As wineries operate with leaner teams, many employees are taking on broader roles. Recognizing that change does not require ignoring the financial pressure employers are facing. The wine industry is asking many businesses to do more with less. Sales remain under pressure, operating costs have climbed, and wineries are making difficult decisions about staffing, production, facilities, and spending. Silicon Valley Bank’s 2026 State of the U.S. Wine Industry Report found that roughly half of wineries characterized 2025 negatively, although about one-third reported a positive year—an important reminder that conditions are difficult, but not identical, across the industry. Recent winery closures, consolidations, and layoffs have made those pressures especially visible. When positions are eliminated or left unfilled, the work attached to them does not always disappear. It is often redistributed among the people who remain. A marketing employee may inherit wine club communications and event

No one is born knowing how to lead, and great leadership is rarely spontaneous. Despite how natural some may seem in the role, a great leader is developed, not discovered. That’s good news if you’re a business owner because investing in leadership training in Boise might be the smartest decision you make this year. Let’s break down exactly how leadership training can transform your organization, from reducing conflict to running better meetings. TL;DR: The Key Takeaways Better conflict resolution = fewer HR headaches More effective meetings = less time wasted Stronger leaders = higher retention, better morale The Personnel Perspective offers customized training Why Should You Invest in Leadership Training? Leadership affects everything in your business. Good leadership creates clarity, alignment, and a culture where people actually want to work. Bad leadership? It leads to confusion, tension, and turnover. What Great Leaders Actually Do Communicate expectations clearly Make decis

The Shift in Drinking Habits Is Here Something structural has changed in how Americans relate to alcohol, and if you've been watching your DTC numbers, you've probably felt it before you could name it. Gallup's 2023 consumption survey found that the share of U.S. adults who drink has dropped to 62%, the lowest level since 1948. The IWSR has documented consecutive years of volume decline in still wine in the U.S. market. The casual, habitual wine buyer who grabs a familiar label on autopilot and treats wine as a grocery category is drinking less or shifting away entirely. Volume-driven marketing built around that consumer is chasing a contracting audience. That sounds threatening. It isn't, if you're willing to look at who is still buying. The consumer who remains is choosing quality over quantity, spending more per bottle precisely because they're buying fewer of them, and actively looking for brands worth their loyalty. The wineries that adapt their marketing to speak this language h

It’s no secret that people are drinking less. The consistent, downward trends in alcohol consumption are presenting significant challenges to the wine industry, which is already having to operate in a complex, competitive marketplace. In order to dissect what is happening in the world of wine and figure out how to make adjustments, industry leaders need solid information on which to base their current business practices and future projections. Fortunately, the industry has Terrain, a group of experts providing exclusive insights and forecasting to customers of American AgCredit and other participating Farm Credit associations in order to promote a more vigorous agricultural economy. Chris Bitter, Ph.D., a senior wine and grape analyst with Terrain and American AgCredit, has recently written two comprehensive articles for "Winescape", a publication that delves into current wine sales data and explores what those show about trending topics such as overall alcohol consump

LAST-MINUTE WAYS TO SUPPORT WINE AND JOIN COME OVER OCTOBER Come Over October launched in 2023 with a simple but powerful premise: wine has connected people for 8,000 years, and October is the month to honor that. The campaign invites us to slow down, gather with friends or family, and make wine the centerpiece of togetherness. In just one year, it’s grown from a spark to a movement. Thousands have embraced the idea, from consumers hosting casual dinners to wineries, retailers, and restaurants using the campaign to remind people that wine isn’t just a beverage—it’s a culture, a history, and a human connection poured into a glass. For the industry, it’s a chance to reframe wine as essential, not optional, in modern life. The wine industry needs this now more than ever. The pressures are piling up. Research from Stanford and other institutions is eroding the belief that “wine is good for your heart”, and the U.S. Surgeon General has recommende

Gossip in the workplace — it can feel like a harmless pastime, a way to connect with colleagues over a shared tidbit or two. But beneath the surface, gossip can be a silent killer of employee engagement, fostering negativity, distrust, and a decline in morale. This topic comes up frequently for us in our work with our clients. So much so, in fact, that we created a training on this topic. Check out our upcoming leadership training in Boise. Reduced engagement translates to a significant cost for businesses. Studies by Gallup show that disengaged employees cost U.S. companies an estimated $1 trillion annually in lost productivity. So, how do we silence this killer of productivity and cultivate a thriving workplace environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and engaged? First, let’s take a minute to delve into the negative impact gossip has on employee engagement. Gossip leads to: • Reduced Trust: When whispers and rumors abound, trust among colleagues

180: Social Responsibility at Vina Robles, Marketing Tip Monday While telling your sustainable story serves a practical purpose in educating consumers about the real-world impact of your sustainable practices, it also goes deeper than that: it builds meaningful emotional connections. Welcome to Marketing Tip Monday with SIP Certified. We know customers are looking for wines labeled as sustainable. While our longer-form episodes help you learn about the latest science and research for the wine industry, these twice-monthly micro podcasts will help you share your dedication to sustainable winegrowing so you can show your customers that you share their values. The brand-new Sustainable Story worksheet is a simple yet powerful free tool that helps you tell your own personal sustainable message. Simply download the worksheet linked in the show notes, complete it with your whole team, and keep following along with this podcast series to learn how to incorporate your story into every aspect

Afternoon Brief, August 15th

Gallup Poll: Wine Lags Behind, Spirits Gain Ground: Gallup’s annual Consumption Habits poll, which tracks American attitudes toward drinking and surveys who drinks what, shows wine dropping in popularity...