A new tasting room survey finds bright spots and low spots in the world of winery visitation, painting a more nuanced picture about the state of the industry than the negative vibes prominent in the headlines. The survey includes data on 11,000 wineries in the firm’s database.

Overall, wineries are changing their tactics to find financial balance amid turbulent times, as consumers grapple with tech job layoffs, threats of job elimination from AI and uncertainty in government policies and the economy.

Uneven Visitation Impacts: Napa Up 16% in Tasting Room Visitors, Sonoma Down 17%

The data showed that economic trends are affecting different regions in markedly varied ways.

Despite a 15% decline in international visitors from 2023 to 2024, Napa visitation has gone up (15.9%), while every other region in the western U.S. showed visitation declines, ranging from 5.3% in the Central Coast to Sonoma, the biggest loser, with a decrease of 17.2% in visitors.

The main culprit in visitation numbers, wineries reported, for 2025, was a general downturn in tourism overall.

Volume vs. Value

Napa also defied the downturn in DTC volume sales with a 16% increase in value.

Said one industry expert, “Even in the rest of California, we have an increase in the volume. If value is not necessarily there, it looks a lot better than some of the headlines would suggest.”

DTC sales volumes were up in the Central Coast and Sonoma, but, with the exception of the Central Coast and regions east of the Rockies, DTC values were down.

Tasting Room Fees and Reservations

Tasting room fees did not appear to affect visitation as much as might have been thought. Though 18% of wineries in Napa say they created a lower price tier, that tactic did not succeed in other wine regions.

Testing different models, Boisset announced complimentary flights at its DeLoach Vineyards in Sonoma and its Raymond Vineyards in Napa, offering three wines in each free flight. The free tastings require advance reservation and are available only on Thursdays and Sundays.

Wine touring without reservations is still a more popular option, experts said.

Webinar guest speaker Kelly Mantel, head of DTC marketing and e-commerce at Harney Lane Vineyards in Lodi, reported consumers still love the old-school spontaneity of the walk-in model. “We’re seeing a lot of folks really looking for a casual experience, something that they can do without a reservation. Kind of that old-school walk-in, visit multiple tasting rooms within a day,” he said.

Tasting fees at Harney Lane are priced in four tiers: $20, $30, $40 and $50.

A local wine industry professional noted “walk-ins welcome” signs dot Highway 12, a main thoroughfare in Sonoma.

Making every visit count, Mantel stressed the importance of a strong email collection and follow-up program.

“Over 50% of who we see is that first-time visitor. But we also know about 80% of first-time consumers won’t make that second purchase,” he said, so the team has invested heavily in follow-on marketing tools.

Webinar guest speaker Garret Murphy of Vintner’s Collective in Napa showcases wines from 18 wineries in its downtown tasting room, housed in a historic brick building that was once a brothel. Tasting fees are $50, $100 and $250.

Aside from hiring employees with empathy, he stressed knowing how to handle different types of visitors is essential.

“The boomers are not buying much anymore. Gen X are buying in greater quantity, but they don’t come as often. I suspect it’s because they work a lot. The millennials come more often but buy a little less. So you just have to adapt and create an environment that makes those millennials come back often,” he said.

Nevertheless, the tasting room is still performing well for wineries overall, said a Napa-based expert. “It’s great to see that generally, all the regions are above 60% in scoring a sale in the tasting room based on whomever walks in.”