[00:00:10] Ray Latif: Hey everyone, I'm Ray Latif and you're listening to the Top Podcast for the food and beverage industry, Taste Radio. This episode features an interview with Actresses Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough, who are the co-founders of Fresh Vine Wine, a collection of premium, low-calorie wines. Just a reminder to our listeners, if you like what you hear on Taste Radio, please share the podcast with friends and colleagues. And of course, we'd love it if you could review us on the Apple Podcasts app or your listening platform of choice. They're best known for their work in movies and television, but Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough have their sights set on being equally recognized in the wine business. Earlier this year, the best friends and entrepreneurs introduced Fresh Vine Wine, which is described as, quote, a collection of wines that embody health, warmth, and a deeper connection to wellness and an active lifestyle. Nina, whose acting credits include roles in the films Sick Girl and TV series The Vampire Dobrev and Julianne, a performer and judge on the reality competition show Dancing with the Stars and Actresses Nina films including Footloose and Rock of Ages, aligned with award-winning Napa Valley winemaker Jamey Whetstone to develop a line of premium, low-calorie wines that did not sacrifice on taste. The collection includes a Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and soon-to-be-launched California Rosé. In the following interview, I spoke with Nina and Julianne Hough the inspiration behind Fresh Vine Wine, how they educated themselves about the wine business, and how they identified the right partners to develop the company. They also discussed the name and trend-centric nature of the brand, why it's positioned to reach a broad set of consumers, and how they incorporate Fresh Vine Wine into their personal social media accounts. Hey folks, it's Ray with Taste Radio. Right now, I am honored to be on a call with Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough, the co-founders of Fresh Vine Wine. Nina, Julianne Hough are you?
[00:02:09] Nina Dobrev: Hey, we're good. How are you doing?
[00:02:12] Ray Latif: I'm doing great. I'm doing great. Thank you so much for taking the time to be with me today. I know you're quite busy, but from what I have seen on Instagram, it looks like you guys have enjoyed a little bit of relaxation over the past few days, perhaps even over the past 24 hours. Nina, I saw a pic of you in a hyperbaric chamber just about 20 hours ago. Can you drink wine in one of those things?
[00:02:33] Nina Dobrev: Can you versus should you? Those are two different questions. I've never done it, but now that I think about it, it might be the most extreme version of detox while you retox because the whole point of a hyperbaric chamber is to heal faster. There's so many healing properties to it. So maybe if you were to drink in the hyperbaric chamber, you would just speed up that process. Yeah.
[00:03:00] Julianne Hough: I'm going to try that.
[00:03:02] Ray Latif: Oh, it seems like it offsets a little bit. If it's your wine, you're not really retoxing because you guys make a better for you wine, so to speak.
[00:03:09] Julianne Hough: Well, that's what I was gonna say. I was gonna say, well, you know, if you're drinking Fresh Vine, you're not really feeling those aftermath effects of the hangover, etc, like you usually do. So hopefully, yeah, the hyperbaric chamber is not needed.
[00:03:24] Nina Dobrev: Probably why I haven't done it yet. There you go.
[00:03:27] Ray Latif: There you go. You know, I've been into wine for a long time and I really appreciate the beverage. And from everyone I've spoken to who is also a wino or a wine enthusiast, it seems like there was an experience or a bottle that really shaped their perspective. Was it the same for you guys?
[00:03:43] Julianne Hough: Oh my goodness. I mean, I think years of just traveling and being really fortunate to be surrounded by not just the wineries or the experiences, but the people and the education surrounding it. It's such an art form and to be able to, I don't know, just celebrate art in a way that, and a craft in a way that we can enjoy life as well as just honor what goes into it. I think that that's just a skill in itself. And so I think just being able to travel around and have these experiences. and taste these really incredible luxury wines, we wanted to create something that we could emulate that same experience while being accessible to people and also making sure that our values and our holistic approach to life wasn't compromised. So that's kind of the inception of what happened, all in the framework of friendship.
[00:04:39] Ray Latif: Yeah, you guys have been friends for some time. I'm sure you've shared a couple bottles of wine from here to there. Well, what's interesting to me is that we've seen so many celebrity backed beverage brands come to market, specifically in the alcoholic segment. And a lot of them are, you know, sponsorship deals or passion plays, but not necessarily really well crafted ideas, at least in my opinion. And when I saw Fresh Vine, I saw the business plan, it seemed to me it was really well conceived. And it was something that filled an unmet need in the market, which was amazing. And we often talk about that on our podcast and everything we do, which is when you are coming out with a new brand or a new product, how does it really fit into the marketplace? What does it do differently than what currently exists? And so I wonder, you know, how long has this been in the process of planning? How long were you thinking about launching a wine brand?
[00:05:37] Nina Dobrev: Maybe what you're picking up on is the authentic aspects to it and the fact that this really is a part of who we are. And that's why we're friends. Like the only reason Julian and I met and then bonded and stayed together was because we shared the same values and we both really enjoy life and we want to indulge in life and we want to enjoy what life has to offer. But then we also don't want to feel guilty about it. We still like to be healthy and holistic and and think about the world in general and the big picture. And so this just sort of was birthed from within us. And it was this feels like it's very real. And it's it's it's a passion play in our case.
[00:06:19] Julianne Hough: Yeah. Well, and I would say too, probably a couple of years ago, I don't know if it's because you're just getting older or whatever it might be, but I remember it was a few years ago, I started drinking wine again or not again, but I would drink wine and I would start to feel like immediately just, oh, I know I'm not going to feel good tomorrow. And so I cut back on my wine drinking and my intake and I would order other things to drink, but it took away the experience of what I love so much about drinking wine. And so working with Jamie Watson, our winemaker, we just were like, we have a great team. That first and foremost, we just need to say that from the beginning. Nina and I, obviously the visionaries behind the company of what we wanted to create and produce. but we have an incredible team that understands, you know, with Jamie and the actual winemaking in itself, but also, you know, our, our business side, um, they're incredible and they, um, takes a village for sure. And we can't take all the credit.
[00:07:21] Nina Dobrev: We have a really amazing team surrounding us and it feels like a family, which is really cool. Yeah.
[00:07:25] Julianne Hough: Yeah, and that's like the biggest thing that I've noticed is anytime you start a business, like recognize your skill set and where your talent lies and stay in your lane and allow, you know, everyone else to contribute in their talents. And that's where I feel like we've really created something special here. Yeah.
[00:07:44] Ray Latif: For sure. At the same time, it's important to know the business you're in. You may not have to know the minutiae of that business, but understand the sort of macro elements of the wine business. How did you teach yourself about wine and winemaking?
[00:07:59] Nina Dobrev: As we mentioned before, I mean, it definitely has been years in the making. And it started at a young age, maybe before we were supposed to. For you, I grew up Mormon, so like I didn't start drinking until I was 21. I'm Bulgarian. I was born in Bulgaria, so I have a very European mentality. So my parents definitely were more liberal. Let's put it that way.
[00:08:22] Ray Latif: Does Bulgaria make good wine, by the way? I don't think I've had a Bulgarian wine.
[00:08:25] Nina Dobrev: Um, I have. We chose Napa, but there are Bulgarian lines for sure. Jesus.
[00:08:32] Ray Latif: We chose Napa.
[00:08:33] Nina Dobrev: That was a very kind way. Um, so anyway, what I was trying to just say though is that, um, what was I trying to say? I think I forgot the original question.
[00:08:45] Ray Latif: Well, growing up with wine and understanding what you wanted to see out of a wine, but the business of wine itself is something, you know, I appreciate wine. I love the nuances of different varietals, different growing regions, but I don't understand the business of wine, probably as much as I probably should, even being immersed in the business of beverage.
[00:09:05] Nina Dobrev: Okay, yes, so that was making the joke about how it started. But then I think both of us were really excited by this idea. It was an inception at first. And over the process, over meeting Jamie and over visiting Napa multiple times and going to the vineyards, like, we've really been learning along the way. It's been a very educational process. And it's been really fun. Like, that's my favorite thing about life. And I've always said that even though I went to school and then went to college and all these things, like, you never stop learning. And this has been a new venture for both of us. And it's been really fun to Taste Radio test and discover what we like about wines, what we don't like. It used to be so black and white as I was younger. And as we've gotten older, our palates have definitely matured and, and gotten more sophisticated.
[00:09:52] Julianne Hough: That's obviously like amazing. And what you were just saying in the fact that like, you enjoy wine greatly, but like, why is it important for us to actually create a company and like, what's going to set us apart from it? And I think that the thing that excited me about actually starting this company together is that I love community. I love, I love people. I want to understand their behaviors. I want to know the psychological, like things that are going on, why they want to drink wine, what, what it is that they're drinking it for. Is it to relax? Is it to unwind? Is it to, you know, be energized, whatever it is. And so that are actually drinking the wine that got me really excited. Like, how do we, how do we create something that is, is new in this marketplace where it doesn't feel so far away and so inaccessible to people to have an experience like this, but give it to them in a way that they feel it's aspirational, that they've just enjoyed and indulged in something that was maybe outside of their range. And then at the same time, have it be accessible to everybody. And so again, I keep going back to our team. We have an incredible team who've worked in beverage for a really long time. And so we're also learning as we go what the best market in the community, but it's really about the people. And I think that that's what is exciting for us is yes, the wine it's in itself, the people in itself. And then the actual, like, there's like a third layer to it, which I think is like, well, the respect, the respect of, of wine and the winemaking process and the years of family estates, et cetera. And, you know, we understand where these new, you know, young females coming in being like, let's do a wine company, you know, cause we love people and we love experience and friendship. But it's political, and there's things that you need to understand. We're the new kids on the block, so how do we pay our respect and our dues and make sure that we're doing this in an appropriate way that's honoring what has come before us, and at the same time trying to break through and bring innovation to it?
[00:12:11] Ray Latif: Yeah, that could have been interesting if you named the wine brand New Kids on the Block. I think you probably would have run into some issues there.
[00:12:17] Julianne Hough: That would have been a whole nother marketplace.
[00:12:19] Actresses Nina: Yeah, yeah, for sure. Vibrant Ingredients is the natural ingredient partner powering food and beverage innovation, delivering flavor, function, and protection through a science-backed portfolio. Vibrant delivers purpose-driven solutions that help brands create extraordinary experiences. Discover what's possible with Vibrant today. Visit vibrantingredients.com.
[00:13:09] Ray Latif: You talked about your team, you talked about people's being so important. And I would assume that you guys would be able to pick and choose who you would want to be involved in this company. How do you land on Jamie? You know, how did you vet potential partners and potential winemaking partners and decide to partner with him?
[00:13:26] Julianne Hough: Human first, energy first. Like we met with a lot of people and again, he is just like so down to earth, loves music, loves the experience, has been in Napa for a really long time. He has respect, he has the credibility and he has relationships and they've been there and sturdy for a very long time. And you can really tell a lot about a person when you look at the relationships and the longevity that they've had in their community. And Jamie is very well respected. So first and foremost, the impact of the human. Yeah. And also just, it has to be symbiotic because we need to have that connection.
[00:14:05] Nina Dobrev: And we've reached an age where life's way too short to be working with people that you don't want to spend a lot of time with, because we really are, really are spending a lot of time with each other. We want to have fun and make it a good experience. And so we want to surround ourselves with good people on top, like it's talent and energy. And we really just have that connection. And he really is that perfect combination. He's so passionate. Like it's so exciting. And he's been so patient and he's taught us so much. Like it's just been such a fun experience.
[00:14:33] Julianne Hough: He sends us videos like every day, like at the vineyard, like showing us everything and we'll get on FaceTime. And it's been a little harder with COVID. Yeah, exactly.
[00:14:45] Ray Latif: I wonder being in show business, you all have a BS meter that I'm sure is pretty well tuned at this point. And there's some BS that goes on in the wine business. How do you, I guess, determine where the BS is and might land when you're working with partners in this business?
[00:15:04] Julianne Hough: That's a great question. I don't know. I'm, I'm huge into the like intuitive, like gut instinct. And we've been around it a lot where, you know, people give you a lot of like yeses and enthusiasm with their face and their energy, but not with their actions, but not with their actions. And it's an, it's a hollow experience with them. And so you can just feel it immediately. And when you're really tuned in and when you have a trust like Nina and I do for each other, It's easy to call out.
[00:15:38] Nina Dobrev: And I think the fact that- That's why we get along so well too, because we do call each other out on everything. Yeah. How so? And we have each other's backs also. We've discovered it's been a... I mean, I'm happy in this.
[00:15:53] Julianne Hough: No, we call each other out on everything, whether it's through, you know, friendship, relationships, whatever it may be, or through business. And we've had conversations like that. And I think, you know, a lot of people are like, don't work with family, don't work with friends, if you want to continue your relationship, but that's just for people who don't know how to communicate. when you have a relationship where communication and like integrity and you know just trust in each other and want to see the other person grow and that you're going to be in that together. that's the kind of relationship and friendship that I want to invest my time in. And so we do that. And we've had multiple conversations through business, through this venture, where we've had to be like, Hey, like that wasn't cool. Or like, Hey, let's make this better. Let's communicate through those experiences.
[00:16:43] Nina Dobrev: That's because this isn't the first time even in our friendship, we've had that, but those experiences are what make us stronger and make us grow. And And I think that's why we're friends, because we can have those tough conversations and be honest with each other and come from a place of love and growth. And it's been, yeah, it's been nice.
[00:17:05] Ray Latif: Yeah, I mean, co-founders go through a lot and it's really important to have those open lines of communication. I would think that trying to problem solve within a relationship, within a relationship based on friendship and one that's based on business, I would think two different things. You almost have to have two different kinds of conversations. Correct me if I'm wrong. Is that the case for you guys or do you approach problem solving in the same way, whether it's friendship or business?
[00:17:29] Julianne Hough: I think a couple of things came to mind when you just asked that question. And one of them is, Kind of what I said before, know your skill set and we don't have to do everything together. So the things that really inspire Nina and that she's great at, I'm not great at. So let Nina run with that. I'm not gonna feel like I have to do that or she doesn't feel like I have to do that either and then where I Really thrive like don't clip my wings, baby, you know and so it's like we let each other do our thing and like we're in the process, of course, but we never try to Oversteppers or like suffocate each other with like like I know what I'm good at.
[00:18:10] Nina Dobrev: She knows what she's good at yeah, and we both kind of like I We're good at delegating, which is kind of hard. In the past, I've noticed that, like, anything else I've started, I'm such a control freak, and I think she's such a control freak in her own thing that we were both nervous that in this venture we would try to over, like, it would, but we didn't. We both were like, oh, yeah, you do this, you do this, okay, yeah. How do you feel about, like, we're just really, maybe it's an age thing. As we've gotten older, we've really learned how to communicate with each other.
[00:18:40] Julianne Hough: I think it's also like in your twenties and especially in the industry that we're in, we're actors, we're entertainers. So like we're focusing on us like as individuals and later on in life, like you're especially starting a company that has a product. You're not thinking about yourself anymore. You're thinking about the product, you're thinking about the people that are going to be experiencing it. You're thinking about how you're contributing to the world. And so, There's a new layer of, I think, human development where you start thinking about other people and collaboration is key. And so I think we've hit that point in our lives where it's not about just us anymore. It's about us.
[00:19:25] Ray Latif: Let's talk about the product itself and how you communicate the attributes of your products to end consumers. You know, I wrote this down and this is how you described the wine. Wines that embody health, warmth, and a deeper connection to wellness and an active lifestyle. So I mentioned this earlier, is Fresh Vine wine a better for you wine? I know that's kind of a slippery slope because you're not really supposed to call alcoholic beverages better for you or healthy, but is that essentially what you're selling?
[00:19:58] Nina Dobrev: I can only speak from my personal experience. And I can tell you that one of the other reasons why we wanted to create this was because I, for a long time, didn't know that my body couldn't handle wine. Because not all wine is gluten-free. And not all wine is made through the vegan process. And so it's just, like, I would do it because I just didn't know. And it didn't feel good. And then eventually, once I found out, I stopped drinking it. And we wanted to create a product that literally makes me, like, I don't feel sick from it. And then Julianne's experience is a little bit different. And she's like, no, I actually don't feel hungover because the sugar content, which gives you a headache. It's much lower. It's much lower. And so you can drink more of our wine without feeling as, I don't know if we're allowed to swear on this podcast.
[00:20:48] Ray Latif: Sure, go ahead.
[00:20:49] Nina Dobrev: Shitty. You don't feel as shitty the next day. And we've, like we said, we've done a lot of research and we've had a lot of our wine to tell you that like, It would take a lot to really make a dent. And that's why we love it so much. Cause you don't feel, you don't feel shitty and you feel great.
[00:21:07] Ray Latif: If you, if you make a product that makes people feel shitty, you're probably not making a very good product. You're probably not going to be very successful.
[00:21:14] Nina Dobrev: Go back to your question about healthy. Like what does health mean to you? What does it mean to us? Like to me, healthy means happy. Am I happy? Am I creating a life full of memories with the people I love?
[00:21:27] Julianne Hough: And am I choosing consciously what I'm putting in my body versus not? And I think that with Fresh Vine, we're giving an option for people to make a choice and one that they don't feel like they have to sacrifice the premium luxury experience and taste. And I think that that's been the exciting part is we've tried other healthy, low-cal wines, and it's like, you know, like, this does not taste good. And we've talked to our friends, and they've tried them, and they're like, oh, man, you're doing a low-calorie wine? Like, good luck with that, you know? And it was so important for us to make sure that, like, we're not just trying to cash out on an idea of low-calorie wine without creating something that is sustainable in the way that people are going to want to continue to back this line, you know, and I think believe, you know, I think people like want to believe in something and they want to get behind it. Just the same way that they would get behind a little or you know, like it's like that's my wine because it makes me feel this way and it's like man if we can create an experience and a way for people to have an emotional reaction to our wine, they're going to want to drink this wine more. And so, you know, it's a win-win for everyone. The more we produce, the more people experience and create memories. And so I talk a lot about it, especially thinking of like business. It's like we used to think you know, physically in times of work back in like, you know, fight or flight mode, like we used our muscles. We're using our brain right now to create business. And I think where we're heading is using our heart. And I think when, when we think about our heart and how we create impact in business, even through wine, like what is the purpose of drinking wine in general? And it's to bring people together. It's to create memories. is to have a shared experience. It's also a sensory experience. When you breathe in, when you smell, when you taste, when you feel the texture going in, you're actually creating new connectors in your brain. And so if you can create an experience with sense memory or whatever it may be, you're creating a new memory of experience and joy and happiness. And we just want to put joy and happiness out into the world, especially right now. It needs it big time.
[00:23:58] Ray Latif: Yeah. The emotional connection that people feel when they are drinking wine, for me, seems like it's top of the list. It's top of the list in terms of why they're drinking wine. You know, there are some key elements to your wine that are different, Nina, as you mentioned, than other wines. gluten-free, low-carb, low-calorie, keto, vegan-friendly. Do any of those terms, those trend terms, I'll call them, rise to the top in terms of importance for your customers? Are they looking for gluten-free wines? Are they looking for keto-friendly wines? Or is it, again, just sort of a holistic approach to here's what we are, or just essentially a better-for-you wine that everyone can enjoy?
[00:24:38] Nina Dobrev: I think it's a combination of both. Yeah. I think it's all of the above. I mean, we, this is what we believe in. So it's enough. It's, it's what we wanted to put out because that's what we want. And hopefully there will be a marketplace that also needs and wants that. And if they respond to that, but it had to be authentic to us. And the reason why we created this, cause we feel like there's a gap in the market and there's people like us out there that want to experience this as well.
[00:25:06] Julianne Hough: And I think like price point range too, you know, like people go and they look up wines and they see a price point. And what's also different about this price point, even though there's a, you know, $21 bottle of wine, there's a hundred of them. So what makes things different? And to, to actually put it out there, I think that's the big difference is a lot of wine companies in the past didn't want to put out that they were, if they were vegan or whatever, it just didn't matter. But it matters to people now because they're more conscious of what their longevity of their life. And so I think people are looking for, and whether it's a trend or a fad or whatever, we just want to be transparent with what it is. And if that fits your lifestyle, we've got it. And if you're not vegan, But for some reason in your head, you feel like maybe this makes me feel like a better person. I'm going to drink this wine. So I think we're just being transparent about what it is. And because we believe in it, you know, we actively try to make that be the case.
[00:26:10] Ray Latif: Yeah, well, I mean, in the food and beverage industry, not everyone who is buying vegan products or gluten-free products are embracing those lifestyles 100%. They, as you mentioned, are trying to impart a healthier way of eating into their life. The other part of your brand that really stuck with me in terms of how you describe it is the word fresh. Obviously, it's in the name, it's the name of your brand, and I really like it. I wonder how many people might find it a little counterintuitive in that wine is often aged. Almost all wine is aged. When you were deciding on the name of the brand, did that issue come up?
[00:26:48] Nina Dobrev: Do you remember earlier in the interview we talked about New Kids on the Block?
[00:26:55] Julianne Hough: Yes, baby. Okay. I think I think fresh. And the way I, by the way, with as you were asking the question, I was like, I know we're gonna get to this place of like, but aged, it doesn't necessarily feel fresh. But I look at it different. Like I see aged or, you know, an elderly woman or whatever, like, they can still be fresh. You know what I mean? Like it's just a number. And it's, Yes, it's aging in the barrel or in the steel barrel, whatever it is, but there's a quality of it that makes you feel clean, that makes you feel fresh, that makes you feel like when it goes into my body, I feel bright or I feel full or whatever it is that you describe fresh to be for you. When you think of fresh, Obviously it is what it is. But when you think of wine, like, again, it's like energy behind it. It's like, we want people to feel alive when they drink our wine. And it doesn't matter how old you are, the wine is like, you're, you're going to be alive by drinking this. You're going to feel good.
[00:28:07] Nina Dobrev: It's more of a lifestyle choice. And it's more of the way you'll feel after drinking the wine, instead of feeling down and bogged down and heavy, you're going to feel fresh because you're not going to feel To paraphrase myself, shitty. That's just my runner, I'm going to keep going with it.
[00:28:28] Ray Latif: I think it's a great tagline. Drink this wine, you won't feel shitty like you would with other wines. I think that's totally fine.
[00:28:33] Nina Dobrev: Thank you, you get me.
[00:28:34] Ray Latif: Straightforward, yeah. Well, you know, the name based on what you guys were just talking about seems to be more representative of the person who's drinking the wine than the wine necessarily itself. So who is this product for? Is it for wine drinkers like yourselves? Do you see an audience that can expand over time? Or are you looking at a certain type of consumer at this point?
[00:28:55] Nina Dobrev: That's the thing, and we've done a lot of taste testing and we've been doing a lot of market research before we launched officially. We put it out there to, because we didn't want anyone to know it was our brand. We wanted to actually get real feedback. And that was what was so interesting is that it wasn't just one specific. I mean, there's the obvious, there's the people like us that want to be healthy and want to be able to work out and enjoy their life. So that, that sort of like fit community is a given, but we've had wine snobs taste our wine and not know that it has the low calorie and the sugar, the lower sugar and the no additive. They've been we've gotten had very very surprised. Yeah, very very positive feedback from older younger Sort of like a wide net and that's what was so exciting to us and that's why we feel like we're on to something really special and why it confirms that our passion and our excitement for this
[00:29:56] Julianne Hough: New venture is valid and it keeps giving us this extra this extra wind and excitement Yeah, and I think it's it's not so much about demographic I think it's more psychographic and like who is this person in their life and are they a Are they making these choices for them either individually or as like distribution goes, obviously like we want people who are, you know, we want to be in Whole Foods. We want to be in Kroger. We want to be in, you know, the accessible place where people are picking up a bottle of wine and they're going to see their friends. They're going to go do this. And then we, you know, we also have plans because of the healthy fit nature of what this wine represents to Don't know if we're allowed to say it I think we are but like to go into stadiums and to work with you know sports teams and You know, what is the the customer that's coming a customer? I hate that word. What is our guest? coming to do when they come and watch sports and enjoy themselves and while they're watching, you know this like healthy active thing like I instead of pounding down something that is just going to be awful, why not have something that represents what they're also experiencing with their eyes, with their own experience that way? So I think for our consumer, we do have plans to grow in where we're heading all the while, like, you know, just really, again, focusing on the people and their beliefs versus... And their bank accounts, to be honest. You know, like, we want to make sure that people can, you know, afford this and that it's not just gonna be, like, a luxury thing that they're gonna, like, hold on to for the next, you know, ten years, but something that it's a regular and it's a familiar product that they can always go to.
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[00:32:37] Ray Latif: Julian, you mentioned accessibility. And one of the things that surprised me when I started learning more about Fresh Vine the price point. I was expecting, as a low-calorie, low-carb wine brand, a price point that was within the $10 to $15 range. And a number of your wines are significantly more expensive than that and significantly six, seven, $10, et cetera, which puts it in a slightly different tier for wine. How did you think about price point? Were you looking for just the best product that you could put out there and that's the price it is? Or was it a little bit more of, hey, you know, we think that accessibility is this price point that we're currently at?
[00:33:22] Nina Dobrev: I just want to confirm you have tried our way, right? Of course.
[00:33:26] Ray Latif: Yes. Okay, good.
[00:33:29] Nina Dobrev: Cause we had it right here. I was about to be like, um, yeah, I don't know. I mean, I think there's a difference from our experience and what we've tried in that category and what our wine tastes like that feels like it warrants a higher price point because there's like a fullness and we don't jeopardize any of that premium experience. for the lower carb keto, like all the benefits. It doesn't feel like it's in the same league to us. We're obviously biased, but that's our experience.
[00:34:03] Julianne Hough: And I also think just cost-wise for the production of the wine to have it be at the level that we would otherwise not approve, you know, like we, obviously it is in a more expensive tier than some other low calorie, but that's what sets us apart is that it's accessible and aspirational at the same time, because you realize when you taste our wine that it tastes luxury, it tastes premium and like you would never know. And so I think people would, and are as we've seen willing to pay a few dollars more to have that experience and also feel good at the end of the day. So it's very specific of what that price point is. And it was a clear decision of why we did that.
[00:34:58] Ray Latif: Yeah, absolutely. And Nina, by research, the research I did was the research prior to tasting the product. So again, you know, comparing Fresh Vine to other brands that are out there, you do make an excellent product. Your Pinot in particular I really enjoyed and I feel like Again, if I didn't know that you were marketing a low-calorie, low-carb, gluten-friendly wine, I would just be like, hey, I like this on its own. I don't have to really make that determination or make that decision about why I'm drinking it. I'm just enjoying it, period. That being said, With the quality of the wine, with the better for you aspect of it, with that great labels design, the package design is outstanding by the way, in my opinion as well, it feels like the brand could get off the ground and grow pretty well without celebrity involvement, without a lot of push on your end. That being said, what do you see as the most effective way that you can impart your quote unquote celebrity into promoting this brand?
[00:36:03] Julianne Hough: Well, first of all, I just want to say thank you so much. That is the greatest compliment we could ever receive. Anytime you start a company, the product has to speak for itself. The added benefit of having a celebrity behind it is for marketing, really, at the end of the day. But like the product should speak for itself. And that is the greatest compliment. So thank you so much for saying that. And as for what we can do to back it is just our belief in our story, you know, and, and the fact that we have shared many glasses of wine through heartbreak, through experience, through laughter, through love, celebration, everything. And, you know, that's, that's at the center of, of our friendship and like, or our friendship is at the center of our wine. It's interchangeable, you know? And so it's really storytelling. It's, it's, it's who we are and why we believe in the product.
[00:36:57] Ray Latif: Do you have to be really prescriptive and somewhat cautious about how you incorporate Freshvine into your social platforms like Instagram? Because I see the brand quite a bit in both of your accounts and I wonder, is the way that you describe and is the way that you talk about how you consume the wine and what types of settings, is that something that is just, hey, we're going to do this on our own? Or do you have a social team that really helps you to craft stories that are going to resonate with potential consumers?
[00:37:32] Julianne Hough: For our personal social media, we both do our personal. Yeah, we just do our own. We do have somebody that helps us with FreshFind, and I think it's more just having a regular template of someone to manage and help us respond. We've been very, very hands-on in that department.
[00:37:55] Nina Dobrev: We've been around from the inception of social media and I mean I you can feel it when someone's just selling you something or if it's Yeah, and it's it's like we've said the reason why we did all this is because we're doing this anyway whether there was a camera in front of us we were drinking the wine behind the scenes or in front of the scenes so we were like let's just put it out there like we're really really fucking excited about this it's just something that we're passionate about and and so it just it's easy and it's fun and like our work day to create the content with the photos of the wine that we've been posting was just us hanging out at our house with like a photographer and friends and other people that we love spending time with. We were actually drinking. And so the laughter is genuine in the photos. And well, even like, and we're just, I'm going to talk like, you know, candid moments and candid life experiences and shared experiences. And so it's just, It's a true representation of who we are, and it feels authentic.
[00:39:00] Ray Latif: It doesn't look like you have a social media manager.
[00:39:02] Nina Dobrev: Good, because we don't.
[00:39:05] Ray Latif: Sort of overseeing how you curate your timelines, and I feel like... Authentic is a fair word. It feels like it's a natural incorporation into your lives. I wonder if that, you know, might drive your attorneys crazy because, you know, you might say something in a caption or take a picture of something that they're like, oh, you can't do that, you know, especially when it comes to alcohol.
[00:39:30] Nina Dobrev: Has that come up yet? We've been briefed on what the rules are and we have to like, there's a, in the captions, if you'll notice, you'll see like that it says for 21 or over and guidelines, like, We've been briefed for sure. Yeah, like you don't like when you're coming from a personal place, you don't know, but from the company, it has to be positioned in a different way. Yeah.
[00:39:53] Ray Latif: Yeah. Julianne Hough were about to say something you were about to say, you know, I'll say this about how we craft our social media.
[00:40:00] Julianne Hough: I was also going to just say, I think, again, from a trust perspective, it's like Nina and I, we have actually very different approaches for our own personal social media. I think a lot of people get different things from us, and I'll just speak on my side. I'm very open about... mental health and, you know, being healthy and active as well as like feeling your emotions. And like, I'm very like that, like spiritual woo woo hippity dippity person. Right. So like, it's so, it's so me, but it's also like, I don't have a big filter when it comes to that kind of stuff. So when it comes to posting about wine, like It could feel like, wait, but you're promoting healthy lifestyle. But because I'm so honest and people know, it's about balance. It's about certain things. There's a trust because there's never been a front. There's never been a filter of, I have to be this and portray myself this way. and I feel the same way with Nina, you get what you see and with our wine, we want the same thing. You don't have to be one person or one version of yourself, just a part of you. You're all the things. And so being open and expressive about those things, I think is really important. And because of that, we've been able to have a trust where It doesn't feel like, Oh, you're promoting this, but you're also this. And, and so I think, again, like I said, I'll just speak for me because that's definitely what I promote heavily as far as lifestyle goes and what I believe in. And it feels authentic because I still, I still drink wine as well as meditate, you know? So yeah.
[00:41:48] Ray Latif: Well, social media has opened the door to direct communication with your fans and with your consumers. And it's one way to sort of talk to them about the product. As the world reopens and opens up in certain places, I wonder if you'll have more direct communication with consumers via tasting events or a wine room, a tasting room. Is that all in play in 2021 and beyond?
[00:42:13] Nina Dobrev: I hope so. Sooner rather than later, it'd be nice to get out in front of a screen.
[00:42:19] Julianne Hough: No, yeah, we definitely have plans for that. I mean, even with the launch of our rosé coming out, you know, we were even trying to figure out a way to do something small and obviously socially distanced and still safe.
[00:42:29] Nina Dobrev: But soon, very soon, so we hope that pans out. Now that everyone's getting vaccinated, I can feel energy as though things are starting to open up again, which I'm really excited about and have a little bit of anxiety about, but that's where the wine helps. It helps you feel a little less anxious in those scenarios.
[00:42:52] Ray Latif: It feels like there's a real opportunity now with so many people focused on health or better for you consumption to reach those consumers. I mean, if you just look at the rise of hard seltzers, people are drinking so many of those. Why? Because they are low calorie, they are low carb, and it's just a good alternative to not feeling the heaviness of cocktails or beer, et cetera. I mean, is that something you're actively taking a look at at this point is holistically, what does this market look like and how do we fit into it? Or is it very much at this point still let's focus on wine drinkers and ones that we can reach via our communication and our positioning? Because it seems like there's a lot of ways you can go. So I guess the question in a nutshell is, Do you care about hard seltzer drinkers at this point? Do you care about cocktail drinkers at this point? Or is it once again, you know, sort of staying in your lane and that, you know, for that wine consumer.
[00:43:46] Nina Dobrev: At this moment in time, we, we care about, I mean, we care about everyone. We don't not like anyone, but our focus is our wine and our consumer and whoever would be interested in ours. We're not looking to convert the heavy ginners or the tequilas into If they, if they have an interest in trying something great, then great. If they don't, then they don't. And I think you can take, especially when our Rose comes out, which I'm so excited because it's so good. I think it's my, my new favorite. Yeah. That one would be the best. Like, bridge and summer sort of summer cocktail. And you can bring that to the beach and you can bring that to a friend's baby shower. There's just so many, like, there's no occasion that a rose is not appropriate for, in my opinion. So I'm excited about that.
[00:44:37] Ray Latif: Well, I agree. Rosé all day, rosé any time of the year. It's a very, very refreshing and it's a fun beverage. It's just like, you don't really have to think about it too much. It's just like, I'm just enjoying this. It doesn't have to be any food. Yeah, yeah. Well, I really hope to try your rosé in the near future whenever it comes out. And it would be great to share a glass with you at some point. Hopefully there is a tasting room pending in Napa that we can come and visit.
[00:45:03] Julianne Hough: We would love that.
[00:45:04] Ray Latif: Yeah, in the meantime, this has been such a great conversation. Thank you both so much for the time. I really appreciate it. And I can't wait to share this with our audience. I have a feeling they're going to really love it.
[00:45:13] Nina Dobrev: Oh, of course. Thank you so much for asking thoughtful and wonderful questions. It's been a pleasure. Hopefully we get to do this in person at some point.
[00:45:21] Ray Latif: Yes. Yes, I would love to do that. And thank you for creating Fresh Vine Wine. It's a really great brand you guys have come up with.
[00:45:27] Julianne Hough: Thank you so much. Have a beautiful day. And thank you for having us.
[00:45:31] Ray Latif: You too. Thank you.
[00:45:32] Julianne Hough: Bye, guys.
[00:45:36] Ray Latif: That brings us to the end of this episode. Thank you so much for listening and thanks to our guests, Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough. As always, for questions, comments, ideas for future podcasts, please send us an email to ask at Taste Radio. On behalf of the entire Taste Radio team, thank you for listening and we'll talk to you next time.
