April 28th, 2026 — For today’s wineries, delivering a great customer experience means more than great wine. It requires timely, personal, and relevant communication at every stage of the relationship. From the tasting room experience to the first purchase, to club shipments and beyond, customers expect to feel known and valued. To meet that expectation, wineries are using more technology than ever before—but the real magic happens when these tools work together. RedChirp and Corksy have announced a new integration that connects Corksy’s modern DTC platform with RedChirp’s texting and automation capabilities. By bringing these systems together, wineries can turn real-time customer data into timely, personalized communication, driving more revenue while delivering a more seamless, high-touch experience. Turning Data Into Action: Instead of toggling between systems or piecing together customer context, winery teams can now work more fluidly, moving from

We proudly announced the recipients of the inaugural WISE Rising Stars Scholarships during a live presentation at the DTC Wine Symposium last week, celebrating the next generation of DTC wine industry leaders in front of more than 500 winery professionals. As one of the event’s original sponsors, WISE continues to invest in the Symposium’s mission of education, collaboration, and forward‑thinking leadership. The Rising Stars Scholarships extend that commitment—supporting people, developing leadership, and strengthening the DTC community across the industry. The Rising Stars Scholarships received an overwhelming response from across the country. The strength of applications prompted Commerce7 to step in and match one of the scholarships, allowing WISE to expand the program and support additional recipients. Join us as we raise a glass towards this year's recipients! Kelsey Gomes is the DTC Marketing Manager at Lange Twins Family Winery & Vineyards. Upon re

Afternoon Brief, July 21st

Patent Lawsuit Against Gallo by Vineyard Investigations May Be Nearing End: When scientist/vintner and Vineyard Investigations, Inc. (VII) owner Paul Skinner approached E. & J. Gallo in May 2017 about his new inventions for precision viticulture, he had no idea that would open the door to an extensive, five-year lawsuit and federal court trial to defend his patents for a system of automated crop monitoring maintenance included sensors and emitters for individual plants along with an external data an sensor system...