Author: Cyndi

Raising the pH of Wines by Easy De-acidification Trials

Cyndi
scientist pipetted wine

By: Tom Payette – Winemaking Consultant 

In the previous issue of The Grapevine Magazine the topic of lowering the pH was reviewed.  This issue will cover the reverse situation winemakers may have in the cellar with wines that are too acidic or with pH’s too low.  These are critical choices for the winemaker to make with the proper balance and style of wine anticipated to be made.  Following the trials below will help the winemaker review, in the lab first, lowering the acidity to achieve the proper acid palate structure and chemistry.  Finesse must be used at this decision making process time using both the lab and the wineglass.  Keep in mind this trial and mechanism may best be suited for wines from grape base and may not apply to fruit wines.

Trials in the Lab

  The lab is the first place the winemaker should turn to experiment with small batches of wine to make a winemaking addition decision.  This will give nearly concrete evidence from the lab as well as tasting trials to determine the appropriate amount and kind of de-acification tool(s) to use in each individual instance of a wine.

When?

  The acid and pH of a wine should be addressed as early on in the winemaking process as possible.  Often this decision is predicted just before harvest from previously collected data and made at harvest or just after fermentation.

Why and Where?

  The reason we do trials is to experiment with refinement and correction of a juice or wine.  Always work in small quantities, in the lab, with a sample so one does not potentially create a larger issue, in the cellar.  Trials can be tested and tasted to see what the results would or will have been if the addition was made to the actual tank or vessel of juice/wine.  This eliminates guesswork and unnecessarily shooting from the hip of which many winemakers can find themselves guilty of during critical times.

Tools Needed

•    Scales that measure in grams preferably to a tenth of a gram.

•    4 – 600 milliliter beakers or larger for mixing

•    1 – 500 milliliter graduated cylinder

•    100 gram lab sample of Potassium Bicarbonate  (KHCO3).

•    100 gram lab sample of Calcium Carbonate   (CaCO3).

•    5 – 375 milliliter wine bottles with T-tops

•    Magnetic Stir plate with stir bars and retriever for the stir bars.

•    Representative sample(s) of each wine to be worked with (2.5 liters).

•    Clean wineglasses

•    Watch glasses to cover each wine glass.

•    Spit cup

•    Other testing equipment to answer other lab questions if needed.

•    Sharpie™ pen or pencil for marking beakers.

•    95% ethanol to remove Sharpie™ pen marks off glassware.

How?

  Start with something simple where results can be easily determined with the wineglass to give the confidence needed to build upon this procedure.  An example of this may be an acid reduction trial for pH lowering and/or palate modification.  Let’s go over this process.

1.    Start with an ample quantity of wine to work with in the lab – perhaps just over 2.5 liters of a representative sample from a wine vessel to be reviewed.

2.    Label the 375 milliliters bottles noted above to reflect their contents as noted below.  Be sure to include a control by filling one bottle with a portion of the sample collected in step #1 and label it control.

3.    Label one beaker 0.5 grams per liter KHCO3 (Potassium bicarbonate) and another beaker 1.0 gram per liter KHCO3.

4.    Label another pair of beakers to represent the CaCO3(Calcium Carbonate) rates of 0.5 grams per liter and 1.0 gram per liter. {See caution below}

5.    Using the 500 milliliter graduated cylinder divide the wine into the four – 500 milliliters labeled beakers that were just labeled.

6.    Accurately weigh 0.25 grams of KHCO3 and fully dissolve in the 500 milliliters labeled appropriately.  Use the stir bar and plate for this process. ( 0.5 grams per liter )

7.    Accurately weigh 0.50 grams of KHCO3 and fully dissolve that quantity in the beaker that represents that rate.  ( 1.0 gram per liter )

8.    Repeat the same process above using the CaCO3 additions and place them in the beakers.

9.    Allow the beakers to settle and set (loosely covered) after the reactions have fully taken place and all the products have dissolved or finished their action.  There may be some gassing.

10.  Once the reactions are complete (two hours roughly depending on the wine and room temperature) transfer the mixed samples into their respective labeled 375 milliliter wine bottles and about 50 milliliters into a small wine glass.

11.  Degas and run chemistries on the remaining sample left over (roughly 65 milliliters) measuring pH and TA readings at a minimum.  Include the chemistry of the control.

12.  Place the wine bottle samples off to the side to be tasted in a week to 10 days.  [Placing them in a refrigerator may also help precipitate tartrates giving the tasters a better indication of the final acidity after cold stabilization.]

13.  After the week to ten days : re-taste and retest the chemistries to further help make the final decision on what action to take or furthering trials in the lab for better refinement.

14   .Be sure to record all data and tasting notes in the lab so they can be used as a reference for future trials on the same wine or for predictions on other wines to have trails performed.  Each wine does behave differently; however, so always do trials.

Set up the Tasting Trial a Week to Ten Days Later

1.     Pour about 50 milliliters or a quantity one desires to smell and taste, of the control wine prepared in step #2 above, into a wine glass and place it to the left hand area of the tasting glass orientation.  (It is a common practice industry standard to always taste against a control from left to right.)

2.     Pour the trials to be tasted, made in steps 6,7 and 8 above, in the wineglasses to the right of the control.  Mark their contents and perhaps place the two lower additions closer to the control and the larger rate additions to the far right.

3.     Add to this flight any wines from past vintages you may want to review or any other blind samples from other producers you may care to use as a benchmark.  Only do this step if needed.  Mark their contents.

4.     Taste and smell each wine several times.  Go through the flight and detect what wine/juice may best match or improve the desired style one is trying to achieve.  Review the chemistry data generated in step 13 above while tasting the trials.

5.     Select the best match and leave the room for 1 to 2 hours so your palate may return to equilibrium.

6.     Return and re-taste to confirm your previous decision with a fresh palate.

  If chemistries should play an important role be certain to run a necessary panel of lab test to ascertain the proper numbers are achieved.  One may need to balance taste, flavor and chemistry to make some of these choices.  Have all the data necessary available to make those choices.  

Calculation:

  Let’s take the above trial as the example.  If we dissolved 0.5 gram of KHCO3 into 500 milliliters of wine we now have 1 gram per liter equivalent.  If this was the chosen amount we simply take the amount of wine, in liters, and multiply that by one.  This will represent the amount of KHCO3, in grams, to be added to the tank of wine.  Dividing the grams by 454 will give the number of pounds if your cellar has scales that measure in pounds. 

Spicing it Up!

  Once the first set of trials is mastered one may build on to the next step projecting out what one may want to do with the juice or wine.  This could eventually, and perhaps should, build out to treating large enough samples that one could cold and protein stabilize the wine in the lab, filter to the projected desired micron size and taste with a panel.

  Recall there are other ways to reduce total acid when making wine.  Be sure to keep malo-lactic in your tool box as an option to review.  Some yeast also reduce malic acid and amelioration (not a first choice mind you) can be explored.  Blending can also be used to make a resulting wine with reduced acid.

Double Checking the Results

  From experience, one can get so creative in a lab it can be difficult to trace exactly how one arrived at a certain desired concoction.  Copious notes should be taken throughout the complete process in the lab.  Given a tank of juice or wine can often equate to hundreds of thousands of dollars or more it may be prudent to run the selected trial a second time, and compare, to confirm any addition rates before performing the final action in the cellar.

Action in the Cellar

  This is often the simple part.  Using the above KHCO3 addition as an example, weigh the desired amount of KHCO3 in a bucket or appropriate container.  Start mixing the wine and start slowly adding the product.  Be sure to make note how full the tank is and to make sure that gassing may not be an issue.  Continue to mix until the addition is fully integrated based on your knowledge of your tank size and/or pump speed and then select a sample from the sample valve for tasting, a pH and titratable acidity analysis.   This will confirm the task was achieved and on target to the lab results.

  Some winemakers, especially when using CaCO3, will split the wine volumes and treat only a portion with the full amount of the CaCO3 and then blend the two wines back together after the reaction has taken place. This could be roughly a 50-50 split.  Potentially less chalkiness is detected and the pH shift may be advantageously less.

Summary

  Given time and experimentation with this system many pH-raising trials with additions will become easy and systematic.  Trials will often take less time to prepare and one may taste at several points during the day.

Other Helpful Tips

  Caution: Using CaCO3 may result in excess calcium and the potential for calcium tartrates to form.  Be sure to monitor this since these tartrates do not react the same as potassium-bi-tartrates.  There is no affordable way to test a calcium excess instability known at this time.

  Make sure the wine samples are not too cold, during the lab additions, since this may slow the reaction and delay the gassing off that may occur making the 375 bottles, after filling, popping their corks or T-tops.  Make sure the reactions are complete before filling the 375’s.

  Makes sure all solids are dissolved and dispersed equally into any solution.

  When a wines pH is raised it may lower the amount of free SO2 available in that wine.  Be sure to monitor the free SO2 very closely after performing a de-acidification.

  Winemakers may also be able to blend two trials in 50% to 50% solutions to get an example of a trial in the middle without having to make one up specifically to match the amount desired.  An example may be blending the 0.5 gram per liter with a 1.0 gram per liter to understand what a 0.75 gram per liter addition may result.

  Always remember your palate may become desensitized while tasting and to step away from tasting for an hour or two and then return to taste ones preference.  You may be shocked you had become used to certain levels because of tasting such extremes.

  Keep in mind not to over scrutinize your accuracy in the laboratory.  By this I mean make sure that if we measure something very exactly in the laboratory make sure this action will be able to be replicated outside the lab in the cellar.  It is not uncommon, early on, for winemakers to get extremely exact in the lab only to step into the cellar with sloppy control over what they had just experimented with.

  Best of luck, take your time and be sure to review all angles before taking action in the cellar.  That is what trials are all about!

GLACIAL TILL VINEYARD & WINERY

Cyndi

Crafting World-Class Nebraska Wines and Ciders

3 woman chilling under sunset

By: Gerald Dlubala

Nebraska entrepreneur and Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery owner Mike Murman spent much of his free time in the 1980s making beer and wine as a hobby. However, when the demands of family life and work travel increased, he put those hobbies on the back burner: Priorities, you know.

  Years later, Murman noticed the increasing number of vineyards and wineries popping up in his home state of Nebraska, renewing his previously tabled interest in winemaking. That spark was enough of a catalyst that Murman joined the Nebraska Winery and Grape Growers Association, attending numerous seminars and workshops over the next two years.

  In 2003, Murman acquired six acres of land located southeast of Lincoln, Nebraska, in Otoe County and near the township of Palmyra, for personal and family use. Primarily purchased as a place to enjoy outdoor sporting and recreation activities, the spacious acreage was close to his family residence and presented the potential for Murman to rekindle his love affair with grape growing and winemaking. The terroir consisted of glacial till, a fertile, rocky soil left behind thousands of years ago after the glaciers that once covered North America receded. Grapevines tend to like this soil mix, so in the spring of 2003, Murman planted the first vines. He approached grape growing in an organized, systematic way, attending additional classes while studying vineyard orientation, preferred soil mixes and all things necessary for grape growing. A local professor from the University of Nebraska helped with soil testing, confirming that the soil was favorable for growing grapes. All property facets met the desired vineyard success criteria except for the slope orientation, his being northward rather than the preferred southward.

  A record harvest in 2006 prompted the Murman’s to share the great wine with others, and Glacial Till Winery was born. In 2008, Glacial Till Vineyard became a bonded winery, which opened to the public in the summer of 2009.

Ability to Adapt Along the Way is Critical

  “We were set on proving to the world that we could make and sell world-class wine in Nebraska,” said Murman. “But we quickly found that in addition to being a very competitive market, it was difficult to change consumers’ mindsets and convince them that world-class wines can come from the Midwest region, specifically the state of Nebraska. We knew then that we wouldn’t make it by solely selling wine, so we started to host events at our production vineyard.”

  “We started an event called Fermented Fridays, regularly hosting live music and food trucks on our property while featuring a local craft brewery,” said Murman. “These became very popular and successful and, for the most part, brought in more money than initially trying to get our wines on the shelves. In fact, the events became popular enough that visitors started requesting the use of our space for weddings and events. Unfortunately, we weren’t set up for that type of event, so we decided to build a venue with proper facilities to host weddings, get-togethers or any other events. It turned into another business element for us, and we continue to expand business elements when we feel it’s beneficial.”

  Murman told The Grapevine Magazine that farm wineries in Nebraska can operate up to five locations, so expansion is always a possibility. In 2010, he took a storefront in downtown Ashland, Nebraska, and transformed it into the Glacial Till Cider House and Tasting Room, offering food service and event space. With subsequent expansion into adjacent available buildings, the space is now 13,000 square feet. Murman believes that any future expansion must include Omaha as a logical location, with the Tri-City area, including Hastings, Grand Island and Kearney, also in consideration.

Early Adversity Leads to a Shift in Direction

  “In 2014, our area had a severe frost and freeze event causing us to lose pretty much all of our grape product,” said Murman. “In Nebraska, by law, our wines have to use at least 75 percent Nebraska-based product, so gaining access to grapes grown in-state for wine production was next to impossible. My youngest son, Craig, came up with the idea of producing a hard apple cider using pressed apple juice. After some thought and knowing that hard ciders were the fastest-growing liquor segment at the time, we started producing our hard cider using pressed apple juice from Kimmel Orchard and Vineyard in Nebraska City. Hard cider is just apple wine that’s carbonated, so we believed it would be a good fit for us and our business. We produced our first batch, and the distributor that sampled it said he would immediately buy all we had. Well, that was all we had, but right then and there, we told him we’d consider making more if there was interest.” 

  Glacial Till’s hard ciders proved very successful, with Murman recognized as Nebraska’s and possibly the Midwest Region’s most prominent hard cider producer. Murman said that when comparing the production and sales between his wine and cider segments, the cider business is actually outpacing the wine segment. In addition, Glacial Till’s hard cider won the Grand National Championship in the U.S. Open, the youngest cidery ever to accomplish that honor. Murman’s knowledge and winemaking history were credited with helping him win that prestigious award.

It’s Okay to Deviate from Original Plans

  With his entrepreneurial background, it was maybe more natural for Murman to adapt to changes in his original plans than it may be for others. Still, he tells The Grapevine Magazine that the ability to adapt and adjust goes a long way in being successful.

  “It really is important not to get stuck in your original plan,” said Murman. “Embracing the entrepreneurial spirit, remaining adaptable and remaining open enough to see, realize and embrace the fact that there may be a different path to success than you originally planned is critical. Here in Nebraska, we’re somewhat restricted from growing as fast as we might like because of the 75 percent rule. Our growth can be restricted based on the accessibility of the product. So it’s perfectly okay to take a different-than-expected path to success.”

  “For example, we never intended to offer a food service, but we also knew we wanted to offer charcuterie or something comparable. COVID hit right after our new building was constructed, and it was then that we decided to open a kitchen and hire a chef because, according to the rules during COVID, places like ours could only stay open if we served food. As a result of that decision, offering food service has now become a priority for us and an important part of our business model. A third of the revenue out of our Ashland tasting room location is derived solely from our food service. It’s just another example of how being open to change and new direction can work to advance your business.”

facade of a rest house

Advice for Those Getting Started

  “For any grape growers or someone looking to start a vineyard, it’s important to know what varieties do well in your terroir, as well as what varieties are in demand should you look to sell them to wineries,” said Murman. “If you’re just growing grapes for your own consumption, then by all means, grow what you want, but for business purposes, you have to know the types of grapes that are in demand and easier to sell. We researched what varieties would grow best in our area, initially planting eight to 10 varieties, some we knew to be borderline varieties. For those just starting, I think it would be beneficial to concentrate on getting more production from a smaller number of varietals already proven successful in your environment.”

  Currently, Murman grows several varieties on the estate property. Red grape varieties include Frontenac, Chambourcin, St. Vincent, Marquette and a newer offering, Petite Pearl. White grape varieties include Edelweiss, their most popular white, and La Crosse, Seyval Blanc, Vignole and Traminette.

  “In addition to quality grapevine choices, the vine placement matters,” said Murman. “Grapes don’t like wet feet, so it’s important not to plant in low-lying areas because they can be colder, frost-prone and more likely to retain water. Our glacial till terroir provides excellent well-drained soil suitable for grapevines. Grapes like to put down roots with the potential of reaching 20- to 25-foot depths. Since planting in 2003, we’ve never had to irrigate, and our vines do well. We periodically put down nutrients and then do routine maintenance, like mowing, pruning and all the normal expected chores to keep proper airflow throughout the vineyard. What we do have to deal with here in the Midwest is herbicide drift. It’s a concern because most surrounding farms contain row crops like corn and beans, and any herbicides applied have the potential to travel three to five miles under the right conditions. And then we’ve been through battles over the last couple of years with Asian beetles, turkeys, raccoons, birds and other wildlife problems. Some things we can control, and some we can’t. Our weather and climate are changing in that we don’t seem to get the long stretches of extreme winter weather anymore, but rather we have events that are shorter and at times more severe or impactful.”

The Future Is in the Capable Hands of Family

  Murman says that he now considers himself semi-retired, serving in more of a mentor role for the vineyard and assisting with strategy and long-term planning. At the same time, his three sons handle the day-to-day vineyard and winery needs. All contribute in their own way to continue Glacial Till’s quality, consistent production of great-tasting wine and cider year in and year out. Mike’s oldest son, John, studied under his father and took additional courses to assume the role of winemaker while also running the production and vineyard operations. Tim serves as the general manager, responsible for the back office, including accounting, distribution and distributor relationships, while also looking over the event and tasting room staff. Craig, the youngest, is responsible for all of the creative and technical aspects of the winery, including TTB compliance and reporting, wine labeling, web and social presence and marketing. Glacial Till Vineyard and Craft Cider House employs approximately 15 full-time and 65 seasonal or hourly employees.

  For more information or to plan a visit to Glacial Till Vineyard and Craft Cidery call:

Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery

344 S. 2nd Road

Palmyra, NE 68418

402.610.3068

Glacial Till Cider House and Tasting Room

1419 Silver Street

Ashland, NE 68003

402.944.2546

Addressing Smoke-Impacted Wines

Cyndi
grapevine field with fire in the background

By: Becky Garrison 

In a press release dated May 5, 2023, Willamette Valley Vineyards, Brigadoon Wine Co., Samuel Robert Winery, Retraite, LLC (F/K/A Lingua Franca – LS Vineyards Holdings, LLC) and Elk Cove Vineyards Inc. announced they hired a well-known legal team to investigate filing suit against Pacific Power, a division of PacifiCorp, in the Oregon state circuit courts. The wineries issued this joint statement:

  “These fires devastated our industry, and we believe it’s time we investigate seeking compensation. We are encouraged by the recent news reports that the other fire victims in the state are finally able to settle their claims against Pacific Power (PacifiCorp). We have hired the lawyers who led the $13.5 billion recovery for the 70,000 victims in the PG&E bankruptcy in California and who recently settled their lead fire victims’ claims against PacifiCorp in the Archie Creek Fire litigation in Douglas County, Oregon.”

  As evidenced by the wildfires impacting the West Coast in subsequent years, coupled with the current wildfires raging in Canada impacting the East Coast and the Midwest, the issue of smoke damage to wine grapes remains an ongoing concern. During the Oregon Wine Symposium held on February 14-15, 2023, moderator Greg Urmini, operations lead for White Rose Estate in Dayton, Oregon, led a panel of winemakers and researchers to discuss smoke-impacted wine. Urmini pointed to the significance of this topic, noting, “It’s important to understand what winemakers are doing to help save their wine because we have to continue to make wines, and we want to be able to provide a good product.”

CASE STUDY: Barrel 42 & Quady North Winery (Jacksonville, Oregon)

  As a founding member of the West Coast Smoke Exposure Taskforce, Nichole Schulte, winemaker and partner of Barrel 42 and Quady North Winery, has experienced trial by fire literally while dealing with multiple smoke indigents over the past decade in Oregon. Overall, she stresses the need to collaborate with local winegrowers and winemakers ahead of time so there’s a strategy already in place regarding what can be done in the winery and the vineyard.

  In assessing the risk of a particular wildfire, Schulte looks at three factors. First, she observes the proximity of the smoke event to the vineyard, adding that the AQI (Air Quality Index) measurements do not provide a direct relationship between air quality and the volatile smoke-related compounds (“phenols”) floating around in the air. Also, she examines the freshness of the smoke, adding that these phenols can degrade or drop out over time.

  The grapes soak up these phenols, which bind to sugar though how much sugar is absorbed by the grapes depends on the varietal and the growing stage. Some grapes ranked from highest to lowest risk for negative effects from smoke damage include pinot noir, grenache, sangiovese, cabernet franc, primitivo, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah.

  While the most vulnerable times for grapes coincide with wildfire season, there’s no carryover impact in the vineyards from previous wildfire events. Preliminary indications of using barrier sprays in the vineyard show to be very promising. In addition, hand harvest reduces maceration time from harvest to the fermenter. Sort out as much MOG as you can, which means not doing a full cluster ferment. Whole berry ferments tend to produce fruity aromas and esters that can, to some degree, mask the smoke characteristics in the wine. Along those lines, there’s some indication that washing ash off the fruit clusters can help reduce the presence of smoke.

  As you handle smoke-impacted grapes from fermentation to élevage, be mindful that volatile phenols will express early in fermentation. When doing trials where they separated press factions, the data showed that the compounds were still present but that the sensory profiles differed from a light to a heavy press. 

  When conducting experiments to see how certain barrels interact with smoke-impacted wines, they found that the higher the toast of the barrel, the more it interacts positively with the smoke impact of the wine. Also, untoasted oak chips can mask and bind up some phenols, while toasted oak can provide sweet, more complex tannins.

  In Schulte’s estimation, white wine is easier to deal with since you can get the juice off the skin as soon as possible. Hand-harvest the grapes and minimize skin contact and maceration time. Press gently, keeping heavy-pressed juice segregated for possible treatment later or just to keep it out of the main juice. Be sure to discard the solids, though this can be tricky as yeast will need some solids. So, consider using solids and lees from non-impacted lots. But if you can clarify before fermentation, then there’s almost no smoke at the end. For fining, they had success with bentonite, activated carbon and PVPP, as well as Clanil SMK (Enartis), which is a blend of activated carbon, chitosan and pea protein.

  Finally, wine made from smoke-impacted grapes should be bottled and consumed early. Aging these wines will not improve their quality.  

CASE STUDY: Battle Creek Cellars (Portland, Oregon)

  Winemaker Sarah Cabot focused specifically on fruit from Willamette Valley’s 2020 harvest. When presented with smoke-impacted grapes, her first question was whether or not to ferment on skins or go directly to the press. With white varietals, she went directly to the press. Conducting a berry analysis proved to be a good way to determine how much smoke is too much with regard to fermenting on skins.  

  When making white and rosé wines from smoke-impacting grapes, Cabot found that floating was an effective way to clarify the juice, though it only works if there’s a pretty significant volume. Also, the first eight to 10 gallons were discarded. She succeeded with gentle pressing and pre-fermentation, fining with carbon and bentonite with daily stirring for three days, then settling for three days. In her anecdotal sensory analysis, the pre-fining juice smelled like a campfire, though the post-fining juice smelled good. According to Cabot, spending the extra money on pre- and post-treatment before deciding to bottle is worth it in the long run.

  Next, she proceeded with fermentation as usual, adding that this worked best when they chose to go through the process quickly. She took some extra measures during fermentation, finding that there was some evidence that chitosan mitigates the effect of smoke. Also, mannoproteins/polysaccharides, untoasted oak tannins and a vigorous yeast strain with a short lag phase produced high esters. Then she suggested bottling at or above three grams per liter of residual sugar, adding that the higher the sugar, the more pleasing the experience.

  When addressing protocols for red wines, Cabot observed that the best sensory analysis results came when using a high temperature with a heavy mace ratio. The more heavily extracted, fruit-forward wines before smoke mitigation treatments yielded the most balanced and enjoyable wines after treatment.

  Going into élevage, she kept the free run and press fractions separate, adding that the press fraction required a much heavier treatment. If there are a lot of bound compounds, a winemaker can attempt enzymatic hydrolysis in the tank. By holding the wine at a temperature of approximately 64 degrees Fahrenheit for four to six weeks with regular agitation, the results were anywhere from a 15 to 75 percent reduction in glycosylated markers and a corresponding increase in free volatile phenols on all samples analyzed. While this method proved to be effective for her, she admitted it was a pretty extreme thing to do.

  Based on her experience with the 2020 vintage, Cabot concluded that it is possible to make an enjoyable, early-release wine from smoke-affected fruit at a slightly higher final production cost that people will enjoy. With red wines, especially pinot, a heavy extraction approach yielded the best post-treatment result. Also, the commonly publicized “Best Estimate Sensory Thresholds” for VPs seem accurate according to most tasters. In the event of another smoke event, Cabot would stick with the early release and early consumption wines. Also, she would repeat her decision to produce only the sub-$25 SRP pinot noirs due to insufficient data on the long-term bottle aging effects of smoke markers.

For Additional Information

  Those wishing to delve further into the burgeoning research into sensory analysis that includes information on smoke-impacted wine should check out Elizabeth Tomasino’s work as associate professor at Oregon State University: Department of Food and Technology (https://foodsci.oregonstate.edu/users/elizabeth-tomasino) and the Oregon Wine Board: Wildfire Smoke Toolkit (https://industry.oregonwine.org/resources/toolkits/wildfire-smoke-toolkit/). Among the recommended labs for their work with smoke-impacted grapes include The Australian Wine Research Institute (https://www.awri.com.au/), ETS Labs (https://www.etslabs.com/) and UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (https://caes.ucdavis.edu/).

Should I Open Up a Claim?

Cyndi
close-up of a plant crop

By: Trevor Troyer, Agricultural Risk Management

When to open up a claim on your grape crop insurance is important.  A lot of growers say that don’t know if they have a payable loss early in the season.  With grape crop insurance you are covering an average of your production per grape variety. Depending on what coverage level you have chosen this could mean you have a large deductible or small one.  I agree it is hard to tell how much early season damage will affect tons harvested.

  Mid May this year there was a bad freeze/frost event in the Finger Lakes region of New York.  While late spring frosts are not uncommon, this one was really bad.  There was widespread damage to grape vines across the Finger Lakes.   The extent of the damage is not fully known at this time.  But there will be a reduction in the tons harvested this year for sure.

  In a situation like the above a claim should be opened immediately.  More than likely, due to the severity of the frost, an adjuster will come out and inspect the vineyard.  I always tell growers that they should take pictures of the frost damage that morning.  It is always good to document damage as close to the time it occurred as possible.

  It may be that some varieties of grapes show more damage than others.  This is to be expected as some are more resistant to cold.  And from what I have seen over the years with frost and freezes is that it doesn’t affect a vineyard or field evenly.  You might have more damage on one side of the vineyard or more damage on the lowest part of the blocks etc.  Damage varies but just because one variety or one area looks better than others doesn’t mean that you should not open a claim on that variety or block.

  I know that secondary and tertiary buds will emerge in the next few days or weeks after a freeze.  You should open up a claim now regardless.  The damage may be less than you think and you don’t end up having a payable claim.  But it is still best to get one opened up right away.  Don’t wait to see how many tons you harvest before opening a claim! 

  Here is an excerpt from the “How to File a Crop Insurance Claim” Fact Sheet from the USDA:

  Most policies state that you (the insured) should notify your agent within 72 hours of discovery of crop damage.  As a practical matter, you should always contact your agent immediately when you discover crop damage.

  That same night in May, that saw the frost/freeze in the Finger Lakes region, also saw damage to vineyards along the coast of Lake Erie.  I received calls and emails from growers stating that they had had frost as well.  Obviously, the damage was not as bad as the Finger Lakes, but frost on new buds is not something any vineyard owner wants to see.  I opened claims for all of them even though the extent of the damage was not known.

  I cannot stress enough the importance of opening up a claim early. 

  A lot of claims with grapes are relatively routine.  Once the claim is opened an adjuster will come out and document the damage.  You will continue to grow your crop and try to mitigate any damage received. Once you harvest grapes you will meet with the adjuster and give him your production records that show your tonnage per variety.  He will then adjust the claim based your guarantee (average tons per acre per variety and the price for that variety in the county.)

  In some circumstances you will need to get direction from the adjuster before doing anything.

What are your responsibilities after damage if the grapes have not matured properly and will not?  What if they have been rendered unusable (smoke-taint has been a major cause of this in California)? 

  Here is a section from the Grape Crop Provisions that goes over this:

11. Duties in the Event of Damage or Loss.

In addition to the requirements of section 14 of the Basic Provisions, the following will apply:

(a) You must notify us within 3 days of the date harvest should have started if the crop will not be harvested.

(b) If the crop has been damaged during the growing season and you previously gave notice in accordance with section 14 of the Basic Provisions, you must also provide notice at least 15 days prior to the beginning of harvest if you intend to claim an indemnity as a result of the damage previously reported. You must not destroy the damaged crop that is marketed in normal commercial channels, until after we have given you written consent to do so. If you fail to meet the requirements of this section, all such production will be considered undamaged and included as production to count.

  It is important to stay in contact with your adjuster during a claim.

  A lot of things can happen to your vines that could cause them not to produce a full crop.  The insurance period is long and it is important to report everything that may reduce your crop.

  When you sign up for crop insurance, coverage for grapes starts on February 1 in Arizona and California.  It begins on November 21 in all other states.  The end of insurance unless it is otherwise specified by the USDA RMA, is October 10th in Mississippi and Texas, November 10 in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.  In all other states the end of insurance is November 20th.  Crop insurance is continuously in force, once signed up for, unless cancelled or terminated.  Your coverage for following years, will be the day after the end of the insurance period for the prior year.

Here are the Causes of Loss per the Grape crop provisions:

(1)   Adverse weather conditions;

(2)   Fire, unless weeds and other forms of undergrowth have not been controlled or pruning

       debris has not been removed from the vineyard;

(3)   Insects, except as excluded in 10(b)(1), but not damage due to insufficient or improper

       application of pest control measures;

(4)   Plant disease, but not damage due to insufficient or improper application of disease control

       measures;

(5)   Wildlife;

(6)   Earthquake;

(7)   Volcanic eruption; or

(8)   Failure of irrigation water supply, if caused by an insured peril that occurs during the

       insurance period.

  Adverse weather conditions could be anything that could cause damage to your grapes. For

example; drought, frost, freeze, excess moisture etc. Wildlife could be bird damage, deer etc.

Fire would also include smoke taint as that is a result of a fire.

  Crop insurance does not cover, the inability to sell your grapes because of a buyer’s refusal or contract breakage. It also doesn’t cover losses from boycotts or pandemics. Phylloxera is not covered, regardless of the cause. Overspray or chemical damage from a neighboring farm is not covered either.

  So, get those claims opened up early and stay in contact with your agent and adjuster.

Permit-Required Confined Spaces

Cyndi
Occupation Safety and Health Act

By: Steven R. Sawyer, ARM, MS, CSP

As many employers have learned over the last few years, employees are a valuable resource.  The ability to find and keep employees has become a challenge for many employers in a variety of industries, including food and beverage agriculture.  Therefore, keeping employees safe is a top priority.

  Employers in the food and beverage agriculture industry, like vineyards and wineries, may have multiple confined spaces in which employees encounter in their daily job tasks.  These include vats, tanks, storage bins, tunnels, duct work, pits, drain systems, and liquid tanks and containers.  Many industry employees are required to enter these spaces as part of their jobs.

  Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in their Permit-Required Confined Spaces standard 29 CFR 1910.146, describes a confined space as a space that is large enough for an employee to bodily enter and perform assigned work tasks, has a limited or restricted means of entry or exit, and is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.  Additionally, OSHA defines a Permit-Required Confined Space as a confined space with one or more of the following characteristics:  the confined space contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere; the confined space contains a material that has the potential for engulfing the entrant; the confined space has an internal configuration with inwardly converging walls or a floor that slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross section which could trap or asphyxiate an entrant; and contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard. (OSHA.gov)

  The first step in protecting employees from the hazards of confined spaces is to evaluate the workplace to determine if the workplace contains permit-required confined spaces.  An initial survey or workplace evaluation should be conducted to locate and identify all confined spaces.  This initial workplace evaluation should be conducted by a qualified person who is familiar with the hazards and types of confined spaces.  Although this is the initial step, workplace evaluation must be ongoing for confined spaces which may change over time with the addition of new processes, equipment, or facilities.

  Once a confined space is identified in the workplace, the confined space should be treated as a hazardous area until a qualified person can determine the specific hazards.  Additionally, the qualified person will determine if the confined space is a permit-required confined space or a non-permit confined space.  Hazards an evaluator will look for include atmospheric hazards such as oxygen deficient or toxic atmosphere, biological hazards, mechanical hazards, physical hazards, and chemical hazards.

  If the qualified person has found permit-required confined spaces at the workplace, the employer must notify the employees.  Employees must know their workplace contains permit-required confined spaces, where the spaces are located and the hazards associated with those spaces.  Then, the employer must post signage to inform the employees of the permit spaces.  This signage can read “Danger – Permit-Required Confined Space, Do Not Enter” or a similar statement.  The signs should be posted on the entrance or in close proximity to the entrance of the permit space.

  At this point, an employer has a decision to make about their Permit-Required Confined Spaces:  either allow employees to enter or do not allow employees to enter.  If the employer makes a decision to not allow employees to enter permit spaces, then the employer should take effective measures to secure the spaces.  Some examples of securing permit spaces to prevent entry are padlocks, bolts, chains, and wire cables.

  If entry is necessary for employees to service or clean permit-required confined spaces, the employer must develop and implement a written permit-required confined space program and make the program available for employee inspection.  This written program should include written entry procedures for the permit-required confined spaces along with the hazards present, and how to eliminate or control the hazards. 

  The written permit-required confined space program should include an entry permit.  The entry permit is a document to be used for all permit-required confined space entries.  The entry permit should include the date of entry and authorized duration of the entry, the location of the entry, the names of all entrants, and the work that is being conducted in the confined space.  Additionally, the permit must include the names of attendants, the name of the entry supervisor, the hazards present in the space to be entered, how the hazards will be eliminated or controlled before entry, acceptable entry conditions, results of initial and periodic tests performed along with the names of the testers and when tests were performed, rescue and emergency services to contact in the event of an emergency, communication procedures between the entrant and the attendant, equipment necessary including personal protective equipment, testing equipment, communication equipment, alarm systems, and rescue equipment, other information deemed necessary for safe entry, and any additional permits such as hot work permits.  Lastly, the permit should have a signature line for the entry supervisor to authorize the entry, including the date and time of the entry.  The entry supervisor should communicate the contents of the entry permit to the authorized entry personnel and may wish to post the entry permit in a designated location.

  OSHA requires that employers provide training for all employees who must work in permit-required confined spaces.  The training should occur before the initial work assignment, when job duties change, employee performance deficiencies occur, or when the permit-required confined space program changes or operations change.  Although it is not required to train all employees to the extent of the authorized entrants training, it is a best practice to inform all employees of the confined spaces present in the workplace and the hazards that accompany the confined spaces.  

  If entry is required in a permit-required confined space, the employer must provide an authorized entrant (the person who enters the space and conducts maintenance or cleaning operations), an attendant (a person who remains outside of the confined space), and an entry supervisor (the person who oversees the entry operations and ensures the entrants follow the permit and are safe).  These personnel have specific duties that must occur to ensure safe entry into permit spaces.  Their duties must be followed in order to comply with the OSHA Permit-Required Confined Spaces standard.

  When the entry into the permit space is complete, the entry supervisor terminates the confined space entry.  The entry supervisor can also cancel the entry of the confined space if the conditions within the space are no longer safe for the entrant.  As a best practice, when the entry is complete, a debrief should be conducted with the entry personnel to determine if any changes are needed for future entry procedures.  Employers are required to keep canceled entry permits for one year.  Any deviations or problems with the entry should be noted on the canceled permits.

  Even with a permit-required confined space program in place, emergencies can happen.  It is important that local emergency responders are aware of the specific hazards associated with confined spaces in the workplace.  Invite local emergency agencies to the workplace and evaluate their knowledge of confined space rescue, their rescue equipment, and their capabilities. 

  Having a permit-required confined space program in place will help vineyards and wineries avoid catastrophic incidents and costly OSHA citations.  To learn more about Permit-Required Confined Spaces, go to osha.gov or ansi.org.

  Steven R. Sawyer, ARM, MS, CSP, is the owner/operator of LSW & Associates Safety Consulting Services, LLC.  Sawyer has been active in the safety industry since 1999, much of that time working with multi-faceted, high-hazard agribusinesses, developing a special expertise in grain bin engulfment and prevention; OSHA grain handling standards; lockout/tagout (LOTO); machine guarding; confined spaces; heavy equipment and specialized equipment operations; and safety program development and training.

Website:  sawyersafetysolutions.com

WINE PACKAGING: More Than Just a Pretty Face

Cyndi
wine bottles grabbed by a machine

By: Cheryl Gray

Wineries depend upon the knowledge of packaging companies, not only to boost their products’ aesthetic quality but also to maximize time and minimize product loss when it comes to filling, sealing, shipping and other aspects of the packaging process.

  Among the experts is A-B-C Packaging Machine Corporation, based in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Bryan Sinicrope is the vice president of marketing and integrator sales. As an engineer with 46 years of industry experience, Sinicrope describes what is essential in helping wineries to get started, maintain and eventually expand with A-B-C products and services.

  “As far as essentials, I would say having clear goals on what the winery wants to accomplish is highly important. Many wineries are looking for automation to protect their employees from potential injury in handling heavy cases of glass bottles, whether filled or unfilled. Others need increased production speeds, and still, others want automated flexibility to run multiple product lines or bottle styles. So, it’s important to identify which areas will benefit most from automation. This is even more important if the winery has a conservative budget or will need to automate incrementally over time. 

  When working with wineries, our first priority is reviewing their needs and (if not already determined) helping them set their goals. Wineries have traditionally been labor-intensive operations, particularly for smaller producers. They may feel it is difficult to budget for automated equipment. However, once the labor, insurance and liability costs are calculated, even for low-volume wineries, automation can make good financial sense.”

  Sinicrope describes the company’s vast wine packaging expertise, which he says has earned the respect of wineries that range from smaller operations to some of the most prominent names in the wine industry.

  “As a supplier of secondary packaging machinery for the dry end of wineries since the early 1960s, A-B-C has extensive experience in the intricacies of wine packaging. Notably, the visual appeal of the product is paramount. Packaging machines must handle the glass gently to prevent defects that could lead to breakage and spillage on the line, in distribution or at the end user. Also, the packaging machinery must maintain optimal finished package integrity so the product looks great at the retailer with no scuffed or damaged labels or closures.

  Our equipment is designed with features to protect the package throughout the packaging process and beyond so the wines reach the consumer in perfect condition. Some specific examples are our decasers and depalletizers that unload and single file bottles under complete control and with minimum contact to eliminate potential damage that can cause failure on the bottling line or in distribution.

  Our case erectors have exclusive features to ensure square cases that perform bottle inserting at the packer. And all our packers are no-drop, with bottle handling devices that ensure soft loading while protecting the labels and closures, including foil closures used for sparkling wines.”

  Sinicrope gives an overview of A-B-C’s equipment offerings and what makes the company stand out from its competitors.

  “Our experience in wine packaging sets us apart, as we have provided packaging for many styles of wine packaging, from standard glass to reverse taper bottles, bottles of all sizes, cartoned wine and more. We manufacture a wide range of solutions, from empty bottle decasers and depalletizers to case erectors, partition inserters, packers, sealers and palletizers for many sizes, speeds and applications. So, when a winery comes to us, we can offer a customized solution from our standard line of equipment. This keeps costs down and minimizes delivery time. 

  Our equipment is built for reliable performance and low maintenance, which reduces the cost of ownership. All our machines, from semi-auto to high-speed systems, are built with heavy-gauge steel frames and all components, whether made in-house or sourced from our suppliers, are made for long-term operation. They are designed and manufactured in the U.S. and offer smart technology for connectivity to winery automation and remote connectivity for service calls. Our service technicians are PMMI-certified trainers.   

  Finally, our machines are built for flexibility and quick changeover. For example, our depalletizers can run glass, plastic, composite containers or cans interchangeably, with no changeover or change of parts. Our palletizers offer simple touchscreen control for product changes and new pallet configurations. Our standard case erectors and sealers run a range of cases with a two-minute changeover, with optional auto-changeover for wineries running many case sizes.”

  Sinicrope highlights some of the most popular products offered by A-B-C.

  “A-B-C decasers are a staple in many wineries for unloading and single filing bottles from necks-down reshipper cases. These machines are valued for their gentle handling during unloading and features that minimize bottle-to-bottle contact during single filing. Larger wineries that purchase bottles in bulk utilize A-B-C depalletizers for unloading the bottles and feeding the line. For reverse taper bottles, A-B-C has a proprietary handling solution that keeps these inherently unstable bottles upright from pallet to the production line. An advantage of our depalletizers is their flexibility to run a range of bottle styles with no change parts or downtime for the changeover, allowing a winery to feed multiple production lines from one depalletizer.

  Palletizers are also popular with wineries, and we offer a selection of standard models for many requirements. All are low-level designs, enabling floor-level installation and maintenance, which minimizes costs. They offer full flexibility to build new pallet configurations on the production floor at the operator station. All functions can be controlled and set at the panel, which also shows maintenance alerts and fault detection, ensuring top productivity.

  We also supply case erectors, partition inserters and packers for bulk packaging lines.”

  Where space and budgets run tight, Sinicrope says the company has a new product called the 72AN Palletizer designed to address both needs.

  “For wineries with either limited floor space or a small budget, this fully automatic, compact palletizer offers a simple and economical solution to increase production and eliminate the issues related to manual operation. It occupies from 10 to 30 percent less floor space than conventional low level palletizers and offers complete flexibility for product feed and pallet configuration.”

  Prospero Equipment Corporation is a family-owned and operated business that began in 1972 when founder Tony Prospero started selling wine-making equipment from Italy to winemakers who had immigrated from Europe to America. The company has since expanded its product lines and services to address the needs of commercial wineries with offices across North America, including packaging solutions for wineries of virtually any size.

  Andy Robinson represents the company’s sales division from its West Coast offices in Windsor, California. With nearly 35 years in the wine industry, Robinson lends his expertise to winery clients looking to Prospero for packaging essentials.

  “Prospero offers sales consulting, engineered drawings, parts departments and a technical team for service, installation and training. Having effective product and packaging consultation allows direct discussions for future growth and wiser investment strategies. Providing engineered drawings allows for a seamless installation, parts to be on hand if needed and a direct format for our technical team to follow.”

  Robinson explains how Prospero helps its customers build toward the future.

  “A company should plan for future development of products and production volumes. This also includes added closures and perhaps canning. Investing in high quality equipment helps guarantee longevity, ease in maintenance and the finest quality finished product. Prospero technicians fully train all new equipment owners after installation to guarantee all operators are knowledgeable about the machinery and the supporting equipment. This support is backed up by our service and parts department for maintenance and repairs.”

  In addition to its existing lineup, Robinson says that Prospero has added some new products to its roster designed to assist with packaging for wineries and other beverage industry sectors.

  “Prospero represents GAI Machinery in the USA. GAI sets the upper standard of machine manufacturing and offers the highest quality packaging equipment available. Prospero now offers a revolutionary new technology with the UNICA filling valve, an Electro-Pneumatic filling valve capable of filling from 0-6 BAR pressure. This has allowed many companies to expand their product lines and be able to package all of them within the same Monoblock. The UNICA filling valve is now also available with a Volumetric Electro Pneumatic filling valve, offering the most precise filling for a wider range of container sizes and formats. 

  Offering still and counter pressure filling in the same filling valve has brought new technologies to the forefront of packaging for the beverage industry. The UNICA filling valve is also offered on the GAI canning Monoblocks. The GAI Monoblock design is engineered so all main gears are interlocking and connect all turrets, thus eliminating any risk in loss of machine timing.”

  Among the companies in the packaging industry delivering products with the environment in mind is Encore Glass, headquartered in Fairfield, California, right outside the Napa and Sonoma wine regions. As its name implies, Encore Glass recycles bottles for wineries, a practice it began some 40 years ago. The company has since expanded its services to include custom-printed boxes, decorated bottles and even custom molds, allowing clients to create bottles exclusive to their brand. Consulting services include assisting clients with choosing bottle styles, how many bottles to order, setting timelines, and even how best to use existing stock such as labels, corks and even bottles. 

  Encore Glass touts an extensive quality assurance program. Its field support prioritizes testing labels, closures and capsules before placing any bottle order. It offers clients in-house 3D print prototypes designed to shorten development time for custom molds. Wineries that offer wine clubs can ship their products in specially designed shippers that are lightweight, meet commercial shipping standards and are biodegradable.

  Packaging experts help wineries avoid missteps by not wasting product, time and money. Choosing the right packaging company, experts say, depends largely upon a winery’s immediate needs, budget and long-term goals. 

New Technology Affecting Your Marketing Right Now

Cyndi

By: Susan DeMatei, Founder of WineGlass Marketing

At the DTC Symposium last month, there was a session about new technology trends and their application for wine marketing. We spoke with a panel about big data-driven advertising, NFTs, and their use for marketing and augmented reality. Each speaker had a case study on wine, and the Q&A session explored everything from costs to legal ramifications. These new tools only scratch the service of all the exciting trends in marketing wines. This blog highlights three trends affecting our marketing planning right now and in the near future.

AI:  Artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming increasingly important in the online marketing arena. These technologies allow marketers to analyze data and take that analysis to automate routine processes, make decisions based on behaviors, anticipate responses and improve customer experiences. It can have applications in websites, emails, online ads, and offline content development.

  In design, AI tells us which content will most likely engage a specific tagged customer. This capability allows us to create dynamic (changing) websites and emails personalized to individual customer preferences. We are not quite to the level in the movie Minority Report, where biometric-tailored ads talk to us wherever we go, but websites that offer personalized experiences, such as customized content and recommendations, are already in high demand. With AI constantly learning, this trend will only get more precise.

  One of the fastest-growing uses of AI is long and short-form writing. Chat GPT, Jasper, and Copymatic advertise well-researched and relevant blogs in seconds, negating any excuse not to deliver new content to your winery followers. Ironically, just as fast as these new AI tools to create AI content pop up, they are followed closely by another stream of tools to identify artificially generated copy (e.g. Originaltiy.ai, Content at Scale, etc.). AI writing has a certain “canned” quality, so just pumping out AI-generated content without personalization isn’t recommended. But it is interesting how efficient marketing is becoming. It will be interesting to track the results and see if consumers find AI content as engaging as messages from the heart.

Voice:  Keeping an eye on voice search and voice user interface (VUI) are increasingly essential thanks to the rise of virtual assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri, and Google Home. In 2022, InsiderIntelligence estimated that 142.0 million people in the US, or 42.1% of the population, used a voice assistant.

graph for smart speaker shopping activities for US owners

  Why is this significant for marketing? Because people don’t type the way they speak. When people use voice search, they are more likely to use natural language and ask longer, more complex questions. So, when optimizing for voice search, it’s important to use conversational language or long-tail keywords that match how people speak to help content appear in voice search results.

  In addition, if you want your website to appear when people voice search, your website must include the correct schema markup in the code. Schema markup is a type of structured data that helps search engines understand the content of a web page. By including schema markup for voice in your website code, you can make it easier for search engines to understand your content and display it in voice search results.

Influencer or Peer Marketing:  As we witness the shift in values from Boomers to Millennials, the power of persuasion sways away from the press or pundit toward the peer or friend. To people under the age of 40 with foundational experience with the internet, ratings, peer comments, and social media content by others about a product are among the most persuasive reasons to buy. It is no wonder why Forester reported 73% of companies are increasing their social media budget for 2023.

bar graph for social commerce sales

  “Wait,” you say, “social media is hardly a new technology.” True. The focus on the increase in social media budget is significant when paired with the growth of social commerce or selling products directly on social media platforms. This capability is relatively new but expected to grow 30.8% in 2023 to hit $1.3 trillion in sales. Finally, we can show management a direct ROI tied to the social media budget.

  Social commerce is so effective because it happens in a supported peer environment and offers an easy, convenient, and seamless shopping experience for customers, which can lead to increased sales and customer loyalty. It’s an effective sales strategy because it removes friction from online shopping experiences that start on social platforms. Many people discover products they like while browsing social media.

  Influencer marketing, buying something you saw on Instagram and peer review sites like Yelp, are familiar, but we can expect more brands to focus on these partnerships to promote their products and services in the future. This will drive prices up, create clutter, increase the need to pay for views, and heighten the importance of developing engaging content to break through to new customers.

  There are certainly more trends to discuss, as this is only a partial list. The importance of dark mode design, augmented reality, interactive and immersive design, and the new Google Analytics are also at the forefront of our conversations and will be the subject of future posts. What is clear is that technology is evolving our ability to plan and execute marketing far beyond what was done even in the last ten years.

  Susan DeMatei is the founder of WineGlass Marketing, a full-service direct marketing firm working within the wine industry in Napa, California. Now in its 10th year, the agency offers domestic and international clients assistance with strategy and execution. WineGlass Marketing is located in Napa, California at 707-927-3334 or wineglassmarketing.com    

New Grapevine Insurance Program

Cyndi

By: Trevor Troyer

Grape crop insurance has been available for many years now.  You can protect an average of your historical tonnage per variety.   But there has not been an insurance program for grape vines.   There are subsidized insurance programs for apple trees, orange trees, avocado trees, mango trees etc. through the USDA Risk Management Agency.  But there has not been anything for vineyards, until now.

  AgriLogic Consulting, LLC is consulting company that develops crop insurance products for the USDA.  They do feasibility studies and evaluations of existing and potential programs.  AgriLogic Consulting, LLC has been working on a Grapevine insurance program.

  Here is what was just released on the AgriLogic website, agrilogicconsulting.com

  The Grapevine Insurance Program has been approved by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation for implementation in the following states: California, Idaho, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. Insurance industry representatives in key production regions requested a product to protect producers against perils that can destroy vines. The list of perils to be included are freeze, hail, flood, fire, and failure of the irrigation water supply (if caused by an unavoidable naturally occurring event during the insurance period). Claims will be limited to loss due to complete destruction or death of the vine. Losses for partial damage are not included under the program. While both programs are federally subsidized and administered by the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA), the vine replacement program is different and separate from the existing Grape and Table Grape Crop Insurance Programs, which cover losses related to the production of the fruit itself. Producers will be able to purchase the vine insurance program through existing crop insurance agents once the program becomes available.

  I don’t have to tell you that this is a big deal.  I know vineyards that have wanted this for years and nothing has been available.  I have seen vineyards devasted by fire in California and Oregon in recent years. I have seen damage from early freezes in Pennsylvania and New York.  This program will give growers much needed protection for their vines.

  The policy documents are set to be released to the approved insurance providers by no later than August 31, 2023.  The sign-up deadline for the new Grapevine Insurance program will be November 1st, 2023.  Availability maps should be released at the end of August as well.

  At this point we do not have any information than the above.  I look forward to helping vineyards get coverage for their vines.

Lower the pH of Wines Via Easy Acid Trials

Cyndi
man holding a wine glass

By: Tom Payette – Winemaking Consultant  

Often a winemaker is challenged with grapes, juice and wine that may have an imbalance in regards to the pH of a certain wine.  This can be a critical choice for the winemaker in terms of protecting the wine from spoilage.  A wine with a higher pH is much more likely to develop spoilage bacteria/yeast problems.  On the converse just simply adding acid to lower the pH may throw the delicate taste and balance of the wine off.  Much finesse must be used at this time by the winemaker to make the proper decisions using both the wine lab and the wineglass.

Trials in the lab:  The lab is the first place the winemaker should turn to experiment with small batches of wine.  This will give nearly concrete evidence from the lab as well as tasting trials to determine the appropriate amount and kind of acid to add.

When?  The pH of a wine should be addressed as early on in the winemaking process as possible, especially if too high.  Often this decision is predicted just before harvest from previously collected data (from field and grape samples) and made at harvest after chemistry confirmation on the crush pad.

Why and Where?  The reason we do trials is to experiment with refinement and correction of a juice or wine.  Always work in small quantities, in the lab, with a wine so one does not potentially create a larger problem, in the cellar.  Trials can be tested and tasted to see what the results would be or will have been if the addition was made to the actual tank or vessel of juice/wine.  This eliminates guesswork and unnecessarily “shooting from the hip” of which many winemakers can find themselves guilty of during critical times.

testing pH level

TOOLS NEEDED

•   Scales that measure in grams preferably to a tenth of a gram.

•   3 – 100 milliliter graduated cylinder (plastic preferred).

•   1 – 50 milliliter graduated cylinder (plastic preferred).

•   1 – 10 milliliter pipette (Class A volumetric).

•   2 – 5 milliliter serological pipettes-one tenth mil markings (Plastic preferred).

•   Small glass beakers 250 milliliters plus or minus

  •      Representative sample(s) of each wine to be worked with (800 milliliters).

•   Clean wineglasses

•   Watch glasses to cover each glass.

•   Spit cup

•   Other testing equipment to answer questions at hand: pH meter, TA measuring.

•   Magnetic Stir plate with stir bars and retriever for the stir bars.

•   Sharpie™ pen or pencil for marking beakers.

•   95% ethanol to remove Sharpie™ pen marks off glassware.

How?  Start with something simple where results can be easily determined with the wineglass to give the confidence needed to build upon the procedure.  An example of this may be a tartaric addition trial for pH lowering and/or palate modification.  Let’s go over this process.

1.   Start with an ample quantity of wine to work with in the lab – perhaps an 800-milliliter representative sample from a wine vessel.

2.   Accurately weigh 1.0 gram of tartaric acid and fully dissolve the acid in approximately 85 milliliters of the base wine with which you are working. Use the stir bar and plate for this process.

3.   Once fully dissolved, place the full amount into a 100 milliliter graduated cylinder or as one becomes more experienced you may just make the solution in the 100 milliliter graduated cylinder directly.

4.   Bring the amount of volume in the 100 milliliter graduated cylinder to the 100 milliliter mark with additional base wine.  [One should be clear they have made a solution of 1.0-gram tartaric acid dissolved into 100 milliliters of wine.]

5.   In a clean graduated cylinder, pipette 10 milliliters of the newly prepared acid stock solution into the cylinder.  Bring to the complete 100 milliliters volume mark with the base wine.  This represents a 1.0-gram per liter tartaric acid addition.

6.   Pipette twenty milliliters from the stock acid solution made in step four into another graduated cylinder and bring to volume to the 100-milliliter mark.  This represents the next addition level of 2.0 grams per liter tartaric addition.

7.   Continue to add to the number of samples you care to do the trial on in standard logical increments.

8.   Analysis the pH and titratable acidity, record and have available for the tasting below.

SET UP THE TASTING TRIAL

1.   Pour about 70 milliliters or a quantity one desires to smell and taste, of the base wine, into a control glass and place it to the left hand area of the tasting glass orientation.  (One should always taste against a control from left to right)

2.   Pour the trials to be tasted, made in steps 5,6 and 7 above, in increasing increments in each wineglass progressing from left to right.  Mark their contents.

3.   Add to this flight any wines from past vintages you may want to review or any other blind samples from other producers you may care to use as a benchmark.  Only do this step if needed.  Mark their contents.

4.   Taste and smell each wine several times.  Go through the flight and detect what wine/juice may best match or improve the desired style one is trying to achieve.  Review the chemistry data generated in step 8 above while tasting the trials.

5.   Select the best match and leave the room for 1 to 2 hours so your palate may re-calibrate.

6.   Return and re-taste to confirm your previous decision with a fresh palate.

7.   Repeat as often and needed.

  Should chemistries play an important role to reviewing certain additions be certain to run a necessary panel of lab test to ascertain the proper numbers are also achieved.  One may need to balance taste, flavor and chemistry to make some tough choices.  Have all the data necessary and available to make those choices.  

Calculation:  Once the fear of the metric system is overcome and confidence is achieved, the calculations become very simplistic.  Let’s take the above as the example.  If we dissolve 1.0 gram of tartaric acid into 100 milliliters of wine we now have 0.1 gram of tartaric acid in every 10 milliliters of wine.  From this base if we blend 10.0 milliliters (one-tenth gram of tartaric) into 100 milliliters of the same fresh base wine – this represents the equivalent of one gram per liter.  If we were to have used twenty milliliters that would represent two grams per liter in the small 100-milliliter blend.  If we keep track of what we are tasting or testing and select the trial we prefer, one can mathematically calculate how much of the given addition is needed in a tank of a known quantity of juice or wine.  One can also extrapolate this out to larger volumes in the laboratory should it be desired to work beyond a 100-milliliter sample.

Spicing it up!  Once the first set of trials is mastered one may build on to the next step projecting out what one may want to do with the juice or wine.  This could eventually, and perhaps should, build out to treating large enough samples that one could cold and protein stabilize the wine in the lab, filter to the projected desired micron size and taste with a panel.

  If tartaric acid is not giving the desired result – select other approved acids for that wine.  Fruit wines, other than grape, often have other principal acids so one may need to explore using that principal acid first.

Double checking the results:  From experience, one can get so creative in a lab it can be difficult to trace exactly how one arrived at a certain desired concoction.  Copious notes should be taken throughout the complete process in the lab.  Given a tank of juice or wine can often equate to hundreds of thousands of dollars or more it may be prudent to run the selected trial a second time, and compare, to confirm any additions before performing the action in the cellar.  Be confident of what you are about to do.

Action in the cellar:  This is often the simple part.  Using tartaric acid as an example for the addition one will simply calculate the amount of acid needed to match the desired trial.  Weigh the desired amount of tartaric and dissolve in a bucket of warm water or wine from the tank.  Once dissolved add slowly to the tank while mixing.  Continue to mix until fully integrated and then select a sample from the sample valve for tasting, a quick pH and titratable acidity analysis.   This will confirm the task was achieved.

Summary:  Given time and experimentation with this system many pH-lowering trials with additions will become easy and systematic.  Trials will often take less than ten minutes to prepare and one may taste at several points during the day or use extra time to perform lab test to confirm desired objectives.

Other helpful tips:  Keep in mind not to over scrutinize your accuracy in the laboratory.  By this I mean make sure that if we measure something very exactly in the laboratory make sure this action will be able to be duplicated outside the lab.  It is not uncommon, early on, for winemakers to get extremely exact in the lab only to step into the cellar with sloppy control over what they had just experimented with.

  One can use other base solutes should that be desired.  It does not always have to be wine.

  This system can be used for dosage formulation for sparking wines.

  If accurate scales may be an issue the winemaker may always start by weighing larger quantities and dissolving into solution then breaking down that solution.  Example:  If a winemaker wants a 1.0 gram per liter solution and the scales are not accurate enough to weight one gram the winemaker may dissolve 10.0 grams into 100 milliliters and then measure out 10 milliliters of that solution and this should roughly equate to one gram.

  Make sure all solids are dissolved and dispersed equally into any solution.

  One may also be able to blend two trials in 50% to 50% solutions to get an example of a trial in the middle without having to make one up specifically to match the amount desired.

  Always remember your palate may become desensitized while tasting and to step away from tasting for an hour or two and then return to taste ones preference.  You may be shocked you had become used to [Desensitized] certain levels because of tasting such extremes.

Could the Wine Industry Benefit from Virtual Assistants?

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By: Craig Goodliffe, Founder & CEO — Cyberbacker

Digital innovations within the workplace are nothing new these days. With more and more people working from home, employees are becoming accustomed to relying on technology to help with work-related tasks that used to be completed in person.

  Today, virtual assistants (VAs) are changing the way companies interact with and engage customers, get their name out into the market, and improve overall profits. VAs are part of the digital revolution that has reinvented the landscape of modern work, and business leaders across a wide array of industries are leveraging the skills these professionals offer to help scale their businesses, manage tasks, and free up their time.

  When one thinks about viniculture and the wine industry, it may bring to mind images of vast fields of grapevines, wineries with knowledgeable sommeliers giving in-person recommendations, and an age-old, often family-based company structure. One’s mind typically will not jump to a tech-heavy culture.

  However, according to a recent article in Forbes, many wine companies have not only adapted to changes in technology, but debuted some wine industry-specific innovations. For instance, some companies have outfitted their wine labels with QR codes that give consumers greater insight into the wine’s origins. The company Sparflex has developed a wine foil that allows the consumer to access animations straight from the label, and WineCab is a robotic, AI-powered sommelier; some wineries are even using drones and satellites to collect data on their vineyards.

  Although the viniculture industry may not seem one “ripe for the picking” for help from virtual assistants, the wine industry has a history of adaptation to new technologies and innovations. This could make them the perfect industry to adopt the use of VAs. 

What Value can VAs Bring to Winemakers and Viniculture?

  Virtual assistants are remote workers who can help companies with a number of tasks, and their role has taken on new meaning as remote work has grown in popularity. Once used for mainly administrative tasks, VAs are now heading up social media campaigns, handling the entire accounting or customer service department of companies, and — in some cases — even stepping into C-suite leadership roles.

  Throughout the past several years, the wine industry has faced the same challenges that many other industries have run across, including customer service concerns, supply chain issues, and a focus on employee retention in the wake of the Great Resignation. Virtual assistants can help winemakers navigate these challenges as well as many others.

  One of the biggest benefits a VA can bring to the wine industry is their ability to take on tasks that may not be in the wheelhouse of a business owner, CEO, or other leaders. VAs can also be instrumental in helping leaders better focus on the tasks where they excel. Attempting to scale a business on one’s own is remarkably difficult, especially in an industry as inherently collaborative as viniculture, where different teams are responsible for harvesting the grapes, making, selling, and marketing the final product.

  Studies have shown that taking on a VA can improve productivity overall in one’s business, including the wine industry, where overall productivity could make or break a winery. VAs can also help lower overall operating costs by up to 78%, which could provide crucial savings for a startup in the wine industry.

  Virtual assistants can give an owner more time to focus on what they really want to do: building their businesses. Winemakers may be surprised at how adaptable and multi-faceted VAs are, and what they can do to help a winery, vineyard, or wine store scale.

  Running and managing social media accounts

It can be difficult — if not completely impossible — to run a successful business these days without using social media effectively. Many people may not know how to leverage social media for their wine business, but there are VAs who are highly skilled in areas of social media marketing and engagement that can help one uplevel their business.

  Social media is largely about visuals, and one may wonder how someone who may work halfway around the world can help with the visual marketing of a business that is in, say, Napa Valley. Yet, because so many aspects of the modern workplace have been digitized, it’s extremely easy for a VA to take images or videos from a winery’s events — or even its wine-making process itself — and use those on social media sites to further establish its brand presence.

  VAs can also handle the engagement side of social media, which can be one of the most time-consuming aspects of digital marketing. After all, customers who are interested in your product because they saw some compelling images online will want to engage with your brand by liking, following, and sharing your content on social media.

Facebook

  According to research, 70% of adults use Facebook, many of whom use their connections to brands on social media to make purchase decisions. When a brand actively engages with followers online, it increases the likelihood that the person with whom they are engaged will return to make a purchase.

  In this regard, VAs can also handle the involved job of social media advertising. Running social media ads is highly effective. In fact, that same research shows that 49% of people will be more apt to purchase an item if they see an ad for it on social media. However, running, organizing, and keeping on top of social media ads can be tricky — even for social media-savvy CEOs. Having a person whose top priority is to run and track social media ads can greatly improve a company’s reach and revenue.

Instagram

  Instagram is where social media users go for imagery, and where a winery’s brand presence could easily entice customers with beautiful pictures and engaging video content. Instagram is all about meeting wine enthusiasts where they are, as these consumers are the ones sharing their own pictures of vineyards, bottles, and glasses of their favorite wines.

  Instagram posts that tend to garner the most engagement are those that highlight the human element of the business behind the screen. A great example is Tank Winery, which has harnessed the power of Instagram with personal, informative, and entertaining stories and posts that grab attention. Virtual assistants that are well-versed in the visual-heavy Instagram approach can help uplevel a business’ presence on the platform by consistently posting engaging content.

Tiktok

  As of September 2022, TikTok is the most downloaded social media app in the US for the third year in a row. Many VAs are also TikTok experts and can help a winery or vineyard get its head around what is likely to “go viral” on the popular platform. TikTok can be a great platform for robust marketing strategies and interesting dives into wine-related content, be they virtual tastings, or informative videos about a particular wine or brand.

  Consistency is key with all social media platform posting. Some studies show that businesses should post 1-4 times a day to have a chance of reaching viral status, but most winemakers simply do not have the time to consistently post on platforms for maximum engagement. This is where hiring a VA can help their business achieve the consistency they need to best leverage social media.

Customer Service

  If there is anything that can make or break a business, it’s customer service. No matter how great a winery’s product may be or how skilled its wine experts are, its entire operation can steadily dry up if its customer service is lacking.

  Customer service needs to be top-notch with not only consumers, but suppliers and the stores that carry one’s product. Even when they are positioned halfway around the world, VAs can field phone calls, respond to emails in a timely manner, manage chatbot functionality on your website, and provide assistance with issues that may arise. If a company is looking to expand on a global scale, having a VA in a different time zone could prove to be a massive asset.

  Additionally, as online shopping has become the norm since the pandemic, it is now even more crucial that the wine industry master omnichannel marketing tactics and remain able to pivot alongside changes in consumers’ purchasing habits. Wineries, vineyards, and other businesses in the industry need their customers to be informed and taken care of during every stop in the engagement and purchasing process. VAs can help cover the omnichannel bases, assisting with social media channels, mobile communication, and customer support online.

  By utilizing VAs on the customer support end, customers will feel heard and vendors will feel secure in knowing someone is on top of their needs. Founders and CEOs cannot possibly be everywhere at once, but allowing a VA to help with some of the ongoing customer service tasks allows them to concentrate more on the crucial aspects of their wine business requiring their attention.

  Establishing and building an online presence

A skilled VA can handle a business’s entire online presence, from website design, to updates, to running its online e-commerce store. They can spearhead the time-consuming tasks such as uploading images and information for each product that you sell, writing blog posts that further engage clients and customers, or stepping in at a moment’s notice if one’s website experiences issues and goes down. VAs experienced in event management can even host online events, such as virtual tastings or wine workshops.

  The last few years have been instrumental in building online sales innovation for the wine industry. One study showed that online wine sales skyrocketed during the pandemic and held steadily above pre-pandemic levels, even as in-person tasting rooms reopened.

  Overall, wineries stepped up their online offerings during the pandemic, with 44% of them offering online tastings and other incentives to engage online shoppers; only 22% of wineries neglected their online presence during the pandemic. The online shopping capabilities of a wine business are important for attracting and retaining loyal customers, as well as maintaining their position amid heavy competition.

  Virtual assistants can help with a number of other tasks outside of those mentioned here. Other tasks that are essential to a business, but that leaders may need a VA’s support with, run the gamut from accounting to HR, to SEO and admin. As the wine industry increasingly adapts digital tools and technologies, virtual assistants will take their place as some of the industry’s most invaluable employees.

  As a leader in your wine business, no one is expecting you to be an expert in everything. But by utilizing virtual assistants, you can outsource the expertise necessary to keep your wine business thriving and growing year after year.

Craig Goodliffe is the Founder and CEO of Cyberbacker, an innovative, mission-driven company that connects small to medium-sized businesses with the top-flight support staff that they need in order to grow. Cyberbacker is the leading provider of world-class administrative support and virtual assistant services from anywhere in the world to anyone in the world.