The Numbers
Number · Sovos ShipCompliant · May 27, 2026
Direct-to-consumer wine shipments fell to 5.3 million cases at a $57 average bottle
Sovos ShipCompliant's 2026 report shows direct-to-consumer wine went from 8.7 million cases at a $38 average bottle price in 2020 to 5.3 million cases at $57, as cited by Damien Wilson of Sonoma State's Wine Business Institute. It ran in the newsletter on May 27, 2026.
What it means for you
Wilson calls it the premiumization mirage: raising prices has tracked directly with losing customers since 2021. A well-positioned $20 to $30 bottle under a second label can lower the entry barrier without hurting the flagship.
Source
Sovos ShipCompliant 2026 Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Report, Sovos ShipCompliant
Other numbers from the same issue
More numbers on pricing, discounts, and margin
See the whole topic15.5%15.5% of wineries cut their tasting fees, and most saw little changeSilicon Valley Bank, Jun 9, 20262xLow-performing wineries are twice as likely to lead with discountsSilicon Valley Bank, Jun 9, 20268%Top-quartile wineries grew sales 8% while the bottom quartile fell 10.2%Silicon Valley Bank, May 7, 2026