Unleash Your Winery or Vineyard’s Potential
Strategic Consulting for Montana Wineries
Wineries in Wild Places Deserve Wildly Good Strategy
Montana isn’t Napa. And that’s exactly the point! Montana wineries face unique challenges—cold-hardy grapes, legal grey zones, seasonal tourism, and a customer base that might not yet understand what grows in our soil. But that doesn’t mean you have to figure it all out alone.
Whether you’re planting your first vines or rethinking your tasting room strategy, I’ll help you build, brand, and grow with a plan rooted in this one-of-a-kind terroir. From licensing to layout, brand storyboarding to website design, I partner with vineyard and winery owners to build thoughtful, strategic businesses that thrive—even in climates that don’t always play nice!
Why Cold-Climate Wineries Need a Different Approach
Unpredictable weather and challenging terroir
Montana conditions demand resilience, flexibility, and smart planning—from the vineyard to the tasting room.
Limited public awareness of local wine potential
Building recognition requires clear messaging and consistent outreach.
Confusing & inconsistent state regulations
Licensing, labeling, and compliance can feel like a maze - especially when rules vary by state and shift over time.
A customer base that peaks seasonally
With tourism-driven traffic, you need marketing and revenue strategies that stretch beyond the busy season.
Lack of clear, centralized guidance
It can be hard to find reliable, region-specific support for the challenges you’re facing (and that’s where I come in!)
Your Strategic Partner,
From Startup to Storytelling
Whether you're just getting started or need help refining your current setup, I provide end-to-end consulting tailored to the realities of small wineries in cold-climate and emerging regions. I also bring a trusted team of vetted vendors who understand the unique challenges of this space - so you're not wasting time or budget on support that doesn’t fit your model.
My Services
Winery Startup & Strategy Consulting
From concept to opening, I guide you through site planning, layout, licensing, and legal requirements—plus vendor recommendations based on real experience in this niche.
Brand Storyboarding & Marketing Strategy
We’ll define your unique story and translate it into a marketing strategy that works across your website, email list, social media, and tasting room experience.
Website Design & Review
Need a new site or just a smarter one? Let’s create a clean, functional website that reflects your brand and makes it easy for customers to engage, visit, and buy.
Content Planning & Onsite Creation
Together, we’ll build a seasonal marketing calendar - I can even join you onsite to create authentic video and photo content for your channels.
Licensing, Compliance & Operations Support
I’ll help you navigate and manage the logistics: from federal licensing and TTB label submissions to trademarks and operational workflows.
Event Planning & Launch Strategy
Make your public debut count! I can help plan and coordinate tastings, opening events, and seasonal experiences—alongside trusted vendors who truly “get” the boutique winery world.
About Me
Nicole Erickson, Montana Wine Strategist
Unleash. Unwind. Taste. Repeat.
That’s more than a tagline—it’s a reflection of how I approach life and business. The name Unleashed came from my lifelong love of dogs and their ability to find joy in the moment, connect with others, and fully experience life’s little pleasures.
Before stepping into the wine world, I spent years traveling and sharing bottles of wine with my dad—conversations that ultimately sparked a new path. In 2020, I followed that passion home to Montana and opened Unleashed: A Winery in Whitefish. It was a hands-on education in every part of winery ownership—and I loved every minute of it!
These days, I partner with other micro wineries and vineyards to help them do the same: bring a vision to life, with clarity, confidence, and a solid plan.
I believe cold-climate wineries deserve more attention, better resources, and smarter marketing. And I’m here to help make that happen—with a strategy that’s tailored, grounded, and 100% unleashed!
Let’s Connect
If you're building a small winery, or need support refining what you’ve started, let’s chat about how I can support you! Book a complimentary strategy or website review below or email me.