INSPIRED BY | Janneke starts her own wine label

Janneke Koelemaij (38) had always been a fan of wine tastings but never pursued her passion further. That changed when she moved from Amsterdam to Mallorca – here she took a leap of faith and started her own wine label. Curious how she made this happen and what her next goals are? Read the blog! 

Quitting her job and taking a chance 

When her partner was offered a job in Mallorca, Janneke ultimately decided to move to the Spanish island with him. She quit her job, sold their house, and boarded the plane to their next adventure. 

“There, I decided to start my own business, which is something I always wanted to do. But what about?” Janneke had always had a passion for wine, so the idea for her own wine label quickly came to mind. 

The start of her label began when she imported a few wines from Italy and started selling them to friends from the trunk of her car, but this was more of a hobby than a business. It was actually through writing for a Dutch travel blog as a local in Mallorca that she started talking to the vineyards on the Spanish island. 

From hobby to business 

“I noticed it was challenging to enter into contracts with these vineyards to sell their wine along with other vendors. This meant it took some time before my own label could take off – it took a while to turn this hobby into my job,” Janneke explains. 

At the same time, she was giving wine tastings in the backyard of her house in Palma, and this helped the label gain more recognition. “It helps that I also studied ‘Fashion & Branding’, which taught me how to establish a brand,” Janneke adds. 

Although she started importing wines to the Netherlands, Janneke found that she wanted to make the experience even more personal by starting her own wine label. So Grape Jane was born, a wine label that offers much more than just selling wine. "I think it's important to give people an experience, rather than just selling a bottle," she says. “I started selling my own wines too, with a Pinot Noir being the first and a sparkling alcohol free wine about to hit the market."

More than just wine 

Janneke envisions Grape Jane to eventually become more of a lifestyle label. Not only for the most delicious and special wines, but also for wine coolers, table accessories, and more. 

“New things always come your way when owning a business,” says Janneke. “A friend of mine asked if I would make personalised wine labels, and I did this for her.” When her friend posted this on social media, Janneke began receiving frequent requests for personalised wine labels – something she had never considered adding to her services before. “New opportunities constantly arise, and you can choose whether or not to take them.” 

Discovering new wines 

Nevertheless, Janneke's love truly lies with wines. “As long as it stays very close to you, it doesn't feel like work. This way, you're inclined to keep surprising and stimulating yourself,” she says. “I’m currently working on an orange orchard. You might not immediately think of an orange when it comes to wine, but this wine is truly delicious. The label design is still in the works, but hopefully, you can find it on my website soon.” We can't wait to taste this unique wine!