Damus
Ben Justman🍷 profile picture
Ben Justman🍷
@BenJustman
Wine is fragile and difficult to ship.
Bitcoin is volatile internet money.
Neither seemed like a foundation for a business—
until I found my best customers: Bitcoiners.

đź§µ How I took my winery from zero to all-in:

2021

I’d just started selling my wine at farmers markets.
One day, a guy asked, “Do you accept crypto?”
I said, “I’ll take your bitcoin,” and had no idea how I’d actually do that.
He walked away.

But it stuck in my mind.
The first person who ever asked.

I was a Bitcoiner, but didn’t think that had anything to do with wine.
Bitcoiners were 0% of my sales.

2022

I joined Twitter. Went to my first Bitcoin conference.
And the people in it? They were my people.
Honest. Curious. Genuine. Driven.

A few folks started asking if they could buy wine with bitcoin.
I said yes—not because I saw a business opportunity.
I just wanted more bitcoin.

I added a little Bitcoin logo to my wine bottles.
Put up a “Bitcoin Accepted Here” sign at the farmers market.
But that was mostly for my own obsession.

I mostly had old men come up and warn me about bitcoin’s volatility.
But sometimes, real ones would trickle through.

One woman saw the sign and said:
“You accept Bitcoin?? I HAVE TO GO GET MY HUSBAND.”
I could tell she was married to someone who couldn’t stop talking about bitcoin, like me.
Sure enough, I now consider him a friend.

Bitcoin sales still felt more like a fun side quest than a real channel.
Bitcoiners were ~10% of my sales.

2023

This is when I felt the shift.

Early in the year, bitcoin sales started covering my living expenses.
By the holidays, the momentum was undeniable.
Still not everything—but enough to make me pay attention.

Bitcoiners weren’t just buyers.
They were thoughtful. Loyal. Fun to talk to.
It didn’t feel like marketing—it felt like alignment.

Bitcoiners were ~50% of my sales.

2024

Things got wild.

I released Satoshi’s Reserve, a wine I’d quietly been setting aside since 2021.
The auction blew past anything I’d seen before.
In dollar terms, it beat the entire prior year of online sales.

Then I dropped HIGHER, my second bitcoin-focused wine.
Another record. Same story:
Enthusiasm. Loyalty. People telling other people to support me.

Meanwhile, I was still at farmers markets.
Twelve-hour days every weekend.
Pitching the same story to strangers who’d never come back.

Bitcoiners were showing up, rebuying, and selling for me.

That made the decision easy.

Bitcoiners were ~75% of my sales.

2025

No more farmers markets.
No more trying to reach “everyone.”
I’m all in on Bitcoiners now.

I’ll probably make less money this year.
But I’ll be fired up by everything I do.
And I’ll have complete alignment between my job and my mission.

Selling wine for bitcoin isn’t just good business.
It feels like doing my part to make the world better.
And the fact that I get to do that with wine from my family vineyard?

That’s about as soul-filling as it gets.

Bitcoiners didn’t just become my best customers.
They joined my mission.

Bitcoiners have high expectations, are discerning and HATE deception, but if you have that, then they are dying to become your best customers.

Plant a Flag.
Bitcoin Preferred.
PeonyLaneWine.com 🍷
4920❤️86🤙13❤️5💜3🔥2⚡1
Tim · 60w
inspirational
Dave Nicholls · 60w
That really is an inspiring story. I am trying to do the same with English classes / courses, so your tale resonates with me. I'm confident I will follow in your path to Bitcoin glory!
SoapMiner · 60w
This is definitely the way my friend. Your story is both admirable, as well as inspiring. Makes me extremely bullish knowing more and more merchants, producers, service providers, etc are hopping on this train that will not stop. I only accept Bitcoin for my soap, as you know, and will never acce...
BTCrevolutionary · 60w
I wish I liked wine 🍷…. Too bad you couldn’t make an exclusive batch of beer 🍻 totally would buy with BTC
Bitcoin-enforces-sound-money-peacefully · 60w
where are you located?
Avi Burra · 60w
Thank you for sharing such a great story 🙏
Cleveland Bitcoin · 60w
We found you through nostr and your wine was a big part of our halving party! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 Most people had no clue they could buy good wine with bitcoin. Since then we've had people repeat buy your wine. Bitcoiners supporting bitcoiners is true v4v
DeepNullPointer · 60w
In Vino , Veritas !
elOroReal · 60w
Love that story man. Keep stacking!
Arotags · 60w
Legendary story Ben! A prime example of how honest, fair, high quality businesses should thrive.
Jared | PROOF of HEART · 60w
Just the start for you!
Charlene Fadirepo · 60w
I love this story!! Here’s to more & more success in the future!
Kayne · 60w
That's nice but you shouldn't give up on farmers markets. That's your actual real life community and no online community no matter how much money you can make from them will ever replace real life community
Bitcoin Golf Pro · 60w
Love it! Best of luck my man
Melody · 60w
Very full of inspiration!
Bright Orange Yolks · 60w
I’m only sad I don’t drink wine! Your story is an inspiration.
Reza · 60w
Ahi · 60w
Cool story. Anyone running US-Europe smuggling? The velvet pipeline for wine🤔
Bitcoin Burger · 60w
Wine as a typical PoW product sold for the PoW money. Great story. All the best for this year, Ben!