Wine sales are flattening, foot traffic’s softer, yet some wineries are quietly crushing it. In Forbes, Liz Thach, MW lays out five wine tourism moves powering direct-to-consumer growth in 2025. The headline: experiences and access beat discounts and despair. Let’s break down the biggest plays—and how both wineries and wine lovers can ride the swell.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just another headline—it’s a signal of where the wine news is headed. Paying attention now could save you money, introduce you to your next favorite bottle, or simply make you the most interesting person at your next dinner party.
Key Takeaways
- Price points mentioned range from $45 to $45, offering options for various budgets.
- Key themes: wine tourism, direct-to-consumer, winery experiences—stay informed on these evolving trends.
- The takeaway? Keep exploring, keep tasting, and don’t be afraid to try something new.
Mobile wine tourism: meet people where they sip
Why wait for visitors to find your driveway when you can roll up with the wine? Wölffer Estate’s mobile stand and Wine Tap Truck, Blue Rock Vineyard’s 120 off-site events last year, and urban tasting rooms from L’Ecole No. 41 to Brooks Note Cellars show the strategy: go to concerts, farmers’ markets, neighborhoods—and make it easy to taste.
As John Keleher of Community Benchmark notes, “fully 37% of the wineries have grown their DTC sales positively,” via Forbes. When visitation dips, mobility is a competitive advantage. Think like a food truck: tight pours, tight storytelling, tight follow-up. Scan-and-join club offers. QR codes for reorders. Compliance checked, smiles on.
Owner interaction: real people, real loyalty
The smallest wineries are booking up because the experience feels like visiting friends, not a service counter. Walk the vines with the owner, meet the winemaker, skip the script. That intimacy is tough to scale and impossible to fake—and it’s part of why smaller wineries are outperforming on DTC.
Rob McMillan puts it bluntly: “DTC today is easily the most profitable sales channel,” via Forbes. In a world of bots and pop-ups, the warm hello from the person who farmed the block hits different. Hospitality isn’t a perk; it’s the product.
Unique events and tours: experiences that stick
Gen Z and Millennials don’t just want a flight; they want a story they can post and remember. Forbes highlights miniature donkey visits at Ravines Wine Cellars, miniature goat yoga at Brandeberry, yoga at Eola Hills, and sustainability tours with tractors at La Crema and Benziger. My favorite bit of hands-on craft: wax-dipping bottles at the Belle Glos tasting room—a maker moment that’s racked up millions of social impressions for a reason.
Pro tip for wineries: anchor the novelty in your brand. Goat yoga works if you’re playful and pastoral. If your vibe is heritage and heritage only, consider blending seminars or label-making workshops instead. Novelty gets attention; authenticity earns trust.
Drop-in tastings and friendlier fees: remove the friction
The pendulum is swinging back from “appointment-only” toward spontaneity. When Highway 29 signs say “Drop-ins welcome,” you’ve widened the funnel. On pricing, Bella Union’s $45 casual tasting with snacks undercuts the Napa average by a mile, while Kendall-Jackson and DeLoach are wooing guests with complimentary welcome flights. Lowering the threshold to that first pour raises the odds of a second (and a case).
So what’s the playbook?
Thach’s Forbes piece covers five trends; the common thread is simple: engage deeper, get closer, and make it easier to say yes. Whether you’re pouring out of a tap truck or pouring for a table of two, the winning combo is mobility + access + personality + value. Cost-cutting alone won’t save the day; experiences and relationships will.
For wineries
- Go mobile strategically: target events with your kind of audience and collect emails like they’re rare clones.
- Put the owner/winemaker in the room: even quick hellos create lifetime fans.
- Design one signature experience that photographs well and feels on-brand.
- Offer a low-commitment entry tasting; upsell with hospitality, not pressure.
For travelers
- Follow your favorite wineries on social—mobile pop-ups are announced late and often.
- Don’t be shy about drop-ins; many tasting rooms are relaxing the rope.
- Seek out sustainable tours or maker sessions for a deeper sense of place.
- Value isn’t just price; it’s the story, access, and fun per pour.
Bottom line: the 2025 wine tourism wave rewards wineries that paddle out to meet guests and guests who chase experiences over checklists. That’s a current we can all ride.
All quotes and data via Forbes reporting by Liz Thach, MW.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizthach/2025/08/14/five-hot-wine-tourism-trends-in-2025/
