For decades, American wineries enjoyed steady growth, but strong headwinds are shaking up the industry — shifting demographics, fewer tasting room visitors, and stiff competition from beer, spirits, and cannabis. While some wineries are closing tasting rooms, others are finding strength in numbers.
Two innovative groups — The Wine Atlas Collective and The Overshine Collective — are proving that collaboration can be the change small wineries need. These organizations help family-owned wineries thrive, giving wine lovers more reasons to explore and sip their way across the country.
The changing landscape of American wine
After decades of steady growth, the U.S. wine industry is in flux. Sales are down across restaurants, retail shops, and even in the once-reliable tasting room. In 2024, tasting room visits dropped nearly 5%, a big blow since that’s where most wine club sign-ups happen.
Direct-to-consumer shipments have slowed, inventories have increased, and discounts are on the rise. Meanwhile, new competition, from craft cocktails to THC-infused drinks, attracts younger consumers away from wine.
For smaller wineries, the challenge is considerable. However, as the following collectives demonstrate, innovative thinking and collaboration can transform obstacles into opportunities.
The Wine Atlas Collective: Nationwide Wine Club perks
Launched in 2025, The Wine Atlas Collective is a coast-to-coast alliance of eight family-owned wineries committed to regenerative farming, sustainable viticulture, and warm hospitality. Think of it like the airline alliances — SkyTeam or Star Alliance — but for wine lovers.
The idea is simple yet powerful: If you belong to the wine club at one of these wineries, you’re automatically a member of all of them. This means you can enjoy the same benefits, such as discounted tastings and merchandise, member-only wines, and other perks, at every winery you visit.
Members of the Wine Atlas Collective:
- Blenheim Vineyards – Charlottesville, Virginia
- Brooks Wine – Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon
- Frog’s Leap – Napa Valley, California
- L’Ecole No 41 – Walla Walla Valley, Washington
- Red Tail Ridge – Finger Lakes, New York
- Ridge Vineyards – Sonoma & Santa Cruz Mountains, California
- Tablas Creek Vineyard – Paso Robles, California
- William Chris Vineyards – Texas Hill Country
Imagine being a William Chris member in Texas and visiting Brooks Wine in Oregon. You’re greeted like family, poured special release wines, and perhaps given a seat on the patio with a view of the beautiful Willamette Valley, all at no extra cost.
By sharing loyal customers, these wineries introduce visitors to new regions, new styles, and the rich diversity of American wine. And the wineries gain access to new wine lovers.
The Overshine Collective takes a different path.
The Overshine Collective: California wineries joining forces
Over on the West Coast, California’s The Overshine Collective was founded in 2024 by an ex-Google executive and a fourth-generation Sonoma County winemaker.
Instead of focusing on shared club memberships, Overshine helps small wineries with the behind-the-scenes work that eats up their precious time and money: bookkeeping, compliance, shipping logistics, and marketing efforts.
By pooling resources, members can cut costs, expand their reach, and spend more time doing what they love — growing grapes and making wine. The day-to-day pressures of running a business are shifted to Overshine, while the grape growers and winemakers concentrate on the heart and magic of wine: perfecting their craft and connecting with consumers.
Current Overshine members:
- Reeve Wines — Martha Stoumen Wines
- Idlewild Wines — BloodRoot Wines
- Comunità Wines — Overshine Wines
For wine lovers, this means your favorite boutique producers can keep their prices fair, maintain high quality, and stay focused on the wine in your glass and the personal connection.
Why these collectives matter—for wineries and you
- Shared Strength in Tough Times — Pooling customers, resources, or both means small wineries can better weather difficult market conditions.
- Better Membership Perks — With Wine Atlas, your existing club membership expands nationwide, offering significantly more value.
- Preserving Independent Voices — With Overshine, small, founder-led wineries are freed up from administrative headaches to concentrate on delivering wines true to their vision.
- More Reasons to Travel — Whether you’re driving into Hill Country or flying to Oregon, these partnerships offer richer and more personal tasting experiences.
- Forward-Looking — The Collective members also share other aspects, such as research, heritage, or viticultural practices, to ensure the industry’s long-term roots keep reaching deep.
The spirit of collaboration
Beyond these two collectives, many wine regions already offer shared tasting passports, wine trails, and co-hosted events. Some wineries share equipment, swap grapes, or even create special blends together.
It’s this spirit of creativity and resilience that has always kept American wine vibrant, and these innovations can help protect that future.
Partners in wine and travel
For wine drinkers, especially those who love to explore, the Wine Atlas Collective and the Overshine Collective offer something unique: more value, more connection, and more delicious reasons to travel for wine.
So, cheers to innovative programs that reward wine club members, and independent wineries who keep wine glasses full and stories flowing.
