For more than sixteen years, DH Wine Compliance has helped wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries across the country navigate federal and state regulation. Founder and CEO Drea Helfer built the company on a simple principle: a firm that invests in its people delivers better outcomes for its clients. “We place more value on our staff than on our profits,” Helfer says. That approach has made DH Wine Compliance one of the nation’s largest compliance providers, with a team that stays and clients who do too.
An Industry Taking Stock
The last several years have been hard on alcohol producers. U.S. wine revenue slipped to roughly $74 billion in 2025, about 21 percent below its 2020 level, and closures and brand sales have reshaped the industry, including here in Sonoma County. Meanwhile, the regulatory workload keeps growing. Direct-to-consumer rules shift from state to state, and agencies are investing in technology that adds to the work of staying compliant while making missed filings and lapsed licenses easier to spot. Some agencies still run on outdated systems and others are current, so keeping track of which states are doing what takes constant attention. “Compliance is like taxes: it’s critical, complicated, and best left to experts,” Helfer says. For a producer watching every dollar, being out of compliance now costs far more than getting it right the first time.
Comprehensive Compliance Support
The team brings more than 200 years of combined experience across wine, beer, spirits and cider, handling licenses, operational reporting, COLAs, and three-tier and direct-to-consumer compliance. It is backed by a one-of-a-kind proprietary software system, built in-house, that captures and tracks all client information, making the team more efficient and the information more accurate. The firm also audits existing compliance operations to help clients find efficiencies, and supports them through brand sales, license transfers and ownership changes.
An Employee-Centered Culture
New employees are mentored, leadership is accessible at every level, and growth comes from within. The average employee has been with the firm for seven years, and the team has grown from 24 to 34 in the past five. “We work hard, support one another, and build a sense of community that makes the demanding parts of the job worthwhile,” Helfer says. A resident group of office dogs helps.
Investing Beyond the Business
Since 2015, the company’s Backpack Project has given backpacks and school supplies to more than 1,500 Sonoma County children. DH Wine Compliance has also funded athletic facility upgrades at Windsor High School and supports local causes including Adopt-A-Family for the Holidays, the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, and the YWCA.
Looking Ahead
The regulatory environment will keep evolving. DH Wine Compliance’s approach stays the same: deep expertise, technology that keeps pace with client needs, and a team invested in getting the details right, so clients can focus on producing and selling exceptional wine, beer, spirits and cider.
Reach out for a consultation: dhwinecompliance.com/contact
Visit DH Wine Compliance at Booth 338 at the North Coast Wine Industry Expo
December 3, 2026 · 9 am–4 pm
Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa, CA
🎉 We just accepted our 13th "Best Places to Work" award — and it means as much as it did the first time.
A few of us from DH Wine Compliance had the honor of attending the ceremony this week, and it was a great reminder of what makes this team special. Thirteen years of this recognition doesn't happen by accident. It's a direct reflection of the people who show up every day, support each other, and genuinely care about doing great work together. 💪
To our team: Thank you for making DH Wine Compliance a place people are proud to work. This one's for you. 🍷
Since 2010, DH Wine Compliance has been helping wineries across the U.S. navigate the complexities of federal and state compliance. Founded by CEO and compliance consultant Drea Helfer, the firm has grown into one of the nation’s largest compliance providers — not only because of its expertise, but because of its commitment to exceptional customer service.
At DH Wine Compliance, culture is everything. “When our team is happy and supported, they go the extra mile for our winery clients,” says Helfer. That philosophy has shaped a service model designed around collaboration, responsiveness, and anticipating client needs before they become challenges.
Trusted by Wineries of All Sizes
Whether managing licenses, reports, or navigating multi-state distribution, wineries rely on DH Wine Compliance for peace of mind. “Compliance is like taxes — it’s critical, complicated, and best left to experts,” says Helfer. “Our job is to take that weight off our clients so they can focus on growth.”
In today’s challenging market, many wineries are looking for ways to reduce costs. DH Wine Compliance works in tandem with clients, partnering to evaluate their compliance operations and performing audits.
Comprehensive Compliance Solutions
With over 200 years of combined experience in the wine, beer, and spirits industries, DH Wine Compliance offers a comprehensive suite of services, including TTB and California licensing, winery operational reporting, COLAs, three-tier and direct-to-consumer licensing and reporting, as well as consulting on all regulatory matters. Our collaborative approach ensures producers have a trusted partner to manage the details, navigate complex regulations, and maintain seamless compliance – allowing clients to dedicate themselves to what they do best: making and selling their products.
Technology That Works for You
DH Wine Compliance invests in tools to make client service more efficient. Our proprietary compliance software is continually evolving to provide staff instant access to client information, streamline support, and deliver faster, more accurate answers.
Growing Together
Recently, DH Wine Compliance purchased a new building and intentionally chose a smaller footprint to foster stronger collaboration. Bringing our teams closer together has improved communication, created a more holistic-approach to service, and strengthened the culture of support which defines us.
Looking Ahead with Confidence
As the wine industry continues to evolve, DH Wine Compliance remains a trusted partner for wineries navigating the complexities of compliance. By combining deep expertise, innovative technology, and a culture built on service; DH Wine Compliance empowers clients to devote their energy to what truly matters, crafting exceptional wine and growing their business.
Expertise. Service. Trust. Peace of Mind – That’s DH Wine Compliance.
To learn more about DH Wine Compliance, stop by the booth 338 at the WIN Expo on Dec. 4 2025 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.
DH Wine Compliance has officially moved to 800 Edgewood Place in Windsor, a community that has been home to founder, Drea Helfer, since 2005. The building is currently occupied by Fidelity National Title on the first floor, and now DH Wine Compliance on the upper floor.
Our new location offers an ideal space for teamwork and easy access for our clients. With convenient parking and a welcoming environment, we’re excited to continue working alongside our clients and partners to deliver exceptional service in a collaborative space.
DH Wine Compliance plans to relocate from the Sonoma County airport area in mid-2025 to an office building it purchased in Windsor. The founder reflects on how the business has evolved with agency tech adoption and a recent industry slowdown.
DH Wine Compliance, which helps the wine business stay in line with federal, state and local regulations nationwide, will be getting a new home this year, its 15th in business.
An affiliate of the Sonoma County-based company purchased a 9,950-square-foot office building in Windsor on Dec. 30, 2024, for $2.2 million, according to public records.
Founded in 2010 by Drea Helfer, DH Wine Compliance has been operating out of 2,237 square feet at 5570 Skylane Blvd, Suite A, north of Santa Rosa. The move to the new building will provide the company with a permanent home and room for future growth, according to Helfer.
"It's a big step for the company," she said. "We've been renting for the past 15 years, and it just feels great to have a place that we can call our own. It's also exciting to be able to move the business into the town of Windsor, where I've lived since 2005."
The new building, located at 800 Edgewood Place, is currently occupied by Fidelity National Title on the first floor and Gallagher Insurance on the top floor. DH Wine Compliance plans to move into the upper floor once Gallagher’s lease expires in the middle of this year.
Illinois-based Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in 2018 acquired Rogers & Young Insurance Services, a brokerage founded in 1958 that occupied that building. A trust for Rogers & Young co-owner Jeff Young was the seller of 800 Edgewood.
DH Wine’s move to Windsor offers several advantages for the company and its employees over the current location in a business park near Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport, Helfer said. The new site has easy access to local amenities such as the post office, bank branches, coffee shops and local eateries.
"The amenities of being able to walk across the street and go to Starbucks or grab a doughnut are certainly appealing," Helfer said. "We're hoping that by being near these conveniences, it might draw our hybrid workers back into the office a bit more."
DH Wine Compliance currently employs 32 people. The company has been able to leverage the shift to remote work, hiring talent from outside California Wine Country.
"The evolution of government agencies’ adopting online systems has allowed us to hire from outside the area," Helfer said. "We've been able to take advantage of the talent pool that's available, even if they're not located in wine country."
The wine industry as a whole has faced challenges in recent years, with a decline in alcohol consumption, particularly among younger generations. Helfer acknowledged the slower pace of new wine companies starting up, leading to fewer compliance applications. However, the increasing complexity of regulations has kept the company's workload steady.
"The volume of applications might be less, but the manpower required to file those items has increased," Helfer said. "We're managing with fewer clients, but the compliance process has become more challenging."
Despite the industry's ups and downs, Helfer remains optimistic about the future, hoping to see a resurgence of interest in the wine industry and the establishment of new wine companies in the years to come.
In the building sale, Dave Peterson and Kyle Nelson of Keegan & Coppin Co. Inc. represented the seller, Jeffrey S. and Karen A. Young Trust. Todd Schapmire of W Real Estate represented the buyer, DH Wine Holdings LLC.
Jeff Quackenbush covers wine, construction and real estate. Reach him at jquackenbush@busjrnl.com or 707-521-4256.
DH Wine Compliance, founded by CEO and compliance consultant Drea Helfer in 2010, is valued by its clients for two key characteristics: expertly managing wine compliance for winery clients and a culture committed to exceptional customer service. Helfer’s dedication to fostering a positive workplace culture is a significant part of the company’s strong customer service reputation.
“I’m passionate about our culture,” she explains. An internal culture where employees are happy has a trickle-down effect. It means they will go the extra mile for our winery customers.” The company has continued to maintain the quality of its culture while it has grown over the years. Today, DHWC is one of the largest compliance firms in the US.
In recent years, DH Wine Compliance has embraced a more collaborative approach to customer service with wineries. This approach involves cross-functional teams composed of specialists from four distinct departments:
- Cal-Fed Operational Licensing: Handles California State ABC and Federal TTB licensing, COLA/FLA submission, trade name additions, and related matters.
- Cal-Fed Operational Reporting: Completes and files all TTB, CDTFA, CDFA, and ABC operational reports.
- Out-of-State Licensing: Assists wineries with licenses outside of California for three-tier and direct-to-consumer (DTC) operations, covering license applications, renewals, brand registrations, distributor appointments, research projects, and price posting.
- Out-of-State Reporting: Manages three-tier and DTC reporting for excise and sales tax, as well as working with their ShipCompliant accounts.
With this innovative approach, the four departments collaborate closely to anticipate clients’ needs. For example, suppose a winery client tells a team member they are planning to change their address. In that case, they will go to the team and prepare a timeline for address changes to ensure the winery runs smoothly with state licenses during their next round of wine club shipments.
Another transformative change has been the introduction of DH Wine Compliance’s proprietary software. This tool puts each winery’s information at the team’s fingertips, making them more efficient in supporting the client with tasks and questions that only humans can manage. The software will also add value to winery clients’ experience when they launch the planned client portal. “We look forward to launching this one-of-a-kind software to the general public in the coming months,” says Helfer, who has been developing the software for a number of years with the help of her trusted staff members and developers.
The compliance industry’s transition to electronic filings and record keeping has been a leisurely one. “In theory, the online filings should be more efficient,” says Helfer, “but in many ways, it’s really more time-consuming to file reports and license renewals since the online system sometimes requires more information.” This change also complicates the already complex process for wineries managing wine compliance on their own.
Wineries of all sizes turn to DH Wine Compliance for the peace of mind that comes with expert guidance. Their team ensures that the winery’s licenses and reports are consistently on time and fully compliant with the latest state and federal regulations. By outsourcing these critical tasks to experts, like outsourcing tax preparation, wineries can focus on what they do best ― making and selling wine.
Visit DH Wine Compliance at WIN Expo booth 338 on December 5, 2024.
DH Wine Compliances' very own Drea Helfer was named one of the “One of the Women in Wine Awards Winners for 2024"
2024 Women in Wine Awards: Heart of Community
Drea Helfer formed DH Wine Compliance with the goal of setting a new standard for wine compliance service providers.
She has licensed hundreds of West Coast wineries, importers, wholesalers and retailers, and her expertise extends to all aspects of compliance including federal label approvals, out-of-state licensing, direct-to-consumer licensing, brand registration, operational reporting and consulting. Helfer is regarded as one of the top alcohol compliance consultants in the nation.
Helfer is proud of her company’s culture, which she called “inclusive, compassionate, flexible and most importantly fun.”
She advises aspiring leaders to be curious, listen, inquire and do things that make you uncomfortable. She also advises to be human, be flawed and own your mistakes. Ask for help. Apologize. And, most importantly, always celebrate the wins.
Giving back to the community is important to Helfer, who believes that you should build a longer table, not a higher fence. Her dream is for her staff to share DH Wine Compliance's contributions and inspires others to do the same — be it now or 10 years from now. A small impact can have a generational effect.
Click here to see the full list of winners.
DH Wine Compliance, founded by President and compliance consultant Drea Helfer in 2010, is valued by its clients for two key characteristics: expertly managing compliance for alcohol clients and a culture committed to exceptional customer service. Helfer’s dedication to fostering a positive workplace culture is a large part of why the company has such a strong customer service reputation.
“I’m passionate about our culture,” she explains. “Our employees are appreciative, so the company goes the extra mile for them. An internal culture where employees are happy has a trickle-down effect. It means they’ll go the extra mile for our winery customers.”
In recent years, DH Wine Compliance has embraced a more collaborative approach to customer service with wineries. This approach involves cross-functional teams composed of specialists from four distinct departments:
- Cal-Fed Operational Licensing: Handles California State ABC and Federal TTB licensing, COLA/FLA submission, trade name additions, and related matters.
- Cal-Fed Operational Reporting: Completes and files all TTB, CDTFA, CDFA, and ABC operational reports.
- Out-of-State Licensing: Assists wineries with licenses outside of California for both three-tier and direct-to-consumer (DTC) operations, covering license applications, renewals, brand registrations, distributor appointments, research projects, and price posting.
- Out-of-State Reporting: Manages three-tier and DTC reporting for excise and sales tax, as well as working with their ShipCompliant accounts.
This new approach means the four departments talk to each other more than ever, helping them anticipate clients’ needs. For example, suppose a winery client tells a team member they’re planning to change their address. In that case, she’ll go to the team, and they’ll prepare a timeline for address changes to ensure the winery doesn’t encounter any issues with state licenses during their next round of wine club shipments.
Another transformative change has been the introduction of DH Wine Compliance’s proprietary software. This tool puts each winery’s information at the team’s fingertips, making them more efficient in supporting the client. It will also add value to winery clients’ experience when they launch the planned client portal next year.
It also makes it easier for them to deal with a recent change at the California state level ― taking everything online. “In theory, this should be more efficient,” says Helfer, “but in many ways, it’s actually more time-consuming to file reports and license renewals since the online system sometimes requires more information.” This change also complicates the already complex process for wineries managing wine compliance independently.
Wineries of all sizes turn to DH Wine Compliance for the peace of mind that comes with expert guidance. Their team ensures that the winery’s licenses and reports are consistently on time and fully compliant with the latest state and federal regulations. By outsourcing these critical tasks to experts, much like outsourcing tax preparation, wineries can focus on what they do best ― making and selling wine.
Visit DH Wine Compliance at WIN Expo booth 338 on November 30, 2023.
DH Wine Compliance staff is trained on the intricate details of all areas of alcohol compliance. At DH Wine Compliance, we strive to create a partnership that will serve as an invaluable tool to your organization. Our expertise and dependability will allow you to focus on building your business.
We will be exhibiting at the WIN Expo on December 1 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.
See us at booth 338 and use the code DHW338 for a free trade show pass. Register here: https://wineindustryexpo.com/registration