Toast Virginia
#toastvirginia:
Made for Every Moment
From cozy dinners and backyard gatherings to milestone celebrations, Virginia wine is made for every moment. Join us in celebrating the people, places, and stories that make our wines so special.
Special thanks to Emily Hodson of Veritas Vineyards and Phil Ponton of Oakencroft Farm.
Toast Virginia is a statewide initiative that celebrates the togetherness, creativity, and flavor of Virginia wine. Rooted in real life and real people, this campaign invites locals and visitors alike to share in Virginia’s vibrant wine culture, one toast at a time.
Mission:
This campaign’s mission is twofold:
- Position Virginia wine as the beverage of choice for life’s many moments: approachable, diverse, and deeply connected to our communities.
- Strengthen the connection between Virginia’s wineries, destinations, and consumers through storytelling, shared experiences, and a consistent message of celebration and inclusion.
A Statewide Solution: Connection, Celebration, and Relevance
Toast Virginia answers these challenges with a unifying message:
Virginia wine isn’t just something to drink, it’s something to share.
By emphasizing togetherness, authenticity, and accessibility, this campaign helps our wineries and destinations:
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Reignite emotional connection with current and new audiences
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Reframe Virginia wine as relevant and modern, not niche or traditionalist
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Encourage collaboration between wineries, restaurants, and tourism partners
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Drive in-person visits and local sales through shared statewide storytelling
The Opportunity
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Virginia’s tourism industry welcomes over 40 million visitors annually (Virginia Tourism Corporation).
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Direct-to-consumer wine sales remain one of the most profitable channels, averaging 60–70% gross margins for small wineries.
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If every visitor to a Virginia winery bought just one extra bottle per visit, it would represent over $25 million in new economic activity statewide.
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Less than 5% of the wine consumed in Virginia is actually made in Virginia. If we doubled that to even 10%, the impact could be enormous, potentially adding tens of millions of dollars in sales, tax revenue, and tourism value, all while supporting local farms, jobs, and small businesses.
Toast Virginia helps make that happen by inspiring people to gather, share, and make Virginia wine a natural part of their moments. isn’t just a marketing effort, it’s a rallying cry. A way for wineries, DMOs, and communities to join forces and tell one story: “When we toast Virginia, we invest in Virginia, in our farms, our families, and our future.”
Why this matters:
The Virginia wine industry stands at a pivotal moment. Despite decades of steady growth and world-class progress, new headwinds, from changing consumer habits to rising costs and evolving expectations, are reshaping the landscape of how, when, and why people drink wine.
Toast Virginia was created to meet this moment, to help our wineries, tasting rooms, and regional destinations reconnect with today’s consumers in authentic, relevant, and inspiring ways.
Navigating today’s headwinds
1. Shifting Consumer Preferences
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U.S. wine consumption by volume fell nearly 14% between 2019 and 2024 (IWSR).
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Younger consumers (under 40) are drinking less often and more selectively, gravitating toward beverages they feel reflect their values: local, authentic, lower alcohol, and responsibly made.
2. Rising Competition for “Share of Glass”
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Wine now competes not just with beer and spirits, but also with craft cocktails, RTDs, hard seltzers, and a new wave of non-alcoholic and “better-for-you” beverages.
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According to Wine Market Council research, over 40% of millennial drinkers say they’re open to “moderation” or “sober curiosity” lifestyles, meaning the traditional cues of luxury or expertise alone no longer drive engagement.
3. Lingering Cultural Headwinds
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Virginia’s wine story is still overcoming a century-old hangover from Prohibition, which severely disrupted the state’s once-thriving viticulture.
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Today, the Commonwealth’s more than 300 wineries still battle a perception gap, often seen as “local” but not yet “essential.”
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Without strong storytelling and unified visibility, Virginia risks being overlooked by consumers increasingly drawn to lifestyle-driven brands.
4. Economic Pressures on Small Producers
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The average small winery’s cost of goods has risen 20–30% since 2020 (Wine Business Monthly), while direct-to-consumer traffic has plateaued.
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Destination travel patterns show shorter, more purposeful visits meaning that wineries and DMOs must connect emotionally and digitally before a visitor ever sets foot onsite.
Only 1 in 20 glasses of wine poured in Virginia comes from Virginia.
Imagine if it were 1 in 10.
Campaign Assets
By downloading or using any Toast Virginia campaign materials, you agree to comply with all requirements outlined in the Toast Virginia Deployment Guidelines. Unauthorized alteration, redistribution, or use of licensed images outside the campaign’s approved purposes is strictly prohibited.
This initiative has been made possible by support from the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office, Nelson County, Madison County, and Greene County.
