In this WIN Insider episode, George Christie interviews Maggie Zeman, a seasoned PR and marketing professional who transitioned from Washington DC’s State Department to Silicon Valley tech, before founding The Barn Group in Northern California’s wine industry to then merge with a larger PR firm and expand her role nationally. Maggie shares insights on the wine sector’s current challenges, emphasizing that the industry faces a marketing problem, not a product problem, requiring targeted communication strategies to engage younger consumers and adapt to evolving behaviors. The conversation covers the dramatically changed media landscape—from traditional wine writers to freelance-driven ecosystems, influencers, and digital creators—plus how AI and new platforms are reshaping media relations. Maggie discusses the importance of mentorship, intergenerational learning, and the challenges remote work poses for career growth. Despite industry headwinds, she remain

New ownership continues Grand Cru's legacy of supporting Sonoma County's small, independent wineries. WINDSOR, Calif., (Dec. 10, 2024) – Grand Cru Custom Crush, a winery collective based in Windsor, California, is excited to announce a new chapter in its history with the acquisition of ownership by Jake and Maggie Coin, effective 12/1/2024. The Coins are committed to continuing Grand Cru's core values of quality, collaboration, and sustainability, ensuring its continued success as a premier destination for Sonoma County's family-owned wineries. Jake and Maggie Coin, founders and owners of Copper Six Winery, have been connected to Grand Cru Custom Crush since 2022, when they began crushing their wines at the facility. Their relationship with Grand Cru, combined with their dedication to producing high-quality wines, makes them uniquely positioned to lead the facility into its next chapter. "We are thrilled to become part of Grand Cru Custom Crush in this

Celebrating over 90 Years of Wine Yeast: What's New & Staff Favorites Yeast convert sugar to alcohol but they can do so much more! At Scott Labs, our mission is to provide robust and reliable yeast strains that optimize quality, aromas, and flavors. This year, we're thrilled to introduce our newest yeast, RUBY™, and highlight some of our team's personal favorites. NEW YEAST RUBY™ RUBY™ is an innovative yeast with specific metabolic capabilities that can help reveal the maximum level of red thiols with enhanced blackcurrant, raspberries, plums, and spice aromas. The use of STIMULA SYRAH™ during fermentation is recommended to optimize this metabolism.  RUBY™ is ideal for use with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot noir, Tempranillo, Grenache, and Malbec.  Learn more about RUBY™ After nearly a century of yeast reserach and development, Scott Labs and our parent company, Lallemand, know yeast better than any other pr

California Vintners Report Exceptional Quality for 2023 Harvest

November 21st – SAN FRANCISCO — California vintners are celebrating the 2023 vintage as exceptional, following a late start to harvest. Plentiful winter rains revitalized the soils and encouraged healthy canopies […]

Petaluma, CA – July 2023 - Since 1933, Scott Labs has supported the wine and specialty beverage industry with trusted experts and are continuing that tradition with new hires focused on supporting Sonoma County. Maggie McBride has been hired as Technical Sales Representative for Sonoma County and supports the fermentation and filtration portfolios for Scott Laboratories. Maggie has been in the wine industry for 23 years and with Scott Laboratories since 2006. Prior to joining Scott Laboratories, she held various positions in the industry including wine chemist, enologist, and laboratory manager at large corporate facilities, small boutique wineries, and custom crush operations. During her time with Scott Laboratories she has served as Laboratory Manager and as Technical Specialist for enzymes and fining & stability products. McBride is highly experienced in all aspects of winemaking but has a passion for unraveling wine analysis, connecting data and quality improvements. Joey

Winery professionals are out here throwing away spreadsheets and messy notebooks and saying “see ya later” to the painful parts of running a winery business. So maybe you want to know how we do it? What’s next for the leading winery management software? Ask and you shall receive… Meet Maggie, InnoVint’s product manager. She is going to take you on a journey through some of the cool things that we have in store for those who like to level up their winemaking game. We’ve also put together all the cool things we’ve been up to lately here, I hope you give it a read. I promise it’s not as dull as you think! See What's New!