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

Afternoon Brief, April 11th

The Sun Also Rises: Solectrac Shifts Business Model to Remain Relevant: Interim CEO Robin Mackie addresses rumors of the company’s demise...

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, […]