The Right Influencers for Your Winery (Hint: It’s Not Who You Think)

Most wineries get influencer marketing wrong.

They partner with wine influencers, people whose entire brand is sipping wine on camera, swirling glasses, and rattling off tasting notes. The problem? They’re talking to people who already love wine. That’s not where growth happens.

The younger generation of drinkers isn’t seeking out wine content. But they are following influencers who shape their choices about food, travel, design, and experiences. The smart wineries, the ones who will win the next decade, aren’t just looking for people who talk about wine. They’re finding the ones who shape how young consumers live.

This is how you reach them.

Who Actually Sells Wine?

Think about the last time you tried a new restaurant, a new recipe, a new brand. Did you discover it because someone told you to? Or because you saw someone you trust experience it?

That’s the difference between marketing and influence.

For wineries, the best influencer partnerships come from outside the wine world:

  • Chef Influencers – They create the meals that need wine. Their followers already trust their recommendations.

  • Travel & Adventure Influencers – People who make destinations desirable can make your winery a must-visit.

  • Design & Entertaining Influencers – Wine isn’t just a drink; it’s part of a lifestyle. The right aesthetic can make your bottle the one to have on the table.

  • Wellness & Sustainability Voices – The younger generation cares about how things are made. Organic? Low-intervention? Sustainable? This is a selling point, if you tell the story well.

The goal isn’t to find influencers who drink wine. It’s to find influencers whose followers are the right audience for your wine.

Forget the Follower Count. Focus on the Intersection.

A massive following doesn’t mean an influencer can sell. The sweet spot is the intersection of their message, their audience, and your brand.

Ask yourself:

  • Does their audience trust them enough to take action?

  • Do they talk about experiences that naturally include wine?

  • Are their values aligned with your winery’s?

The best collaborations feel inevitable, as if the influencer was already a fan of your wine before the partnership ever existed.

Or… Be the Influencer Yourself

The smartest move for many wineries isn’t paying influencers, it’s becoming one.

People don’t just want wine; they want the story behind it. They want to see how it’s made, who’s making it, why it matters. They want the process.

That’s where you come in.

If your winemaker, vineyard team, or tasting room staff isn’t showing up on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, you’re missing an opportunity that’s more valuable than any influencer partnership.

Pull back the curtain. Show the harvest. Show the mistakes. Show the beauty of a winemaker tasting from the barrel or a vineyard team working in the fog at sunrise.

Authenticity wins every time.

Check out maximizing your winery’s digital presence for a head start.

Wineries Need to Adapt to Younger Buyers, Not the Other Way Around

The shift is happening. The wine industry isn’t running out of drinkers. It’s just failing to engage the next generation on their terms.

Influencers, real influencers, not just people who drink wine online, can help wineries meet their future customers where they already are. But the key isn’t just doing influencer marketing. It’s doing it right.

Skip the obvious choices. Find the voices that matter. Or better yet, become the voice yourself.

Key Takeaways

  • Wine influencers? They can be valuable, but they aren't your only option. The best partnerships come from outside the wine world.

  • The right influencer isn’t the one with the most followers, it’s the one whose audience trusts them.

  • Instead of paying influencers, consider becoming one yourself. Your winemaker, your vineyard, and your process is the real story.

  • The wineries that thrive in the next decade will be the ones that stop waiting for young consumers to come to them, and start meeting them where they already are.

Final Thoughts

The wine industry doesn’t have a demand problem. It has a relevance problem.

The future of wine marketing isn’t shouting louder at the same people. It’s making wine a natural, effortless part of the lifestyle young consumers already embrace. Influencers—when chosen wisely, can bridge that gap.

But only if you choose wisely. Only if you think differently.

Need help navigating the influencer landscape? Highway 29 Creative can help. Let’s connect your winery with the audience that’s already waiting for you.

Deksia Jones