It’s time to think outside the box, here are Global Package’s techniques to improve your wine packaging. But, why is packaging for wine important, you ask? With the increase of “unboxing reveals” across social media and the fierce competition for on-shelf dominance in the wine industry, packaging has become crucial to gain a marketing advantage. Your customers will not only anticipate the quality of your beverage by the label and bottle design but also by the packaging (or lack thereof) your product is in.  What Is Wine Packaging? Packaging means so much more than just the bottle, and in this case when we are specifically referencing outer packaging, can also include wooden boxes, decorated gift boxes, wine totes, gift bags, storage containers, and more. Outer packaging has three main functions: to enhance the branding, add prestige, and keep the wine safe during transport and delivery. The packaging often includes a brand’s name, logo, colors, and messages about the produ

In this WIN Insider episode, George interviews Michael Kaiser, the recently promoted Executive Director of WineAmerica, about the evolving American wine landscape and federal advocacy for wineries outside California. With 20 years at the organization, Michael shares insights on pandemic-driven shifts in direct-to-consumer sales, emerging wine regions gaining recognition, packaging innovation attracting younger consumers, and complex regulatory challenges from hemp-derived beverages to export tariffs. He emphasizes the bipartisan support for wine in Congress, the role of the Congressional Wine Caucus in unified advocacy, and why collective strength through Wine America membership is essential for influencing the federal policy that shapes the industry’s future. Learn More: https://wineamerica.org/

Text messaging has evolved far beyond promotional blasts and last-minute event reminders. Today's most successful wineries are using SMS throughout the customer journey—from recovering wine club declines and improving shipping success rates to collecting customer feedback and driving allocation sales. The result is a more personalized customer experience, stronger retention, and measurable revenue growth. During a recent discussion with RedChirp and our mutual client, Black Ankle Vineyards, we explored how wineries are using SMS to create more meaningful customer interactions at every stage of the DTC journey. Black Ankle's Emma Pope shared several real-world examples of campaigns that have driven engagement, streamlined communication, and generated measurable results—offering a valuable look at how modern wineries are putting text messaging to work. While every winery's audience and goals are different, several clear themes emerged. The most successful programs aren't simply sending m

The wine industry isn’t standing still—and neither were the conversations at this year’s Wine Sales Symposium The mood surrounding the wine industry has shifted noticeably over the past year. Headlines still focus on contraction, slowing sales, declining consumption, and pressure across direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels. But underneath those realities, another story is emerging: wineries are adapting. That theme carried through nearly every session at Wine Industry Network’s 2026 Wine Sales Symposium, where winery owners, marketers, strategists, hospitality leaders, and technology providers gathered to discuss what’s actually changing in wine sales—and where opportunity still exists. The conversations were grounded in realism but notably absent of panic. Speakers focused on the operational, marketing, and consumer shifts wineries are making in response to a rapidly evolving market. And perhaps most importantly, many of the sessions pointed toward the same conclusion: growth ha

A lot of wineries still think AI is only useful for writing social captions or speeding up content creation. But in reality, AI is quickly becoming one of the most valuable tools wineries can use to improve wine club retention, personalization, customer engagement, and operational efficiency. As customer acquisition becomes more expensive and consumer expectations continue to evolve, wineries are under increasing pressure to build stronger relationships with existing customers, not just acquire new ones. That’s where AI is starting to make a real impact. In many cases, wineries can start experimenting with AI using tools they already use every day, including CRM exports, email marketing data, POS reporting, ChatGPT, or AI-powered analytics platforms. Today, wineries are using AI-powered tools and smarter segmentation strategies to: ✅ Spot at-risk members before they cancel ✅ Personalize club shipments, events, and perks ✅ Identify high-value customers who aren’t club members — yet ✅ Au

The Shift in Drinking Habits Is Here Something structural has changed in how Americans relate to alcohol, and if you've been watching your DTC numbers, you've probably felt it before you could name it. Gallup's 2023 consumption survey found that the share of U.S. adults who drink has dropped to 62%, the lowest level since 1948. The IWSR has documented consecutive years of volume decline in still wine in the U.S. market. The casual, habitual wine buyer who grabs a familiar label on autopilot and treats wine as a grocery category is drinking less or shifting away entirely. Volume-driven marketing built around that consumer is chasing a contracting audience. That sounds threatening. It isn't, if you're willing to look at who is still buying. The consumer who remains is choosing quality over quantity, spending more per bottle precisely because they're buying fewer of them, and actively looking for brands worth their loyalty. The wineries that adapt their marketing to speak this language h

The 2026 BMO Wine Market Report confirms what many winery owners have already been experiencing firsthand: the wine industry is no longer dealing with a temporary slowdown. It is operating through a structural reset. While the U.S. wine market still surpassed $115 billion in total value in 2025, overall wine volume declined again, continuing a multi-year trend that is reshaping nearly every segment of the business. A worrying trend that continues to reshape the industry and shape perceptions of where the bottom could be. According to the report, changing demographics, affordability pressures, evolving consumer habits, distribution disruptions, and rising operating costs are converging. For winery owners, the key takeaway is simple: the old assumptions no longer hold. For years, much of the industry conversation centered around oversupply. Too many grapes, too much bulk wine, and too much inventory sitting in tanks and warehouses. While those issues remain very real, the BMO report make

The 2026 Wine Sales Symposium , produced by Wine Industry Network (WIN), concluded Wednesday at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Sonoma Wine Country, bringing together winery owners, sales leaders, and marketing executives for a day of actionable insights and strategic frameworks designed to address the industry's most pressing challenges. With the wine market facing declining consumption, distributor consolidation, and rapid technological change, this year's symposium focused squarely on solutions. Attendees gained practical strategies for leveraging AI in marketing and customer engagement, navigating wholesale distribution transformation, reducing wine club churn, and creating hospitality experiences that resonate with younger consumers. The Symposium program opened with Dr. Chris Bitter, Senior Wine & Grape Analyst of Terrain, American AgCredit, providing a data-driven analysis of current wine sales trends and market opportunities. He clo

The release of the latest report from Azur Associates provides one of the clearest assessments of the current state of the wine industry. The report’s message is direct: this is not simply a temporary slowdown or another cycle the industry can wait out. The market is undergoing a structural reset.That perspective aligns with much of the data we have seen from Silicon Valley Bank, Rabobank, and other industry sources over the past few years. Demand has softened, inventory levels have increased, and younger consumers are approaching alcohol very differently from previous generations. However, where Azur stands apart is in its interpretation of what these trends actually mean for the future of wine. The report makes a strong case that the industry is moving toward a much smaller, significantly more competitive market. Consumption patterns have changed, and the assumptions that supported growth for decades are no longer reliable or realistic. Consumers are drinking less frequently, explori

Winery leaders and industry experts explore the strategies shaping the future of wine sales. The wine industry narrative over the past two years has been dominated by decline: falling consumption, shrinking distributor portfolios, and weakening consumer loyalty. The headlines suggest an industry in freefall. But the reality is more nuanced - and more useful. Yes, overall wine consumption continues to face pressure. Consumer behavior is fragmenting in ways that challenge traditional approaches. But the full story isn’t simply decline. It’s divergence. Some wineries are still growing. Some categories are holding steady while others contract. Some sales channels are thriving while others struggle. The difference often comes down to whether wineries have adapted their strategies to match the market that exists today, not the one that existed three years ago. At Wine Industry Network’s Annual Wine Sales Symposium on May 13, Dr. Chris Bitter will present research on what’s actually happening