Fewer people are visiting tasting rooms in California, but those who do are spending more.

According to Community Benchmark, tasting room visits are down from 2021 when covid-trapped people were seeking liquid escapes to wine country. However, wineries are reporting that average revenue from a visitor rose from $80-$100 to $110-$125.

At the end of the day, tasting rooms may prefer fewer but more discriminating people. Crowds often mean that people are there for the wrong reasons, so “invitation-only” tasting rooms result in more attention, more revenue.

The cost of premium wine tastings is often $50 or more. Long gone are the free tastings.