In this episode of the WIN Insider Series, George Christie sits down with Alison Crowe, Vice President of Winemaking and Partner at Plata Wine Partners, to explore her remarkable journey through the wine industry. From her early days growing up in California’s Central Coast to studying viticulture and enology at UC Davis, Alison shares how curiosity, hands-on experience, and a willingness to take risks shaped her career across roles at Chalone Vineyard, Curtis Winery, and Bonny Doon Vineyard. She also reflects on authoring The Winemaker’s Answer Book and how translating complex winemaking concepts into practical insights has been a common thread in her work. Alison offers a candid look at today’s wine landscape, from the collaborative, client-focused model at Plata Wine Partners to the broader challenges facing the industry, including shifting consumer preferences and increased competition. She discusses the importance of making wine more approachable, the need for

Thank you for joining us for our recent webinar with Alison Galligan and our white‑glove delivery partner, Raini Keyser of Arrive55. We appreciated the opportunity to walk through how wineries can evolve their final‑mile strategy to better protect wine, reduce risk, and deliver a premium customer experience. Here’s a quick recap of what we covered: What true white‑glove delivery looks like: How Arrive55’s temperature‑protected, appointment‑based service ensures wine arrives safely and professionally without relying on traditional carrier networks. Why regional providers matter more than ever: How leaning into regional final‑mile solutions can help wineries navigate shifting carrier conditions and improve reliability in key wine markets.  Updated pricing, no fuel surcharges and expanded coverage: An overview of new pricing designed to better meet winery needs, with no fuel surcharges, along with expanded service areas across important wine‑consuming regions. Reducing de

Plata Wine Partners is a premium “vineyard-to-bottle” production house rooted in California’s top coastal AVAs. With more than 20,000 acres of sustainably managed vineyards, Plata provides bulk-wine, private-label, and custom-program solutions for brands of all sizes. Their team brings together expertise in viticulture, winemaking, production, and finance to deliver programs aligned with modern consumer preferences. As the business evolved, Plata recognized that their Winemaker’s Database (WMDB) system lacked the accuracy, speed, and real-time visibility required by a 12+ facility production model. Plata implemented InnoVint in 2024, and the difference after just one harvest was remarkable. The Challenge: A System That Slowed Down the Entire Business Before InnoVint, Plata’s production and finance teams were burdened by manual processes that made everyday work harder and introduced costly risk.  Excessive manual data entry. Every two weeks, the

Spending a weekend sipping superb wines while savoring the perfect food pairing sounds like heaven. Add in breathtaking scenery and the relaxing ambiance of Sonoma County’s Wine Country, and now you have paradise perfected! This magical wine and food weekend becomes reality on November 1st and 2nd as the Wine Road hosts the 27th annual Wine & Food Affair. A Sneak Peek at the Food Pairings With 50 wineries to select from, there are too many food pairings to list, so here are just a few highlights. If you love Italian-based comfort food, check out: Mushroom and Winter Squash Risotto at Pedroncelli Winery Lobster Ravioli with Vodka Sauce at Pech Merle Winery Tatiana’s Famous Lasagna at Colagrossi Wines If you’d rather pair Mexican, French or Cajun with delicious wines, here are some options: Roger’s Colorado Pork Green Chili at J. Cage Cellars Creamy Mushroom Chicken Facon Grand Mère at GC Lurton Vineyards Alison’s Jambalaya at Mat

The competition was fierce at this year's PACK DESIGN AWARDS.  Saverglass is proud to celebrate Seven Hills Winery and Bokisch Vineyards for their outstanding packaging choices. We extend our sincere appreciation to our customers and supply chain partners for their hard work and collaboration. Congratulations to everyone involved! Seven Hills Winery (Walla Walla, Washington, USA) BEST CLASSIC FORMAT 3rd PLACE: Defiant Chapter 01, 2024 Vintage: $255 Saverglass Designed MERVEILLEUSE glass bottle | Complete package design by Stranger & Stranger JUDGES' COMMENTS: "Definitely a creative look." "Gorgeous design, love the blue wax and the label. For a cult following, it works. " "They are going for the SQN bottling here and for the same customer. This package tells me what the wine profile is without ever tasting it. This bottle design will look great in a collector's cellar. This feels like a 98pt wine!" Bokisch Vineyards (Lodi, California,

Join experts from WineDirect and UPS on September 5th at 11am – 12pm as they share essential tips and strategies to help your winery prepare for the busy OND season. Discover how to streamline your operations, optimize shipping, and ensure your customers have the best possible delivery experience during the most critical months of the year. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn best practices from industry leaders and make this OND your most successful season yet! Register Now Speakers Andrea Smalling, WineDirect  Alison Jackson, WineDirect  Joe Wilborn, UPS  Shawna Fontana, UPS  

Foley Family Wines Appoints Alison Crary Rodriguez as Winemaker for Silverado Vineyards

Santa Rosa, Calif., (August 29, 2022) – Foley Family Wines, a family-owned wine company founded in 1996, announced the appointment of Alison Crary Rodriguez as winemaker for Silverado Vineyards. Foley […]

Growing Forward is an online conference series focused on educating & supporting Grapegrowers throughout the vineyard growing cycle and preparing them for the year ahead. The series features academics, agricultural experts, and notable industry professionals addressing current challenges and issues impacting the grower community.   New Learnings & Best Practices on Grape Powdery Mildew and Soil Moisture Monitoring Broadcast Date: Thursday, March 31st, 2022 • 9:00 am (PT) As bud break begins, one of the biggest concerns for grape growers is around grape powdery mildew (GPM). As the growing season progresses, another major concern is around the limited availability of irrigation water. This session, led by Bryan Rahn, CPAg/SS, CCA and president of Coastal Viticultural Consultants, Inc. (CVC) will provide information and best practices on GPM and soil moisture monitoring that lead to more efficient GPM treatments and irrigation water use. The session will include vineya