6 New Ways Wineries May Change Their Tasting Rooms to Attract Visitors

As you may have heard, there is considerable uneasiness about the state of the wine industry. Wineries are being impacted by the drop in wine consumption, climate change, staffing issues, and other concerns.

This is why a winery’s tasting room and direct-to-consumer sales are so important. According to one recent survey, more than half of the revenue for most U.S. wineries is from direct-to-consumer sales.

As a result, wineries may tinker with how they operate their tasting rooms in order to attract more customers, according to the 2025 Tasting Room Survey Report, produced by WineBusiness Analytics’ Wine Analytics Report. The full report has been published in the July issue of Wine Business Monthly.

This is potentially good news for consumers, since such changes would improve our experience at the winery.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a webinar hosted by WineBusiness Monthly outlining the report’s findings and suggestions to wineries about how they may want to reassess and change their tasting rooms. Some of the recommendations, such as more personal outreach, onsite events, and marketing to younger people, are a continuation of trends from past years. However, a few of the findings are new and worth noting, and we should keep an eye out for them. 

Here are six new ways wineries may change their tasting rooms to attract visitors.

1.      Wineries May Become More Cost-Conscious 

One change to expect in your wine tasting room experience is that more wineries will take visitors’ budgets into account and tailor their offerings accordingly. For instance, some of them are experimenting with lower-priced wine tasting tiers and free or lower-cost tastings on slower days. Some places in Napa, California, known for higher prices, have lowered them to make visiting more affordable, said Erin Kirschenmann, Managing Editor, Wine Business Monthly, one of the webinar hosts.

Other wineries in less expensive regions may sell themselves as a lower cost wine tourism destination, noted Kelly Mantel, Director of direct-to-consumer marketing and ecommerce at Harney Lane Vineyards in Lodi, California, about 90 miles east of San Francisco.

“There is still a general assumption that wine tasting is expensive. But not all regions and experiences are created equal. Consumers are confused by that. Lodi is a great alternative for consumers who are a little more cost-conscious,” he pointed out.

In addition, wineries will start taking a harder look at their own costs. For example, they may reevaluate the events they host and whether the event was worth holding, said Andrew Adams, Editor of Wine Analytics Report and co-host of the webinar. So while there may be plenty of events offered, they may be more modest.  

2.      Wineries Will Return to a More Casual Vibe  

During COVID, many wineries only allowed visitors by appointment. Now that the pandemic is over and wineries are looking to increase traffic, more of them are welcoming casual walk-ins. 

“Expect more variety of options without a need for reservations,” said Mantel.

We’ll also see a more laid-back atmosphere. In the past, some wineries have been more formal because they were trying to convey sophistication. However, consumers these days prefer a more informal environment, noted Mantel.

3.      We May Be Able to Meet the Owner and/or Winemaker  

Another new way wineries may change their tasting rooms to attract more visitors is to have the winery’s owner and/or wine maker available in the tasting room to mingle with guests.

“The younger generation wants to see that. That experience is very important to them,” said Garret Murphy, Founder of Vintner’s Collective in Napa Valley, California, a tasting room for a small group of family-owned wineries.

4.      Freebies May Evolve

Wineries sometimes waive tasting room fees if a visitor purchases wine or joins the wine club.

But wineries are beginning to look into additional strategies. For instance, they may consider giving visitors a token gift, such as a corkscrew, in exchange for their contact information, said Adams.

Or instead of waiving a tasting room fee when someone buys wine, the winery may offer the consumer a second wine tasting experience so they visit again, said Mantel.

“We need to be more creative when and how we comp,” he noted.

5.      We’ll See More Non-and Low Alcoholic Drinks on the Menu

Wineries are beginning to embrace the fact that not all customers want to drink wine, especially with today’s anti-alcohol sentiment. It’s no longer just the designated driver who plans to abstain during a visit. For example, a group may include a pregnant woman or a baby boomer who needs to cut back on alcohol for health reasons. As a result, more wineries will expand their menu options to address that.

“We’ll see more hospitality for everyone who walks in the door,” said Adams.

 6.      Wineries May Increase the Education Provided During a Tasting

While some consumers simply want to hang out at a winery and have fun, wineries are also gearing up to accommodate those who want a more guided, elevated wine tasting experience.

“[Some consumers, especially] younger people want to learn. We need to take time and teach, and curate tasting to their palate,” said Murphy.

We hope you find this info on the new ways wineries may change their tasting rooms to attract visitors helps you plan your next trip to wine country. If there are other new developments you’ve experienced, please share!

Have any suggestions or feedback? Don’t hesitate to send us a message at info@winewithourfamily.com.

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