The ninth annual Rich Smith Award of Excellence for outstanding contributions to the American grape and wine industry was presented today to Emily Hodson, the winemaker at Veritas Vineyards and Winery, a co-owner of Flying Fox Vineyards and Winery, and an active leader in the Virginia wine industry. Members of the Smith family and sponsoring organizations present the Rich Smith award to Emily Hodson (third from left). The prestigious award annually reflects the spirit and accomplishments of the late Richard (Rich) Smith, founder of Valley Farm Management and Smith Family Wines in California’s Santa Lucia Highlands wine region in Monterey County. Rich was first and foremost a family man, but also a successful grape grower and winery owner, and a highly respected colleague known for the combination of passion, commitment and collaboration which helped advance the American grape and wine industry. Ever since Rich passed away in December 2015, three organizations—WineAmerica, N

Wine Industry Champion: Kim Stemler Makes Monterey Wine Shine

Meet Kim Stemler, Executive Director, Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association By Laura Ness   INTRO: Wine Industry Advisor is pleased to debut a new profile series, Wine Industry Champions, […]

Afternoon Brief, August 29th

E & J. Gallo’s Luxury Wine Group Announces Acquisition of World-Renowned Rombauer Vineyards: E. & J. Gallo’s Luxury Wine Group announced today that it has reached an agreement with the Rombauer family to purchase Rombauer Vineyards, producer of critically acclaimed wines from Napa Valley, Sonoma County, the Sierra Foothills, and the Santa Lucia Highlands...

2023 Wine Grape Harvest Begins in Monterey County… Finally! 

Positive Outlook Even with a Later-than-Usual Start to Harvest MONTEREY COUNTY, CA, August 29, 2023 Monterey County Vintners & Growers

Afternoon Brief, August 24th

Fire Watch: Caldor Fire Blazes Through El Dorado Wine Country: The Caldor Fire has torched 114,166 acres of El Dorado County. As of this writing the fire is only 9 percent contained, has destroyed 615 structures and damaged 29. No wineries have reported any damages or immediate threat of damage by fire...