Alamitos Vineyards, an estate vineyard and winery situated at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains in the enclave of New Almaden, has brought on George Troquato as winemaking consultant for their growing portfolio. Troquato will lend his expertise in sourcing grapes from top vineyards in California to craft terroir-driven, single-vineyard wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands, Stags Leap District, …

A local infestation of the glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS) has been detected in a residential area of Vacaville in Solano County. The pest is primarily a threat to grapevines because it can spread a fatal bacterium that causes Pierce’s disease (PD); however, the pest and disease can also impact susceptible types of citrus crops. Five adult GWSS were found Oct. 1 …

The Department of Viticulture and Enology at Fresno State has a new assistant professor joining the faculty. This new assistant professor is Dr. Runze Cliff Yu. A Fresno State V&E alumnus, Yu finished his master’s degree at Fresno State in 2016 before moving on to UC Davis. He earned his PhD degree in June 2020 there and stayed for another …

Scientists with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have teamed up with NASA to use satellites to monitor the water cycle on Earth, specifically “evapotranspiration” — the amount of water that enters the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration from plants. Transpiration occurs during photosynthesis when plants take up carbon dioxide and release oxygen. That information is especially important for farmers …

As the world’s top-ranked research institute for viticulture and enology, the University of California, Davis, is pleased to announce the newest members of its Executive Leadership Board for the department of Viticulture and Enology. The 26-member board is an important and influential advisory group for the department. New leaders include NBA legend and entrepreneur Dwyane Wade with Wade Cellars, wine …

Land to Market, the world’s first verified sourcing solution for regenerative agriculture, announces its first vineyard partnership with Mariah Vineyards and the release of its first verified regenerative wine, Mendocino Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2020.  Farming beyond sustainability, Mariah Vineyards will join Land to Market’s family of leading brands committed to fighting climate change. Nestled at an altitude of 2,400 feet …

The California Table Grape Commission is pleased to announce three types of university/college scholarships now available to students in the table grape growing regions of California. Two types of scholarships are offered for field workers: one for $25,000 for those attending a four-year California university or college and one for $14,500 for those attending two years of community college followed by two years …

Argentina’s raisin production is forecast to remain stable in MY 2021/22 at 44,500 metric tons (MT). Exports are forecast at 39,000 MT, though exporters struggle to remain competitive in international markets due to various economic factors, such as high inflation and an unstable exchange rate. The COVID-19 pandemic created a slight increase in domestic consumption, as Argentinians prepared more at-home …

Information contained in this report was supplied by handlers of raisins and prunes to fulfill reporting requirements of Sections 55601.7 and 55601.8 of the Food and Agricultural Code. The report includes all tonnages of raisins and prunes that were either produced by the handler or purchased from producers. The final weighted average price, including bonuses and allowances, has been reported …

California is the country’s top agricultural producer and in October the state’s wine and winegrape growing community honors the farmers and farmworkers who nurture and harvest more than 400 crops – ranging from fruits, vegetables and nuts to more than 100 winegrape varieties.   “California Farmer and Farmworker Month is an important opportunity to recognize all those who work incredibly hard to bring the Golden State’s world class wine and agricultural products into the homes and communities across the state, the nation …