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May 2026
While the tariffs might be gone (for now), the global wine market is in even more disarray than it was a year ago as consumption continues to wane while war spreads and economic uncertainty grows. Wineries continue to find new efficiencies through artificial intelligence and that may help turn the market around quicker than seen during previous downturns.
April 2026
The ongoing contraction of the U.S. wine market is forcing wineries to rework their direct-to-consumer (DtC) programs to be more amendable to the different ways people want to enjoy wine. Such an approach could well nurture some promising green shoots of growth that include a 5% gain in total winery DtC shipment value in March.
March 2026
The 2025 harvest looks to be the smallest in 25 years and now that supply has been reset the onus falls on wineries to rebuild consumer demand. Total wine market value continues to increase as volume declines while winery direct-to-consumer shipments fared slightly better in February than the previous month.
February 2026
As a new year and new vintage begin, the U.S. wine business remains hamstrung by its longstanding challenges and that makes charting a course through newfound obstacles even more daunting. Winery direct-to-consumer shipments recorded a weak January, yet total U.S. wine market value held steady.
January 2026
2025 did not end on a high note but the past year may have seen the end of the most significant sales declines offering some hope that the U.S. wine market is poised for a rebound or modest growth. Hope, of course, is not a strategy and achieving any growth will require wineries to embrace new technology to hold on to direct sales while taking advantage of limited opportunities in the off- and on-premise markets.
January 2026
As the wine industry continues to settle in to new, post-pandemic normal premium sales are slowing while wines in larger format packaging and other alternatives have regained some momentum. In the latest Industry Metrics, winery recruiting slowed compared to the previous year while winery direct-to-consumer shipment value also declined and off-premise sales remain flat.
December 2025
Most people are still just “googling it,” but the number of those “asking” AI assistants for answers is rapidly increasing and that’s changing how wineries should tell their story online to ensure those helpful bots recommend them to potential customers. Winery direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipments declined in November, but the total market remained steady thanks to sparkling wine and flavored wines.
November 2025
There was a change to this year’s list of the top 10 U.S. wine distributors, but not what many may have expected given the shakeups seen earlier this year. As the crucial fourth quarter sales period began, total winery direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipment value nearly hit the same mark as last year.
October 2025
Wine sales continue to decline in the off-premise market where alternative formats such as cans keep outperforming the total category by a wide margin. Cans appear to be having a moment by offering drinkers more options with less commitment. Winery recruiting continues to slow, as total market value grew 4% yet volumes continue to decrease.
