6 New Strategies Wineries Are Using to Stay Afloat
- Marla
- 11 minutes ago
- 5 min read
It’s no secret that the wine industry is going through a tough time. More extreme weather events are hurting the grapes. Some people are drinking less overall or spending less on wine due to economic concerns. Others are eschewing wine in favor of other types of alcohol or cannabis.
The result? Wineries are worried, and fully 41% of those surveyed reported that their biggest obstacle was decreased tasting room visitation, according to WineBusiness’s 2026 Tasting Room Survey results.
With the number of wineries in the United States alone soaring to more than 11,100, they’re also competing with each other for our business like never before.
So what are wineries doing to distinguish themselves and boost sales?
This is such a hot topic that there were no fewer than three webinars on it from industry insiders in a 10-day period this summer. I listened to all three to learn what they had to say.
Some of the strategies wineries used last year, such as free shipping promotions and less pretentious tastings, will likely continue.
But wineries are getting more creative.
“We have to try new things,” noted Rob McMillan, EVP and Founder, Silicon Valley Bank Wine Division, presenting the 2026 Direct-to-Consumer Annual Wine Report. “It’s not a reset, it’s a reinvention.”
These changes are good news for consumers. They enhance our experiences and influence where we want to spend our time and money. And as word gets out regarding what’s working best, expect more wineries to adopt them.
Here are six new strategies wineries are using to stay afloat that you should keep an eye out for.
1. More Wineries Will Come to the Consumer
Wineries have long relied on visitors. But with the number of visitors stagnant or decreasing, more wineries are taking their wines on the road and hosting events offsite in key markets and/or where they have a lot of customers, said McMillan.
They are also opening additional tasting rooms so people don’t have to travel all the way to the vineyard. For instance, Hope Family Wines in Paso Robles, California, opened a second tasting room in downtown Paso Robles, which attracts people casually passing by, according to Jo Armstrong, the winery’s VP of Hospitality, speaking at WineBusiness’s webinar reporting on its survey results.
2. Wineries Will Offer More ‘Value’
To set themselves apart, more wineries are providing that little bonus “something,” such as an extra pour at a wine tasting, an unexpected varietal, or a free tour.
“How do you take the tasting fees and make them palatable for the consumer? By giving the most value. It’s perceived quality over price,” explained McMillan.
Similarly, some wineries are personalizing the wine tasting experience for different visitors. For example, they may ask at the very beginning if a guest is looking for a casual time or a more educational experience and adapt the tasting accordingly. They are also more likely to try to match visitors with a staff member who is more likely to connect with that visitor, said Nicholas Ducos, co-owner and winemaker of Mural City Cellars, an urban winery in Philadelphia, also speaking at the WineBusiness webinar.
“If a guest comes in and doesn’t vibe with the way you [conduct a tasting], it’s okay to pass them on to a teammate who can connect in a different way,” he said.
3. Wineries Will Focus More on What Wine Flavors We Like and Understand
A recent survey conducted for the Wine Market Council revealed that non-regular wine drinkers are leery of wine in part because of the difficulty predicting how it will taste, in contrast to, say, a beer or Bloody Mary. Consumers’ “flavor surprises” were often negative.
As a result, the Council recommends that wineries and other wine sellers communicate better about how a wine will taste in terms that consumers will understand – crisp, sweet, light, etc. Using esoteric language or telling a consumer only about a wine’s region of origin, terroir, or varietal may not be useful, according to Christian Miller, the Council’s Director of Research, speaking at a webinar presenting the survey’s findings.
The survey also found that these infrequent or “hesitant” wine drinkers tend to dislike wines they perceive as too earthy or astringent.
Thus, wineries and other wine sellers should take flavor into account by better matching drinkers to wine flavors that might appeal more to them. For instance, when pouring for an inexperienced wine drinker, it may be a good idea to avoid intense or acidic wines, such as Sauvignon Blanc, said Roger Noujeim, CEO of the marketing firm Quini, also speaking at the Wine Market Council webinar.
“As their palate develops, you can move them to Sauvignon Blanc because then they will appreciate it more,” he suggested.
4. It Will Be Easier for Us to Visit
Another strategy wineries may use to stay afloat is to remove the hassle of visiting. For instance, more wineries are dropping reservation requirements, making it more convenient for people to stop by.
In addition, dropping reservation requirements has led wineries to stay open on more days and for longer hours to accommodate potential visitors, according to Jasmine Eagon, General Manager of Winery Sixteen 600 in Sonoma, speaking at the WineBusiness webinar.
“We’re seeing more walk-ins. Now my motto is ‘we can’t be closed’ because you never know who’s going to drop in,” she said.
5. Winery Members May Enjoy More Perks
We’ll see more interesting ways wineries will entice people to become and stay members.
For example, Mural City Cellars created “member Mondays’ offering members a free glass of wine. Members can bring a guest.
“We wanted to create a wine club that’s part of their daily routine, like going to the gym or getting coffee. People were looking for a reason to get out,” said Ducos.
The winery also uses member sign-up bonuses. For example, it had 35 member sign-ups when the winery offered new members a free bottle of rosé.
Similarly, Hope Family Wines became the official wine of a local concert venue and was thus able to offer wine club members the benefit of presale tickets, said Armstrong.
6. We’ll See Wineries Invest in Our Neighborhoods
Wineries are realizing that when they support local programs, people notice and are more likely to support the winery back, said Ducos. His winery has donated $50,000 in the past five years to local charities and neighborhood projects, which in turn has increased business at the winery.
“People trust us. They know we’re putting money into the community,” he said.
We hope you find this info on six new strategies wineries are using to stay afloat helps you choose where you want to spend your time and money. Are you seeing any additional strategies? Please share! We’re at info@winewithourfamily.com.
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