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RED BLOTCH DISEASE: Update & Importance of Producing Clean Planting Stock

January 7, 2020April 16, 2025 Cyndi

red veins on leaves — Close up view of **Grapevine red blotch virus** foliar symptoms

By: Judit Monis, Ph.D.

Early this year I wrote about the Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) infection status of vines in the University of California at Davis Foundation block (also known as the Russell Ranch Foundation block). In this article I will update the reader on GRBV biology as well as the disease status of the Russell Ranch foundation block. In spite of all the management activities performed to control the spread of the virus, the latest testing results showed a drastic increase in infection of the vines planted in the Russell Ranch foundation block.

Grapevine Red Blotch Disease is Caused by GRBV

Grapevine red blotch virus is different from most other known grapevine infecting viruses in that its genetic material is DNA, rather than RNA. Both the molecular and structural characterization has placed GRBV in a new genus Grablovirus within the Geminiviridae family. Because grapevine viruses are not mechanically transmissible to grapevines, it has been difficult to demonstrate Koch’s postulates.

The postulates state that a pathogen must be isolated in pure form from a symptomatic plant, later introduced to a healthy plant, and cause the same disease symptoms seen in the original infected plant from which the virus was isolated. Koch’s postulates show the “cause and effect” of a virus, in other words, demonstrate that a specific virus is responsible for the symptoms observed in infected vines. As hard as it has been for researchers to complete Koch’s postulates with grapevine viruses, Dr. Marc Fuchs team at Cornell University was able to show, using recombinant DNA technology, that GRBV genetic material can reproduce red blotch foliar symptoms in red fruited grapevine varieties. This is why now we call this virus Grapevine red blotch and not Grapevine red blotch associated virus (i.e., other grapevine viruses have the associated word because Koch’s postulates have not been completed).

To date it appears that GRBV is a North American virus, although the virus was detected in Chinese, Korean, Swiss, and most recently in Argentine vineyards, it appears that the material originated in North America. In contrast, other viruses such as grapevine leafroll associated viruses have a world-wide distribution (i.e., it is found everywhere grapevines are grown). In spite of the recent discovery of Grapevine red blotch virus, it was found in a UC Davis grapevine herbarium specimen indicating that this virus has been present in Californian vineyards since the 1940s.

Even for an experienced professional like me, sometimes it is difficult to distinguish leafroll from red blotch disease in the vineyard. This is especially true with red-fruited grapevine varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Pinot Noir. That is why it is so important to confirm the presence of the virus with laboratory diagnostic tests.

Grapevine Red Blotch Disease Transmission and Spread

Grapevine red blotch virus is graft transmissible and predominantly propagated by producing cuttings of infected rootstock and scion material. In the recent years the vectored transmission of GRBV has been determined. Work by researchers at Cornell University and the University of California showed that the three-cornered alfalfa tree hopper (Spissistilus festinus) is able to transmit the virus under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. The three-cornered alfalfa tree hopper insect prefers to feed in legumes, grasses, and shrubs. However, the discovery of a potential vector cannot explain the reason for the sudden discovery and rapid spread of GRBV in vineyards. While research continues to determine if other vectors are capable of transmitting GRBV it is obvious that the rapid expansion of this virus in vineyards was due to unknowingly propagating and grafting cuttings from infected vines.

Do We Really Understand GRBV Biology?

Recent work performed at Cornell University has shown a seasonal and uneven distribution of GRBV in grapevines. This contrasts the work performed in my laboratory with samples from field grown vines. My research program (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313858753_Symptom_Expression_and_Detection_of_Grapevine_red_blotch_virus_in_Red_and_White_Fruited_Grape_Varieties) showed that red blotch virus can be detected from any portion of the vine in high concentrations. In other words, red blotch virus can be detected in newly expanded as well as mature leaves, petioles, lignified or green canes, as well as cordons and trunks. Further, red blotch virus was detectable throughout the different seasons of the year in samples collected from known infected vineyards in California. The discrepancy might be due to a potential latent period needed for virus to move and colonize vines.

The Russell Ranch Foundation Block Virus Status

Keeping important viruses such as the ones that cause leafroll and red blotch diseases out of productive vineyards relies on clean planting stock programs. In California, the Grapevine Registration and Certification (R&C) is administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). A Few years ago, a new block with progeny vines produced with tissue culture and thoroughly tested using the “Protocol 2010” were planted in the UC Davis Russell Ranch block. The foundation block is located in close proximity to research plots (some include trials of grapevine virus infected vines) and the town and is routinely tested by the UC Davis Foundation Plant Services (FPS) Personnel. Last year in November, FPS scientists reported the progressive spread of GRBV in the Russell Ranch block. To summarize, four vines were found infected with GRBV in 2017, in 2018 the number increased to 24 vines, in 2019 the testing results yielded over 300 vines infected with the virus. Fortunately, FPS has suspended the sale of vines from the Russell Ranch block until further notice. However, potentially nurseries may have propagated vines from mother plants that were infected with the virus and could continue to disperse the virus to their mother blocks and newly planted vineyards.

Conclusions

Guidelines are not available on the required distance between nursery and/or foundation blocks from commercial or potentially infected vineyards. It is expected that transmission of harmful viruses will continue to occur if certified blocks are not carefully monitored and kept in isolation. The current situation of the CDFA R&C vines demonstrates the need for more applied research to mitigate disease in nursery and foundation blocks. Due to the progressive spread of GRBV in the Russell Ranch Foundation Block, it appears that the only solution to produce clean planting stock is to start anew

Unfortunately, no back up tissue culture material of the varieties planted at the Russell Ranch Foundation Block are available. However, siblings from some of the varieties subjected to tissue culture were planted in the Classic (older) foundation. In the future, these siblings (numbered 02 rather than 01) will be tested using the Protocol 2010 to make them available for purchase. To obtain virus free plants, the meristem tissue culture technique will need to be applied for the elimination of GRVB. Once new plants are produced, these will need to be protected from new infections. For best results, vines should be grown in insect proof greenhouses or screenhouses, and in geographical areas where grapevines are not grown. It is also advisable to keep a backup of all vine material in case infection is detected in the future. In the meanwhile, it will be imperative for nurseries and growers to carefully determine the health status of propagated material prior to distribution and planting to avoid multiplying and introducing infected vines to the vineyard.

Judit Monis, Ph.D. provides specialized services to help growers, vineyard managers, and nursery personnel avoid the propagation and transmission of disease caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses in their vineyard blocks. Judit (based in California) is fluent in Spanish and is available to consult in all wine grape growing regions of the word. Please visit juditmonis.com for information or contact juditmonis@yahoo.com to request a consulting session at your vineyard.

2020 The Year of Personalization

January 7, 2020April 16, 2025 Cyndi

Hand using tablet with application icons flying around — Businessman hand using tablet with flying application icons around

By: Scott Moss and Susan DeMatei

According to Forbes, 2020 is going to be the year of personalized marketing. The current opinion is that we are all so bombarded with advertising and emails that we now tune out anything that isn’t specifically relevant to us. When Ad Age asked executives the one thing anyone could do to impact their marketing in the future, a full third of them answered “personalization.” And Conversant Media noted 94% of customer insights and marketing professionals they surveyed listed personalization as either “important,” “very important,” or “extremely important” for meeting their current marketing objectives.

Back in the 1990’s when the internet and data tracking was young, there was a public outcry concerning privacy and personalization. Individuals were nervous about the newly formed “cookie” technology and didn’t like being tracked online and were suspicious about loyalty cards being scanned at checkout in stores. But now, we take it for granted that when you leave something in a cart you’re going to see an ad for it the next time you log in to Facebook, and we don’t feel creeped out when we buy kitty litter at the grocery store and we get a coupon for cat food along with our receipt.

Personalization is everywhere and we’re used to it and we like it – which makes the blanket, non-personalized communications all the more blatantly lazy and unappealing. According to an online Epsilon survey of 1,000 consumers ages 18-64, the appeal for personalization is high, with 80% of respondents indicating they are more likely to do business with a company if it offers personalized experiences, and 90% indicating that they find personalization appealing.

And, personalization does work. In multiple studies, personalized ads and emails are perceived as more engaging, educational, time-saving, and memorable than mass advertising or emails. Experian reports personalized emails deliver 6x higher transaction rates. And, with new affordable tools, there really isn’t an excuse for mass marketing anymore.

What this means is that we can no longer rely on mass, generic email blasts to our customers and expect the returns we did in the past. Our buyers are now empowered, and their expectations are high in the messaging and advertising they receive. In the Age of the Customer, we need to be smarter about how we communicate.

The good thing is, this doesn’t require us to restructure our entire marketing plan. Here are three simple things we can do today to improve the way we interact with our customers on a more personal level:

EMAIL LIST SEGMENTATION

List segmentation is the quickest way to personalize messages to customers. It can be as simple as creating an email for recent visitors to your tasting room or website purchasers. Sending these customers, a thank you email 30-days after their visit or purchase is a great way to personalize and engage with a follow-up offer. You can add a deeper level of personalization if your email provider gives you the ability to insert the customer’s first name in the body copy.

Additionally, each email can be more personal by modifying the subject line with the purchase location, “Thank you for visiting our tasting room,” or “Thank you or your online purchase.” Although this may require two email sends, it refines the touchpoint and serves as a reminder of the customer experience.

Start Crawling: Set up some automatic emails like “abandon cart” and “thank you for visiting.”

Learn to walk: Take your email list segmentation beyond Wine Club and Non-Club into purchase history. To do this, divide your list into first-time buyers, repeat buyers, and non-buyers/prospects. Then, for every campaign, tailor the message for each. For first-time purchasers give them easy second purchase options similar to their first, for repeat buyers offer them volume or shipping discounts, and for prospects, tell them a little more about yourself and offer a trial package.

Learn to run: Combine the two. First, set up ongoing automated campaigns (called “drip” campaigns) that remind people they’ve left items in their cart, or that they haven’t logged in to rate or buy a product, or to thank them for an order. Then, take a look at your campaigns in 2020 and brainstorm how you can segment them by purchase or other behavior.

CUSTOMIZED LANDING PAGES

Sending personalized communications to customers that include a call to action should take them to a page on your website that corresponds to the offer in your email. Keeping the customer journey with our brands consistent is a key component in lowering attrition and increasing sales.

This requires creating a page template within your website that can be easily duplicated and modified by changing the title, image, or copy to match your outbound communication. This enforces the personalized offer and brand consistency with your customers, while providing a clear path to purchase.

Brand consistency is the pattern of expression that affects what people think about your company. The more consistent your messaging, the more consistent your branding — whether via words, design, offerings, or perspective. Your brand should build awareness and develop trust and loyalty with customers.

Start Crawling: For those emails discussing several wines, rather than dumping the clicks at the top of the store page, set up a customized landing page and only include the wines in the email with a header and the offer.

Learn to walk: For your social campaigns, try a separate landing page with introductory copy about your winery and why they should sign up for your mailing list or like/follow your winery.

Learn to run: In addition to emails and social media, consider custom landing pages for most initiatives such as pouring events, coupon redemption, Google Ads, and print.

GET TO KNOW YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS

A loyal customer is one that makes repeat purchases rather than switching to a competitor. A loyal customer will be more likely to purchase additional products and recommend your brand.

Without digging too deeply into your data, a few key metrics can help identify your most loyal customers. High average order value, buying frequency, and last purchase date is what you will need to start. These metrics can all be found in the customer purchase history of your database. When vetting your data, don’t assume that your best customers are also wine club members. However, if they are not, you may have a missed opportunity.

After identifying your most loyal customers be sure to nurture the relationship, they are your best buyers for a reason. Knowing what they purchase, how often they purchase, and how much they spend per order will help guide you on when to reach out and with what offers.

The communication and touches to these customers should be as a personal friend and offers should be presented as gifts. Offering a specially selected “pre-sale” wine or early event access will build continued loyalty.

Start Crawling: A handwritten note of thanks for attending an event or a customer referral is an easy way to start and goes a long way to keep your best customers.

Learn to walk: Identify your top customers and find them on social media. Set up alerts for their posts and like and comment on them as your brand. They’ll be thrilled you care enough about their lives to get to know them.

Learn to run: Look at your campaigns and give first dibs to your best buyers. Either offer them a pre-order capability or maybe access to the pick-up part a half hour in advance. Realize that discounts aren’t always what they’re after – they want a relationship and time with you.

The true end result will look like taking your linear annual campaign calendar and splintering it into multiple, smaller, targeted communications that run simultaneously. It takes more work, but it’s worth it.

Susan DeMatei is the President and Scott Moss is the Director of Operations of WineGlass Marketing, a full-service direct marketing firm working within the wine industry in Napa, California. www.wineglassmarketing.com 

Protect Events Hosted at Your Winery with Event Insurance

January 7, 2020April 16, 2025 Cyndi

Wedding Reception Table at Winery Wedding

By now, most winery owners have heard the buzz regarding event insurance. Sure, you know it exists, but do you really know exactly what event insurance covers and how it can benefit your clients (and you)? Event insurance is a necessity for winery owners looking to keep themselves, and their clients, protected. We recently talked with Lauren Hernandez, Senior Event Insurance Specialist at Markel Specialty insurance to learn more.

“It is probably important to first point out that there are two different types of event insurance– event liability and event cancellation,” states Hernandez.

EVENT LIABILITY INSURANCE

“Event liability protects the person hosting an event at your facility,” Hernandez explained. If during their event someone causes property damage to your winery or someone is injured and the host is liable, an event policy will step in to provide coverage. The coverage is typically primary over any other insurance protection. That means the event policy will pay first before any other insurance policy.

Primary liability coverage by event hosts, such as your clients, is preferred by most venues because it helps minimize the associated risks and exposures of owning a winery. “More and more wineries are requiring their clients to purchase one-day event insurance policies for events hosted at their facility because it reduces the possibility of having to pay for an accident that is out of the wineries’ control,” said Markel Specialty’s Lauren Hernandez.

Wineries must also remember to require the host to name the winery as an Additional Insured on the host’s event policy. That way, if there is a claim made against your winery due to the actions of the host, the event policy will defend and indemnify you against that claim. It is also a good idea to require the host’s insurance carrier to be A.M. Best rated “A-” or better. That way the carrier is financially strong and likely to be around to pay the claim should one occur.

Examples of claims that would be covered under an event liability policy can range from damage to a furnishings such as couches, mirrors, coffee tables – even toilets and landscaping from wedding or other event guests. Event hosts would also be protected if someone slips, falls and gets injured at the facility if the host was negligent. There are even worse claims that the event host needs protection from when an over-served wedding guest is involved in an auto accident on the way home. These situations would be covered only if the damage or injury was the fault of your client. Your business should have your own risk management plan which includes liability coverage to protect you from the hosts wrongdoing.

ADDITIONAL EVENT LIABILITY COVERAGE BENEFITS:

• Limits vary by insurance carrier, but bodily injury and property damage liability limits typically are up to $1 million per occurrence and $2 million total per policy period.

• The venue can be named as “additional insured” on the certificate of insurance for no extra cost.

• Host liquor liability is included for free.

• Set-up and tear-down is covered (within 24 hours of the event).

• If the event being held at your facility is a wedding, an event liability policy covers the ceremony, reception and rehearsal dinner (if the rehearsal dinner is within 48 hours of the event).

• Many policies are primary over any other insurance policy. This means, if a claim were to occur, the event liability policy would pay out before any other insurance policy and there would be no need to worry about a potential increase in rates with a commercial business policy (as an winery owner) or homeowners policy (as a bride).

• Protection and peace of mind for a low cost— there are policies available that start as low as $75.

WHY SHOULD YOU REQUIRE EVENT LIABILITY INSURANCE?

It protects you. One day event insurance policies are typically primary coverage over your commercial business policy for property damage to your facility caused by your client’s negligence. Your facility can be named as an “additional insured” on the certificate of insurance often for no extra cost.

It protects your customers. Event insurance is an easy and affordable solution that helps protect your guests from the unexpected – because when your clients are properly protected, so is your reputation.

It’s an easy solution. More and more commercial winery insurance policies are requiring one day event insurance for all events hosted at the insured winery. An event liability policy fulfills this requirement and are easy to purchase and you can direct your client to purchase them online or over the phone in minutes.

EVENT CANCELLATION INSURANCE

Another popular event insurance option is cancellation coverage. Being in the event industry, you’ve seen it all. Photographers go missing the day of the event, gifts get stolen, and hurricanes can ruin a perfectly planned event. Event cancellation insurance is becoming increasingly popular because it reimburses the event host for lost deposits and non-refundable amounts if they need to cancel or postpone their special event due to unforeseen circumstances.

Examples of unforeseen circumstances include:

• Vendor bankruptcy.

• Accident or illness of the bride or groom or an immediate family member.

• Extreme weather (hurricane, named tropical storm, etc.).

• Military deployment.

• Event cancellation insurance also covers additional expenses your client may incur to avoid cancelling their event, and pays for other losses or damages such as:

• Lost wedding rings.

• Damage to special attire.

• Vendor no-shows.

• Lost or damaged photography.

• Lost or damaged videography.

• Lost or damaged gifts.

The pricing for an event cancellation policy is a little more involved as it is based on where the wedding is set to occur and the overall wedding budget. Policies start as low as $130.

Exactly how much event cancellation coverage does each event need? Look a look at the chart below that outlines coverage limits based on the total overall event budget.

Total Event Budget

	$7,500	$15,000	$25,000	$50,000	$100,000
Loss Of Deposits	$1,000	$1,500	$2,000	$3,000	$5,500
Photography & Videography	$1,000	$1,500	$2,000	$3,000	$5,500
Special Attire & Jewelry	$1,000	$1,500	$2,000	$3,000	$5,500
Wedding Gifts	$1,000	$1,500	$2,000	$3,000	$5,500
Extra Expenses	$1,875	$3,750	$6,250	$12,500	$25,000
Professional Counseling	$500	$650	$1,000	$1,000	$1,250

WHAT ISN’T COVERED UNDER EVENT INSURANCE

With event insurance, some claims would be hard to disprove. Because of this, many insurance carriers will exclude covering certain circumstances because of the potential increased risk of insurance fraud.

Examples of circumstances typically not covered:

• Change of heart –Typically if either the bride or groom get cold feet and change their mind during the wedding planning process or are at the altar and decide not to go through with the wedding, this would not be covered.

• Known Circumstances – Previously known issues that could affect the event (Example: planned medical procedure delays or cancels the event).

• Lack of Funds – if the event host is unable to pay for the planned event.

• Non Appearance – if certain individuals (such as parents, the bride, etc.) don’t show up for the event, the show must still go on as this would not be covered. Polies do not cover cold feet if either the bride or groom change their mind during the wedding planning process or at the altar and decide not to go through with the wedding.

START PROTECTING YOUR CLIENTS

It’s easy to start protecting your clients (and yourself). Request free brochures from Markel Event Insurance and provide your clients with an easy & affordable option to protect their special event. Event liability policies start as low as $75 and can be purchased online or over the phone in minutes. Visit www.markeleventinsurance.com/grapevine to learn more!

FROM WINE GRAPES TO WOOD GRAINS: COOPERAGES & WINEMAKERS ARE PARTNERS IN GOOD TASTE

January 7, 2020April 16, 2025 Cyndi

2 people sitting down barrels — Photo Courtesy of: Whispering Willow Photography

The artistry of cooperage and winemaking is a genuine friendship. And like old friends, there is widespread agreement among coopers and winemakers that the success of most wines depends a great deal upon the barrel in which that wine is aged.

A master cooper can build a barrel with nothing but hand tools from the log to finished product. Along with that experience is a wealth of knowledge of the finer points of barrel-making, such as where to source wood as well as how (and why) different woods are used to create different wines.

Those who have spent decades in cooperages have fashioned barrels created from woods sourced not only from the United States but also as far away as France, parts of Eastern Europe and even Japan. While white oak is dominant in the cooperage industry, there are some rare uses of woods that include acacia, chestnut, cherry tree and exclusive species. Combine the cooper’s experience with that of a winemaker and the result is what wine consumers taste from the glass and feel on the palate.

With some 30 years of working with wood, few know more about making barrels for wineries than master cooper Russ Karasch, who has taught the industry to his daughter, Heidi Korb. The result is Minnesota’s Black Swan Cooperage, launched in 2009.

Karasch is responsible for the company’s unique styles of barrels, including a patented HONEY COMB® Barrel, which he invented. While most of Black Swan’s clients are craft distilleries and breweries, Karasch is a living library of the kind of knowledge upon which coopers and winemakers thrive. A vital part of that knowledge, Karasch says, is an understanding of different kinds of wood, their origin and their impact in making multiple types and varieties of wines.

“Quercus Petraea and Quercus Robur are European Oak, French Oak, Hungarian Oak and German Oak, as well as other countries. Quercus Alba is the main American Oak. However, there are many sub-species of Quercus Alba. It used to be (that) most winemakers preferred French Oak but, as we advance in technology and learn what the wood does and doesn’t do, by toasting and treating the wood in different ways, we are ending up with some phenomenal wines using all the woods. It used to be if you made red wine, you would use this wood, or white wine you would use (that) wood. We are advancing in knowledge in both wine and wood, so the rules are changing.”

It is no coincidence that master coopers like Karasch understand the language of winemakers because both professions require a blend of art and science.

Another case in point is Kentucky-based Canton Cooperage. Founded in 1933 and acquired in 1998 by Chene & Cie (owners of Taransaud Cooperage of Congac, France), the company benefits from the experience of master coopers who, with a cumulative total of more than 600 years in the business, have a keen understanding of what winemakers need and want. Canton Cooperage operates from a platform of social responsibility, sponsoring an apprentice program in local schools and partnering with American Forests, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reforestation.

Enologist Bruno Remy, Sales Manager and Vice President at Canton Cooperage, explains why the wood of choice for most cooperages is oak and why most wineries prefer it.

“Oak wood is prevailing in the cooperage industry due to its positive physical characteristics to make staves, to give the shape to the barrels and no leaking. Most importantly, due to its richness in many interesting molecules, the wood will bring structure and flavors to the wines or alcohols. In addition, the wood offers a certain porosity to allow oxygen and other gas to pass through the staves, in and out.”

Remy points out that there are several elements that winemakers take into consideration when choosing barrels and the different woods used to make them.

“A barrel should have a positive impact for the use of fermenting or aging a wine. The choice is coming from the flavors that you will look for, size of the barrel, the percentage of new wood in your final blend, time for aging in the barrels, cellar conditions to store the barrels (temperature, moisture).”

Black Star Farms, located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula near the four-season resort town of Traverse City, understands these multiple considerations. The award-winning, family-owned winery sources from cooperages that provide barrels derived from American, French and Eastern European Oaks. Winemaker and Managing Partner Lee Lutes explains the reason for such careful diversity.

“We use French Oak exclusively for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as they simply have an affinity for one another that is time tested and consumer ‘qualified.’ We use two other primary barrel types, American and Eastern European, for other reds, such as our Red House Red, our Merlot or our Cabernet Franc. These two types of oak tend to have more spice and tannin to them than French, which works well with these bolder red wines.”

In the case of barrels made from American and Eastern European Oaks, Lutes adds that the attention to detail used to select these types of barrels is driven by knowing the cooperages that produce them and the source of the actual wood.

“We tend to prefer American Oak that either comes from Minnesota or Missouri, as these tend to be tighter grained barrels (from slower growing trees), but with good spice. The EE (Eastern European) barrels we prefer tend to come from Hungary, as they provide some cocoa and coffee tones that are very complimentary to deeper red wines. Different coopers source from all of these regions, so there is much to choose from for wood sourcing. There are specific coopers we prefer, but most in the industry are quite good and make solid barrels.”

Jeremy Santo, Winemaker for Washington’s Mercer Wine Estates in Yakima Valley, agrees. The fifth-generation winery sources barrels from 14 cooperages. Santo emphasizes the mutual trust and respect that winemakers and cooperages share.

“Why do I use the cooperages I do? The obvious answer is they make amazing barrels. But the relationship is the most important part. My favorite cooperages are also my friends. This allows for a relationship that you can collaborate and ask questions on what’s the best type of barrel for which wine. The coopers know what they are doing. They guide me in the direction to make the best wines.”

Santo echoes a recurring theme shared by Lutes and Remy when it comes to selecting which barrels to use for different varieties and even styles of wines. The type of wood used, size of the wood grain and toast levels are all key factors, he says.

“I like to use French Oak primarily on higher quality fruit. French Oak tends to add nice sweetness to the mid-palate of wines without overt oak aromas and flavors. French Oak allows the fruit of the wine to shine as well as providing sweetness to the mouthfeel. The American Oak I like also adds a lot of mid-palate sweetness but has more of the roasty, toasty, marshmallow and vanilla characteristics that’s perfect for mid to entry level wines. For higher tier/reserve wines, I lean more towards French Oak (tighter grain wood). The tighter grain wood allows for longer aging of the wine. The oak impact is gradual/slower, so the wine can age longer and develop flavors/aromas over a longer period of time. For reserve quality wines, you have more time to age unlike the $15 to $20 bottle of wine which is made to drink ‘now’.”

The question of using staves is met with mixed results, despite the lower costs as compared to barrels. According to Remy, staves can be installed in tanks, mimicking the use of barrels, adding micro-oxygenation. He adds that the actual quality of today’s staves is much higher than, say, 20 years ago, due to technology and the knowledge of how to select better oak wood, how to season the wood and how to apply precise toasting.

In contrast, Santo opts out of using staves and prefers oak cubes, citing ease of use and faster more, efficient extraction of oak impact of the wine, while keeping aromas and a nice feel on the palate intact.

As for oak barrel alternatives, Santo favors using oak cubes in tanks to achieve more oak impact on lower priced wines.

Another wood barrel alternative is Karasch’s latest patented invention, called Squarrels. ® The play on words describes a customizable, square, steel, stackable barrel, using wood only where it’s needed, saving winemakers time and money.

Most of these experts agree that over time, a traditional barrel loses its potential to release flavors in wine roughly after four to six years of use. When barrels become “neutral,” some wineries simply use them to add the breathing factor. Once retired from winemaking, barrels can be reconditioned for spirits, flooring or even furniture.

Profiling Software Used by the Wine Industry

January 7, 2020April 16, 2025 Cyndi

tablet showing Vinnow — Photo Courtesy of: VinNOW

By: Becky Garrison

While one can still find wine producers who rely on paper ledgers, Excel spreadsheets and other pen and paper methods to manage their business, wine producers are increasingly turning to technology to help them perform these tasks. The proliferation of software explicitly geared to the wine industry has streamlined how many wineries operate. This software can help winemakers better manage a range of functions starting with regulating environmental conditions in their vineyards to performing a variety of eCommerce functions, as well as helping to enhance the consumers’ experience in their tasting rooms.

Microworks Wine Software

Microworks Wine Software was formed in 1991 to address the lack of technology servicing the wine industry. Currently, this software includes a suite of tools that help wineries manage their direct-to-consumer sales. The software takes complex tasks and simplifies them for efficiency and accuracy. With Microworks Wine Software, all details of sales, customers and inventory are tracked and reported to management so they can execute informed decisions.

These tools include visitor center tracking, wine club and eCommerce sales, customers and in-ventory, as well as helping with accounting, fulfillment and alcohol compliance. This software suite allows wineries to manage their retail operations by tracking sales data and then issuing re-ports. Tasting room managers can track visitors and staff, and wine club managers can oversee the wine club and its members. Inventory staff can track products across multiple warehouses while managing wine shipments and pickups, and accounting can track and reconcile all sales and inventory activity with complete audit trails. Additionally, marketing managers can track all customer activity, including which wines consumers buy, when they buy their products, how fre-quently they purchase wines and the channels through which they make these purchases.

When a wine producer purchases the software, Microworks performs an initial onboarding pro-cess. Then apps can be downloaded by the user on devices through the Microworks website, Ap-ple’s App Store or Google Play. Users can take advantage of Microworks certified training ser-vice—a one-on-one instruction for winery employees that ensures they’ll get the most out of what the software has to offer. Online documentation and tutorials are also available.

The latest release of Microworks Wine Software’s iPad mobile POS offers an offline mode, so users can now access this software without having to connect online. When the software gets used offline, transaction data is stored and then uploaded to the server when the device is back online. Currently, they are working on an automated email system to simplify and tailor custom-er communications to drive more sales.

Sensaphone

Sensaphone software complements the hardware that measures temperatures, humidity and other environmental conditions in the vineyard. Since its founding over thirty years ago, Sensaphone has transitioned from having its software utilize traditional alarm auto dialers hooked to phone lines to a cloud-based platform.

Using this software allows producers to know the exact temperature in the fields, and to be alarmed if the temperatures sink too low. In the case of ice wine producers, it allows them to pro-tect the grapes during cold temperatures.

This software allows wine producers to see the temperature values of their vineyards in real-time, set high and low alarms, and datalog those values. These features monitor environmentally sensitive assets and can be programmed to send emails or text messages to users when those as-sets are in danger. Also, it offers real-time visibility and the ability to datalog values for a com-parison over time.

Sensaphone products are easy to install and program. It is a one time purchase with upgrades in-cluded with the purchase price. Also, they feature an app that allows producers to view data from any mobile device.

VineSpring

For the past eight years, VineSpring has offered winery eCommerce, allocations and wine club management software designed for wine producers who sell directly to consumers. Through this software, wineries can easily manage their club and allocation offerings, saving administrators time, and providing wine club members with tools that are easy to access. Online tutorials allow wineries to maintain the software on their own.

VineSpring can connect to many third party programs, and natively supports integrations with MailChimp, ShipCompliant and Square POS. Also, they have partners like WineGlass Marketing that have built powerful integrations, including automatic sync with Quickbooks desktop. Mov-ing forward, they look to expand the options for wine clubs, especially surrounding automatic recurring billing.

VinNOW

Created in 1999, VinNOW software was specifically designed for wineries to manage customer data and purchase histories, tasting room sales, wine clubs, multiple location inventory tracking and wine production. Wineries can use this software on a single stand-alone computer, a tablet, or on a network multi-point of sale operation. Also, as this software does not require a good in-ternet connection, it works well for those wineries located in regions that do not have reliable internet access.

The software includes a customer management system, point of sale, wine club automation, eCommerce, inventory management, reporting and order processing with QuickBooks, compli-ance, email and shipping integrations and EMV credit card processing. Also, bulk wine tracking and custom crush billing module are available. When necessary, features are added that respond to industry changes, such as the new California District Tax.

For those wineries offering wine clubs, the software’s one-step wine club processing includes shipping labels for UPS and FedEx. Also, GSO shipments can be tracked through VinNOW. In addition, the software has options for easy email and postcard marketing campaigns. It also inte-grates with QuickBooks desktop or online versions, web shopping providers, and ShipCompli-ant.

VinNOW can be self-installed and maintained and includes a comprehensive help database. New customers are encouraged to go through the free training program, so they understand the full capabilities of the software. Customer service is available seven days a week.

Winetracker.co

Winetracker.co is a wine tasting app launched in 2017 that’s available for iOS and Android, as well as the web browser.

Users snap photos of the wine they are drinking and then use the app’s four sliders to give their personal opinion on the aroma, taste, finish and overall impression of the wine. The app then auto-generates a wine expert score (50 to 100 points) based on these four sliders. Optionally, the user can use “TouchTags” to describe the unique elements they detect in the wine. As they continue using the app, they end up with a visual history of the wines they drink, similar to a “Pinterest for wine.”

The second primary feature of this app is a multi-person, real-time experience called Group Tasting. Anyone hosting a tasting event, whether a winery, event planner or party host, can create a tasting list ahead of time. At the event, attendees can collaboratively taste the wines together through the app. They can see each other’s wine scores and comments popping up on the screen in real-time. Also, there’s an optional Blind Tasting mode for the Group Tasting feature.

According to Tony Jacobson, Founder of Winetracker.co, wineries who use the Group Tasting feature increase their wine sales. He ascribes this to the fact that when people taste wines with Winetracker.co, it causes a fuller engagement with each wine they sample. “When they are pondering the aroma, taste and finish of a wine, they get a much better sense of how much they like or don’t like it. This creates a deeper connection with the wine they’re drinking.” Winetracker.co is willing to schedule one-on-one consultations with wineries and event planners to help guide them through the process of creating Group Tasting events.

In the future, the company plans to launch tasting groups similar to Facebook groups, where us-ers can join and automatically be notified whenever someone adds new wine scores. These groups can be public or private. Also, they plan on adding the ability for users to follow individ-ual people on Winetracker.co. Along those lines, users can automatically receive notifications whenever people they follow taste a new wine. Winetracker.co is also looking to enable wineries to have conversation threads or email conversations with the people who participate in their tast-ing events.

As technology continues to evolve, expect to see these software companies continue evolving to meet the needs of 21st-century wine producers.

It’s Easy Being Green: New Ideas for Your Operations

January 7, 2020April 16, 2025 Cyndi

facade of a winery — Photo Courtesy of: Morton Buildings

By: Tracey L. Kelley

Sustainability is no longer a buzzword. Perhaps in the winemaking industry, it never really was. Growers frequently enact innovative solutions focused on water conservation, renewable energy and waste-free practices. For example, major producers such as Fetzer Vineyards and Shafer Vineyards adapted green solutions as far back as 1999, and organic growers go back even further.

The initial costs of sustainable integration—easier for new projects rather than through retrofitting, although some effective solutions are viable for existing estates—provide significant return-on-investment over the life of the buildings and grounds. Now more than ever, it’s easier for progressive vineyards and wineries to take advantage of the latest eco-friendly technology and create properties that reflect their integration with the land, and honor the origin of their products.

“They know sustainable-building strategies are good for the climate, good for their site and can make a huge financial impact when considered over the life of a building or business,” said Jon Gentry, owner and partner of goCstudio architecture + design in Seattle, Washington. “It’s our intent that projects use limited natural resources responsibly, and each design enriches its site and cultural landscape.” won an American Institute of Architects’ Emerging Firm Award in 2018.

Learning About Potential Solutions

Gentry told The Grapevine Magazine that clients benefit most by consulting with sustainability experts when they’re first curious about this direction, which helps determine site needs, budget and program. “Having solutions thoughtfully considered from the beginning leads to designs that function and look better in the end. These solutions might include natural daylight and ventilation, solar panel arrays, green roofs, locally-produced materials, geothermal heat pumps and striving to use materials that will be low maintenance and stand the test of time,” Gentry said.

As one example, goCstudio designed several site-specific sustainable strategies for COR Cellars in Lyle, Washington. “The site has strong winds that funnel up through the Columbia River Gorge. It was important to deal with this element, so we created a courtyard building that provided a protected entry and event space,” Gentry said. “We also bermed the building into the natural sloping hillside using the earth’s mass to help insulate the structure. Finally, we created a flat, low-profile roof that allowed the owners to easily install a solar panel array or a built-up green roof.”

During information gathering, all the terms and concepts for sustainability options might be a surprise. For instance, LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED is the blueprint to “create healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings,” according to the U.S. Green Building Council, which oversees the various levels of LEED certification and its rating system. One large step beyond that is the International Living Future Institute, or ILFI. This nonprofit implements even higher green building standards, which include living building certification, petal certification and net zero energy building certification.

There are varying degrees of net zero status. Dwight Schumm is a senior mechanical engineer and managing principal at Design Engineers in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. His firm designs building systems—heating, cooling, plumbing, power and lighting—and its net zero headquarters is LEED and ILFI rated. The New Buildings Institute, a nonprofit that promotes better energy performance in commercial buildings, has Design Engineers on its 2019 list of only 580 “getting to zero” certified, verified and emerging projects in the entire United States and Canada. The firm designed another net zero building on that list: Indian Creek Nature Center, also in Iowa, and winner of the 2019 High Performing Buildings Technology award.

“Net zero describes a number of different things,” Schumm said. “A net zero energy building means it produces as much energy as it uses—that would be total amount of all types of energy. So, for example, if you have natural gas consumption, you’d need to produce enough energy to offset that. Net zero electricity is separate from net zero energy, but most rated buildings with this intent are electric, so it’s usually the same thing,” he said.

Net Zero Water Leads Conservation Efforts

Schumm also noted that properties can strive for net zero water management. A primary concern for vineyards, this means all water used onsite comes from a well, and all rainwater that falls on a property stays there—there’s not a storm runoff removal system. “With our office building, even though much of the area is covered with pervious material so water can infiltrate, we also designed an infiltration basin—sometimes called a bioswale,” he said. “Instead of holding and then moving water away—which often happens around many non-pervious parking lots—this basin is designed to ease water into the ground.”

Allen Rossignol is president and CEO of Edge Architecture in Rochester, New York. As a certified LEED professional, Rossignol guides his firm to apply green and sustainable practices to winery and craft beverage projects throughout the Northeast, such as Red Tail Ridge Winery in Penn Yan—New York’s first LEED Gold Certified winery—and the FLCC Viticulture and Wine Center. Rossignol provided some additional specifics for water conservation.

“The amount of water used for cleaning is a large concern for all wineries. We often suggest a metered water system so owners can be aware of their consumption and make efforts to reduce the amount used,” he said. “Further, as wastewater from the winemaking process is large in quantity and has high levels of BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), there are two solutions: 1) hold and treat or 2) septic systems. With the first solution, we successfully reuse the water for irrigation of the vineyards. The second allows natural replenishment of aquifers.”

Architects and engineers aren’t the only sustainability professionals thinking about water management. Matt Milby is the designBUILD project development manager for Morton Buildings, based in Morton, Illinois. The company pioneered green construction practices with its first building in 1949, and implemented early advances in Energy Star and LEED certification in its industry. “Renewable energy initiatives such as water reduction or advanced heating and cooling systems that also provide cost-savings are important to wineries,” he said. “Also, low-flow water fixtures are easy to find and significantly reduce water usage without sacrificing service.”

Your Partnership With Architects, Builders and Engineers

If you’re passionate about sustainability, sourcing the right design and building partners are essential to your success. “We encourage owners to first connect with an architect whose work they’re drawn to,” Gentry said. “Architects generally have strong relationships with talented builders that do great work. Make sure it stands up to how they’re presenting their services and that sustainable strategies are built into their processes from the beginning.”

“An experienced winery architect can help streamline your facility, resulting in better operational flows and a more efficient building,” Rossignol added. For Red Tail Ridge, Rossignol and his team “included the use of a geothermal heating and cooling system that serves the building and the winemaking process equipment, which is unique to the wine industry,” he said. “Natural ventilation and wastewater harvesting are additional features that contribute to the green design.” Combined with high-efficiency windows and skylights to maximize daylighting and a white-reflecting roof to reduce temperature, Rossignol said the winery’s energy efficiency is 40% greater than baseline equivalent buildings.

“Consumers are looking for more out of their wine experiences. A knowledgeable winery architect can help you create the destination they’re seeking, and a well-designed winery or tasting room is the key to increasing traffic and interest in your winery,” Rossignol said.

“The absolute, number one thing any user can do to be sustainable is minimize how much energy they use,” Schumm told The Grapevine Magazine. “To incorporate these principles and goals, the earlier you start, the better, so hire engineers and other design professionals with the appropriate sustainability expertise. This is really critical because, in the beginning, you have a blank slate. But too far along in the process, more constraints exist, which limit your flexibility,” he said. However, if you want renewable solutions for an existing facility, Schumm advised getting a feasibility study and an energy audit, and making adaptations where you can.

Design Engineer’s website has articles featuring real-world numbers demonstrating where to find net zero savings. Not surprisingly, the primary category contributing to energy efficiency is conservation. “Methods such as daylighting, energy recovery for ventilation, good passive solar design, southern exposure with appropriate shading and so on. Then, another quarter of the savings comes from geothermal heat pumps,” he said.

Rossignol agreed. “Heat recovery systems such as ventilation systems re-circulate warm air, so energy used to heat buildings isn’t wasted. And geothermal has drastically proven to reduce heating energy and, for wineries, in particular, can be integrated with the cooling systems for fermentation,” he said.

The structure that houses these systems shouldn’t be an afterthought. For example, Morton’s steel roofing and siding has high levels of recycled content and is completely recyclable at the end of its lifespan. “By combining sustainable building practices and our Energy Performer insulation system, many of our buildings are able to achieve national recognition for their efficiency,” Milby said.

Morton’s post-frame construction allows for continuous insulation between structural elements. “So plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems are placed between the insulation and in the finished wall or ceiling. This configuration results in no penetration of the insulation and an increase in energy efficiency and overall insulation performance,” Milby said. He added that cool roofing or high-reflective roofing products reduce the “heat island” effect on a building, and lowers energy use and costs. Foundations with concrete lower pier columns eliminate wood contacting the ground and wood treatment and require less excavation and less concrete. Morton even utilizes sustainable sourcing.

“Long before the U.S. Green Building Council created LEED, Morton Buildings was already applying a number of sustainable building practices. Since 1949, we’ve used timber frames manufactured from renewable wood sources. To conserve energy and natural resources, the materials used in most Morton buildings are manufactured within 500 miles of each building site,” Milby said.

What’s On the Horizon

Now that sustainability solutions are more attainable, there are numerous trends to consider for your operation.

“I think the rise in mass timber structures is very exciting,” Gentry of goCstudio architecture + design said. “We’ve used cross-laminated timber components on a smaller scale—like our renovation of the Substantial space in Seattle. Mass timber structural components require less than one-fourth the carbon emissions to produce compared to steel or concrete components,” he said. “There’s an elemental beauty to cross-laminated timber panels and glue-laminated structural beams that’s compatible with a lot of the winery spaces we love to imagine.”

Milby of Morton Buildings is thrilled to see the trend of reusing old building materials in new buildings. “It connects the new and the old with really interesting and popular interior designs. At the same time, it’s helping the environment: fewer items put into landfills and less harvesting of materials, such as woods and minerals, along with the impact of not manufacturing new building products,” he said.

Schumm of Design Engineers is hopeful about energy storage and electricity. “I think thermal and electricity storage is becoming more important and cost-effective. Soon, you’ll have electricity storage onsite to dispatch when it’s most advantageous for you. This trend will grow significantly,” he said. “Additionally, electrify everything. If you’re able to transition from any kind of combustible—natural gas, diesel, anything—to electric, you’re reducing C02 emissions as well as relying on 100% renewable energy.”

“The consumer appetite for environmental design and interest in learning about the process of beverage making has pushed wineries to evolve into more of a destination than ever before, and it’s been really great to see how this industry embraces this new role,” said Rossignol of Edge Architecture.

Proper Vineyard Equipment Enables Successful Vineyard Management

January 7, 2020April 16, 2025 Cyndi

By: Gerald Dlubala

Whether we’re considering leaf pullers, harvesters, sprayers or some other piece of machinery, good vineyard management starts with the right equipment. Properly matched vineyard equipment helps necessary tasks get completed on time, and are crucial to running and maintaining the efficient operation and growing conditions that lead to a successful harvest. Additionally, having the proper vineyard equipment available saves time and money by reducing the number of working hours while contributing to larger, more bountiful harvests and heartier crops.

However, the proper vineyard equipment, (including the amount you’re willing to spend on them), can be subjective, so it’s always recommended that you research and get the equipment that’s best suited for your specific situation.

Labor And Resource Saving Spray Systems

“The right equipment for your vineyard always comes down to your needs,” says Willie Hartman, President and owner of Oregon-based On Target Spray Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation electrostatic sprayers. “Your most used, and subsequently, most needed, vineyard equipment indicates how important the task is to you and your vineyard. So, in our case, we ask how important spraying is compared with the other tasks in your vineyard management process.”

The answer depends on the amount of time and money spent on spraying throughout the production cycle. A significant issue over the past couple of years, especially on the East Coast, has been the need for more disease and pest control, and vineyards have increased their spraying to combat these issues. Vineyard managers have been tasked with finding the most efficient way to achieve consistently better coverage with the least cost. On Target electrostatic sprayers can provide just that, leading to better results than standard sprayers.

“Now, more than ever, it’s extremely important that you use a sprayer that provides complete overall coverage,” said Hartman. “It’s easier to control mildew early on when you’re able to apply spray coverage both over and under leaves while also wrapping around the vines themselves. When you spray with electrostatic sprayers, you’re using less water while saving time and money.

“A standard sprayer will typically use one hundred gallons per acre sprayed, whereas our electrostatic sprayers will only use twenty gallons over that same area. We can spray ten acres versus a standard sprayer’s two acres using the same two-hundred-gallon tank. That’s an opportunity to immediately reduce your tank fills by 80%. Add in the time lost because of return trips to refill the tanks, and you can see that valuable time can be recovered using electrostatic sprayers. Less overall material to spread means less time spent on the tractor, saving money on fuel and man-hours. By using less water, we concentrate our spray, resulting in less runoff, minimal drift, and improved chemistry coverage. This increased performance is especially important in having the ability to move away from systemic treatments and stay with contact treatments such as those needed in the organic farming industry.”

Along with the extended use available with electrostatic sprayers, Hartman tells The Grapevine Magazine that it’s vital to perform an exact application when spraying, so from their largest to smallest sprayers, they all leave the shop with rate controllers.

“The most important maintenance issue for sprayers is rinsing after use,” said Hartman. To make this as easy and economical as possible, his sprayers all have onboard rinsing tanks that are accessible with the flip of a switch. Additionally, all of the components needed for droplet charging in electrostatic spraying are separately enclosed, including liquid, air and the twelve-volt power source.

“And now, we’re making our sprayers smaller, lighter and even more economical,” says Hartman. “This is great news for smaller growers because our three-point trailered electrostatic sprayers can be used with smaller tractors. A very popular model is our one-hundred-gallon trailer that only requires 20 horsepower to operate. And when you use smaller, less expensive tractors combined with smaller sprayer units, you get the additional benefit of less ground compaction.”

Multi-Use Equipment For Efficiency And Cost Savings

Bill Reiss, owner of BDI Machinery Sales Inc., has seen it all. So he knows that there’s a lot that goes into the management of a vineyard, including the inherent belief that when it’s all said and done, it’s always the vineyard manager’s personal decision on how best to run their vineyard. Reiss doesn’t want to sell anything that won’t help the vineyard manager improve the land.

“It’s not just about the right equipment, it’s about the equipment that’s available to you,” says Reiss. “The equipment that you want may not be economically feasible if you are a small vineyard. You won’t have the spending money to invest in a lot of specialty equipment, so it’s imperative as a supplier to always be looking for time and labor-saving ways to get things done. Some vineyard equipment may be good in one region but not useful at all in another growing region. Most decisions are made based on the timing of the growing and harvesting process. There may be tasks that you’re willing to do by hand, but is that going to put you behind on other critical tasks? Can you get it done on time? Are there better ways to get that task done and stay on the critical timeline of your vineyard management?”

Reiss and BDI Machinery stay focused on tools that have multiple, useful functions for vineyard owners. Their leaf pullers come as attachments, hooked onto a frame that can be attached to a tractor.

“The latest trend in leaf pullers has been to use the air impulse pruners,” says Reiss. “A controlled blast of air shatters the leaves away from the plant. These have been around since the nineties, but better technological developments have made them trendy now, especially on the East Coast. Earlier models included a simple fan that used velocity to suck leaves into an impeller blade to be chopped up, and the double drum leaf pullers, still being sold and in use today.”

With additional attachments available that can be attached to the same frame, a single tractor can now be used for hedge clearing, pruning and suckling removal. Once these implements are hooked up to a tractor with hydraulic capacity, they’re controlled with a joystick for safety and comfort.

“Now you’re helping your clients have access to more machinery at less cost,” says Reiss. “They’re only having to buy the attachments that they need for their specific vineyard process. This is good for immediate tasks, but also future planning. Additional attachments can be purchased later on an as-needed basis, knowing that they already own the base frame and tractor needed to use them.”

Reiss tells The Grapevine Magazine that rather than concentrating on one single piece of equipment, BDI is always on the cutting edge of new technology regarding all vineyard machinery. They are continually looking for new ways to be economically and environmentally friendly while creating the ideal tool for grape growers and wineries.

Whether Large Or Small Operation, Grape Harvesters Save Money And Time

Jesse Willms, Operations Manager, and Duarte Oliveira, Sales and Customer Relations for Lakeview Vineyard Equipment Inc., know the importance of keeping costs down in the vineyard. Anchored in this knowledge is the belief that every vineyard, no matter the size, should look to mechanical harvesting as a way to reduce labor costs and increase the quality of their harvest.

“Mechanical grape harvesters perform great for all grape varietals,” says Willms. “Some adjustments need to be made depending on the grape that is going to be harvested because each variety does pick differently and at different stages of ripeness. With the correct setup, modern harvesting machines can provide 100% picking rates and zero loss.

“With the increased potential of finding quality used harvesters, as well as the many choices when buying new, there are reasonable options for all sizes of wineries and growers to take advantage of mechanical harvesting machines,” says Oliveira.

However, before choosing a grape harvester, consideration has to be given to a vineyard’s unique set up and layout. There are different machines to handle the different growing styles, including Geneva Double Curtain, Smart-Dyson or Vertical Shoot Positioned. The terrain and landscape slope of a vineyard will dictate the need for a two-wheel or four-wheel-drive system. The correct choice of harvester for a vineyard will also be determined by the width of the rows, as there are different sized harvesters made for both wide and narrow spacing needs.

“Once the size of the grape harvester is determined, look for a harvester with on-board destemming and sorting,” says Willms. “On-board sorting equipment has evolved recently and continues to be a focal point of the mechanical harvesting function. With on-board sorting, you lower the amount of interaction between material other than grapes (MOG) and recently harvested fruit. Just as importantly, the sticks, leaves and stems are left in the vineyard to be worked back into the soil. Providing MOG free grapes with low maceration is the goal, even in challenging post-frost or rotten fruit conditions. Ultimately, with the ability to automatically remove the MOG, you increase the ability to deliver your harvest in a more efficient and timely manner.”

“Adding to their affordability and usefulness factor, harvesters can often be used as over-the-row tractors as well, making them functional for year-round use,” says Oliveira. “The picking head can be removed from the tractor base of the machine and be replaced by different attachments like a pre-pruner, leaf remover or multi-use sprayer.”

Oliveira tells The Grapevine Magazine that new developments have shown up in automatic steering and on-board yield mapping as well. The automatic steering is guided by a vineyard’s physical layout and landscape properties, while on-board yield mapping provides the grower with comparative, year-to-year data identifying the parts of the vineyard that are cropping heavier than others. Vineyard managers then use this information to make well-informed decisions about pruning, thinning and fertilizing for the following growing season.

Owning and running a harvester does require a bit of maintenance simply because of the number of moving parts involved, and since harvesting is a time-sensitive task, you don’t want to run the risk of breakdowns. Seasonal maintenance is always recommended, including belt and chain tightening, greasing all bearings and bushings, and annual maintenance of the on-board engine.

Exploring the Diversity of European Grenache Wine

January 7, 2020April 16, 2025 Cyndi

By: Becky Garrison

Grenache has the distinction of being one of the world’s most widely planted wine grapes. Addi-tionally, this versatile wine pairs very effectively with food. Grenache wines have diverse levels of texture and depth with a slight spiciness that work well with a wide range of braised, grilled and stewed meats, as well as the milder styles of Asian cuisine.

As part of Feast Portland 2019, a regional food and drink festival with international appeal, Hoke Harden, SWE Certified Spirits Educator, offered an industry presentation into European Grena-che wine. He focused on those wines that range in cost from $10 to $20. At this reasonable price point, Harden describes the wines as “not wine you take home and save, but wine you take home and drink.”

Although lower priced Grenache may not be the sort of wine one ages in a cellar, these wines have a distinguished history that belies their price tag. Carbon dating of seeds and leaves discov-ered at archeological sites indicate Grenache was planted as early as 153 BCE. Most likely, Gre-nache originated in the region of Spain now known as Aragon, where it goes by the name Garna-cha. However, some have speculated the grape originated in Sardinia, where the grape is called Cannonau.

As these vines flourish best in hot, sunny and dry conditions, the Mediterranean climate proved to be ideal for growing them. Grenache vines were then planted in Catalonia and then in places outside of Spain that were under the Crown of Aragon, such as France, Corsica, Southern Italy, Sicily, Croatia and Greece.

The old vines currently growing in the region can be over one hundred years old. They tend to produce a finer and more complex wine than Grenache produced in areas where the vines are much younger.

The grape comes primarily in three versions: red—Grenache Noir, white—Grenache Blanc, and a version of white known as Grenache Gris. The Grenache Noir is round and smooth with notes of prunes, cherries and other red-pitted fruits. Conversely, Grenache Blanc has a combination of floral, fruity and herbaceous notes and fresh aniseed licorice flavors for a fleshy, mellow wine of medium intensity, a medium to high acidity and high levels of alcohol. The Grenache Gris pro-duces pale rosés and mineral-driven whites with copper hues and citrus notes that are fleshy, round and elegant.

Additionally, there are two less common Grenache grapes—the Lledoner Pelut (black) and Gar-nacha Peluda (hairy). The Lledoner Pelut, which is a cousin to the Grenache Noir, is very similar but has more structure and a bluer color. Garnacha Peluda, which gets its name from its hairy leaves, has a lower alcohol content, medium acidity, aromas of red fruits, and rapid oxidation.

From these varieties of grapes, winemakers can produce a vast array of wines ranging from light- to full-bodied red or white wines, as well as rosé wines, fortified wines, natural wines and spar-kling wines. Each of these varieties is highly sensitive to the growing conditions of a particular region. Depending on the soil, climate and elevation, wines produced from these grapes can vary dramatically from one appellation to another. For example, one appellation may yield full-bodied, black-fruited wines, while a nearby region produces a more light-bodied wine made with red fruits.

While Grenache can grow in a diverse range of soils, the vines respond best to the schist, lime-stone and clay soils abundantly found in Northeastern Spain and the Roussillon in southern France. Here the grapes’ tight clusters make it a perfect choice for these hot and dry soils. How-ever, the same tight grape clusters make Grenache prone to downy mildew and bunch rot when grown in humid or rainy locations. Also, as the grapes ripen relatively late, they work best in very warm regions.

Another positive attribute of these hardy and vigorous Grenache vines is that they use less natu-ral resources than many other vines. In fact, Grenache could be seen as the world’s most eco-friendly and sustainable grape. As this grape adapts to arid weather conditions, it can be grown using environmentally friendly vineyard practices. For instance, these vines are not dependent on rainwater because their roots can delve deep into subterranean water tables. In addition, the plant has a robust wooden frame that is drought and disease resistant. Often Grenache is grown as a free-standing bush with its strong, sturdy trunk able to survive in strong winds. In consideration of all these attributes, in 2011, the World Climate Change and Wine Conference with Kofi An-nan in Marbella, Spain recognized Grenache as a product well prepared for climate change.

Currently, over 90 percent of Grenache grows in Spain and France. The regions have been certi-fied in two European Union quality schemes: PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) and PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). The EU established these schemes in 2012 for agricultural commodities to ensure that the products originated in this particular region. Also, these schemes ensure that the product has been produced in accordance with European agricultural production methods that focus on nutrition and health, food safety, traceability, authenticity and labeling.

Five PDO vineyards in Spain specialize in the Grenache grape variety: Somontano, Terra Alta, Cariñena, Calatayud, and Campo de Borja. Within these regions exists 5,500 wine growers and 144 wineries, with Grenache repenting about 40% of their vineyards. (Other varieties are Tem-pranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah). Rosé and White Grenache is grown in the Terra Alta PDO, while Red Grenache is the main variety grown in the other four PDOs.

Roussillon in France houses 2,200 winemaker families, 25 co-ops and 350 private cellars. The varied topography of this region produces a wide variety of Grenache grapes that can create a range of wine styles, including dry still wines and fortified sweet wines.

Most of the reviews about Grenache wines tend to focus on blends such as the Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine blend from France’s southern Rhône Valley. French winemakers discovered this va-riety in their search for a grape that would add alcohol, body and fruity flavors to their existing wines. Other noted blends made using Grenache can be found in Gigondas, and in the Priorat reds produced in the Priorat county, situated in the southwest of Catalonia in the province of Tar-ragona. Many of these wines tend to carry a significantly higher price tag than the moderately priced wines highlighted by Harden, with select bottles garnering a price as high as $800.

Winter Pruning Tips: Prepare Your Vineyard for Success

January 7, 2020April 16, 2025 Cyndi

By: Alysa L. Ochs

Although the busy days of harvest are now behind us, there isn’t much time for vineyard staff to sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Now begins the important task of pruning, and winter is the ideal time to separate healthy wood from the dead and damaged. Whether you’ve just started vineyard operations or have been running a vineyard for decades, it never hurts to be reminded of the best dormant pruning practices and learn about emerging technology to make this vineyard task easier.

The Purpose of Pruning

Dormant pruning is critical to grape growing because it maintains the training system, allows operators to select fruiting wood, and manipulates the quality of fruit produced. It helps maintain vine form, regulates the position and number of shoots on a vine, improves fruit quality, stabilizes production and improves bud fruitfulness through careful bud placement and selection. Pruning is also an opportunity to get control over weeds, identify vine diseases and address pest concerns before they become significant issues.

When to Prune

As a general rule, dormant pruning can be done anytime between leaf drop in the fall and bud break in the spring. Vineyards around the country may start pruning right after Thanksgiving into mid-December, but this tedious job usually extends through March. Some vineyards wait until January to begin their dormant pruning because this is when the canes become woody.

Jordan Lonborg, viticulturist at Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, California, told The Grapevine Magazine that his vineyard chooses when to prune largely based on weather.

“We typically start pruning in January,” he said. “But the majority of pruning takes place in February and March.”

Vineyards may postpone pruning to assess cold injury better and adjust pruning levels to compensate for losses. Double pruning is sometimes used to avoid spring frost injury. However, the availability of labor in the winter months has a big impact on when vineyards do their pruning as well.

“Pruning your grapes too early in the season is a mistake that novices make that can result in no fruit production,” Randy Killion, president of Zenport Industries in Sherwood, Oregon told The Grapevine Magazine. Zenport manufactures and markets professional and consumer specialty horticulture tools and supplies for the lawn and garden, landscape, irrigation and agriculture markets.

“If low temperatures and strong winds follow pruning, it’s very possible that the pruned parts will freeze,” Killion said. “This will make you lose all or part of your crop. Therefore, it’s recommended that pruning is delayed until February.”

Types of Pruning

Cane pruning is most commonly used for grape varieties that have low natural fruitfulness on the basal buds. This type of pruning requires vineyards to replace the one-year-old canes annually.

Spur pruning is most often used for high fruitfulness varieties and is relatively easy to do. This is the most popular method of pruning among vineyards today, particularly for grape varieties like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Meanwhile, head training is sometimes practiced by vineyards without trellising. While this practice is economical, it’s important to watch for rot and mildew, as well as congested canopies that can topple under their own weight.

“We spur prune the majority of the vineyard because 65% of the vineyard is on trellis,” said Lonborg. “Ten percent of the vineyard is cane pruned as well. A majority of the cane pruning occurs on Syrah and Viognier due to their vigorous nature.”

Disease Identification and Weeding While Pruning

Grapevine diseases can occur at any time of the year, but the winter season is a useful time to check plants for abnormalities and take action. Some of the most common diseases that grapevines experience are Pierce’s disease, phylloxera, downy mildew, powdery mildew, gray mold, black rot and vine truck diseases such as Petri disease and black measles.

While pruning, keep an eye out for discolored lesions that are red, brown or black. Other signs of disease are curling leaves, weak or short shoots, rapid wilting and shriveled leaves or grape clusters. Also, look for grapes covered in a gray or tan powder or leaves with yellow edges.

However, a visual diagnosis may not be sufficient, and it may require laboratory analysis to identify certain bacterial and fungal diseases correctly. To protect the healthy plants in the vineyard, promptly remove diseased wood and either burn it (if your area allows burning) or add it to the green waste bin to be hauled away.

Pruning and weeding go hand-in-hand around this time of year, and there are important factors to consider when developing a vineyard weed control program for the dormant months. Nicola Rinieri of Rinieri S.R.L. in Forlì, Italy, told The Grapevine Magazine that customers must think about the conditions and their most common practices. For example, vineyards in the Northeast hill up the soil to protect the vines, which requires specialized equipment. Rinieri provides agricultural machinery for vineyard processing, pruning machines, offset machines, in-and-out rotary tillers and cultivators.

Pruning Tools and Supplies

While the process of pruning may seem simple enough, some specific tools and supplies help get the job done right in the most efficient way possible. The most basic hand tools needed for pruning are a few good pairs of pruning shears, loppers and saws. Vineyards also use hand-held scales to measure pruning weights and ribbons, garden tape or cloth strips to identify fruiting canes and renewal spurs.

There are pros and cons to both manual and mechanical pruning, and decisions in this regard are often the result of long-standing vineyard traditions.

“All of our vineyard is manually pruned,” said Lonborg. “Maintaining the proper structure of the vine is of the utmost importance when producing high-quality fruit.”

Rinieri said a common mistake that vineyards make when doing mechanical pre-pruning is trying to use a machine to do a job where it’s not appropriate in the vineyard.

“It is common to have the wires not tighten enough so the machine can catch them or to have a cross arm so wide that the machine cannot open enough to avoid them,” she said. “This was happening many times in the past, but fortunately not as often lately.”

Amanda Van Hoorn, operations manager for INFACO USA in Livermore, California, told The Grapevine Magazine that the F3015 Electrocoup pruning shear with a patented safety system is popular among vineyards for pruning purposes. The history of INFACO dates back to 1984 when M. Daniel Delmas invented the world’s first electric shears. Today, INFACO offers a versatile and compatible product line that also includes an electrical tying device, electric olive harvester and battery-powered tools.

“No other company offers the safety and versatility of the F3015 Electrocoup shear,” Van Hoorn said. “Specifically, we offer a patented safety system that ensures workers won’t injure their non-pruning hands. Users can also increase cutting capacity by just changing the head on the shear. This means that vineyard managers can use the same tool for cane pruning, converting vineyards and cutting out Eutypa. The shear’s battery is also compatible with a variety of other INFACO tools for vineyards, including an electric tie gun and suckering tool.”

Killion of Zenport Industries told The Grapevine Magazine about the wide selection of quality hand pruners, loppers and saws that Zenport offers, as well as the company’s series of battery-powered pruners. Popular Zenport products are the Zenport EP108 CORDLESS ePruner, a 0.5-inch cut battery-powered electric pruner, and the Zenport EP2-778 ePruner, a 1.25-inch cut battery-powered electric pruner.

“These two pruners are immensely popular for vineyard use because of reduced fatigue upon workers, dramatically increasing pruning efficiency and speed,” Killion said. “Both pruners enable the user to prune for an entire day.”

Meanwhile, Rinieri offers two types of machines for pruning, called CPL, and each type has four different sizes based on cutting length. “It is important to find out if a vineyard is cordon or guyot and then decide which length the customer needs,” Rinieri said.

Rinieri also sells many weeding tools, including Bio-Dynamic, TURBO with hoeing blade, plow kit and Bio-Dynamic tools, and TURBO EVO with power harrow, disc hoeing units, mini shredder plus the blade and plow. These units are available with single or double side blades. Other offerings are the EL power harrow single-side, FS tiller single-side, and EP heavy-duty power harrow – all PTO driven.

FELCO can also be counted on to help vineyards prepare for the winter season, and it has been producing high-quality pruning tools for 75 years. FELCO’s Ryan Amberg told The Grapevine Magazine about their newest tool, the FELCO 822, launched just this year.

“It maintains its predecessor’s position as the most powerful electronic pruner on the market with new features, such as HSS XPRO blades for increased longevity, smaller multi-position power pack for ergonomics, and the first-of-its-kind connectivity for future vineyard management applications,” Amberg said. “If you are looking for a solution to carpal tunnel or a solution to a lack of labor, the FELCOtronic can be a real solution this winter.”

Pruning Considerations and Tips

Proper pruning practices come with time and wisdom collected over many winter seasons. Being prepared and having a plan in place for dormant pruning is always a good idea, but it is also necessary to be flexible in case weather, the labor supply, or other factors throw a wrench in your plans.

Van Hoorn of INFACO USA said that labor is a huge factor when planning for pruning and buying new pruning tools.

“The labor crisis is here to stay, and with it comes increased prices for every operation in the vineyard,” she said. “Proper pruning is crucial to producing great grapes but is one of the most labor-intensive tasks on the vineyard. The F3015 pruning shear from INFACO has shown an average productivity increase for vineyards of 30% and also increases the number of years workers can continue pruning. Powered pruners have an inherent risk, though, and that’s why the F3015 pruning shear features a patented safety system to protect workers’ non-pruning hands. There is no doubt that this is becoming a must-have tool for vineyard managers who need to find ways to use less labor and keep their best workers.”

Van Hoorn said vineyards should, “Switch to an electric shear before the labor market chews you up and spits you out!”

Killion of Zenport reminded vineyard managers that pruning tools are used extensively, and battery-powered pruners, in particular, need to be serviced periodically.

“Choose a manufacturer that stocks replacement parts, like blades and bumpers,” Killion said. “For electric pruners, it is imperative that a service center with quick turnaround is available.”

Killion also said it is crucial to identify last year’s growth because this is where the coming season’s fruit will form.

“The wood where the fruit is produced on the last year’s growth will have a different color than the older wood that can’t produce fruit,” Killion said. “You will usually be able to identify the last year’s wood because of its reddish color.”

Rinieri of Rinieri S.R.L. said that the main factors to consider are the size of the vineyard and row width.

“When a vineyard is large in size, it needs a quick machine, like Bio-Dynamic, TURBO or TURBO EVO,” she said. “If it is small, it can use EL, FS or EP. Also, finding out what type of work a vineyard wants to do is important because some machines can use different working heads, like TURBO EVO and TURBO, with no power tools. The width of the row is important because all machines have a range of widths in which they can work.”

Amberg of FELCO said that three things should come to mind when purchasing new tools: the application of the product, the longevity of the product, and the ability to maintain the product. Product application is vital for improving vineyard ergonomics, which is why FELCO offers so many different hand pruner models.

“We believe ergonomics are key in a high-stress pruning environment like the vineyard,” Amberg said. “A tool should be bought, taking into consideration hand size, left or right-handedness and average cut diameter. We make tools for all varieties of these combinations.”

Regarding longevity, Amberg said hand tools are the workhorse of a vineyard crew’s arsenal during pruning season, which means they are put under a lot of stress and abuse.

“This is why we protect our tools with military-grade aluminum handles, as well as our precise manufacturing process that allows these tools to tolerate the stress of intensive pruning without issue,” he said. “Look for tools that are built to last and that you will not replace multiple times in a season.”

Amberg also pointed to proper maintenance as a way to get more life out of your tools and extend your return on investment.

“We build our tools so that with just simple blade and spring changes, you can maintain your tool for a lifetime,” Amberg said. “This means on any aluminum-handled FELCO, all parts can be changed and replaced with ease, thanks to our precision machining. We produce our tools out of an old watch factory in Switzerland, giving us the ability to put tools back together hundreds of times without any give in the mechanics.”

However, it doesn’t matter what tool you use if you start too early, said Longborg of Tablas Creek. “If you have the ability to wait as long as possible, do so!” he said. “If you can wait to prune until the vines start bleeding, you greatly reduce the risk of Eutypa infection.”

NEW ‘Wine Village’ in British Columbia’s Okanagan Acts as a Launchpad for Small-batch Wineries

January 7, 2020April 16, 2025 Cyndi

By: Briana Tomkinson

A new project breaking ground this year in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley aims to bring together small-batch wine, beer, cider and spirit producers to create Canada’s first “wine vil-lage.” Here visitors can explore craft beverages and culinary delights created by up-and-coming craft beverage producers.

District Wine Village (DistrictWineVillage.com) will be surrounded by vineyards and will include production facilities and consumer-facing tasting rooms for 16 producers, as well as a 600-person entertainment and event center and on-site eateries. Beverage producers will benefit from shared resources, such as a communal crush pad.

According to spokesperson Lindsay Kelm, by gathering so many craft beverage producers to-gether in one place, the District Wine Village aims to create a tourism draw that is greater than any new small-batch winery could create on its own.

“People are looking for niche producers, artisans and craftspersons. It’s a trend that’s here to stay, to support local,” Kelm said. “We’re building people up and giving them a platform to share their story.”

The circular site is designed in the shape of a wheel, with a partially covered pedestrian plaza and partially covered event space at the hub, and the facilities for each producer as the “spokes.”

Tasting rooms and event facilities will face the interior of the wheel, while delivery trucks can load and unload grapes, bottles or other material with the help of an on-site operational team directly into each facility through doors facing the perimeter. Producers who lease space in the village will also benefit from a streamlined licensing process, and co-operative marketing and PR.

Each of the 16 “pods” will feature a fully-equipped production area complete with tanks, hoses and other equipment, which will be leased to the craft beverage producer. Also included in each space is a customer-facing tasting room and patio, which can be designed and branded to suit each occupant. Pods will also include room for barrel and case storage.

Kelm said the project aims to be a launchpad for grape-growers or garagiste producers who have the passion and skill to produce wine but lack the deep pockets needed to fund a tradi-tional winery. Although Kelm said most spots are likely to be snapped up by small wineries, she said other craft beverage producers also need these kinds of spaces.

Land is expensive in the Okanagan, Kelm said. To buy a small winery may cost between $1.5- to $3-million at the low end. Because all the production equipment is leased to the producers, the startup cost within the District Wine Village is much more affordable than buying or building a dedicated space, she said.

Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2020. The first four to six pods will be ready by fall 2020, and all 16 are expected to be completed by summer 2021.

The project was designed by Penticton’s Greyback Construction (http://www.greyback.com/), which was involved in building many other local wineries, including Painted Rock, Arrowleaf Cellars, Culmina, Wild Goose, Church + State, Nk’mip Cellars, Burrowing Owl and Black Hills.

In a press release announcing the project’s launch, Greyback Construction General Manager, Matt Kenyon, said the project aims to create a sense of community and connection among the site’s wineries, cideries, breweries, distilleries and eateries as well as the broader region.

“We are really looking to be a significant economic driver for our local communities and sup-port the future growth of wine and culinary tourism in the South Okanagan,” Kenyon said.

The District Wine Village project is located in the small town of Oliver, in the South Okanagan, in the heart of one of Canada’s most successful wine-producing regions. The town is home to half of British Columbia’s vineyards and more than 40 wineries.

Although Oliver has a year-round population of only 5,000 people, it swells with tourists in the summer months. In the fall, the town’s population doubles during its annual Fall Okanagan Wine Festival. The festival includes the Cask & Keg, a brewery and distillery showcase, and the family-friendly Festival of the Grape (http://oliverfestivalofthegrape.ca/), which features tastings from more than 50 British Columbia wineries alongside food trucks, children’s activities, and costumed competitors in the annual Grape Stomp contest.

The town’s Half-Corked Marathon (https://www.oliverosoyoos.com/half-corked-marathon/), a wine-soaked fun run through scenic vineyards featuring wacky costumes, fine food, wine-tasting and a who-cares-who-wins attitude, is another popular tourist draw. Participants have a maximum of three and a half hours to complete the route, which winds through as many area wineries as possible. The race is so popular that registration is by lottery; spots in the 2020 race in May are already all sold out. Organizers say over 8,000 people entered the lottery for this year’s race, which was capped at 1,500 participants. Tickets are $185 and include race entry, transportation to and from the start/finish lines, lunch, wine and food tastings along the route, a swag bag and a bottle of the Half Corked signature wine blend.

Approximately 84% of British Columbia’s vineyard acreage is located in the Okanagan Valley, according to the British Columbia Wine Institute (winebc.com), a non-profit industry organiza-tion representing British Columbia wine producers. The 250-kilometer valley includes four dis-tinctive sub-regions: Golden Mile Bench (located near Oliver), Naramata Bench, Okanagan Falls and Skaha Beach. The area is warmer and arider than California’s Napa Valley and gets almost two hours more sunlight per day during the growing season.

Yet unlike California, winter temperatures dip well below freezing. Area wineries began harvest-ing frozen grapes for ice wine in late November when temperatures dropped to -8 degrees cel-sius (17.6 degrees Fahrenheit). According to the BC Wine Authority, 20 wineries registered to harvest ice wine grapes this winter, with approximately 463 tons of grapes expected over 124 acres in the Okanagan Valley, Similkameen Valley and the Shuswap region.

To qualify for the British Columbia Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) certification, harvesting and pressing of grapes for ice wine must occur in temperatures below -8 degrees Celsius. Artificial refrigeration of grapes, juice, must or wine is prohibited.

The interior of British Columbia, which includes the Okanagan area, is the only wine-growing region to regularly experience the frigid temperatures required to produce ice wine.