Sonoma, CA – April 22, 2026 – Free Flow Wines announces the winners of the 13th Annual KEGGY Awards, honoring outstanding partners who are advancing sustainability, quality, and innovation across the wine and hospitality industries. Now aligned with Earth Month, the KEGGY Awards continue to spotlight the environmental and operational benefits of wine on tap, while celebrating the growing community of wineries, distributors, and on-premise operators leading the charge. FFW & Partners’ Cumulative Impact to Date: 45,448,130 bottles saved from landfill 80,827,751 lbs. of CO₂ emissions prevented from entering the atmosphere New in 2026, Free Flow Wines has expanded its award categories to recognize excellence across a broader set of hospitality leaders. These new honors celebrate accounts that demonstrate a strong commitment to reusable stainless steel kegs, investment in draft beverage quality, and a dedication to elevating the overall guest experience. New categories include Best Ho

PELLENC continues to redefine professional viticulture and arboriculture tools with the launch of the C3X pruning shears — the first professional pruning shears with an integrated battery, manufactured in France. Designed to meet the evolving demands of today’s professionals, the C3X delivers exceptional efficiency, enhanced safety, and complete freedom of movement in the field. Integrated Power, Maximum Freedom By integrating the battery directly into the pruning shears, PELLENC eliminates external power cables and backpacks, offering users unmatched mobility and balance. The compact ALPHA LITE battery provides powerful, consistent performance throughout the workday while significantly reducing operator fatigue. The result is a tool that feels lighter, more agile, and perfectly suited for precision work in vineyards, orchards, and green spaces. The First Connected Pruning Shears The C3X is also the first pruning shear on the market to feature standard Internet c

76 Restaurants from across the country and Mexico receive inaugural ‘Magnum Award’  SANTA ROSA, Calif. (September 2, 2025) – Seventy-six restaurants spanning from Graton, California, to Greenwich, Connecticut, are being honored with the 2025 Sonoma County Magnum Award for their exceptional support and promotion of Sonoma County wines.  Earlier this year, Sonoma County Winegrowers launched this new initiative to recognize restaurants that demonstrate outstanding support for Sonoma County wines and showcasing Sonoma County as a world-class wine region. Each restaurant will receive a uniquely etched magnum bottle, symbolizing their role as an ambassador for Sonoma County’s farmers, winemakers, and wines. During the year, Sonoma County wineries submitted nominations of restaurants they felt were deserving of recognition. Input was also provided by partners, trade, and sommeliers from throughout the country. Restaurants were selected based on key crit

Though Herodotus mentions palm-wood casks used in shipping Armenian wine to Babylon in Mesopotamia, the barrel as we know it today was most likely developed by the Celts. Around 350 BC they were already using watertight, barrel-shaped wooden containers that were able to withstand stress and could be rolled and stacked. For nearly 2,000 years, barrels were the most convenient form of shipping or storage container for those who could afford them. All kinds of bulk goods, from nails to gold coins, were stored in them. Bags and most crates were cheaper, but they were not as sturdy and they were more difficult to manhandle for the same weight. The use of barrels for the transportation of bulk goods slowly lost its importance in the 20th century with the introduction of pallet-based logistics and containerization. However, they are still of great importance in the aging of wines and spirits. River Drive’s Role in the Barrel Industry Starting out as a reclaimed lumber company, we w

Sonoma, CA, April 22, 2025 – Free Flow Wines announced the winners of the 12th annual KEGGY Awards, honoring wine on tap leaders for their extraordinary environmental impact and commitment to sustainability. For the first time, the awards are being celebrated in April to align with Earth Month, reinforcing Free Flow’s mission to drive a more sustainable future for the wine industry with reusable steel kegs – a truly zero-waste package. Additionally, Free Flow expanded award categories this year to also recognize winery partners who have saved over 50K and 2MM bottles from the landfill.  “We changed the award schedule to Earth Month to reflect one of our core values: sustainability.” said Rich Bouwer, CEO of Free Flow Wines. “It is an exciting time to be talking about our wine on tap partners. Despite ongoing challenges in the alcohol beverage sector, keg shipments through Free Flow Wines have continued to grow—proving that wine on tap is n

With heavy hearts and deep gratitude, we announce the passing of William E. “Bill” Gusmer. Bill graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and served in the US Army Reserve. After working at Colgate Palmolive as an industrial engineer, Bill joined our business in 1956 as plant manager of Gusmer’s Woodbridge, New Jersey facility. Bill then assumed various corporate roles, and in 1961, was appointed president. Bill worked closely with his brother John, and together, they expanded the business and made several acquisitions. Their commitment and contributions enabled Gusmer Enterprises, Inc. to become a leading manufacturer and distributor of fermentation and filtration products for food, beverage, and biopharmaceutical applications. Bill wrote that he and John were most proud of upholding the company’s reputation as “honest, fair, and ethical,” principles established early on by their father Henry and his brother Aage, who foun

Sonoma County Winegrowers Focus on Creating Experiences to Engage New and Existing Wine Lovers SANTA ROSA, Calif. (January 17, 2025) – For over a decade, Sonoma County Winegrowers has been at the forefront of innovation, forging powerful partnerships with iconic brands like John Deere, Ford Pro, Wilbur Ellis, Landry’s, and the San Francisco Giants. As unveiled at this week’s annual Dollars & $ense meeting, held virtually, 2025 marks a year dedicated to “Renewing, Building, and Growing” these renowned programs, expanding their reach, amplifying the Sonoma County story, and setting new benchmarks in excellence. As Karissa Kruse, president and chief executive officer of Sonoma County Winegrowers, started her presentation with a review of the past twelve years since she joined the organization, it was clear that the results in building the brand’s visibility over the years has been successful. From being world leaders in sustainability, to sports ma

Wine’s Most Inspiring People 2025: Christopher Czarnecki — Foraging for Success and Elevating Oregon’s Wine and Culinary Scene

By Laura Ness Christopher Czarnecki, owner of The Joel Palmer House in Dayton, Ore., was born into a family of chefs. His grandparents ran a restaurant

Afternoon Brief: Alecia Moore, Winemaker and Two Wolves Wine Founder, Announced as Keynote Speaker for 2025 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium

The Unified Wine and Grape Symposium is proud to welcome Alecia Moore, winemaker and founder of Two Wolves Wine, as the keynote luncheon speaker to kick off the 2025 show on Tuesday, January 28...