“BOTTLE PRICES
$200+ was the fastest growing price category.”
Having just moved here I agree… at least compared to the retailers I was dealing with in Texas.
Thanks for sharing, I found this really fascinating. While mentioned in the last paragraph as perhaps the most important factor, it seems like the impact of internet/digital tech would be worth a bit more time. The combination of wide dispersal of reviews and review materials, wine-searcher, CT, this site, online retail, and many more (plus easy to find web sites for every producer) means that people can learn about and actually find/buy wine of interest. Before the Internet this was nearly impossible. Understanding how to best use the Internet – even for a very small producer with limited/no marketing budget – could be the difference between business success and failure.
I was also really pleased to see documentation on the vast number of small producers. This gives me real hope that the revolution of fine craft wine that we are living through is sustainable since so many are interested in giving it a go.
It has for me. Shipping from wineries can cost double what it does from retailers.
To stay competitive in an ever more crowded environment, most wineries are subsidizing shipping to some degree and also increasing the level of service (to temperature control). Margins get thinner, but revenue increases.