It’s not hard to see the promise of AI on a vineyard: process a ton of information and get meaningful answers quickly. The problem is that no one knows how to get started. There are no clear standards, few proven playbooks, and almost no shared examples of AI delivering measurable results inside real vineyard operations.  How can you use AI on your vineyard? Keep reading... This article looks at how one vineyard management team approached AI not as a trend to adopt, but as a constraint to manage. They had too much information, too many variables and far too little human capacity to process them all. This is how they did it. The Question You Should Be Asking First A vineyard operations leader managing large-scale acreage described a situation where scale magnifies every inefficiency. Across thousands of acres and dozens of properties, the team was already using sensors, labor tracking systems, equipment data, compliance tools, and agronomic models. The problem was not lack of infor

Imagine your VP of Sales announcing they’ve ditched CRM for a Rolodex. Or your finance director saying Excel is too modern, so they’re switching to chalkboard.  And yet, here we are — 2025 — squinting at billbacks for hours on end and sending reps to visit every retail account like the entire industry is running for sheriff. Automation isn’t new, but for the wine & spirits world, it might as well be black magic. We love to talk about efficiency, scaling, and modernizing — right up until someone proposes replacing busywork with bots. Suddenly, it’s “But our rep relationships!” or “This is how we’ve always done it.” As if nostalgia for manual labor is part of our brand identity. Let’s get one thing straight: no one’s asking you to hand your label design to Midjourney or let ChatGPT pick your clones. We’re talking about automating the parts of your business that drain time, w

Why Wineries Need Influencer Marketing Now Here's a number that should reshape how you think about marketing: 69% of consumers trust influencer recommendations more than information coming directly from a brand That's not a slight edge. That's a fundamental shift in how people decide what to buy. For wineries, this matters more than it does for most industries. Wine is a considered purchase wrapped in uncertainty. Your potential customer is standing in a tasting room or scrolling through an online store, wondering: Will I like this? Is it worth the price? Am I making the right choice? Influencer content answers those questions in ways traditional marketing cannot. When a trusted voice says "I tried this Pinot and it's incredible with grilled salmon," that carries weight. It's a peer recommendation disguised as content. Instagram and TikTok now drive wine discovery among younger audiences, and 87% of Gen Z consumers say they're willing to buy products

More and more farms are standardizing their use of Lumo across their entire operation.  We’ve seen growers expand from a couple ranches to dozens. From 50 acres to over 2,000. That kind of expansion is built on seeing significant returns on investment season after season.  But everyone needs to start somewhere, so it’s only natural to ask: "If I want to see the highest return on my investment in Lumo, which ranches should I start with?" Here’s a couple ways to think about it: 1. Highest Value Crops Many growers start with ranches where their crop values are the highest because that’s where irrigating with precision pays the most.  It’s part of the reason we’ve seen such good success in Napa and Sonoma with many of the best wine growers in the world, and it’s why we’re seeing increasing interest from berry growers on the Central Coast.  If dialing in your irrigation precision can have a modest impac

Here’s the truth: strong businesses are built on strong leaders. And while some people seem like “natural leaders,” most great managers don’t just stumble into success. They learn it, practice it, and grow into it. That’s where leadership training comes in. At The Personnel Perspective, we’ve spent nearly 40 years helping organizations bring out the very best in their people. And if there’s one thing we’ve seen over and over, it’s this: investing in leadership training is one of the smartest financial decisions you can make. Let’s dive into the ROI of leadership development and how services like leadership training Boise and leadership coaching programs Boise can transform your workplace, boosting productivity, cutting costs, and creating teams people actually want to be a part of. TL;DR: Getting Returns on Your Leadership Training Short on time? No worries. Here’s the short and sweet of this blog: Leadership t

Dry January is no longer just a health challenge or a new-year reset—it’s a global movement. But here’s the kicker: savvy brands know that real success in the no- and low-alcohol (No/Low) category comes from building momentum well beyond one month. At BevZero, we help our clients turn the buzz of January into a sustainable, year-round beverage strategy using expert product development, cutting-edge dealcoholization services, and full-spectrum beverage solutions. Let’s talk about how. Why Dry January Is Only the Beginning Dry January consistently delivers a spike in consumer interest, online searches, and sales for No/Low products—especially non-alcoholic wines, beers, and spirits. But interest doesn’t flatline in February. In fact, there are multiple high-impact moments throughout the year where brands can meet growing demand: Spring (March – May): Holidays like St. Patricks, Easter, and Mothers Day can be a great time to provide low or no

If you’ve been waiting for real-world proof that electric material handling vehicles (MHVs) can outperform internal combustion in busy, space-constrained operations, this is it. Our new white paper, Electrifying Material Handling Vehicles, shows how Golden State Lumber made the switch to an all-electric fleet and increased uptime, safety, and cost control. Below is a short overview of what you’ll learn in the full paper, and we’ll explain why now is the time to get serious about your own electrification roadmap. Why the Shift to Electric Is Accelerating Electrification isn’t just an environmental initiative; it’s an operational upgrade. Modern electric forklifts offer consistent power, instant torque, and whisper-quiet operation. With electric MHVs, communication is clearer, and air quality is high. And with fewer moving parts, they also tend to require less time in the shop, helping reduce the total cost of ownership over the life of the vehicle. Add in

HOW TO KEEP YOUR BRAND TOP OF MIND WHEN CUSTOMERS ARE DROWNING IN HOLIDAY EMAILS The inbox in December isn’t a communication tool—it’s a full-contact sport. Every brand, from the global megastore to the local dog bakery, is shouting their way into people’s attention span with flashing subject lines, endless exclamation points, and “40% OFF” hysteria that blurs into static. Consumers don’t read; they scan for relief. According to Mailjet’s 2024 BFCM report, holiday email volume jumps nearly 80% between Thanksgiving and Christmas, while average open rates drop to 13–15%—a statistical cry for help. But the real problem isn’t quantity—it’s tone. Every brand is talking at their audience instead of with them. The louder the messaging, the less people listen. Leading with prices and panic doesn’t inspire trust; it triggers fatigue. That’s your opportunity. The brands that win the inbox aren’t the

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

Meta Ads, Miracle Results If your holiday Meta ads felt like lighting money on fire in a festive candle, that’s not because social is dead. It’s because your targeting and flighting were built for wishful thinking, not gifting intent. The fix isn’t magic. It’s method. You can absolutely turn Meta into a gift-selling machine between Thanksgiving and New Year—if you understand what actually drives intent and how to spend wisely when every other brand on earth is screaming for attention. What follows is a ruthless, winery-specific playbook for the six-week window between Thanksgiving and New Year that prioritizes intent, protects margin, and leans on real benchmarks instead of folklore. First, reality: volume is there, but it clusters Holiday ecommerce keeps breaking records, with online spend hitting roughly $241.4B from Nov 1 to Dec 31 and mobile responsible for the majority of transactions. (Adobe Newsroom) Translation: your customers are buying on their