WIN’s 2025 Wine Sales Symposium brings together industry leaders to share the strategies that are helping wineries succeed despite market challenges.
It’s no secret that the wine industry is facing challenges. It is plainly stated in the articles that flash across our screens, the financial spreadsheets on our desks, the unpicked vineyards along our roads and the snatches of conversation with fellow wine professionals about wineries and vineyards for sale.
Behind these flashes of reality are the overarching trends of boomers aging out and younger consumers moderating their drinking, which are driving consumption declines and excess inventories. Add to this more climate change events, labor shortages, possible new tariffs and increased environmental regulations that disrupt longstanding farming and production practices.
What’s less evident is that there are still brands doing well and winning despite these trends.
There’s no single answer as to why these wineries are succeeding in the face of so many unsettling currents, as it is often a combination of different tactics. While there’s no silver bullet, there is one thing these success stories have in common: the winery owners’ (and their teams’) willingness to try something different.
What are winning wineries doing differently?
Wine Industry Network (WIN) President and CEO George Christie points out, “Unfortunately, there are still many wineries that aren’t changing the way they market and sell at all. They’re just hoping that things will get back to what they were, but that’s not happening anytime soon. Better to accept that things have changed for good and adjust accordingly. Brands that are winning have done just that.”
One way to identify a path forward is to spend more time in the market. Building and maintaining relationships lets you observe what’s working and what isn’t. By interacting with consumers, retailers and restauranteurs on their home turf, you learn what consumers think about your wines, what sommeliers hear about consumer preferences, and what barriers distributors face. You’re conducting focus groups that can help you develop better solutions for consumers and customers.
“Consumers aren’t walking away from wine entirely — they’re just looking for brands that speak their language,” Christie explains. “That might mean different packaging, more transparent pricing or offering a wine style that feels more approachable. The key is being willing to test and learn.
“It’s all about embracing the situation as it is and then figuring out how to navigate your way through it,” he continues. “I think the people who are doing better are willing to try something new and if that doesn’t work, try something new again until there is a positive impact.”
Connect with the industry to help find your path
Christie and his WIN team have created a series of focused events to investigate some of the topics and concepts for which wineries need creative solutions. The upcoming Wine Sales Symposium (WISS), taking place May 14 in Santa Rosa, Calif., focuses on data-driven decision making, consumer behavior, and sales and marketing optimization.
“Year after year, it’s clear — sales and marketing are where wineries are most hungry for answers,” says Christie. “That’s why we created a full-day event focused solely on helping wineries face today’s market challenges head-on. We’re not just talking theory — we’re bringing in the brands that are actively navigating this new landscape and succeeding. The goal is to give attendees real, actionable insight they can take home and apply immediately.”
He continues, “We want winery attendees to leave with new ideas, new contacts and a shot of confidence that they too can overcome what we’re up against. I think we will look back with a lot of pride, because it’s times like these that bring out the best in people and that will be on display as this year’s symposium.”
Be inspired by these wine professionals across a breadth of topics, including the state of the industry, media and wine club strategies that increase sales and how to succeed with wholesale and social media. Attendees will also gain insights into AI sentiment forecasting and smart shipping solutions.
WISS is also an opportunity to network with your peers. Hearing new ideas from the people you’re sitting with at lunch or talking to between sessions can get your creative juices flowing. You may not implement what worked for others, but tweaking a concept may give you your next step — or even your first step — to overcoming the barriers in front of you.
Laurie Wachter
Laurie Wachter brings her expertise in consumer behavior, food & beverage marketing and direct-to-consumer sales to writing about innovation and challenges in the consumer packaged goods industry. She works with a global client base from her Northern California Wine Country home.
