Volcanic Hillsides. Napa Structure. Now available: Premium Cabernet Sauvignon from the Crystal Springs of Napa Valley AVA — a rare opportunity to source fruit from Napa Valley’s newest and highly distinctive hillside appellation. Officially established in 2024, the Crystal Springs AVA is known for its steep volcanic hillsides, cooling maritime influence, and elevations ranging from 400–1,400 feet. These conditions help produce Cabernet Sauvignon with deep concentration, rich aromatics, freshness, and structured tannins. Unlike vineyards higher up on Howell Mountain, Crystal Springs sits below the inversion layer, allowing vines to benefit from both warm afternoon sun and cool nighttime conditions. The result is Cabernet Sauvignon that balances power with elegance, making this AVA increasingly sought after by premium producers. As vineyard sourcing decisions continue across Napa Valley, listings like this provide wineries the opportunity to secure distinctive, site-driven Cabernet earl

From Midnight Mocktails to Croatian Coasts: The Top Travel Trends Stealing Wine Country's Thunder As travelers eagerly plan their next getaways, the tourism landscape is shifting—fast. Driven by changing values, advancing tech, and global events, how we explore the world in 2025 looks very different than it did just a few years ago. From AI-crafted itineraries to wellness retreats designed around your sleep cycle, travel today is more curated, personal, and purpose-driven than ever. But while adventurers chase hot springs in Iceland and food tours in Tokyo, one classic destination is quietly slipping from the spotlight: wine country. Once a top choice for weekend getaways and special occasions, winery visits are on the decline. And for the wine industry, that’s more than just a hospitality hiccup—it’s a missed opportunity to turn curious sippers into lifelong fans. Understanding this season’s top travel trends isn’t just about keeping up. It&rsq

Andy Schweiger  Some may say Andy Schweiger has his head in the clouds. His winery, is, after all, 2,000 feet off the valley floor on the top of Spring Mountain. With such lofty fruit, one can imagine Andy has top-level quality goals for all his suppliers. Indeed, Andy admits to working with many different cork suppliers for years to establish his own meticulous list of criteria, service expectations, and quality control standards. “Other companies would nod at my requirements and gave me lip service,” recalls Andy, “but MAS actually listened and took my requests to heart.” Since that first meeting, M. A. Silva has endured at Schweiger by striving for increasingly high quality in all Andy’s cork deliveries. By periodically announcing new technological innovations like the Dynavox system and SARA Advanced process, the supplier continues to methodically test and improve so they can deliver the highest level of quality cork for every order. Andy cites M.

Afternoon Brief, August 4th

Rising Temperatures Could Impact Quality of Grapes Used to Make Wine in Napa Valley, Researchers Say: Rising temperatures are shifting the growing season in Napa Valley’s wine country, which could impact grape growth and alter the types of wine that originate from the region, according to new research and wine experts...

Afternoon Brief, June 12th

Shafer Acquires ‘World Class’ Napa Vineyard: California’s Shafer Vineyards has supercharged its Cabernet Sauvignon offering with its latest purchase, a vineyard in Napa’s Atlas Peak AVA...