Sales of Ragin’ Cajun® wines remain strong.
The UL Lafayette Alumni Association introduced them in early November, right in time for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays. The wines were so popular that some retailers scrambled to keep them on their shelves.
There are three varieties: red, white and brut. The wines are produced by Weibel Family Vineyards and Winery of California, which has been making wine since 1938. The company has a 500-acre estate in northern California’s Mendocino County.
Bottle labels feature the Alumni Center on St. Mary Boulevard, which resembles a French chateau.
The wines are sold at more than 30 stores in Acadiana through a distributor, RNDC of Louisiana. Each bottle sells for about $9. The Association receives a percentage of the sales.
Ragin’ Cajun wines caught the attention of one of the world’s largest nonprofit educational associations.
They’re spotlighted in the April 2013 issue of Currents, a monthly magazine published by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. CASE serves educational institutions and advancement professionals who work on their behalf in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing and allied areas.
Currents spotlights trends and best practices in advancement.
“A lot of celebration takes place in this part of the country and wine is very popular. Plus, it’s cool to see your school on the label,” states David Edmiston, executive director of the Alumni Association, in the Currents article.
Weibel Family Vineyards contacted the Alumni Association in 2011 about an affinity program.