At a virtual annual meeting of the membership, incumbents were re-elected to serve three-year terms on the Board of Directors for the Washington Winegrowers Association including: Becca De Kleine, Four Feathers Wine Estates, Prosser Scott Williams, Kiona Vineyards & Winery, Benton City Shane Collins, Rocky Pond Winery, Chelan Immediately following the annual meeting, a board meeting was held with Shane …

Croatia provides a unique opportunity for U.S. wine exporters to position their product. U.S. wine exporters should focus their market entry efforts on Zagreb, the nation’s capital, where niches exist for medium and higher quality wines. I. Market Overview Production Domestic wine production is an especially important segment of Croatian agriculture and plays an important role in tourism, which is …

The Washington Winegrowers Association (Winegrowers) recognized three industry leaders in March for their achievements during their virtual annual meeting. Sadie Drury, North Slope Management/Seven Hills Vineyard, was honored as the Erick Hanson Memorial Grower of the Year; Tom Judkins, Inland Desert, received the Industry Service award; and Brian Carter, Brian Carter Cellars, was awarded the Grand Vin. GROWER OF THE …

For some grape growers, the first pesticide application of the season is lime sulfur shortly before bud swell. Others skip lime sulfur and start the season with a bud break fungicide application. So does skipping lime sulfur result in less disease control? Well, that depends on the disease you are trying to manage. Dormant lime sulfur can be applied right …

The Missouri Department of Agriculture – Plant Pest Control Program has tentatively identified Grape leaf rust on grapevines located at retail outlet. This is the first report of Grapevine Leaf Rust that I am aware of for Missouri. The disease has been reported in southeastern states including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. In 2018, Tennessee reported Grape Leaf …

The pH meter is arguable the most important piece of laboratory equipment you have in your winery. It is used for many routine analyses such as pH, titratable acidity, and as part of the analysis of volatile acidity. Accurately knowing your grape and wine pH is also critical in the management of microbial stability. Spoilage microorganisms such as Pediococcus and …

Almost two–years ago I reported on the development of fruit flies developing cross–resistance to three insecticides in New York state. Fruit flies developed cross–resistance in a New York vineyard after 3–years of use of Mustang Maxx to control fruit flies. Fruit flies were collected from this vineyard after it was noticed that Mustang Maxx had failed to control fruit flies. …

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is establishing new programs and efforts to bring financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions. The new initiative—USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers—will reach a broader set of producers than in previous COVID-19 aid programs. USDA is dedicating at least $6 billion toward the new …

The grape breeding program team collects annual grapevine bud survival counts at the UMN Horticultural Research Center in late winter. In general, bud survival was high at this location. Most varieties are coming out of the winter very well. The data reported below is meant to help inform grape growers about relative 2021 expectations, but only reflects a sample of …

Washington’s wine grape crop may have been smaller in 2020, but according to farmers and winemakers—quality is high. The Washington State Wine Commission’s annual Grape Production Report, compiled with information provided by all Washington State wineries, showed 178,500 tons of wine grapes were harvested in 2020, an 11% decrease compared to 2019. “The smaller harvest is due to many factors,” explained …