WA wineries hit by 18% sales decline over past 3 years
Aug 5, 2025, 8:59 AM | Updated: 9:07 am
Winegrower tests red wine in his barrel cellar. (Photo: Thomas Lohnes, Getty Images)
(Photo: Thomas Lohnes, Getty Images)
Wine sales in Washington have recorded a substantial drop in recent years, down more than 18% since 2021, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal.
Washington wineries sold more than 13.54 million cases of wine to customers in 2021. Last year, only 11.1 million cases were sold, an 18.2% decrease in sales.
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WA wineries face steep sales decline
The more than 2 million wine case sales decrease represents approximately 30 million fewer bottles of wine sold in Washington over three years.
The deflated sales are not exclusive to Washington, as wine revenue was down 6.3% year over year across the nation in 2024.
“There’s a little bit of that anti-alcohol movement. Then we’re also seeing so many new products enter into the alcoholic beverage category – ready-to-drink cocktails, hard seltzers, there’s so many more options that consumer has,” Kristina Kelley, executive director of Washington State Wine Commission, told the Puget Sound Business Journal. “Particularly, as Gen Z comes into wine, they’re buying less.”
The total number of wineries in Washington has also dramatically increased between 2019 and 2020, expanding from 50 to 1,050. In 2022, the number of wineries peaked at 1,070, before dropping down to 1,050 in 2024.
A sales decline was recorded at 47% of Washington wineries last year, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal.
Kelley mentioned she believes Washington is a highly reputable wine-producing state and is hopeful that the industry can grow into a competitive industry, both nationally and internationally.
“We welcome outside investors coming into our state. We welcome it when we see California producers coming in and purchasing things,” Kelley said, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal. “We welcome those opportunities. And we think there’s still room to grow.”
In terms of wine production in the U.S., Washington ranks second, behind only California. Washington has more than 400 grape growers, and harvested 150,828 tons of grapes last year.
The Washington wine industry employs more than 67,000 workers and generates an estimated $10.56 billion in annual in-state economic impact, the Puget Sound Business Journal stated.
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