Alexander Valley, CA — April 2026 — This April, Alexander Valley Winegrowers invite wine lovers—both new and experienced—to slow down, sip freely, and reconnect with the heart of wine country during TASTE Alexander Valley: Back to Our Roots, a month-long celebration of wine, hospitality, and genuine connection.  Running throughout the entire month of April, TASTE Alexander Valley offers a rare opportunity to experience the region without the usual barriers of tasting fees. Participating wineries will provide complimentary tastings, welcoming guests to explore at their own pace while engaging directly with the growers, winemakers, and owners who define Alexander Valley.  “TASTE Alexander Valley is about removing the barriers that often keep people from exploring wine,” said Jessie Vallery, Executive Director of Alexander Valley Winegrowers. “Whether you’re just starting to learn about wine, or you love tasting but are tired

Over the past few years, wineries have seen tasting room visits decline as consumer habits shift. With more options than ever, visitors are looking for something special—experiences that go beyond just sampling wine. For many wineries, this means rethinking how they engage guests and creating a place people want to come back to. This guide explores how wineries across the country are turning their tasting rooms into destinations—balancing local charm, modern convenience, and genuine hospitality. Create Unique, Social Experiences In today’s market, wineries that stand out provide more than just a tasting—they create memorable, shareable experiences that make guests want to stay longer and come back. Enhancing the Atmosphere with Music: Music adds energy and can make an ordinary tasting feel like an event. Hosting live music, whether it’s a local band or acoustic performer, brings people together and keeps them engaged. Many wineries schedule music on weeke

If you’ve been in the wine business long enough, you know the rhythm of harvest tends to repeat itself — until it doesn’t. A Changing Vineyard and Cellar Landscape This year, growers and winemakers across California are still navigating tough choices. With less demand and smaller contracts, some fruit is being left on the vine or sold off early, and many wineries are cutting back crush volumes simply because cellar space and cash flow are tight. Others are consolidating vineyard blocks, farming for vine health instead of yield, or pausing replanting until the market finds its balance. Inside the cellar, the picture isn’t much different. Tanks are full, case sales are slower, and every square foot of storage matters. As a result, more wineries are stretching existing barrel inventory another season, delaying new oak purchases, and relying on recoopered and used barrels to stay flexible without adding unnecessary costs. And the pattern reaches well beyond Californ

Spending a weekend sipping superb wines while savoring the perfect food pairing sounds like heaven. Add in breathtaking scenery and the relaxing ambiance of Sonoma County’s Wine Country, and now you have paradise perfected! This magical wine and food weekend becomes reality on November 1st and 2nd as the Wine Road hosts the 27th annual Wine & Food Affair. A Sneak Peek at the Food Pairings With 50 wineries to select from, there are too many food pairings to list, so here are just a few highlights. If you love Italian-based comfort food, check out: Mushroom and Winter Squash Risotto at Pedroncelli Winery Lobster Ravioli with Vodka Sauce at Pech Merle Winery Tatiana’s Famous Lasagna at Colagrossi Wines If you’d rather pair Mexican, French or Cajun with delicious wines, here are some options: Roger’s Colorado Pork Green Chili at J. Cage Cellars Creamy Mushroom Chicken Facon Grand Mère at GC Lurton Vineyards Alison’s Jambalaya at Mat

ATPGroup has unveiled two breakthrough enzymes, Zyme-O-Thiols and Zyme-O-Ultra Cold, designed to help winemakers push the boundaries of aroma and efficiency in the cellar. Zyme-O-Thiols: Unlocking Hidden Aromas For years, winemakers have known that many of a grape’s most exciting aromas are “locked away” in precursor form. During fermentation, these precursors can be transformed into thiols, the compounds responsible for bold tropical fruit notes in wines like Sauvignon Blanc. What sets Zyme-O-Thiols apart is its ability to specifically release the precursors to thiols such as mango, grapefruit, and passionfruit—aromatic compounds that other enzymes simply don’t access. The result is white wines with greater aromatic lift and intensity, and even reds, like Syrah, with new layers of fruit complexity. By targeting these unique flavor pathways, Zyme-O-Thiols gives winemakers a level of creative control over aromatics that standard enzyme preparations can&rsqu

Cleaning tanks, pipelines, and stainless-steel equipment is a non-negotiable part of winery operations. But in regions with hard water or elevated silica levels, those routine cleaning tasks can become much more complicated. Over time, minerals build up, cleaning agents lose their effectiveness, and cellar crews are forced to work harder to get the same results. Recognizing this challenge, ATPGroup has launched Causticlean CV, a food-grade alkaline cleaner developed specifically for wineries and other beverage facilities that operate in areas with hard or mineral-rich water. The product is designed to perform well in challenging water conditions with high levels of scale and in environments with heavy silica. This makes it particularly useful for wineries in water-stressed regions where quality and consistency are critical. Causticlean CV is a low‑foaming circulation cleaner intended for CIP applications, as well as manual or spray application on stainless steel surfaces

Let’s be honest: There’s a certain magic to pouring wine in your own tasting room—the clink of glasses, the sunlight through the vines, the laughter echoing off the barrel room walls. But what if you could bottle that magic and uncork it anywhere in the world? Today’s top-performing wineries aren’t just waiting for guests to walk through their doors. They’re packing their corkscrews and passports, finding their biggest fans where they live, work, and play—from the next city over to the far side of the globe. Welcome to the golden age of wine roadshows—and, now, globetrotting wine adventures! Why Travel? Because Wine Is About Connection Wine is the ultimate connector. It brings people together and creates memories, whether it’s a backyard BBQ in Austin or a sunset dinner on the Amalfi Coast. Your most devoted club members and best customers crave those connections—and they’re hungry (and thirsty) for experiences that go b

The 2024 vintage presented unique challenges and opportunities for growers and wineries across California. As we navigate shifting market dynamics, weather patterns, and evolving consumer trends, staying informed is more important than ever. That’s why Turrentine Brokerage is excited to participate in the upcoming Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance (PRWCA) Vit Tech Seminar: 2024 Vintage Recap & Lessons for the Future, taking place in February 2025. Audra Cooper, Director of Grape Brokerage / Partner of Turrentine Brokerage will provide a review of the 2024 vintage and current market, then will moderate a panel discussion that covers multiple perspectives of the 2024 vintage, its impact on the wine and bulk market, as well as predictions for the future. Panelists include: Ben Taylor, Grower Relations Central Coast Region for Cakebread Cellars / Bezel Wines Edward Kronfli, President and CEO of Vine Shepherd Vineyard Management Matt Merrill, General Manager at Mesa Vineyard

Exploring the Families, Farmers, and Innovators Who Embody the DNA of Sonoma County Sonoma County, Calif. (October 3, 2024) – Sonoma County Winegrowers (SCW) is launching an inspiring new video series, Shoulder to Shoulder, hosted by 8-time Emmy Award-winning producer, reporter, and storyteller, Amy Gutierrez (“Amy G.”). This highly anticipated series, debuting today, offers a captivating behind-the-scenes look at the stories and people that make Sonoma County one of the most celebrated wine regions in the world. Shoulder to Shoulder brings to life the story behind every great bottle of wine including family legacies, the sustainable stewardship of the land, and the time-honored tradition of working side-by-side across multiple generations. The series provides a deep appreciation of how individual and multi-generational family winegrowers and wineries grow and create more than just exceptional winegrapes and wine—they build lasting connections with the lan

"Minorities have such huge buying power that is not being addressed.” Having grown up in a Mexican household, Nancy Ulloa of Ulloa Cellars has always been aware of the lack of accessibility that latinos have to the wine world. Today, she actively works to bring latinos into the conversation by making wine with the latino community in mind and acting as an educational resource by teaching lessons about wine in Spanish... Continue Reading on TheGrapevine.Orderport.net About The Grapevine - Presented By Orderport Who we are The Grapevine is a digital magazine for winemakers and wine drinkers. Whether you have been a winemaker selling award-winning wines for years, are just getting your foot in the door, or simply want to know the story behind your favorite wine – this publication is for you. Writers Natalie is originally from Seattle but has lived in New York City for 2.5 years now. Natalie has worked at OrderPort, a company that makes software for wineries for o