For most wineries, marketing still follows a familiar path: email campaigns, wine clubs, tasting room experiences, and social media. These channels continue to drive direct-to-consumer sales, but they are also becoming increasingly saturated. Reaching new customers often requires more content, more spend, and more competition for the same audience. At the same time, another force is shaping consumer behavior at scale—film and television. A single streaming series can influence travel, dining, fashion, and brand awareness almost overnight. Within those moments, wine is already present. It appears in dinner scenes, celebrations, restaurants, and quiet evenings at home, serving as a natural extension of lifestyle and hospitality. Historically, however, the bottles used on screen have rarely represented real wineries. That is beginning to change. Wine product placement is emerging as a viable and strategic marketing channel for wineries looking to expand beyond traditional touchpoin

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 this WIN Insider Series interview, George speaks with Raquel Royers, the influential voice behind “Watch Me Sip” and a wine industry marketing professional making wine culture accessible to younger audiences. Raquel shares her unconventional path from crime reporter to digital wine marketer, discussing her passion for authentic storytelling and breaking down the intimidation factor of traditional wine culture. The conversation explores how spirits brands are outpacing wine with bold marketing strategies, the evolving digital and social media landscape, and why memorable experiences matter more than ever for consumer engagement. Raquel offers candid insights on current challenges facing wine marketers—from pricing pressures to connecting with modern consumers—and reveals what the wine industry can learn from the innovation happening in spirits. Essential viewing for anyone in wine marketing or looking to understand how to reach the next generation of wine dr

Great wine brings people to your winery. Great service brings them back. And today, nothing elevates service like a Point-of-Sale (POS) that lets you meet guests anywhere, from the vineyard lawn to a bustling festival. In today’s DTC landscape, the tasting room is no longer the only in-person touchpoint that matters. Wineries are hosting vineyard tours, pouring at festivals, working farmers’ markets, and even running golf-cart service to meet guests where they are. But here’s the problem: too many wineries are stuck with outdated point-of-sale systems that can’t keep up. If your team is tethered to a counter or juggling multiple systems, you’re not just slowing down service—you’re losing sales, missing data, and eroding customer trust. The solution? A mobile POS for wineries that makes every interaction seamless, personal, and connected. Why Flexibility Matters in Winery Service Hospitality is the heartbeat of any winery. Guests expect warm, pe

Summer winery marketing strategies are essential for staying competitive during travel season and warmer weather. As customer habits shift and traditional foot traffic slows, wineries must find new ways to stand out. The good news? With the right mix of creativity, personalization, and tech-driven tools, summer can be one of your most profitable seasons yet. Here are five innovative, customer-centric strategies to help your winery sell more and build deeper relationships this summer. 1. Rethink Summer Shipping: Flexibility Is the New Fast Wine and heat don’t mix. But neither do frustrated customers nor surprise shipping delays. In 2025, the most successful wineries are leaning into flexibility, clear communication, and smarter logistics to keep orders flowing and customers happy. 🔄 Give Customers Control Let your customers decide when and how they receive their wine. Integrate tools that allow post-purchase adjustments, like scheduling a fall delivery or choosing a local picku

Sustainable Story | Happy, Helping Hooves Weeds challenge farms of all sizes. When Melani Harding, Owner and Winemaker at Bon Niche Cellars, decided to stop using herbicides, weeds got out of hand and she looked for more sustainable control methods. She adopted Nigerian dwarf goats, who promptly began cleaning up the property. But since they’ll gladly eat budding and maturing grapes, they can only free-roam the vineyard between harvest and bud break. Babydoll sheep joined the crew next. They are the perfect height for removing excess vine leaves… which also means they can reach the fruit! They also must leave the vineyard at bud break and are welcome back with the goats after harvest. Melani wanted to achieve year-round weed control. After some research, she found the perfect solution: Kunekune pigs with short stature and a natural inclination for grazing. In 2021, Gilbert the Pig joined the farm and quickly became a local celebrity. Over the years, Melani has established

A well-told story can transform casual buyers into lifelong fans. Your winery’s brand isn’t just about the wine—it’s about the moments it becomes a part of. The way your customers experience your brand, whether visiting your tasting room, joining your wine club, or opening a bottle at home, determines whether they come back for more.  Your Winery’s Story: More Than Just a Bottle of Wine What do you want people to feel when they experience your wine? Not just when they taste it—but when they visit your winery, when they join your club, when they open a bottle at home with friends. Do you want them to feel like they’re part of something special—a family tradition passed down for generations? Do you want them to feel like an insider—someone who discovered a bold, independent winery rewriting the rules? Do you want them to feel inspired—that every sip connects them to the land, the craft, and the passion behind it? Find Your

Valentine’s Day isn’t just for flowers and chocolates—it’s also a prime opportunity for wineries to boost sales, attract new customers, and strengthen existing relationships. This holiday of love lends itself perfectly to creative marketing initiatives that showcase wine as the ultimate romantic gift or experience. Here’s how wineries can make the most of Valentine’s Day.  1. Embrace Online Sales with a Valentine's Day Theme Ensure your website is ready to entice Valentine’s shoppers. Update your homepage with romantic visuals and feature special offers prominently. Simplify navigation to make shopping easy, especially for those making last-minute purchases. Incorporate Valentine’s Day-themed SEO keywords to improve search visibility and draw in gift-seekers. Don’t forget to clearly display shipping deadlines and offer expedited options to capture late buyers. Tip: Use Corksy’s personalization tools to create pop-ups

To conclude a year defined by forward-thinking practices and community engagement, we at Vineyard Team proudly share an annual review to highlight our industry’s significant achievements and ongoing commitment to sustainable winegrowing. In 2024, we hosted 8 Tailgates and 2 collaborative events across 3 counties, offering over 20 continuing education (CE) hours to growers and ag professionals. These events strengthened the sense of community, supported five local coffee shops, and fostered the formation of countless new friendships. November’s annual Sustainable Ag Expo included: 531 attendees 63 exhibitors 3 special networking opportunities 16 in-person seminars 13 online courses 29 hours of continuing education  147 attendees experienced streamlined DPR reporting through a collaboration with CE Reported. All attendees enjoyed 38 gallons of coffee, 205 donuts, 26 bottles of wine, and 600 ounces of beer in the event’s lively and engaging atm

With so many wineries vying for customer attention, personalization in marketing is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Tailoring your marketing efforts to meet the individual preferences and behaviors of your customers improves loyalty and enhances their overall experience with your brand. Personalization is now woven into everyday interactions, from the ads we see on social media to the offers we receive from our favorite brands and wineries are no exception. For wineries, personalized marketing is a powerful tool that can drive customer loyalty, increase engagement, and grow wine club memberships. In this article, we’ll discuss how to implement personalized marketing for customers of all ages and at every stage of the purchasing journey. Building Stronger Customer Relationships Through Personalization While Millennials and Gen Z have made headlines for demanding authentic, personalized experiences from brands, older generations have also grown accustomed to perso