TWC Acquires Robert Sinskey Vineyards as the Family Transitions to Other Roles

“Robert Sinskey Vineyards Sold the Winery … and It Bought the Farm.” By Barbara Barielle Last week, it was announced that the famed Robert Sinskey Vineyards had been acquired by […]

That creamy, buttery aroma you sometimes find in a bottle of Chardonnay or other wines is thanks largely to a compound called diacetyl. It's the star player released during malolactic fermentation (MLF), and whether a winemaker wants to emphasize or eliminate it is one of the biggest stylistic choices they make. Diacetyl is a temporary byproduct of the bacteria's metabolism. It is later reduced into less aromatic compounds, which is why winemakers have to move fast to capture the flavor at its peak. To get a wonderfully buttery wine, the goal is simple: make a lot of diacetyl and then immediately halt its degradation. Here are the key strategies winemakers use to ramp up diacetyl production and keep that creamy character in the bottle: Timing is Everything: Inoculate after alcoholic fermentation.Wait until the main alcoholic fermentation is finished or almost finished before adding the bacteria. Why? The yeast that did the primary fermentation and the bacteria themselves are ve

Verdi’s mission is to make modern irrigation automation accessible to all growers, regardless of vineyard size or type of irrigation system — even manual systems can be automated.  Most automation solutions for irrigation are expensive and tailored toward the upper tier of vineyard operations. Existing systems also fail to address the worsening conditions farmers face, including labor shortages and environmental concerns such as droughts, water scarcity and new water usage monitoring requirements from the government.  Yet, every grower needs to reduce water costs and waste and the time their team spends patrolling the vineyards for valve malfunctions and line breaks, as well as improve the quality and yield of their crop. As Verdi’s founders, CTO Roman Kozak and CEO Arthur Chen, worked to solve these problems, they realized the solution was to make the latest technology affordable and simple enough for farmers to install themselves.  “Arthur and I

by Stacey HeuerAs Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself reflecting on all that I have to be thankful for, both personally and professionally. One of the standout moments this year has been the completion of and move into our brand-new, custom-built Napa facility. This isn’t just a warehouse; it’s a place that feels like home—a space we’ve meticulously crafted with love, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to an industry we are so proud to support. Creating this facility was truly a labor of love, but it wasn’t just about constructing a building. It was about giving our team members a voice and recognizing the value of everyone’s insights and experience. We involved our team in every step of the design, layout, and process flow, ensuring that the new space not only met but exceeded the needs of those who would be using it every day. The impact of so many people coming together to contribute their expertise has been profound. The outcome of this

JUNE 28, 2024 – Winners have been announced in the 17th annual Women’s International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWWSC). The competition, which took place June 10-12 in Santa Rosa, Calif., was founded on the premise that the majority of wine purchased for home consumption is bought by women. The IWWSC judging panels consist entirely of professional women in the wine and spirits industries — winemakers, distillers, marketers, buyers, sommeliers, educators and journalists.  “As always, the International Women’s Wine & Spirits Competition shined a spotlight on hundreds of deserving wines,” says Debra Del Fiorentino, owner of Wine Competitions Management & Production, which organizes and presents IWWSC. “And even though entry is open to all winemakers regardless of gender, I found it gratifying that six of this year’s sweepstakes wines were created by women. And our overall wine winner also was named Best Woman Winemaker

"GROUNDWATER . You can't see it, but millions of Californians depend upon it as a vital source of water for their homes and businesses." Those are not my words but the introductory words for the promotional video that appears on the SGMA (Sustainable Groundwater Management Act) website1 . The statement is a rather simply worded way to convey the obvious: that groundwater is vital to our livelihood here in California, and especially important to honoring and sustaining our agricultural heritage. While groundwater provides needed sustenance for numerous rural, as well as urban communities, it is agriculture that demands the lion's share of the resource. Central Valley agriculture turns to groundwater pumping whenever drought or poor rainfall years reduce the availability of surface water deliveries. Cries for construction of more reservoirs to capture and store more stormwater and snowmelt so that canals can be filled with more water are always being heard. Yet, apart f

Happy New Year! It is time to dust off the employee handbook, review your policies and procedures, and make sure they comply with all the new laws, regulations, and interpretations that have either already gone into effect or will in early 2024. Below, we have identified our “top 10(ish)” changes.  Please keep in mind there were hundreds of laws, regulations, and changes implemented at the local, state, and federal levels throughout 2023.  So, if you need a handbook/policy review or have any questions, please call.  1. California and Local Minimum Wage Raised – In addition to the gradual increase to minimum wage by the state, several Sonoma County cities have increased minimum wage beyond that required by the state.  Below is a table that describes the state and local city requirements:                     Locality Effective Date All Employers California 1/1/2024 $16.00 Santa Rosa 1/1/

With the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic receding, wineries are increasingly upgrading and modernizing equipment for the vineyard, winemaking, and packaging to optimize and automate more manual processes. Machinery like depalletizers is gaining traction because they play a crucial role in automating the handling of bulk glass. Bulk glass lowers costs and the winery’s carbon footprint by eliminating third-party charges for packing glass into cases before delivery. It reduces the number of trucks (and thus CO2 emitted) by 35 percent or more. Mimi Storts, Senior Director of Planning and Operations at Hess Persson Estates, recently upgraded the Hess Collection bottling line. She explains, “At Hess Collection, we had only one bottling line, and it was nearing its end of life. Quality is number one, so we wanted the new bottling line to maintain that quality and retain our internal quality oversight.” Storts also needed two capabilities the old line didn’t have: to h

In marketing ventures, we often focus on the channel we’re using to reach our audience. While this is an important piece of your marketing campaign, it’s not the only star of the show. Your messaging also deserves the spotlight and some true thought in order to pull off a successful campaign. Sometimes it’s better for your customers to tell it like it is. That’s where testimonials come in. It’s a “Don’t take it from us, take it from them” approach with your audience. Why? People trust people. They want to hear about the experiences your current customers have had with your business so they can imagine themselves in the same position. Here are ways you can gather the best customer feedback to use in your marketing materials.  Get to Know Your Customers In order to use testimonials that mean something, so build strong relationships with your customers. If you want them to speak on your behalf, they should be your biggest fans. Going ab