Australia’s table grape production is expected to increase to 210,000 MT in marketing year (MY) 2021/22, from an estimated 200,000 metric tons (MT) in MY 2020/21. Despite expanded vine plantings in recent years now coming into fruiting, production has remained relatively flat since MY 2019/20. Reduced labor availability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has not only impacted production but also …

Up and down the roughly 70-miles of Highway 101 in San Luis Obispo County you will find over 250 wineries. But how do you decide who to support and maybe join their wine club? Consider filtering by eco-friendly and sustainable, and don’t forget to review our handy packing list! Combining the SLO Coast Wine region and Paso Robles Wine Country, SLO …

Two recent press releases issued by the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the arrival of the invasive Spotted Lanternfly (SLF; Lycorma deliatula) in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and the first detection of SLF in Indiana. The following statement was released yesterday from the Ohio Department of Agriculture: Spotted Lanternfly Found in Cuyahoga County ODA …

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service forecasts that South African raisin production will rebound to normal levels and increase by 19 percent to 85,000 Metric Tons (MT) in the 2021/22 Market Year (MY), based on normal weather conditions, an increase in area planted, new orchards coming into full production, an improvement in yields due to new varieties and production practices, wine …

Brazil reached robust sales growth figures for wines in 2020, reaching 380 million liters or 15 percent higher compared to 2019. There is market potential for U.S. wines as Brazilian consumers become more interested in wines. The imports of fine wine continue to grow and the beverage is becoming more popular in the market. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and …

For MY2021/22, Post projects 59,000 MT of raisin production and 56,200 MT of exports. This will represent a one percent decrease in Chilean raisin production and exports. The decrease can be attributed to a reduction in table grape planted area as farmers switched to more profitable crops such as cherries, walnuts, avocado, and citrus. Raisin production in Chile relies almost …

In April of this year, research plant pathologist Devin Rippner started his position as a research viticulture soil scientist with the USDA-ARS in Prosser Washington. He and his family are enjoying living in the Yakima Valley and exploring the local region. Rippner’s educational background is in soil chemistry and soil fertility with an active interest in pedology. He received his …

Creating wine is a balancing act between the quality of harvested grapes and the types of microorganisms that ferment grape juice. Too much sugar during the fermentation process means too much alcohol in the final wine, which can negatively affect wine flavor. Researchers from Washington State University’s school of food science are working with non-Saccharomyces yeast strains native to Washington to …

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service — 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 …

Oregon Wine Research Institute — In March 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a statement that they will not regulate plants modified through genome editing. Gene editing, the most popular being the CRISPR/Cas9 system, holds enormous promise for the development of accelerated breeding programs focused on the release of improved plant materials. A current significant focus is to identify grapevine …