By Laurie Wachter In an era of water scarcity, new water use monitoring requirements and labor shortages, automated irrigation has become a must, particularly in California’s drought-prone Wine Country.  Existing...

By Laurie Wachter Verallia is redefining how glass is produced, reused and recycled to fulfill the promise of this infinitely recyclable material. In addition, as more and more wineries move to lightweight...

By Laurie Wachter Wildfires have been escalating in frequency and intensity for decades. North America’s West Coast experienced dramatic increases in fires in the 2020s, leading to growing winery...

Make better decisions with a 360° view of the wine industry and your customers By Laurie Wachter   “2023 was really a difficult year for wine, and 2024 will be a pivotal year for the future of this...

By Laurie Wachter   Christian Oggenfuss, DipWSET, Napa Valley Wine Academy founder and CEO Under the visionary leadership of founder and CEO Christian Oggenfuss, DipWSET, the Napa Valley Wine Academy...

By Laurie Wachter   André Hueston Mack [Image courtesy of Maison Noir Wines] André Hueston Mack left at the pinnacle of his career as head sommelier of Thomas Keller’s Per Se restaurant in New York...

By Laurie Wachter   It’s been 45 years since Tom Klein first set eyes on Rodney Strong winery and vineyards.  He was working at McKinsey & Company after earning his Stanford MBA when an assignment...

By Laurie Wachter   Krista Chaich, Executive Director, Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association “I’m a behind-the-scenes kind of gal,” says Krista Chaich, executive director of the Temecula Valley...

Wineries face rising pressures on wages, a buyer’s market for grapes and the looming cost of wastewater compliance  By Laurie Wachter   A strong finish to a late harvest was good news for the...

Addressing early harvest, precursor aromas, oak consistency and health-conscious winemaking  By Laurie Wachter   Winemakers often experiment, run tests and make adjustments in their winemaking...