This blog post summarizes the process by which licensed wineries can obtain local government approval for events in Napa County held pursuant to their California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (“ABC”) Type 93 Estate Tasting Permit. As discussed in our prior post, last year Governor Newsom...

Over the past few years, wineries have seen tasting room visits decline as consumer habits shift. With more options than ever, visitors are looking for something special—experiences that go beyond just sampling wine. For many wineries, this means rethinking how they engage guests and creating a...

In this WIN Insider episode, George Christie interviews Maggie Zeman, a seasoned PR and marketing professional who transitioned from Washington DC’s State Department to Silicon Valley tech, before founding The Barn Group in Northern California’s wine industry to then merge with a larger PR firm and...

Creative thinking drives efforts on a new kind of wine club to give customers what they really want. San Jose, CA, January 19, 2021 — As closures and restrictions remain in place for many wineries during the pandemic, the ability to maximize online sales through traditional as well as new marketing...

Over the past few years, wineries have seen tasting room visits decline as consumer habits shift. With more options than ever, visitors are looking for something special—experiences that go beyond just sampling wine. For many wineries, this means rethinking how they engage guests and creating a...

The Wine Business Institute (WBI) at Sonoma State University (SSU) announced the 2023-2024 scholarship recipients of the Wine Industry Scholars Program (WISP) and the Wine Business Institute Inclusive Excellence Scholarship Program February 26. Recipients are recognized for having outstanding...

Lula Cellars 2020 Rescue Block Pinot Noir Takes Top Honors November 17, 2023 — Winners have been announced in the 2023 Harvest Challenge Wine Competition. After two spirited days of judging, Lula Cellars 2020 Rescue Block Pinot Noir took the top prize. It was also awarded Best Red Wine and Best of...

Jose Aceves, a 54-year veteran of Dutton Ranch, claimed the Sonoma County vineyard workforce’s highest honor over the weekend Jose Aceves was just 19 when he began working at Dutton Ranch, a sixth-generation family farm, apple orchard and vineyard in Santa Rosa. That was 1969. Fifty-four years...

Jose Aceves, of Dutton Ranch, Named Vineyard Employee of the Year At Newly Named “Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos” Event SANTA ROSA, Calif. (February 27, 2023) – News was being delivered throughout the day at the newly named Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos’ 5th...

by Steve Fredricks Growers and wineries over the last several months have been navigating some of the most challenging decisions they may ever face. Our clients are trying to make sense of the murky consumer sales landscape brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic to project cased goods sales vs....