Divided We Drink
For most Americans, pairing politics with alcohol might sound like an easy way to start a fight. But Paul Johnson, founder of Republican Red Winery, thinks discussing the issues of the day over a nice glass of vino is exactly what the country needs to heal its partisan divide, as well as an effective way for Republicans to win converts.
Featuring Trump-inspired labels like “Drain the Swamp” chardonnay and “45 + 47” pinot noir, Republican Red Winery is Johnson’s attempt to “bring conversation to the table” and help his fellow Republicans persuade skeptics that they are more than “heartless, rage-filled bigots,” as many believe they are portrayed by mainstream media.
“There’s nothing wrong with being provocative and taking a side. I can have my beliefs, and we can have a good discourse about it,” Johnson says. “But I get a lot of ‘Well, if you’re trying to do that, why are you Republican? That’s offensive.’ Well, the fact that my being Republican is offensive to you is part of the problem.”
Direct to Conservatives
A second-generation vintner, Johnson grew up working on his family’s vineyards in Monterey County, California. As he set out to make a name for himself in the industry, his father warned him never to start his own wine brand, given the stranglehold that big firms had on distributors and supermarket shelf space. But Johnson found a work around: he could sell his wine directly to consumers via the internet and grab their attention by wrapping his bottles in branding that spoke to conservative values.
“My thought was, ‘Sure, I might not be going for half of the people in this country, but I will go passionately for the other half.’” Johnson says. “Being a conservative myself, I understand the feelings and passions behind the times we’re in and could really tap into what the conservative base is looking for.”
Johnson sold his first bottle of Republican Red in August of 2020. Business was picking up, he says, until Election Day that year, when major social media companies like Meta placed bans on new political ads, a wide net that snared Johnson’s brand.
After time off to pursue an MBA, Johnson returned to the brand in full force in 2024 with a new marketing tactic: selling wine at discounted rates to state and county-level Republican groups across the country to serve at their events to committed conservatives. He marketed in right wing outlets like the Daily Caller, OAN and the Epoch Times.
“I was just finding a way to get in front of the right consumer,” Johnson says, seemingly unaware of the pun he walked into. “And then people, once they tasted the wine, they went ‘Oh, it’s not just a gimmick, it’s really great wine, and the labels are great and it reflects my values.’ Then it just started to takeoff and we started to have a lot of success with it.” This model hasn’t been without its own problems, however. Regulators issued a citation alleging that a promotion with the local Oakland County, Michigan Republican Party violated state liquor laws. But Johnson says that after he “made a big stink” about the initial citation, the state had “gone silent” on the issue.
A Conversation Starter
While Republican Red Winery is advertised as “100% woke-free,” Johnson says that, unlike many conservative-branded products, his labels are less about providing his customers with a conservative alternative than providing them with a way to express their ideas in a more relaxed environment.
“Wine is how people commune with each other,” he says. “Republican Red is a conversation starter. When conservatives go to a party or have people over, the label says a little bit about who they are without being totally in your face, and the hope is we can kind of sit and chat and be civil.”
The brand is currently riding an election-season sales wave, says Johnson, and has grown from four to 25 employees in the last year. He also claims that Republican Red is “the largest direct to consumer winery in the country,” though The Righting could not find any data to corroborate that assertion.
A Toast to Partisanship
As 2025 approaches, Johnson is firmly focused on the future. He’s moving on from the election with a new round of labels to be released in the spring. He is also working on “Shades of Red,” a documentary featuring interviews with everyday Republicans intended to “challenge the fake news narrative about what it means” to be a member of the Grand Old Party.
I asked Johnson if brands like Republican Red Winery and other consumer products targeting conservatives, which flourished when Trump was out of power, will be able to maintain their rebellious appeal after his return to the White House. Noting the election’s tight result, Johnson says he doesn’t think consumers will get tired of political branding anytime soon.
“I don’t see either side just sitting back,” Johnson says. “I don’t see the left going ‘We’ve been defeated, we’re just going to roll over.’ And I don’t see the right going ‘Oh, we’ve won, now we can relax.’ I really believe the reason why these products have gained popularity is because the nation has become so divided.”
Michael Lovito is a Brooklyn-based reporter and critic whose work has appeared in Salon, Brooklyn Magazine, Pavement Pieces, and The District. He also serves as editor-in-chief of the politics and pop culture website The Postrider. @MLovito
