and live music events. Venue access includes grounds, tasting room, barrel room, private rooms, and AV equipment with 200-person capacity.
4. Hospitality Services: Tasting room experiences offering curated wine flights and complimentary tastings for wine club members. Also includes on-site getaway casita rental for overnight accommodations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Dancing Crow Vineyards produces and sells sustainably grown, French-style wines from Lake and Mendocino County AVAs, including Sauvignon Blanc (flagship), Chardonnay, Rosé, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, a Rhône-style Corbeau Ruse blend, and the rare Old Stake 1901 Field Blend made from 24+ heritage varieties co-fermented from 120-year-old vines. It distributes these wines directly to consumers through its Hopland, CA tasting room, online shop, farmers markets across California, and a tri-annual wine club, while also hosting weddings, corporate events, and an on-site getaway casita.

Product overview

Dancing Crow Vineyards is a small, family-owned winery specializing in sustainably grown, French-style wines from Lake and Mendocino Counties. The product portfolio centers on seven distinct wines: Sauvignon Blanc (flagship), Rosé, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Corbeau Rusé (Rhône-style blend), and the rare Old Stake 1901 Field Blend (24+ heritage varieties from 120-year-old vines). Additional offerings include Wine Club Memberships (6 or 12-bottle subscriptions delivered 3x yearly), a physical Tasting Room experience, Event Hosting services for weddings and corporate events (up to 200 capacity), and an on-site Getaway Casita rental.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Old Stake 1901: Site-specific field blend from Old Stake 1901 Vineyard in Lake County's Kelsey Bench AVA, consisting of 24+ Old World varieties from vines planted in 1901. Registered with the Historical Vineyard Society.
• Corbeau Rusé

Products and services

• Sauvignon Blanc Sancerre-style Sauvignon Blanc from Lake County, CA, showcasing New World and Old World influences with citrus and stone-fruit flavors, balanced acidity, and a hint of minerality at 12.5% alcohol. Awarded 94 points from Wine Enthusiast, 92 points from Sunset Magazine, and Best-of-Class at the SF Chronicle Wine Competition.
• Rosé Pale pink Rosé in the style of Provence with fresh floral aromas and graceful red fruit flavors, finishing with a note of honey and crisp acidity at 12.5% alcohol. Recognized as a 92-point Wine Enthusiast Best Buy.
• Cabernet Sauvignon Full-bodied, elegantly refined Cabernet Sauvignon from the Old Stake 1901 property in the Kelsey Bench AVA at 1,400 ft elevation, with rust-colored volcanic deposits and cool afternoon winds. Awarded 93 points from Wine Enthusiast and The Tasting Panel and 93 points at the CA State Fair.
• Chardonnay Unoaked Mendocino County Chardonnay in a Chablis style with no malolactic fermentation, featuring aromas and flavors of green apple, citrus fruits, honeysuckle, and white hedge flowers. Awarded 91 points at the CA State Fair Commercial Wine Competition.
• Corbeau Ruse Rhône-style blend predominantly made of Grenache and Syrah, with tart red fruit and brambly purple fruit aromas and flavors on a silky palate. Awarded 90 points at the Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge.
• Old Stake 1901 Field Blend Site-specific Field Blend from the Old Stake 1901 Vineyard in Lake County's Kelsey Bench AVA, comprising 24+ Old World varieties co-fermented from vines planted in 1901 (120+ years old), making it one of the few 100+ year-old Field Blend vineyards still left in California. Awarded 94 points from The Tasting Panel and 93 points from the Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge.
• Zinfandel Zinfandel wine from Lake County appellations, one of 30 sustainably grown varieties the winery works with. Awarded 94 points at both the California State Fair Wine Competition and the Sunset Magazine International Wine Competition.
• Wine Club Membership Wine club membership with 6-bottle or 12-bottle shipments delivered 3x per year (April, September, November); members receive 15–20% discount on all purchases, complimentary tastings for up to four guests, and priority/exclusive access to library and 1st-release wines. Pricing ranges from $160–$200 to $380–$430 per shipment depending on tier and varietal mix (Mixed Red & White, White-only, Red-only).
• Winery Tasting Room Walk-in tasting room and winery experience in Hopland, CA, offering curated wine flights and complimentary tastings for wine club members. Operates Thursday–Monday 11am–5:30pm in a relaxed, family- and pet-friendly setting with indoor and outdoor seating.
• Event Hosting Winery event hosting service offering weddings, corporate events, birthdays, anniversaries, and live music at the Hopland property. Venue accommodates up to 200 persons with access to grounds, tasting room, barrel room, private rooms, and AV equipment.
• Getaway Casita Rental Secluded one-bedroom getaway casita on the 44-acre property one mile north of Hopland, CA, offering overnight accommodations with complimentary wine tasting and fireplace access.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple 90+ point ratings across portfolio including 94 pts Wine Enthusiast for Sauvignon Blanc and Old Stake Field Blend
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fetzer Vineyards: Iconic Mendocino County sustainable winery with broad varietal portfolio (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Zinfandel). Directly comparable on California North Coast sourcing, sustainability credentials, and DTC-plus-distribution model.
• St. Francis Winery & Vineyards: Sonoma County family-owned winery with estate vineyards, tasting room, wine club, and event hosting. Comparable on family ownership, single-region estate focus, and DTC-plus-events revenue mix.
• Parducci Wine Cellars: Historic Mendocino County winery (founded 1918) producing sustainably grown varietals including Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet. Comparable on Mendocino sourcing, sustainability positioning, and DTC channel mix.
• Brassfield Estate Winery: Lake County winery producing estate-grown Rhône and Bordeaux-style wines with a tasting room and DTC focus. Closest geographic and scale analog in the same emerging AVA.
• Husch Vineyards: Small family-owned Mendocino County winery with estate vineyard and tasting room. Comparable on family-owned structure, Mendocino AVA focus, and DTC-led direct-to-consumer model.
• Six Sigma Ranch & Winery: Family-owned Lake County estate winery with vineyard, tasting room, and DTC/event hosting. Comparable on family ownership, Lake County origin, and DTC-led business model.
• Tablas Creek Vineyard: Family-owned Paso Robles estate producing Rhône-style wines (Grenache, Syrah blends) with wine club and DTC focus. Comparable on family ownership, Rhône-style blend portfolio (Corbeau Rusé analog), and wine-club-driven recurring revenue.
• Shannon Ridge: High-elevation Lake County winery focused on sustainably grown varietals (Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, Zinfandel) with tasting room and DTC sales. Comparable on region, sustainability story, and varietal portfolio.
• Bonterra Organic Estates: Mendocino County-based producer of certified organic/sustainable wines with a multi-varietal DTC and wholesale portfolio. Highly comparable on region, sustainability positioning, and varietal mix (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Zinfandel).

Broad incumbents

• E. & J. Gallo Winery: Largest family-owned wine producer in the world, owner of multiple Mendocino County brands. Overlaps in varietal portfolio and California North Coast sourcing, but operates at vastly larger scale across value, premium, and luxury tiers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DCVineyards
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFrXNTPea3mDM1pYrU1Emiw
• Facebookfacebook.com/DCVineyards
• Instagraminstagram.com/dancingcrowvineyards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dancing-crow-vineyards-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Dancing Crow Vineyards