Listen now: Ciatti's Glenn Proctor speaks to Liquid Assets Glenn Proctor, partner at the Ciatti Company, was a guest on Rabobank’s latest Liquid Assets podcast – titled “Will the US wine industry ever recover from the current glut?” – discussing the current and future state of the Californian wine industry with Jeff Bitter of Allied Grape Growers and podcast hosts Stephen Rannekleiv and Bourcard Nesin. Listen Now Glenn set out bulk-wine inventory levels as of the month of March 2026 and the 12 months to March (“it has been extremely high as to where we would usually sit”), delved down into bulk inventory by vintage year (“inventory isn’t going down but some of it is getting older, making it less marketable as you go into the future”), and outlined the tough realities of the current marketplace: “One of the biggest challenges we have: Those who’d be a buyer in a normal market are currently a seller, they’ve got grapes or bulk wine to sell.” With Jeff, Glenn discussed the recently-publi

For the fourth consecutive year, four seasoned wine industry thought leaders return to examine the critical challenges and opportunities defining the wine landscape in 2026. Each panelist will share their most important predictions and trends that wineries need to understand to thrive in the year ahead. This engaging panel discussion offers multiple perspectives on the forces shaping our industry, equipping you with practical insights to make informed decisions and capitalize on emerging opportunities throughout 2026. Session Panel: Chris Bitter, Senior Wine & Grape Analyst / Terrain Philana Bouvier, President / Demeine Estates Bourcard Nesin, Industry Analyst / Rabobank Dale Stratton, Managing Director / Azur Associates Moderator: Damien Wilson, Faculty Director and Hamel Family Faculty Chair of Wine Business / Sonoma State University

Listen now: Ciatti's Glenn Proctor speaks to Liquid Assets Glenn Proctor, partner at the Ciatti Company, was a guest on Rabobank’s latest Liquid Assets podcast, discussing the problem of wine oversupply with Jeff Bitter of Allied Grape Growers and podcast hosts Stephen Rannekleiv and Bourcard Nesin. “I’ve been in the business since the late 80s, and it’s definitely the worst I’ve experienced in terms of the imbalance and where the industry feels,” said Proctor. “What we’ve experienced over the last three years is, with the declining sales, we are adjusting inventory around that to try to get back to a balanced situation.” Proctor gave the latest figure in gallons for bulk inventory listed for sale with Ciatti, how it compares with previous years, where the inventory is located and at what pricing, and discusses the wine industry’s situation more broadly. You can listen to all 49 minutes of the Liquid Assets episode absolut

Lightweighting, or as some call it, “right-weighting,” can save wine and spirits companies millions of dollars and dramatically reduce their greenhouse gas footprint, all without impacting top-line sales. So why aren’t more brands reducing the weight of their glass packaging?  Join RaboResearch Analyst Bourcard Nesin as he brings together a panel of industry experts to help you understand how lightweighting can be a major contributor to sustainability and profitability. You will receive practical advice and learn best practices from people who successfully drove lightweighting initiatives within their own organizations. Speakers: Tony Maan, VP Supplier Development / The Wine Group Mitch Davis, Executive Vice President, Operations / Jackson Family Colleen Fitzgerald, Chenin Blanc Viognier Winemaker and Chair of GHG Emissions Measurement Committee / Crimson Wine Group Register here.

2024 Presenting Series Sponsor: Session 1: Four Takes on Twentyfour Date & Time: Wednesday, January 17th – 10:00 AM (PT)  Kicking off the 2024 edition of Bold Predictions, titled “Four Takes on Twentyfour”, we are bringing back moderator Damien Wilson, Hamel Family Faculty Chair of Wine Business Institute and panelists Dale Stratton, Managing Director / Azur Associates, Philana Bouvier, President / Demeine Estates and Bourcard Nesin, Industry Analyst / Rabobank. Joining last year’s panel will be Chris Bitter, Senior Wine & Grape Analyst / Terrain all there to revisit some of last year’s “Bold Predictions” along with sharing their insights and thoughts on what we can expect for our industry in the year ahead. Register Now Session Panel:    Session Sponsor: Supporting Sponsor:    

Registration is now open for Wine Industry Network’s (WIN) first session of the Bold Predictions: Wine Industry Leadership Conference Series. This must-attend virtual session will be broadcasted on January 17, 2024, from 10:00 a.m – 11:00 a.m. Registration is free for wine industry professionals. Kicking off the 2024 edition of Bold Predictions, titled “Four Takes on Twentyfour”, we are bringing back panelists Dale Stratton, Managing Director / Azur Associates, Philana Bouvier, President / Demeine Estates and Bourcard Nesin, Industry Analyst / Rabobank. Joining last year’s panel will be Chris Bitter, Senior Wine & Grape Analyst / Terrain all there to revisit some of last year’s “Bold Predictions” along with sharing their insights and thoughts on what we can expect for our industry in the year ahead. The session will be moderated by Damien Wilson, Hamel Family Faculty Chair of Wine Business Institute.

Bold Predictions, a virtual Wine Industry Leadership Conference, will feature industry experts who will share their insights and predictions on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities wineries can expect to face in the year ahead, along with advice on how to best overcome the challenges while taking full advantage of the opportunities. Session 1: Four Takes on Twentyfour Date & Time: Wednesday, January 17th – 10:00 AM (PT)  Kicking off the 2024 edition of Bold Predictions, titled “Four Takes on Twentyfour”, we are bringing back moderator Damien Wilson, Hamel Family Faculty Chair of Wine Business Institute and panelists Dale Stratton, Managing Director / Azur Associates, Philana Bouvier, President / Demeine Estates and Bourcard Nesin, Industry Analyst / Rabobank. Joining last year’s panel will be Chris Bitter, Senior Wine & Grape Analyst / Terrain all there to revisit some of last year’s “Bold Predictions” along with sharin

Following an unseasonably cool spring and start to summer, California received some overdue 100°F+ heat in late June into early July, though unusually mild spells continue to interrupt these hotter periods, particularly in the Coast during the mornings. More normal, consistently hot weather is in the forecast for the rest of summer, but for now the growing season is still running 3-4 weeks behind in many areas of the state, particularly in the Coast. There is talk in the Interior that the season has caught up a little in some areas, to something like 1-2 weeks behind, but the popular barometer of a ‘normal’ timetable – veraison on Lodi Zinfandel by July 4th – was missed, and indeed veraison was not apparent anywhere in the first week of July.  Consequently, it remains too early to provide a confident guesstimate of crop size. Berry sizing is underway and cluster numbers in general appear good, although shatter occurred on some varieties in some areas of

Afternoon Brief, October 19th

Treasury Wine Estates Announces Completion of Château Lanessan Acquisition: Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (TWE), one of the world’s leading premium wine companies, today confirmed the completion of its majority acquisition of Château Lanessan, one of the oldest estates in Bordeaux, France. The acquisition is the latest step in bolstering Penfolds multi-regional luxury wine portfolio, doubling the existing production capacity for Penfolds in France...

“The global wine industry,” wrote Rabobank in its latest Wine Quarterly, “has evolved in a context of cheap freight, cheap energy, and declining trade barriers […] these assumptions may be far less certain than we had previously assumed”. We echo this message, though we see each of the three assumptions being challenged to differing extents.  The last issue cited, the re-emergence of trade barriers, can be attributable to localised political volatility that eventually passes: for example, the US-EU aircraft subsidies dispute appears to be over, so too Brexit’s acutest effects on trade. The world is united in hoping the Russia-Ukraine conflict, too, ends imminently. Such wounds to global trade are patched-up by workarounds and innovation; trade adjusts to the new realities, and carries on. China’s blocking of Australian wine imports is an opportunity for red wine suppliers elsewhere in the world, for example.  Of greater fundamental c