The Path Forward: A Conversation with Chuck Wagner and Industry Leaders Across the Value Chain on Rebuilding Demand and Rethinking Wine’s Future
January 29, 2026
9:30 am - 11:30 am
The Path Forward: A Conversation with Chuck Wagner and Industry Leaders Across the Value Chain on Rebuilding Demand and Rethinking Wine’s Future
What happens between harvest and the consumer’s glass, and how do we reignite demand? In this candid, forward-looking session, Chuck Wagner, founder of Wagner Family of Wines and Caymus Vineyards, joins Zachary Poelma, Senior Vice President of Commercial Intelligence at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, for a grounded conversation on today’s wine market realities. Moderated by Adam Teeter, co-founder of VinePair, the discussion will explore market pressures, shifting shopper behavior, and the real-world mechanics of moving wine from vineyard to shelf.
Whether you’re a grower, vintner, or industry supplier, this session offers an unfiltered look at the opportunities and risks shaping the wine economy right now, and what it means for your business tomorrow.
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Moderator
Adam Teeter
VinePair, New York
Sessions:
Adam Teeter is the Co-Founder and CEO of VinePair, the leading media company dedicated to wine, beer, and spirits in America. Since launching VinePair in 2014 with Josh Malin, Teeter has built it into one of the most influential platforms for drinks culture, particularly among millennia and Gen Z audiences. His mission has been to make the world of alcohol more accessible and less intimidating, breaking down the elitism often associated with wine and spirits.
Before founding VinePair, Teeter worked in the music industry in A&R and management. He holds an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Emory University.
Teeter is also a prominent voice in the drinks industry, regularly writing and speaking about beverage trends and culture. He co-hosts the popular “VinePair Podcast” and contributes regularly to the site.
As an educator and event host, Teeter has led wine tastings and workshops at major festivals including Charleston Wine + Food, Santa Monica Wine Festival, Atlanta Wine & Food, and Brooklyn Crush. He is also a past winner of the Left Bank Bordeaux Cup American Wine-Tasting Championship.
Based in New York City, Teeter continues to shape how people engage with drinks, combining deep industry knowledge with a passion for making beverage culture fun and inclusive.
Speakers
Zachary Poelma
Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, Florida
Sessions:
To be announced.
Chuck Wagner
Wagner Family of Wine, California
Sessions:
Chuck Wagner was born into a family of farmers and winemakers with deep roots in Napa Valley. He was 19 when he joined his parents to start Caymus Vineyards. Charlie, Lorna and Chuck were a mom, pop and son team that stayed in place for 30 years until his parents’ passing. After more than 50 vintages, Chuck maintains key involvement in the production of several offerings of Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon.
Always the farmer, over the years Chuck has commercially grown wine grapes, table grapes, lemons and tomatoes.
Chuck has also led an exciting new chapter in the family’s history, exploring and putting down roots in nearby Suisun Valley, a wine region with unique pastoral beauty and ideal growing conditions that is protected by an agricultural preserve. The Wagner family opened Caymus-Suisun Winery in 2022 and are thrilled to invite people to experience the amazing Suisun Valley for themselves.
Chuck’s children Charlie and Jenny have become significant contributors to running all operations.
Steering the family’s business from the very beginning to the present day, Chuck has worked to adapt to an ever-changing and challenging landscape. He has been recognized for his winemaking and industry leadership – all the while, he has maintained deep humility, along with an appreciation for family, great wine and the connections between the two.