Crafting a Sustainable Legacy: Spotlight on Virginia Usher of Mendocino Wine Company
Recently appointed Director of Winemaking at Mendocino Wine Company, Virginia Usher is the backbone that supports the winery in making sustainable, organic wines that are true to the roots of the county’s legacy. She oversees all aspects of production and winemaking for the company’s portfolio of seven in-house brands and custom crush operations. A self-proclaimed […]
Crafting Exceptional Wines Rooted in History: Spotlight on Travis Maple of Airfield Estates Winery
Travis Maple got his start in winemaking working on the bottling line at Chateau Ste. Michelle when he was just 19 years old. Completely fascinated by how you can transform the humble grape into an exceptional drink, Travis developed a passion for the winemaking process. This passion and innate curiosity inspired Ste. Michelle’s CEO to […]
An Alchemist of Sensory Experiences: Spotlight on Hal Landvoigt of Precept Wine
Ever since Hal Landvoigt had his first sip of wine, he was determined to learn more. He started volunteering at a wine shop in the hopes that they would teach him about wine in return– and he got just that. Now the Director of Winemaking at Precept, Hal loves innovation, smart packaging, and the science […]
Winemaker Spotlight: Meghan Rech of Castle Rock Winery
Meghan Rech grew up in Sonoma County and graduated from the UC Davis Enology and Viticulture program, but, surprisingly, her path to winemaking wasn’t traditional. Despite growing up in wine country, she had no interest in the wine industry. Initially, Meghan studied Biological Sciences, with the goal of becoming a Pediatrician. Toward the end of […]
Pioneering Grape Growing in a New Region: Spotlight on John Giguiere, Dan Cederquist, and Pat Kane of Matchbook Wine Company
Six generations ago, the Giguiere family began farming in the Dunnigan Hills in Yolo County, a region that was long known for ranching. When it came time for John Giguiere to continue his family’s farming tradition in 1983, he boldly pioneered the development of a vineyard and winery on his family’s land. Alongside his wife […]
Building Wine Brands People Love: Spotlight on Andrew Nelson, President of WarRoom Cellars
Known for its fun and engaging labels and displays, WarRoom Cellars focuses on delighting customers through creating inspirational moments around each of their wines. “Evoking emotion is key for a brand,” says Andrew Nelson, WarRoom Cellars’ president. Andrew harnessed his entrepreneurial spirit in the alcohol and beverage industry from a young age. He went from […]
Winemaker Spotlight: James Hall of Patz & Hall
James Hall’s approach to winemaking has always primarily been focused on one thing: the vineyards he sources from. By sourcing from only small, cream-of-the-crop vineyards that produce high-quality fruit and then manipulating that fruit as little as possible from harvest to bottle, James’ winemaking strategy has remained tried and true. James Hall originally met Donald […]
Taking a Stand with Wine as a Conduit for Change: a Q&A with Jill Osur at Teneral Cellars
Today, customers expect brands to stand up and tell them what they stand for. In fact, 70% of consumers insist brands take a stand for issues they care about (SproutSocial). In our recent spotlight, we had the pleasure of meeting with Jill Osur, CEO and President of Teneral Cellars, to discuss her journey in the […]
Crafting Wine Experiences That Convert: A Q&A with Janie Heuck from Brooks Winery
Acquiring a new customer is anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one, according to research done by Bain & Company. It’s obvious: it costs almost nothing to show an already engaged wine club member a new varietal that was just released in an email, compared to spending marketing dollars […]
Winemaker Spotlight: Alexandre Remy of Atlas Wine Co.
Alex Remy is not only an accomplished winemaker, he’s a food scientist as well. Originally he started out in the chocolate industry while studying at the University of Montpellier in the South of France, but his final internship in wine packaging would change the course of his career. During this internship, Alex had the opportunity […]
