Wine business film series launched by Sonoma State

A new “Business of Wine” video series has been released by the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University. The 13-film series features wine business leaders and brands in California, Oregon and Washington.

According to a press release from the institute, the films center on interviews with industry founders who navigated the wine business, and features their advice in “building successful businesses in an evolving industry” and strategies behind creating and maintaining top wine brands.

The series is intended to enhance wine-business-education programs at the Wine Business Institute by giving students virtual access to innovators and pioneers in the wine industry. The video series is available to students, faculty and the general public online at sbe.sonoma.edu/business-of-wine.

The winemakers interviewed include Mike Grgich, whose chardonnay won top prize at the 1976 Judgment of Paris; Allen Shoup, the so-called father of Washington’s wine industry; and Mike Benziger, who introduced biodynamic farming into mainstream viticulture; and many others.

“The ‘Business of Wine’ video series serves as a vehicle for connecting students in the classroom with wine industry icons and visionaries across the nation and the world,” said Karen Thompson, interim dean of SSU’s Wine Business Institute. “This series is an investment in the future leaders of the wine industry, by preserving and sharing the demonstrated know-how and mastery of path-breaking leaders.”

Video series sponsor Jeff Menashe believes the lessons of proven wine industry leaders are valuable to wine students.

“I see the need and educational benefits of capturing and sharing the wisdom of a generation of leaders who were instrumental in creating the American wine industry,” said Menashe in a press release.

Mark Couchman of Silverado Investment Management Company is another local wine industry leader featured in the series.