A few years ago at the DTC Wine Symposium, a panelist joked about the modern winery website formula: the guy, the dog, the truck, and the vineyard. Beautiful backdrop, strong lifestyle photography, a thoughtful founder story. Polished, absolutely. Strategically distinct, rarely. The critique wasn’t about branding. It was about structure. Most winery websites aren’t broken, but they aren’t built as decision environments either. Calls to action are unclear, revenue pathways are buried, shipping surprises appear late, and wine club often lives in isolation instead of throughout the buying journey. After auditing winery sites across regions and production sizes, the pattern is consistent: performance is constrained by friction, not effort. Most wineries don’t have a traffic problem. They have a conversion architecture problem. Before increasing ad spend or launching another promotion, run a winery website audit — on your phone. Start at the homepage and move t

For decades, cylindrical tanks have dominated winery cellars. But as producers look for smarter ways to maximize space, control costs, and improve wine quality, alternative tank designs are entering the conversation. Square tanks are emerging as a compelling solution — offering measurable gains in efficiency, sustainability, and production capacity without requiring expansion of existing facilities. Rapid Return on Investment La Garde Inox tanks stand out for their ability to generate a return on investment in record time, often in less than a year and a half. Their optimized design allows for an increase in bottle production of up to 83% compared to round tanks, thus offering an opportunity to maximize the profitability of each liter of wine produced. By reducing operating costs, whether in terms of maintenance, energy management, or human resources, these tanks become an essential financial asset for winemakers seeking to improve their cash flow and maximize their short-term p

Maintaining wine balance in a changing climate Climate change is reshaping the wine industry. In many wine regions, each year seems to set new records for the hottest or driest growing season, followed by the earliest harvest dates yet. Such accelerated ripening is disrupting grape physiology; phenolic and aromatic development fall out of sync, sugar levels soar, and acidity drops away (1). So how can we adapt and build a more resilient wine sector? The answer to this question is multifaceted. In the vineyards, grape growers are rethinking their management practices, adjusting canopy architecture, introducing shading or optimising irrigation (1,2). Some are reaching for higher altitudes or moving further from the equator in search of cooler conditions (1). Others are trialling alternative heat- and drought-tolerant varieties, from long-forgotten cultivars to newly bred plant material. In the cellars, winemakers may turn to pragmatic solutions such as dilution or blending strategi

Walk into almost any winery this week and you’ll see the same thing: equipment everywhere, barrels tucked into every open spot, and crews doing their best to move fruit through a cellar that already feels packed. Harvest always brings some level of chaos, but this year the space squeeze seems to be hitting harder than usual. And when the cellar is this tight, it quietly changes how winemakers make decisions. Not in big, obvious ways — but in the small, practical choices that add up over the course of a vintage. That’s where the hidden costs start to show themselves. 1. Lots Are Being Shifted Earlier Than Planned A full cellar forces movement. Not thoughtful, deliberately timed movement — just movement. When every open vessel is already promised to incoming fruit, winemakers end up: racking earlier transferring before a lot is truly settled finishing fermentations in whatever vessel is available consolidating lots sooner than planned None of these decisions a

Cyber Week Winery Marketing: Planning Smarter, Selling Stronger Cyber Week is almost here, and consumers are primed to buy. For wineries, it’s not just a chance to move inventory — it’s a chance to win new fans, reward loyal members, and end the year strong. The goal isn’t simply to discount — it’s to strategically position value, create urgency, and make buying feel effortless. Whether you’re a small family-run tasting room or a multi-location brand, these proven strategies will help you get the most out of the week. 1. Build Anticipation Before the Week Begins Cyber Week success starts long before Friday. The wineries that win start warming up their audience early — building curiosity, boosting email sign-ups, and reminding people why they love their brand. Ideas to get the buzz going: Add a countdown banner or homepage teaser with “Our biggest offer of the year starts soon.” Send a “save the date” email to your

Domaine Della 2023 Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir Takes Top Prize  November 18, 2025 — Winners have been announced in the 2025 Harvest Challenge Wine Competition. After two spirited days of judging, Domaine Della 2023 Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir took the top prize. It was also awarded Best of Show Red Wine and Best of Monterey County AVA. Coming in at 98 points, judges praised the wine as “warm and spicy” with “fig and nutmeg.” Other descriptors included “meaty,” “prosciutto,” and “dried rose petal.”  With entries from across the globe, the Harvest Challenge bases judging on a group of vineyards (or even vines) from the same region, belonging to a specific appellation and sharing the same type of soil, weather conditions and grapes that combine to give personality to the wine.  In other competitions, this terroir is ignored. At the Harvest Challen

Bouchard Cooperages is very proud to represent Tonnellerie Damy, based in Meursault, one of the most prestigious cooperages in Burgundy. Tonnellerie Damy, and its French Sales Manager Étienne Martin, work exclusively with their neighbor and client Domaine Élodie Roy in Maranges. This important producer uses Damy barrels exclusively for its production of chardonnay, aligoté and pinot noir. For those interested, the same Damy barrels Élodie Roy uses for the production of these wines are currently available from stock inventory in California, Oregon, Washington, Virginia and Ontario. Tonnellerie Damy - Meursault, France Tonnellerie Damy was founded in 1946 and is managed by third generation Jérôme Damy who overseas the production of 18,000 barrels per year. The cooperage represents a state of the art facility located in Meursault, Burgundy. The majority of Damy's barrels are made from single origin French Oak, sourced from the most

One standard marketing principle is “Don’t market to yourself.” In other words, just because a message or strategy makes sense to you, it does not mean it will resonate with your audience. We are human, and it is easy to fall into the trap of viewing the category, consumer, or competitive set in a way that may be informed but not relevant to the marketing challenge ahead. For instance, you may be considering Chardonnay as your competition, but consumers are making purchase decisions between your Chardonnay and all white wines on the shelf under $15. Talking directly to your customers is invaluable for confirming theories and aligning your messaging. Conducting research yourself—directly and intentionally—is often the most reliable way to avoid internal bias and align your strategy with actual consumer perspectives. One of the most accessible and common forms of primary research for wineries involves reaching out to their wine club members. Many wineries c

Wakefield Taylors Wines and 1800 Milenio Take Top Honors July 14, 2025 — Winners have been announced in the 18th annual Women’s International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWWSC). The competition, which took place recently in Santa Rosa, Calif., was founded on the premise that the majority of wine purchased for home consumption is bought by women. The IWWSC judging panels consist entirely of professional women in the wine and spirits industries — winemakers, distillers, marketers, buyers, sommeliers, educators and journalists.  This year, Wakefield Taylor Wines 2024 Estate Riesling and 1800 Milenio Extra-Aged Añejo took top honors. Wakefield Taylor, a heritage winery in Australia’s Clare Valley (a region known for quality Reislings), wowed judges with its “mouthwatering citrus blooms” and “gentle salinity.”  A representative from 1800 Mileno remarked, “1800 Milenio is backed by 11 generations of tequila-making e

Two K Farms Cidery and Winery 2022 Bubbly Riesling Takes Top Honors November 15, 2024 — Winners have been announced in the 2024 Harvest Challenge Wine Competition. After two spirited days of judging,Two K Farms Cidery and Winery 2022 Bubbly Riesling took the top prize. It was also awarded Best of Show Sparkling Wine. Coming in at 97 points, judges praised the wine for its “Mouth watering citrus and honeysuckle”; “Lingering tropical finish”; and “Perfect bubbles.” They also called it “Well balanced.” With a record number of entries from across the globe, the Harvest Challenge bases judging on a group of vineyards (or even vines) from the same region, belonging to a specific appellation and sharing the same type of soil, weather conditions and grapes that combine to give personality to the wine. In other competitions, terroir is ignored. At the Harvest Challenge, judges taste wines alongside other wines of the same appellation. W