THIS SPECIAL, DOUBLE ISSUE CELEBRATES THE 100TH YEAR OF THIS PUBLICATION, which launched in 1919 as the California Grape Grower. We’ve incorporated the cover of that original publication into the cover of this issue of Wines & Vines that comes out nearly a full century later.

It has been an honor and privilege to produce and publish this magazine. We are lucky to work in an industry that is based in conviviality and hospitality. There is a true camaraderie to our business of making wine and we hope we have fostered that spirit through the pages of Wines & Vines.

This magazine has borne witness to our industry’s successes and struggles. It helped growers get through Prohibition, World War II and economic slumps. During the good years, Wines & Vines helped our readers understand the trends and how to take advantage of them.

You can read more about the history of the publication in an article by our associate publisher Tina Vierra who first worked for the company in 1992. That article is just one of several pieces that comprise our special section commemorating a century of reporting on the wine industry by Wines & Vines. We also have columns by celebrated wine writer Hugh Johnson and respected viticulturist Richard Smart. Our editorial team compiled a lengthy package on the people and innovations that changed our industry in the course of the last 100 years.

One of this magazine’s greatest strengths has been the professionalism and commitment of the diverse group of contributors who helped put the magazine out each month. Many of the writers who produced this issue, and the hundreds that came out before it, have decades of experience in both journalism and the wine industry.

This issue also includes several of the stories that we hope you find as helpful to your business as they are interesting to read. As you’ll see in this special issue, Wines & Vines has evolved with the industry to best meet its goal of providing the news and information our readers need. That evolution continues as this is also the last print edition of the magazine.

As we announced back in August, the magazine is merging into the pages of Wine Business Monthly and many of the writers who helped produce this issue will now be writing for that publication. The Wines Vines Analytics division will continue to offer our full suite of database marketing services as well as publish the annual Directory & Buyer's Guide. We’ll soon be launching a new publication, the Wine Analytics Report that will be a monthly, subscription-based report based on our popular Wine Industry Metrics. The report will also feature news and analysis of the data and trends that shape our industry.

We hope you’ll enjoy this collector’s edition of the magazine and join us for the start of the next 100 years. We’ll continue to provide you with the information you need to be prepared for whatever the future may bring. Thank you to all of our subscribers and advertisers who have made this past century unforgettable. Cheers!