On February 20, 2026, in a victory for American beer, wine, and spirits importers, the Supreme Court in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, 607 US ____, Slip Op., February 20, 2026 (“Learning Resources”) struck down President Trump’s imposition of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”). The Trump administration had used IEEPA to justify certain tariffs imposed on imported goods from various countries in 2025, including beer, wine and spirits. Despite the decision in the importers’ favor, no one is popping the Champagne quite yet. First, while the Court’s opinion invalidated the Trump administration’s IEEPA tariffs, it has no effect on the administrations’ ability to rely on other statutes to impose tariffs. Second, on the same day that the Supreme Court issued its decision, the President issued a proclamation imposing a 10% worldwide tariff under a different federal law (discussed in more detail belo

There are multiple paths to get started in wine sales. By Karen M. Wetzel As a wine industry career coach, I find that wine sales roles are highly desired. But given the differences between supplier and distributor sales positions, it can be hard to determine which might be best for you. Before we look at specifics, here’s a quick review of how alcoholic beverages are brought to market in the United States through the government’s three-tier system. Supplier Sales All wine sales originate with the supplier at the top of the three-tier system. A supplier may own or represent a single winery, such as Truchard or Fortunati Vineyards, or might be an expansive corporation with multiple brands, such as Gallo or Treasury Wine Estates. Regardless of scale, suppliers are responsible for selling their products to distributors across the country.   To achieve market success, suppliers employ sales directors or managers to oversee specific states or regions. Their primary responsi

Why Less Visitation to Wine Country is Everyone's Problem Wineries with tasting rooms know all too well that foot traffic is shrinking. But it was our clients without a hospitality arm who got us thinking: how important is the on-site channel to the wine industry as a whole? Maybe we’re just evolving. After all, people buy everything—from cars to carrots—online these days. Isn’t it natural for wine to follow suit? We pulled on that thread, and it turns out the decline in wine country tourism is a bigger issue than it first appears. What is the problem? When we look at why wine sales are down, we can break it into three core factors: Frequency Volume Abstinence  And one of those clearly dominates. Frequency—how often someone chooses wine—is the elephant in the room. It accounts for a whopping 65% of the volume decline. Simply put, fewer people are reaching for wine in their daily lives. Next up is volume, responsible for about 19% of the d

Owen Dallmeyer, photo by Emma K Creative Napa, CA (March 3, 2025) – Dickenson Peatman & Fogarty (DP&F) is pleased to announce the election of Owen Dallmeyer in DP&F’s Business Law group to the firm’s partnership. Carol Kingery Ritter, who leads the Business Group notes, “Owen has been a member of the Business Law group for 8 years and is an anchor in our transactional practice. I look forward to Owen’s partnership in providing excellent service to our wide range of local and wine industry business clients.” Owen joined DP&F in April 2016. Prior to joining the firm, Owen was a litigator specializing in wage and hour and traditional labor law in San Francisco for a national law firm. Owen received his law degree from the UC Davis School of Law and his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley. He has also earned his Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 3 Award in Wine. About DP&F Dickenson, Peatman & Fogarty PC (D

June 3, 2024 – Erica Harrop, Founder and CEO of Global Package, is thrilled to announce the addition of her son, Daniel, to the Global Package sales team. “Needless to say, Daniel has been immersed in the wine and spirits industry since childhood, and I am so happy he wanted to continue that interest as a professional,” says Harrop. Daniel graduated from Sonoma State in May 2021 with a B.A. in Business Administration and a concentration in Wine Business Strategies, including a WSET certification, bestowed by The Wine & Spirit Education Trust, which is a global organization that arranges courses and exams in the fields of wine, spirits, beer, and sake. Upon graduation, Daniel worked for Advantage Solutions Marketing Partners as Business Development Representative for Anheuser-Busch LLC, where he introduced and grew their new Seltzer brands and Cutwater Cocktails, overseeing all facets of these launches. According to Daniel, “that experience cemented my a

ATPGroup is thrilled to announce the addition of Galina Seabrook to our company as an Enology Products Specialist. With over 25 years of distinguished experience in wine production, sales, marketing, and business management across three continents, Galina brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team. Galina is a dynamic and dedicated professional known for her extreme passion for the wine industry. Her proven track record of excellent customer service, business development, and technological innovation has earned her a respected reputation throughout the wine industry. Moreover, she possesses extensive expertise in micro-oxygenation and related cutting-edge techniques. In her new role at ATPGroup, Galina will focus on: Expanding our enology product portfolio Strengthening customer relationships Providing technical support and consulting to clients Representing the company at trade events and industry forums "We are excited to welcome Galina Seabrook to ATPGroup," s

Afternoon Brief, May 15th

Wine and Basketball: Brands Partner with the NBA and WNBA to Attract New Fans: Leveraging the decades-long link between basketball and wine to attract new consumers...

San Jose, California, May 13, 2024—LibDib, an innovative web-based distribution platform, is proud to announce its integration and collaboration with Diverse Powered Brands™, the premier centralized B2B global digital catalog for diverse suppliers in the beverage alcohol industry. The collaboration marks a significant milestone in LibDib’s mission to revolutionize beverage distribution by integrating Diverse Powered Brands into its expansive digital marketplace. Diverse Powered Brands, the industry’s trusted resource, connects diverse suppliers, buyers, and industry professionals, facilitating a seamless discovery process across all beverage categories. By incorporating Diverse Powered Brands, LibDib Buyers will now have access to a rich catalog of diverse owners, leaders and makers that reflect the modern consumer’s desire for inclusivity and social responsibility in their purchasing choices. Subscribers in the Diverse Powered Brands digital catalog

Ready to add a sprinkle of exclusivity to your brand's offerings? Activ8 Commerce is like your exclusive brand's superhero for automating limited access to products. Easily set rules like minimums, maximums, and release dates with their advanced allocation wizard. Send out flashy emails to your VIP customers when the goodies are up for grabs. Customers can wish for more if there's leftover stock after the release. It's all automated, so you can kick back and watch the orders flood in like a boss! Think of it as having a trusty sidekick handling the boring stuff while you enjoy the glory of exclusivity! Book your demo now!    News  Meet us at the Ontario Craft Wine Conference April 23, 2024: Niagara Falls Convention Centre / Niagara Falls, ON. This conference brings together Ontario’s VQA wine and grape industry leaders and professionals for a full day of education, networking, and business building.  Meet us in

Pulling the lower-the-price lever to gain market share in a highly competitive category such as adult beverages is tempting. But it is not a good idea for all of the following reasons: Erodes profit margins Provides short-term gains at the expense of long-term strategy Reduces ability to invest in innovation Lowers perceived value deterioration Dilutes brand image Puts you in an unsustainable price war Hinders your ability to raise prices later Puts too much pressure on the need to increase the volume So, what should you do instead? We’re so glad you asked! Keep reading. 1) Protect and strengthen your brand equity Brand equity is a brand's value and strength built over time. Preserving brand equity should be your top priority. Every spending decision must be weighed against the potential threat to brand equity.  Another way of thinking about brand equity is “pricing power on the shelf.”  Here are twelve practical ways to strengthen your brand equity: En