A couple of dudes, a bunch of wine and lots of archery.
That combination might sound like an accident waiting to happen, but it’s actually a successful business venture. The Nocking Point is a wine club owned by the Green Arrow himself, actor Stephen Amell, who plays that role on the CW show “Arrow.”
Nocking Point, founded in 2012, has grown from a small wine club to a full-sized tasting room in Walla Walla, Washington, where it’s a lifestyle brand that includes coffee, clothing and accessories. Amell co-founded Nocking Point with his friend Andrew Harding, a former MTV executive.
Neither entrepreneur saw it coming. They were driving through California’s wine country on their way to a baseball game in Oakland when Amell confessed he had never been to a wine tasting. A few hours – and several glasses of wine later – they conceived their idea for Nocking Point.
Archers and Green Arrow fans love the company’s many archery references. The name itself is a nod to archery, and the logo includes two arrows. The logo was designed by Jim Lee, a famous comic book artist. Lee’s work includes Batman, Superman, The Green Arrow and other DC Comic and Justice League comic books, movies, action figures and illustrated media.
Archery also makes its way into their wine names, such as the “Wicked Aim” cabernet sauvignon. They also feature archery graphics on some of the labels, and plenty of arrows on all of the merchandise.
The Nocking Point wine club hits bull’s-eyes with several unique customer groups, including Amell’s “Arrow” fan base and celebrity friends. Wine might be the stereotypical drink of choice for housewives, but Amell markets their wines as “dude-friendly,” and even shouts his love for rosé.
“One of the most important things we’ve done with Nocking Point, and I hope we can continue to do it, is being known for rosé,” Amell told Food & Wine magazine. “The back label for our Apex rosé reads, ‘pink wine for dudes.’ We love rosé as much as my wife hates merlot.”
Amell and Harding want dudes to know it’s OK to relax with a glass of wine. The pair shot a pilot for a web video series titled “Dudes Being Dudes in Wine Country” to tell their story. In a Sports Illustrated article, Amell added, “We want to eliminate the pretense surrounding wine.”
The Nocking Point company caught on quickly after starting as an exclusive wine club. “We’re a technology-focused winery versus the typical brick-and-mortar winery,” Harding told The New York Times.
The wine club sold out its stock weeks after its launch, and had thousands of people waiting to sign up. Members receive their wine every three months, and each shipment includes two to three bottles of wine, coffee and some Nocking Point swag. Unfortunately, Arrow fans, wine bottles delivered to your door aren’t signed by the Green Arrow. For that, you must visit the Tasting Room in Washington.
The wine club has since expanded to include Canadians, the United Kingdom and several European countries. The club also expanded its monthly deliveries to include a merchandise box. For around $50, members receive coffee and a box of Nocking Point products endorsed by the founders. Californians can also find Nocking Point wine in select restaurants. In addition, the company sells a few select blends on its website.
With that diverse reach, Nocking Point hits the mark for archery, comic book and wine fans alike. For a uniquely archery-themed evening, visit your local archery shop and shoot a few arrows. Next, sit down with a glass of “Wicked Aim” while watching Amell’s wicked shooting on the latest episode of “Arrow.”
