Oak Ridge Winery’ s Maggio Family Vineyards is primarily an on-premise brand.

RISING STAR

“ Consumption of wine is down across the board, and while consumers are purchasing fewer bottles, they are placing greater emphasis on quality and value,” says Emily Styron, director of marketing at Oak Ridge Winery.“ And if the category isn’ t growing, that means our growth has to come from taking share, which means our brand differentiation and execution are more important than ever.”

Considering that Oak Ridge won three Growth Brands Awards this year, for Maggio, Old Soul and OZV, it must be doing something right.

“ We’ re not in the business of chasing trends— we’ re not large enough for that,” Styron says.“ So we need to lower the barriers of entry for potential wine drinkers and engage with consumers where they’ re at.”

Where many of them are at is the corner of health and wellness.“ The biggest shifts we’ re seeing are around moderation, occasion expansion and a desire for more approachable, lifestyle-oriented wine brands,” says Brie Wohld, vice president of marketing for Trinchero Family Wine & Spirits, which won four Wine Growth Brands this year.

“ Consumers are increasingly looking for products that fit into a wider range of moments, whether that’ s lighter styles, lower-alcohol options or alcohol-free alternatives, without sacrificing quality or experience.”

People who drink wine are increasingly choosing quality over quantity,“ and that plays directly to our strengths,” says Shilah Salmon, senior vice president, brand management,

RISING STAR

Duckhorn Wines in December added a cabernet sauvignon to its lower-calorie, lower-alcohol Featherweight offerings.

luxury brands, for Duckhorn Vineyards.“ At the same time, health and wellness consciousness is reshaping purchase decisions across the category.”

Duckhorn Wines in December 2025 debuted Featherweight cabernet sauvignon, its first red wine in Featherweight’ s lower-calorie, lower-alcohol offerings, says Chanel Caplan, senior vice president, brand management, premium brands. The cab“ builds on the proven success of the Featherweight tier, which was first launched in 2023.”

The betterment space— lower-alcohol, lower-calorie, wellness-aligned choices— is a bright spot in wine, Caplan says.“ Consumers, especially Millennials, increasingly want balance, moderation and functional alignment, but without sacrificing flavor or the premium cues they expect from Decoy.”

Indeed, the wine industry is seeing a broader shift toward wellness and intentional consumption, says Jennifer Purcell, CEO of the Fast Track brand Avaline.“ Consumers, particu-

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