It’s no news most of the United States is in the midst of an ongoing heat wave.  But how has that affected harvest for the southwest? And what about that late frost that hit much of the south in early May?  Let’s take a look. Back on May 3, many of the southern states were →

“The tasting room is only second to the label in branding your wine. The biggest mistake owners make regarding their tasting room is making do with what they have instead of creating what they need.” Paul Wagner

In remembrance of our Founding Fathers and in celebration of our independence, we pay homage to them and their love for wine. Here are a few quotes from George, Thomas and Ben on wine. George Washington: My manner of living is plain and I do not mean to be put out of it. A glass →

Did you know that more than half of applicants lie or distort information on their application? Finding the right people for the job, no matter what position or business, is often frustrating, time consuming, and painful. Either you’re getting a lot of interest, but no one seems to be the right fit or you need →

This isn’t my typical blog, but perhaps a relevant opportunity for some readers.  Recently we’ve had several inquiries by customers and winery owners about similar blending challenges.  Either, they have a wine that has been successful in the past, but last year’s grapes aren’t producing the same results OR they have a wine with a →

Next stop on my Southwest Winery Tour was Arizona, the Grand Canyon State. With its mountains and deserts, Arizona’s wine industry faces interesting climate challenges. Most vineyards are located around Wilcox in the southeast corner of the state, with a few scattered around Flagstaff. With the high altitudes (Elevation: Wilcox 4168 ft & Flagstaff at →

It may seem like the buds just burst, but harvest will be sneaking up on us soon. In preparation for the exciting and hectic season, let’s look at what you can do now to be ahead of the game. Prior and during harvest, in addition to an influx of customers, you are also dealing with →

What is branding? First, branding is not advertising.  It’s not just the company name, logo or label being recognized.  It’s not facts about your winery.  Real branding evokes an emotional response when the consumer sees your label or hears your name. Porsche is high performance, luxury, and cool. Apple is imagination, design and innovation. Yellowtail →

What is Colorado wine? On my Southwest Winery Tour, I was really interested in seeing what Colorado wine was all about.  What I found is that the state has not defined what Colorado wine is actually (BTW, this is not unique to Colorado, and most states/regions are in the same boat).  By that I mean, as →

Typically in the wine industry, you have one or two out of every seven years where you lose over half your crop. Three to four years out of those seven, you have an average crop level. And one to two years out of every seven you have a bumper crop. That is pretty much the →