My positive takeaways from Oregon Wine Symposium 2026 is that the wine industry has no shortage of opportunities right now. What is changing however is how clearly those opportunities are communicated and discovered. As consumers increasingly turn to AI to help them choose what to drink, where to go, and what fits their lifestyle, the wineries that articulate these wins clearly will be the ones that show up in the world of 'AI intent!' Here are my 10 ways the wine business can win in 2026 and why embracing AI now can help make them visible. Top 10 Ways the Wine Business Can Win in 2026 1. Lead with flavor, not labels Consumers want to know what it tastes like, not what it’s called. Clear flavor language helps AI and people understand wines faster. 2. Whites and lighter styles are growth engines White wines and blends align with affordability, freshness, and everyday occasions. Explaining why they fit modern lifestyles improves discovery. 3. “Better for you” ne

Walk into almost any winery this week and you’ll see the same thing: equipment everywhere, barrels tucked into every open spot, and crews doing their best to move fruit through a cellar that already feels packed. Harvest always brings some level of chaos, but this year the space squeeze seems to be hitting harder than usual. And when the cellar is this tight, it quietly changes how winemakers make decisions. Not in big, obvious ways — but in the small, practical choices that add up over the course of a vintage. That’s where the hidden costs start to show themselves. 1. Lots Are Being Shifted Earlier Than Planned A full cellar forces movement. Not thoughtful, deliberately timed movement — just movement. When every open vessel is already promised to incoming fruit, winemakers end up: racking earlier transferring before a lot is truly settled finishing fermentations in whatever vessel is available consolidating lots sooner than planned None of these decisions a

One standard marketing principle is “Don’t market to yourself.” In other words, just because a message or strategy makes sense to you, it does not mean it will resonate with your audience. We are human, and it is easy to fall into the trap of viewing the category, consumer, or competitive set in a way that may be informed but not relevant to the marketing challenge ahead. For instance, you may be considering Chardonnay as your competition, but consumers are making purchase decisions between your Chardonnay and all white wines on the shelf under $15. Talking directly to your customers is invaluable for confirming theories and aligning your messaging. Conducting research yourself—directly and intentionally—is often the most reliable way to avoid internal bias and align your strategy with actual consumer perspectives. One of the most accessible and common forms of primary research for wineries involves reaching out to their wine club members. Many wineries c

Introduction: Raising the Bar for Quality and Efficiency in Winemaking In today’s competitive wine industry, producing a high-quality product is no longer optional - it’s essential. Wineries of all sizes are constantly looking for ways to optimize their processes and improve quality. With Pall Crossflow Filtration, KH Tec Gas Management and Krones / Kosme Bottling Equipment, Peregrine is at the forefront of technology. In today’s report we want to focus on the critical area that often gets overlooked: filtration. At Peregrine Mobile Bottling, we believe the right filtration technology operated by an experienced technician can be a game-changer. That’s why we’ve invested in the latest crossflow filtration systems to ensure your wines maintain their integrity, clarity, and taste from tank to bottle. In this article, we’ll explore the transformative power of crossflow filtration technology and how our services can help wineries in Napa, Sonoma, Mendoci

MODERN WEBSITE DESIGN TRENDS PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD ONLINE. As humans, we have many good and bad qualities, but one thing we excel at is the ability to make rapid judgments. In fact, studies suggest that it takes merely a fraction of a second—about 50 milliseconds or 0.05 seconds—for individuals to form an impression of a website. (This has been confirmed by Google research). This initial perception significantly influences our decision to either engage further or navigate away. Just as we evaluate people at lightning speed, the same principle applies to websites online. And these impressions matter. Research has proven that the better the first impression, the longer a visitor will stay on a page. So, what makes up that first impression? A British study showed that 94% of initial opinions were design-related, and only 6% content related. (We’re not just saying this because we design websites, honestly!) It is absolutely essential to your business’s success

Across six generations, the Hill-Smith Family has evolved from pioneering grape growers and winemakers to a global wine company integrated through vine cultivation, wine growing, wine making, and international distribution, with a diverse portfolio of world-renowned wine brands and vineyard sites across esteemed wine regions, including Barossa, Limestone Coast, Riverland, Tasmania, and Marlborough. In an intentional shift, they've upscaled their production strategy by implementing InnoVint as their winery operating system. This transition was part of a pivotal change to embrace purpose-built, modern technology to advance operations across their wine business from dirt to shelf. The Challenge Legacy Systems and the Need for Modernization Facing the reality of their legacy wine production software nearing end of life, Hill-Smith Family Estates (HSFE) recognized they needed technology to meet their current and future needs. Brent Jones, COO and Executive Director of Operations at HSFE

The stark limitations of hindsight Driving while looking into your rearview mirror isn’t just dangerous but woefully ineffective. Don’t make the same mistake when measuring your wine & spirits sales.  What measurements can be seen in your rearview mirror? Shipments Depletions Accounts Sold Points of Distribution Lost Accounts Gained Accounts These numbers are certainly nice to know. They can tell you a lot about what is happening (or what has recently happened) with your business. But, they tell you absolutely nothing about the QUALITY of your distribution. For that, you need more forward-looking information or, as we like to call it, “leading indicators” of sales success. Follow the crowd, risk falling off a cliff It is rare to find a wine or spirits company reaching beyond our industry's tried and true metrics. Habits are hard things to break.  To have a breakout sales performance, brands need to redefine the success metrics. T

TRANSPARENCE gives wine and spirits brands clarity and assurance around sustainability initiatives New program supports Amcor’s wider sustainability agenda to develop all packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2025 Colombes, France, 18 July 2023: Amcor Capsules, a global leader in developing and producing responsible closures for wine and spirits, announces today TRANSPARENCE, a new far-reaching sustainability program to support the Wine and Spirits industry. TRANSPARENCE is a continuous improvement program focused on environmental impact; through which Amcor Capsules will establish clear data-driven objectives and actions to deliver more sustainable closures and capsules. All progress and achievements under this program will be duly verified and certified by independent and expert third parties. Yannick Magnon, General Manager of Amcor Capsules says, “TRANSPARENCE is a strong commitment that directly supports Wine and Spirits brands and distributors. It is our

Decision-making on the sourcing of bulk wine and grapes continues to get more complex and difficult. April frosts in the Lodi/Delta, and in other regions of California to a lesser extent, added another challenging variable to the year. As of now, it appears the reduction in supply due to the frost affected Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in these regions the most. Time will provide a clearer picture of the 2022 crop size. In fact, recent crop projections are generally more positive than the initial forecasts after the frosts, but there is still uncertainty as to the extent of the damage. In the North Coast and other parts of California, the frost will likely have less of an impact. Bulk markets have slowed, returning to a more typical seasonal pace following 18 months of heightened demand, but still remain active. The typical spring slowdown is due to wineries assessing crop size and projected sales trends to inventories. It is more complicated this year for a few reasons. The first variable