Good morning and happy Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Willamette Loss Widens as Sales Ease

Willamette Valley Vineyards reports 2025 sales of $37.2 miilion, down 6.5% from a year-earlier. It attributed the wider loss to a decrease in revenue from direct sales, net of excise taxes, of $1,013,762, or 4.8% in 2025 compared to 2024, and a decrease in revenue sales to distributors.

Trefethen Family Vineyards Names Hailey Trefethen President

Trefethen Family Vineyards, one of Napa Valley’s pioneering family-owned estate wineries, named Hailey Trefethen President. Hailey becomes the third generation of the Trefethen family to lead the winery since its founding in 1968. 

Beltzer Elected NABCA Chair-Elect

Kristin Beltzer, Administrative Commissioner to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC), was voted incoming chair-elect to the NABCA Board of Directors.

Why the Three-Tier System Isn't Working

Everyone is simply doing what William Shakespeare said in Hamlet (Act 1, Scene 3)

Mark West Steps Up to the Plate as Official Wine Sponsor of Major League Baseball

Mark West and Major League Baseball (MLB) announced a multi-year agreement establishing Mark West as the Official Wine of Major League Baseball. 

TTB Establishes 2 New AVAs

Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau said it established two new viticultural areas: Nine Lakes of East Tennessee and Nashoba Valley.

Jack Daniel's Intros New Aged Series Batches, Sweeps to Buy 1 of the Bottles

Jack Daniel’s is unveiling the newest releases in its award-winning Aged Series, including Jack Daniel’s 14-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey Batch 2, 12-Year-Old Batch 4 and 10-Year-Old Batch 5. And this year, for the first time, Jack is offering consumers the opportunity to purchase one of the limited bottles through a sweepstakes.

New: Josh Cellars Seaswept Sparkling

Josh Cellars, the No.1-selling premium wine brand in the U.S., launches Seaswept Sparkling (SRP: $14.99). Officially rolling out nationwide this spring, Seaswept Sparkling is a bright citrusy sparkling wine created to serve as a refreshing and fun bubbly option for outdoor, warm-weather hangs

Michter's to Release 2026 Bottlings of Shenk's and Bomberger's Legacy Whiskeys

Louisville based Michter’s Distillery will release its 2026 Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey and its 2026 Bomberger’s Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon in April. 

Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. – Joel