For the fourth consecutive year, four seasoned wine industry thought leaders return to examine the critical challenges and opportunities defining the wine landscape in 2026. Each panelist will share their most important predictions and trends that wineries need to understand to thrive in the year ahead. This engaging panel discussion offers multiple perspectives on the forces shaping our industry, equipping you with practical insights to make informed decisions and capitalize on emerging opportunities throughout 2026. Session Panel: Chris Bitter, Senior Wine & Grape Analyst / Terrain Philana Bouvier, President / Demeine Estates Bourcard Nesin, Industry Analyst / Rabobank Dale Stratton, Managing Director / Azur Associates Moderator: Damien Wilson, Faculty Director and Hamel Family Faculty Chair of Wine Business / Sonoma State University

With no and low-alcohol categories on the rise and the sober-curious boogeyman around every corner, we needn’t wait for rock bottom to take a hard look at our sales strategy and make a change today.  While much of the wine & spirits industry points the finger at Gen Z & Millennials, the World Health Organization or the Surgeon General, the truth is there’s only one entity responsible for the trajectory of our revenue.  According to Navy SEALs Jocko Willink and Leif Babin in Extreme Ownership, when “problems feel overwhelming and insurmountable . . . it’s our human nature to shift blame, find excuses, and avoid consequences. But taking ownership over what went wrong and accepting the reality of the situation gives you complete control over how you can solve these challenges.” Trying to sell alcohol in 2025 is tough. Plain and simple, no way around it. With that acknowledged, let’s explore what we can do about it.   A Sign of

The Power of Data: Transforming Winery Strategies for Growth

Make better decisions with a 360° view of the wine industry and your customers By Laurie Wachter   “2023 was really a difficult year for wine, and 2024 will be […]

2024 Presenting Series Sponsor: Session 1: Four Takes on Twentyfour Date & Time: Wednesday, January 17th – 10:00 AM (PT)  Kicking off the 2024 edition of Bold Predictions, titled “Four Takes on Twentyfour”, we are bringing back moderator Damien Wilson, Hamel Family Faculty Chair of Wine Business Institute and panelists Dale Stratton, Managing Director / Azur Associates, Philana Bouvier, President / Demeine Estates and Bourcard Nesin, Industry Analyst / Rabobank. Joining last year’s panel will be Chris Bitter, Senior Wine & Grape Analyst / Terrain all there to revisit some of last year’s “Bold Predictions” along with sharing their insights and thoughts on what we can expect for our industry in the year ahead. Register Now Session Panel:    Session Sponsor: Supporting Sponsor:    

Registration is now open for Wine Industry Network’s (WIN) first session of the Bold Predictions: Wine Industry Leadership Conference Series. This must-attend virtual session will be broadcasted on January 17, 2024, from 10:00 a.m – 11:00 a.m. Registration is free for wine industry professionals. Kicking off the 2024 edition of Bold Predictions, titled “Four Takes on Twentyfour”, we are bringing back panelists Dale Stratton, Managing Director / Azur Associates, Philana Bouvier, President / Demeine Estates and Bourcard Nesin, Industry Analyst / Rabobank. Joining last year’s panel will be Chris Bitter, Senior Wine & Grape Analyst / Terrain all there to revisit some of last year’s “Bold Predictions” along with sharing their insights and thoughts on what we can expect for our industry in the year ahead. The session will be moderated by Damien Wilson, Hamel Family Faculty Chair of Wine Business Institute.

Bold Predictions, a virtual Wine Industry Leadership Conference, will feature industry experts who will share their insights and predictions on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities wineries can expect to face in the year ahead, along with advice on how to best overcome the challenges while taking full advantage of the opportunities. Session 1: Four Takes on Twentyfour Date & Time: Wednesday, January 17th – 10:00 AM (PT)  Kicking off the 2024 edition of Bold Predictions, titled “Four Takes on Twentyfour”, we are bringing back moderator Damien Wilson, Hamel Family Faculty Chair of Wine Business Institute and panelists Dale Stratton, Managing Director / Azur Associates, Philana Bouvier, President / Demeine Estates and Bourcard Nesin, Industry Analyst / Rabobank. Joining last year’s panel will be Chris Bitter, Senior Wine & Grape Analyst / Terrain all there to revisit some of last year’s “Bold Predictions” along with sharin

Join SipSource Analysts and industry veterans Danny Brager and Dale Stratton as they forecast what to expect this holiday season and preview trends that are emerging from exclusively available 2023 wholesaler depletion data. Find out what’s hot and what’s not in wine and spirits this holiday season as they discuss what categories will lead the way during holiday celebrations and into the new year. Don’t miss what SipSource’s Channel Shifting Index (CSI) tells us about 2023 on- and off-premise trends and what they could mean for your 2024 business planning. Register here.  

Our first listening session on nutritional labeling in March was a big success. We hope you will join us for our second listening session on Nutrition Information and Ingredient Labeling. This session will cover two vital areas: How labeling laws in the European Union are influencing regulations and commerce in the United States and around the world How American consumer attitudes on labeling are prompting TTB action  When: Wednesday, May 24 at 3pm EDT. 75 min. Where: Zoom - Register Here Who: WineAmerica members only. In addition to WineAmerica's Michael Kaiser, this session will feature guest speakers: Bennett Caplan, head of the FIVS Secretariat in Washington, DC will speak on the importance of the EU situation, both as a harbinger of possible actions in the US, and the effects of EU policies on wineries exporting to that market. Dale Stratton, Wine Market Council's President, and Research Director, Christian Miller, will share their research understanding consumer per

As we move into the second quarter of the year, California’s bulk wine and grape markets are proceeding steadily, with some particular areas – namely Napa and Sonoma – commanding high interest while other areas are quieter. Overall, while retail sales from the first quarter of 2022 are assessed, inflationary input costs are adjusted to and spring’s clusters are counted and dissected, some degree of caution pervades buying behavior.  Rabobank’s latest Wine Quarterly report cites a “perfect storm” of five challenges facing the wine industry in the US and globally: Rising shipping/ trucking costs, rising gas prices, rising labor costs, five years of geopolitical uncertainty (tariff wars, COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine conflict) and “relatively tight” inventories after two-successive short crops in 2020 and 2021. Rabobank references a “regionalization of supply chains” in response to rising trucking and gas prices, with c