The Priory Cellars
The Priory Cellars is a Swiss wine cooperative in Cormondrèche, Canton of Neuchâtel, founded in 1939, producing and selling 27+ AOC Neuchâtel wines directly to consumers through its boutique, online shop, and wine tourism experiences, sourcing grapes from 50+ local growers across 32 hectares.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1939
- HeadquartersCorcelles, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Priory Cellars does
The Priory Cellars (Caves du Prieuré de Cormondrèche) is a Swiss wine cooperative headquartered at Grand-Rue 25, Cormondrèche, in the Canton of Neuchâtel, founded in its current form in 1939 by the Association of Wine Growers of the Côte Neuchâteloise (AVCN) on the initiative of Jean-Louis Gerber. The cooperative sources grapes from 50+ local suppliers farming 32 hectares of vineyards and operates a 27+ SKU portfolio spanning white wines (Chasselas, Non-Filtré, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Riesling-Sylvaner, Perdrix Blanche, Chardonnay Barrique, Elixir du Prieur Blanc), red wines (Pinot Noir, Goutte d'Or, Pinot Noir barrique, Le Secret de la Chapelle, Garanoir, Cuvée Rouge Éclat, Lacrima Nobilis, Magie Noire, Elixir du Prieur Rouge), sparkling wines (Oeil-de-Perdrix Mousseux, Chardonnay Mousseux), and dessert wines (Gourmandine, Doux Caprice). Its flagship Oeil-de-Perdrix rosé, celebrating 165 years in 2025, is positioned as the authentic Neuchâtel rosé ("L'Original"). Winemaking is traditional: méthode traditionnelle for sparkling wines, up to 24 months in new oak for Elixir du Prieur Rouge, manual grape selection and hand pigeage for Lacrima Nobilis.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer model across multiple revenue streams: boutique wine sales at the Cormondrèche cellar (CHF 8.60-57.00 per bottle, with volume discounts up to 10% from CHF 1,000), an online shop with free Switzerland-wide delivery from CHF 300, and wine tourism experiences including three tasting tiers (CHF 18-33 per person, minimum 10 persons), guided cave tours, bottle engraving via artisan partner La Tuile d'argent, gift boxes, and ticketed cultural events (Soirées Vignes et Culture at CHF 88 per person featuring regional comedic performers). The cooperative holds 80+ years of institutional heritage and an extensive award record, including Gold at Mondial du Pinot (Lacrima Nobilis 2022), Gold at Grand Prix du Vin Suisse (Gewürztraminer 2022, Chardonnay 2021 finalist), and recurring Sélection d'Or medals at the Sélection cantonale des Vins de Neuchâtel.
The Priory Cellars firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Priory Cellars
- Legal name
- Caves du Prieuré de Cormondrèche
- Website
- https://prieure.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1939
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Priory Cellars is a Swiss wine cooperative in Cormondrèche, Canton of Neuchâtel, founded in 1939, producing and selling 27+ AOC Neuchâtel wines directly to consumers through its boutique, online shop, and wine tourism experiences, sourcing grapes from 50+ local growers across 32 hectares.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Priory Cellars industry classification
Industry- Product category
- 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), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF), Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)
Keywords
Where The Priory Cellars is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Corcelles
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Priory Cellars business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Wine sales: Direct sale of wines across 27+ products including white, red, rosé, sparkling, and sweet wines. Prices range from CHF 8.60 to CHF 57.00 per bottle depending on varietal and format.
- Wine tourism and tastings: Cave tours and wine tasting experiences offered Monday-Friday and Saturday. Three tasting packages: CHF 18-33 per person for groups of 10+. Smaller groups charged CHF 180 flat rate.
- Events and entertainment: Soirées Vignes et Culture events featuring comedic performances (Thierry Meury, Simon Romang) at CHF 88 per person including welcome drink, show, spit-roast dinner, salad buffet and cream cake.
- Engraving and personalization: Bottle personalization service through collaboration with La Tuile d'argent workshop, offering engraved bottles, large flagons and glasses.
- Barrel sales: Sale of 224-litre Bordeaux and Burgundy barrels branded with Caves du Prieuré, priced at CHF 149 each.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Option 1 - 5-wine tasting with baker's flutes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Option 2 - Cold meat plate with bread |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Option 3 - Cold meat and cheese with bread |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Small group tasting (under 10 people) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Soirées Vignes et Culture event |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Oak barrel sale |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Priory Cellars product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Priory Cellars is a Swiss wine cooperative that produces and sells approximately 27 Neuchâtel AOC wines spanning white, red, rosé, sparkling, and dessert categories, sourced from 50+ local grape growers across 32 hectares. In addition to wine production and direct retail through an on-site boutique and online shop, the cooperative operates wine tourism services including guided cave tours, three tiers of tastings with food pairings, bottle engraving via partner La Tuile d'argent, gift boxes, and hosted cultural events such as Soirées Vignes et Culture.
Product overview
The Priory Cellars (Caves du Prieuré de Cormondrèche) is a Swiss wine cooperative founded in 1939, producing and selling wines from the Neuchâtel AOC region. The product portfolio spans five wine categories: (1) White Wines (Vins blancs) including Chasselas Neuchâtel, Non-Filtré, Goutte d'Or Blanc, and Chasselas Tradition; (2) Specialty Wines (Spécialités) including Oeil-de-Perdrix, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Riesling-Sylvaner, Perdrix Blanche, Chardonnay Barrique, Elixir du Prieur Blanc, and Cuvée Rosé Passion; (3) Red Wines (Vins rouges) including Pinot Noir Neuchâtel, Goutte d'Or Rouge, Pinot Noir Barrique, Le Secret de la Chapelle, Garanoir La Réserve, Cuvée Rouge Éclat, Lacrima Nobilis, Magie Noire, and Elixir du Prieur Rouge; (4) Sparkling Wines (Mousseux) including Oeil-de-Perdrix Mousseux and Chardonnay Mousseux; (5) Dessert Wines (Liquoreux) including Gourmandine and Doux Caprice. The cooperative also offers experiential services including cave tours with tastings, bottle engraving, gift box creation, and direct sales from their shop. The winery sources grapes from over 50 suppliers farming 32 hectares of vineyards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Non-Filtré An unfiltered white Neuchâtel AOC wine with notes of yeast and citrus (lemon), offering freshness and fruitiness with a crisp finish; bottled in 50cl format.
- Chasselas Neuchâtel A classic Neuchâtel AOC white wine with a fine, floral nose; rich and lively, supported by light carbon dioxide.
- Oeil-de-Perdrix The iconic ros\u00e9 of Neuchâtel, celebrating 165 years; pale salmon color with notes of quince jelly, warm and racy with fruit length; celebrated as 'L'Original' authentic Neuchâtel rosé.
- Chardonnay A white wine with notes of white flowers and citrus; rich fruit carried by lively acidity typical of the Chardonnay grape variety; received Sélection cantonale 2024 Prix d'Excellence and Grand Prix du Vin Suisse 2022 Gold and finalist nomination.
- Sauvignon Blanc Pale gold with green reflections, expressive nose of flowers and elderflower, crisp acidity with box tree and citrus notes; awarded at Grand Prix du Vin Suisse 2024.
- Pinot Noir Neuchâtel A youthful, ruby-colored Neuchâtel AOC Pinot Noir with notes of red fruits and crunchy cherries, expressing youth and fruit character.
- Lacrima Nobilis A premium handcrafted Pinot Noir from manual harvest, open oak barrel maceration, and hand pigeage, aged in carefully selected oak barrels; a 'vin de garde' intended for decanting; Gold medal at Mondial du Pinot 2025 for the 2022 vintage.
- Elixir du Prieur Rouge A premium red assemblage aged 24 months in new oak barrels with complex notes of spices, vanilla, and black berries, firm tannins with a long finish; priced at CHF 57.00 per 75cl bottle.
- Magie Noire A blend of Garanoir, Gamaret, and Pinot Noir aged 12 months in oak barriques; dark color with notes of black cherries, pepper, and vanilla.
- Oeil-de-Perdrix Mousseux Brut A brut sparkling rosé made by méthode traditionnelle, with salmon color, fine bubbles, delicate nose of quince jelly and plums; harmonious and lively.
- Chardonnay Mousseux Brut A brut sparkling Chardonnay with pale gold and green reflections, notes of gingerbread and baked apples, creamy mousse with an exotic finish; made by méthode traditionnelle.
- Gourmandine A sweet dessert wine from Riesling-Sylvaner grapes; candied exotic fruits with refreshing vivacity.
- Doux Caprice A straw-yellow dessert (liquoreux) wine with notes of spices, brioche and vanilla, balanced sweetness with toasted bread notes; pairs with foie gras.
- Cave Tours and Tastings Guided tours of the historic wine cellars and chapel (approximately 120 minutes) with three tiers of wine tasting: CHF 18 (5 wines with baker's flutes), CHF 28 (with cold meat plate 70g per person), or CHF 33 (with meat and cheese 140g per person); minimum 10 persons, or CHF 180 flat rate for smaller groups; available by appointment Monday–Friday 10:30–11:30 and 14:00–17:00.
- Bottle Engraving Service (La Tuile d'argent) Personalization of bottles, large flagons, and glasses via collaboration with artisan workshop La Tuile d'argent in Chézard; offered as a gift and event service.
- Gift Ideas and Gift Boxes Gift vouchers and gift boxes featuring seasonal regional products, with custom box creation on request; offered through the on-site boutique and online shop.
- Direct Sales (Boutique) Direct retail wine sales from the on-site shop at Grand-Rue 25, Cormondrèche, open Monday–Friday 8:00–12:00 and 14:00–18:00, Saturday 9:00–12:00, with tastings by appointment.
- Soirées Vignes et Culture (Cultural Event Evenings) Hosted evening events featuring comedic performances (including Thierry Meury on August 27, 2026 and Simon Romang on August 28, 2026), with welcome drink, show, spit-roast dinner, salad buffet and cream cake; CHF 88 per person; mineral water and coffees included, wine available for purchase.
- Branded Oak Barrel Sales Sale of 224-litre Bordeaux and Burgundy oak barrels branded with Caves du Prieuré markings, with black or silver rings available on-site, priced at CHF 149 each.
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple wine awards including Sélection d'Or, Gold medals at Grand Prix du Vin Suisse, and Gold medals at Mondial du Pinot
Companies that use The Priory Cellars
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Priory Cellars technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Priory Cellars partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Vignes et CulturecoreAnnual collaboration for Soirées Vignes et Culture events featuring comedic performances at the Caves du Prieuré. Events include performances by Thierry Meury (August 27, 2026) and Simon Romang (August 28, 2026), with welcome drinks, shows, and spit-roast dinners.
- Caves ouvertes NeuchâtelcoreAnnual participation in the regional Caves ouvertes Neuchâtel festival, opening the cellar doors to visitors for tastings and tours.
- Neuchâtel Vins et TerroircoreCollaboration for Oeil-de-Perdrix events and celebrations, including the 165th anniversary tasting on June 18, 2026 at Place du Port in Neuchâtel.
- La Tuile d'argentminorArtisan workshop collaboration for bottle engraving and personalization services. Located in Chézard, they offer customization of bottles, large flagons, and glasses with the Caves du Prieuré branding.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights8 records
The Priory Cellars competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Schuler Weine: Historic Swiss wine producer (St. Gallen) with a broad portfolio across German-speaking Switzerland. Comparable in long-established heritage, multi-category portfolio, and DTC sales, though operating in a different Swiss region.
- Domaines Rouvinez: Valais-based Swiss wine producer with a portfolio of regional varietals including Pinot Noir and specialties, sold through DTC and wine tourism. Comparable in Swiss AOC positioning, premium tier focus, and direct sales emphasis.
- Cave de Genève: Swiss wine cooperative based in Geneva serving the French-speaking Swiss market with a similar cooperative grower model, regional AOC focus, and DTC sales through boutique and online channels. Closely comparable in structure, customer base, and GTM to The Priory Cellars.
- Cave La Côte: Wine cooperative in the La Côte AOC (Vaud canton) sourcing from local growers and selling Chasselas, Pinot Noir, and specialty wines through DTC and cellar tours. Closely comparable cooperative structure, product mix, and French-speaking Swiss regional positioning.
- Provins Valais: Largest wine cooperative in Swiss Romandy (Valais), aggregating growers to produce and market regional AOC wines. Comparable in cooperative model, portfolio breadth, and reliance on DTC and wine tourism, though at larger scale than The Priory Cellars.
- Henri Badoux Vins: Swiss winery in Aigle (Vaud) producing AOC Chablais wines with DTC, cellar visits, and event programming. Comparable Swiss regional winery with similar product categories (Chasselas, Pinot Noir, specialty wines) and direct-to-consumer focus.
Broad incumbents
- Maison Albert Bichot: Multi-regional French wine house with significant Burgundy focus, broad international distribution, and DTC initiatives. Comparable in premium positioning and barrel-aged offerings, though substantially larger and more internationally diversified.
- Trimbach: Family-owned Alsatian wine house producing Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Gewürztraminer with international distribution. Comparable in family/heritage-driven identity and varietal overlap (Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer), but operates at substantially larger scale and broader geographic reach.
- Bouchard Père & Fils: Established Burgundy producer with broad international distribution and a wide premium-portfolio approach. Larger and more globally distributed than The Priory Cellars but comparable in premium-tier winemaking focus, barrel-aged offerings, and award-driven positioning.
- Maison Louis Latour: Major Burgundy négociant with global distribution and a premium portfolio emphasizing terroir and barrel aging. Larger incumbent in a similar premium wine category; useful comparable for scaling premium tiers and export-led growth.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Priory Cellars social profiles
Digital presenceThe Priory Cellars financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Priory Cellars leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Priory Cellars funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Priory Cellars 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 The Priory Cellars
What does The Priory Cellars do?
The Priory Cellars is a Swiss wine cooperative that produces and sells approximately 27 Neuchâtel AOC wines spanning white, red, rosé, sparkling, and dessert categories, sourced from 50+ local grape growers across 32 hectares. In addition to wine production and direct retail through an on-site boutique and online shop, the cooperative operates wine tourism services including guided cave tours, three tiers of tastings with food pairings, bottle engraving via partner La Tuile d'argent, gift boxes, and hosted cultural events such as Soirées Vignes et Culture.
Is The Priory Cellars a public or private company?
The Priory Cellars is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was The Priory Cellars founded?
The Priory Cellars was founded in 1939. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Priory Cellars based?
The Priory Cellars is headquartered in Corcelles, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does The Priory Cellars make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Wine sales are the primary driver. The others are wine tourism and tastings, events and entertainment, engraving and personalization and barrel sales.
Who are The Priory Cellars's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Schuler Weine, Domaines Rouvinez, Cave de Genève, Cave La Côte, Provins Valais and Henri Badoux Vins. Broad incumbents are Maison Albert Bichot, Trimbach, Bouchard Père & Fils and Maison Louis Latour.
Does The Priory Cellars have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Priory Cellars.
What industry is The Priory Cellars in?
The Priory Cellars's product category is Wines. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAB, Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands, with a secondary code of THAFALAE, Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms). Its NAICS code is 312130 and its SIC code is 5810.