Sonoma County Winegrowers Reorganizes to Scale Proven Collaborations and Unlock National Growth Opportunities  At its annual Dollars & $ense meeting today, themed, “The Next Chapter: Elevating What Works and Expanding What’s Possible,” Sonoma County Winegrowers (SCW) announced a strategic reorganization and renewed organizational focus to build demand, expand partnerships, and increase sales of Sonoma County wines to support long-term grower success. The moves reflect a proactive response to an evolving marketplace and are designed to ensure Sonoma County remains competitive, relevant, and well-positioned for future growth. Moving forward, Jennifer Dieckmann, currently Chief Operating Officer of Sonoma County Winegrowers, will assume the role of Executive Director and COO, leading the organization’s day-to-day operations, program execution, and team leadership, while maintaining operational excellence and strengthening grower and stakeholder engagement

The California Department of Food & Agriculture has announced it has certified the votes on the referendum to continue the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, also known as the Sonoma County Winegrowers (SCW), for another five years.  Garnering 85.77% percent of the vote, winegrape growers strongly supported continuation of the organization.  The Commission was established in 2006 and is required by California law to conduct a grower vote every five years to determine if they want to continue to be assessed to fund the organization.    “It is very gratifying to see the efforts of the Commission recognized and supported by the very people who fund it and make all the great work possible,” said Bret Munselle, chairman of the SCW board of directors and owner of Munselle Vineyards.  He added, “Through the assessment, the growers have been personally investing in promoting Sonoma County for nearly 20 years and with this vote, SCW will continue

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

Planned Activations Will Bring Sonoma County Wines to Game Day and Beyond SANTA ROSA, Calif. (November 7, 2024) – Continuing on their growing success in bringing its world-class wines to new and divergent audiences, Sonoma County Winegrowers is teaming up with one of the NFL’s most storied franchises, the Chicago Bears, to introduce, share and immerse fans in Chicagoland with all things about Sonoma County wine. This is the latest sports partnership and the first NFL team sponsorship for Sonoma County Winegrowers which also has collaborations ongoing with the San Francisco Giants and the Houston Rockets. “We are very excited to partner with the Chicago Bears and share our Sonoma County wines with their legendary fans and team,” said Karissa Kruse, president and chief executive officer of the Sonoma County Winegrowers. She added, “We love to reach new audiences in memorable ways and let them experience all that makes Sonoma County a world-class region for g

Local Growers Gather to Celebrate Ten Years of Sustainable Winegrowing  SANTA ROSA, Calif.  (January 31, 2024) – Each year, when many of Sonoma County’s 1,800 certified sustainable winegrape growers gather for the Sonoma County Winegrowers’ (SCW) annual meeting, they want to know what is next for one of the world’s most sustainable winegrowing regions. Today, they learned the answer to their question: Sonoma County Winegrowers will embark on a major collaboration with one of the world’s most iconic brands, John Deere Company. The collaboration with John Deere will be an addition to SCW’s innovative Farm of the Future, a living lab for the future of agriculture and an innovation accelerator. Through this living lab, Sonoma County winegrowers and innovative companies can pilot concepts that may eventually result in game-changing solutions that can be shared with farmers across the country and around the world. John Deere is the latest co

Afternoon Brief, October 30th

Rudy Back in the Fake Wine Game: The world's most notorious wine counterfeiter is at it again – this time with his clients' blessings...

Innovative Partnership will Showcase Sonoma County Wines Throughout the Houston Rockets NBA Season and all Toyota Center Events What do Sonoma County grape growers and basketball have in common? Both are attracting and connecting with fans in a whole new way. Building upon their successful relationships with Major League sports teams, the Sonoma County Winegrowers announced a new partnership with the Houston Rockets to bring a taste of Sonoma County to the most populous city in Texas. This partnership highlights the Sonoma County wine region to Rockets fans at each of their games during the season, as well as, to the hundreds of thousands of Texans who visit Toyota Center throughout the year for numerous concerts, sporting events and other high-profile shows and gatherings. With this partnership, Sonoma County and its wines will be featured in Toyota Center’s exclusive lounges, restaurants, and other locations during Rockets games and all other activations at the Toyota Cent