The right tools can make a winemaker's job easier and craft a better product. But staying abreast of technological advancements takes time, and testing alternative tools requires repetition to build confidence in the results. Perhaps that’s why so many winemakers rely on the winemaking community for recommendations on new ways to process grapes and create wines. McFinn Technologies’ Bowpeller pump has earned a reputation as a superior choice for gently moving juices, especially during pump overs. Its modern design delivers low-shear, non-disruptive juice handling that minimizes damage to skins and seeds, helping to avoid harsh tannin extraction or oxidation and improving wine quality. Bowpeller pump at Duckhorn's Goldeneye winery “A standard centrifugal pump has blades that slap the liquid and make it change direction by 90 degrees and a casing that allows damaging re-circulation,” says John McGinn, co-owner of McFinn Technologies. “The design

Sonoma County Winegrowers Focus on Creating Experiences to Engage New and Existing Wine Lovers SANTA ROSA, Calif. (January 17, 2025) – For over a decade, Sonoma County Winegrowers has been at the forefront of innovation, forging powerful partnerships with iconic brands like John Deere, Ford Pro, Wilbur Ellis, Landry’s, and the San Francisco Giants. As unveiled at this week’s annual Dollars & $ense meeting, held virtually, 2025 marks a year dedicated to “Renewing, Building, and Growing” these renowned programs, expanding their reach, amplifying the Sonoma County story, and setting new benchmarks in excellence. As Karissa Kruse, president and chief executive officer of Sonoma County Winegrowers, started her presentation with a review of the past twelve years since she joined the organization, it was clear that the results in building the brand’s visibility over the years has been successful. From being world leaders in sustainability, to sports ma

At the edge of the coastal redwoods lies a ranch where two young doctors from upstate New York, Marguerite (known as Beba) and Paul Frey, settled on 95 acres to raise their family. Their home is nestled between the Mendocino and Coastal mountain ranges in a narrow valley that opens into Mendocino County’s Redwood Valley. The headwaters of the Russian River lie just 5 miles north, past a Buddhist monastery, and upward into the mountains. The Frey family grew to twelve children amid the valley’s natural beauty and abundant native plants and wildlife while its vineyards and gardens thrived in the fertile soil.  “My mom and dad bought the ranch in 1962, the year I was born,” says Frey Winery winemaker Paul Frey (the younger). “Then they got all of us kids out there to plant the vineyards in 1967. We started making wine in 1978 and became an official bonded winery in 1980. Our wineries were organic from the beginning ― before the term organic was defined