WineDirect to Commerce7: 19% Growth in Club Customization, 50% Less Support, and the End of "Batch Day" TL;DR: Faced with manual bottlenecks on WineDirect, Hill Family Estate migrated to Commerce7 to empower their members. The results were immediate: a 19% increase in customized club shipments and a 50% reduction in support volume. Most importantly, the team reclaimed 4-5 hours of manual labour per club run by allowing their customers to customize their orders online and move to fully automated background processing.  Founded by third-generation farmer Doug Hill, Hill Family Estate is a family-run operation in Napa Valley that blends deep vineyard expertise with approachable hospitality. Their winery and tasting room experiences are known for being family-friendly, intimate, and deeply rooted in the land they have farmed for decades. For Allison Negrón, DTC Manager at Hill Family Estate, the goal is always to provide a seamless, personali

It is time to dust off the employee handbook, review your policies and procedures, and make sure they comply with all the new laws, regulations, and interpretations that went into effect during 2025, became effective in late 2025, or January 1, 2026. Below, we have identified our “top 10” changes.  Please keep in mind there were hundreds of laws, regulations, and changes implemented at the local, state, and federal levels throughout 2025. This summary highlights selected changes most likely to impact California employers and is not intended to be exhaustive. So, if you need a handbook/policy review or have any questions, please call us! 1 – Minimum Wage Update: Updates happen every year.  It’s best to put a calendar reminder in November, to make sure your payroll is ready! Action: Review your payroll to ensure all employees are being paid the new minimum wage, send written notice of the wage change to affected hourly employees, and be sure your salari

NAPA, Calif., (Nov. 26, 2025) – VA Filtration Services’ Scientific Approach, Innovative Solutions from Napa Valley At VA Filtration Services, our mission is to empower winemakers to produce wines of the highest sensory quality. One of the challenges in modern winemaking is managing undesirable levels of pyrazines, particularly methoxypyrazines, which can impart green, herbaceous aromas that mask fruit character and complexity. Winemakers are left with two options: cover up the pyrazine (and potentially other attributes) or remove it through advances in pyrazine remediation practices. The Problem: Pyrazines in Wine Methoxypyrazines are naturally occurring compounds in certain grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. While subtle concentrations can add a sought-after freshness, excessive amounts lead to pronounced bell pepper and grassy notes, often perceived as faults—especially in premium reds. Often pyrazines present in wine due to enviro

In recent years, the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires have posed significant challenges for winemakers and grape growers. One of the most pressing issues is the impact of smoke exposure on grapes, which can lead to undesirable flavors and aromas in the resulting wines. This document aims to provide winemakers and grape growers with a general understanding of their options for evaluating smoke-tainted grapes. “With localized testing now available at ETS, a winemaker can make more informed decisions on whether to harvest the grapes or write them off,” says General Manager Kyle Crowley of VA Filtration USA. By exploring various assessment methods and mitigation strategies, the industry can make informed decisions to ensure the quality and marketability of their wines despite the challenges posed by smoke exposure. Pre-Harvest: Pull grape (berries) samples to test before harvesting all your grapes for fermentation production. ETS offers an excellent smoke panel t

A draft Napa County Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (RCAAP) has been released for public comment. The draft and related documents can be found at https://climateactionnapa.konveio.com/  Comments are due by September 30, 2025. This draft has been in development for many years, and covers the County of Napa, the Cities of American Canyon, Calistoga, Napa, and St. Helena, and the Town of Yountville. It includes Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reduction targets of up to 85 percent by 2045. At the same time, it aims to achieve “carbon neutrality” by 2045, primarily by reforestation of burned areas of the County to promote natural carbon sequestration and removing GHGs from the atmosphere. The draft discusses 21 GHG reduction strategies with 46 GHG reduction measures across seven emissions sectors, (though the draft only quantifies the impact of 17 of those measures). The seven sectors, in declining order of their listed percentage of GHG Emissions, are: On-Road Tr

Independent Stave Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Glycine Bonneville-Jiang as Oak Research & Development Specialist based in Napa, California. Bonneville-Jiang brings extensive experience in wine research and production, with a specialized focus on wine microbiology, sensory analysis and vineyard-to-cellar innovation. She most recently served as R&D Manager at Lawrence Wine Estates, where she led technical initiatives for Heitz Cellar, Burgess, Ink Grade, Haynes and Stony Hill. Her work has included microbial analysis, smoke taint mitigation, native fermentation development, and soil health trials to enhance wine quality and sustainability. With more than a decade of global wine experience spanning France, Australia and the United States, Bonneville-Jiang has held research and harvest positions at wineries including Vieux Château Certan, Le Pin, Domaine Louis Latour and Château Léoville Barton. She has also consulted on wine microbiology in

An Arc Flash Study is a critical safety analysis that evaluates the potential risks posed by electrical faults within a system. It calculates the energy released during an arc flash event, defines the arc flash boundary, and specifies the necessary personal protective equipment to safeguard workers. For wineries where electrical systems are integral to processes like fermentation, bottling, and pasteurization, conducting these studies is essential to protect both personnel and operations.  Why Wineries Need Arc Flash Studies Arc flash incidents - sudden, high-energy electrical faults - present serious risks to workers in any industrial setting. In the wine industry, where large-scale electrical equipment is used throughout production, these risks can have devastating consequences. An Arc Flash Study provides wineries with:  Risk Mitigation: Identifying electrical hazards and recommending safety protocols to protect employees. Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring adherence to

This year, ROOTSTOCK will focus on two significant viral threats to vineyard health: Leaf Roll Virus and Red Blotch Disease. These viruses are causing increased concern for growers, reducing fruit quality, and negatively impacting vineyard profitability. With no cure available, the importance of early detection, innovative management practices, and cutting-edge research has never been higher. ROOTSTOCK 2024 will feature expert-led sessions and panel discussions that dive into the latest research and mitigation strategies to address Red Leaf and Red Blotch. As this is the second year in our enhanced programming format, attendees can expect more in-depth educational content, a collaborative learning environment, and actionable takeaways to implement in their vineyards. Register here.

Sunridge is pleased to share with our customers our ongoing efforts and partnership with UC Davis, UC Riverside and Foundation Plant Services (FPS) to explore new technologies and techniques in grapevine propagation. Our aim is to revolutionize the way we approach and tackle challenges in the critical field of disease prevention and management. We understand the increasing concern among vineyard owners around this topic and are committed to helping find innovative solutions to mitigate these challenges and ensure the longevity and productivity of your vineyards.  We pride ourselves on implementing a variety of treatments to our field cuttings to ensure cleanliness and guarantee the vitality of our vines from the very start. Building upon our existing practices, we are currently exploring strategies using the latest scientific research on grapevine trunk disease (GTD) mitigation to enhance our post-graft procedures, specifically to the pre-callusing stage.  Our vines are being