Author Archives: Bill Skrapits

About Bill Skrapits

Bill’s roots in wine go back to his grandparents who had a vineyard and made wine in Hungary. Living in Germany, France and Spain, Bill began his love affair with wine and came to know it as a part of life. Wine was not saved for special occasions, but was something that you shared with friends and family amidst love and laughter. He began making his own wine 20 years ago and since 2002, he’s marketed and lobbied for the growing Texas wine industry; publishing numerous articles and winning international awards for his wine. He’s worked with many Texas wineries at every stage of production and studied under several respected wine masters and leaders in the industry. He started Premier Wine Blends in 2009 as a way to share his passion for wine with other winemakers and be the “go to” resource for the growing needs of vineyards and small wineries, from premium bulk wine, grape sourcing and consulting.

2011 Southwest Harvest Outlook

It’s no news most of the United States is in the midst of an ongoing heat wave.  But how has that affected harvest for the southwest? And what about that late frost that hit much of the south in early … Continue reading

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The Tasting Room: Your Golden Opportunity

“The tasting room is only second to the label in branding your wine. The biggest mistake owners make regarding their tasting room is making do with what they have instead of creating what they need.” Paul Wagner Continue reading

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“Wine is sure proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin

In remembrance of our Founding Fathers and in celebration of our independence, we pay homage to them and their love for wine. Here are a few quotes from George, Thomas and Ben on wine. George Washington: My manner of living … Continue reading

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Hiring The Right People For Your Winery

Did you know that more than half of applicants lie or distort information on their application? Finding the right people for the job, no matter what position or business, is often frustrating, time consuming, and painful. Either you’re getting a … Continue reading

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Winemakers: Got a Challenging Wine?

This isn’t my typical blog, but perhaps a relevant opportunity for some readers.  Recently we’ve had several inquiries by customers and winery owners about similar blending challenges.  Either, they have a wine that has been successful in the past, but … Continue reading

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Arizona: A Budding Wine Frontier

Next stop on my Southwest Winery Tour was Arizona, the Grand Canyon State. With its mountains and deserts, Arizona’s wine industry faces interesting climate challenges. Most vineyards are located around Wilcox in the southeast corner of the state, with a … Continue reading

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Harvest: Maximizing Your Wine Production

It may seem like the buds just burst, but harvest will be sneaking up on us soon. In preparation for the exciting and hectic season, let’s look at what you can do now to be ahead of the game. Prior … Continue reading

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Branding: What is your story?

What is branding? First, branding is not advertising.  It’s not just the company name, logo or label being recognized.  It’s not facts about your winery.  Real branding evokes an emotional response when the consumer sees your label or hears your … Continue reading

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Blaze the Trail, Colorado!

What is Colorado wine? On my Southwest Winery Tour, I was really interested in seeing what Colorado wine was all about.  What I found is that the state has not defined what Colorado wine is actually (BTW, this is not unique … Continue reading

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Don’t Let A Freeze Get You Down

Typically in the wine industry, you have one or two out of every seven years where you lose over half your crop. Three to four years out of those seven, you have an average crop level. And one to two … Continue reading

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