It’s hard to find anyone in wine who would describe the past year as easy. Economic uncertainty, premiumization fatigue, health anxiety and intensifying competition from beer, spirits, RTDs and THC converged all at once. Some of these pressures were cyclical. Others were structural.
Over the past year, I spoke with more than 100 wineries and wine executives, analyzed syndicated data from Circana, NIQ and Numerator, and interviewed founders and CEOs across every drinks category on the Business of Drinks podcast. What surfaced were not silver bullets, but repeatable strategies—moments where wine is better aligned with how consumers actually live, shop and drink today.
Fee structure matters here, too. Rob McMillan of Silicon Valley Bank has been vocal about the need for variable tasting fees—lower-cost or complimentary options during slower periods that invite younger consumers in rather than pricing them out. Using Napa as an example, we’re already seeing this approach in action: Bella Union’s Social Hour allows guests to drop in for glasses or bottles with snacks—no reservation required.
