Vicki Tomiser | Elevator in Chief, Wine Flight Consulting
As part of the DTCWS 2026 Steering Committee, I’ve been spending time looking not just at what’s wrong in the DTC wine space—but what’s going right. Because while the landscape has undeniably shifted, there are wineries thriving in this moment. And they’re not just surviving by luck—they’re building smart, soulful, and strategic programs that put people first.
So what are these wineries doing differently?
They’re reimagining what “DTC” means. It’s not just email cadence and free shipping thresholds anymore. It’s about thinking expansively—and creatively—about how we show up for our customers. And about who those customers really are.
The most successful brands I see in DTC right now have three big things in common:
- They’re planning with intention. They’re not throwing money at marketing and hoping something sticks. They know their Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). They understand the lifetime value of their customers. They’re making every dollar count—and not just for short-term revenue bumps, but for long-term relationship building.
- They’re showing up where their people are—literally. We’re seeing a return to the joy of in-person connection: → Roadshows that feel more like family reunions than sales pitches → Pop-ups that bring the vineyard to the city, the coast, the community → Collaborations with like-minded brands and makers that open new doors and new conversations
- They’re telling better stories. Not louder, flashier, or trendier stories—just truer ones. → Stories rooted in farming, place, and process → Stories told in human language, not tasting note jargon → Stories that make someone say, “That feels like me,” not “I guess that’s for people who know more than I do”
In a time when consumers are overwhelmed, over-targeted, and over-advised, the brands that break through are the ones that feel personal, not performative. They invite people to belong, not just buy.
That’s what I call “other DTC.” The creative, human side of direct-to-consumer. The kind that makes someone open an email because it sounds like a friend. Or drive 45 minutes to a pop-up because the invite felt like an adventure. Or join a club because the wine is beautiful and the brand feels like home.
This is the kind of strategy that works—and the kind of strategy I love helping wineries build.
More to come as part of the DTCWS 2026 Thought Leadership series. Until then, if your DTC plan could use a creative refresh, a reality check, or just a good playlist, I’m always happy to chat.
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