There are winners and losers in every market, but the space between the haves and have-nots in wine has rarely felt this vast, or as unbridgeable.
Overall, the wine business has suffered declining sales for three years in a row. And in recent years, the wine business has become incredibly top-heavy, making it increasingly difficult for many brands to respond to market forces in a timely manner. There may be more than 11,000 wineries in the U.S. alone, but the largest 50 control more than 90% of
the domestic wine market by volume, according to figures compiled by WineBusiness Monthly.
The most recent Consumer Wine Shipping report from Sovos ShipCompliant raised alarm bells across the industry: nationwide shipment volume dropped by 12% from January-June 2025, while volume slipped 6%.
As tastes and the culture of consumption evolves, and with consumers demanding more than good or even great wine from the brands they support, certain sectors of the industry are enjoying incredible success amid general malaise.
Eco-friendly wine market is booming
One person’s eco-friendly wine is another person’s greenwashed fraud, but without wading into that muddy morass, it’s clear that wine enthusiasts are eager to buy wine that they believe is produced in an environmentally responsible manner.
Wine lovers (especially younger ones) are prepared to pay more for it, they prefer it, and it’s selling better than conventional wine.
How much? People are willing to pay 15% more for wine with sustainability bon mots, according to a meta-analysis of consumer behavior published in Food Quality and Preference, and young people are driving the growth in sales of the organic wine market, according to the IWSR.
More than half (60%) of younger consumers want organic or sustainable wine according to a recent Wine Market Council study, and while overall sales have plummeted, organic wine sales grew 2.6% last year, according to Nielsen IQ (NIQ).
Entire countries, like Austria, where 25% of the vineyards are certified organic, are enjoying the halo effect of their eco-friendly reputation. Since 2015, Austria has increased its export value by $105.7 million, or 62.7%.
“In recent years, Austria’s low-intervention wine scene has gained significant international recognition, placing Austrian producers at the heart of the movement,” says Oliver Chramosta, team lead markets international for Austrian Wine. “At the same time, Austria is a frontrunner in environmentally conscious viticulture. This commitment to sustainability is highly valued by consumers, and is opening new business opportunities in environmentally conscious markets worldwide.”
The organic wine market, valued at around US$9.84 billion in 2021, is set to grow at a compound annual rate of 11.3%, to reach around US$25.07 billion by 2030.
Some wineries, like Sicily’s Alileo Wines, are investing in sustainability certifications like organic and Certified B, because they know it sells.
“I think consumers want to see the messaging go into actual practice rather than just window dressing,” says co-founder Antonio Bertone, noting that Alileo has seen a 20% growth in year-over-year sales. “We also appeal to foodies and people who are more fitness conscious. I think the whole low intervention, unfiltered, zero sugar, low sulfite thing is appealing to folks that are still enjoying alcohol, while also working on their fitness.”
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