In the age of subscriptions, when one might pay a recurring fee for everything from streamers to food delivery service to boxes of dog toys, I thought wine clubs — a winery’s most reliable revenue stream — would have evolved more by now.
There are hundreds of wine clubs to join in Napa Valley and Sonoma County alone, and I’d say the majority of them are offering good wines. Yet instead of trying to differentiate, most wineries offer the same perks they have for decades: modest discounts on wines and shipping; a few free tastings a year; members-only wines; and exclusive access to pick-up parties and other events (which usually cost extra money). Sure, some wine clubs let you customize your shipment, choosing whatever wines you’d like, though there’s often a minimum spend. Others have a special “members only” area at their tasting room.
Given the wine industry crisis and declining U.S. alcohol consumption, I’m not sure that’s enough anymore. According to Silicon Valley Bank’s 2025 Direct-to-Consumer Wine Report, the average wine club growth rate was just 2% in 2024, down from 5% the year prior and from 11% in 2018. Wine clubs are vital to success, accounting for 28% of wineries’ sales channels in 2024…