Winemakers are no strangers to natural challenges but now faced with a unique combination of climactic and economic pressures, they’re on the hunt to expand and evolve their toolkits. In response, the team at LAFFORT brought key results from more than 70 trials conducted in the last year to winemakers and industry professionals along the West Coast. The 2026 Rendezvous commenced in Paso Robles, Calif. on April 28 before heading north to Santa Rosa, Calif. and Newberg, Ore., in the same week.  Event organizer Lisa Strid shared that the program for this year’s Rendezvous was designed to directly address the top challenges facing winemakers today—costs, efficiencies, and combatting unexpected weather—and deliver information that was immediately applicable in the winery. LAFFORT, in addition to supplying yeast, tannins, enzymes and other fermentation products, expanded into oak and barrel alternatives with Nobile, aromatic and flavor enhancements with Essencia, and laboratory equipmen

Afternoon Brief, June 3rd

Napa Tourism Industry Bouncing Back, but Post-COVID Job Growth Slowing: An economy sent reeling by the coronavirus has in many ways bounced back far faster than in past recessions – but a North Bay economist is cautioning Napa city leaders to be mindful of slowing job growth and the pandemic’s outsize blow to employment in the tourist industries that have driven much of the city’s prosperity...