Coffee Pot Cellars – Long Island, NY

Coffee Pot Cellars is a small establishment in Cutchogue on the North Fork of Long Island.  The tasting room was opened in 2013 by a husband (Adam) and wife (Laura) team.  Adam is the winemaker, and Laura, who is a local beekeeper, runs the tasting room.

Upon first walking into the tasting room, there was palpable positive energy generated by Laura.  Her enthusiasm for her wine, as well as her work as a beekeeper, filled the room.  She said she had been described as “eccentric” – I would agree, but it is eccentric in the word’s nicest sense.  We were also greeted by Beasley, their dog, for whom the wine Beasley’s Blend is named.

The tasting room was well appointed – no fabulous view of a vineyard but warmly decorated.  Our flight included a taste of all of Adam’s wines.  The wines were good, not exactly what we typically drink, but we had a clear favorite (it happened to be the most expensive).

The experiential perspective of consumer decision-making is when a purchase is made based on the experience itself, which is typically emotions-driven. If you tell a story, make a connection, demonstrate some commonality, you can help ensure a positive experience for the consumer and are more likely to have a positive outcome.

We had a charming discussion with Laura on such topics as the wine (naturally), retirement communities in New Jersey, my job as a psychologist, researching to keep up in one’s field, and the idiosyncratic behavior of bees.

There were no extra pours of wine and no freebies, plus it was our last stop, and we had already bought plenty of wine, but how could we not purchase a bottle of wine in return for such fascinating conversation that led to a delightful winery experience?