Combating declining consumption and tasting room visits is the current pressing priority for small and medium-sized wineries whose primary source of revenue has been direct-to-consumer (DtC) sales. Waiting for the situation to change is no longer an option. Instead, wineries are turning to their existing customers to maximize short-term revenue and draw in new customers to rebuild their base.  This task can seem daunting, but wineries with the vinSUITE integrated DtC software platform have a powerful new tool at hand. The recently released vinSIGHT transforms the sales data automatically collected by vinSUITE into actionable insights. This new predictive analytical platform analyzes the winery’s historical customer behavior patterns and predicts wine club churn with up to 94% confidence, enabling wineries to prevent revenue loss before members cancel. Jimmy Wu, vinSUITE’s President, explains: “By the time wine club churn shows up in standard reports, that revenue is already l

We're hosting at session at the Wine Sales Symposium on May 13 in Rohnert Park, CA. In this session, we’ll explore how leading wineries are intentionally designing the post-purchase experience to drive repeat business—protecting wine quality, increasing first-attempt delivery success, and reducing returns and reships as strategic drivers of long-term retention. From multi-warehouse fulfillment and temperature-controlled shipping to specialized handling, operational excellence becomes the foundation that allows your brand to show up flawlessly at the doorstep—giving consumers the flexibility they expect while ensuring every bottle arrives as intended. Because when the delivery experience protects quality and delights customers, repeat purchases aren’t accidental—they’re earned. Use the promo code WINESHIPPING2026 for a discount and register here.

If you're struggling to translate your wine brand into standout print, premium promotional goods, or point-of-sale that actually converts, we need to talk. At Almaden, we don't just print materials—we help wineries and vineyards of all sizes bring their brands to life. With deep roots in wine and hospitality, we understand the unique challenges you face, from tasting room displays and custom packaging to neckers, shelf talkers, and seamless online ordering and fulfillment. Whether you're a boutique vineyard or an established brand, we deliver solutions that are both beautiful and practical. Fast, flexible, and genuinely invested in your success. Find us at the Wine Sales Symposium on May 13 in Sonoma County. Let's talk about elevating your brand and pouring your passion into every detail—from concept to the customer's hand. See you there! Wine Sales Symposium | May 13 | Sonoma County [Registration link] Use promo code ALMADEN2026 for a discount on registration!

In this WIN Insider interview, George speaks with Lauren Wong, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Aperture Vineyards & Winery, ahead of the Wine Sales Symposium on May 13th in Sonoma County. Lauren shares her journey from luxury fragrance brands to wine marketing, influenced by her father’s work as a renowned wine label designer. She discusses Aperture’s brand philosophy of combining high-quality wines with inclusive, approachable marketing and addresses the evolving challenges wineries face in post-COVID marketing—emphasizing creativity, adaptability, and innovation. A key focus is strategic partnerships for the symposium and Lauren explains how partnerships enhance brand exposure, reinforce values, and create collaborative opportunities that benefit all parties. She encourages wineries of all sizes to actively pursue partnerships by understanding their brand’s value and aligning with partners’ goals—including creative, non-monetary collaborations with local businesses, cha

Why Wine Clubs Aren’t Working, And What’s Replacing Them For many wineries, the biggest challenge today isn’t attracting new customers; it’s keeping the ones they already have. Wine clubs once represented the most stable revenue engine for wineries. Members signed up, shipments went out quarterly, and predictable revenue flowed in. It was the foundation of direct-to-consumer success. But that foundation is cracking. Recent industry data reveals a troubling trend: nearly 40% of wine club members cancel within the first year. In a market where customer acquisition costs are climbing, and competition for attention has never been fiercer, losing members at this rate isn’t just a retention problem; it’s a profitability crisis. The math is unforgiving. If acquiring a new club member costs hundreds of dollars in marketing, tasting room labor, and incentives, losing them before they’ve generated meaningful lifetime value means wineries are bleeding money with every signup. And yet, some winer

From hospitality-driven visitation to loyalty and strategic partnerships, the Wine Sales Symposium explores where revenue growth is coming from now The path to winery growth looks different than it did even a few years ago. Today’s most successful wineries are not relying on a single channel or a single tactic. Instead, they are building growth through a combination of stronger customer experiences, deeper retention strategies, and brand partnerships that extend reach beyond traditional wine audiences. At this year’s Wine Sales Symposium, several sessions will explore how these shifts are reshaping sales and marketing strategies across the industry. One of the most important changes is happening in hospitality and visitation. Consumers—especially Millennials and Gen Z—are increasingly choosing experiences that feel personal, memorable, and aligned with their identity. For wineries, that means visitation is no longer simply about tasting wine; it’s about de

The tasting room used to be the heart of the winery business model. Walk-ins became club members. Club members became brand ambassadors. Revenue flowed predictably, and the formula worked. That’s changing. Visitation to wine regions is softening and tasting room traffic that wineries once counted on is declining. The cohort that’s most noticeably absent? Millennials and Gen Z, the consumers who should be building the next generation of wine loyalty. For many wineries, the drop-off has been gradual enough to rationalize. Blame the economy. Blame changing drinking habits. Blame competition from craft beer and cocktails. But the reality is harder to swallow: younger consumers aren’t avoiding wine country because they don’t like wine. They’re avoiding it because the traditional tasting room experience no longer competes with how they want to spend their time and money. And if wineries don’t adapt, they risk becoming relics of an industry that waited to

Join winery leaders and industry experts to explore the strategies shaping the future of wine sales. The wine industry is entering a period of significant change. Consumer behavior is shifting, visitation patterns are evolving, and the traditional paths to market are being redefined. To succeed in this environment, wineries must rethink how they attract customers, build lasting relationships, and grow their brands. The Wine Sales Symposium, taking place on Wednesday, May 13, brings together winery leaders and industry experts for a full day focused on the strategies shaping wine sales today and in the years ahead. This year’s program explores critical topics that will cover: • Hospitality Innovation: Reimagining tasting room experiences to attract Millennials and Gen Z through values-driven programming, experiential design, and strategic partnerships • Wine Club and Customer Retention: Data-driven approaches to reducing churn, building membership value,

Corporate gifting is quickly becoming one of the strongest growth channels in the wine industry. In this session, Jessica Luke of Jackson Family Wines and Jessica Smith of WineDirect Fulfillment share how wineries can capture this demand with streamlined operations and tailored gifting experiences. Attendees will walk away with practical steps to build or expand a corporate gifting program that drives new customers and year round revenue.  Wine Sales Symposium - May 13, 2026 DoubleTree Hotel in Rohnert Park, CA Learn More Speakers Director of Marketing / WineDirect Fulfillment  Director of E-Commerce & Email Marketing / Jackson Family Wines  

Explore the newest RedChirp innovations, the latest carrier changes in the telecom industry, and how leading wineries are evolving their messaging strategies to stay ahead. Jennie Gilbert will be joined by industry experts Paul Learly, Founder of Assemblage Strategy Group, and a WISE (Wine Industry Sales Education) partner, bringing deep, hands-on experience from their work with hundreds of wineries. Together, they’ll share actionable strategies to grow subscriber lists (email too!), increase engagement, and what's working best to drive revenue during the challenges of today’s DTC wine market. Attendees will leave with timely industry updates, expert perspectives, and practical ideas they can implement immediately. Wine Sales Symposium - May 13, 2026 DoubleTree Hotel in Rohnert Park, CA Learn More