“OUR INDUSTRY WAS the dirty little secret,” said Cody Ewers, the U.S. sales and marketing director at Innerstave. “No one wants to talk about it.” But all of that is changing, and the stigma surrounding oak alternatives is diminishing, albeit slowly.

No longer reserved for college parties, boxed wine is undeniably having a moment. The category has diversified immensely over the past decade and now offers consumers a wide range of choices when it comes to brands, quality, varieties and formats.

Adopting the slogan “Cab is King,” Napa’s rule is unlikely to end anytime soon, but some California winemakers are challenging the status quo and producing a more intense and refined style of Cabernet Sauvignon from significantly cooler sites, which may also fare better — or at least longer — in the face of climate change.

A freak lightning storm in August ignited hundreds of fires across California. Then in September, a second outbreak of wildfires up the West Coast blanketed wine country regions throughout California, Oregon, and Washington with smoke that hovered around for days on end. This smoke can permeate the grapes, releasing volatile phenols that ultimately render the wine undrinkable.

These organizations are mobilizing to protect workers by offering education, resources, and health screenings that can, in turn, help pilot the industry through a harvest season like no other.

When visitors arrive at Sonoma County’s newest winery, Bricoleur Vineyards in Windsor, Calif., the first thing they see is a chalkboard sign that reads, “Please wear your mask, unless you are seated,” with a masked smiley face emoji. Guests then proceed to the outdoor check-in desk, which is stocked with masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer, and are led to either a great big lawn or pavilion for a tasting experience that’s more than safely distanced from others.

The virtual tasting model, which wineries embraced en masse to connect with consumers while their tasting rooms were closed, looks like it’s here to stay. According to a recent survey conducted by Napa Valley Vintners, 64 percent of wineries have hosted at least one virtual tasting since March, and 72 percent of wineries plan to continue virtual tastings after shelter-in-place orders are lifted.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on the wine, food, and hospitality industries and as most businesses remain closed until further notice, these industries are finding creative ways to work together in an effort to generate revenue and stay afloat. Wine brands are partnering up with restaurants, retailers, purveyors, and hotels to offer consumers unique experiences and deals they can enjoy at home and in the future. “I think that it is so important for us all to come together du

What should I wear to work? It may sound innocuous, but this loaded question was at the heart of a lively and controversial panel discussion that closed out the Bâtonnage Forum, held May 4 at a private estate in Napa, California.

Covid-19 is having a major and possibly devastating effect on the wine industry as a whole — tasting rooms across the globe are closed and many depend on visitation for sales — but it’s been especially difficult for wineries in the Southern Hemisphere, which also happen to be in the throes of wine’s most demanding season: harvest.

With appointments required, tasting room capacities reduced and new safety protocols in place, reservation systems are more important than ever.

Wildfires in California aren’t new, but after back-to-back years of the most deadly and destructive fires in California’s history, it’s clear they’re increasing in both frequency and ferocity. Members of the winemaking industry, in particular, are on high alert, concerned not only for their wineries and tasting rooms but, most importantly, their vines.

Wildfires. Floods. Late-season cold snaps. Heat spikes at harvest. Few question that Northern California’s vineyards are experiencing the effects of climate change. In the Napa Valley, rising temperatures threaten to diminish the quality of the region’s iconic Cabernet Sauvignon—or perhaps eradicate it altogether.

Headlines in recent years have helped raise awareness of the dangerous effects of human exposure of agricultural chemicals. For Fred Cline of California's Cline Cellars, however; an instinctive concern for his children's well-being on his farm first arose decades ago, eventually serving as the catalyst for his fastidious commitment to sustainable farming.