About the Symposium

The Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium is more than an industry event — it’s the driving force behind progress in winery DTC shipping, leadership, and education. Presented by Free the Grapes, this annual gathering funds this 501(6)C’s work to eliminate shipping restrictions and expand consumer choice in wine across the U.S.Meet the dedicated volunteer Steering Committee whose leadership makes this event — and its impact — possible.

Brian Baker

Brian Baker

Founder, Cultivar Marketing

John Cedillo III

John Cedillo III

Chief Experience Officer, Be Hospitable Consulting

Woman in an orange dress holding a wine bottle and empty glass, standing against a light-colored wall.

Isis Daniel

The Millennial Somm

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Jessah Diaz

Director of DTC, Cakebread Cellars

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Jasmine Egan

General Manager, Winery Sixteen 600

Ed Feuchuk

Ed Feuchuk

General Manager, Tank Garage Winery-Farm Collective Napa Valley

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Laura Perret Fontana

Founder, LPF Digital Marketing

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Barbara Gorder

President, Undisclosed Location | Managing Partner, DTC Wine Symposium

Meredith Hayes

Meredith Hayes

Wine Marketing consultant

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Kasey Helt

Director of DTC Operations - Laetitia Vineyards and Winery

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James Lovaas

DTC Operations Manager, Wente Family Estates

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Kelly Mantel

Director, DTC Marketing & eCommerce, Harney Lane Vineyards

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Patricia O’Brien

Director of Hospitality, Truffle Pig Winery

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Vicki Tomiser

Elevator in Chief, Wine Flight Consulting

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Cyndi Yoxall

Wine Club Manager Balletto Vineyards – Santa Rosa, CA

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Heather Daenitz

Craft & Cluster

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50+ Experts

50+ Sessions with Experts from within and outside the Wine Business.

We’re different from any other Wine Business Conference. We thoroughly rehearse our content, whether it’s a panel discussion, a sponsor session, or a keynote. Before we put anyone on stage, we ensure there are relevant, valuable takeaways for you. We provide content across different levels of DTC Enterprise and across specialties: Marketing, Sales, Hospitality, and Business.

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94% Approval in Past Years. 100% in 2025.

Over the past 20 years, we have achieved 94-100% approval ratings across the Board for our Exceptional programming year over year.

The Free the Grapes! Team delivers legislative excellence across the US, and the DTC Wine Symposium delivers educational excellence. Our aim is to offer attendees and sponsors opportunities for networking, education, and business growth.

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600+ Attendees

DTC Growth: 22 States. 6 Countries. 38 Sponsors.609 Attendees.

Our Free the Grapes! coalition has grown beyond our Napa and Sonoma roots to include new states we’ve never seen before. We’ve expanded our representation in Michigan and Texas. Over 40% of our attendees hold senior roles at DTC businesses, from under 1K cases to the largest wine companies in the world.

Frequently Asked Questions For DTCWS27

Why should I attend?
Can I share my ticket, as in past years?
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Can I get a refund if I can’t attend?
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