About Us

We are passionate about fine wine and committed to celebrating the beauty and bounty of wine country. And we know that fine wines are made by good people. We’ll tell your story in a compelling way, bringing your customers closer to you.

A Boutique Creative Agency for Fine Wine

Focusing on Digital Design & Communication

We’re wine geeks, designers, and world-class web developers and wine communicators. We take a strategic approach based on key brand insights and informed by our extensive knowledge of the wine industry. We are small but mighty, offering our clients the same personalized, responsive, high-touch service they provide to their best customers. We have collaborated with more than 125 wineries and wine brands in California, Oregon, Washington, New York, and around the world, and we look forward to working with you.

Process

How We Work

Our approach is collaborative and our project management is detail-oriented. We listen to your goals, then apply our strategic insights to create an effective plan to accomplish them.

Here’s a glimpse at our website process:

Team


Jon Krauss

Jon Krauss

Creative Director

Jon (pronounced Yahn) founded Vin because he loves wine and design. Over 25 years working in website design, brand design, web development, art direction, and e-commerce integration, he has collaborated with more than 125 fine wineries around the globe, sized from boutique to mass-market. Jon’s sophisticated aesthetic stems from his years studying German Literature at Whitman College, Art History at Humboldt University Berlin, and Fine Arts at The Evergreen State College. When he isn’t helping Vin’s clients realize their business goals, Jon can be found painting, coding, and making music.

Visit Jon's website

Katherine Cole

Katherine Cole

Communications Director

A graduate of Harvard College and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Katherine is the author of five books on wine and an internationally acclaimed wine columnist, editor, and journalist. In addition to her role at Vin, Katherine hosts and executive produces the James Beard Award-winning wine-issues podcast The Four Top. A member of Les Dames D’Escoffier International and the Circle of Wine Writers, Katherine is an active nonprofit board member, and an in-demand moderator and speaker at international wine conferences.

Visit Katherine's website

Brandon Sparks-Gillis

Brandon Sparks-Gillis

Strategic Advisor

Brandon is winemaker at Dragonette Cellars, based in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, California. He has worked and studied with some of the finest wineries and retailers in the world, and holds a degree in Geology from Whitman College. His extensive experience in multiple aspects of the business provides Vin with an in-depth insider perspective on the world of wine.

Visit Brandon’s winery

Wine gladdens the human heart,
and joyfulness is the mother
of all virtues.
— Goethe

Questions and Answers


  • What makes Vin special among creative agencies?

    We love wine. We live and breathe it. Wine is our focus, expertise, and passion. Collectively we have more than 50 years combined professional wine experience.

    We are brand communicators. We approach storytelling with rigorous journalistic standards. Our words, concepts, and strategic insights define brands and entice audiences.

    We are fine designers. Our work is founded on the classic principles of design. Our websites are subtle and elegant, pulling the site visitor through an immersive experience rather than pushing a cluttered look and clumsy sales pitch.

    We hand code. Meticulously. This gives us the flexibility and power to create unique user experiences across the full range of devices while maintaining creativity and quality.

    We’re friendly. We’ve worked with more than 125 wineries of all sizes. We’ve collaborated with winemakers, proprietors, designers, importers, wholesalers, sales teams, and marketing and PR specialists. We take great professional pleasure in making new friendships in the fine beverage world, and fostering our existing relationships.

  • How is fine wine like fine wine design?

    Design, like winemaking, requires a combination of technical proficiency and artistic sensibility. Winemakers are passionate about their craft and uncompromising about quality, and we take the same artisanal approach to our work. Like a fine wine, our websites are designed to stand the test of time.

  • How do we communicate during projects?

    We are based in Oregon and California, and we collaborate with clients all over the globe. We use email, screen sharing, file sharing, and phone call meetings. We are also available for on-site visits, brainstorming sessions, and workshops. Get in touch with us, at hello@vinagency.com, to learn more.

  • What's the process for getting a project proposal?

    If you are interested in a proposal please contact us via our Request for Proposal, so we can gather some initial information about your project and begin our planning. Then we will respond and schedule a conference call to meet and discuss.

    Next we follow up with an exploratory questionnaire that familiarizes us with your business and your needs. Then we prepare a formal proposal with the project scope, budget, projected timeline, and contract. Once we have received the signed contract and deposit payment, we schedule your project and begin preparation.

    Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions. We’re at hello@vinagency.com, and we’re looking forward to working with you.

Testimonials


Clients