To get winery gigs, find out who books the music (usually the events or tasting room manager), and pitch before the season fills, which for many wineries is in winter. Send a short email with a video of you in a relaxed room, follow up by phone, and walk in with a rain plan and a volume that lets people talk. Wineries are built for solo and duo acts, so they're worth chasing on purpose.
Below: who books, the pitch timer (pick a month, get your dates), the outdoor setup, the pitch email and what to know about pay.
Why wineries fit solo and duo acts
A winery is an atmosphere gig. Guests come for the wine, the view and the afternoon. Nobody's asking you to fill the place or bring a crowd. They want someone who makes people stay for another glass and maybe buy a bottle on the way out. That's a solo singer-guitarist or a duo, with a small PA and a set that matches the light.
Wineries were on James's list of gigs players should be going after back when he first wrote about this business. They still are. And if you've been asked about your following by bars, wineries are one of the rooms where that question rarely matters. More on that in How to Get Gigs Without a Following.
Who books the music at a winery
It depends on the size of the place.
- Bigger wineries: an events manager or events coordinator. They often handle weddings and private tastings too, which is a door to better-paying private work later.
- Mid-size: the tasting room manager, sometimes with the owner signing off.
- Small family wineries: the owner, who is also pouring, doing the books and fixing the irrigation.
Whoever it is, the same rule applies as at any restaurant: don't pitch the person behind the counter, and don't leave your name with them. Call on a slow weekday morning, ask who handles the music calendar, and ask when they're usually in. Write it all down in your venue log.
To build your list, look at where other solo and duo acts in your area already play. Winery events pages and social posts often list the season's performers. Every name on that page is a winery that pays for live music.
Pitch before the season fills
Seasonal rooms plan early. A lot of wineries set the whole summer before it starts, and if you pitch in June for July, the calendar is often full. Ask each winery when they plan their lineup, then pitch before that. There's a full breakdown by venue type in How Far in Advance Do Venues Book?
That's one room, not a rule for every winery. But it's the pattern for seasonal outdoor rooms: the summer gets booked while there's still snow on the ground.
Winery pitch timer
The rule of thumb: May through August, pitch by January 15 (many seasonal rooms book the summer in winter). April, September and October, pitch about four months ahead. November through March, about eight weeks ahead. Then follow up on day 3, call or walk in on day 10, and send a last note on day 30. Always ask each winery how far out they book, and trust their answer over this timer. Dates are worked out on your phone from today's date.
The pitch email
Keep it short. The person reading it is also handling a wedding inquiry, a wine club shipment and a broken dishwasher. They want to know three things: do you fit the vibe, can you handle an outdoor setup on your own, and are you easy to work with.
Subject: Acoustic music for your [Saturday afternoons / summer season] Hi [Name], I'm [your name], a [solo / duo] act playing [what you play] at a volume people can talk over. I bring my own small PA, I'm fully self-contained, and I'm set up and checked before your first guests arrive. What a recent venue said: "[one real review line]" Short video from a relaxed room like yours: [link] I'd love to be part of your [season] lineup. I have [date] and [date] open. Would either work, or when do you usually plan the season? [Your name] [Act name] | [phone]
Then follow the same rhythm you'd use anywhere: a short follow-up on day 3, a call or a stop-in on a slow weekday on day 10, and one last note on day 30. If you stop in, buy a tasting and tip. The words for each step are in Follow-Up Email to a Venue, and there are more templates in the booking email template.
Outdoor setup and the rain plan
Outdoor gigs are where things go wrong that have nothing to do with your playing. James has had dates canceled because of rainy nights and snowstorms. Plan for it before you say yes, not when the clouds roll in.
Ask these before you confirm, and put the answers in your confirmation email:
- Where do I play if it rains? Is there a covered spot or an indoor room?
- Who makes the weather call, and by what time? You need a name and a deadline, not "we'll see."
- Am I paid if it's called off? In full, in part, or rescheduled? Get it in writing.
- Where's the power? How far is the outlet from where you'll play, and is it on its own circuit?
- Is there shade? Afternoon sun on a black guitar or a mixer gets hot fast.
- Where do I load in and park? Some wineries have gravel paths and long walks from the lot.
Pack for it too: a long outdoor extension cord, clips for anything paper, a towel, and a cover for your gear. Show up an hour early. Outdoor setups always take longer than you think.
Volume and vibe in a tasting room
A winery isn't a bar. People are tasting, talking and listening to staff explain what's in the glass. If they have to lean in to hear each other, you're too loud, and the staff will tell the manager before anyone tells you.
- Ask the nearest tables. After your first song, check with the people closest to your speakers. It's an old habit from James's bar gigs, and it works even better on a patio.
- Ask the staff. The person pouring is your first line of defense. Learn their name, and ask them if the level is right.
- Match the light. Relaxed and warm early, a little more energy as the afternoon turns into happy hour. Keep it moving with no long gaps.
- Read who's in front of you. Look at their ages and the era they grew up in, and play to that. Ask about eras and bands between sets, not specific songs.
What to know about pay
Winery pay varies a lot by region and by the size of the place, so we won't give you a "going rate." Players in forum threads say some background gigs don't pay enough to be worth the time. That's why you start from your own floor, not the venue's offer.
- Count the drive. Wineries are often out of town. Price travel as its own line.
- Count the setup. An outdoor setup with a long load-in is more of your day than a restaurant corner.
- Say your number first. Don't wait for them to name one. Give your rate or a range, then ask about their budget.
- Wine is not pay. A couple of bottles is a nice thank-you. It is not your fee.
Work out your floor with the gig rate calculator before you quote.
Made-up example A duo wants three Saturday afternoons in July at a winery 50 minutes away. On January 10 they find the events manager's name with one phone call, send the pitch email on January 15, follow up on the 18th, and stop in for a tasting on the 25th. The manager books two Saturdays and asks if they also play private tastings.
Questions players ask
Who books music at a winery?
Usually the events manager or the tasting room manager. At a small family winery it's often the owner. Call during a slow weekday and ask who handles the music calendar, then get that person's name and email.
When should I pitch a winery for summer?
Before they set the season, which for many outdoor rooms is in winter. Ask each winery when they plan their lineup and pitch before that. The pitch timer on this page works backward from the month you want to play.
Do wineries pay musicians?
Many do, and you should treat it as a paid gig like any other. Work out your floor first, count the drive (wineries are often out of town), and don't let bottles of wine stand in for your fee.
What happens if it rains at an outdoor winery gig?
Ask before you confirm: is there an indoor spot, who makes the call, by what time, and are you paid if it's called off. Get the answers in writing. For contract wording, talk to a pro in your state.
How loud should I play at a winery?
Quiet enough that people can talk and taste without leaning in. Check with the tables nearest your speakers after the first song, and with the staff pouring, since they're trying to explain the wine.