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

Afternoon Brief: New US Alcohol Report Tainted by Bias, Conflicts

Broad Group of National Agriculture, Beverage and Hospitality Associations Urges Secretaries of USDA and HHS to Reject Findings...

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

The “Magic of Wine" is many things–farming, art & science, poetry, toasts, tastes, friendship, and much else—but first and foremost, it’s the people behind all those things and the passion they bring. “The product is a pleasure, but the people are the treasure.” We at WineAmerica are proud that the 2024 Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards nominees include three people or wineries on our Board of Directors. Jason Haas, nominated for Person of the Year, is a Partner and General Manager at Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, CA. He is well-known and widely respected for combatting inequity and implementing sustainability both in and beyond the vineyard. WineAmerica’s annual fall meeting in November will be held in Paso Robles and will include a special tour of the vineyard as an example of regenerative viticulture. Jason has been an active member of our Board for the past two years. The Vineyards at Dodon in Davidsonville, MD, is co-o