Direct-to-consumer wine market expands in US

American drinkers are spending more on premium wine labels sold via DTC channels, according to a recent report published in Winebusiness.com.

Over the past 12 months, the value of DTC sales has risen by 18% to US$181 million, with the average bottle price climbing to US$33.41 in July 2021.

According to the publication, this represented the highest average bottle price since 2016. Moreover, the total value of all wine sold in the US market rose by 6% to $50.6 billion.

The pandemic has also instigated a cultural shift in Europe, with a growing number of wineries embracing the DTC channel. These include Champagne Philipponnat and Mirabeau.

“We became a strong advocate of the DTC model, after the initial shutdown in 2020 killed our on-trade business,” said António Maçanita, owner of several Portuguese wine brands.

“However, maintaining a good service is challenging; it’s your job to provide round the clock customer care. Nevertheless, I think that the distribution networks will change forever and DTC will become more important.”

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