Laura Ness, Author at Wine Industry Advisor

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Laura Ness

Laura Ness is a longtime wine journalist and wine judge who enjoys telling tales of winemakers, winegrowers and wines. Each bottle of wine has a story to tell, and becomes part of the story of those who consume it. For over 20 years, she has written regularly for a variety of industry and consumer publications. Every purse she owns contains a corkscrew.

Featured Wine Industry Articles

Best White Wine Winner at Sunset 2020: Brecon Estate

May 13, 2021

It was a good problem to have, but one that required careful management. When Brecon Estate’s 2019 Albariño won Best of Show White at the 2020 Sunset Wine Competition, it was immediately decided that Brecon...

Wine Industry Articles

Best of Show Winner at Sunset 2020: Gracianna Winery

May 12, 2021

Gracianna Winery began in 2005, and debuted their first wine in 2009, but they’ve made plenty of waves since then...

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It's in the Can: Premium Wine with a DTC Model, Celebrating Diverse Producers

March 29, 2021

So, you think wine in cans is a slick joke? Think again. Maker Wine Company, co-founded by Stanford Business School classmates Sarah Hoffman and Kendra Kawala, is out to change minds, one sip at a tim...

Video Wine Industry Articles

Musing on Smoke Taint from Harvest 2020

March 1, 2021

Most of us want to forget the bitter heartbreak of harvest 2020. In fact, several winemakers approached to participate in this survey, declined, citing PTSD and the wish to move on...

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Jeff O’Neill: Fostering a Culture of Teamwork, Ingenuity and Opportunity

January 18, 2021

O’Neill, founder of the fast-growing O'Neill Vintners and Distillers (it’s the seventh largest winery in the US), didn’t really plan to go into the wine business...

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Jeff Bundschu: Orchestrating a Six-Generation Wine Brand with Irreverence and Authenticity

January 13, 2021

GunBun, as it’s affectionately known, is the oldest continuously family owned winery in California, dating back to 1858, when Bavarian immigrant Jacob Gundlach purchased 400 acres in Sonoma which he named...

Wine Industry Articles

Mondavi’s Judd Wallenbrock Predicts a Premium Year in 2021

January 4, 2021

It’s apparent in speaking with Judd Wallenbrock, CEO of C. Mondavi & Family (parent company to Charles Krug), that he is highly optimistic about the future of wine in 2021...

Video Wine Industry Articles

RNDC: Winery Success in 2021 Requires Sales Channel Understanding and Flexibility

December 30, 2020

Philana Bouvier, VP Fine Wine, Supplier Business Development at Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), a world class distributor of fine wine and spirits in North America, has some advice for...

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Geodesy: Mentoring the Next Generation of Women in Agriculture

December 16, 2020

With a simple, yet elegantly stylized letter, Judy Jordan made her indelible mark on the wine world...

Featured Wine Industry Articles

Charles Krug Winery Hosts Basecamp for PG&E to Assist Firefight

October 5, 2020

When disaster strikes, you do what comes naturally. And when you’ve been around as a viable business since 1861, there’s some deep-rooted innate corporate wisdom that rises to the fore, ready to fight...