What the winners do differently
See why the wineries pulling ahead are focusing outward on customers and relationships while others are looking inward at costs and discounts.
Session 01
State of the Industry: What the Data Says About the Future of Wine Clubs
Session 01
About the Session
The wine industry has split in two. Some wineries are pulling ahead, most are holding flat, and the gap between them is widening. What are the ones winning right now doing differently?
To open Day 1, Rob McMillan and Paul Dugoni of Silicon Valley Bank join vinSUITE President Jimmy Wu for a data-driven look at where DTC and the wine club stand today.
The club is now the biggest DTC channel, and not because it grew. Tasting room traffic has slipped, and the club has become the channel wineries lean on most.
That changes the stakes for everyone who runs one. The club is no longer a side program feeding off tasting room visits. It is the revenue center of the business, and it has to carry more than it used to.
Club growth itself has cooled, yet the value of the members you keep has never been higher. That is changing what the job is.
Take it back to your winery
What You’ll Gain
A sharper view of what is changing in wine DTC — and where club teams should focus next.
Why the club took the top spot
Understand how the wine club became the largest DTC channel as tasting room traffic slipped beneath it.
Why retention is the new growth
See why member lifetime value matters more than ever as club growth slows — and why keeping the members you already have has become the game.
Meet the speakers
The people behind the conversation.
Three perspectives on where wine DTC stands today — and what the numbers mean for the future of the club.
Rob McMillan
EVP, Founder & Principal Brand Strategist, Wine Division, Silicon Valley Bank
Rob McMillan is one of the top wine-business analysts in the United States and the author of Silicon Valley Bank's highly regarded annual State of the Wine Industry Report.
With decades of experience researching the wine business, his views are sought after and trusted by winery owners, journalists, entrepreneurs, and investors. He has been named several times as one of the most influential people in the U.S. wine industry.
Paul Dugoni
Senior Credit Analyst, SVB Wine Division
Paul Dugoni is a Senior Credit Analyst with Silicon Valley Bank’s Wine Division, combining nearly 15 years of wine industry experience with a background in financial analysis.
Paul provides SVB’s winery clients with strategic financial guidance, market insights, and data-driven analysis helping them navigate today’s market dynamics.
Paul previously held various roles at Hall Wines in St. Helena, most recently serving as Wine Club Manager. He holds a bachelor's degree in business from the University of the Pacific and an MBA in Finance from Saint Mary's College of California.
Jimmy Wu
President, vinSUITE
Jimmy Wu is President of vinSUITE and brings over 20 years of experience in software, hospitality, and beverage alcohol technology.
Prior to vinSUITE, he worked with WinePOS, WineFetch, and WineCommerce, supporting liquor retailers. He now leads vinSUITE with a clear mandate: protect wine club revenue and help wineries grow sustainable DTC sales.
Wine Club Symposium 2026
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