The global wine market is projected to grow from $490.23 billion in 2025 to $749.1 billion by 2033, according to Straits Research. This number reflects an increasing consumer preference for high-quality and organic wines.
If you’re a wine enthusiast or expert, wine affiliate programs are a great way to earn money online by recommending the fine beverages you enjoy most.
We’ve compiled a list of the 23 best options for wine affiliate programs with key details like commissions, cookie durations, and other benefits. Let’s dive into the article to see which one suits you best!
TL;DR
You can make some extra money by promoting your favorite wine varieties and flavors. Let’s see how much you can earn with these top wine affiliate programs.
- Wine.com (Commission: 1-6%, Cookie: 30 days)
- Wine Express (Commission: $10-6%, Cookie: 30 days)
- WSJwine (Commission: $20-5%, Cookie: 30 days)
- Wine Enthusiast (Commission: 3%, Cookie: 30 days)
- Organic Wine Exchange (Commission: 10%, Cookie: 30 days)
- The Wine Concierge (Commission: $25-7%, Cookie: 30 days)
- Wine On Sale (Commission: 12%, Cookie: 30 days)
- Franzese Wine (Commission: 10%, Cookie: 15 days)
- The International Wine of the Month Club (Commission: $12, Cookie: 90 days)
- Mano’s Wine (Commission: 3%, Cookie: 45 days)
Recommended for every Shopify merchant, UpPromote affiliate software helps you create programs, set commissions, and manage tracking and payments. We cover everything you need to run successful affiliate campaigns.
With 2500+ positive Shopify reviews, UpPromote boasts as the top trusted affiliate software.
Top 23 Wine Affiliate Programs to Join in 2025
If you prefer a quick glance, check out our highlights of the top wine affiliate programs below:
| The best affiliate programs | Program name |
| Affiliate program with the highest commission rates | Wine On Sale (12%) |
| Affiliate program with the longest cookie duration | The International Wine of the Month Club (90 days) |
| Affiliate program with the most payment methods | The Wine Concierge, Wine On Sale, Franzese Wine (Check, Direct Deposit, Wire transfer, Payoneer) |
| Affiliate program with the most promotional materials | Wine Express (Banners, text links, product links) |
1. Wine.com
Wine.com is the largest online wine retailer in the United States. Customers can explore a selection of over 17,000 wines from around the world and connect with their wine experts to find the perfect match for their taste.
By joining the Wine.com affiliate program, you can earn a 6% commission on sales from new customers and 1% on repeat orders. The cookie period lasts 30 days from the visitor’s first click on your link.
The brand provides various professionally designed banners and logos to help make your promotions more appealing. Plus, their automated data feed will keep you up-to-date with the latest product information.
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2. Wine Express
Wine Express sources high-quality wines from renowned regions like France, Italy, Spain, Australia, and more. They are the exclusive wine retail partner of The Wine Enthusiast, a trusted brand among wine lovers for over 40 years.
You can enjoy a 6% commission on each successful wine purchase and $10 for every Wine Club subscription. The cookie duration is 30 days, meaning you’ll receive credit for any referred sales within that time frame.
Their wine affiliate program is managed via Impact Radius. You can sign up for the network to join and get access to their pre-made banners, text links, and product links to start promoting right away.
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3. WSJwine
WSJwine sells a variety of red, white, and mixed case wines from renowned regions and boutique estates worldwide. Customers can join their discovery club to enjoy a new selection of wines every quarter, along with a 20% discount on all club cases.
The WSJwine affiliate program offers you $20 for each club subscription and a 5% commission on all non-club purchases. The referral window is just 7 days, so it’s important to craft persuasive messages that drive immediate action.
You can make your promotions more attractive with the brand’s visually appealing banners and text links. They also provide limited-time and exclusive promotional offers to help you attract more customers and drive quicker purchases.
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4. Wine Enthusiast
Wine Enthusiast is a leading provider of wine-related products, such as glassware, wine accessories, wine coolers, and other storage solutions. They also publish Wine Enthusiast Magazine to share expert reviews and informative articles, and to help readers stay informed about the latest wine trends.
The brand offers a 3% commission on each successful sale. That means you will earn $4.50 per sale with an average online order of $150. The referral window stays active for 30 days from the visitor’s first click on your affiliate link.
Wine Enthusiast manages their wine affiliate program through CJ Affiliate. Once approved, you’ll get access to their collection of vibrant banners and links to support your promotions.
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5. The Claire Co.
The Claire Co. makes beautiful, handmade glassware that makes drinking wine feel special. They offer a variety of glasses, like goblets and champagne flutes, for everyday use or celebrations. Each piece is made with care to add a unique and stylish touch to your experience.
The Claire Co. Ambassador Program is a great way to earn money while sharing beautiful handmade glassware with others. Ambassadors earn a 20% commission on every sale made through their unique affiliate link, with a generous 30-day cookie duration. Commissions will be sent via PayPal or bank transfer.
As an ambassador, you’ll also receive an exclusive 50% discount on personal purchases. You can experience their glassware firsthand and share it with your audience via social media or blogs. The brand is always ready to support you with any questions or issues.
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6. Organic Wine Exchange
Organic Wine Exchange supplies a selection of biodynamic, vegan, and sustainable wines made from organically grown grapes. They also provide valuable wine education, including tips on organic wine, winemaker spotlights, and tasting reviews.
When you join the Organic Wine Exchange affiliate program, you will get a 10% commission on each successful sale with a 30-day cookie duration. Their average order is $159.74, so you can receive about $16 per referral.
You can withdraw your earnings via Zelle once your balance reaches $100. The brand provides a collection of vibrant creatives to support your promotions. They also update their newsletters regularly to keep you informed about the latest program information and exclusive offers.
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7. The Wine Concierge
The Wine Concierge offers handcrafted wines produced by women, BIPOC, and culturally diverse winemakers. Customers can subscribe to a membership plan for monthly or quarterly wine shipments.
You will receive a 7% commission on every wine sale and $25 for each new membership sign-up. With an average order value of $145, you can expect to earn around $10 from each wine purchase. The cookie lasts 30 days from the customer’s initial click.
Once approved for The Wine Concierge affiliate program, you’ll get access to their ready-to-use, engaging creatives and start promoting. You can also share special coupons and seasonal deals with your followers to boost engagement and drive faster purchases. Plus, the brand will offer performance-based bonuses to top affiliates.
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8. Wine On Sale
Wine On Sale offers 5,000+ wines from renowned vineyards worldwide, including red, white, rosé, sparkling, and collectible bottles. Wine lovers can enjoy great savings through the brand’s discounted case deals and sampler packs.
By joining the Wine On Sale affiliate program, you can get a 12% commission on every successful sale. With the $185 average order value, that’s about $22 per purchase. The 30-day cookie allows you to earn a commission on any order made within that period.
You can share their special coupon codes with your audience to attract more attention and drive more sales. The brand also gives you eye-catching creatives to support your promotional efforts.
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9. Franzese Wine
Franzese Wine offers premium Armenian wines, from popular varieties like Areni and Malbec to unique products like their Pomegranate Wine. The brand also provides a selection of non-alcoholic options to cater to different tastes.
Franzese Wine affiliate program enables you to earn a competitive commission rate of 10% per sale. The cookie remains valid for 15 days after the customer clicks on your unique link.
They regularly update their creative assets to help you promote fresh and relevant content. Their newsletters also help you stay in the loop with new offers and product news.
You’ll get exclusive access to special deals and promotions to share with your followers. Plus, their experienced affiliate managers are available to support you with tips and guidance to improve your performance.
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10. The International Wine of the Month Club
The International Wine of the Month Club is a leading US-based wine subscription service with over 2 million satisfied members. They are a part of MonthlyClubs.com, which also offers other gourmet subscription services like beer, cheese, and chocolate clubs.
You will receive $12 for each qualified membership made through your link. The 90-day cookie window gives you a long tracking period to earn commissions from the customer’s initial click.
The brand runs their wine affiliate program through the CJ network. They offer a variety of ready-to-use banners and text links to help affiliates promote their products.
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11. Mano’s Wine
Mano’s Wine creates deep-etched and hand-painted wine bottles. The brand has worked with major organizations like the Kansas City Chiefs, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, and more to produce unique, customized items for special events.
Affiliates can join Mano’s Wine affiliate program and earn a 3% commission on each qualified wine purchase. The cookie stays valid for 45 days from the customer’s first click on your unique link.
Their program is managed through the CJ Affiliate network. That means you’ll need an active CJ account to join.
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12. Total Wine
- Commission rate: 3.2%
- Cookie duration: 1 day
Total Wine is America’s largest independent retailer of fine wine, with over 260 superstores across 29 states. They offer about 8,000 different wines from around the world, along with 3,000 types of spirits and 2,500 beers.
13. Firstleaf
- Commission rate: $25
- Cookie duration: 14 days
Firstleaf is a California-based personalized wine subscription service. They source wines from renowned regions in different countries, such as the US, France, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Argentina, and Australia.
14. Cellars Wine Club
- Commission rate: 8%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Cellars Wine Club has operated as a wine subscription service since 1999. They offer eight different wine club options, ranging from single-bottle to case clubs, giving members flexible choices tailored to their preferences and budgets.
15. Galiano Wine
- Commission rate: 10-15%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Galiano Wine offers a range of wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rosé, and sparkling wines. Customers can join their Wine Club to receive monthly wine deliveries, along with exclusive discounts and member-only perks.
16. Majestic Wine
- Commission rate: 4% (New customers), 1% (Existing customers)
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Majestic Wine is the UK’s largest specialist wine retailer, with an extensive network of physical stores across the country. They also provide expert advice and personalized service to help customers find the perfect wines, beers, and spirits.
17. Maker Wine
- Commission rate: 15%
- Cookie duration: 89 days
Maker Wine delivers high-quality, award-winning wines in eco-friendly cans. Their selection includes dry, terroir-driven wines with zero sugar and fewer than 5 carbs per serving.
18. Kings Bottle
- Commission rate: 5%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Kings Bottle sells wine coolers, beverage refrigerators, and other specialized cooling solutions. Their products help wine enthusiasts store their collections at optimal temperature and humidity for long-term enjoyment.
19. Mysa Natural Wine
- Commission rate: 10%
- Cookie duration: 7 days
MYSA Natural Wine sells natural, organic, biodynamic, and vegan wines from small producers worldwide. They also provide flexible subscription plans, including mixed wine clubs or options focused on red and orange wines, with customizable delivery frequency and bottle count.
20. Roscioli Italian Wine Club
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- Commission rate: 10-160€
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Roscioli Italian Wine Club is a subscription service offering a curated selection of artisanal Italian wines, primarily from small, family-owned producers. Each shipment comes with wine notes, QR codes linking to videos about the winemakers, and pairing suggestions.
21. The Organic Wine Company
- Commission rate: 5%
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Established in 1983, Organic Wine Company is one of the oldest companies in the organic winemaking industry. Their vegan-friendly products are sourced from renowned wine regions in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and New Zealand.
22. Plonk Wine Club
- Commission rate: 15% (Subscription), 10% (Non-subscription)
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Plonk Wine Club is a wine subscription service offering organic, biodynamic, and sustainably produced wines from around the world. Each shipment comes with tasting notes and recipe pairings to enrich the drinking experience and help members understand each wine’s unique profile.
23. Mr.D Wine Merchant
- Commission rate: 5%
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Mr.D Wine Merchant offers a premium, carefully curated wine selection from prestigious French and Italian producers. Wine lovers can explore unique, artisanal, and hard-to-find bottles at accessible prices.
How to launch a high-impact affiliate program for your Shopify wine brand
The digital cellar door is open. In an industry built on taste and trust, affiliate marketing offers an authentic way to connect with new audiences.
Wine is not just a drink; it’s an experience tied to place, passion, and personal stories. This makes it a perfect product for affiliate marketing, which thrives on genuine recommendations.
This guide will walk you through the entire process of launching a successful affiliate program for your Shopify wine brand.
We will cover everything from the initial legal planning to recruiting the perfect partners and managing your program for long-term growth.
By the end, you’ll have a clear roadmap to create a program that is both profitable and compliant.
Strategic & legal planning before you pour
Before you invite the first affiliate, a solid foundation is essential for success. This planning stage ensures your program has clear goals and stays within legal boundaries.
Defining your program’s goals & KPIs
Alright, let’s start with the “why.” Before you invite a single partner, you need a clear destination for your affiliate program.
What does success look like for your winery?
Perhaps your goal is to sell through your new vintage of Pinot Noir before the next release. Or maybe you want to attract 50 new wine club members this quarter.
Defining a specific, measurable objective is the single most important step, as it will guide every decision you make.
Once you know your target, you can measure what matters.
This isn’t just about tracking total sales; it’s about understanding the quality of the business your affiliates are driving.
You’ll want to keep a close eye on these numbers:
- Conversion rate: The percentage of clicks on an affiliate’s link that turn into a sale. This tells you how effective your partners are at closing the deal.
- Average order value (AOV): The average dollar amount a customer spends. You can see if affiliates are encouraging customers to buy a single bottle or a full case.
- Customer lifetime value (CLV): The total long-term value of a customer. This helps you see if affiliates are bringing in one-time buyers or loyal fans who will join your wine club and purchase for years to come.
Navigating the legal vineyard: compliance is non-negotiable
Navigating the world of wine affiliate marketing means playing by a specific set of rules.
Getting compliance right from the start is non-negotiable—it protects your business, your partners, and your customers, ensuring your program is built on a solid foundation.
Here’s what you and your affiliates need to focus on:
- Age Verification: This is your number one priority.
Your partners must promote your wines exclusively to a verifiable audience of legal drinking age.
A common way to do this is with an “age gate” on their website—that pop-up asking visitors to confirm they are 21 or older before they can view the content.
- Clear Shipping Restrictions: Be upfront about where you can and cannot ship.
If you can’t send your Pinot Noir to Utah or Alabama, your affiliates need to know. This prevents them from targeting the wrong audience and avoids frustrating potential buyers.
- Responsible Advertising: All promotions must follow FTC and alcohol advertising guidelines.
Your partners must clearly disclose their paid relationship with you using hashtags like #ad or #sponsored. Just as importantly, their content must never make health claims or suggest that drinking wine has health benefits.
To streamline this, you can outline all these rules directly in your affiliate program’s terms and conditions. Luckily, we have some T&C templates that you can use for your store here!
Profiling your ideal affiliate: who is your digital sommelier?
When it comes to affiliates, think quality over quantity.
To recruit partners who will truly represent your wine brand with passion and expertise, you first need to define who you’re looking for.
This is where creating your ideal affiliate persona becomes essential.
So, who is the perfect storyteller for your wine? It could be one of several profiles:
- The Wine Expert: A certified sommelier whose followers hang on every word of their detailed tasting notes and regional breakdowns.
- The Food & Pairing Guru: The popular food blogger who crafts mouth-watering recipes, showing their audience how your Cabernet Sauvignon elevates a simple steak dinner.
- The Lifestyle Influencer: An influencer whose audience mirrors your ideal customer—someone who appreciates fine living, travel, and a great glass of rosé.
- The Brand Loyalist: Your own enthusiastic wine club members. They already love your product and can share their experience with genuine passion.
Once you know who you’re looking for, finding them becomes much easier. Using a tool like UpPromote’s Marketplace, you can customize your listing to ask targeted questions about an applicant’s audience or experience.
This allows you to effectively screen for partners who are the perfect fit for your brand right from the start.
Building your program’s framework on Shopify
With your strategy in place, it’s time to build the operational core of your program. This involves selecting the right tools and designing a structure that attracts and motivates quality partners.
Choosing the right Shopify affiliate app
Trying to manage an affiliate program with spreadsheets is a recipe for disaster.
Imagine trying to manually figure out which food blogger’s coupon code sold the most cases of your new Rosé last month.
It’s an administrative nightmare that takes you away from what you do best: making great wine.
This is where a dedicated Shopify app becomes your program’s central nervous system.
It automates the tedious work of tracking, management, and payouts, ensuring everything runs smoothly and accurately.
When choosing your app, you’re essentially hiring a digital program manager. Make sure it has these non-negotiable features:
- Flawless tracking: Whether an affiliate uses a link or a unique coupon code, you need 100% confidence that every sale is credited correctly. This is the foundation of trust with your partners.
- An intuitive dashboard: Both you and your affiliates need a simple, clear way to see performance at a glance—clicks, sales, and commissions earned.
- Flexible commissions: Your business isn’t one-size-fits-all, and your commissions shouldn’t be either. The right app will let you set different rates for specific wines or create tiered rewards for your top-performing affiliates.
An app like UpPromote is designed to handle this complexity for you, so you can focus on building relationships with your partners.
Designing a competitive & sustainable commission structure
Your commission structure is one of the first things affiliates look at when deciding whether to promote your brand — so it needs to be both attractive and realistic for your margins.
Most affiliate programs use a percentage of each sale as the reward.
For example, if you’re selling premium wine, offering 8%–15% commission is common. A bottle of fine Cabernet Sauvignon priced at $100 would earn the affiliate $8–$15 per sale.
If your competitors offer similar rates, consider setting a slightly higher one to stand out — especially when targeting experienced affiliates with established audiences.
To motivate affiliates to sell more, you can add tiered commissions. For instance:
- Earn 10% on sales up to $1,000 per month
- Jump to 12% on sales beyond that amount
This simple model pushes affiliates to keep promoting your products to unlock higher earnings.
For reference, here are the standard commission rates we researched and collected across wine brands:
- Online Wine Retailers: These shops usually offer a percentage of each sale, with standard rates falling between 4% and 8%. It’s common for them to provide a higher commission for sales to new customers.
- Wine Subscription Services & Clubs: Due to their recurring revenue model, these programs often provide a higher initial payout. Affiliates can earn a larger percentage, around 10% to 15% of the first subscription, or a flat fee for each new member they sign up.
- Boutique & Specialty Shops: To attract affiliates who can reach their niche audience, these shops often offer competitive rates, sometimes including performance-based bonuses to reward top partners.
Another key factor is cookie duration — how long after a customer clicks an affiliate’s link they can still earn a commission.
Since buying wine or luxury goods often takes more consideration, a 30–60 day cookie window is ideal. This ensures affiliates are fairly rewarded, even when customers take time to decide.
With UpPromote, setting up these rules is effortless. You can:
- Customize commission structures, from flat rates to tiered models.
- Adjust cookie durations to match your sales cycle.
- Automatically track affiliate performance so your top partners are rewarded without manual effort.
A clear, fair, and well-structured commission plan doesn’t just attract affiliates — it keeps them motivated and loyal to your brand.
Crafting a compelling affiliate program registration page
This page is your most important recruitment tool.
To attract the high-quality affiliates your wine brand deserves, your landing page must provide all the essential information at a glance.
You’re selling them on a partnership, so make it an irresistible offer.
Here’s what every great affiliate landing page should include:
- The Core Offer: Be upfront with your commission rate and cookie duration. For instance, “Earn 10% commission on all sales with a 45-day cookie.”
- Exclusive Perks: What makes your program stand out? Mention unique benefits like sample bottles of your latest vintage, exclusive discounts for their audience, or an invitation to a private vineyard tour for top performers.
- Your Brand Story: Briefly share what makes your winery special. Are you a family-owned estate known for sustainable farming? Do you specialize in a rare grape? Let them connect with your mission.
- A Clear Call-to-Action: Your “Join Our Program” button should be impossible to miss.
This is where a powerful tool like UpPromote simplifies everything, allowing you to create a professional and effective recruitment hub without any technical headaches. Instead of building a page from scratch, UpPromote gives you the tools to launch a stunning landing page that works for you.
Here’s exactly how UpPromote helps you build the perfect affiliate registration page:
- Effortless page building
- Customizable registration forms
- Centralized information
By leveraging these features, you create a seamless and professional experience that not only attracts top-tier affiliates but also pre-qualifies them, saving you valuable time and setting your program up for success from day one.
Recruiting the perfect vintage of wine affiliates
Once your program is built, the next challenge is finding the right people to join. A proactive and diverse recruitment strategy will ensure you build a team of high-impact partners.
Identifying your affiliate mix for maximum reach
A strong program includes a variety of affiliate types, each reaching a different segment of your potential market. This diversification protects you from relying too heavily on one channel.
The connoisseurs: certified sommeliers & wine educators
Partnering with certified wine experts can truly elevate your brand.
These individuals are more than just enthusiasts; they are respected professionals with formal credentials from esteemed organizations like the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) or the Court of Master Sommeliers.
Their opinions don’t just follow trends—they set them.
Having one of these experts recommend your wine is like receiving a gold seal of approval. It provides immediate credibility and builds trust, influencing everyone from casual buyers to restaurant owners and retailers.
Imagine a well-known Master Sommelier highlighting your Pinot Noir in their latest video; the impact is immediate and powerful.
Their content is typically sophisticated and educational. You can expect:
- Detailed and professional tasting notes that break down the complex flavors of your vintage.
- Educational videos that might explore the unique terroir of your vineyard’s region.
- In-depth pairing guides, perhaps matching your signature rosé with a complex charcuterie board.
This is where managing these valuable relationships can get tricky. To simplify the process, a platform like UpPromote can be invaluable.
It allows you to discover these top-tier professionals in the UpPromote Marketplace.
The storytellers: niche wine & food bloggers
Beyond the certified experts, there’s a vibrant world of niche content creators who have cultivated dedicated followings around specific interests.
Think of the blogger who exclusively reviews organic and biodynamic wines, the YouTuber who creates travel diaries exploring underrated regions like the Finger Lakes, or the Instagrammer who pairs bold reds with Texas barbecue.
These creators are incredibly valuable because they produce high-quality, evergreen content that performs well in search engines.
A single, well-crafted blog post, like “The Best Rosé Wines for Summer,” can drive traffic and sales to your website for years. Their audience is not just large; it’s highly engaged and implicitly trusts their specialized recommendations.
Here’s the kind of content you can expect from them:
- Search-Optimized Blog Posts: Articles like “The Ultimate Guide to Portuguese Green Wines” that capture curious buyers.
- Unique Pairing Guides: Creative recipes and guides that feature your wine as an essential ingredient or pairing.
- In-Depth Reviews: Honest and comprehensive reviews of your brand that help consumers make confident purchasing decisions.
Finding the perfect niche creator whose audience aligns with your brand can be a time-consuming process.
The visual vanguards: lifestyle, luxury & travel influencers
These creators are the faces behind some of the most captivating content on visual platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
They focus on showcasing aspirational lifestyles, often making wine a key element of a luxurious or enjoyable experience. Their content isn’t just about the wine itself—it’s about how the wine fits into a dream-worthy moment.
Why are they valuable? They excel at creating brand awareness and sparking desire.
By featuring your wine in stunning, real-world settings, they make it feel accessible and desirable to a wide audience. Their followers aspire to live the lifestyle they showcase, making them a powerful influence on purchasing decisions.
Here’s what you can expect from their content:
- High-quality photoshoots with your wine bottle in beautiful, scenic locations.
- Instagram Reels showcasing “perfect picnics” with your rosé or other wines, making the wine feel like a must-have for outdoor gatherings.
- YouTube vlogs documenting visits to your tasting room, giving followers a behind-the-scenes look at your brand.
- TikToks offering tips on “how to host the perfect wine tasting party,” all while featuring your product in fun, engaging ways.
To streamline working with these creators, you can use UpPromote’s Affiliate Marketplace. It helps you find influencers that align with your brand, track affiliate performance, and manage payments seamlessly—ensuring that every collaboration is efficient and effective.
The inner circle: your most passionate customers & club members
Never underestimate the power of your most dedicated fans.
This group is made up of your existing brand loyalists—the customers who consistently buy your wine, are active members of your wine club, and already rave about your brand to their friends and family.
They are your built-in champions, and their advocacy is pure gold.
Why are they so valuable? Because their promotion is the most authentic and trustworthy marketing you can get.
When a friend recommends a fantastic bottle of Zinfandel they just tried, it carries far more weight than a paid advertisement.
This is genuine word-of-mouth, driven by a real passion for your product.
Their content is authentic, powerful, and created from a place of genuine appreciation:
- User-Generated Content (UGC): Think of the photos they post on their personal Instagram, showing off a bottle of your Chardonnay at a dinner party.
- Glowing Reviews: They are the ones leaving detailed, five-star reviews on your website that convince new customers to make a purchase.
- Personal Recommendations: They are your brand’s storytellers, sharing their positive experiences within their personal circles.
The key is to give these loyal customers a structured way to share their love for your brand and be rewarded for it.
Proactive recruitment strategies: uncorking new partnerships
Don’t just launch your program and wait for partners to find you.
A proactive recruitment approach ensures you build a high-quality team of affiliates who are genuinely aligned with your brand.
The art of the personalized pitch: direct outreach
Engaging the right partners for your wine brand requires a thoughtful approach, not a mass email blast.
To build genuine, lasting relationships, you need to show that you value their expertise and have done your homework.
Here’s a simple, three-step framework for your outreach:
- Lay the groundwork with research. Before contacting anyone, take the time to understand their content and audience.
Did they just publish a review on Argentinian Malbecs? Mention it.
Referencing a specific article or video shows you’re not just sending a generic template and that you genuinely appreciate their work.
- Create a compelling offer. While commission is important, lead with value-added perks that are unique to the wine industry.
Offer to send sample bottles of a new vintage for them to taste and review. You could also invite them for a complimentary private tour of your vineyard or provide exclusive access to a virtual tasting event with your winemaker.
These gestures show you’re invested in a real partnership.
- Make your pitch a conversation. Instead of a demanding “Join our program,” frame it as a collaborative question.
For example, try asking, “I saw your recent piece on food pairings and thought our latest Chardonnay would be a fantastic match for your audience. Would you be open to trying it?” This approach is respectful and opens the door for a genuine dialogue.
With a platform like UpPromote, you can easily manage these tailored offers. The system allows you to create unique commission structures and provide special perks for each partner, helping you build and track these valuable relationships effortlessly.
You can learn how to set up a killer structure and earn $300k in revenue from affiliate right here.
Fishing in the right ponds: using affiliate networks & marketplaces
Affiliate marketplaces are a great place to find new partners, but you need to know how to search effectively.
Once you find a promising profile, take the time to review their social media accounts and blog. Ask yourself:
- Does their content match your brand’s style and values?
- Is their audience active and engaged, not just passive followers?
- Do they already collaborate with other wine or gourmet food brands, ensuring they’re a good fit for your industry?
Start by focusing on relevant categories like Food & Drink, Lifestyle, and Travel—these will bring up creators who share content your audience is likely to engage with.
Then, dig deeper with specific keywords like sommelier, wine tasting, Napa Valley blogger, or food pairing.
This will help you pinpoint creators who have expertise in areas that align with your wine brand.
Casting a wide net: promoting your program in-house
Your most powerful brand advocates are often already within your reach.
By strategically promoting your affiliate program through your own channels, you can recruit partners who are already passionate about your wine.
Don’t hide your program away. Make it visible and easy for your existing customers and fans to join.
- On Your Website: Create a clear “Partner With Us” or “Become an Ambassador” page and link to it directly from your website’s footer. This makes it instantly accessible to anyone exploring your site.
With UpPromote, you can create a professional, branded sign-up page in minutes to direct visitors to.
- Through Email Marketing: Announce your program to your email list.
You can even send a targeted campaign inviting your most loyal customers—like your wine club members—to join. A small mention in your regular newsletters also keeps the opportunity top-of-mind.
- In Your Post-Purchase Flow: The order confirmation page is prime real estate. A simple message like, “Love our wine? Get rewarded for sharing it!” can effectively turn a happy customer into a brand advocate right after they’ve made a purchase.
- At Your Cellar Door: This is a unique advantage for wineries. Place small cards with a QR code on tasting menus or at the checkout counter.
Equipping wine affiliates for success: your digital welcome kit
Recruiting affiliates is only half the battle. To ensure they become productive, long-term partners, you need to equip them with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to succeed from day one.
The seamless onboarding process
A smooth onboarding process is key to setting the right tone for your partnership. As soon as an affiliate is approved, they should receive an automated welcome email that sets them up for success from the start.
This welcome email should include:
- Immediate access to their affiliate dashboard, where they can track their performance and earnings.
- Their unique tracking links, so they can start promoting right away.
- A link to your comprehensive welcome kit, which outlines your brand, best practices, and any other important info they need to get started.
Tools like UpPromote make it easy to automate this in bulk email, ensuring that every new affiliate gets a professional and smooth experience, without any extra work on your part.
This not only saves you time but also makes your affiliates feel valued and ready to dive into their campaigns.
Providing high-quality creative assets
To set your affiliates up for success, it’s crucial to equip them with high-quality content that truly represents your brand.
Think of it this way: you’re giving them the very best ingredients to tell your story. A well-organized library of these creative assets isn’t just a helpful extra—it’s an absolute must for a successful affiliate program.
In the wine industry, visuals are everything.
You want to give your affiliates a rich portfolio of images that allows them to create irresistible content. For example, make sure they have access to:
- Stunning bottle shots: High-resolution photos of each wine, perfect for showcasing your product.
- Lifestyle images: Pictures of people savoring your wine at a dinner party, enjoying a picnic, or relaxing by the fire.
- Winery and vineyard photography: Breathtaking shots of your estate that transport customers to the heart of your brand.
Beyond beautiful images, you need to share the story behind the wine.
Managing all these materials is simple with the right tools. For instance, UpPromote’s features allow you to create a centralized library where you can easily upload and organize all your creative assets.
This gives your affiliates on-demand access to everything they need, ensuring brand consistency and making the entire process effortless for everyone involved.
Provide your affiliates with key talking points, including detailed tasting notes, perfect food pairing suggestions, and interesting tidbits about your winery’s history or unique production methods.
This ensures they are communicating compelling and accurate information that resonates with their audience.
Content guidelines & best practices
In the wine industry, detailed guidelines are non-negotiable.
Your guidelines must remind affiliates about the absolute necessity of using age gates on their websites or social media channels.
You should also be crystal clear on the proper use of disclosure hashtags like #ad or #sponsored. Following these rules isn’t just good practice; it protects both your affiliates and your business from serious legal complications.
But guidelines aren’t just about restrictions.
They’re also an opportunity to inspire creativity and authenticity. Encourage your affiliates to share their genuine passion for your products. You could suggest they create content like:
- A personal video of their first unboxing experience with your wine club shipment.
- An engaging blog post featuring unique recipes they’ve created to pair with one of your signature wines.
- A “behind-the-scenes” style post sharing interesting facts from your brand story.
The most compelling affiliate content is born from genuine enthusiasm.
Managing & optimizing for long-term growth
Launching your affiliate program is the beginning, not the end.
Ongoing management and optimization are what turn a good program into a great one that drives sustainable revenue for your brand.
Tracking performance & analyzing key metrics
You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
To truly understand the impact of your affiliate program, consistent tracking is essential. This is the only way to get a clear picture of what’s working and where you can optimize.
Think of your affiliate dashboard as the control center for your program. It allows you to monitor key metrics like sales, clicks, conversion rates, and commissions in real time.
This data is invaluable for identifying your top-performing affiliates and understanding which promotional strategies are driving the best results.
For example, you might discover that a detailed blog post from a wine blogger generates a higher average order value, while a series of Instagram Reels from a lifestyle influencer drives more website traffic and brand awareness.
This is where a platform like UpPromote makes everything simple.
Affiliates can instantly access their performance data, empowering them to see what’s resonating with their audience. Here’s how easily they can do it:
- Step 1: Log in to their personal affiliate account.
- Step 2: Navigate to their main Dashboard.
- Step 3: Instantly view their clicks, sales, and commissions.
This transparent access to data helps you pinpoint what’s effective and allows your affiliates to refine their strategies for even better results, creating a powerful cycle of growth for your brand.
Fostering strong relationships through communication
To build a truly successful affiliate program, it’s essential to see your affiliates as valued partners, not just numbers on a spreadsheet.
Fostering strong, personal relationships through regular and meaningful communication is the secret to keeping them engaged and motivated to promote your brand.
A great way to connect is by sending out a regular affiliate newsletter.
This is your chance to share exciting updates and make them feel like insiders. For instance, you could include:
- News on new vintages: Give them a sneak peek of your latest Sauvignon Blanc before it officially launches.
- Upcoming promotions: Let them know about a special holiday discount on your Cabernet Sauvignon so they can prepare their content in advance.
- Fresh content ideas: Suggest a blog post theme like “The Ultimate Guide to Pairing Rosé with Summer Barbecues.”
Incentives also go a long way.
You can offer performance-based bonuses for hitting certain sales targets or provide your top partners with exclusive access to limited-edition releases.
This not only motivates them but also strengthens their loyalty to your brand.
For more immediate and personal conversations, a direct line of communication is invaluable. This is where a feature like UpPromote’s in-app chat comes in handy.
It allows you to have real-time conversations with your affiliates, answer their questions quickly, and provide personalized support.
This direct connection makes your partners feel truly seen and valued, fostering a stronger, more profitable relationship for everyone.
Ensuring timely & accurate payouts
Trust is the bedrock of any successful partnership, and in the world of affiliate marketing, nothing builds that trust faster than reliable payments.
Making sure your affiliates are paid accurately and on time, every single time, is one of the most critical aspects of running a professional program.
Imagine one of your top affiliates creates a stunning video pairing your new Rosé with the perfect summer meal, driving a significant number of sales.
The last thing you want is for them to have to chase down their hard-earned commission. Late or incorrect payments are the quickest way to damage a valuable relationship and lose a motivated partner.
This is where leveraging technology can make all the difference. Using the automated payment features within a Shopify app like UpPromote can completely streamline this crucial process.
This system ensures your partners are compensated correctly and on schedule, without you having to manage it all manually.
This level of reliability accomplishes a few key things:
- It shows respect for your affiliates’ time and effort.
- It eliminates potential human error.
- It solidifies your reputation as a trustworthy and professional brand.
Ultimately, this consistency is a cornerstone of building a healthy, long-lasting affiliate program that people are excited to be a part of.
Conclusion
The global wine market is booming, and for creators with a passion for the vine, the opportunities are ripe for the picking.
This guide has uncorked 22 of the best wine affiliate programs available, from major players like Wired For Wine and Vivino to niche clubs like the California Wine Club.
Each offers a unique way to monetize your content and share your favorite vintages with an engaged audience.
By creating your own affiliate program, you empower sommeliers, bloggers, and influencers to become your digital sommeliers, driving sales and reaching new, targeted audiences.
The roadmap to success has been laid out by the top brands.
Now is the perfect time to pour your own resources into this high-growth channel and watch your brand flourish. Launch your program today and cultivate a thriving community of partners dedicated to your success.
FAQs
1) What is a wine affiliate program?
A performance partnership where you earn a commission for driving tracked wine orders or wine-club sign-ups via your links or coupon codes.
2) Who can join a wine affiliate program?
Usually publishers 21+/legal drinking age in their country, including bloggers, review sites, comparison sites, influencers, and email publishers—subject to brand screening and compliance checks.
3) Can I run paid ads to promote wine offers?
Often yes, but programs may restrict age-gated platforms, geo targeting, and brand-keyword bidding. Always follow platform policies and the merchant’s terms on SEM and social ads.
4) How are commissions structured for wine?
Common models: % of order value, a fixed bounty per wine-club start, or hybrid (lower % + bounty). Some brands add tiers by volume or new-customer status.
5) Do renewals from wine-club subscriptions pay commissions?
Some do (recurring for X months), others pay only on the initial start. Check if the app supports subscription events and renewal lookbacks.
6) Which features are “must-have” for wine programs?
First-party + server-side tracking, coupon/code attribution, SKU/category rules, subscription/renewal tracking, influencer tools, and robust compliance controls.
Ellie Tran, a seasoned SEO content writer with three years of experience in the eCommerce world. Being a part of the UpPromote team, Ellie wants to assist Shopify merchants in achieving success through useful content & actionable insights. Ellie's commitment to learning never stops; she's always eager to gain more knowledge about SEO and content marketing to create valuable content for users. When she's not working on content, Ellie enjoys baking and exploring new places.
