February 26, 2026 (Napa, CA) — The Wine Market Council (WMC) will host a special webinar on March 6 (10am PST) entitled “Revitalizing Wine Sales In the Three-Tier System”. This timely session will explore the strategic actions needed to drive renewed growth for wine sales in both off- and on-premise establishments across the United States. The webinar is open to WMC members and media.
As the wine market navigates shifting consumer behaviors, inflationary pressures, and evolving generational preferences, industry experts will present new data highlighting pockets of growth and offer actionable recommendations to help retailers, distributors, and suppliers strengthen performance.
The webinar features two leading authorities in wine market research and commercial intelligence:
- Zachary Poelma, SVP Commercial Intelligence Senior, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
- Christian Miller, Research Director, Wine Market Council
Together, they will present current market data, identify emerging opportunities, and provide practical strategies designed to enhance wine sales across price segments—from entry-level offerings to luxury brands.
Key Topics Include:
- Why velocity—not distribution—is the primary challenge facing wine today
- Signs of recovery, including increased engagement from Gen Z consumers
- The impact of inflation and value perception on on-premise wine purchasing
- How simplifying menus and retail shelves can increase consumer confidence and trial
- The critical role of waitstaff recommendations and suggestive selling
- The importance of shifting from transactional to extended enterprise distributor–supplier relationships
- Proven methods tailored to different price points, supporting producers from entry-level to luxury wines
Webinar Agenda:
10:00 – 10:05 AM – Welcome & Introduction – Liz Thach
10:05 – 10:30 AM – Uncorking the Wine Opportunity – Zackary Poelma, SGWS
10:30 – 10:40 AM – Q&A
10:40 – 10:55 AM – Solutions to Increase Wine Sales in Off/On-Premise Environments – Christian Miller, WMC
10:55 – 11:00 AM – Q&A and Conclusion
“We look forward to having WMC members join the conversation and explore solutions that can help move the wine category forward,” said Liz Thach.
For more information about the study or webinar, contact the Wine Market Council at .
The webinar is open to Wine Market Council members and the press. Non-members interested in joining WMC may apply at:
https://winemarketcouncil.com/members-only/membership-application/
About Wine Market Council
Wine Market Council is a non-profit organization, established in 1996, and is powered by members with an interest in advancing the U.S. wine market and industry. The mission of WMC is “to conduct forward-looking market research on U.S. wine consumer buying habits, attitudes and trends.’
Membership benefits include access to cutting-edge research on the U.S. wine consumer, along with member webinars, newsletters, access to data files and statistics, and complimentary attendance at our annual research conference. Membership starts as low as $400 per year for access to webinars and reports – depending on the size of your organization. Members include wineries, distributors, growers, importers, regional, national, and international trade associations, and affiliates. For more information on membership and costs, please see https://winemarketcouncil.com/join/.