In the heart of Modena’s Food Valley, where Lambrusco traces its centuries-old roots, stands a name synonymous with winemaking history: Cleto Chiarli. This project was born to elevate the potential of the family-owned vineyards and redeem the reputation of a complex and fascinating wine. We interviewed Tommaso Chiarli to understand how the winery is navigating the challenges of international wine tourism and direct sales through the adoption of D2C Customs.
From the "souvenir bottle" to mass shipping: the volume revolution
Previously, managing sales to foreign tourists faced an insurmountable physical limit: suitcase capacity. A tourist, no matter how enthusiastic, could not carry more than one or two bottles. This not only limited immediate revenue but also risked breaking the emotional connection with the brand once the vacation ended.
With the introduction of self-ordering for customers, Cleto Chiarli has completely removed the logistical bottleneck. The simplicity of the process—where customers choose, enter their details, and pay independently—has radically transformed the average transaction value. “The volume has increased impressively,” Tommaso explains. “The American customer is not deterred by shipping costs because they seek service and exclusivity. Moving from selling a single bottle to orders of 12 or 18 units means decupling the effectiveness of every single winery visit.”
The strategy of continuity of the Cleto Chiarli team
Cleto Chiarli’s true success with D2C Customs does not end at the time of the visit, but continues months later, thousands of miles away. The software has allowed the winery to build a proprietary database of profiled customers who have already experienced the brand.
This “digital bridge” has generated a phenomenon of spontaneous loyalty, primarily through post-visit purchases: many customers, once back home, have replicated their orders through the online shop (thanks to the coordinated plug-in), proving that the desire for the product outlasts the trip.
Subsequently, the winery successfully leveraged key moments such as Black Friday or Christmas to send newsletters and promotions to those who had already purchased at the cellar. “We have seen incredible continuity. The customer keeps thinking of us and buying from us because the process is streamlined and the shipping is perceived as perfect,” Chiarli emphasizes.
The competitive advantage of in-house management
A crucial aspect that emerged from Cleto Chiarli’s experience is the operational freedom that comes from having an integrated solution directly within the company. Compared to the past, when the winery relied on external platforms that involved long lead times and complex bureaucratic steps, the helm is now in the producer’s hands.
“It is extremely facilitating for us: the product leaves directly from our winery, fresh and newly made,” Tommaso states. This direct management not only shortens delivery times but also allows the winery to be dynamic and reactive in the market. The ability to independently launch promotions, coordinate stock, and monitor every shipment in real time ensures a level of service that the customer perceives as excellent. “We are free to manage everything internally in a simple and coordinated manner. This is what makes us operational and efficient on every sale.”
A new global standard for wine hospitality
Thus, international direct sales have become the engine of a virtuous cycle. Every case of Lambrusco that arrives in an American or European home is not just a transaction, but a marketing operation: the wine is shared, talked about, and repurchased.
