Afternoon Brief, January 9

Wine Data Shows Causes for Optimism: The wine outlook might be dark, but there are occasional rays of sunshine breaking through, according to Wine-Searcher's data...

For decades, wine and spirits inventory at wholesalers followed a model of large first orders. Makers shipped big quantities to distributors, who stocked them in massive warehouses and waited for orders to roll in. Today, that model is mostly gone—unless you’re part of the top ~20% of Makers doing tens of millions in annual sales under contract. Few Makers reach that level, and contracts of that size are rare. So why aren’t large inventory purchases common any more? What’s Changed Here are a few of the major reasons: The Cost of Money - Wholesalers typically carry inventory financed via lines of credit or similar instruments, and are paid back when accounts pay. Interest rates now are much higher than a few years ago, so carrying inventory (i.e. borrowing money to finance it) is more expensive. Excess Inventory Already in the System - There is a large glut of wine and spirits sitting in warehouses across the country. Distributors and wholesalers are

Introduction: From Search to Suggestion Wine consumers aren’t just Googling anymore — they’re asking AI assistants like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and Grok where to go, what to drink, and who to trust. If your winery’s online presence isn’t optimized for these new tools, you’re already behind. That’s where AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization) comes in. This guide is a step-by-step roadmap to get your winery ready to be recommended in AI-driven results, and how Corksy Insights can help. What is AIO, and Why Should Wineries Care? AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization) is about making your winery's online presence easy for AI agents to understand, trust, and recommend. Unlike traditional SEO, AIO focuses on the signals that AI tools use to generate answers, not just search results. Local SEO vs Local AIO at a Glance: Local SEO Local AIO Goal Rank on Google/Search engines Be recommended by AI assistants Tools Google Busi

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the key to unlocking consistent, high-quality traffic to your winery’s website. Whether you want to grow your wine club, drive more eCommerce sales, or bring visitors to your tasting room, a well-optimized website ensures your business is discoverable to potential customers searching for what you offer. SEO isn’t just about throwing in a few keywords—it’s about creating a site that search engines recognize as valuable and relevant while also offering an excellent user experience. Here’s how to optimize your winery website to attract new traffic and grow your wine club. Focus on Keywords That Match Customer Intent At the heart of any successful SEO strategy is understanding what your audience is searching for and why. Keywords are the bridge between what potential customers are looking for and the content you provide. For wineries, this could include searches like “best winery in Napa,” “organic wines n

Afternoon Brief, April 29th

Labor Department Sets Sweeping New H-2A Foreign Guestworker Rule: The U.S. Department of Labor has adopted a new rule it said will protect foreign seasonal farmworkers from being abused, imposing sweeping regulations the head of an agricultural employers association called "offensive."...

By Connor Widder, Kru Marketing The wine industry is at a critical turning point in many ways, including on the digital frontier. Today’s wine drinker likes to buy and drink at home, but they’re willing to try little-known wineries from across the country. This trend towards curious, adventurous wine buying is a potential bonus for your wine business. But to make the most of wine buying trends, you’ll need an easy-to-operate eCommerce wine website that’s optimized to rank higher in search engine results. Wineries that embrace an optimized online presence will thrive, attracting wine buyers who are enthusiastic about your products and loyal to your winery. So for your winery to meet wine buyers where they are (at home!), you’ll need to adapt your business and your selling techniques. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the master key that unlocks the potential for growth as a winery in a digital world. But what is it? And where to start? We&rsquo

Afternoon Brief, February 29th

TTB Listens to Wine Industry: The TTB wants to hear what the industry thinks about label regulations, so Wine-Searcher's US editor had his say...

7 Ways to Share Your Sustainable Story Once we learned that storytelling helps customers understand your sustainable practices and can increase your sales, we’ve been dedicated to helping you: Write your Sustainable Story. Teach your team about it. Share it with your audience. Throughout the year, we’ve shared tips on how to integrate your sustainable message into every level of your branding and marketing. As the year comes to an end, we’ve put them all together for you below!   1. Does your staff know about sustainability? Did you know that of the 48% of employees in the food and beverage industry who receive regular training, only 4.5% receive training about their company’s mission and values? If you aren't regularly talking to your staff about your company's mission and values, you're missing out on opportunities to create a more informed and dedicated team! Click here to learn about the latest SIP Certified training tool to teach your staf

OUR FIVE TOP MARKETING PRIORITIES FOR 2024 TACKLE THE NEW YEAR LIKE A BOSS If you’re like most of us, the holiday marketing campaigns are well underway, and you’re now focusing on next year’s budgets and plans. Choosing your marketing priorities for 2024 is a bit like assembling IKEA furniture—you’re looking for simple, clean lines and straightforward instructions. But, you soon realize you are missing some tools to assemble the Järvfjället and wonder if you should have gone with the Ödmjuk instead. So grab your metaphorical Allen wrench, and let’s build a marketing strategy that’s as sturdy as it is stylish, with just the right amount of snarky commentary along the way. 1. KNOW THY CUSTOMER Your customers aren’t generic – they are unique and won’t be won over by vague, generic messages. If you write copy like everyone else and post the same boring stock bottle shots like everyone else, it’s like you&