This blog was last updated on January 8, 2021
This month, Sovos ShipCompliant will release the annual Direct-to-Consumer (DtC) Wine Shipping Report with our partners Wines Vines Analytics, based on 2020 data. Here is what you need to know about this comprehensive report and some key findings from last year’s report.
About the 2021 Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Report
The Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Report is a one-of-a-kind industry snapshot, presenting data not tracked or reported anywhere else. Sovos ShipCompliant and Wines Vines Analytics have been collaborating for more than 10 years on the DtC channel’s exclusive shipping report, delivering detailed insights on wine shipments made from wineries to consumers in the United States.
The Wines Vines Analytics team created an algorithm that uses a database of nearly 10,000 U.S. wineries to extrapolate all DtC shipments from millions of anonymous transactions filtered through the Sovos ShipCompliant system in 2020. The model tracks sales by winery region, annual winery production, destination of shipments, wine type (varietal) and price points. The result is the most accurate projection of the American DtC wine shipping channel.
A glance at last year’s top trends before peering into the 2021 report
The 2020 report, covering 2019 data, shined a light on some new industry trends. With the COVID-19 pandemic having a huge impact on the wine industry and how consumers shop, will this year’s report be wildly different from previous years, or will trends only vary slightly? Here are some of the top takeaways from last year’s report on 2019 shipping:
- DtC channel growth slowed with a volume increase of 4.7% and a value increase of 7.4% in 2019.
- The varietal Syrah saw strong increases in 2019 with a 16% increase in value, a 14% increase in volume and a 2.5% bump in average price.
- Wineries producing 500,000+ cases of wine annually far outperformed all other categories of wineries in 2019—with an increase in value of over 500%.
- In 2019, wines priced at $100+ continued to outperform the overall DtC channel.
- Oregon and Washington wineries continued to outpace other regions in shipment volume, value and price per bottle in 2019.
- 2019 saw the largest increase in average price per bottle shipped since 2011, with a 2.5% increase.
We’ll have updates on these and other findings in the 2021 DtC report. In the meantime, you can take a look at how the DtC channel performed in 2019 by checking out last year’s 2020 Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Report.
Report findings unveiled at the Direct-to-Consumer Wine Symposium
Sovos ShipCompliant General Manager Larry Cormier will be speaking at the Virtual Direct-to-Consumer Wine Symposium alongside Andrew Adams, editor at Wine Vines Analytics on Friday, January 22 at 11:40 AM PT and share what did and didn’t change in DtC wine shipping in 2020 as a result of COVID-19. Tune in to hear updated reporting on volume, value, shipment destination states, as well as outcomes by region, varietals and price tiers.
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