U.S. Wineries Halt Steep Decline as Direct-to-Consumer Sales Stabilize

Wineries across the United States are showing signs of cautious stabilization in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) wine market, according to Enolytics’ February 2026 Snapshot Report. The Atlanta-based data and analytics company released its latest findings this week, indicating that after nearly three years of contraction, the DTC channel is no longer in a steep decline. Instead, the industry appears to be adapting to new market realities.

Enolytics’ report draws on anonymized transaction data from hundreds of wineries nationwide, using information from major point-of-sale and commerce platforms such as Commerce7, WineDirect, eCellar, Corksy, OrderPort, Offset Partners, VinSuite, Shopify, WineHub, and Awtomic. The company’s methodology ensures year-over-year comparisons are based on a consistent group of wineries with complete data for both periods.

The February 2026 data shows Net Sales Wine was nearly flat at -0.1% year-over-year. This result comes despite February having one fewer weekend day compared to the same month in 2025. Cases Sold declined by -2.4%, which is a notable improvement from the -5% to -6% declines seen throughout much of 2023 and 2024. Over the last twelve months, Net Sales Wine improved from -2.9% to -2.4%, while Cases Sold moved from -2.5% to -2.3%. Orders also improved by almost a full percentage point, shifting from -3.6% to -2.6%.

February marks the fifth consecutive month of improvement across these core metrics. Year-to-date figures for 2026 reinforce this trend: both Net Sales Wine and Cases Sold are at -0.4% for the first two months of the year. This is a significant step up from full-year 2024 declines of -3.4% for sales and -5.3% for cases sold.

Cathy Huyghe, Co-Founder and CEO of Enolytics, said in a statement that while one month does not signal a full recovery, the consistency of improvement across several metrics suggests that the contraction is moderating rather than accelerating. She noted that wineries are showing resilience and disciplined execution even as broader market challenges persist.

The report also highlights a shift in operational focus for wineries in 2026. Success now depends on converting tasting room visitors into long-term customers and strengthening customer relationship strategies. Wineries that can retain their purchaser base—even if transaction frequency softens slightly—are expected to be best positioned for future growth when broader recovery takes hold.

Enolytics publishes its Snapshot Report monthly to provide transparent benchmarking data for the wine industry. The full February report is available publicly at no cost on the company’s website.

The data used in this report is strictly aggregated and anonymized; individual winery performance is never disclosed. Enolytics maintains strict data isolation protocols to ensure privacy and security for all participants.

Enolytics was founded by a team with decades of experience in hospitality, operations, and data science. The company offers business intelligence tools and analytics services designed specifically for beverage alcohol companies worldwide. Their platform integrates point-of-sale, ecommerce, and wholesale depletion data to help clients accelerate growth through actionable insights.

For questions about methodology or access to the full report, Enolytics invites inquiries via their website or email at info@enolytics.com.