What Col Solare does

Col Solare is a Washington State winery that produces and sells premium red wines, with a focus on Cabernet Sauvignon sourced primarily from the Red Mountain AVA. The company was founded in 1995 as a joint venture between Marchesi Antinori (Tuscany, Italy) and Chateau Ste. Michelle (Washington), with Marchese Piero Antinori establishing the estate to unite Tuscan winemaking traditions with Washington terroir. The estate vineyard on Red Mountain was designed to Antinori family specifications, and grapes are processed via gravity-fed winemaking into temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks with a flexible cellar for controlled fermentation and aging, including 100% new French oak for approximately 20 months on premium tiers.

The product portfolio is structured in tiers: Tenuta (premium estate Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the most expressive lots), the flagship Col Solare Cabernet Sauvignon, an exclusive Collector's Society line available only to wine-club members, and a limited-quantity Component Collection of single-varietal wines. Vineyard sourcing is heavily concentrated, with Quintessence Vineyard contributing approximately 80-82% of fruit in flagship wines, Col Solare Estate around 15%, and Shaw 32 Vineyard around 3%.

Col Solare operates a direct-to-consumer business model spanning owned e-commerce (via Commerce7), an estate tasting room open seven days a week at 50207 Antinori Road in Benton City, WA, a subscription wine-club (Collector's Society) with three annual shipments, paid tasting experiences priced from $30 to $100 per person, and a calendar of hosted events including harvest dinners ($165-$225 per ticket) and craft classes. The company ships wine to over 35 US states subject to per-state alcohol shipping restrictions. It employs 11-50 staff, is privately held (operated as Col Solare, LLC under the Antinori California, Inc. umbrella), and is led by winemaker Stephanie Cohen (promoted June 2022 after joining in May 2020).

Name

Col Solare

Legal name

Col Solare, LLC

Website

https://colsolare.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Col Solare is a Washington State winery on Red Mountain, founded in 1995 as a joint venture between Marchesi Antinori and Chateau Ste. Michelle, producing premium Cabernet Sauvignon wines sold through direct-to-consumer e-commerce, an estate tasting room, a subscription wine club, ticketed tasting experiences, and hosted events for affluent individual wine consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Benton City

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: Col Solare generates revenue through direct-to-consumer wine sales via their e-commerce website, selling wines across multiple collections including Tenuta (premium estate wines), Col Solare (flagship wines), Collector's Society (exclusive club releases), and Component Collection (single-varietal wines).
2. Wine Club Membership: The Collector's Society is an elite limited-membership wine society offering exclusive purchasing privileges, 3 annual wine shipments, 20% discount on wines, complimentary tastings for 2, preferred pricing on experiences, and access to private events.
3. Tasting Experiences: Revenue from paid tasting experiences including Feature Flight Tasting ($50/person), Barrel Room Private Tour & Tasting ($85/person), Taste of Tenuta ($100/person), and Alliance Flight Tasting ($30/person).
4. Events and Classes: Col Solare hosts paid events including harvest dinners ($225/person, $165 for members), clay floral frog classes ($40/person, $32 for members), and macrame plant hanger classes.
5. Shipping Revenue: Shipping fees contribute revenue with promotional $10 flat rate shipping offered. Shipping rates are calculated based on weight, location, and service selected.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Col Solare operates an estate winery on Washington State's Red Mountain AVA, producing and directly selling premium red wines—cabernet sauvignon-led—across four branded collections (Tenuta, Col Solare, Collector's Society, Component Collection), using Antinori-family vineyard design and gravity-fed winemaking techniques. Beyond wine, it sells paid estate tasting experiences and a subscription wine-club membership, distributing direct-to-consumer via e-commerce, on-site tasting room, and DTC shipping to 35+ U.S. states.

Product overview

Col Solare is a Washington State winery offering a portfolio of luxury wines that unite Tuscan winemaking traditions (Marchesi Antinori family, 26+ generations) with Washington State's Red Mountain terroir. The product portfolio centers on three main wine tiers: Tenuta (premium estate Cabernet Sauvignon), Col Solare (flagship Cabernet Sauvignon), and the exclusive Collector's Society offerings (wine club-only wines). Supporting these are the Component Collection (limited varietal releases), a wine club membership program with three annual shipments, and on-site tasting experiences at the Red Mountain estate including vineyard tours and barrel tastings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tenuta: Italian for 'Estate.' The pinnacle of Col Solare's Red Mountain estate vineyard crafted from the most expressive lots of the vintage. The Tenuta Cabernet Sauvignon represents the most distinct and expressive lots from Washington's Red Mountain AVA.
• Collector's Society
• Component Collection

Products and services

• Col Solare Cabernet Sauvignon Flagship red wine expressing Red Mountain terroir with the refined style of Tuscany; 100% new French oak aging for 20 months; fruit sourced primarily from Quintessence Vineyard (82%), Col Solare Estate (15%), and Shaw 32 Vineyard (3%).
• Tenuta Cabernet Sauvignon Premium estate-tier Cabernet Sauvignon ('Tenuta' = 'Estate'); crafted from the most expressive lots of each vintage from the Red Mountain estate vineyard.
• Component Collection Limited-quantity single-varietal red wines produced in select vintages, including Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Syrah, showcasing interesting character and exceptional quality from Red Mountain fruit.
• Collector's Society Wines Members-only red wines (Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Syrah, Rosé, and Red Blend) sourced from Red Mountain Estate and available exclusively to Collector's Society wine-club members.
• Collector's Society Wine Club Membership Annual subscription to a limited-membership wine society providing 3 wine shipments per year (e.g., 2026 ship dates April 20, September 28, November 16), 20% off wine purchases, complimentary tastings for two, preferred pricing on experiences, and complimentary annual winery tour.
• Tasting Experiences Paid on-site tasting experiences at the Red Mountain estate including Feature Flight Tasting ($50/person), Barrel Room Private Tour & Tasting ($85/person), Taste of Tenuta with moon-car vineyard tour and vertical tasting ($100/person; $80 for members), and Alliance Flight Tasting ($30/person).
• Estate Events and Classes Ticketed on-site events including the annual Harvest Dinner ($225/person, $165 for members), clay floral frog crafting classes ($40/person, $32 for members), and macrame plant hanger classes — wine available for purchase separately.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% new French oak aging for 20 months on premium wines
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chateau Ste. MichellecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCol Solare represents a partnership between two highly influential wine producers—Marchesi Antinori and Chateau Ste. Michelle—crafting wines that reflect Washington terroir with the refined style of Tuscany. This collaboration combines Chateau Ste. Michelle's local Washington wine expertise with the Antinori family's Italian winemaking traditions.
• Quintessence VineyardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuintessence Vineyard is a key grape source for Col Solare wines, providing fruit for wines including the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon (82% source) and 2021 Tenuta (80% source). Located in the Red Mountain AVA, this vineyard provides premium grapes that contribute to Col Solare's distinctive wines.
• Alliance of Women in Washington Wine (AWWA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCol Solare partners with the Alliance of Women in Washington Wine, donating half of all proceeds from the Alliance Feature Flight Tasting to support women in the Washington wine industry through education, mentorship, scholarships, and community-building initiatives.
• Wine InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCol Solare is a member of the Wine Institute and subscribes to the Wine Institute's Code of Advertising Standards, the highest industry benchmark for advertising depicting responsible consumption of wine. This membership guides Col Solare's marketing responsibility practices.
• Hattaway'sminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHattaway's provides catering services for Col Solare events including the annual Harvest Dinner, creating curated menus featuring dishes like smoked heirloom tomato jam, grilled corn and crab tostadas, and soy-honey lacquered pork belly paired with estate wines.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Betz Family Winery: Boutique Woodinville winery producing limited-quantity, premium Bordeaux-style wines. Comparable to Col Solare as a small-scale Washington ultra-premium producer with DTC-driven sales.
• Long Shadows Vintners: Walla Walla-based collection of premium Washington wines produced in partnership with internationally renowned winemakers. Comparable as a high-end, multi-vineyard Washington producer with estate prestige and DTC emphasis.
• Cayuse Vineyards: Boutique Walla Walla Valley producer famous for premium Rhône-style wines from stony, terroir-driven vineyards. Comparable as a small-scale, allocation-based, ultra-premium Washington winery with strong DTC and cult following.
• Marchesi Antinori: Iconic Tuscan wine producer and Col Solare's other JV partner. Operates multi-generation estate wineries (Tignanello, Guado al Tasso, Solaia) with luxury DTC, tasting rooms, and high-end wine club memberships — the same playbook Col Solare replicates on Red Mountain.
• Woodward Canyon Winery: Long-standing Walla Walla Valley family winery producing premium Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends. Comparable as a multi-generation Washington ultra-premium estate with DTC, wine club, and limited-production focus.
• DeLille Cellars: Woodinville-based premium Washington producer focused on Bordeaux-style blends with estate-sourced fruit. Comparable as a Washington fine-wine brand with DTC, tasting room, and wine club operations.
• Leonetti Cellar: Pioneering Walla Walla Valley estate known for premium Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties. Comparable to Col Solare as a long-established, family-influenced, ultra-premium Washington producer with estate vineyard focus.
• Quilceda Creek Vintners: Highly rated Washington Cabernet Sauvignon specialist with a cult following and limited production. Comparable as a small, estate-driven, ultra-premium Washington wine brand with strong DTC and collector demand.
• Chateau Ste. Michelle: Washington State's largest and most established premium wine producer and Col Solare's JV partner. Directly comparable as a Washington fine-wine producer with estate vineyards, DTC e-commerce, tasting rooms, and a wine club program.
• L'Ecole No 41: Historic Walla Walla Valley estate producing premium Bordeaux-style and varietal wines. Comparable as an established, family-influenced Washington fine-wine producer with strong DTC and tasting-room presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/col-solare
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Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Col Solare