Navigating the New Reality: George Christie on the State—and Future—of the Wine Industry
In a rapidly evolving industry where tradition and innovation collide, George Christie has a front-row seat to the changes reshaping American wine. As founder and president of the Wine Industry Network (WIN), Christie has spent over two decades building platforms, events, and communities designed to help the wine trade thrive. His current message is clear: it’s time to double down on marketing, education, and honest reflection.
From the Jersey Shore to Sonoma’s Heart
Christie’s journey began with a road trip and a little luck. A Jersey Shore native, he made his way west with no clear plan other than to explore. What was meant to be a pit stop in Sonoma County quickly turned into a career. He found his first wine job at Lake Sonoma Winery, where he got hands-on experience in every corner of the business—from cellar to vineyard to tasting room.
That early exposure taught him the value of cross-functional understanding and laid the groundwork for a career that would soon expand beyond the vineyard.
What started as a better online directory — a tool to connect the dots between grape growers, producers, suppliers, and services — eventually became Wine Industry Network (WIN). Over time, WIN became not just a tool but a hub: a place where information, opportunity, and relationships intersected. From that foundation, the North Coast Wine Industry Expo (WIN Expo) was born — now the second-largest wine trade show in the U.S.
But it didn’t stop there.
George and his team kept listening. Every year, the most attended sessions at WIN Expo weren’t about winemaking or vineyard management. They were about sales and marketing—the part of the business everyone agreed was the hardest. So WIN created an entirely separate event, one focused solely on the challenge of selling wine in a volatile, changing marketplace: the Wine Sales Symposium.
And that’s why we’re showing up.
BevFluence lives at the intersection of beverage storytelling, influencer collaboration, and trade education. We don’t just talk about what’s in the glass — how it gets there, how it gets sold, and how the industry behind it stays alive. Right now, that last part isn’t guaranteed.
The wine industry is facing a reckoning. As George put it, the product isn’t the problem. Wineries are making better wine than ever, and growers are cultivating better fruit. But the pie is smaller, and no one’s sure what tomorrow brings. Inventory is long, and buying habits are unpredictable. Even legacy vendors are pulling back, downsizing their event presence and stretching gear for another season.
For many, the old models are no longer working, and the only way forward is to reimagine how we engage consumers, design packaging, structure pricing, and build brand loyalty.
And that starts, George says, with showing up:
“For starters, they need to be out in the market as much as possible. You can’t rely on your distributors or brokers to do all the hard work, the heavy lifting, for you. You need to think of them more as your representative — your delivery guy who ensures your product gets to the accounts. Still, you need to take responsibility for the relationships. And you’ve got to take responsibility for the education. That just comes from talking to people.”
It’s insufficient to send a tech sheet and wait for a placement. You must be out there, pouring, educating, shaking hands, and reinforcing what makes your brand worth remembering.
And George acknowledges that that’s not always feasible for everyone, especially the generation of winery owners who’ve built their brands over decades and now face the question of what comes next. For many, the next chapter might be letting go.
“Understandably, a lot of winery principals — they’ve already been there, they’ve done that. What we’re starting to see — and it’s not even a prediction anymore, it’s happening — is turnover. Wineries are going to get sold. Vineyards are going to be sold. Right now, many people hope someone will pay more than they’re willing to pay themselves, but they may need to adjust their expectations.”
Some of that shift comes from what George affectionately calls the “dream chasers” — people who found success in another career, fell in love with wine country, and decided to build something of their own. Many did just that. But they’re tired now. They’ve put in the time, faced the grind, and discovered just how unglamorous this business can be behind the curtain.
“Maybe they’re 59 or 60 now. They don’t want to do it anymore. And I don’t blame them. Maybe their kids don’t want to either — they’ve seen how hard it is. So there’s going to be a change. But all that change will lead to positive things because we need fresh ideas. We need the next generation of wine industry decision-makers and influencers to step up.”
That new generation? They’re not bound by tradition in the same way. They’re not invested in doing things “because that’s how we’ve always done them.” And that opens the door to creativity, innovation, and fun.
“We struggled for years just to get people to accept a screwcap. It was a huge deal. Now, if I open a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, I just want to unscrew the cap. Everybody’s cool with that now. And I think we’ll continue to see more of that — smaller bottles, wine in cans, wine-based cocktails.”
“The other day, I said this to someone — kind of rambling — but I just said, Goddamnit, why can’t we make wine fun again? Why does it always have to be so serious? Especially in Northern California. You get outside that bubble — go to Paso, parts of the Central Coast, or anywhere outside California — and wine is fun. Wine spritzers? Sure. Who cares? People are enjoying the product. That’s what matters.”
Fun doesn’t mean frivolous. It means accessible, inclusive, exciting — all essential ingredients if the wine industry wants to engage younger drinkers and compete with the flash and flexibility of spirits and RTDs.
At this year’s Wine Sales Symposium, you’ll hear from people who are leaning into that future: rethinking packaging, rebuilding tasting room strategies, approaching DTC as a lifestyle channel, and prioritizing education over assumption.
There’s no fluff here. No glitzy gimmicks or empty optimism. Just a full day of roll-up-your-sleeves education across direct-to-consumer sales, wholesale, media relations, retention strategy, and packaging innovation — plus real-time reports on how the industry’s doing. But maybe more importantly, it’s a place for the right kind of networking. As George reminded us, success in this business is often about who you know and trust.
This year’s sessions may not follow a neatly packaged theme, but there’s a clear throughline: some brands are still winning. The question is, how? And how can the rest of us — whether we’re wineries, vendors, influencers, educators, or media — learn from them?
If you’re considering attending, use promo code WINESALES at winesalessymposium.com for a registration discount.
About George Christie
George Christie is the President & CEO of Wine Industry Network (WIN), a company he co-founded in 2009 with Elizabeth ‘E’ Slater. Originally from New Jersey, George moved to Sonoma County in 1991 and quickly immersed himself in the wine industry. Over the years, he has worked in nearly every aspect of the business — from vineyard operations and grower relations to distributor realignments and national marketing campaigns. He has also held board positions with the Russian River Wine Road, Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley, and the Sonoma County Vintners.
In 2008, George and his wife, Tami, and the Saini Family founded Saini Vineyards, a winery specializing in Old Vine Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley. In 2009, George and Elizabeth launched WIN, which began as an online directory and evolved into a leading B2B marketing and media company. WIN now works with over 600 industry product and service providers, and produces events like the Wine Industry Expo (WIN Expo), the Wine & Weed Symposium, and the Wine Industry Advisor news site. WIN also publishes the Afternoon Brief daily news email, reaching over 35,000 industry subscribers.
We’ll be there—not just as media but also as collaborators and conversation-starters. If you’re facing the same headwinds, let’s talk. Let’s build.
-The BevFluence Team
Wine Sales Symposium
When
May 14, 2025; 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Where
Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country
170 Railroad Street, Santa Rosa, California, 95401
