In this WIN Insider episode, George Christie interviews Maggie Zeman, a seasoned PR and marketing professional who transitioned from Washington DC’s State Department to Silicon Valley tech, before founding The Barn Group in Northern California’s wine industry to then merge with a larger PR firm and expand her role nationally. Maggie shares insights on the wine sector’s current challenges, emphasizing that the industry faces a marketing problem, not a product problem, requiring targeted communication strategies to engage younger consumers and adapt to evolving behaviors.

The conversation covers the dramatically changed media landscape—from traditional wine writers to freelance-driven ecosystems, influencers, and digital creators—plus how AI and new platforms are reshaping media relations. Maggie discusses the importance of mentorship, intergenerational learning, and the challenges remote work poses for career growth. Despite industry headwinds, she remains optimistic about wine’s resilience and stresses the need for fearless innovation and community support as the sector navigates uncertain times.

Catch Maggie in action as she moderates the panel “Next Gen Wine: How Wineries Can Win with the Modern Consumer Through Influence, Identity, and Occasion” at the WIN Expo (https://wineindustryexpo.com/) on December 4 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.