Reimagining Vineyards. Revitalizing Revenue. Reconnecting with Community.  For over 40 years, Allen Land Design has helped shape the beauty and function of Northern California’s iconic wine country. We’ve built bocce courts, tasting patios, and elegant garden  landscapes. But today, every winery has these—and still, many are struggling.  It’s time for something new.  Introducing: “Beyond the Vines” – A New Vision for Wine Country  We are partnering with forward-thinking wineries ready to transform unused or underperforming vineyard blocks (5–25 acres) into innovative, revenue-generating, and community-driven destinations.  Instead of competing with 5–7 tastings in a day, offer your guests a 2–3 hour immersive experience that blends agriculture, art, technology, food, and connection.  What’s Growing Next? (Hint: It’s not just grapes)  Before the grape boom, Sonoma and Napa counties grew:  • Grains (wheat, barley) – Perfect for

Sonoma, CA, April 1, 2026 - Free Flow Wines today announced that Richard Bouwer has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer. The company’s Board of Directors has appointed Robert Perman as President and Chief Operating Officer, effective April 1, 2026. Richard Bouwer has led Free Flow Wines since 2018, guiding the organization through growth, expansion, and meeting the milestone of over 2 million keg shipments across the US. The Board thanks him for his leadership and contributions to the company and wishes him continued success in his future endeavors. Robert Perman brings 15 years of operations leadership, with a demonstrated ability to scale complex organizations, enhance production and supply chain performance, and maintain rigorous quality and safety standards. He previously served as Vice President of Operations. “I am honored to take on the role of President and Chief Operating Officer and look forward to continuing to drive operational excellence and long-term growt

The Duckhorn Portfolio, North America’s premier luxury wine company, has selected InnoVint as its winery operating system following a comprehensive evaluation and RFP process. The decision reflects Duckhorn’s focus on modernizing its winemaking operations with a platform and a partner capable of supporting both current complexity and long-term growth. Why The Duckhorn Portfolio Chose InnoVint The Duckhorn Portfolio sought a modern, scalable solution to unify winemaking operations across multiple facilities while maintaining accuracy, compliance, and operational visibility. InnoVint was selected not only for its integrated, production-first platform, but for its deep industry expertise and proven ability to guide complex wineries through system transitions with confidence. “InnoVint stood out as more than a technology provider,” said PJ Alviso, Vice President of Winegrowing at The Duckhorn Portfolio. “During our evaluation of the winemaking software options

Papapietro Perry Winery and Four Roses Bourbon Take Top Honors (March 6, 2026) — Winners have been announced in the fifth annual Los Angeles Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge. A pinot noir from Papapietro Perry (Sonoma County, Calif.) and a small batch bourbon from Four Roses Distillery (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) topped their fields to be named Best of the Best. The competition was established in 2022, in conjunction with Los Angeles-based beverage professionals (representing both the on- and off-premise channels), to highlight the best of the best wine and spirits producers in the world, and to introduce those producers to the largest market of consumers in the United States. Judging took place February 18-19, 2026. Competition this year was stellar, says event producer Debra Del Fiorentino of Wine Competitions Management & Production: “Year after year, our judges continue to be impressed with the depth in each category. The quality of product was fantastic!” Wh

Herti is a global packaging company specializing in the production of aluminum, plastic, and composite closures for the beverage, food, and pharmaceutical industries. For more than 30 years, we’ve been helping customers around the world protect their products, express their brands, and meet evolving market demands with smart, sustainable packaging. Our commitment to quality, innovation, and environmental responsibility guides everything we do. We serve more than 50 countries with unwavering consistency, investing continuously in new technology, employee training, and green initiatives. Whether you're bottling wine, sealing olive oil, or launching a new product line, Herti is your reliable partner for premium closures that deliver on both function and form.

As Europe’s leading glass packaging producer for beverages and food, Verallia takes another step in its lightweighting revolution with the launch of the Burgundy Air 300g, the world’s first ultra-light Burgundy bottle, standing 290mm tall. A model of disruptive eco-design, it preserves the iconic silhouette of traditional Burgundy bottles significantly reducing its environmental footprint. With the Burgundy Air 300G, Verallia once again confirms its pioneering role in transforming glass packaging to support the wine industry’s sustainability and competitiveness. A TECHNICAL FEAT SERVING THE ENVIRONMENT  This innovation stems from years of R&D expertise and state-of-the-art industrial knowhow. The challenge was to maintain the distinctive aesthetics of Burgundy bottles while drastically cutting their weight.  Weighing just 300 grams (compared to the European average of 450g0F 1) with a 75 cl capacity, the Bourgogne Air 300G reduces raw material use and

The global shift toward sustainability is palpable across nearly every sector. Within the wine and spirits industries, this movement has gained remarkable traction, driven by consumers’ increasing demand for environmentally responsible products. More pressure for industry to put sustainability at the center of all operations but also provides opportunities for businesses to flourish by staying ahead of the trends in innovative and sustainable advancements. Here are four sustainability trends to keep an eye on: Regenerative practices for wine and spirits Recent years have seen a boom in conscious agricultural practices through the philosophy that all aspects of agriculture are connected. This philosophy emphasizes the careful utilization of land management to restore and regenerate the ecosystems and land we use, leaving it in better health for future generations.  Regenerative principles are a push back against traditional industrial agriculture practices which are respons

The Perils of Using AI to Replace Entry-Level Jobs EXCERPT FROM: AI Wine Marketing News by VinterActive Perhaps you’ve read the headlines about entry-level workers struggling to find jobs due to the rise of AI.  And especially if cash flow is tight, it’s mighty tempting to target entry-level jobs that might be done at lower cost by AI assistants controlled by seasoned marketers.  On the other hand, Harvard Business Review warns: “Replacing entry-level jobs with AI may harm long-term competitiveness by eliminating critical training grounds for future leaders.” — Harvard Business Review What does that mean for wine business managers? As you probably know, AI works best as an assistant, not a replacement.  So, if you don’t have entry-level marketers learning from your experienced leaders, what do you do when senior leaders move to greener pastures? The answer is to challenge leaders to identify repetitive work that AI c

A brand-new RedChirp feature is here: Lightboxes! Lightboxes let you seamlessly collect both text and email marketing consent right on your website through a branded pop-up. Most wineries already use a pop-up to invite email signups — but if you’re not asking for text consent too, you’re missing a huge opportunity to grow your list. Why it matters: Every business should be gathering as much high-quality, express written consent as possible. Growing your consent list may: ·     Reduce risk ·     Future-proof your texting program as regulations evolve ·     Expand opportunities for more successful campaigns Early results are impressive: Beta testers saw 160% more opt-ins in their first 30 days using Lightboxes compared to the previous month!    Even better? Lightboxes are included with your RedChirp account at no extra cost. Request help setting up your lightbox: click here → Learn m

Harvest season is when everything happens at once—and the equipment you rely on needs to do more than just keep up. For small and mid-sized wineries producing between 2,000 and 20,000 cases annually, efficiency and flexibility are essential. Whether you’re dealing with hand- picked grapes, machine harvested fruit, varying varietals, or tight crush pad space, your destemmer-crusher needs to deliver quality results without slowing you down or locking you into a rigid setup. That’s where the right equipment makes all the difference. You need something that’s not just capable—but configurable. Not just powerful—but versatile. A Crush Pad Essential: Meet the Lugana 1R At Prospero Equipment Corp., we’ve been supporting wineries for over 50 years, and we know how important the right tools are for maintaining wine quality from grape to glass. We also know how important productivity and efficiency is in the crunch-time of harvest season; that’s wh