In the film Field of Dreams, a quiet voice whispers a simple promise: “If you build it, he will come.” The idea was never really about baseball. It was about creating something meaningful and trusting that the right people would be drawn to it. The wine industry is standing at a similar crossroads. For decades, wineries have operated on a simple assumption: make great wine, tell a compelling story, and consumers will come. Craft the product. Earn the accolades. Build the brand. But the next generation of wine consumers is telling us something different. Gen Z, now entering legal drinking age and shaping the future of hospitality, is not primarily seeking bottles to collect or scores to chase. Many say they are looking for something more fundamental: connection, community, and places where they can gather with friends away from the constant pull of the digital world. In other words, they are looking for a third space. For winery owners, executives, and Direct-to-Consumer lea

In this episode of the WIN Insider Series, George Christie sits down with Polly Hammond, Founder and CEO of the international wine marketing agency 5forests, for a candid and thought-provoking conversation on the future of wine marketing. Polly shares insights drawn from her global experience, tackling everything from why good marketing strategies often go unused, to how wineries can better embrace data, video, and AI to connect with today’s consumers. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration between marketing and sales teams, challenges in hiring and training, and why understanding your audience is the foundation of every successful brand strategy. Polly also introduces her latest project, The Wine Marketer’s Radar, a short-form video series that distills key consumer and digital trends from outside the wine world—built to inspire fresh thinking for wine brands navigating an evolving marketplace. Check out ‘The Wine Marketer’s Radar’ Podcast

In this interactive 1-hour webinar with 5forests, they’ll explore how true accessibility can be a powerful growth lever for wineries and other online businesses. You’ll learn the core principles of accessible design, why ‘compliance’ alone is not enough and how inclusive practices can directly boost customer engagement and conversions. Join us to discover real-life examples, live demonstrations and practical solutions that any website owner—regardless of technical background—can start implementing today! Feb 26, 2025 10-11am PST  Register Now

Wine’s Most Inspiring People 2025: Polly Hammond — Driving Growth Through Strategic Digital Outreach

By Kathleen Willcox Polly Hammond has been touting the power and potential of digital marketing for decades well before most anyone in the wine

Afternoon Brief, May 10th

Two Napa Valley Wine Companies Embroiled in Lawsuit over $120,000 in Grapes: An Atlas Peak vineyard has filed suit in Napa Superior Court, claiming it was stiffed on nearly $120,000 worth of grapes...

Afternoon Brief, November 16th

The Duckhorn Portfolio Announces an Agreement to Acquire Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards: The Duckhorn Portfolio, Inc. (NYSE: NAPA) (the “Company”) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards (“Sonoma-Cutrer”), one of the largest luxury Chardonnay wineries in the U.S., from Brown-Forman Corporation (“Brown-Forman”), for approximately $400 million to be paid in a combination of Company stock and cash...

Customer experience is the leading factor in driving online sales and club signup. Commerce7’s new Version 2 is designed to elevate customer experiences by offering intelligent mobile wallets, greater member engagement and a streamlined customer portal. Revamped Checkout Now available in version 2, mobile wallets including Google Pay, Apple Pay, Alipay and WeChat Pay, a streamlined checkout experience with only 8 fields. The revamped checkout is built with new intelligence and auto-detects if a guest has mobile payments (such as Apple Pay or Google Pay). It understands compliance regulations at a state level and will only ask for birth date and billing address if required by a state. The receipt page smartly displays the shipment information and allows for third party apps. Reinvented Clubs Wineries on Commerce7 see 30% of their club sign ups come from the web. With version 2 we aim to make that higher. Customers can start engaging with their club package and products before the