The Vineyard to Market Workshop Series launches this spring as a three-part program designed to support Lake County growers in navigating today’s market landscape. Each session will focus on a critical piece of the grower-to-buyer relationship, from understanding winery expectations to refining how vineyards are positioned and communicated, to gaining clarity around contracts and negotiations. Workshop 1 | April 29, 2026, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Buyer Perspectives: What Wineries Are Looking for From Growers An inside look at how wineries evaluate vineyard partners, including current market conditions, quality expectations, and key factors influencing purchasing decisions. Speakers:  Ben Byczynski, Director of Vineyard Operations, Draxton Wines Ryan Decker, Owner, DeckerVIT Workshop 2 | May 20, 2026, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Vineyard Branding & Messaging: Communicating the Value of Your Vineyard A practical session focused on how to clearly position and communicate vineyard value. To

The weather is shifting, trip-planning season is underway, and tasting room traffic is about to pick up. This is the good news. The bad news? If you're reading this and thinking "we'll get to our spring marketing when spring gets here," you're behind. The tasting rooms that stay full from April through June aren't the ones with the best wine or the prettiest views. They're the ones that showed up in someone's planning process three weeks before the trip happened. People don't stumble into wine country on a whim and wander from door to door the way they did fifteen years ago. They research. They scroll. They book. And if your winery isn't visible and compelling during that research window, you're invisible when it counts. The hotel industry figured this out years ago. Marriott doesn't wait until summer to market beach properties. They start running "book your getaway" campaigns in late winter, because they know the booking win

In the world of wine, the tasting room is more than a beautiful space—it’s the center of your business and the heart of your brand. Whether you’re exploring a career in the wine industry or already managing a tasting room, this course offers a comprehensive look at how to build and sustain a profitable, professional and customer-focused tasting room experience. In this online course, you’ll examine how a successful tasting room functions as both a destination and a core business strategy—shaping how customers experience your brand and driving direct-to-consumer (DTC) growth. Through in-depth exploration of business planning, space design, staffing, digital integration and customer engagement, you’ll gain insights into how each of these elements contributes to a thriving tasting room. You’ll also learn strategies for wine club development and exceptional sales and service. Throughout the course, you’ll build a practical toolkit—compl

It is time to dust off the employee handbook, review your policies and procedures, and make sure they comply with all the new laws, regulations, and interpretations that went into effect during 2025, became effective in late 2025, or January 1, 2026. Below, we have identified our “top 10” changes.  Please keep in mind there were hundreds of laws, regulations, and changes implemented at the local, state, and federal levels throughout 2025. This summary highlights selected changes most likely to impact California employers and is not intended to be exhaustive. So, if you need a handbook/policy review or have any questions, please call us! 1 – Minimum Wage Update: Updates happen every year.  It’s best to put a calendar reminder in November, to make sure your payroll is ready! Action: Review your payroll to ensure all employees are being paid the new minimum wage, send written notice of the wage change to affected hourly employees, and be sure your salari

Hello WIN community! Jim Drake here, founder of PromoLab.  PromoLab is a Pacific Northwest–based digital commerce and marketing consultancy focused on wineries and wine-adjacent brands. For more than 25 years, I’ve worked at the intersection of web development, ecommerce, branding, and operations, helping wineries turn their digital presence into something that actually supports how they sell wine day to day. Much of our work centers on connecting tasting rooms, wine clubs, and online sales into a single, cohesive system, rather than a collection of disconnected tools. That means thinking beyond websites alone and into real-world winery realities: compliance, fulfillment, POS workflows, inventory, reporting, and long-term scalability. I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Washington wineries for decades, including long-standing relationships with producers like Quilceda Creek and many others across the region. That experience has shaped how PromoLab work

We are writing to provide information regarding two significant California labor law requirements under the Workplace Know Your Rights Act (SB 294). Our team is available to assist you in administering these new requirements to ensure your organization meets state standards.  Mandatory Workplace Rights Notice (Effective Feb 1, 2026) As of February 1, 2026, California law requires employers to provide a stand-alone "Know Your Rights" notice to all current employees. This notice covers fundamental rights, including workers’ compensation, immigration-related protections, and labor organizing rights. Distribution Information: The notice should be provided via your standard communication channel (e.g., email or hand delivery) so that it is received within one business day. Official Templates: The Labor Commissioner has provided model notices for this purpose: English Notice | Spanish Notice Potential Penalties: Failure to provide this notice may subject an employer to

Stop reacting to cancellations. A proactive strategy for spotting and saving at-risk wine club members before they leave. vinSUITE Blog Wine Club Retention Strategy: What to Do With At-Risk Members  Wine club churn rarely starts with a cancellation. It starts earlier with small moments that don’t look urgent on a report: a skipped shipment, a failed card update that lingers, a pickup that keeps getting missed, a shipping issue that takes too long to resolve, or a member who goes quiet. This post shares a proactive strategy for spotting risk early and responding with the right action—without turning retention into a constant scramble. In this post, you’ll learn: What “at-risk” looks like before a cancellation A 4-step framework to stabilize and save members Exactly what to send (templates included) The “Save Before They Cancel” Framework (quick preview) Proactive retention works because it fixes friction before it becomes frustratio

Sell More, Ship, and Celebrate — All in One System The holidays bring big gift orders, last-minute shoppers, and busy fulfillment days. Activ8 Commerce keeps everything running smoothly — from checkout to delivery. Here’s how we simplify gift season:  Gift Orders + Club Releases Together One system handles both without extra steps.  eCommerce Your Way Grow online sales with Activ8 eCommerce or Shopify integration.  Fast, Integrated Shipping Print labels instantly through leading carriers.  Compliance Made Easy Stay fully compliant with ShipCompliant integration or easy compliance reports.  Fulfillment Partners Connected Sync orders and inventory with integrated fulfillment houses.  Real-Time Inventory Sync Accurate across POS, online, and multiple locations.  Personalized Gift Marketing Send automated gift promos and tracking updates through Activ8 or Klaviyo. Sell confidently this season — Activ8 Com

Design is the message. And when you print directly on glass, that message becomes unforgettable. We’ve seen millions of bottles come through our print lines, and certain design styles just work. They don’t need a label to stand out — they let the glass do the talking. In this week’s post, we’re showcasing 5 design styles that look beautiful on glass and create real shelf impact. • No labels. • No templates. • Just creativity, printed straight to the bottle. Below see the 5 styles — and reach out if you want help designing yours. 

Your Current Marketing Won't Work for Younger Wine Drinkers The generational shift in wine consumption is happening faster than most wineries are prepared to handle. According to Wine Intelligence's US Wine Consumer Trends 2025 report, millennials will surpass baby boomers as the largest wine-consuming demographic by value this year. Meanwhile, the oldest members of Gen Z (born 1997-2012) are now turning 28 and developing their own distinctive wine preferences. The problem? Most wineries continue marketing as if their primary audience is still over 55. The messaging, channels, and tactics that worked for boomers actively repel younger buyers. Let's examine what actually works when marketing to these crucial demographics. What Younger Wine Consumers Actually Want Millennial Wine Drinkers (Ages 29-44) Millennials approach wine fundamentally differently than their parents: What They Value: Transparency about production methods and ingredients Sustainable and ethical busines