The Pierce’s Disease & Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter (PD/GWSS) Referendum, conducted this spring, passed with 78 percent approval of California winegrape growers. All winegrape producer entities that paid the assessment on grapes crushed in 2019 received ballots and 49 percent cast ballots. Assessment funds are used for research, outreach, and related activities on PD, GWSS, and other designated pests and diseases of …

WineAmerica, the national association of American wineries, elected new leaders at its June 3 virtual Board meeting, continuing a long tradition of leadership changes every two years. Janie Brooks Heuck, Managing Director of Brooks Wines in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, ascended from Vice Chair to Chair of the WineAmerica Board. Debra Dommen, Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs at Treasury …

Contents of the June Issue: Putting Sheep to Work in the Vineyard Online Workshops Explore Benefits of Grazing Sheep Eye on the Target Vineyard Sprayer Calibration & Coverage Raisin Crop Insurance Options Current Risk Management Options for 2020 Weed Control in the Vineyard Getting the Job Done While Satisfying Consumer Perception

Donald Emil Gumz was a Valley native, who like many lifelong residents, had a love and passion for the region, including Fresno State. He came from a family of grape farmers but worked with numbers, in an accounting career that started with a local entrepreneur and developer, and ended with the Vie-Del Company, which produced brandy, wine and juice concentrates, where …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is partnering with federal and state research institutions in California, Oregon and Washington on a collaborative $2 million research effort to address important wildfire issues affecting grape production areas. West Coast winegrowing associations involved in a task force, focused on wildfire smoke issues, led the effort to obtain federal funding for …

Erik McLaughlin, Kristina Mielke van Löben Sels, and Alex Oh have been elected to the Washington Wine Industry Foundation Board of Directors. Erik McLaughlin is CEO and Managing Partner at Metis. He has nearly three decades of experience in the fine wine and hospitality industries, and has been extensively involved in industry groups including the Oregon Wine Board, Washington Wine …

The Washington State wine industry has allocated more than $1.2 Million for viticulture and enology research in the coming fiscal year (July 2020-June 2021), a record amount for research that aims to improve overall wine quality by addressing vineyard and winery challenges. The Washington State Wine Commission Board of Directors approved over 25 research projects totaling more than $1,204,000 for …

Contents of the May Issue: Mexico Takes Larger Share Southern CA Table Grape Growers Threatened COVID-19 Impact on the Raisin Industry Sales Remain Strong, but Uncertainty Abounds Raisin Bargaining Association Outlook Temporary Turbulence, with Blue Skies Ahead The Reality of North Coast Fires Observations From a Napa Grower

With winery tasting rooms temporarily closed due to California’s statewide shelter-in-place order, wine lovers are looking for new ways to connect with their favorite wineries without leaving home. Golden State winemakers have responded with a variety of fun, creative offerings to bring California wine country to consumers across the country. Along with putting innovative and educational twists on “virtual tastings,” …

California’s 2019 grape acreage totaled 918,000 acres, down from 925,000 the year before.  Of the total grape acreage, 860,000 were bearing while 58,000 were non-bearing. The wine-type grape acreage is estimated at 635,000 acres.  Of the total acres, 590,000 were bearing and 45,000 were non-bearing.  Table-type grape acreage totaled 130,000 acres with 121,000 bearing and 9,000 non-bearing.  Acreage of raisin-type grapes …