The Sustainable Ag Expo isn’t just about earning CE hours—it’s a gathering place for wine industry professionals to learn, network, and celebrate the future of sustainable farming. From morning burritos to student-led research and vintage tractor showcases, this year’s Expo is packed with unique opportunities to make your experience more meaningful and memorable. Here are six can't-miss events happening alongside the seminars: 1. Monday Kick Off: Farming for the Future 🗓️ Monday, Nov 10 | 5:00–7:00 PM 📍 Center of Effort Winery Sponsored by Inland Desert Nursery Start your week with an evening of connection, SIP Certified wines, and gourmet hors d’oeuvres. Expo headliner Dr. Chris Chen, will lead a forward-looking conversation on vineyard management in a changing climate. 🎟️ Free for ticket holders (while supplies last), requires separate reservation; additional tickets $50.  2. Breakfast Burritos & Coffee = Day 1 Fuel 🗓

A look back at our presence at the Cuma day on Thursday July 3, at Château Bonnet, organized by the network of local CUMA Federations of Gironde & Lot-et-Garonne , by the CUMA Federation of Nouvelle-Aquitaine and by the Gironde Chamber of Agriculture .  Around ten companies were present for demonstrations and practical exercises of their innovations. Exhibitors and demonstrations  all day long A day on the theme of Robotics and Wine Innovation with different themes covered such as:  Robots Guidance and autoguidance systems Drones Disease detection Connected boxes Intra-plot modulation Decision support tool It was punctuated by demonstrations in the plots, discussions between professionals on the stands and a round table on climate issues. This event allowed us to introduce Process2Wine to some winegrowers who hadn't yet had the opportunity to meet us. We came to them. We were able to demonstrate once again that our software is the leader in the wine mark

Summer winery marketing strategies are essential for staying competitive during travel season and warmer weather. As customer habits shift and traditional foot traffic slows, wineries must find new ways to stand out. The good news? With the right mix of creativity, personalization, and tech-driven tools, summer can be one of your most profitable seasons yet. Here are five innovative, customer-centric strategies to help your winery sell more and build deeper relationships this summer. 1. Rethink Summer Shipping: Flexibility Is the New Fast Wine and heat don’t mix. But neither do frustrated customers nor surprise shipping delays. In 2025, the most successful wineries are leaning into flexibility, clear communication, and smarter logistics to keep orders flowing and customers happy. 🔄 Give Customers Control Let your customers decide when and how they receive their wine. Integrate tools that allow post-purchase adjustments, like scheduling a fall delivery or choosing a local picku

Like any other industry, the wine industry is cyclical. What goes around tends to come back around. And what can we learn from those trends—besides the fact that leg warmers were never cool, even in the ’80s? Wine hospitality began with casual, bar-style tastings—one host, multiple guests, and a quick pour-and-go approach. Over time, we introduced more educational options: tours, guided tastings, and eventually, more intimate seated experiences. Then came the pandemic. It acted as a litmus test for tasting room strategy and showed—on a large scale—that time with guests matters. More time meant greater satisfaction, higher wine sales, and more club signups. The reservation model also revealed something powerful: those who took the time to book were more intentional. They came to taste and to buy. And the ROI of seated, guided experiences reflected that. Fast-forward five years, and many tasting rooms now default to seated tastings. But… is the pendul

Can you believe it’s March? Soon rain will abate, buds will break, and Q2 will be here before we know it along with, hopefully, tourists. This blog starts by summarizing a recent Forbes study about travel plans this year, and then we wrap up with a summary of some trends we think you can build upon this year. Will the political climate once again hijack all of America’s attention and make people wary of venturing out? Or will it be more likely to scare us to other countries for a respite abroad? If tasting room traffic is down this year as it was last year, it is even more important to know what consumers are looking for in the hopes of developing programs consumers want. The smart winery will be continually testing different experiences this year to try and attract the right customer to their brand. This blog starts summarizing a recent Forbes study about travel plans this year, and then we wrap up with a summary of some of the trends we think you can build upon this year

TRENDS SHAPING TRAVEL IN 2024 Can you believe it’s summer? Soon Memorial Day will be here before we know it along with, hopefully, tourists. This blog starts by summarizing a recent Forbes study about travel plans this year, and then we wrap up with a summary of some trends we think you can build upon this year. Will the political climate once again hijack all of America’s attention and make people wary of venturing out? Or will it be more likely to scare us to other countries for a respite abroad? If tasting room traffic is down this year as it was last year, it is even more important to know what consumers are looking for in the hopes of developing programs consumers want. The smart winery will be continually testing different experiences this year to try and attract the right customer to their brand. This blog starts summarizing a recent Forbes study about travel plans this year, and then we wrap up with a summary of some of the trends we think you can build upon this y

Au Bon Climat Appoints Cher Engelstad as National Sales Manager

SANTA MARIA, Calif; Nov. 30, 2023 — Au Bon Climat, one of Santa Barbara County’s founding wineries, announces the appointment of Cher Engelstad as National Sales Manager for both Au […]

The wine industry is grappling with uncertainty in a rapidly changing economic landscape, leaving winery owners, grape farmers, and wine sales teams in a state of flux. Wineries were already coping with a demographic shift towards younger generations less interested in wine than Boomer enthusiasts when the pandemic catalyzed market disruption. When bars, restaurants and tasting rooms closed, consumers stocked up on budget-friendly wines, and value wine sales briefly surged. Then, with extra cash from government stimulus checks, they began buying premium and luxury wines. Small wineries adapted by introducing curbside pickups and digital wine tastings and utilized their phone and email lists to reach potential customers which helped shore up losses from tasting room closures. Unfortunately, two and a half years post-pandemic, sales remain disappointing despite reopened tasting rooms and other hospitality businesses. Economist Chris Bitter, Ph.D., Terrain's senior wine and grape ana

Michel Rolland: Lessons from a Master

One of the original “flying winemakers,” Michel Rolland shares his thoughts on topics as wide-ranging as hot wines from France, the worldwide impact of climate change on grape growing, and […]