Owning Wine Gets Messy | Carol Collison | Barrels and Roots

Owning a winery may look glamorous from the outside, but Carol Collison reveals the financial pressure, relentless sales work, and difficult decisions happening behind every bottle. As an M&A advisor specializing in smaller wine companies and the host of the Small Fortune podcast, Carol has worked with owners who have bought, sold, and closed wineries across one of the most challenging periods the wine industry has faced. In this conversation, I explore why successful wineries require active management, constant adaptation, strong profit margins, and years of investment before a single bottle creates revenue. We also discuss the global decline in wine demand, why some respected brands are disappearing, and how emotional attachment can prevent owners from selling at the right time. Carol explains why winding down a family winery can be even harder than selling one and why knowing when to stop can sometimes save an entrepreneur from a much greater loss. This episode exposes the unfiltered reality of winery ownership and what it truly takes to survive in the wine business.