HEALDSBURG — The owners and management at Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estates at 4155 Wine Creek Road pay particular attention to sustainability in the winery and vineyard, where the company has made significant strides in solar energy efficiency and water conservation. “Our reservoir is filled by winter and spring rains, and provides 100 percent of our water needed for irrigating our vineyards, thus eliminating the need to divert much-needed water from our drought-depleted rivers and streams,” said Chief Financial Officer Jeff Cummings. “Today we have a solar energy system providing 99.9 percent of our electricity needs. The only exception is a single water pump powered by a separate line. "We haven’t paid a penny for power since turning on this system". Excess electricity produced by this solar array is fed back into the grid, and our invoice from PG&E showed a big credit on the first anniversary after installing the panels. For us, this is z

Afternoon Brief, March 4th

Southern Glazer’s to Pay California Customers $5.5 Million over Illegal Late Fees: The payment settles a case between Southern Glazer’s and restaurant owners, with the distributor also writing off $44.1m of customer debt...

Afternoon Brief, October 5th

Website Launches to Inform Public About Lawsuits: Hoopes Vineyards, Summit Lake Vineyards and Smith-Madrone Winery are suing Napa County over unconstitutional patterns and practices and have now launched saveoursmallwineries.org...

When a wine or spirits company gives back to the community through charitable giving programs, they expect to realize various benefits that positively affect their bottom line, including creating solid working relationships with community leaders, boosting brand recognition, and of course tax deductions. However, to safeguard these benefits and guard against problems, your donations need to be made with care. In our heavily regulated industry, there are rules and laws about what kinds of donations we can make, to whom, and under what circumstances. The Digest of Wine and Spirits Law can help your business stay in compliance when engaging in these high-profile good works. The next time you consider making product donations to a fundraising event or an organization you want to support, visit our website at wineandspiritslaw.com and take a look at the state and federal regulations regarding charitable donations. No matter in which state the event is located, The Digest makes it fast and

Join Amorim Cork for their upcoming webinar series, “Winemaking with Intention: Cork’s Role in Creating Sustainable Solutions in Winemaking.” Register: https://bit.ly/amorim-cork-webinar-registration    This three-part journey, starting on Wednesday, June 15, will discuss the nuances of closure sustainability, innovation in the wine industry, and the myriad of choices a winemaker faces during bottling. Host Bruno Almeida will guide the series through the expert lens of an on-premise wine director—because, ultimately, what consumers think matters. He will be accompanied by mavericks and mindful leaders from all walks of wine life: vineyard, cellar, on the floor, and in the classroom.   Sustainability from Vineyard to Bottle Wednesday, June 15th @ 9am PT  What does closing the loop mean for the wine industry? What does it take to truly be a sustainable leader in the wine industry? In this inaugural se

Internationally-Acclaimed Chef Thomas Bellec Named In-House Executive Chef for Bricoleur Vineyards

Bellec joins Culinary Advisors and James Beard Award-Winning Chefs Charlie Palmer and Nate Appleman at Bricoleur WINDSOR, California (January 13, 2022) – Bricoleur Vineyards is excited to announce that internationally-acclaimed Chef […]

Oak Wise is pleased to announce the launch of Unique Infusion Series oak alternates and natural aqueous tannins. Unique Infusion is a line of oak adjunct for the wine and spirits industry designed to provide rapid results at high dose rates over short time periods. The new products are; Biscuit, Confection, Cookie Jar, Croissant, Pastille, and Spice Rack. Infusion Series is focused on flavor and aroma expressions that can stand alone or be used as part of a blend. All six products are crafted from cooperage quality American and French Oak, seasoned 24-36 months prior to toasting. Formats are available in chips, dominoes and tank staves. In addition to the adjuncts, we are releasing (NATAN™) – Premiere Biscuit the first in the Unique range of Natural Aqueous Oak Tannins. Our aqueous oak tannin can assist in increasing the aromatics, flavor, and structure of oak characteristics before bottling. Biscuit will be available in January 2022.  This package contains Unique Infu

New “Rooted” Wine & Food Pairing, Created by James Beard Award-Winning Chefs Charlie Palmer & Nate Appleman, Debuts at Bricoleur Vineyards on October 21st

Six-course tasting leads with Bricoleur Vineyards’ wines, while showcasing fresh produce, edible flowers and herbs from the winery’s culinary garden WINDSOR, California (October 20, 2021) – Nepitella Laminated Manicotti and Wild Chanterelle Mushrooms + Pinot Noir. Goat Cheese Panna Cotta & Pink Peppercorns + Rosé. Roasted Cauliflower & Oyster Green Goddess + Sauvignon Blanc. Bricoleur […]