The Wine Futurist: Paul Mabray on Where the Industry Must Go

Paul Mabray is one of the original tech pioneers in the wine industry. Though he grew up in Napa Valley, his early influences came not from vineyards or cellars, but from lines of code—his father teaching him programming instead of the finer points of swirling and sniffing. Despite this unconventional beginning, Paul eventually found himself selling wine across California, a path that sparked his deep curiosity about not just wine, but the business behind it.

There’s never been more great wine available across the globe—but selling it? That’s another story. Paul has dedicated his career to solving this puzzle, leveraging digital tools and innovative thinking to help the industry evolve. Widely regarded as the wine world’s leading futurist, Paul brings a bold voice and sharp insight to conversations that matter.

In this episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with Paul for nearly 90 minutes. We covered everything from what he finds so impressive about Treasury Wine Estates, to his take on direct-to-consumer strategies, and whether the wine industry needs its own Jeffrey Dean Morgan-type figure. This was an electric first conversation with someone who isn’t just sounding the alarm—he’s rallying the troops for what comes next.

A huge thanks to Paul for joining me.