After 30 years of moving up and to the right, the American wine industry hit a wall. Not a temporary slowdown or a soft patch. A structural shift that requires a fundamentally different marketing playbook. 2025 was the reality check. 2026 is the year wineries either adapt or watch their customer base age out beneath them. The data is now unambiguous: wine sales dropped approximately 6% in 2024, marking the steepest decline in decades according to SipSource industry data. More troubling than the headline number is what's driving it. This isn't a recession blip or a bad vintage. It's a fundamental realignment of who drinks wine, how they buy it, and what they expect from the brands they choose. Here are the five trends reshaping the US wine market and what they mean for your brand's survival. The Demographic Disruption The wine industry built its growth on one generation: Baby Boomers. That generation is now aging out. The Wine Market Council's 2025 U.S. Consumer Ben

In the ever-evolving world of wine, tasting rooms have long been sacred spaces for sampling vintages and educating consumers about winemaking. But recently, the definition of what belongs in a tasting room has expanded beyond the conventional pour. Enter the world of alternative beverages—non-alcoholic wines, wine-based cocktails like Frosé, and low-alcohol spritzers. These trends are carving out significant space, appealing to younger generations, health-conscious consumers, and a broader range of visitors. The rise of alternative beverages in tasting rooms isn’t just a fleeting fad—it’s a response to shifting consumer preferences and lifestyle trends. The adaptability of tasting rooms to these new offerings is a testament to the industry’s resilience. The question now isn’t whether tasting rooms should adapt, but how they can complement the core identity of wine while capturing the attention of a broader audience. Changing Consumer Preferen

A look at the trends influencing wine packaging design & innovation. Introduction U.S. wine total volume is expected to remain relatively flat for the next several years, while value will grow due to price increases and the persistence of the premiumization trend. In the crowded and increasingly challenging wine market, effective package design can help a brand get noticed and appeal to consumers. This report looks at several key trends impacting wine package design, from authentic storytelling to interactive engagement to environmentally and socially responsible solutions. Authenticity According to a recent GlobalData study, three out of four consumers consider product/brand authenticity essential or nice to have when making purchase decisions. This attitude is especially true among older generations and higher-income earners, a key demographic for wine sellers. Authentic brands are perceived as genuine, original, and transparent, providing quality assurance and trust. Euromon

The Marketing Behind Come Over October Hopefully, by now, you’ve seen some wineries participate in Come Over October, a new program launched to benefit the wine industry. Our industry is facing a critical shift where the cultural narrative around wine is being scrutinized. At the same time, loneliness and isolation are now at epidemic levels, and the simple act of sharing wine, which has always been a catalyst for connection, seems to be losing its place. The goal of Come Over October, launched by wine journalist Karen MacNeil and PR veterans Gino Colangelo and Kimberly Noelle Charles, is to counter these trends. The idea is simple: encourage friends, family, and colleagues to “come over” in October to share a bottle and reconnect. It’s not about fancy wine pairings or breaking the bank—just using wine as a focus to celebrate being together in an increasingly disconnected world. The wine industry, as always, adapts to challenges, and this campaign is a re

Afternoon Brief: How TikTok Could Transform the Wine Industry

Within hours of TikTok announcing that it would allow alcohol advertising in North America, alcohol companies began running recruitment ads for TikTok specialists. Whats surprising is how few wine companies joined in...

2023 Wine Industry Sales Symposium Next Week ! The conference will take an in-depth look at how the wine category is performing, what the key indicators could mean for sales in the future, and will touch on every aspect of sales and marketing efforts. In addition, the event will discuss 3-Tier and Direct channel strategies, packaging innovations, pricing and public relations. Topics will cover:  • Data-Driven Insights: Sales Trends and Predictions  • Adapting Your PR Strategy for an Evolving Media Landscape  • Leveraging DTC Sales Insights to Grow Sales Nationally  • Strategies & Tactics for Engaging New Wine Enthusiasts  • The Process of Designing Next-Gen Packaging  • What Artificial Intelligence Can Do for Your Wine Brand  • Growing Your DTC Sales Without the Traffic  • Keys Growth in a Flat Wine Market: Balancing Retention & Acquisition Session panels will feature industry professionals

A successful live conference and trade show caters to all sectors of the wine trade Healdsburg, CA, December 6th, 2021 – After a two year hiatus, Wine Industry Network (WIN) hosted the 9th Annual North Coast Wine Industry Expo (WIN Expo) at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds on December 2. The trade show and conference was the largest in-person gathering of wine industry professionals since March of 2020. The WIN Expo increased its focus on educational content, providing 15 informational sessions focussed on Strategy & Leadership, Production & Winemaking, Sales & Marketing and Viticulture & Grapegrowing, alongside the trade show which featured nearly 300 exhibitors showcasing the latest products and services available. Strategy & Leadership kicked off the day with detailed insight about the State of the North Coast Wine Industry, as Brian Clements of Turrentine Brokerage spoke to current trends in the bulk wine market; Dale Stratton from Azur Associates

This Earth Day, we wanted to take some time to reflect on how label material and printing decisions can influence the environmental impact of wine, craft beer, spirits, CBD, and other products. Many of our customers are working to do their part to reduce the impact their processes and products have on the environment. One oft-overlooked—but simple and highly valuable—way to make your products more green? Consider eco-friendly label materials. In the recycling process, labels are removed and either added to the landfill pile or separated into the paper recycling area. If you’ve gone green on everything else but your label, you’re needlessly increasing your environmental impact. With advancements in technology, the recycled and recyclable materials perform just as well as traditional materials. So fears about adhesiveness, condensation, bubbling, and branding can be thrown away (or, should we say, recycled). One of our suppliers, Wausau, has seen a rise in demand

When it comes to the cork industry’s challenge to win the closures battle, one enormous boost has come in the findings of a Lifecycle Assessment study by Ernst & Young, which shows as scientific fact how cork stoppers can reduce by a quarter the total carbon footprint of an average bottle of still table wine and by almost half that of a bottle of sparkling wine.  Mike Turner talks to world-leading cork supplier Amorim, which commissioned the study, and suggests that for an industry that has often been forced into owning a narrative, the carbon footprint argument sits neatly with an already impressive record of sustainability and biodiversity.  By Mike TurnerApril 29, 2020 “Amorim has always advocated that science can highlight the problem as well as the solutions, whether that realm is TCA taints or carbon emissions,” writes Turner. For the last 30 years, the cork industry has been under attack. Wine producers that didn’t have easy geograph

By Cheryl Durzy LibDib was recently named the liquor distributor for Kate Hudson’s new craft vodka brand King St. in two states. In the press release, Kate had an amazing quote regarding women supporting other women in this business. “I am very excited to appoint LibDib to distribute King St. in Colorado and Wisconsin and support another female entrepreneur. I love seeing women succeed in what has historically been a male dominated industry,” said King St. Founder, Kate Hudson. As a female in both the technology and beverage alcohol space, I feel strongly about supporting other amazing women in both industries. I’m part of the Women’s Leadership Council at WSWA. LibDib is also a proud sponsor of Women of the Vines and Spirits. On the LibDib platform, we have an entire stand-alone category dedicated to female Makers (aptly called ‘Women Owned/Operated). And, our team at LibDib is comprised of 50% women. The King St Vodka announcement and Kate’s quote really got me thinking about wom