In this WIN Insider Series episode, George Christie interviews Alexandra O’Gorman, Vice President of Community Relations for Foley Family Wines. Alexandra shares her journey from Carmel, California, into the wine industry, working her way through sales, marketing, hospitality, and communications at prestigious wineries, including Flowers Vineyard and Korbel, while earning her MBA from Sonoma State’s Wine Business Institute. Her career is defined by taking risks, embracing change, and continuous learning. Alexandra discusses her current role overseeing community relations at Foley Family Wines, blending social impact, sustainability, and strategic philanthropy. She emphasizes the importance of industry inclusivity, mentorship, and authentic leadership while addressing current challenges like market perceptions, product focus, and member engagement within winery associations. Her insights on connection, community involvement, and focused portfolios provide valuable inspirat

Sonoma County Vintners (SCV) and Sonoma County Vintners Foundation (SCVF) today announced that Executive Director Michael Haney will step down in September 2025, marking the close of a highly impactful era of leadership and a transformative chapter in the organization’s history.  SCV will be led and supported by its Board, including SCV Board President, Prema Kerollis, General Manager of Three Sticks Winery; and Alexandra O’Gorman, SCVF President, Vice President of Community Relations for Foley Family Wines and Spirits, until a new executive director is identified. “Michael has always led with commitment and heart,” remarked SCV Board President Prema Kerollis. “His passion, relationships, and deep care for SCV, SCVF, and the Sonoma County wine community have left a lasting mark. We are deeply grateful for his tremendous contributions and wish him the very best in his next chapter.”   Over nearly eleven years leading SCV and SCVF

Founded in 1974 as the first winery in Southern California’s Temecula Valley, Callaway Vineyard & Winery has long stood as a symbol of innovation and heritage in the region. Originally launched by Eli Callaway—who famously went on to start Callaway Golf—the winery has passed through corporate ownership and scaled to a peak of 750,000 cases. Today, the future is rooted in the past. Now family-owned by the Lin family, Callaway is embracing a premium, estate-only approach under the leadership of acclaimed winemaker Giovanni Verdejo. A native of Mexico City, Gio spent over two decades in Napa Valley crafting 90+ point wines for Foley Family Wines. Now, at Callaway, he leads a 10,000-case DTC-focused production that reflects both craft and character, with wines sold exclusively through their wine club and tasting room (named Newsweek Readers' Choice Best in the Nation, 2024). To match this elevated vision, Gio and the Callaway team knew

More Than 220,000 Acres in California are Enrolled in FFF Program  NAPA, Calif. (November 25, 2024) – Thirty-two winegrape growers and wineries from Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties have been recognized with the Founders’ Award from the Fish Friendly Farming Certification program for achieving and maintaining certification for more than 20 years. In 1999, the Fish Friendly Farming Certification program was created to protect and enhance the Russian River watershed in Sonoma County. Soon, it was expanded with a specific program tailored for Napa County and other regions. Today, more than 220,000 acres located in thirteen counties in California are enrolled in the innovative program that improves water quality and wildlife habitat. “The Fish Friendly Farming certification has become very popular among winegrowers as a sustainable certification program because it is highly effective in improving water quality and restoring fish and wildlife habitat,&rd

🍇 How much do we appreciate feedback from our clients? A ton! 🍇 It was a joy to hear about michael beaulac and Sierra Zeiter's experiences with Admeo, SPICA ⭐ and how it has shaped QC at Foley Family Wines' Rutherford location, Foley Johnson Winery and Merus Wines. Michael Beaulac, Director of Winemaking for Foley Family Wines in Napa Valley:  "I appreciate how fast we get the numbers and how easy the SPICA is to use. I tend to be kind of picky and want my numbers by mid-morning and with SPICA and Sierra, our Assistant Winemaker, she was able to do it with that.  For in-house wine testing, Admeo is the market. We get everything quickly, ranging from numerical results from SPICA to assistance from Admeo’s service team."  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sierra Zeiter, Assistant Winemaker for Foley Johnson and Merus: "SPICA is a fast, reliable, efficient machine that runs a lot of analysis at

Afternoon Brief, April 29th

Labor Department Sets Sweeping New H-2A Foreign Guestworker Rule: The U.S. Department of Labor has adopted a new rule it said will protect foreign seasonal farmworkers from being abused, imposing sweeping regulations the head of an agricultural employers association called "offensive."...

The Wine Business Institute (WBI) at Sonoma State University (SSU) announced the 2023-2024 scholarship recipients of the Wine Industry Scholars Program (WISP) and the Wine Business Institute Inclusive Excellence Scholarship Program February 26. Recipients are recognized for having outstanding commitment to advancing their knowledge and expertise in the wine business. The Wine Industry Scholars Program (WISP) supports the access, retention, and graduation of students who are first-generation college students and children of families working in the wine industry. WISP awards approximately $150,000 in scholarships annually. The Wine Business Institute Inclusive Excellence Scholarship Program aims to foster a more diverse and inclusive wine industry by supporting a broad range of scholars, including women, individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds and those requiring financial support for their education. “This year’s recipients went through a rigorous sel