How Important is DTC to Wineries, Really?

Dear Client: Wine has traditionally built its brands through the direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel, whether that be in-person tastings at the winery or by amassing and maintaining a following through wine clubs. However, that's been on the decline in recent years, with the DTC shipping segment of the industry seeing its steepest declines in almost 15 years, with sales down 5% and volumes down 10% in 2024, per Sovos ShipCompliant data [see WSD 01-23-2025]. The recent Unified Wine and Grape conference