In 2004, Ken and Angela Lineberger founded our original winery in Rancho Cucamonga under the name “The Wine Tailor” as an urban winery. The historical site was located in California’s oldest commercial winery, built in 1839. The business evolved from being an award-winning winery to being a winery during the day, and a wine bar in the evening. We expanded the business by appealing to a wider audience by creating a more flexible model. We also added weekend entertainment and paired our wines with light food and appetizers.

In 2012, Waters Edge Wineries was created to focus on a single brand name. Our philosophy is focused on helping people learn about the amazing world of wine and remove the barriers that keep people from enjoying wine on a regular basis. Ken is the President of Waters Edge Wineries and is personally involved in each new location to help ensure our success as we grow. Angela is the franchise liaison to help uphold the standards of excellence that make us successful.

Our franchise helps people start up complete wineries in a retail space that ranges from 2, 500 – 4, 000 square feet. Think of it as a “micro-winery.”

The difference between a Waters Edge Winery and a traditional winery is that we do not grow or crush the grapes – we outsource those functions to a global network of vineyards and growers. This lowers the cost of ownership, and removes the biggest risk associated with most wineries.

Actual wine production is done onsite. A Waters Edge Winery® makes several wines that are exclusive to our winery locations. We make many of the popular varietals, including Merlots, Cabs and Chardonnays. We also make some harder-to-find wines such as Barolos, Gewurztraminers, Pinotages, Petit Verdot and Ports. We source grapes globally that will allow you to make over 50 different kinds of wine using grapes from the best grape growing regions in the world. Places such as California, Italy, France, New Zealand, Chile and Germany.

We also offer a lineup of wines that are found nowhere else and add to the spectrum of tastes for our guests. These include fun wines such as our popular Peach Apricot Chardonnay and Cranberry Malbec. These wines are easy for nearly everyone to enjoy – low in alcohol and slightly off-dry.

WHY US?

Waters Edge Wineries® is an urban winery system that brings the very best of wine culture to communities across the country. Combining elements of the traditional winemaking experience with the emerging wine bar concept, Waters Edge creates a diverse selection of wines and offers guests an opportunity to engage intimately with a historically exclusive lifestyle. As it seeks to bring the winery experience to the people, Waters Edge Wineries® presents an innovative, versatile concept that treats guests to quality wines, a relaxing atmosphere, and a cultural experience like no other.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Waters Edge team provides complete support from site location and lease negotiation to grand opening. We partner with a nationwide construction firm who will design your location and solicit bids from local, reputable contractors. Our construction firm will oversee the buildout to ensure that it is done on time and on budget.

We have made the art of winemaking into a simple four-step process anyone can learn. We are experts at helping you market the wine to your local community by focusing on generating revenue from five different categories. Your winery location will be unique in your community. No similar model exists that combines all five of these categories to help you stand out from any competition.

Your wines will be crafted using our tried & true recipes that produce consistently high-quality vino. We provide all the necessary equipment your location will require to make wine efficiently as well as operate a low-overhead kitchen for the bistro. Waters Edge offers our franchisees a monthly newsletter to keep you up to date on developments and techniques to help your winery grow. You are invited to join a monthly conference call to share ideas and promote growth. We also host a biennial franchise meeting to gather and learn together.

You will receive comprehensive training from us.We will provide you with pre-opening training courses, both hands-on and classroom based, to help you prepare for opening for business. We’ll also provide training and documentation on how to run our micro-winery tank system, plus ongoing support and refresher training as needed. And, you’ll have access to confidential operational documents and manuals to help guide your daily winery business functions efficiently. Our team of experts will provide on-going support to ensure the success of your business.