That’s a wrap on our 2026 Innovation Roadshow! We kicked off our annual roadshow in Napa, featuring events at Benevolent Neglect Wines and our North American headquarters. Guided by Senior Innovation Manager Dr. Paulo Lopes, the tour continued across Washington, Oregon, and Northern & Central California, bringing the latest in cork innovation, sustainability, and performance directly to our partners. From vineyard to closure, we’re proud to keep moving the industry forward—together.

When the Super Bowl and Olympics approach, we celebrate the performance we see on the field. What we don’t see is the year-round conditioning, repetition, and skill-building that made that performance possible. Winning teams don’t train only when the lights are brightest. They train all year long. The same principle applies to winery DTC teams. Downtime Is Where Advantage Is Built Periods of slower visitation or economic uncertainty can feel like a signal to pause. But research shows that the opposite approach separates leaders from laggards. A landmark study published by Harvard Business Review analyzed more than 4,700 companies across multiple recessions. The findings were striking: “Only 9% of companies emerged from recession stronger than before.” Even more telling: “Companies that balanced cost discipline with continued investment in people and capabilities recovered faster and gained market share.” Training Is a Growth Strategy,

In Session 3 of the Wine Club Symposium, Liz Mercer (WISE Academy) made a clear case: tasting-room traffic alone is too volatile to power sustainable DTC growth. Wineries that take their brand to their members, through roadshow events and member travel, are winning sign-ups, sales, and loyalty in the markets where fans already live. Why this matters now Weather, travel patterns, and local disruptions make tasting-room demand unpredictable. Taking the winery on the road diversifies acquisition and retention—and deepens relationships. You control cadence, format, and data capture instead of waiting for foot traffic. Three roadshow formats that work Winery-hosted dinners: Co-plan with a restaurant or country club; keep pricing all-inclusive; align the menu to make your wines shine. Partner-hosted events: Team up with lifestyle brands (e.g., premium appliance showrooms, private social clubs) to co-mingle audiences and scale. Champion-hosted gatherings: Member-home tastings done

In Session 3 of the Wine Club Symposium, Liz Mercer (WISE Academy) made a clear case: tasting-room traffic alone is too volatile to power sustainable DTC growth. Wineries that take their brand to their members, through roadshow events and member travel, are winning sign-ups, sales, and loyalty in the markets where fans already live. Why this matters now Weather, travel patterns, and local disruptions make tasting-room demand unpredictable. Taking the winery on the road diversifies acquisition and retention—and deepens relationships. You control cadence, format, and data capture instead of waiting for foot traffic. Three roadshow formats that work Winery-hosted dinners: Co-plan with a restaurant or country club; keep pricing all-inclusive; align the menu to make your wines shine. Partner-hosted events: Team up with lifestyle brands (e.g., premium appliance showrooms, private social clubs) to co-mingle audiences and scale. Champion-hosted gatherings: Member-home tastings done

Let’s be honest: There’s a certain magic to pouring wine in your own tasting room—the clink of glasses, the sunlight through the vines, the laughter echoing off the barrel room walls. But what if you could bottle that magic and uncork it anywhere in the world? Today’s top-performing wineries aren’t just waiting for guests to walk through their doors. They’re packing their corkscrews and passports, finding their biggest fans where they live, work, and play—from the next city over to the far side of the globe. Welcome to the golden age of wine roadshows—and, now, globetrotting wine adventures! Why Travel? Because Wine Is About Connection Wine is the ultimate connector. It brings people together and creates memories, whether it’s a backyard BBQ in Austin or a sunset dinner on the Amalfi Coast. Your most devoted club members and best customers crave those connections—and they’re hungry (and thirsty) for experiences that go b

Overdependence on Tasting Room traffic as the sole driver to grow our DTC business has become problematic for all wine regions. Between fires, the pandemic, changing travel patterns many wineries have focused new efforts on building DTC customer bases from programs that they can actually control – DTC road show events. WHAT What do we mean by road show events? Traditional Winemaker Dinners – This is not new. Wineries have been partnering with a local on-premise account for decades. Now, however, restaurants are looking to fill empty tables and may offer better options than ever before. Wine Club Events – Also not new, but picking up a lot of momentum, especially since COVID. A great way to engage Current and Alumni Members, especially those who mention they don’t get to take advantage of their benefits. Private Tastings – In a customer’s home or country club. They invite the Guests, often their very well qualified friends and associates. Afterall, b

The reports are in, and traffic is down year on year (to date) in many regions. While all are hopeful it will return to at least 2019 levels, several WISE wineries are focusing on driving revenue beyond the tasting room. Here are three ways to drive revenue even when traffic is slow. 1. Old School – Calling Our Customers. It is time for old fashioned dialing for dollars. What a perfect time to call fans (Members, Alumni Members, First Time Buyers) with an offer before it gets too warm for summer shipping. If tasting room labor is too high for the lack of traffic, staff can either have hours cut or be given the opportunity to reach out to their favorite guests via phone. What to consider: Team members. Some are hesitant to call, it is a different skill set after all and they may be feeling a bit rusty, but many have come to enjoy this revenue generating project. Find team members who are goal-driven, have good listening skills, demonstrate passion, don’t take ‘no&