Here's What Happened To Obvious Wines After Shark Tank

Drinking wine can be fun, but choosing the right wine for any occasion, whether it be a date night or a special event, can be downright confusing. There are your white wines like chardonnay and pinot grigio and your red wines like merlot and cabernet, but really, how many of us know the differences between all the choices out there? Obvious Wines founder Brice Baillie saw an entrepreneurial opportunity here and decided to make a line of wines that were simple to decipher and enjoyable to drink.

Baillie presented his business on Season 10, Episode 12 (January 2019) of "Shark Tank," the show for entrepreneurs looking to hit it big with investors (via Shark Tank Success). The Frenchman recognized that for the average consumer, buying wine was often a confusing chore instead of a pleasant process. He didn't see why people should have to make a huge effort in order to understand a wine label sufficiently to make a selection. At the of Baillie's appearance on "Shark Tank," the entrepreneur had only just begun selling his branded wine locally in southern California, but things were soon about to change.

Per Shark Tank Blog, Obvious Wines founder Brice Baillie gets the wine he sells from quality vineyards that employ sustainable farming practices. He has four wines at the time he pitches to the Sharks: No. 1: Dark and Bold (a red wine), No. 2: Bright and Crisp (a white wine), No. 3: Light and Lovely (a pinot noir), and No. 5: French and Bubbly (a sparkling wine). Baillie presented his product to the Sharks, requesting $150,000 in return for 5% equity in his business.

And Baillie got a bite! Shark Lori Greiner voiced her interest in Obvious Wines. "You know I have an army of women that are my customers, and I can get this name out. I can get your brand out," Greiner told Baillie while offering him $150,000 for 12.5% equity. "I also like your branding. I think, in retail, people will look at that and they will pick up your bottle. And I think the wine is fantastic," Grenier continued. Baillie counteroffers and the pair eventually agree on $160,000 for 12.5% (via YouTube). One YouTuber was impressed with Baillie's pitching and negotiation skills, commenting on the video, "The guy is cool. Brilliant way to navigate the tank."

Things went pretty well for Obvious Wines following its appearance on "Shark Tank." Per Shark Tank Blog, the deal with Lori Greiner didn't come to fruition because founder Brice Baillie was offered an even better deal from another investor before the show aired. Even though Obvious Wines' "Shark Tank" deal with Greiner didn't go through, Baillie says appearing on the show was great for the exposure alone. "We [still get] emails from people who saw us," Baillie said (via 2 Paragraphs).

There was nearly immediate growth with sales in 2020 up 34% from 2019 to $1.3 million. Obvious Wines expanded its offerings to six wines, adding a No. 4: Rich and Oaky (another red wine) and a No.6: Simply Rosé wine. The company started a crowdfunding campaign on the site StartEngine that ended in September 2021, raising over $200,000.

As things progressed, the Obvious Wines portfolio further expanded to seven offerings, which are vegan, sustainable, fair trade, and eco-friendly, including the newest release, Après Sol, an Italian sparkling rosé.

Per its website, Obvious Wines is still in business and making online sales. There is a newsletter customers can sign up for featuring wine tips and exclusive offers. The company hasn't been active on Facebook since the "Shark Tank" episode. However, it posts frequently on Instagram with pics featuring people enjoying its wines and suggested food pairings, including several charcuterie boards.

It seems as if wine consumers certainly latched onto the concept, agreeing with Obvious Wine's tagline, "Because you shouldn't need a Ph.D. to drink wine." Hospitality manager Steve Turk gave their approval, commenting on Instagram that the No. 2: Bright and Crisp is a "great wine" adding, "drinking some today." A YouTuber commented on a video featuring the deal with Lori Greiner, writing, "I tried his wines, they're high quality."

What's more, as of 2021, Obvious Wine has been offering a stellar deal: a lifetime of wine for $6,000, which includes four bottles a month and shipping and taxes. The company shared the math behind the deal, finding that after seven years, it pays for itself and all your wine will be free.

Obvious Wines' lifetime of wine for just $6,000 promotion sounds like a pretty good deal, and, according to The Drinks Business and its math, it's definitely a better deal for the consumer than the company. That is, however, if a subscriber were to opt in at 21 years old and live to be 79 years old. Who knows if Obvious Wines will be in business that long?

Despite pondering if Obvious Wines will be in business over seven decades from now, its immediate future looks promising. Per Geeks Around Globe, the company's 2023 net worth is $11 million and founder Brice Baillie has a net worth of $3.5 million, and these numbers only seem to be growing. According to Assembled Brands, Baillie says Obvious Wines are starting to be featured in restaurants, and, as far as distribution, Baillie told My Brand Journey, "Our long-term plans are to consolidate in key states before venturing into other states."

Looks like Obvious Wines' simple approach to producing and marketing wine will continue to pay off, at least for the near future, as customers keep sipping on their favorite sparkling, rosé, red, and white wines from Obvious Wines and the number of consumers keeps growing.