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 landscape of the wine industry, adaptability and innovation have never been more critical. With shifts in consumer demographics and broader economic factors at play, wineries are presented with both challenges and exciting opportunities. Engaging a younger, more diverse audience through creative marketing strategies is key to future growth. Despite current market fluctuations, the resilience of wine businesses showcases their ability to thrive and innovate. The future of the wine industry is bright, marked by the potential for renewed growth and broader accessibility to quality wines. The State of the US Wine Industry Report 2025 by Silicon Valley Bank and the 2025 Direct-to-Consumer (DtC) Wine Shipping Report by Sovos and WineBusiness Analytics provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the industry and its future prospects. Dynamic Market and Opportunities The wine industry is experiencing dynamic changes, presenting new opportunities for growth. Wh

Please join Commerce7 and Sovos ShipCompliant for a look at the latest stats and trends in direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine, and how you can leverage them in creating growth for your winery. Experts from each team will share findings from the Commerce 7 2023 Data Book and the 2024 Sovos ShipCompliant Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Report, produced in partnership with WineBusiness Analytics, including:

 DtC shipping trends by region, varietal, average bottle price and destination state Findings on what’s driving volume and value in wine club programs Ecommerce best practices that drive better results Tasting room tactics that feed sales success This webinar will be of interest to wineries of all sizes that are selling and shipping direct-to-consumer via website, club, subscription and tasting room channels. Tuesday, July 23, 2024 - 10:00 AM (PT) Register Now Can’t attend the live webinar? Register anyway and we’ll send you a link to the recording afterward.

Afternoon Brief, December 20th

Shocking Working Conditions in Champagne: An Arte report sheds light on the working conditions of harvest workers in Champagne...

Every AI technology has its own distinct advantages, and they all rely on thoughtfully crafted prompts to maximize their potential. This new resource for Outshinery friends and clients delves into the art of creating captivating AI prompts specifically tailored for #wineindustry marketing. Use AI to achieve your marketing goals. Here are top tips found in our newly released guide: 💠 Leverage ChatGPT and other tools such as JasperAI 💠 Create a tailored prompt with a voice for the target audience 💠 Make sure the AI prompt is clear so results match your messages 💠 Employ human experts when necessary for quality control 💠 Make data-driven content choices and use analytics to make decisions 💠 Focus on an emotional, fresh tone of voice that works for your brand 💠 Consider risks and responsibilities before counting on an AI solution #winebusiness #brandmarketing #aiprompts #aimarketing 

July and early August brought more normal summer temperatures to California following the unseasonably cool, wet spring and start to summer. However, the impact of the prior coolness and wetness is still being felt through the ongoing lag in vineyard development – running between 2-4 weeks behind a normal timetable depending on area – and the level of mildew pressure, which is high across the state.  Growers – alert to the slow case-good sales environment and the resulting softness in grape demand – are this year being especially mindful of the quality standards set out in grape contracts. They have been battling hard to keep mildew under control, at times encountering difficulties in sourcing product – potentially a symptom of understocking across the state following a number of years without significant mildew pressure. In addition to mildew, some shatter and smaller berries have been reported in some areas.  In terms of timing, it is a year ha

Spring, Summer, Fall, Planning Winter is a time for planning - and do we ever need to plan! But where do we start?  Are we oversupplied still? Do we even know if wine sales are higher or lower? How should we position next year when we put our business plans together? Should we forecast for higher or lower sales? What do we know now?  BW166 has concluded wine volume entering the wholesale channel is up 4% as of August 2020. SipSource, a database using wholesale depletions has wine volume combining both on and off premise down 1.3% year over year though June. Wines & Vines Analytics concluded that Direct Shipments through June were 29% higher in volume.  Where is the consumer in all of this? What is driving demand? Are we up or down? The reality is - the future is not yet clear yet, but I hope to change that.  Readers of the SVB Annual State of the Industry Report know that we try to make sense out of the data and offer predictions on tomorrow. That whole