Sonoma County Winegrowers and Sonoma County Vintners Announce Historic Merger
The Sonoma County Winegrowers and Sonoma County Vintners announced Wednesday that they will merge into a single organization in January 2027, uniting the region’s two largest wine trade groups.
Known as Sonoma County Wine, the new entity will combine Sonoma County Vintners’ membership with the Winery Collaborative, the Winegrowers’ membership-based marketing program for local wineries.
“This decision reflects months of productive conversations about how we can better serve our members and position our region for the future,” said Emilie Eliason, interim executive director of Sonoma County Vintners. “While change is never easy, this is ultimately about creating a stronger, more coordinated organization that can help our wineries compete in an increasingly challenging marketplace.”
The announcement follows speculation earlier this month about a possible merger after the Vintners underwent major restructuring and eliminated staff positions in November.
Founded in 1944, the Sonoma County Vintners has served as the primary trade organization for the region’s wineries for more than eight decades.
In recent years, however, funding the organization has become increasingly difficult as the wine industry grapples with declining alcohol consumption, weak wine sales, declining tourism and a sluggish grape market.
Since 2023, the Vintners’ annual expenses have exceeded revenue by roughly $200,000 to $250,000, with membership numbers down from 250 to 125.
This spring, the Vintners and Winegrowers formed a joint leadership task force to explore how the organizations could better serve the local wine community. Member surveys conducted by both organizations found majority support for a merger.
“The response we received from our members to integrate into a single organization was overwhelmingly positive,” said Prema Kerollis, president of the Sonoma County Vintners board. “While there were some big decisions that had to be made, it was abundantly clear the Sonoma County wine community is better together.”
Willing to evolve
Sonoma County Wine will be owned and managed by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, with guidance from a newly formed Wine Marketing Committee made up of members from both organizations’ boards.
Winery Collaborative and Sonoma County Vintners memberships will be honored through the end of the year, until Sonoma County Wine launches in January 2027. A membership fee structure for the new organization is still being finalized.
The Vintners will continue to manage its upcoming events, including its Pour + Explore wine series, through Sept. 30, after which responsibility will transition to Sonoma County Wine. Whether the Vintners’ other marquee events, including Taste of Sonoma, which was paused in 2026 due to cost-cutting measures, is currently under discussion.
“The wine industry is changing rapidly, and the organizations and businesses that will thrive are those willing to evolve alongside it,” said Karissa Kruse, chief executive of Sonoma County Winegrowers. “By bringing together the strengths of (both organizations), we’re creating a stronger, more unified platform to support our growers and wineries, strengthen the Sonoma County brand and make the best use of our collective resources.”
The philanthropic arms of both organizations — the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation and Fundación de la Voz de Los Viñedos — will remain separate legal entities.
“I’m genuinely optimistic about what this (partnership) makes possible,” Eliason said. “Our goal is simple: to ensure Sonoma County remains one of the most respected and competitive wine regions in the world.”