Flavor Forward: How to Leverage 2026 Trends for Innovation and Growth

Flavor Forward: How to Leverage 2026 Trends for Innovation and Growth

Today's episode not only reviews some of the top marketing trends of 2026 that keep coming up on repeat from various wine marketing experts we have talked to, but it also dives into addressing one of the top trends of the year: flavor integration. We're not talking about wine flavors, but top flavors that take over the food and beverage industry. While we discuss how to make formula wines and RTD's that touch upon the top flavor trends of the year, I'm also going to discuss how more traditional wineries can utilize flavor trends to help promote their wines. You can find Show Notes for today's episode at dgwinemaking.com under the "Podcast" tab.

Wine Tasting Short: Sauvignon Blanc & Pinot Noir with Penns Woods Winery

After having the opportunity to talk with Carly Razzi from Penns Woods Winery (PA) in last episode, Virginia and I also wanted to taste two of their wines and share them here with all of you. Both wines are Pennsylvania grown and Pennsylvania produced. Their winemaker, Davide, has done an excellent job on both and we're excited to describe them for you here. They are both lovely examples of the quality wines produced outside of the Western U.S. Today, we're tasting the 2024 Sauvignon Blanc and also the 2023 Pinot Noir. Cheers! Show notes are always available at dgwinemaking.com, in the "Podcast" tab. There, you can find the entire Cellar Archive of episodes. Have a question for Denise? Email DG Winemaking at info@dgwinemaking.com [info@dgwinemaking.com].

Terrior, Time, and Transgenerational: Carley Razzi and Penns Woods Winery

In 2009, Carley Razzi joined her father's winery, Penns Woods Winery, in Southeastern Pennsylvania at the young age of 23. Carley worked 7 days a week, painting her own path, determined to help her father sell Pennsylvania grown and produced wine. Today's episode reveals a story of determination, inclusivity, open-mindedness and generational youth. We discuss everything from how selling wine through a tasting room evolves to Carley's vision of inclusivity within the tasting room. All season long, we've discussed various marketing strategies for today's wineries across the U.S., and our interview with Carley is a fantastic example of creating experiences, events, and community within a wine brand. Let's welcome, Carley Razzi. For Show Notes of this episode, please visit dgwinemaking.com under the "Podcast" tab for the entire Cellar Archive.

Wine Tasting Short: Aromatic Whites

Let's taste some aromatic white wines that are associated with Episode 8's discussion! In today's Wine Tasting Short, Virginia and Denise taste a 100% Albarino and a blend of several aromatic white wine varieties (Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Chardonnay). Plus, we brought in a comparison wine - which DG Winemaking did not consult on - an oak aged Chardonnay. We wanted to highlight the lovely nature of this Pennsylvania grown- and produced- oak-aged Chardonnay. Please enjoy the distinct characters associated with each wine we tasted. For more information on each wine, please visit the Show Notes at dgwinemaking.com under the "Podcast" tab.

Same Grape, Different Story: Processing Your Way to a Distinct Aromatic White Wine

Have you ever wondered whether your winemaking decisions are truly shaping the way your wines taste? Most wineries don't have the luxury of running a control against a treatment to measure how a single variable changes the outcome in a given variety. In today's episode, we're diving into a 2024–2025 winemaking project where we deliberately altered our processes to drive meaningful changes in the sensory qualities of several aromatic white wines. We'll walk through what we tried, what we learned, and why the decisions you make at each stage of the process matter more than you might think. Whether you're a new or seasoned winemaker, we hope you leave this conversation with a deeper appreciation for how intentional choices at every step of the winemaking process shape what ends up in the glass. As always, you can find Show Notes to our episodes at dgwinemaking.com, in the "Podcast" tab. Show Notes include episode summaries and all of the resources we discuss on our episodes.