Exceptional Structure. Distinctive Character. Some grape varieties are familiar to every winery. Others represent an opportunity to create something that stands apart. Now available: Premium Sagrantino grapes for the 2026 harvest. Native to Italy's Umbria region, Sagrantino is prized for producing deeply colored, intensely structured wines with exceptional aging potential. Its naturally high tannin content also makes it an intriguing option for wineries exploring distinctive varietal wines or adding depth and structure to premium blends. As wineries continue shaping their 2026 harvest plans, unique vineyard opportunities like this allow winemakers to look beyond traditional sourcing and explore varieties that can help differentiate their portfolios in an increasingly competitive marketplace. View Listing Innovation in the wine industry doesn't always come from new technology. Sometimes it begins with discovering a different grape, exploring a new vineyard source, or finding an opportu

The games are far apart and the ticket prices astronomical, so while the United States gets to play co-host with Canada and Mexico to this summer’s FIFA World Cup, most of us will be watching the matches from home. Four years ago, 1.5 billion people watched the final between Argentina and France. This time should be poised to bring in even more viewers.  This year’s tournament will involve 48 teams from around the globe, the largest ever number to compete, growing from what used to be 32. That means lots of games to take in, with 12 groupings of 4 countries each kicking things off on June 11 for what is known as the Group Stage.  The United States is in Group D and will play each team in its group to qualify for the Knockout Stage. It plays Paraguay June 12 in Los Angeles; Australia June 19 in Seattle; and Turkey June 26 in Los Angeles.  Eventually, that 48 number goes down to 32 – the Knockouts start June 28. The pace quickens from there, with that Round of 32 dwindling

MAY 28, 2026 – Experience Rosé, a wine competition that focuses exclusively on expressions of pink wine — sweet, dry and sparkling — has announced results of its 2026 contest. Taking top prize this year is a 2020 sparkling rosé of Pinot Noir from Kessler-Haak Vineyard & Wines in California’s Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Judges described it as “vibrant and fresh,” with “wild berry, pomegranate, citrus” and a “pale, beautiful color.” Grower/winemaker Dan Kessler explains his technique: “I don’t pick for brix, I pick for flavor and color, which comes when brix is higher. The wine then spends 60 months en tirage before we gather club members for a trial tasting. They pick the dosage — it’s a great way to engage them and get them excited for the release.” What makes the wine even more special is its label, which honors Kessler’s wife’s uncle, a jazz horn player in Baltimore; the label features a pencil drawing of the musician in his element. Now in its eighth year, Experience Rosé was founded

TMC Financing Celebrates 2026 Coleman Award Winners, Recognizing Excellence Across SBA Lending   TMC Financing is pleased to announce that several members of its team, along with the company itself, have been honored as part of the 2026 Coleman Report SBA Lender Awards. These recognitions highlight organizations and individuals whose achievements in SBA lending strengthen small business communities and expand access to long‑term, affordable financing.  TMC Financing has long been committed to empowering entrepreneurs across its footprint, and this year’s awards reflect both strong FY25 production and meaningful growth in new markets.  TMC Financing earned the SBA Underserved Market Lender of the Year award after completing a record‑setting FY25 with 548 SBA 504 loans and more than $2.4 billion in total project financing, supporting over 7,000 jobs. This recognition underscores the company’s continued efforts to reach more businesses with stable, fixed‑r

Introducing the Verdi Smart Valve Precision irrigation depends on one thing: knowing that every irrigation is delivered exactly as planned. For specialty crop growers managing multiple blocks, varied valve sizes, and rising production costs, achieving that level of control and visibility has often been difficult. Verdi’s new Smart Valve changes that. Each wireless unit enables remote control, real-time irrigation verification, flow-based scheduling, and water-use reporting, all powered by the Verdi Dashboard. It’s available in a full range of sizes from 1 inch to 4 inches. Built for Today’s Challenges Growers across specialty crops, from orchards and vineyards to berries and vegetables, are dealing with rising input costs, labor shortages, and increasing pressure to optimize resources. Many are navigating tighter margins while striving to maintain quality and compliance. The Smart Valve fills a critical gap in the market for growers who need automation that&rsq

Until now, getting reliable weather and soil data meant installing and maintaining a physical weather station, or relying on generic, imprecise forecasts. Verdi Weather changes that. This new feature gives you hyper-local weather data, right inside your Verdi dashboard. Powered by Precip, it puts actionable insights exactly where growers make irrigation decisions. Why We Built It Every week, growers make irrigation decisions that directly affect yield, quality, and costs. But too often, those decisions rely on assumptions, not field-specific data. “Knowing how much rain fell yesterday, last week, or across the whole season changes everything,” says Nart Barileva, Verdi’s Head of Data. “Precip’s data fills that gap instantly.”With Verdi Weather, there’s no hardware to buy or maintain. It’s already embedded in your dashboard, and the data is specific to your farm. What You Can See When you open the Verdi Dashboard, click the new Weather bu

One often overlooked aspect is the language in which mandatory posters are displayed. California, known for its diverse population, has specific requirements to ensure that all employees have access to workplace information. Federal Language Requirements for Workplace Posters The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recognizes the importance of communicating with employees in their native languages: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Employers must provide notices in a language their workforce understands if a significant portion of employees are not literate in English. Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA): Posters must be available in languages commonly spoken by migrant workers who are not fluent in English. Executive Order 13496: Federal contractors and subcontractors must post notices in languages spoken by employees who are not proficient in English. Translations are available through the DOL upon request. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA): Employers mu

This week we highlight three selected non-Saccharomyces yeast strains from the VIW® SHIELD range, specifically developed to manage bioprotection and enhance wine freshness, aroma, and mouthfeel in the early stages of fermentation. VIW® SHIELD LT Lachancea thermotolerans What is it? A selected non-Saccharomyces yeast designed for enological use, ideal for bioprotection and the first steps of alcoholic fermentation.  Why use it? Dominates native microflora in early fermentation Active in 15–25 °C range up to ~10% v/v ethanol Produces lactic acid → enhances freshness and roundness Slightly reduces final ethanol content Ideal for: Wines where sweetness, freshness, and roundness are key. A great tool for bioprotection while also contributing to the sensory profile of the final wine. VIW® SHIELD MP Metschnikowia pulcherrima What is it? A selected non-Saccharomyces yeast used for bioprotection and aroma enhancement during the initial s

  System Account System Account 0x010100043A3A8B2F2ED841920AEAB92B93F32F       Non-Saccharomyces Yeast   Bioprotection and more   Once overlooked, non-Saccharomyces yeasts have emerged as versatile tools that can significantly enhance wine aroma, acidity, mouthfeel, and overall quality. Discover how these unique yeasts are as varied in their applications and strain differences as their Saccharomyces cousins.   READ MORE     LEVEL2 SALVA™ BIOPROTECTION   SALVA offers specific bioprotection against Brettanomyces, including SOâ‚‚ resistant strains.   Learn More LEVEL2 FLAVIA™ ENHANCE AROMA AND TEXTURE   FLAVIA increases expression of terpenes and thiols (varietal aromas), increases roundness due to mannoprotein release.   Learn More   LEVEL2 INITIA™ BIOPROTECTION   INITIA consumes oxygen, suppressing the growth of microorganism and

As Q1 closes, emerging trends in marketing technology are pointing to one consistent theme: intentionality. According to a recent Angelsmith report, successful wineries are trimming the fat from their messages and focusing on clarity, relevance, and timing—especially in how they use email, social media, and SMS. Email campaigns are performing best when subject lines are kept to 2–4 words. Mobile-first readers want scannable content, and when paired with a compelling preview text, short headlines can significantly lift open rates. A/B testing is no longer optional—it’s a must-have tactic, even for smaller wine brands. In social media, the rise of short-form video continues. Platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok reward creators who post content natively within the app. Cross-posted, watermarked videos are seeing reduced reach, so a shift toward platform-specific content is paying off. Additionally, quality is overtaking quantity—engagement is now more ab