The 2026 Calif North Coast Grape Harvest

It's an odd year. It all started in the early spring.

Climate Change

"Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?" by The Clash might describe the thinking of wineries and grape growers.

Napa Too Expensive? Part 2, California Alternatives

If price and/or the crowds are keeping you from Napa Valley, there are plenty of options. The previous article covers wine regions near Napa in the Bay Area. This one explores other major wine regions in California.

Is Napa Too Expensive? Part 1, Bay Area Alternatives

If $75-up tastings, $100-up wines, and crowds aren't for you, there are options. You can seek out the dwindling number of Napa producers that charge less or you can visit other wine regions in California. There are plenty of choices!

This is Part 1 of 2, covering options in the Greater Bay Area. Part 2 will look at the rest of the state.

Attracting New Customers to the Winery

There is much talk about what Napa needs to do to attract more visitors. This is also true for Sonoma, Paso Robles and other premium wine area. The answer is simple, really, and it's not really simple.

Why Some Wine Trends Happen

We've had plenty of wine trends in the past. Recently we've seen blue wine, orange wine, CBD-infused wine, and natural wines. Some of these are still hanging on, but they never took off. We are due for a new wine trend and here's why.

Sacré Bleu, The French are Turning to Beer!

  For the first time in the modern age the consumption of beer is greater than wine in France. Beer edged out wine by 10 million liters, about 2.6 million gallons. 

  The French are at their lowest lever of wine consumption since 1957, having dropped 37% in the last three decades. As in the U.S., younger people aren't consuming as much alcohol. 

  France has over 2,000  craft breweries, compared to nearly 10,000 in the U.S. The U.S. has about five times the population of France so per capita it's about the same. French microbreweries make everything from traditional beers to hazy IPAs. 

  Cost is a factor in France, as it is here, when you consider a pint of beer is about $8 and a glass of wine is at least $12, with some $20 or more. 

NEWS: California's Oldest Family-Run Winery Files Bankruptcy

Jeff, Katie, and Jim Bundschu
Sixth and fifth generation owners

  Today Gundlach-Bundschu Winery in Sonoma filed chapter 11 bankruptcy. They said the company became overleveraged in a recent acquisition. G-B bought the old Valley of the Moon Winery in 2020, opened it as Abbot's Passage, and closed that winery a few months ago.

  Gundlach-Bundschu was founded in 1858 by Jacob Gundlach when he purchased 400 acres in Sonoma Valley. It is currently run by Jeff Bundschu, along with his sister Katie.

  G-B says they are negociating with an investor who would take majority control. It appears the oldest family-run winery in the state is no more.

  In other news, Jean-Charles Boisset, owner of several Napa and Sonoma wineries, has purchased Artesa Winery in the Carneros region of Napa. Boisset, also known as Mr. Gina Gallo, owns Buena Vista, Deloach, and Raymond Wineries, among others. Just kidding about the Mr. Gallo part, kinda.
The news on Artesa just came out on Wine Spectator.

State of the Wine Industry in a Few Graphs

These graphs are from Azur Associates, a Napa-based winery consulting firm.

Bringing In New Wine Drinkers

How do you go about getting new, usually younger, people to join the wine world? The conventional way is to hit them up with viticulture, winemaking, terroir, wine scores, and scores of wine terms. Great, intimidation to bring in new customers. There's a better way.

Cool Idea to Bring in People

It's no secret that winery traffic is down. The wineries with tasting rooms usually depend heavily on these direct-to-consumer sales.

Napa Valley Post-Cabernet

 Is there a post-cabernet future for Napa? Some think so. 

Don't Cry For Napa

Yes, the news for wine is all doom and gloom. Yes, many small family wine businesses are hurting, even in Napa. However, overall Napa Valley is doing just fine. Some of the good news relates to higher prices meaning for money spent for fewer goods and services.

BMO 2026 Wine Market Report

BMO bank's commercial sector keeps an eye on the state of the booze business. Some highlights from this year's wine report.

News on 2025's Napa Pickett Fire

The August 2025 Pickett Fire started in a remote area of rugged terrain outside of Calistoga in Napa Valley. There had been a party on the Hundred Acre Winery property. The fire took two weeks to contain. Homes were lost, wineries and vineyards were damaged, people, including firefighters were injured.

American Gewurztraminer, It's Hard to Find

Gewurztraminer grown in the U.S. gets no respect, or maybe people are afraid to try to pronounce it. Saying geh-wurts is fine, btw. The previous blog post was on the lack on interest in West Coast Riesling. You'll find these two grapes similar in characteristics and U.S. popularity. Both grapes do best in a cool climate, can be made in a dry to very sweet style, rely on aromatics for much of their character, and they pair with similar foods. 

West Coast Riesling: It's Pretty Good, Does Anyone Care?

There are Chardonnay lovers, Sauvignon Blanc people, and Pinot Grigio drinkers galore, but Riesling gets no love. There seems to be no respect for premium Riesling from the West Coast.

Napa's Oldest Continuously Operating Winery

Charles Krug is the oldest commercial winery in Napa, opening in 1861. Beringer Vineyards, est. 1876, is the oldest continuously operating winery. It's Beringer's 150th anniversary.

The oldest commercial wineries in Sonoma County are in the town of Sonoma. Buena Vista opened in 1857, and Gundlach Bundschu in 1858. Buena Vista is the oldest commercial winery in the state, but it has not been continuous. Wente Vineyards, founded 1883 in Livermore, is the longest continuously operating family winery.

Gnarly Old Vines (pictures)

Following are a few photos of beautiful old vines, mostly zinfandel, that I've taken over the past few years. I'll identify where the vines are as best I can. Mostly wintertime pictures because you can see the vine structure better. 

The Concerned Wine Drinker

The Wine Market Council surveys the U.S. consumer for insights on what they're thinking about wine. This data is from a survey in wellness and health as related to wine.