Harvest Is Approaching. Quality Matters. When harvest gets closer, reputation starts to matter even more. As the growing season enters its final stretch, wineries aren't simply looking for available fruit. They're looking for vineyards with a history of consistency, experienced farming, and a track record of producing quality vintage after vintage. This featured listing offers Hi-Grade Alexander Valley Merlot from a Certified Sustainable vineyard in Geyserville, planted in 1990 and recognized for consistently producing premium-quality fruit. For wineries still finalizing sourcing decisions, opportunities like this provide the confidence that comes from an established vineyard with decades of proven performance. Alexander Valley has long been celebrated for Merlot that combines generous dark fruit, balanced structure, and exceptional versatility, making it equally at home in premium blends and standout varietal bottlings. View Listing The best business decisions often come down to choo

Winemakers are facing a harvest problem that has nothing to do with the vines. As summer temperatures climb across California and other major wine regions, wine tanks heat up right along with the vineyards, forcing wineries to run refrigeration harder and longer just to hold onto the quality they worked all year to grow. BevZero, the Santa Rosa-based global leader in alcohol and flavor management, is helping producers take that control back with equipment built for temperature management and technology built for a changing market. “One of the biggest challenges [winemakers] have is dealing with ambient temperature, which is out of their control,” said Todd Dicello, BevZero’s sales manager for the PolarClad tank insulation division. “Any way that they can improve temperature variation and stratification in the tank is important.” That variation, heat pooling at the top of a tank while the bottom stays cool, is what BevZero’s equipment line is designed to close. PolarClad, an R-12 therma

Cool Climate. Classic Character. Not every wine region becomes synonymous with a grape variety. Russian River Valley has earned that distinction. Defined by cool Pacific fog, long growing seasons, and remarkable diversity of soils, the Russian River Valley has become one of California's benchmark regions for Pinot Noir. The extended ripening season allows grapes to develop vibrant fruit, balanced acidity, and the elegance that has made the AVA a favorite among winemakers and wine lovers alike. As we approach the final weeks before harvest, vineyard sourcing is entering its most important stage. Production plans are becoming firm, fruit availability is narrowing, and premium vineyard opportunities are beginning to disappear. Listings like this give wineries the chance to secure Russian River Pinot Noir while there's still time to build the foundation for the 2026 vintage. View Listing Great wines begin with great vineyard decisions. Whether you're sourcing fruit from an iconic AVA, ex

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Bottle360 Welcomes Dan Pendergast to Their Growing Team Industry veteran joins the winery software platform to strengthen web development and marketing operations Seattle, WA — July 28th 2026 Bottle360, the direct-to-consumer software platform built specifically for wineries, today announced that Dan Pendergast has joined the company as Marketing Coordinator and Platform Specialist. Pendergast brings approximately 15 years of industry experience to the role, with a background spanning front-end development, marketing, and web operations. In his role, Pendergast will focus on the marketing efforts of the company, product testing, leading the launch of integrations, and provide his knowledge and insight from his years of experience with constant exposure to winery-specific DTC software. “Dan's combination of deep technical skill and marketing insight makes him a great fit as we continue to grow. His experience in the winery technology space means he understands our

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

We’re proud to highlight growers who are helping shape the future of agriculture. As we continue growing better together, our latest story comes from Australia’s vineyards. Gorton Drive Estates is a family-owned vineyard situated on the banks of Kangaroo Lake in Victoria’s Swan Hill region. The estate is managed by second-generation viticulturist Chris Dent. They have been cultivating high-quality wine grapes on the property since 1969. Chris, who oversees all aspects of the operation to supply high-quality wine grapes commercially, shared his experience with Heino Malan, our Riverina & Mallee Territory Manager. 1. What challenges were you facing in your irrigation or crop management before using Phytech? You don't know what you don't know! We had a number of capacitance probes located throughout the vineyard and used them in conjunction with other irrigation decision tools including weather forecasts, vine growth stage, physical appearance, dig stick, etc to determine irrigation

What happens when your best customers decide to drink half as much wine — but spend twice as much per bottle? For decades, the wine industry ran on volume. More cases, more labels, more shelf space. But that playbook is being rewritten. Across every major demographic, consumers are steadily pulling back on how much wine they drink. Though research shows they are spending significantly more on every bottle they choose. This sweeping shift toward premiumization has completely transformed what the market rewards. Today's wine buyer prioritizes chemical transparency, environmental ethics, authentic flavor, and pristine quality. Mass-produced, heavily manipulated table wine is losing ground fast. Competing on volume alone is no longer a winning strategy. Today's most profitable growth opportunities come from consumers who drink less wine but spend more on quality. The following four strategies will help wineries capture that market. 1. Shift Production Toward Lower-ABV and Fresh Varietals

Warmer winters, longer growing seasons and shifting vector ranges are changing the disease landscape in California vineyards. Pierce’s Disease pressure has historically been lower in the North Coast, aided in part by cold winter temperatures. Climate trends, however, may alter that risk profile as Pierce’s Disease adapts. Are there opportunities to curtail this trend? This session will share recent PD/GWSS Board-funded research on Pierce’s Disease ecology and potential control strategies. Growers will leave with a clear understanding of how area-wide programs protect premium vineyards and what today’s research means for vineyard resilience over the next decade. The Glassy-winged Sharpshooter (GWSS) is an invasive insect that acts as the primary and most aggressive vector for Pierce’s Disease, and resources will be shared in the session for growers to stay updated on the evolving issue of Grapevines sold at Costco which contained GWSS. Read more about our Growing Forward Series here: h

Premium Alexander Valley Merlot Now Available Merlot has quietly re-established itself as one of the wine industry's most versatile varietals. While Cabernet Sauvignon often takes center stage, Merlot continues to play a critical role in premium blending programs and has earned renewed appreciation as a standalone wine. Its approachability, rich fruit profile, and versatility make it a valuable option for wineries looking to expand portfolios or refine existing programs. Now available: Hi-Grade Alexander Valley Merlot. Alexander Valley is known for producing Merlot with generous dark fruit character, balanced structure, and excellent depth, making it a natural fit for both premium blends and varietal bottlings. As wineries continue evaluating sourcing opportunities for upcoming releases, listings like this offer flexibility while maintaining the quality expected from one of Sonoma County's most respected growing regions. View Listing The strongest winery programs are built by keeping

Great Pinot Starts with Great Sourcing Decisions Now available: Russian River Pinot Noir grapes from Foster Family Vineyards. This offering includes approximately 20 tons of Pinot Noir featuring Pommard, Dijon 115, and Martini clones, providing wineries with access to a diverse and highly regarded mix of Pinot Noir material from one of California's most respected growing regions. Russian River Valley has earned its reputation as a premier Pinot Noir region thanks to its cool-climate conditions, coastal fog influence, and extended growing season. These conditions help produce wines with vibrant fruit, natural acidity, and layered complexity, making the region a perennial favorite among premium Pinot Noir producers. As wineries continue evaluating fruit sources for the 2026 harvest, opportunities like this provide a chance to secure vineyard-designated fruit from a region known for producing some of California's most sought-after Pinot Noir. View Listing Every harvest begins with a con