Wine business

What Wine business does

WineBusiness, operated by Wine Communications Group, Inc., is a B2B media and events company serving the North American wine industry from its headquarters in Sonoma, California. Founded in 2000, the company operates an integrated multi-channel platform spanning editorial (WineBusiness Monthly magazine, the largest-circulation North American wine industry publication; WineBusiness.com news portal; Daily News Email newsletter reaching 30,000+ industry members; Wine Analytics Report), employment (winejobs.com, hosting 10,000+ annual job postings from enterprise wineries and SMB employers), classifieds (grapes and bulk wine, used equipment, used barrels, real estate, services and supplies, priced at $45 per 35-day listing), proprietary data (WineBusiness Analytics, the curated Directory/Buyer's Guide, bw166 partner data), tools (Winemaking Calculators, the WineBusiness Stock Index tracking publicly traded wine companies), and live events (WIFS, WiVi Central Coast, Innovation + Quality with Napa Valley Vintners, Winejobs SUMMIT, Eastern Wine Expo, Central Coast Insights).

The company serves a diversified base of wineries (Treasury Wine Estates, Delicato, Jackson Family, Korbel, Foley Family, Duckhorn Portfolio, Hall, Brasswood), vineyard growers, custom crush facilities (Vinify, Legend Napa Valley, Fortress, Lucid), equipment vendors, distributors, retailers, and increasingly financial institutions through the BMO-sponsored annual Wine Market Report. Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring subscriptions, transactional classified fees, event registration and sponsorship, and sponsored research partnerships, with the most recent expansion being the 2026 third-annual BMO Wine Market Report, now produced with Baker Tilly. Leadership is anchored by Chairman Hugh Tietjen (involved in wine since 1971), President Eric Jorgensen (joined 2000, ex-Excite@Home and Apple), VP of Data Management Lynne Skinner, Editor in Chief Cyril Penn, and Wine Analytics Report Editor Andrew Adams.

The platform's competitive position rests on its incumbent role as the daily destination for North American wine professionals, supported by decades of proprietary data, the largest magazine circulation in the segment, and a diversified event portfolio, though it discloses no AI/ML capabilities and has not raised external capital since 2000.

Name

Wine business

Legal name

Wine Communications Group, Inc.

Website

https://winebusiness.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WineBusiness is a B2B media and events platform serving the North American wine industry, operating WineBusiness Monthly, Winejobs.com, the Wine Analytics Report, classifieds, and a portfolio of regional conferences. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Sonoma, CA, it monetizes via subscriptions, listing fees, events, and sponsored research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sonoma

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue (Magazine & Digital): WineBusiness Monthly magazine (print and digital) and Wine Analytics Report generate subscription revenue. Daily News Email is free. Membership provides free access to Daily News Email and site content, with premium features for paid subscribers.
2. Classified Advertising (winejobs.com): Wine industry employers pay to post job listings on winejobs.com. Listings are priced at $45 for 35 days. Additional listings in the same transaction cost $15 each. The platform covers all wine industry job categories including winemaking, vineyards, sales, DTC, finance, and administration.
3. Grapes & Bulk Wine Classifieds: Grapes and bulk wine exchange listings. Sellers and buyers transact through the platform for grapes, bulk wine, and appellation-specific listings. Used Barrels section also charges $45 per listing.
4. Services & Supplies Classifieds: Custom crush facilities, lab services, mobile bottling, filtration, storage, consulting, vineyard supplies, and other wine industry services advertise through the platform. Listings cost $45 for 35 days.
5. Used Equipment Classifieds: Winery equipment (presses, tanks, filters, pumps, crushpad equipment, lab equipment) listed for sale. First listing costs $45; additional listings in the same transaction cost $15.
6. Real Estate Classifieds: Winery and vineyard real estate listings posted through the classified platform.
7. Sponsored Industry Reports & Analytics: The BMO Wine Market Report (produced in partnership with Baker Tilly, WineBusiness Analytics, and bw166) represents a sponsored annual research product. Wine Analytics Report is a subscription digital publication. The Buyer Guide generates advertising and listing revenue.
8. Industry Events & Conferences: WineBusiness produces and co-produces multiple annual industry events including the Wine Industry Financial Symposium (WIFS), WiVi Central Coast, Innovation + Quality (IQ), Winejobs.com SUMMIT, Eastern Wine Expo (EWE), and Central Coast Insights (CCI). Events generate registration fees and sponsorship revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Wine Business is a B2B media, data, and events company serving the North American wine industry. It sells subscriptions to its print and digital magazine (WineBusiness Monthly), distributes a free Daily News Email to 30,000+ members, operates the Wine Analytics Report, runs the Winejobs.com specialty job board, hosts a multi-category Classifieds exchange (grapes & bulk wine, used equipment, used barrels, real estate, services & supplies), maintains the Directory/Buyer's Guide, and produces annual industry conferences such as WIFS, WiVi, IQ, the Winejobs SUMMIT, and the Eastern Wine Expo.

Product overview

WineBusiness operates a comprehensive multi-platform media and information network for the North American wine industry. The core offering consists of WineBusiness.com as the central web portal, complemented by WineBusiness Monthly magazine (the industry's leading print publication), the Daily News Email newsletter, and the Wine Analytics Report. Supporting services include Winejobs.com (the leading wine industry job board), a Classifieds platform for grapes, bulk wine, equipment, barrels, real estate and services, and the Directory/Buyer's Guide for vendor discovery. The portfolio also includes wine industry events including the Eastern Wine Expo, WiVi Central Coast, Innovation + Quality (IQ) forum, Winejobs.com SUMMIT, and Wine Industry Financial Symposium. Additional tools include Winemaking Calculators and the WineBusiness Stock Index (WBIX) for tracking wine industry stocks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WineBusiness.com Industry web portal serving as the homepage for the North American wine industry, providing news, stock index (WBIX), job listings, classifieds (Grapes & Bulk Wine, Used Equipment, Used Barrels, Real Estate, Services & Supplies), analytics, events calendar, and winemaking tools to wine industry professionals.
• WineBusiness Monthly Print and digital trade magazine with the largest circulation in North America for wine industry publications, featuring editorial on winemaking, grape growing, sales and marketing, and business and technology for wineries and growers.
• Daily News Email Free weekday morning email newsletter, free with member registration, delivering industry news and top stories to 30,000+ wine industry members.
• Wine Analytics Report Monthly subscription digital publication produced by the Wines Vines Analytics editorial team, featuring wine industry metrics, acreage and harvest reports, retail sales numbers, market trends, bulk wine and grape prices, personnel changes, events, and M&A activity.
• Directory/Buyer's Guide The only curated, comprehensive, up-to-date, wine-industry-specific vendor directory, available online and in annual print edition, supporting vendor discovery and buyer-seller connections across the North American wine industry.
• Winejobs.com Specialty online job board and the leading employment resource for the North American wine industry, with 10,000+ jobs posted annually and email alerts to job seekers and employers.
• WineBusiness Classifieds Online classifieds exchange platform offering paid listings across five categories: Grapes & Bulk Wine, Used Equipment, Used Barrels, Real Estate, and Services & Supplies, priced at $45 per listing for 35 days.
• Wine Industry Financial Symposium (WIFS) Annual wine industry conference covering financial, business, and strategic issues, providing a platform for communication between wine businesses and the lending community; registration and sponsorship revenue.
• WiVi Central Coast Premier annual wine and viticulture symposium and tradeshow for Central California, held in Paso Robles each March, with 45,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and nearly 200 exhibits, plus educational seminars and networking.
• Innovation + Quality (IQ) Annual ultra-premium winemaking forum set in Napa Valley, co-produced by WineBusiness Monthly and Napa Valley Vintners, focused on cutting-edge innovations that advance wine quality.
• Winejobs.com SUMMIT Invitation-only annual gathering for wine industry HR managers to connect with peers and discuss current HR topics.
• Eastern Wine Expo (EWE) Largest trade show and conference for winemaking and grape growing in the Eastern United States, held annually rotating between Syracuse, NY and Lancaster, PA, with over 200 exhibiting companies, workshop sessions, and co-located License to Steal Wine Marketing Conference.
• BMO Wine Market Report Annual sponsored industry research report produced through a partnership of BMO Commercial Bank (title sponsor), Baker Tilly, WineBusiness Analytics, and bw166, delivering data-driven intelligence on U.S. wine market conditions, demographic shifts, inventory rebalancing, route-to-market evolution, and growth opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,000+ wine industry professionals receive the Daily News Email each weekday morning
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BMO Commercial BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026BMO Commercial Bank is the title sponsor of the annual BMO Wine Market Report. The 2026 edition marks the third annual report. BMO's Wine Partnership is an expanded collaboration with Baker Tilly, WineBusiness Analytics, and bw166 to deliver comprehensive, data-driven intelligence for the U.S. wine industry, covering market conditions, demographic shifts, inventory rebalancing, route-to-market evolution, and future growth opportunities.
• Baker TillycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026Baker Tilly joined the BMO Wine Market Report partnership in the 2026 edition (spring 2026), expanding the analytical capabilities of the annual industry report. Baker Tilly joins existing collaborators WineBusiness Analytics and bw166 to provide enhanced data and analysis for wine industry stakeholders navigating demographic shifts, economic pressures, inventory management, and distribution channel changes.
• WineBusiness AnalyticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWineBusiness Analytics is an existing collaborator on the annual BMO Wine Market Report, providing proprietary winery, vineyard, and market data. Also co-produces the Wine Analytics Report and maintains the Directory/Buyer's Guide database. Part of the Wine Communications Group ecosystem.
• bw166coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerbw166 is an existing data and analytics collaborator on the BMO Wine Market Report, alongside WineBusiness Analytics. Also partnered with Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates within the Wine Communications Group ecosystem for industry data and reporting.
• Napa Valley VintnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNapa Valley Vintners co-produces the annual Innovation + Quality (IQ) forum with WineBusiness Monthly. IQ is set in Napa Valley and focuses on cutting-edge innovations that advance wine quality for ultra-premium wineries. This partnership establishes IQ as the premier forum for innovation in ultra-premium winemaking.
• WiVi Central Coast (Co-location partner)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral Coast Insights (CCI) leads into WiVi Central Coast, the premier wine and viticulture symposium and tradeshow for Central California held each March in Paso Robles. WiVi is the largest wine industry event south of San Francisco with 45,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and nearly 200 exhibits. CCI serves as an economic and financial conference that feeds into the broader WiVi event.
• Eastern Winery Exposition (EWE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Eastern Winery Exposition is the largest trade show and conference for winemaking and grape growing in the Eastern United States. Held annually, rotating between Syracuse, NY and Lancaster, PA. Features over 200 exhibiting companies, workshop sessions, and co-location with the License to Steal Wine Marketing Conference.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wines & Vines (Wine Communications Group sister brand): Sister brand within the Wine Communications Group ecosystem producing the Wine Analytics Report and editorial coverage of the U.S. wine industry; operates as a directly comparable trade-media and analytics peer to WineBusiness Monthly.
• SevenFifty Daily: B2B digital media outlet covering the wine, spirits, and beer industry for on- and off-premise buyers, distributors, and producers — directly competes for the same professional audience and advertising dollars as WineBusiness.
• Beverage Media Group: Trade publication and digital platform serving the wine, beer, and spirits retail and wholesale industry with editorial, data, and regulatory content — a directly comparable B2B trade-media peer.

Broad incumbents

• Wine Enthusiast (Wine Enthusiast Companies): Large multi-channel wine media brand spanning consumer magazine, ratings, e-commerce, and trade content — broader and consumer-leaning, but overlaps with WineBusiness on wine industry editorial and reviews.
• VinePair: Large digital drinks media outlet producing wine, beer, and spirits editorial at scale — comparable publishing business model, broader consumer-leaning audience but overlapping professional readership.
• Decanter: Established UK-based wine media brand spanning magazine, digital, and events — comparable trade-and-consumer wine publishing platform with a global footprint.

Regional players

• Meininger's Wine Business International: Long-established German-based wine trade publication with global distribution covering wine business news — a comparable wine industry B2B trade media outlet, primarily serving European rather than North American readers.
• The Drinks Business: UK-headquartered trade title covering wine, spirits, and beer industry news, analysis, and events — a comparable B2B wine media competitor, primarily serving European and Asia-Pacific markets.

Emerging players

• Good Beer Hunting: Independently published B2B beverage industry content platform covering beer, wine, and spirits with a strong longform/digital focus — comparable trade-media model aimed at beverage industry professionals.
• Wine Industry Advisor: Digital wine industry news and analysis platform serving producers, distributors, and retailers — directly comparable in audience and content type, though smaller and more narrowly digital than WineBusiness.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/winebusiness
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wine-business-monthly

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wine business