Napa’s vineyard workers are retiring — and the next generation doesn’t want their jobs
A generational shift is occurring within California’s agricultural workforce where the offspring of farmworkers are pursuing alternative, gainful and fulfilling careers — a result of having more opportunities and education than their parents and grandparents did when they arrived in America. But this is compounding the labor shortage in Napa Valley’s vineyards, which has already been impacted by factors like immigration policy and the rising cost of living. One possible solution, mechanization, is fiercely contested by many Napa wineries, who are instead finding new ways to attract the next generation of vineyard workers. (San Francisco Chronicle)
A Napa Filmmaker Looked and Found Roundup, the Weedkiller Tied to Cancer, ‘Everywhere’
Brian Lilla’s Children of the Vine examines the herbicide’s legacy in wine country. (Capital & Main)
Napa’s most historic wineries are staging a comeback. Will multimillion-dollar rebrands work?
Over the past several years, many of these wineries have staged comebacks, embarking on head-to-toe rebrands with costly remodels, label redesigns, price increases and a renewed focus on wine quality. But such transformation comes with its own challenge: preserving some semblance of their humble roots while also standing out among an increasingly homogenous Napa. (San Francisco Chronicle)
‘The Prisoner’ wine creator talks about his restless pursuit to craft the next cult libation
The mastermind behind the cult wine talks about his future. (North Bay Business Journal)
The Beers that Made Milwaukee Famous
The history of Milwaukee brewing is inscribed on the city’s landscape. Little wonder that the Milwaukee County Historical Society returns to the subject for its latest exhibition. “Brew City: The Story of Milwaukee Beer” opened this week for an indefinite run at the Historical Society’s elegant building tucked alongside Downtown’s Pere Marquette Park. (Shepherd Express)