Over the past few years, wineries have seen tasting room visits decline as consumer habits shift. With more options than ever, visitors are looking for something special—experiences that go beyond just sampling wine. For many wineries, this means rethinking how they engage guests and creating a place people want to come back to. This guide explores how wineries across the country are turning their tasting rooms into destinations—balancing local charm, modern convenience, and genuine hospitality. Create Unique, Social Experiences In today’s market, wineries that stand out provide more than just a tasting—they create memorable, shareable experiences that make guests want to stay longer and come back. Enhancing the Atmosphere with Music: Music adds energy and can make an ordinary tasting feel like an event. Hosting live music, whether it’s a local band or acoustic performer, brings people together and keeps them engaged. Many wineries schedule music on weeke

This February, wine club members of nearly 30 wine brands across four California counties and Michigan State can claim two complimentary tastings at any other participating club’s tasting room. Why? Because these tasting rooms have joined ReSIProcal February! Participating tasting rooms’ wines are made with SIP Certified® sustainable grapes, cultivated by sustainable farming practices that show care for the people and the planet. ReSIProcal February is a way to connect these like-minded brands and spread awareness of their good work. Participating locations include Baileyana Winery, Cambria Winery, Castoro Cellars, Niner Wine Estates, Vina Robles, Foxen Vineyard, McIntyre Tasting Studio, Shady Lane Cellars, and many others. Wondering if you’re a member of a participating wine club and can claim these complimentary tastings? Visit the ReSIProcal February event page at https://sipcertified.org/resiprocal2024 to see a list of all participating brands. Tasters have

Michigan Wine Month: Showcasing Growth and Progress in America’s Mitten

By Paul Vigna Matt Killman is a winemaker at Cool Climate Consulting in Petoskey, Mich., located in the Tip of the Mitt American Viticultural Area (AVA), the state’s newest growth […]

2022 Michigan Wine Month ‘You Name It’ Slogan Winners

April 29, 2022 — The Michigan Wine Collaborative launched a fun, engaging and collaborative  way to help promote Michigan Wine Month and the Michigan wine industry in March! The “You […]

MWC Launches the “You Name It” Campaign to Promote Michigan Wine Month

22 March – The Michigan Wine Collaborative has a fun, engaging and collaborative way  to help promote Michigan Wine Month and the Michigan wine industry!   The “You Name It” campaign […]

Minneapolis-based AWT Labels & Packaging, Inc. (AWT), a leading provider of specialty labels and packaging for the healthcare, food & beverage, personal care, and industrial durable end markets, today announced the acquisition of Labeltronix. Labeltronix is a leading label manufacturer of premium craft labels with headquarters in Anaheim, CA. The company serves some of the country's most prominent brands, in a variety of markets including wine and spirits, craft beer, nutraceutical, food and beverage, and other CPG sectors. The business will continue to operate under the Labeltronix name. “We are elated with the addition of Labeltronix to the AWT family,” said Bruce Hanson, CEO of AWT. “Labeltronix has built an incredible reputation of providing award winning labels that help brands stand out in the crowd.  Their commitment to quality and a first-class customer experience aligns well with our core values, and their innovative, best-in-class manufactur

Sip Before You Stock Up on Holiday Wines This Season

Randazzo Fresh Market to host Shady Lane Cellars wine tasting November 20th Clinton Township, MICH. (Oct. 5, 2021) – Choosing the perfect holiday wine can take some pre-planning. Just ask Vinnie Capizzi, wine buyer for Randazzo Fresh Market. Capizzi is partnering with Suttons Bay, Michigan-based Shady Lane Cellars this month to offer an in-store wine sampling […]

Creative thinking drives efforts on a new kind of wine club to give customers what they really want. San Jose, CA, January 19, 2021 — As closures and restrictions remain in place for many wineries during the pandemic, the ability to maximize online sales through traditional as well as new marketing initiatives has become imperative. One creative new endeavor that is moving the needle is the Subscription program. While wine clubs have traditionally been the cornerstone of an integral source of recurring business, the subscription model is a new twist on the classic, and it is quickly gaining traction. Subscriptions part ways with the standard wine club paradigm in a couple of important ways. Subscriptions offer customers more customizable options for their recurring orders. Unlike traditional club memberships, where the winery or retailer issues wines selected at their own discretion, the subscription model offers the customer the ability to choose the wine they want, and the desi