Wondry on 'Shark Tank': What is the cost, who are the founders behind fruit-infused wines with twice the alcohol content
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: If you're tired of consuming cheap boxed wine, but are too intimidated to try out the top-shelf wines, then Wondry's fruit-infused wine collection with higher-alcohol level, then may just be what you're looking for.
Created by husband and wife duo- Chaz and Whitney Gates, Wondry, hopes to make good quality wine accessible to all. The Gates will be pitching their unique wine brand before the Sharks- Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary, Lori Greiner, and guest Shark Peter Jones, on the upcoming episode 6 of 'Shark Tank' Season 14. While we will have to watch the episode to find out if the Sharks decide to take a sip of this fruit-infused cocktail wine brand, in the meanwhile, you can learn all about Wondry and its founders here.
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What is Wondry?
Wondry, which is stands for Wonder and Dream, was created to reimagine the wine experience. Wondry is a fruit-infused wine & sangria brand with heightened alcohol content. Wondry's products boasts of fruit-forward, semi-sweet wines infused with organic berry, citrus & exotic fruit extracts for a succulently smooth & juicy finish. "At Wondry, we believe great-tasting wine should be enjoyed by all. but far too often, curious wine consumers are met by a stifling sense of pretentiousness. intimidated & at times overlooked, many feel excluded from the premium wine experience - an unfortunately common problem a thinker & a dreamer designed Wondry to solve. We reject exclusivity – #allwinoswelcomed from starter to sommelier. sip different® with a more approachable, stronger, semi-sweet wine… fruit-forward, aromatic & balanced beautifully. aged in small batches, tastefully crafted for any occasion - discover a more satisfying wine experience with Wondry," states the brand's website.
Who are the founders of Wondry?
Husband and wife duo- Chaz and Whitney Gates are the founders of Wondry. Whitney was inspired to create Wondry after she felt excluded by the wine industry. In a blog post, she recounted how watching her uncle concoct wine out of the most interesting food items lying around the house inspired her to launch her own wine brand. She wrote, "Wondry was born surprisingly when I was a little girl & far too young to drink. Around the age of 10 I began visiting my late Uncle LC who was paralyzed from the waist-down but stood tall as the beacon of his Nashville community. He was a master of all trades – barbequing, baking, conversating…but most of all homemade winemaking. I would watch in awe as he rolled his way through his garage using the oddest of tools to turn the most interesting foods into wine. With just a nylon glove & gallon jug, he would transform fruits like peaches, grapes, & pears - & even corn on the cob – into this refreshing looking “happy juice”."Although I was forbidden from indulging at the time, my family & our community drank this wine like it was water. It was a conversation starter but most importantly, a unifier, that brought people together for carefree moments of enjoyment & escape," she recalled.
"8 years ago, as an adult of Legal drinking age, I craved to recreate those moments. So, just like my Uncle LC, I began toiling around my kitchen. I combined a range of fruits with yeast & after a few failed attempts stumbled upon something shockingly delicious – a semi-sweet, fruit-forward wine with a noticeable alcohol kick. Nothing like this & no one who looked like me existed in the mainstream wine industry. A stifling reality that kept me from further pursuing winemaking until 2017," she shared. "One evening in 2017 I had a couple of drinks & an aha moment. Memories of my Uncle LC floated in my mind & collided with newfound observation: the wine industry is so pretentious & exclusive. For ages, wine drinkers with non-traditional tastes have largely gone unnoticed. Many people like myself have felt intimidated, overlooked, & excluded from the premium wine experience…yet no one seems to care."
"With WONDRY we intend to disrupt traditional wine thinking. From our uniquely designed bottles to our organic fruit infusions to our heightened alcohol content, we exist to re-imagine the wine experience. We don’t just sell wine – we sell an immersive escape that engages all senses & unifies all wine drinkers alike," she added.
What is the cost and where to buy Wondry from?
True to their motto of "re-imagining the wine experience", Wondry has a wide selection of fruit-infused wine and cream, with a funky twist on traditional wines that will leave you spoilt for choice. Some of the wines from their collection include: Watermelon Rosé, Mango Passion Spritz, Vanilla Caramel Cream, Cran Apple En Blanc, Rose berry bubbly, Sangria Especial, etc. These wines are priced between $14 to $26 per bottle. You can also opt to buy their best-selling bundles. The brand is currently running a limited-time special discount on all the wines on their website as part of 'Shark Tank' special. You can pick you very own bottle of Wondry either from the brand's website here, or from Target.
Despite being a relatively new brand, Wondry has already managed to build a loyal customer-base who can't stop raving about their delicious wines. A customer shared the following feedback on one of the brand's wines, "I have tried several dessert/cocktail wines including your Ports, Reiselings, and your Moscoto's. Although each of them bring something unique to your table, it is the fruit infused combination of Wondry Wines, that give the the edge over the others for me. It brings the sweetness a cocktail wine should have but not overbearing, the aromas of the various fruits that you not only smell but also taste, and the balance of the right amount of alcohol that make these wines so complimentary, and palatable to enjoy with a great breakfast, lunch/brunch, or dinner. Wondry wines has certainly won me over and I can't wait to see what they're next-generation of wines will be."
Where is Wondry now?
In September, Wondry introduced a new addition to its catalogue of red wines- Sweet Red Blend. "🚨NEW VARIETAL REVEAL🚨red winos…. you spoke & we listened! introducing our newest boozy beauty… sweet red blend 🍷✨🍓 this absolutely delicious twist on a traditional cabernet is infused with juicy organic strawberries, raspberries & every bit of 13.9% ABV! crafted by yours truly (whit👩🏾💻 & chaz👨🏾🔬), she’s available for purchase TODAY in front of checkout at the dfw target stores in our bio & online in LESS THAN 2 weeks! we’re incredibly proud of this one y’all so do us a favor: grab one today & toast to the weekend… cheers!" announced the brand on it's Instagram page.
Who will steal the deal?
Guest Shark Peter Jones might offer a deal. Although the brand's sales numbers and profit margins will ultimately be the major deciding factor for the sharks on whether to invest in the business or not. So, we will just have to wait and watch to see if the Sharks even make a deal.
'Shark Tank’ Season 14 Episode 6 returns to ABC after a two-week break on Friday, November 11, 2022, at 8 pm ET. Catch the latest episode featuring products like Collars & Co., SqaureKeg, Nana Hats, and Wondry.
Missed an episode? Been wanting to catch up? Episodes can also be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu. Not just that, you can also watch old seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.