Text messaging has evolved far beyond promotional blasts and last-minute event reminders. Today's most successful wineries are using SMS throughout the customer journey—from recovering wine club declines and improving shipping success rates to collecting customer feedback and driving allocation sales. The result is a more personalized customer experience, stronger retention, and measurable revenue growth. During a recent discussion with RedChirp and our mutual client, Black Ankle Vineyards, we explored how wineries are using SMS to create more meaningful customer interactions at every stage of the DTC journey. Black Ankle's Emma Pope shared several real-world examples of campaigns that have driven engagement, streamlined communication, and generated measurable results—offering a valuable look at how modern wineries are putting text messaging to work. While every winery's audience and goals are different, several clear themes emerged. The most successful programs aren't simply sending m

In Napa, the difference between a good vintage and a stressed one can come down to a single afternoon. A forecast calls for temperatures in the 90s, then the thermometer climbs past 100. For a grower, those hours matter, and the ability to respond quickly can protect both the crop and the quality of the season. For Roy Chapin, owner and winemaker at 4 Winds Winery, that kind of responsiveness has become part of how he farms. Roy has spent years producing high-quality wines with a focus on sustainable practices, always working to balance vine health against careful water use. Like many Napa growers, his challenge was not a lack of effort or experience. It was visibility, knowing what was happening across the vineyard in real time, and being able to act on it without losing precious hours. Seeing the vineyard from anywhere That visibility is what changed when Roy integrated WiseConn into his operation. "WiseConn gives me the ability to monitor and control my irrigation remotely, which is

Willmes and Armbruster are strengthening their global partnership with the launch of Willmes Armbruster U.S. – Grape Processing Solutions, a new venture dedicated to the direct representation and support of both product lines. Headquartered in Petaluma, California, the company will support wineries with new projects while providing ongoing service for all existing installations through a dedicated U.S. based sales and service team. Both brands had been proudly represented throughout North America by Scott Laboratories for more than forty years. "It has been an honor to represent Willmes and Armbruster and collaborate with their teams for the past four decades. We will continue to champion their brands, having seen firsthand their dedication to quality and innovation. Our customers are in excellent hands with this new investment in the North American market.” — Steve Clattenburg, President, Scott Laboratories Willmes Armbruster U.S. will launch operations under the leadership of industr

Vineyard managers are constantly balancing labor efficiency, operational demands, site conditions, and weed management objectives. As the industry continues to evolve, many vineyards are exploring how bioherbicides can complement their existing weed management programs. Bioherbicides are not new, but interest in these products has grown as vineyard managers look for additional weed management tools to address a variety of operational needs. Understanding where bioherbicides fit within a broader strategy can help professionals make informed decisions for different vineyard applications. Fast Visual Results One reason vineyard managers are evaluating certain bioherbicides is their ability to provide visible results quickly under favorable environmental conditions. Fast visual feedback can be especially valuable in vineyard rows, around trellis systems, fence lines, equipment storage areas, and other highly visible operational spaces. When weeds are actively growing and conditions are fav

Twelve years ago, when Ashley Leonard and Dan Strengier first brought InnoVint’s unique, data-based software to the wine industry, it would have been difficult to comprehend how fully AI technology would revolutionize winery operations. But that’s exactly what’s happening with InnoVint’s all-in-one winery operating system that’s been empowering wineries since its inception: InnoVint is now weaving AI throughout its cutting-edge platform to make functions like Vineyard Tracking, Wine Production, Inventory Management and Cost Accounting practices easier and more effective than ever before.  Strengier, InnoVint’s Co-Founder and CTO describes InnoVint’s new AI capabilities as “exponentially more efficient.” “AI can literally capture analyses written on a messy napkin and import a 30-page PDF document flawlessly,” Strengier testifies. “It can create complex work orders for panels of analytics and additions on tanks in seconds – and do it from anywhere. Doing this work manually just is

Award-Winning New York Distillery Brings Distinctive Bourbons, Whiskeys, and Specialty Spirits to California Retailers and Restaurants Fairport, NY, and San Jose, CA, June 15, 2026 —Iron Smoke Distillery, the acclaimed New York-based producer of award-winning bourbons and whiskeys, today announced an expanded partnership with LibDib, the web-based wholesale alcohol distributor, making its full portfolio available to licensed California retailers, restaurants, and bars through online ordering at Iron Smoke and LibDib. The expansion provides California buyers with convenient access to Iron Smoke's distinctive lineup of premium spirits while supporting the company's continued growth in one of the nation's most influential beverage markets. "At Iron Smoke, we've always been committed to delivering an exceptional experience, whether that's through the quality of our products or the way customers discover and access them," said Tommy Brunett, CEO and Chief Trailblazer of Iron Smoke Distiller

The 2026 SVB Direct-to-Consumer Wine Report delivers a message that every winery owner and operator should pay attention to. The headline isn't that visitation is down. Most wineries already know that. The headline isn't that wine club growth has slowed. Most wineries are experiencing that reality as well. The real story is that while the median winery reported no growth, the top-performing quartile of wineries increased revenue by 22%, while the bottom quartile declined by 13%. In other words, wineries are operating in the same market conditions but achieving dramatically different results. So what separates the winners from the rest? The Industry Challenges Remain The report confirms several trends that continue to pressure winery profitability. Direct-to-consumer sales remain the foundation of the premium wine business, accounting for approximately 72% of revenue. Yet the channels driving those sales are under strain. Tasting room visitation continues to decline, reducing opportunit

This time of year, every sales opportunity matters. And one of the easiest ways to lose momentum is to make buying feel harder than it should. Maybe it looks like: a checkout that takes too long a club process that still takes manual work an online store that feels limited a team chasing answers that should already be clear It adds up. A simple tip for this week: Pick one place where selling feels clunky and test it yourself. For example: join your own club buy from your own online store on your phone pull up a customer account at checkout If it feels slower or harder than it should, that is the friction costing you sales. The strongest systems do more than process transactions. They make it easier to grow. With Activ8 Commerce, wineries and distilleries get POS, club, eCommerce, and customer data connected in one system — helping teams drive stronger DTC revenue, stay organized, and deliver a better customer experience across every channel. And for businesses ready to elevate o

In this webinar, Rack & Riddle and SOLOS will explore the consumer trends driving category growth, the science behind alcohol removal, and why sparkling wine naturally performs better in alcohol-removed applications.