In this WIN Insider episode, George interviews Tracy Sweeney, co-founder of Tomorrow Cellars, about her path from decades in traditional wine at E. & J. Gallo and Treasury Wine Estates to launching a premium non-alcoholic brand in 2024. Tracy explains why she sees no-alcohol wine as an extension of the wine experience, blending Napa lifestyle with tech-driven innovation and Rhône varietals from Lodi, with subtle botanicals that restore flavor lost in dealcoholization.

She discusses evolving consumer occasions for low- and no-alcohol drinking, the importance of getting these wines onto hospitality menus, and a marketing approach that centers the wine experience rather than alcohol content. Tracy will also speak at the North Coast Wine Industry Expo on December 3 on the panel “Non-Alcoholic Wine Marketing Strategies to Celebrate the Expanded Consumer Landscape.”

Learn More About the Session:
https://wineindustryexpo.com/conference/#session2b

Register for the WIN Expo:
https://wineindustryexpo.com/conference/#register

More on Tomorrow Cellars:
https://tomorrowcellars.com/

Preparing for 2027: Winegrowing in the Year of El Niño

November 18, 2026 - 11:00 AM PST

What Can 2026 Teach Us About the 2027 Growing Season?

With a strong El Niño pattern developing and expected to persist into 2027, winegrowers have reason to pay close attention to winter and early-season conditions. The combination of warming ocean temperatures and the growing season patterns observed in 2026 raises important questions about how vines may respond if another warm, vigorous spring arrives.

As the 2026 harvest unfolded, winegrowers saw the consequences of an unusually early and erratic growing season. Early budbreak, significant heat accumulation in February and March, rapid shoot growth, poor fruitfulness and widespread shatter all contributed to reduced yields in many vineyards.

But what can this season tell us about what lies ahead?

This webinar will take a closer look at the lessons of the 2026 growing season and explore what they could mean for vineyard management in 2027. We’ll examine how temperature patterns influenced phenology, fruitfulness, fruit set and berry development, and why conditions occurring well before harvest can have such a significant impact on final yields.

We’ll also discuss what growers should be watching as the 2027 season approaches, including the potential implications of El Niño, early heat accumulation and spring weather variability. From pruning decisions to monitoring vine development, understanding the signals from 2026 can help growers prepare for a potentially challenging year ahead.

Join us for a practical discussion of the weather, vine physiology and management considerations shaping the 2027 winegrowing season—and learn how the lessons of 2026 can inform decisions in the vineyard before the next growing season gets underway.

Registration is now open. Join us for a practical, forward-looking conversation designed to help growers head into 2027 better prepared for what the season may bring.

Growing Forward Virtual Conference Closes Its 2026 Season with a Forward Look at El Niño and the 2027 Winegrowing Year

Final session of the year broadcasts November 18 — registration opens today — as a record-strength El Niño takes shape and growers seek to apply the hard lessons of 2026’s disruptive growing season

Registration has opened for the 3rd edition of the 2026 Growing Forward series, a virtual Vineyard & Grower-focused conference series tackling the most pressing topics and issues faced throughout the grape growing cycle. The third and final session of the 2026 series, “Preparing for 2027: Winegrowing in the Year of El Nino,” will be broadcast on November 18, 2026, at 10:00am.

The session arrives at a moment of unusual urgency for the industry. The 2026 growing season challenged North Coast winegrowers with early heat accumulation, accelerated vine development, poor fruitfulness, shatter and lower yields in many vineyards. Now, with El Niño conditions developing as growers look toward 2027, those experiences may offer valuable insight into the season ahead.

Growing Forward will bring together experts in weather, vine physiology and vineyard management to look back at what drove the 2026 season – and, more importantly, what growers can take from it as they prepare for the next one.

The discussion will explore the connections between early-season temperatures and vine development, fruitfulness and fruit set, along with the conditions growers should be watching this winter and spring. We’ll also look at how those signals could factor into vineyard decisions, including pruning and early-season monitoring.

Registration is free and the session will broadcast on Wednesday, November 18 at 10:00am (PT).

For more details and to register visit: wineindustryadvisor.com/growingforward.

In this WIN Insider episode, George interviews Ken Blair, General Manager of Merriam Vineyards, about his journey from aspiring philosophy professor to wine industry professional. Ken shares his passion for organic, authentic winemaking and his approach to crafting approachable, well-priced wines, including an award-winning Russian River Cabernet Sauvignon that appeals to younger, value-conscious drinkers.

He highlights the power of “relaxed hospitality” and knowledgeable wine ambassadors who connect visitors to the land, along with the winery’s success at the inaugural Next Gen International Wine Awards. Catch Ken at the North Coast Wine Industry Expo on December 3, where he’ll showcase the winning wine in the session “What the Next Generation Wants in Wine”.

Learn More About the Session:
https://wineindustryexpo.com/conference/#session3a

Register for the WIN Expo:
https://wineindustryexpo.com/conference/#register

Upcoming Merriam Vineyards’ Events:
https://www.merriamvineyards.com/visit/events/

Innovation in the wine industry rarely happens in isolation. More often, it happens when the people growing grapes, making wine, managing operations, selling products, and connecting with consumers work alongside the suppliers and service providers developing the tools and solutions they need to do those jobs better.

That relationship is at the heart of the WINnovation Awards.

For 14 years, Wine Industry Network has recognized the companies and individuals working behind the scenes to solve real industry challenges and drive meaningful progress across every segment of the wine business.

Industry Challenges Inspire Industry Innovation

Look across the wine industry and you'll find these partnerships everywhere.

A vineyard manager searching for better insight into vine health, water use, or disease pressure works with an agtech company developing increasingly sophisticated monitoring and precision-farming technologies.

A winemaker pursuing a particular style, improving consistency, or addressing a production challenge may work with suppliers developing new ingredients, equipment, analytical tools, or cellar technologies.

A production team facing labor constraints or looking for greater efficiency may turn to an equipment manufacturer or automation specialist to rethink how a process gets done.

A sales or tasting room team searching for a better understanding of its customers may push a technology provider to develop a more capable POS, CRM, or data platform.

And winery leadership may rely on specialists in everything from finance and compliance to logistics, sustainability, packaging, and workforce management to navigate challenges that didn't exist, or looked very different, just a few years ago.

In each case, innovation begins with understanding a real need and finding a better way to address it.

Recognizing the Partners Behind the Progress

The people working inside wineries and vineyards are often the most visible faces of the industry's accomplishments. But behind much of that progress is an ecosystem of suppliers, technology companies, manufacturers, consultants, researchers, and service professionals working alongside them.

Sometimes a supplier brings an entirely new idea to the industry. Other times, the innovation begins with a winery or vineyard professional saying, "There has to be a better way to do this."

The best solutions often emerge somewhere in between - through collaboration, testing, feedback, adaptation, and a shared understanding of the problem that needs to be solved.

That's what the WINnovation Awards are designed to recognize.

The WINnovation Awards celebrate companies and individuals who are solving real challenges and driving meaningful progress across the wine industry.

From vineyard to customer, these innovations help businesses work smarter, operate more efficiently, improve quality, adapt to change, and build a stronger future.

Who Is Helping Move Your Business Forward?

For winery and vineyard professionals, the WINnovation Awards are also an opportunity to look at the companies you work with differently.

Who helped your team solve a problem this year?

What technology changed the way you manage your vineyard? What piece of equipment improved your production process? What service made your operation more efficient? What new platform helped you better understand or reach your customers?

Those solutions, and the people and companies behind them, are an important part of the industry's story.

And for suppliers and service providers, WINnovation is an opportunity to share the work you're doing alongside your winery and vineyard partners and demonstrate how that work is creating tangible value for the industry.

Because innovation isn't simply about what's new.

It's about what moves the industry forward.

Nominations for Wine Industry Network's 14th Annual WINnovation Awards are now open. Qualified WIN clients and North Coast Wine Industry Expo sponsors and exhibitors are invited to submit their innovations and supporting materials for consideration.

Entries are due September 4, 2026.
Submit Your WINnovation Award Nomination

Registration is now open for the 14th Annual North Coast Wine Industry Trade Show & Conference (WIN Expo), scheduled for Thursday, December 3rd, 2026, at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds and Event Center in Santa Rosa, CA. This year’s theme focuses on The Next Era of Wine, and the event will explore ideas, strategies, and connections that will help shape your winery’s next chapter.

WIN Expo is the largest trade show and conference focused exclusively on the Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and Lake County wine regions. The Expo has become THE year-end business and networking event for North Coast wine industry professionals to celebrate the success and achievements of the past year, reconnect with colleagues, foster new connections, and prepare for a thriving 2027. The event will feature hundreds of exhibitors showcasing the latest vineyard, winery, and business solutions, complemented by outdoor exhibits, live trial tastings, and one of the North Coast’s most comprehensive educational conference programs. 

“This year’s WIN Expo is built around the theme, The Next Era of Wine,” said George Christie, Founder and CEO of Wine Industry Network. “Our industry is evolving faster than ever before, creating both challenges and opportunities. Every conference session, exhibitor, and networking opportunity is designed to help wineries, growers, and suppliers better understand what’s changing, discover new solutions, and leave with practical ideas they can put to work immediately.” 

WIN Expo’s educational conference is focused on highlighting the latest research and innovations available to wine industry professionals. The sessions are designed as interactive learning workshops for all sectors: Winemaking & Production, Sales & Marketing, Business Strategy & Leadership, and Vineyard Operations. Some of this year’s topics include: 

• Chillable Reds: Breaking the Rules of Tradition to Increase Consumer Choices

• Non‑Alcoholic Wine Marketing Strategies to Celebrate the Expanded Consumer Landscape

• DTC Reinvented: What 500 Wineries Reveal About Clubs, Loyalty & Collaboration

• Rip It Out or Ride It Out? The Economics of Vineyard Transition

• AI in Action: Practical Tools, Real Winery Use Cases & Smarter Workflows

• Winery & Vineyard Transactions: What Buyers & Sellers Need to Know

See all of the conference topics at wineindustryexpo.com/conference.php.

“The wineries that thrive over the next decade won’t necessarily be the biggest—they’ll be the ones that adapt the fastest,” said George Christie, Founder and CEO of Wine Industry Network. “WIN Expo is designed to accelerate that process. From breakthrough technologies and innovative products to practical business strategies and peer-to-peer learning, attendees will leave with new ideas, new relationships, and new opportunities to strengthen their business. If you’re serious about staying competitive in the years ahead, WIN Expo is one day you simply can’t afford to miss.” 

To see the full list of this year’s conference topics, expert speakers, and registration information, please visit: wineindustryexpo.com.

In this WIN Insider episode, George interviews Robyn Sebastiani, Executive Director of the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance, about her journey from medical sales and founding Westshore Canned Wine Company to leading one of California’s most collaborative wine communities. Robyn discusses how her marketing expertise shapes the Alliance’s vision, balancing the interests of small and large wineries while operating the Vintage Festival—a long-standing consumer event raising funds for local nonprofits.

She addresses industry trends including changing younger consumer preferences and the importance of demystifying wine to attract new audiences, while sharing her strategy for reviving Sonoma Valley’s distinct identity and positioning the region as a unique wine destination. From managing visitor traffic to creating evolving tasting experiences, Robyn’s perspective offers valuable insights into how regional wine organizations can lead their communities while honoring wine’s traditions.

Learn More:
https://sonomavalleywine.com/
https://valleyofthemoonvintagefestival.org/

In this WIN Insider episode, George interviews Jim Trezise, a legendary figure in the US wine industry, about his remarkable career from Navy journalist to transformative leader of New York State’s wine sector and president of WineAmerica. Jim shares his journey from living in France to his pivotal move from corporate executive at Conrail to managing a struggling New York wine grape growers association, where through collaborative advocacy and innovative legislation, he helped grow New York’s wineries from around 40 to over 400.

Now reflecting on decades of experience advocating for fair public policy and supporting all US wine regions, Jim discusses wine judging, evolving industry challenges including climate change and hemp products, and why he remains optimistic about wine’s future despite setbacks. His personal resilience story and commitment to unity, hope, and grit offer both inspiration and practical insight into policy advocacy that builds thriving wine communities.

In this WIN Insider episode, George interviews Julie Pedroncelli St. John, board president and founding winery owner, and Katie Ambrosi, the new executive director of Wine Road, a regional association founded in 1976 that promotes wineries and lodging throughout northern Sonoma County. Julie and Katie discuss the organization’s 50-year evolution from a simple visitor map to a major regional brand hosting signature events like Barrel Tasting, Winter Wineland, and Wine & Food Affair, while adapting to changing market conditions.

Katie brings fresh creative energy to her new role, aiming to refresh marketing and events while honoring traditions, and both leaders emphasize making wine accessible for younger consumers facing affordability challenges. They highlight upcoming initiatives including the landmark 50th Anniversary Gala and “Sip Into the Weekend” program, capturing the Wine Road’s journey and optimistic outlook for the region’s future.

Learn More: https://www.wineroad.com

Learn More About Wine Roads 50th Year Anniversary Event: https://www.wineroad.com/members/members-events/50years/

Come Over October is more than a campaign. It’s a growing movement to reconnect people with what wine has always represented: hospitality, culture, connection, and community. Whether you’re discovering Come Over October for the first time or looking to expand your participation, you’ll leave with practical ideas, free resources, and a roadmap for joining the largest grassroots pro-wine movement in the world.