Swiss wines and discovering modern, fresh wine events with Dominik Inal

There is more to every product and service than just design and manpower—there are experiences, memories, and courageous decisions that are reflected in form and content. Liquid Letters is dedicated to precisely these moments: the silent triggers, the creative processes, and the thoughts that are rarely spoken aloud.

We are not looking for surface-level stories, but for real ones. In personal conversations, we give a voice to the people who often work behind the scenes – designers, idea generators, and quiet driving forces who work with passion and depth.

We would love to hear what Dominik Inal has to say.

The wine collective is bringing a breath of fresh air to the Swiss wine scene.

Since 2017, the young team from Lucerne, Zurich, and Bern has been working to ensure that wine no longer appears elitist or outdated. With an open, inclusive approach, the wine collective makes wine accessible to everyone—whether you're a beginner or a connoisseur.

At its heart is its own wine club, which brings together young and young-at-heart wine lovers. This is complemented by creative events in various cities that show that wine can be inspiring, uncomplicated, and sociable.

The wine collective was founded by Dominik Inal, who has made a name for himself not only as the driving force behind the project, but also as a wine columnist. With his extensive knowledge, experience, and ever-growing reach, he is passionate about Swiss wines – and shows how diverse and excellent the local wine world is at all levels.

The collective represents a new generation of wine drinkers who want to experience and understand wine – without rigid rules, but with curiosity and joy. With its projects, the wine collective provides modern impetus and shapes a contemporary wine culture in Switzerland.

Imagine you were featured in a VOGUE article about Europe's most influential wine personalities—what would you want it to say about you?

Dominik has rejuvenated the world of wine—and brought it into the 21st century. With new formats, clear attitudes, and a keen sense of the contemporary spirit, he has taken the elitism out of wine without losing any of its depth. He speaks for a generation that discovers wine with curiosity, joy, and openness—and sets its own standards in the process.

A voice for all those who long felt unheard—and have now found their place in the glass.

The wine collective has evolved from an association to a membership-based wine club. What were the biggest challenges along the way?

The move away from the traditional association was a major turning point. In the past, it was all about the idea and the community, regardless of commercial interests. But with growth came higher expectations for more events, content, and professionalism—it was no longer possible to manage this on a voluntary basis.

The transition to a membership model was necessary, but it also raised questions: How do we remain authentic and close to the community without losing focus on financing? We had to redefine our role—are we an event organizer, a platform, or a magazine? Probably all of the above, but flexible and with a clear vision. That remains an exciting challenge to this day.

You say that you also act as an agency. What exactly does the wine collective do in this area?

Yes, in a way we also see ourselves as an agency—especially because we often work with individual clients. It's never just about sales, but about providing comprehensive advice. One fundamental goal that has remained unchanged over the years is our focus on young people: making wine accessible and enjoyable. This is reflected in our projects, such as those with Coop and Mondovino.

We not only develop sales strategies, but also advise on topics such as packaging, label design, and suitable events. In this way, we create experiences that go beyond pure consumption. For us, it's about communicating wine with attitude and creativity – that's the agency part of our work.

Who is the target audience of the wine collective today—and has it changed over time?

The target audience has definitely changed. We started out with mainly under-30s. Today, we appeal to a much broader age group—from around 25 to 45 years old. Overall, the audience has remained youthful, with a fairly even ratio of men to women – sometimes up to 70 percent women.

This was an important learning process for us: we ourselves are no longer in our early 30s, and this is reflected in our content and formats. We are very aware of what the community needs and want to remain relevant and close to them.

Together with Winemap, Disco Schorle, the Wine On Air and Wabi Sabi podcast, you are currently building a small wine empire in Switzerland. What can you tell us about the various channels, and how do the platform, club, and podcast complement each other strategically and in terms of content?

I believe that the various channels and products complement each other very well.

The community is at the heart of it all—it's where direct exchange, encounters, and connections with the wine regions and winemakers we present take place. This allows our members to experience wine up close and personal—whether with friends, in a professional context, or simply as a modern way to engage with wine.

The Winemap is a practical tool that provides orientation and facilitates access to wine experiences.

And the two podcasts, Wine On Air and Wabi Sabi, bring all of this to an entertaining, accessible level—less technical talk, more wine entertainment. It's not about complicated wine jargon, but about telling the story of wine as an experience and a narrative. Together, the channels form a flexible and versatile platform that brings wine to life from different perspectives – modern, approachable, and with a lot of passion.

Who finds the collected data interesting and what does that mean for your target group? Where could this lead?

Industry partners, winemakers, and wine shops are particularly interested in the data we collect.

Our target audience—young, curious wine lovers—make conscious decisions and often prefer regional products over mass-produced goods. However, many traditional suppliers feel lost in this area because they come across as too aloof or the people behind them are too old.

But we don't share this data. Instead, we focus on collaboration and partnerships. Anyone who wants to gain insight into the data can do so through targeted collaborations with us. In this way, we create a trusting exchange and real added value for everyone involved.

Your events have long been more than just classic wine tastings—they have almost a festival-like character. Which segment do you want to appeal to with them, or rather, which segment do you not want to appeal to?

With our creative concepts, we want to appeal primarily to a younger audience—but not with traditional tastings where you have to name aroma profiles and get lost in constraints. It should be fun and sound cool, without being stuffy. Of course, we also appeal to people who appreciate design and atmosphere, because that has a strong influence on the experience.

Our motto for 2026 is: Bringing wine to life. We curate exclusive Swiss wines that not only inspire young people, but anyone who is curious and wants to discover new things.

For us, the wine club is no longer just a “young people's club,” but a community for explorers.

How would you describe the Swiss wine industry at present? Is there anything that particularly strikes you—positively or negatively?

The quality of Swiss wines is truly top-notch, and there are many young winemakers who are following suit with a lot of drive and natural approaches. Design and user experience are also slowly gaining importance.

What bothers me, however, is the strong “gärtli mentality”: everyone guards their own little area and doesn't want to share with their neighbors – for fear that they will benefit from it themselves. If we manage to break down this mindset and really make a difference together, I see a great opportunity in this – also for the wine collective.

Unfortunately, much of the lobbying work we do is often not noticed or understood. For example, people are afraid of too much digitalization and refuse to publish their offerings on Winemap, opting instead for a simple ad in the “Barni Post.” This shows how important it is to better understand the needs of the younger target group and to focus more on them.

How has your experience with the collective shaped you personally—what have you learned about yourself as an entrepreneur and about people?

My work in the collective has rekindled my love for Swiss wine in particular.

Today, there are so many great, creative winemakers who offer real alternatives to the mainstream—organic, Demeter, natural wine, low-alcohol varieties, more rosé, more sparkling wine.

This shows how much the industry has evolved and how much knowledge and passion goes into it. Personally, I have learned to remain open-minded, to constantly allow myself to be surprised, and to be more receptive to learning. This applies both to dealing with people and to my attitude as an entrepreneur. It's about creating something together with respect and curiosity – and sometimes questioning old habits in the process.

Are there any new projects or goals on the horizon—either with the wine collective or independently?

We are currently focusing on further consolidating and strengthening our various brands. We are excited to share new, fresh perspectives and stories about wine and to position the wine collective even more strongly in the minds of young and older wine drinkers as an experience hub.

Looking back today, is there anything you would do differently—or was this development necessary to get where you are today?

Looking back, I would probably bring more people on board from the start today—focus even more on teamwork.

Nevertheless, I believe that this was exactly the right path to take in order to grow and remain authentic. Every challenge and every step has shaped us and brought us to where we are today.

If you were a grape variety, which one would you be and why?

Probably Sauvignon Blanc—a real people pleaser.

This variety is enjoyed by many, is accessible, rarely rubs anyone the wrong way, and tries to please everyone as much as possible. A bit like me sometimes.

But maybe it could be a little more Riesling—a little edgier, more diverse, with more depth and character. After all, personal development is also part of the maturation process.

One wine to die for – which one would it be for you?

Quite clearly: a wine from the Sitenrain organic winery.

For me, it symbolizes what Swiss wine can do—precise, authentic, close to nature.

It has attitude, but it's also a joy to drink. And that makes it a “one wine to die for” candidate for me.