Direct sales are an emerging category as wineries look to bypass the restrictive, costly and time-intensive three-tier system and reach out directly to consumers. For many small wineries, tasting room and direct sales can account for the largest percentage of profits, ahead of traditional distribution channels. Still, unrest about the health of the economy has affected how (and how much) those sales are being made. "It's been a very interesting year," said Kathleen Hoertkorn, founder and CEO of...