The Tech Behind the Terroir: Pete Jones on Wine, Shopify, and Digital Disruption - 026

In this episode of the Drinks.com Podcast, Brandon Amoroso sits down with Pete Jones, co-founder of Aesthete Wines and former head of wine and spirits at Shopify, now at Stripe. From growing up in Sonoma County to pioneering digital transformation in the beverage alcohol industry, Pete shares how he blended tradition with technology. The conversation dives into the challenges wineries face in modernizing operations, the massive opportunities in direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategy, and how platforms like Shopify are reshaping the industry from the ground up.

Here's what you'll learn:

🛍️ What it was like to lead wine and spirits at Shopify during COVID-driven digital transformation.

⚠️ The biggest challenges facing the alcohol industry today — and the tech-forward solutions.

🤝 Why stakeholder buy-in and internal metrics are critical for digital change.

🌪️ How economic headwinds are driving a necessary evolution in alcohol e-commerce.

📬 The strategic value of building a direct-to-consumer relationship for wineries.

🧠 Lessons from lifestyle brands and what wineries can learn from them.

🌿 How consumer behavior is shifting — including the rise of non-alcoholic and cannabis alternatives.

🚫 Why first impressions of wine matter — and how bad wine turns people off forever.

Mores resources at Drinks.com