Think Memorial Day Doesn’t Matter for Your Winery? Think Again.
Hey, I’m Erica, and I’m just gonna say it: if your winery isn’t treating Memorial Day like the summer version of Black Friday, you’re missing out on serious sales potential.
Long weekends like this are goldmines for direct-to-consumer wine sales. People are in vacation mode, they’re entertaining, and they’re looking to stock up. That’s your moment.
But if you’re waiting until Monday morning to announce a discount and hoping it goes viral? That’s a recipe for dusty bottles.
So let’s fix that. I’ve put together the exact 3-email timeline you need to build anticipation, drive traffic, and move more wine, without scrambling the night before.
We’ll cover what to send, when to send it, and how to make your offers actually convert. If you want the full six-email campaign with segmentation and no-discount offers, that’s in our Memorial Day winery email marketing strategy. This post is the timing skeleton it hangs on.
Email #1: The Early Tease (10 to 14 Days Before Memorial Day)
Purpose: Build anticipation. Start the momentum early.
When it comes to wine, anticipation is everything. You want people counting down the days, not just until the long weekend, but until your offer drops.
What to include
- Subject line: “Something Big Is Coming…” or “Sip Happens… Soon”
- Vibe: Intrigue without giving away the goods. You’re creating buzz, not dropping details.
- CTA: “Watch your inbox. This is gonna be good.”
Erica’s Power Move: Add an “Early Access” popup to your website tied to this teaser. Now you’re not only hyping your sale, you’re also growing your email list with people who want in first. (If your popup needs work first, start with targeted winery website pop-ups.)
Email #2: The Main Event (3 to 5 Days Before Memorial Day)
Purpose: Launch your Memorial Day offer and give it center stage.
This is the heavy hitter. The one where you roll out the red carpet for your sale. Don’t bury the headline. Go bold and loud. Let the offer take center stage and make the CTA unmistakable.
What to include
- Headline: “The Memorial Day Wine Sale Is Here”
- Offer: Is it bundles? BOGO? VIP-only pricing? Shipping included? Be crystal clear.
- Urgency: “Ends Monday at midnight!”
- CTA: “Shop Now” or “Start Sipping.” No guesswork.
Erica’s Power Move: Send this version 48 hours early to your wine club members and Early Access subscribers. Give them first dibs and make them feel like insiders. Early traction = bigger momentum.
Email #3: The Last Call (Morning of Memorial Day)
Purpose: Capture the procrastinators. Trigger FOMO and close strong.
You know how most sales are made in the last few hours of a campaign? This is that email. It is short, emotional, and laser-focused on urgency. By now, your audience knows there’s a deal. But a well-timed final reminder, with the right emotional triggers, can still push them over the edge.
What to include
- Subject line ideas: “Final Pour: Memorial Day Savings End Tonight” / “Just Hours Left to Stock Up on [Insert Wine Name]” / “Hey Sarah, Don’t Miss This Wine Deal…” (personalization works!)
- Copy: Short, punchy, no fluff. Tap into “this is your last chance” energy.
- Countdown phrasing: “Only a few hours left…” / “Sale ends at midnight!”
- CTA: Just one, clear, and tap-friendly. “Shop Now.”
Erica’s Final Power Move: Do NOT extend your sale. I know it’s tempting. But it kills urgency and makes you look a little… thirsty. Own your deadline!
And if you’re worried that nobody will see this email on Memorial Day, intentionally run your sale through the Tuesday after the big event, so that you aren’t misleading your customers or training them to think you don’t stick to your guns.
Quick Recap: The Memorial Day Email Timeline
Here’s the simplified checklist:
- 10 to 14 days before: The Early Tease. Hype with no specifics. Build anticipation. Add an Early Access opt-in.
- 3 to 5 days before: The Main Event. Drop the offer. Add urgency. Send early to VIPs.
- Memorial Day morning (or the last day of the sale): The Last Call. Tap into FOMO. Use countdown language. Stick to your deadline.
Need campaign ideas to fill the offer? Our 40 winery email campaign ideas for Q2 has a Memorial Day section.
What to Do With What You Know
Let’s get real. The biggest mistake I see wineries make? Winging it.
Second biggest? Sending one email and expecting miracles.
Sales weekends are about momentum. And a strategic email sequence is how you build it.
If you’ve ever sat at your computer on a Thursday night trying to “quickly whip up” an email campaign… please don’t do that again.
Want the System Behind the Timeline?
This timeline works for Memorial Day. It also works for Labor Day, Cyber Weekend, and every release you’ll ever send. Once you see the pattern, you stop building campaigns from scratch.
PRESS SEND Foundations teaches the full winery email system: how to plan your must-win campaigns, structure each one, and send them without the Thursday-night scramble.
Explore PRESS SEND Foundations
Memorial Day Email Timeline FAQs
When should a winery send its first Memorial Day email?
Ten to fourteen days before the weekend. That first email is a tease, not the offer. Its job is to build anticipation and, ideally, capture Early Access signups so your list grows before the sale even starts.
How many emails should a Memorial Day campaign have?
Three is the minimum: a tease, the main event, and a last call. Wineries with the bandwidth for more should add spotlight emails between the launch and the last call. The full six-email version is in our Memorial Day strategy post.
Should I extend my Memorial Day sale if it’s going well?
No. Extending kills urgency and teaches customers your deadlines aren’t real. If you’re worried about Monday visibility, plan the sale to run through Tuesday from the start and say so in every email.
Can I send the main offer early to wine club members?
Yes, and you should. Send the launch email 48 hours ahead to club members and Early Access subscribers. It rewards loyalty, creates early traction, and gives you a read on the offer before it goes to everyone.
