Meet Etty Klein: Owner and Founder, Plonk Wine Club

We had the good fortune of connecting with Etty Klein and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Etty, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I never had a master plan of starting my own business but after reaching a ceiling in my career being employed by someone else, I decided to go off on a limb and take a risk so that I could realize my full potential based on my experience level and my skill sets. I was very interested in the online wine space, and when I began my business in 2010, there were very few players in the field and there was a niche for organic and biodynamic wines that hadn’t yet been filled.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Plonk Wine Club was founded in 2010 and we saw a niche for organic and biodynamic wines, as well as wines from lesser known regions, that hadn’t yet been filled in the online space. We began as an online retail shop and evolved into a full time wine club/subscription based service. Later on, we added the online wine shop component for a la carte sales mainly to offer our wine club members a place to reorder wines that were featured in their wine club shipments and now our wine shop has grown significantly and attracts both members and non members.

Some additional background on us that sets us apart from other wine clubs:

We curate natural wines that are grown using organic, biodynamic and sustainable vineyard practices, as well as those that are fermented with wild or native yeasts. That means no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or commercial additives such as colorants, acidifiers, artificial sugars, alcohol enhancements, or industrial chemicals of any kind. This also includes wines that contain minimal or no added sulfites, and that are unfined and unfiltered, with minimal intervention in the winemaking process.

We scour the globe for artisanal, small-batch, boutique wines that are off the beaten path and not available in large commercial outlets. We select adventurous wines from lesser-known wine regions such as Austria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, and Slovenia. We home in on wines that are made of indigenous grape varieties that are native to their specific place of origin.

We taste through hundreds of wines and only select real, authentic wines made by passionate farmers, not by industrial manufacturers or boardroom executives from large wine industry conglomerates.

We follow a curation model in which we select the wines our members will receive in a sushi-bar “Trust-Me” style, and developing that type of trust in our customers has been so rewarding. While it hasn’t been without its challenges, sticking to your values and beliefs as a business has really paid off, and the quality reflected in our products really demonstrates that.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We would have dinner at Elephante in Santa Monica and take in the beautiful LA sunset. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to recognize my mom for her efforts in instilling self-confidence, perseverance and drive into my upbringing. I think these tools helped me immensely in my career life and I am very grateful.

Website: www.plonkwineclub.com

Instagram: @plonkwineclub

Image Credits
Heather Collins