Small but mighty. That's the phrase that kept coming back to me throughout last week's webinar. The three panelists who joined us are running lean DTC teams — Chelsea Leniart, Wine Club Manager at Scheid Family Wines, Hilary Berkey, Director of Sales, Marketing and Operations at Emeritus Vineyards, and Kristy Quigley, Operations Manager at Alma Rosa Winery. "Lean teams" meaning two or three people deep. At the most. The outsized results they're seeing, in a market that everyone agrees is hard, are genuinely remarkable. Here's some highlights and takeaways from  what they shared in last week's webinar. On Wine Club Customization The fear is that if you give members flexibility, they'll race to the bottom and swap out for your cheapest wines.  What Chelsea actually found was the opposite.  By studying what members customized in the previous year's March run, she reshaped this year's offering mor

“What can I do right now to help my winery sell more wine and, frankly, stay in business?” We know how many of our colleagues and friends are asking this question. We see and to hear it as an urgent problem that needs immediate attention. Which is exactly why we put together tomorrow’s FREE webinar, on better tools and strategies for navigating a tough market. There’s still time to sign up here. We’re particularly excited to shine the spotlight on three smart industry pros as they share their own strategies and toolkits. Here are some highlights to start: Chelsea Leniart, Wine Club Manager at Scheid Family Wines, will talk about inventory management and boosting Club revenue through projected customizations. Hilary Berkey, Director of Sales, Marketing and Operations at Emeritus Vineyards, will talk about hyper-segmentation in outbound sales, and the "side effects" of ideation for different teams. Kristy Quigley, Operations Manager

Demand decline improving with stabilization on the horizon Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a division of First Citizens Bank, today released its 2026 State of the US Wine Industry Report. Widely regarded as the leading source of market trends in the premium wine sector, SVB’s 25th annual report provides an analysis of current market conditions, success strategies, and forecasts for the year ahead. The 2026 report estimates the following industry sales totals for 2025: Total volume of ~329 million cases (down from 335.9 million in 2024) Total value of ~$74.3 billion (down from $75.5 billion in 2024). The wine industry is moving through a multi-year demand correction, largely driven by value wines at the under $12 price point. Industry sales in 2025 declined 2.0% (by cases) and 1.6% (by dollars), yet both represent improvements compared to 2024. The industry ended the year with both profit margin compression and higher levels of inventory. The premium industry will likely experience its

November 13, 2025 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Soper Reese Theater 275 S. Main St., Lakeport Join us for an engaging afternoon that brings together growers, winemakers, and industry professionals to explore what makes Lake County winegrapes truly distinctive. Through guided tastings, insightful discussions, and expert-led panels, this event will highlight the character, variety, and innovation that define our region. Register now to secure your seat for this special half-day tasting and learning experience. Program highlights: Aromatic Whites – Explore how Lake County’s high elevations and varied microclimates shape these fragrant, expressive wines. Sauvignon Blanc Comparison – Side-by-side tastings that reveal how Lake County terroir and grower–winemaker collaboration define the region’s signature variety. Alternative Reds – Discover lesser-known reds that thrive in Lake County’s volcanic soils and diverse vineyard sites. Cabernet Sauvignon Co

Corksy Launches Corksy Go POS – Mobile Sales, Anywhere You Pour Handheld, all-in-one device with LTE and Wi-Fi lets wineries sell, sign up members, and personalize service wherever guests are. Irvine, CA — September 9, 2025 — Corksy, the modern DTC platform for wineries, today announced the launch of Corksy Go POS, a handheld, all-in-one point-of-sale system built to help wineries — and other beverage producers — sell anywhere. With LTE (mobile plan required) and Wi-Fi connectivity, Corksy Go gives wineries the freedom to process sales, sign up wine club members, and access guest history wherever they pour — without bulky hardware, extra readers, or being tied to a counter. Go tableside. Go vineyard-side. Go festival-side. From seated tastings to outdoor dinners, from the event lawn to off-site festivals, Corksy Go POS brings wine sales directly to the guest. The device combines Corksy’s POS software, integrated payment processing, wine club t

Trione Vineyards & Winery: From Land to Love - Building a Sonoma County Legacy. Join Amy G as she talks with Denise Trione and Kris Hicks of Trione Vineyards & Winery about family legacy, their unique paths into the wine world, and what makes their vineyards true expressions of Sonoma County excellence.

Maximizing Wine Quality and Efficiency for Every Size Winery Why Wineries Need Mobile Filtration Services Winemaking is both an art and a science, demanding meticulous control over quality and stability. Filtration plays a crucial role in ensuring wines achieve the necessary clarity and microbial stability without compromising their delicate flavors. However, acquiring and maintaining advanced filtration equipment can be prohibitively expensive, and in-house systems require significant resources. For many wineries, mobile filtration services present an innovative solution. By bringing state-of-the-art filtration technology directly to the winery, these services eliminate the need for costly infrastructure while offering greater flexibility and efficiency. Wineries can take advantage of mobile filtration to refine their wines, reclaim product from lees and tank bottoms, and maintain quality without the expense of purchasing and maintaining specialized equipment. Moreover, mobile fi

Cold stabilization has long been a cornerstone process in wine production, crucial for preventing tartrate crystal formation in wine. Traditionally, this process has involved chilling wine to near-freezing temperatures for several days, requiring large refrigeration tanks and substantial energy consumption. Today, the innovative Padovan Kristalstop (K-Stop) is transforming this labor-intensive and energy-hungry process into a streamlined, energy-efficient operation with a much lower carbon footprint. By utilizing a continuous process, the K-Stop can stabilize wine in just 90 minutes, allowing for smaller equipment, reduced energy use, and increased flexibility in production schedules. Energy-Efficiency The K-Stop offers an 80% energy recovery rate in refrigeration, thanks to a crystallization tank that is 60 to 80 times smaller than traditional refrigeration tanks, as well as its pre-cooling process that uses a counter-current heat exchanger. This design not only reduces energy consump

San Jose, CA | April 25, 2024 - VinesOS, a leading software platform for commerce solutions, is excited to announce that CEO Jules Robbins will be a featured speaker at The Tasting & Tap Room Expo, set to take place on May 7th in Reno, Nevada.  The wine industry’s newest show is the only dedicated tradeshow and conference explicitly designed for tasting and tap room management, attracting industry leaders and innovators nationally. Tasting room sales constitute an average of 44% of a winery, brewery, or distillery's direct-to-consumer (DTC) income, emphasizing the importance of this sector in today's beverage industry. Jules Robbins, alongside VinesOS Director of Sales, Kristen Muir, will lead a session titled "Cut The Friction: Accelerate Your DTC Sales," designed to help businesses grow loyalty across multiple generations. This session will explore how to leverage personalized connections made in the tasting room. Their practical insights help winerie

Early morning fog from the Pacific Ocean flows into the Anderson Valley through the coastal redwoods and rises into the hills before dissipating as day warms the air. These maritime influences keep daytime temperatures low, making it the coolest wine-growing region in California and the perfect environment for the Pinot Noir grapes for which it has gained fame. “Over the past decade, Anderson Valley has entered the world stage,” says Kristen McMahan, Winemaker at Goldeneye. “As one of the largest producers in the Valley, we take that to heart. We want people to explore Anderson Valley, and we want to be a good representative and steward of the place where we grow grapes and make wine. We're really proud of it, and so we aim to deliver the best possible examples of the Valley’s wines.” When it was designated an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1982, two-thirds of the Anderson Valley’s 582 vineyard acres were planted to Chardonnay and Alsace Var