Category: Vineyard Info

What Spotted Wing Drosophila Means for the Wine Industry

Cyndi

By: Annie Klodd, University of Minnesota Extension

woman picking grapes
Using a small mesh cage to infest a grape cluster with SWD; Ebbenga, PhD Candidate, Dept. of Entomology, UMN

In case you haven’t heard about invasive fruit fly spotted wing drosophila (SWD), this is the infamous pest that pierces the skin of soft fruits like raspberries and strawberries to lay eggs inside. It costs the US fresh berry industry millions of dollars each year.

  As viticulturists whose businesses rely on high quality fruit, we may be tempted to assume that SWD will also decimate our vineyards in the same way it does berries. However, this might be a poor assumption that causes us to spend more on insecticides with no real benefit.

  The question I will explore today is: How big of a problem is SWD, really, for vineyards? Is it actually any worse for grapes than other fruit flies?

  For SWD to impact grapes like it does to other soft berries, it would have to be able to pierce the grapes’ skin and lay eggs inside. But grape skin may be just thick enough to deter them. Entomology researchers at University of Minnesota recently published a study that found that out of 34 different cold climate hybrid and vinifera grape varieties, SWD was only able to pierce the skin of 4 varieties.

  SWD is more likely to impact vineyards by introducing sour-rot causing bacteria to split or injure grapes. However, common fruit flies already do this, and we already know how to control them. The difference may be that SWD are attracted not only to overripe berries but to ripening berries as well, stretching out our timeline for management.

The Big Fuss About Spotted Wing Drosophila

  SWD is not native to the United States or Canada, but it is now prevalent throughout fruit-growing regions of North America. It was accidentally introduced from east Asia in 2008, likely via cargo as with many invasive pests. It quickly spread throughout the continent, costing the US strawberry, blueberry, cherry, and raspberry industries millions of dollars; in Minnesota raspberries alone, the pest causes over $2M per year. The costs come in the form of damaged fruit, lost marketable yield, and frequent, expensive insecticide applications.

  The feature that makes SWD special from other fruit flies is that the females have a serrated “ovipositor” that they use to pierce the soft skin of ripe berries to lay eggs inside the fruit. Those eggs become larvae (maggots) that feed on the fruit, making it mushy and unsalable. Both male and female SWD can also introduce bacteria to the berries that cause fruit rots. They begin to become attracted to fruit when it is ripe or nearly-ripe fruit and do not infest green, unripe berries.

  Learning what problems SWD poses for the grape industry will help growers decide if spraying for SWD is a worthwhile expense.

Injury from birds, wasps, and splitting makes grapes attractive to fruit flies, which then introduce sour rot-causing bacteria to the berries. Photo: Dominique Ebbenga, UMN.

Researchers Explore the Impact of SWD on Wine Grapes

  Entomology researchers at University of Minnesota recently found that the skin of many cold climate and vinifera grape varieties may actually be too thick for SWD to penetrate. This begs the question: Is SWD really a big deal for the grape and wine industry?

  To find out if SWD can pierce grape skin, the researchers trapped male and female flies in vials with individual grapes, forcing them to mate and attempt to pierce the grapes to lay their eggs. After two weeks, they observed the grapes to see how many varieties the flies were able to infest, and how many grapes were still intact.

The researchers trapped individual grape berries in vials with male and female SWD flies to test which, if any, varieties the flies are capable of penetrating. Photo: Dominique Ebbenga, UMN.

  The grapes they used were harvested weekly between veraison and harvest, to find out whether riper berries were easier for flies to infest.

  Out of 34 hybrid and vinifera varieties tested, the flies were only able to break the skin of 4 varieties: Swenson Red, Vanessa, and two non-released hybrids from the University of Minnesota breeding program. Popular cold- and cool-climate hybrids like Itasca, Marquette, Jupiter, Petite Pearl and Frontenac were unimpacted. Vinifera varieties Chardonnay, Riesling, Malbec, Valde Penas, and Pinot Noir were also unaffected by the flies.

These results suggest a few key lessons:

●   Grapes are much more resilient to SWD than other berries like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.

●   Since intact grapes are unlikely to be punctured by SWD, growers should not rush to spray for them if the grapes in the vineyard are healthy and intact.

SWD and Sour Rot Disease

  The researchers’ next question was whether the flies might impact already-damaged grapes, by introducing sour-rot causing bacteria. This was likely, considering that other common fruit flies already do this.

  Common fruit flies like Drosophila melanogaster carry acetobacter, the bacteria responsible for grape sour rot. They are attracted to grapes that have been split open from rain or hail, or have been pierced by birds and wasps.

  When fruit flies feed on leaking, damaged grapes, the acetobacter they carry is converted to acetic acid, infecting the grapes with sour rot. When winemakers use sour rot-infected grapes in wine, the wine has an undesirable flavor and aroma.

  To learn whether SWD can introduce sour rot like other common fruit flies, the researchers did a field study in the vineyard. Mesh bags were used to trap groups of SWD flies on individual grape clusters. They tested Marquette, Itasca, Frontenac, and LaCrescent, four popular cold climate hybrid cultivars from the University of Minnesota.

Mesh bags trap SWD onto grape clusters, to test how they impact the grapes. Photo: Dominique Ebbenga, UMN.

  After about 2 weeks, they processed the grapes into wine and measured the amount of acetic acid in the wine through laboratory analysis. They found that when SWD landed on grapes with split skin, they did introduce acetic acid flaws to the wine.

  This finding is consistent with other studies on sour rot, which have found that fruit flies are necessary to introduce the sour-rot causing bacteria to injured grapes.

  For most cold climate grape growers, SWD may not cause any more problems than common native fruit flies already do. The biggest risk they pose for most varieties may simply be introducing infection to berries that are already injured by splitting, birds, and wasps.

  Watch for SWD from veraison to harvest and consider control measures if berry injuries are observed, to reduce the risk of sour rot in the wine. This University of Minnesota study focused on cold climate hybrid varieties, testing 5 Vinifera varieties and 29 cold climate hybrids. Therefore, more research is needed to learn which Vinifera varieties are more or less susceptible to SWD infestation.

Key Points:

●   Research from University of Minnesota found that spotted wing drosophila (SWD) are unlikely to pierce the skin or infest most grape varieties; only 4 of the 34 cold climate and Vinifera varieties were damaged.

●   Like common native fruit flies, SWD are attracted to injured fruit and can introduce sour-rot causing bacteria that creates acetic acid flaws in the wine.

●   Growers should monitor for grape injury from veraison to harvest, use measures like bird netting to reduce grape injury, and only if needed, apply insecticides that target fruit flies.

●   Dispose of sour-rot infected grapes and do not allow them to be used in wine.

●   Initial berry injury by SWD can predispose the fruit to attraction by other fruit fly species common to Midwest grapes, and thus increase overall damage and risk to juice quality.

●   SWD is attracted to ripe or ripening fruit from veraison to harvest. They are not attracted to green, unripe fruit. Injuries on unripe fruit are likely due to other causes besides SWD.

Read the full study here:

  Ebbenga, DN, EC Burkness, MD Clark, and WD Hutchison. 2021. Risk of Spotted-Wing Drosophila Injury and Associated Increases in Acetic Acid in Minnesota Winegrapes. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture 72(1): 106-112.

For more information on SWD, see University of Minnesota FruitEdge:https://fruitedge.umn.edu/

Preparing for the Exit: Why Winery Owners Need to Develop a Harvest Strategy

Cyndi

By: Edward Webb, Partner, BPM & Kemp Moyer, Partner, BPM

unidentified man at the end of a path

Successfully running a business means overcoming numerous challenges. Owners need to scale the business, find competent employees, deal with regulatory issues like taxes and licenses, and create processes and systems — all while developing a robust customer base and go-to market strategy. For agribusinesses, owners have all these challenges plus whatever Mother Nature decides to throw at them. For California’s wine industry, this includes increasingly unpredictable variables such as drought, flooding, landslide, excessive heat, cold snaps, pests, and the growing risk of wildfires and damage from smoke taint.

  Despite these challenges, several successful business models predominate in California’s wine sector. There are fully integrated vintners that grow their own grapes, ferment them into wine, bottle them, and sell and market the finished product. Some winemakers do not own vineyards and, instead, purchase grapes from various growers before bottling and going to market. Finally, there are virtual wineries that buy completed wine and sell it under a brand name. Each models bring its own unique challenges and opportunities.

  While a few large producers dominate the state’s wine sector, most businesses are family-owned and operated. This can lead to a new and significant challenge: What happens when the owner wants to retire and either hand over or sell the business? When you include a force like a once-in-a-century pandemic, you can understand why many baby boomers — about 10,000 of whom turn 65 every single day — might be looking at an exit strategy right now. But, as you might imagine, exits can be more complicated than just a simple sale when a family is involved.

Planning is Essential

  First and foremost, an owner should start planning a “harvest strategy” well before they are ready to pull the trigger. To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. A harvest strategy is a much more detailed plan than a “kitchen table” document.  It goes into great detail on the owner’s goals when they will exit the businesses. It tells the financial and operating story that the next owners need to know. It does not hurt that after more than a decade of quantitative easing, historically low-interest rates and a multi-trillion dollar government spending plan, there is plenty of cash in the system fueling record M&A activity.

  There are various factors that need to be considered in a well-constructed harvest strategy, and it is essential that these succession plans are communicated to all stakeholders, both in the family and with the company’s vital employees or managers. Talking things through will illuminate potential pitfalls, such as the owner’s children not wanting to continue with the business or being unprepared to take on potentially substantial operational challenges. Key employees might want to purchase the operation or refuse to continue working with a new owner. Understanding these dynamics will help when it is time to put the plan in motion and limit any unpleasant surprises. Planning ahead may also allow time to employ tax mitigation strategies.

  The harvest strategy provides detailed instructions on how the business is managed, including all the different procedures and systems used in the business. This document becomes increasingly vital as owners age because of life’s unpredictable nature. An owner could become incapacitated or worse, and the company might not survive without their critical knowledge. Owners should revisit the harvest strategy frequently for updates. Plans made today could be vastly different in five or ten years.

Understanding Value

  Regardless of what an owner chooses — either handing over the business to their children or selling it to someone else — any transaction requires the company to have a fair market valuation. Federal and state tax authorities will demand it, so selling the business to family for a dollar will not work. This valuation will look at all aspects of the company to determine its worth, including its financial performance, assets, inventory, real estate holdings and even the brand’s value. Qualified appraisers are the professionals that will undertake this task and will use different techniques and methods for the equity and/or underlying assets. Sellers should note that having a valuation supported by a third party can help minimize pitfalls during deals, like overvaluing an asset, which can cause potential buyers to walk away or not engage in negotiations.

  Appraisers can use a few different methods to calculate the value of the company’s real estate holdings. However, putting a price on a business is more nuanced than selling a single-family home. A typical technique would be to look at comparable sales of similar properties in that area and base the valuation on the transaction price. This method would take things like the size of the property into account, but not necessarily the cash flow potential of operations, including the production of grapevines.

  The value of the land and the grapevines depend on several factors, ranging from the variety of the plant, age of the vineyard, plant density, production per acre, and the presence of pests like vine mealybugs (VMB) and Virginia Creeper Leafhoppers or diseases like Grapevine Leaf Roll. Other improvements to the land will affect its price, including trellis systems, irrigation and frost protection systems. An appraiser might estimate the fair market value for this asset by calculating how much revenue the land generates based on projected demand, grape price trends, and the yield the land produces. A discounted cash-flow analysis could also be used to factor in variables like projected cash flows, industry cycles and general economic trends. Of course, an appraiser could use a combination of all these methods to determine the asset’s value.

Brand Awareness

  One asset that could be harder to put a value on is the company’s brand. It is an intangible that could be worth more than all of the physical property and inventory of the company. There are three methods to determine a brand’s value, and they are sometimes used together.

•    The first is to calculate the replacement cost of the brand. Basically, this involves formulating how much time and money it would take to re-create the brand from scratch, which are divided into three subsections:

      Brand Identity: Covers all items used to create and develop the brand’s identity, including the name, designing the logo, novel bottle designs, trademark and legal fees, websites and choosing a color palette.

      Brand Awareness: The cost of advertising, promotion and publicity campaigns for the brand to achieve its current level of market awareness.

      Market Position: This is the cost of retaining the business’s current clientele and includes advertising, discounting with distributors, and building relationships with retailers.

•    The second is comparable pricing. This method requires researching the sale of similar brands and using that as the foundation for a valuation. This can be a challenge if there are little or no sales of similar assets.

•    The third and final method is an income-based approach, also known as an “in-use” approach. This involves calculating the future earnings that can be directly tied to the brand to determine its value. The formula looks at everything from income to cash flow to cost savings generated from the brand.

Sell High

  If a winery owner’s family is not interested in maintaining the business, selling is the other option. The sale could be to an industry peer, a current employee, a high-net-worth individual or even a private equity fund. However, certain factors go into the sale and the final price beyond the valuation process discussed earlier.

  Any potential buyer is looking for the ability to generate future cash flow. Operating a winery takes leadership with specialized education and experience. This knowledge includes how to grow and harvest grapes, the manufacturing process, as well as storage of the wine. If the sale is to anyone but an industry peer or employee, this can hobble a deal or result in a lower sales price. As mentioned earlier, having a detailed manual on how to operate the business can help reduce transition issues that may impact price, but locking down an expert to assist with a sale can be essential to getting the maximum return in a sale.

Distressed Resolutions

  All the information above is based on the orderly sale or transfer of the business at a fair market value. That means there is a willing seller and a willing buyer. However, the price could be much lower in a scenario where the owner is forced to sell or liquidate, either through bankruptcy, the sudden death of key people, or litigation. In these situations, engaging an experienced restructuring professional is essential.  Navigating a distressed situation is difficult, doubly so when the business is yours.

  There are multiple variables for owners to consider and plan for as they create their harvest strategy. Being prepared for this transition will help them avoid costly mistakes or address issues early enough in the process to make them non-factors. This planning is essential to maximizing the value of their business. Owners contemplating making this transition would be wise to start the process and create their harvest strategy today.

Edward Webb has over 35 years of experience in consulting and financial management, including specific experience in business restructuring and leadership advisory services. Edward has a Doctorate in Business Administration and currently leads the Corporate Finance Consulting group at BPM, one of the 50 largest public accounting and advisory firms in the country, where he sits on the firm’s Management Committee.

With more than 15 years of experience in complex financial advisory, and a primary focus on valuation services, Kemp Moyer has led hundreds of business and asset valuations in his career with substantial industry experience in technology, life science, professional services, food and beverage, digital assets, manufacturing, and consumer business, among others. A partner in BPM’s Advisory practice and head of the firm’s Valuation team, Kemp’s valuation experience includes M&A and IPO preparation and support, fairness and solvency opinions, and litigation support and dispute resolution, among other high impact analyses.

Controlling Those Pesky Pests and Debilitating Diseases In Your Vineyard

Cyndi

By: Gerald Dlubala

man inspecting crops

Pest and disease management are always on the minds of vineyard managers and grape growers. Because of that, it’s also on the mind of Don Yadon, the Southern California Sales Manager for Sym-Agro Inc, serving the horticultural and agricultural markets with a comprehensive assortment of fertilizers, fungicides, biologicals and pesticides.

  “Because of the potential damage to vines and fruit by the end of the growing season, it’s an annual ritual for both growers and field consultants to focus on Vine Mealy Bugs, Leafhoppers and a trio of mites, including the Two-Spotted, Willamette and Pacific Spider mites,” said Yadon. “Under favorable conditions, mite pest populations can grow exponentially in a short time and overwhelm the vine’s ability to manufacture downstream carbohydrates, leading to less marketable fruit. Mealybug and leafhopper populations have a similar effect but can also devastate fruit appearance and quality.”

  Sym-Agro offers an Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) certified solution labeled Cinnerate, an emulsified Cinnamon oil that controls pest mites, mealybugs, and leafhoppers by interfering with the pest respiration system through either physical contact or fuming activity. By its nature, Cinnerate is environmentally and plant safe, working in concert with critical beneficial predators to keep pest populations below threshold levels. In addition, it is a great companion when used with mating disruption products. Cinnerate can be tank-mixed with narrow range oils and can be applied with sulfur if desired.

  “Cinnerate is effectively used with both organic and conventional grapes as a successful and sustainable solution to control pests,” said Yadon. “Applications of Cinnerate are most effective when starting early in crop development before canopy become dense. Cinnerate controls pests through contact, so adequate coverage is paramount for success. Growers using multiple applications of Cinnerate during the season are experiencing less disease and insect pressure, higher quality fruit, and a more robust beneficial predator resume. And early applications naturally result in lower pest populations even before the availability of beneficial predators.”

  Debilitating crop disease is another issue that has to be addressed early. Yadon said that future trends in the wine industry would likely include increases in mechanical field practices, including harvesting and pruning. These increased practices will transform basic vine architecture and impact both insect and disease behavior patterns. Additionally, changing weather patterns combined with the possibility of increasing heat and accompanying water restrictions will impact vines, increase trunk disease pressure,  lessen foliar disease pressure, and impact insect populations and species.

  “Sym-Agro offers a robust lineup of fungicides and bactericides for use on all types of grape crops that includes multi-site mode of action compounds with very low resistance and excellent crop safety,” said Yadon. “Powdery Mildew probably causes the most damage, followed by Botrytis and Sour Rot, so growers dedicate significant resources to assure disease-free grapes. Powdery Mildew is especially problematic, so control starts at budbreak to knock down spores that overwinter and stop the disease from gaining an early foothold. The best Powdery Mildew strategy is preventative and flexible enough to include a curative if an expression starts to develop. Resistance management is also important, so early applications with a multi-site mode of action fungicide with low resistance are the best guard against resistance later in the year. Conditions for favorable Botrytis growth usually show up later in the growing season, but early-season treatments from budbreak to early bloom are warranted if necessary.”

  Sym-Ago’s Instill copper bactericide/fungicide is an ideal choice for budbreak treatments to reduce overwintering Powdery Mildew spores and Phomopsis, a type of fungus. Instill is a low-dose multi-chelated copper that protects new bud tissue. It has 14-21-day protection and is rain safe in just a few hours. Tank mixing Instill copper with sulfur at budbreak enhances control. Instill can safely be used all season long for preventative control of Powdery Mildew, Botrytis, Downey Mildew and Sour Rot.

  Along with being an option for mite, mealybug, and leafhopper control, Cinnerate is also an OMRI-certified replacement for oxidizers or potassium carbonates and functions as a contact curative fungicide for Powdery Mildew. Additionally, Cinnerate is an effective pre-harvest treatment for post-harvest fruit quality in table grapes.

  “And now, our growers have an additional and powerful Powdery Mildew and Botrytis fungicide to use in conventional and organic grapes called ProBlad Verde,” said Yadon. “It comes from the Lupin plant as a seed protection protein and has a multi-site mode of action with meager resistance potential. ProBlad Verde is most effective when used as a preventative, providing 7-14-day protection, and can be positioned as a stand-alone or with other fungicides. Due to its curative and preventative action, it works well early to keep the disease in check and works well after the onset of ripening to keep fruit disease-free.”

  Yadon tells The Grapevine Magazine that Sym-Agro dedicates significant resources to test and validate the efficacy of their products, paying very close attention specifically to offering products that do not mark, spot or damage the fruit. As a result, Sym-Agro offers value-added products with proven, successful, plant-safe patterns of use that result in superior formulations and effective, practical applications.

  “A high percentage of the products we offer are biochemicals or biological and therefore plant-friendly,” said Yadon. “The grower’s plants and trees do not have to manipulate or metabolize any chemicals because they are not alien to the plant. Our products leverage secondary plant defenses that add to plant health, disease, and insect control. In the future, you’ll see an increase in the use of beneficial predators, less dependence on chemical pesticides, and increased use of plant-friendly pesticides and sustainable products that stimulate a plant’s internal defenses via ISR (Integrated Stress Response) and SAR (Systemic Acquired Response) pathways. Fewer broad-spectrum insecticides will be in demand, and we’ll likely see an increased demand for anti-stress products like Sym-Agro’s ECKOSIL to strengthen plant cell walls and make it more difficult for pests to penetrate leaf surfaces. We will also likely see expanded use of mating disruption products in pest control.”

Suterra: Using Mating Disruption To Deter Vine Mealybug’s Destructiveness

  “Vineyard managers tell us that their biggest pest challenge is the increasing spread of the vine mealybug (VMB),” said Emily Symmes, Ph.D., Senior Manager of Technical Field Services for Suterra, a global leader in sustainable pest control. “The vine mealybug is a triple threat because it not only infests and feeds on the fruit resulting in unmarketable bunches, it also spreads grapevine leafroll viruses that eventually kill otherwise healthy vines. In addition, vine mealybugs also produce a sticky residue called honeydew that leads to the contamination of clusters with sooty mold, degrading the value of the crop.”

  Vine mealybug is the primary insect concern because it is an invasive species that also happens to be the most aggressive of the mealybug species that attack grapes. It has more generations, produces more honeydew, and is the only mealybug that spreads to all plant parts, from roots to upper canopy leaves. As an invasive species, there are fewer natural checks and balances in place to help mitigate populations.

  “While there are a few chemical management options available, the more these are used, the higher the likelihood that insecticide resistance will develop,” said Symmes. “The good news is that there are Integrated Pest Management (IPM) options for VMB management that do not pose a risk of resistance development, including pheromone mating disruption products, ant control, and natural enemies such as parasitoids and predators.”

  Suterra has a long history of innovation. Along with helping growers by using unique pheromone-based products to protect crops with zero harmful residues, Suterra was the first company to manufacture products that lower the population of the vine mealybugs by disrupting their mating habits. In addition, their CheckMate® products reduce damage and extend the lifespan of conventional tools by helping fight insecticide resistance and contribute to maximizing the efficacy of insecticide inputs where needed.

  “Mating disruption products have now been shown for decades to be a reliable Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technique,” said Symmes. “The wine and grape growing industry is incredibly progressive and sustainably-minded. As a result, we are seeing more regions establish and take steps to collaborate on programs for area-wide mating disruption, with its use increasing dramatically year over year as growers realize the benefits and return on investment.”

  Suterra’s CheckMate® VMB-F and CheckMate® VMB-XL are synthetic replicas of the vine mealybug sexual reproduction pheromone. Both CheckMate® products can be used to complement any spray program and are compatible with all other integrated pest management IPM tools, from beneficial natural enemies to conventional insecticides. The flexibility and compatibility of the products have led to widespread adoption of mating disruption for vine mealybug since Suterra first registered them.

  CheckMate® VMB-Fis a sprayable pheromone most often applied using conventional vineyard spray equipment and can be tank-mixed with many common agrochemicals. Symmes said they’ve seen aerial applications via drone and helicopter depending on the time of year and vineyard access. Most will use standard spray equipment during the season, typically spraying about every 30 days, depending on the local climate, amount of pest activity, and grape variety. No additional education or licensing requirements exist for the CheckMate® VMB-F application beyond what you’d have for any insecticide application.

  CheckMate® VMB-XL is a membrane dispenser. These are easily attached once per season to the cordon or trellis in a uniform pattern using a specially designed hook attached to the dispenser, allowing them to emit pheromone all season long. CheckMate® VMB-XL is approved for organic production by the EPA’s National Organic Program and is popular with organic and conventional producers who prefer to hang this once per season over intermittent spraying. Based on recent trials in Europe, CheckMate® VMB-XL is the longest-lasting VMB dispenser on the market.

  “By hanging VMB-XL dispensers or spraying VMB-F microcapsules, vineyard managers confuse flying male vine mealybugs so they cannot find females to mate with,” said Symmes. “While naturally reducing the pest’s overall populations and thereby decreasing crop damage, our solutions are safe for all of the beneficial species as well. However, it is important to note that although area-wide mating disruption is not necessary for mating disruption to have great impacts within individual vineyards, coordinated efforts in monitoring and disruption would benefit the entire industry. In many permanent crops, there is a desire to move toward automation when it comes to monitoring which is understandable given labor issues and advances in technology that show potential for this approach. However, fully comprehensive monitoring and visual scouting programs remain the gold standard when we engage with growers. Trap-based monitoring is only one of several approaches to gain the information necessary to develop an effective IPM program, especially for invasive pests like vine mealybug.”

Sustainability Is Key To Long-Term Pest Control

  “We see that most vineyard owners measure sustainability in generations,” said Symmes. “When you’re the fifth generation in your family to grow on land, no one cares more about the sustainability of that land than you. Suterra partners with growers looking to reduce the adverse impacts of pest control in their vineyard and on the planet by avoiding the ever-increasing applications of insecticides. Sustainable pest control, especially species-specific tools like CheckMate® VMB, allows growers to effectively reduce populations and damage while eliminating all non-target species and adverse environmental impacts, leading to healthier waterways, protection of pollinators and other non-target species, and a reduction in carbon emissions from spray equipment. That means improving biodiversity and protecting pollinators, topics that are important to the fruit and wine consumer. It also helps achieve greater worker safety for farmworkers and vineyard managers and eliminates any concern over harmful crop residues.”

How and Why to Use Biologicals and Organics in the Vineyard

Cyndi

By: Alyssa Ochs

lavender crops in a vineyard

As interest in sustainability continues to grow in the wine industry, an increasing number of vineyard owners have become curious about transitioning their operations toward more organic, biodynamic and regenerative agriculture practices. Meanwhile, professionals looking to establish new vineyards or alter certain aspects of their techniques may be interested to learn about the benefits and challenges of taking this kind of approach to increase the vitality of their land and promote the natural health of grapevines.

  It’s important to understand what the use of biologicals and organics means in a vineyard setting and new innovations that are making this approach feasible for vineyards of all types and sizes. Fortunately, there are experienced companies and consultants available to guide vineyards through this process to achieve greater long-term sustainability.

Understanding Organic-Biological Viticulture

  There are a lot of different terms used loosely to describe sustainable and environmentally friendly viticulture. These terms are commonly misunderstood and misconstrued, overshadowing the overarching goal of being as gentle on nature as possible during the grape-growing process. “Biological” refers to the science of living organisms and applying natural sciences to certain structures and processes. “Ecological” is the study of living beings within their environment and is commonly used to describe environmental protection. “Biodynamics,” as it relates to vineyards, involves using natural means and taking cues from nature for growing practices, such as star constellations and phases of the moon. “Biodynamic viticulture” typically means only using organic fertilizers and applying the principles of Austrian anthroposophist Rudolf Steiner to view all aspects of the vineyard as whole entity with a holistic approach. The purpose “organic viticulture” is to eliminate manmade chemicals and additives from the winemaking process. However, the legal definition of what qualifies as “organic wine” varies from one country to another.

  Ultimately, there are various types of products, treatments and strategies that fall under the umbrella of biologicals and organics for winemaking.

  For example, BioSafe Systems provides sustainable products that improve quality and are safe on the environment. Taylor Vadon, technical sales representative for BioSafe, told The Grapevine Magazine that botrytis, powdery and downy mildew are some of the most economically concerning pathogens to treat in grapes because they affect quality and visual appeal. BioSafe Systems’ two most effective organic fungicides are OxiDate5.0 and PerCarb to kill and suppress a broad spectrum of fungal and bacterial pathogens, even ones that may have developed resistance to other fungicides.

  “OxiDate5.0 is a liquid that utilizes peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen to oxidize the outer cell membrane of vegetative bacterial and fungal cells, endospores, making it an effective all microorganisms,” Vadon said. “PerCarb is a water-soluble granular that when put into solution releases 27 percent hydrogen peroxide by weight to oxidize organisms like OxiDate 5.0 but is much more alkaline and leaves a five-to-seven-day residual to inhibit growth. Both OxiDate 5.0 and PerCarb leave no lasting effects on the environment and allow workers to return to the vineyard after sprays have dried, increasing productivity.”

  Meanwhile, Acadian Plant Health is a division of Acadian Seaplants Limited and world leader in biostimulant solutions that are sustainably sourced and scientifically proven to increase crop survivability, yield and quality. The company’s products are used in soil and foliar inputs on over 70 crops in more than 80 countries worldwide

  Holly Little, PhD, the director of research and development for Acadian, told The Grapevine Magazine that her company has seen had many grape-growers gravitate to Acadian® Organic and Stella Maris® Organic products, which offer all the benefits of the conventional product with organic certification and enhanced compatibility with other inputs.

  “Some of the key benefits for sustainable growers are improvements in plant health, including improved root growth and nutrient uptake, as well as abiotic stress tolerance,” Little said. “There are also additional benefits with improved bunch elongation, which helps with airflow within the bunch, which helps limit the environment that diseases like to grow in.”

  Little also said that there are some really interesting things occurring with soil health and soil microbes with regard to sustainability.

  “We’ve found that the use of Acadian seaweed extracts stimulates the beneficial microbial populations,” she said. “This is a really unique response. Many times, people advocate adding soil microbes, but often the soil environment isn’t right for what you add, so it is only a temporary benefit. By altering the natural populations, we believe that this can be a more long-term and sustainable option.”

Benefits of a Biological/Organic Approach

  Now, perhaps more than ever before, it is a good idea for vineyards to start recognizing the importance of biological and organic approaches in their operations and being open to the potential benefits offered.

  Natalie Winkler from Traditional & Biodynamic Vineyard Consulting told The Grapevine Magazine that conventional farming through the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and insecticides kills life in the soil. This can result in deep compaction and loss of structure in topsoil, water runoff, erosion and the loss of farmable land. This consulting company specializes in the conversion and establishment of vineyards to organic, biodynamic and regenerative farming systems, with services ranging from “a la carte” to all-inclusive for each vineyard’s unique needs.

  “Simply put, conventional farming is not sustainable because it degrades the soil continuously,” Winkler said. “In opposition, organic and especially biodynamic methods regenerate the soil by increasing microbial life, therefore organic matter, water retention capacity and vine nutrient uptake. Organic, regenerative and biodynamic farming allow us to grow a premium crop every year, while replenishing the soil so it can continue to produce for generations to come.”

  Little from Acadian said that newer and non-traditional products can address the many grape-growing challenges become more numerous every year, such as improving plant and soil health and also aiding in the long-term sustainability of the vineyard.

  “Acadian Plant Health’s products are a good fit for grape-growers looking for a more organic/sustainable management program or conventional program,” Little said. “They offer a range of benefits with one product, and application programs that can be tailored to achieve different objectives in a vineyard, making it easily adaptable to different growing styles and environments. The healthier plants are less susceptible to stress, including disease, and are more productive.”

  Vadon from BioSafe pointed out that even if a vineyard defines itself as “conventional,” organic products may still be best fit for certain applications.

  “In many cases, it has been documented that botrytis, powdery and downy mildews are developing resistance to certain FRAC groups,” Vadon said. “Fungicide resistance management starts with rotating fungicides with different FRAC groups, but in some cases, that is not enough. Using an organic broad spectrum contact fungicide mixed with a conventional fungicide that has the potential to develop resistance, strengthens spray programs by killing resistant and nonresistant organisms, thus reducing the chance for further mutational resistance to develop.”

Challenges of Sustainability in the Vineyard

  However, many vineyard owners are concerned about whether sustainability measures will require more ongoing maintenance and upkeep, if they will be more time-consuming and whether the payoff will really be worth it in the end.

  Winkler from Traditional & Biodynamic Vineyard Consulting said that the biggest challenges in transitioning vineyards to organic, regenerative and biodynamic farming are bringing life back into the soil and subsoil and promoting vine roots to grow deeper to access nutrients and water.

  “The transition period can be stressful on vines because conventional vineyards are often addicted to synthetic fertilizers,” Winkler said. “Weening plants off of fertilizers takes time. The vines must be reeducated into becoming more independent.”

  Winkler said that establishing an organic and biodynamic vineyard from scratch is much easier because getting started in this way from the beginning allows the vines to thrive in their environment because they are adapted to this natural way of farming.

  Vadon from BioSafe said, “Many organic pesticides require more frequent applications to stay ahead of common pests found in the vineyards. If a vineyard has high mildew pressure and has not been sprayed for an extended period, some organic fungicides might not be able to manage to an acceptable level where others could.”

Vadon also said that knowing a product’s strength, such as being broad spectrum, and limitations, such as no residuals, is important for knowing how it fits into your vineyard’s program.

  Little from Acadian pointed out that there are so many products on the market now that make a lot of different claims, so it is nearly impossible to differentiate between products that are effective or not. To address this issue, she recommends looking for data from real and replicated research, peer-reviewed science and on-farm demonstrations.

  “Consistency of biological products can be another challenge,” said Little. “Natural products have an inherent variability, and not all manufacturing methods account for this. Ideally, a manufacturer can show consistency in physical characteristics and bioefficacy over manufacturing times and years. Acadian® Organic and Stella Maris® Organic have been through rigorous quality assurance, and the consistency of our products is of the utmost importance to Acadian Plant Health™.”

Sustainability Tips and Advice for Vineyards

  Experts in the fields of biodynamics, eco-friendly agriculture and organic viticulture have been devising new solutions to common challenges so that these approaches are more practical and profitable for vineyards. Meanwhile, the professionals we consulted about sustainable viticulture had many helpful ideas about how to choose the right solutions for a vineyard and additional ways to focus on responsible grape-growing.

  For example, Winkler from Traditional & Biodynamic Vineyard Consulting said that farm machinery focused on weed management has developed significantly in recent years.

  “One can now find a perfectly adapted implement to almost every vineyard’s soil,” Winkler said. “The combination of a uniquely adapted weed management plan and the introduction of animal grazing can help with timely weed control and increase organic matter. This allows vineyards to move away from herbicide use and build soil health.”

  Vadon from BioSafe said that sustainability comes in many forms but that one of the most important ways to practice it in a vineyard is to rotate a pesticide’s mode of action or in the case of fungicides, FRAC groups.

  “Fungicides have different ways they kill an organism, and continually using the same mode of action back-to-back greatly increases the chances for developing mutational resistance,” Vadon said. “Reducing the chances of mutational resistance developing is the key to keeping the fantastic products available to us in the grape world, viable for years to come.”

  Little from Acadian said that some of the best advice comes from other growers, so learn about their successes and failures and then evaluate how to incorporate their best practices into your operation. She recommended reviewing different products with a critical eye and experimenting with new things while keeping track of what works and what doesn’t.

  “We have a number of different application programs depending on what the key benefits someone is looking for,” Little said. “Soil applications throughout the season are beneficial in building soil microbial populations and with plant stress resistance. Soil applications during natural root flush times will increase root growth leading to enhanced nutrient and water uptake. Foliar applications will help improve stress resistance, but also increase bunch length early season and help with uniformity of growth. When it makes sense for the grower, I recommend a combination of foliar and soil applications of Acadian Organic® or Stella Maris® Organic to gain the most benefits.”

Why Everyone is Talking About Organic Wine

Cyndi

By: Hanifa Sekandi

2 red wine glasses

Is organic wine a hangover cure? Could this be the answer you have been looking for to quell your day after Reisling’s woes? If it is possible to imbibe and wake up early without the thunderous plus of a headache to remind you of the night before, then surely everyone wants in on this vino du jour. Eating organic greens, grass-fed meat, and poultry and reading the labels of packaged or premade foods to see if they contain preservatives has become ever more pressing. Understanding the connection between what goes into our body and how this impacts one’s overall well-being is at the forefront of consumer goods. It is not just the food industry but also the beverage, wine, and spirits sectors. The scientific revolution ushered in a lot of excitement where increasing the shelf life of food with the use of additives seemed like a promising endeavor.

  Sometimes novel ideas have a downside. In the case of preservative-laden consumer goods, things are not always as they seem. The zealous approach to preserve anything and everything did not take into account the impact such ingredients may have on individuals on a long-term basis. Yes, one could argue that not all additives are bad for you and are necessary. Particularly when one thinks of vintage wines that would indeed spoil without the use of sulfur dioxide (SO2). You are certainly not going to find an organic aged Bordeaux or Pinot Noir that is organic. Alas, most wine enthusiasts understand this and know when purchasing organic wines that the lifespan is short therefore, these wines are meant to be enjoyed upon purchase. The distinction of what constitutes an organic wine is not universal and differs from country to country. The United States has taken on a more stringent approach than Europe and Canada.

What is Organic Wine?

  Since the designation of organic wine varies around the world, it is a case of it depends on where you live. This requires consumers to do their due diligence and research to understand that not all organic wines, although placed in the organic wine section, are made the same. Some organic wines may contain sulfites. If an allergy or sensitivity is a concern, then knowing how to read wine labels is essential. You might be wondering, what exactly are sulfites? Sulfites are preservatives used to maintain freshness and prevent bacteria growth, and in the case of wine, to reduce oxidation.

  Sulfites also influence the taste and appearance of wine and increase shelf life. So that well-aged full-body vintage wine contains this preservative. For some people, sulfites are a sensitivity or allergen that may result in side effects. This ranges from a headache to a rash, hives, stomach pain, swelling, and in severe cases anaphylaxis. Wine free of added sulfites is favorable for individuals with this concern. Keep in mind that even organic wine contains a small amount of naturally occurring sulfites.

  In the US, wines that are labeled organic must be made with organically grown grapes. Winemakers adhere to the rules and regulations of organic farming therefore, the use of fungicides, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and herbicides is not allowed. The same standard used to evaluate organic foods by the United States Agriculture department is used to assess organic wines. There is no acceptance for simply using organic grapes. It also extends to how the wine is harvested and the yeast utilized for fermentation. Also, how the wine is stored must follow organic processing standards to receive a USDA organic certification. Before storage potassium metabisulfite is used to sterilize and sanitize non-organic wine barrels which would, in turn, impact an organic wine and hence is not permitted. Another rule is that additional sulfites cannot be added to organic wine and if so, it will not be deemed organic by the National Organic Program.

  A wine bottle labeled as “Made with Organic Grapes” signifies that this vintner used organic grapes for their wine but there are added sulfites. Winemakers who choose to produce wines with preservatives are permitted to use non-native yeasts (yeast that is not organic) during fermentation. They may also use up to 100 parts per million additional sulfites. In Canada and Europe, sulfites are allowed and this distinction is made on wine labels. If you see a wine labeled “100% Organic” in Canada, this means that it is made with certified organic grapes and does not contain added sulfites. A regulation distinction that falls in line with the regulations found in the US. A wine with this certification would be permitted for sale in the US since it meets the strict requirements. 

Not All Wines Are Made Equal

  The European Union has allowed the terminology “organic wine” on wines made with organic grapes but contain sulfites. Whereas organic wine in the US must contain less than 20 parts per million of total sulfites to get an organic seal of approval. This departure in regulation has limited European wineries who consider their wine as organic to enter the US market and be designated as such. Vintners in France and Canada, for example, countries that both allow for some leniencies. Argue that additives permit stabilization and longevity of wines. No preservatives mean these wines have a short lifespan — only a few years after bottling. 

  The solution would be to pivot the same way the food industry has and look for organic preservatives to maintain the integrity of the wine. It is hard to change a processing practice that has proven fruitful and effective. Further, this niche wine selection is still in its infancy. Perhaps the growth in organic wine consumption in places like France, where the drinking of organic wine has seen a dramatic increase in the last few years and continues to grow. May usher in an innovative way to preserve wines. Germany is the leading organic wine-growing country.  Vintners in Germany could take the helm and steer this aim in the right direction. If it can be done in the food industry, it is only a matter of time before an expert winemaker finds the solution or middle ground.  So there can be a fair import and export of organic wine trade with European, Canadian, or other organic winemakers worldwide who have a strong desire to enter the robust organic wine market in the United States.

  As more vineyards in France convert to organic they may take the lead as premier organic wine producers and surpass Germany who has the most amount of organic vineyards. With an increase of organic wine producers in France, which houses approximately ninety percent of the global organic wine-growing regions. France has a surplus of wine reserves more than the percentage of organic wine drinkers in its country could possibly drink. Hence, getting access to more consumers in this niche is essential. The US, with its strict regulations, has a high demand for this niche market. But, it lags considerably behind other organic wine-producing regions in production.

An Organic Viniful Future

  By 2023 an estimated 1 billion bottles of organic wine will be consumed. Germany takes the lead with the consumption of the most organic wine consumed. But this might be due to availability more so than popularity; proximity and ease matter. And setting a high standard for quality and wine cultivation has been the norm for German vineyards for decades. 

  Whether or not wine-producing countries will agree on what makes a wine organic. The reality is there is a demand for wine producers to not only take on sustainable cultivation methods but also consider what goes into each barrel of wine they make. As trendy as hangover-free wine may be, it is more than just about staving off a headache it is about the food and beverage industry’s responsibility to their consumer. Understanding that there need to be options. There is a fine balance that can be met.

  Further, organic wine enthusiasts are not necessarily bidding adieu to classically-made wines; they simply desire choice. If organic wines could be the answer to hangovers or possible side effects for some, it is worth exploring for those looking for an alternative. Of course, there is no direct evidence to support the notion that organic wine is the answer wine drinkers have been looking for to solve a dreaded hangover.

  It cannot be argued that people are finding that organic wine does not have the same side effects as its older sibling wines that contain additional sulfites. This is why it has gained a lot of popularity among health-conscious consumers who tout this day-after pleasant effect.  Another step that organic winemakers are moving towards is producing wine with lower sugar content. This coupled with no additional sulfites could be a winning strategy since high sugar content in alcohol is also responsible for the horrible day after feeling that many feel after one too many.

  As the organic wine industry grows and consumers demand cleaner options. The old school way of making wine and the new school approach will need to find a happy medium. So, wine drinkers can continue to experience the rich history of a slowly-aged oak barrel wine while welcoming a fresh organic wine that compliments a modern lifestyle.

Notable Organic Wines

Dry Farm Wines: This vineyard goes a step further and calls its wines pure Natural Wines. They take on a purist approach when it comes to farming and harvest pure natural wines that are not only lower in sulfites but are sugar-free, vegan, biodynamic/organic, free of toxins, contain lower alcohol and keto, and paleo-friendly. Sounds like wine magic, right?! This winery offers a great selection of reds, whites, rose, and sparkling wine. They offer you an opportunity to try a box of different wines and if you would like monthly subscriptions.

Frey Vineyards: As the first US winemakers to be certified organic and biodynamic, Jonathan and Katrina Frey have been crafting organic wines for over forty years. A standout quality of the vineyards where their wines are made is that they use a biodynamic farming method which means that the natural habitat where their vines grow is cared for with consideration of the animals and plants that inhabit the land. The 2018 Biodynamic Chardonnay with a smooth vanilla creamy finish is a delightful organic selection.

Vineyard vs. Vineyard: Water Is The Great Unequalizer

Cyndi
grapes submerged in water

By: Orest Protch

The Impact of Water Irrigation is more then turning on your Sprinkler or Drop Irrigation. Although the water you see may look, well, boring, when you delve deeper into its secrets, you are entering the realm of rocket science, with a dash of magic and a pinch of voodoo.

  Vineyard water chemistry is more than just pH and a few other high school level chemistry tests. It can possibly explain why some vineyard wines can be award winning some years and other years be best forgotten.

  Vineyards take their raw water from lakes, rivers, water wells and in some cases use treated potable municipal waters. No two waters carry the same chemical and nutrient loading. And this loading taken from the same source can even vary daily, monthly and yearly.

  One side of a lake may have different water chemistries than the other due to the way water flows through it. It can have numerous streams and rivers feeding it, each draining a different watershed. These may be draining mineral outcroppings, storm sewers, municipal wastewater plant discharges, mines, farms and even burnt forests. Each of these will add differing kinds and amounts of chemical elements and compounds to waters. Even a few hundred meters apart, water samples will show varying amounts of TDS, total dissolved solids and TSS, total suspended solids. One stream may discharge its nutrient load farther into a lake than another.

  As an exercise, If your vineyard is on a lake or river, download a satellite image and mark its location in relation to all of the above. You may be shocked at what you see.

  At one point in my career as a research chemist in a pulp mill first owned by Proctor & Gamble and then by Weyerhaeuser, I believed that the seasonally changing chemistry of incoming river water for the mill was impacting the final pulp fiber morphologies in different ways throughout the year. The mill pumped in 6.3 million litres per hour, 24 hours a day.

  I proved that individual elements such as iron, calcium and sodium in the river water, in parts per million (ppm) and parts per billion (ppb), were impacting the final processed fiber properties by interfering at the chemical bonding sites of the fibres at the molecular (atomic) level. 15 pulp mills in both corporations changed the way they ran their processes.

scientist using atomic absorption spectrometer with graphite furnace
The author in 1997 using an AA, atomic absorption spectrometer with graphite furnace, to do accurate and precise river water analysis. His stereoscopic microscope photography work was later verified by using scanning electron microscopes by corporate chemistry PhD’s.

  I then carried this type of testing later in my final career as a senior lab technologist for an oil company using an ICP-OES, (Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer). The flame of this instrument burns at a temperature 2,000°F hotter than the surface of the sun. I measured elements down to the very low ppb level and high ppt levels in daily/weekly process and environmental samples from lake water, river water, fresh water wells and brackish water wells. Even in the harsh industrial environment of oil production, as in the pulp mill, the changing water chemistries manifested their effects.

The author in 2018, as the senior lab technologist for an oil company, using an ICP-OES (Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer) to do elemental analysis of various types of water samples down to the very low ppb, high ppt level. The plasma flame burns at a temperature 2000°F hotter than the surface of the sun.

  Plant roots absorb the waters and simple elements such as iron and cobalt and along with plant enzymes and biological catalysts, create the complex chemicals in grapes. Throughout the complicated grape’s biological chemical processes, water chemistry changes can inadvertently modify chemical reactions and the final reaction product can change.

  What happens in a vine is the equivalent to the most complicated industrial chemical processes known.

 A vine takes simple elements from the water and soil and creates extremely complex molecular chains that would take the largest industrial facilities to duplicate.

During all chemical reactions, elements and chemical compounds look for reaction bonding sites and at the molecular level zero in on specific locations of individual molecules of plant cells. Plant cells absorb these and start creating sugars, acids, phenolics, ethonals, enzymes, montoterpenes and a host of other products that give the mature grape its final properties. But as in all complex chemical reactions, simplicity does not exist. Different atoms, due to their concentrations, may battle it out for molecular bonding sites.

  Elemental bonding sites are the drivers of all reactions. Some chemical bonds prefer other elements if they are available and so the final molecule may not be the one a vineyard wants in a grape. It all comes down to concentrations and availability of needed as well as competing atoms.

Chemical reactions do not occur with the grace and choreography of synchronized swimmers forming their final complex shapes. Instead they are more like the chaos found on the rugby field where each element tries to be the alpha and fights and blocks for supremacy and forming what can either be a desired or undesired molecule. One misallocated atom can change the properties of a molecule and a grape.

  Figure 1 is part of an actual 2019 Government lake water analysis report for the local vineyard industry. If this report had been generated by a third party commercial laboratory for me at my previous work position, I would have rejected it. Look at the number of decimal places and zeros of elements such as cobalt and iron. Research papers show all the elements in the figure are important for grape development. This analysis was obviously done on a very basic ICP, Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometer, found in all commercial labs.

table showing 2019 Government lake water analysis report for the vineyard industry

Figure 1: Part of a 2019 Government lake water analysis report for the vineyard industry. Most industrial chemists would reject it outright. The number of decimal places to the last number indicate the lower detection limit of the instrument used and the ‘<’ sign is like a flashing hazard light to question the analysis precision and its worth to you.

  Figure 2 is the type of analysis that an instrument like the ICP-OES that I used can give. It can reach detection levels by a factor of 100 to 1,000 lower than a basic ICP. In this case the difference between the detection limit of 5 decimal places in cadmium and chromium with 6 decimal places was the quality of the standards used to calibrate the instrument on a daily basis. Analytical standards can vary batch to batch.

Analysis from an ICP-OES
Figure 2: Analysis from an ICP-OES adds more decimal places making it more accurate and useful for better understanding of actual water chemistry.

  Why is it important for vineyards to have the most accurate and precise analysis of their waters? Just like in metallurgy and metal standards, trace amounts of elements can have large impacts on chemical and physical characteristics.

  The analysis report in Figure 1 lists iron composition at <0.010 mg/L. This is completely useless information for a vineyard and a waste of test analysis money.

  What if the mg/L of iron required to make a grape that creates that reproducible excellent wine that you are striving for is between 0.0012 mg/L and 0.0079 mg/L and anything out of that range changes your grape’s characteristics? This kind of tight elemental tolerance is the most critical aspect of a metal’s metallurgical grade. Why would the extremely complicated chemical composition of a grape be any different?

lab scientist analyzing sample

  The best instrument for extreme lower detection limits is an ICP-MS, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer. It can not only easily go to the very low ppb, but to the very low parts per trillion range. A basic ICP will cost about $75,000, (all these costs in CDN$) an ICP-OES $140,000, an ICP-DRC (Inductively Coupled Plasma Dynamic Reaction Cell) $200,000 and an ICP-MS upwards of $500,000. All contract labs will have an ICP, some will have an ICP-OES and perhaps a few an ICP-DRC and only a very few will have an ICP-MS. For any given sample, the analysis cost reflects the cost of the instrument and the professional level of the analyst. For example, an ICP water analysis may cost $100, an ICP-OES analysis $150, ICP-DRC $200 and using and ICP-MS $300.

  These are all just examples and the actual costs will be determined by working with your contract lab’s client account manager. If asking for XRD analysis for leaf and soil analyis, there is only one lab that I know of in Canada where the analysts are all PhD’s. I only used that lab. You get what you pay for.

  Remember, this is a long term endeavor, much like your goals to create great award winning wines year to year.

  Your winery, land and associated equipment are worth many millions. The quality of your wines and your reputation is priceless. Do all that you can to win awards every year. In the next article we can discuss the rocket science of soil chemistry. Cheers!

Determining Which Vegetative Index is Best for Your Vineyard

Cyndi
a vast vineyard

By: Michelle Podolec, Extension Suport Specialist, Cornell AgriTech

The Takeaway

•   Canopy sensors are optical devices that use reflectance at different wavelengths to differentiate between healthy, vigorous plants and unhealthy, stressed plants. The information gathered using the sensors can help vineyard managers identify and address vineyard issues.

•   Optical sensors used in canopy sensing have improved a lot over the 45+ years since the introduction of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). NDVI was one of the first vegetative indexes (VI), and uses satellite-based optical sensors. It is still the most commonly used vegetative index in viticulture.

•   Other vegetative indexes use combinations of different wavelengths to measure canopy attributes. This may not only indicate leaf area “quantity” but may also identify information about leaf healthy or quality, and may add additional information to the vine size prediction.

•   More recently, affordable tractor-mounted sensors have provided close-range metrics of canopy density and health.

•   In this study of different VI, there was no clear overall winner. Researchers suggested the development of a multi-VI application that would allow vineyard owners to customize to their unique vineyard traits may offer a future potential for innovation.

vineyard apparatus in determining the vegetable index

Background

  Canopy sensors are used to differentiate between healthy, vigorous plants and unhealthy, stressed plants. The sensors used in canopy sensing have improved over the 45+ years since the introduction of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). NDVI was one of the first vegetative indices (VI), and uses satellite-based optical sensors. Currently, vineyards use proximal reflectance sensors (e.g. CropCircle) to collect spatial information on grapevine canopy NDVI. The information gathered can help vineyard managers identify and address vineyard issues. Most previous studies use NDVI, but there are many new modes available.

  When used, sensors are aimed at the actively growing region of the canopy throughout the season to determine leaf area “quantity” (i.e. are there a lot of leaves in the region of interest or not?) Could researchers identify the most effective VI currently available?

Methods

  In this study, researchers used the Taylor et al. (2017) protocol of sensing surveys to review a variety of commonly utilized vegetative indices and see if the most effective combination or approach to vineyard analysis could be identified. Using this method, the researchers showed that strong vines will have a high NDVI signal and weak vines will have a low NDVI signal and this correlates with vine size (measured as vine pruning weight in dormancy1). Therefore, we can use NDVI sensors to spatially map vineyard vine size and use it in our spatial crop load (Y:PW ) calculation2. Each VI was ranked, and the paper contains a useful table of rankings. The researchers found there was no overall winner VI, each performed well in at least one area.

vineyard apparatus with light

Conclusions & Practical Considerations

  No individual VI was found to be ‘best’ at predicting pruning weight. Ideally, operators would have access to a fully automated modeling software that would allow them to select the best fit for their vineyard from single or multi-VI applications.

  Further studies would be needed to adapt an automated modeling software to a wider variety of vineyards, trellis systems, soils and other vineyard traits. The authors add that there are several active projects that are looking to identify reflectance wavebands and/or Vis to identify other leaf “quality” attributes like nutrient or pest status.

References

1.  Taylor JA, Link K, Taft T, Jakubowski R, Joy P, Martin M, Hoffman JS, Jankowski J, Bates TR. 2017. A Protocol to Map Vine Size in Commercial Single High-Wire Trellis Vineyards Using “Off-the-Shelf” Proximal Canopy Sensing Systems. Catal Discov into Pract 2:35–47.

2.  Taylor J, Dresser J, Hickey C, Nuske S, Bates T. 2019. Considerations on spatial crop load mapping. Aust J Grape Wine Res 25:144–155.

  Michelle Podolec is extension support specialist with the statewide viticulture extension program, based at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, NY.

Holiday Email Best Practices

Cyndi
woman towards the mail icon

By: Susan DeMatei, President of WineGlass Marketing

If you’re like most, you have a holiday calendar crammed full of events, sales, shipments, and recipes ready to communicate to your mailing list. Email marketing is a staple among wineries trying to communicate to wine clubs, provide holiday offers and reach new customers. Follow some of these tips below to make sure your holiday sales are bright.

There are three major influences on the success of an email campaign. From most important to least, they are List, Offer, and Creative.

List: Take some time each year in September and October to perform some basic data hygiene. An intern or consultant can help you here with a well-organized couple-week project.

• Clean up duplicates and merge duplicate records from the tasting room, wine club, website, MailChimp, or other (sales_email_marketing) databases. When doing so, carefully identify the correct master record and fold all the visit history, source, and transactional data under that master customer record.

• Append data with addresses, emails, and phone numbers.  There are several resources to do this simply through excel for pennies a record.

• Remove bounces and anyone who has opted out of any communications over the course of the year.

• Add in any stray lists – like that tasting you did at the event in Vegas in July or the Winemaker’s alma matter list that wants to hear about his wines. And make sure you notate a source on all lists so you can refer back to see what programs procured good, qualified leads.

• Once you have a clean list, then take some time and segment and the time your communications thoughtfully – don’t just send every offer and update to everyone. Perhaps the October Wine Club should not get the Thanksgiving sales to email so close to their Club Shipment email alerts, but instead a printed insert in their club shipment.  If you have the transactional data, you’ll want to target email-marketing messages based on behaviors such as past purchases, tasting note downloads, visits to the winery, links clicked, or other captured actions.

Offer: Only after you’re happy with your lists should you focus on the offer.  Based on your steps above, now consider what sales message will incite the best response to your segmented list?

• What did they respond to in the past? Did you have any past learnings to guide you on what resonated, or failed, previously? If not, perhaps your database is big enough to split and test. For instance, if you suspect that shipping offers will be popular this season, should you give a % off shipping, shipping included, or shipping for $1? And at what volume: 6 bottles? A case? These are things you can test with an email and then do a follow-up email to the entire database of the winner

• What are your goals? What wines do you need to move, and what costs or discounts are appropriate for your other channels? Make sure the wine you just sent to the Wine Club at 20% off isn’t in a holiday sale email a week earlier for 25% off. (A calendar is beneficial this time of year to keep the tasting room, website team, social media, and emails all in synch.)

• Use tracking tools and analytics to determine which emails and corresponding landing pages are the most successful in generating sales.

• Know (or set) Click-Through and Open Rate goals. According to the 2020 WGM Wine Industry Email Benchmark Study (which you can download on our website), email Open Rates for wineries average 24.66%, and Click-Through Rates for wineries average 5.08%.

Creative: The design of your email is essential. There are two reasons email design should follow specific layout rules. First, as of August 2021, mobile phones account for 41.6% of email opens (Litmus). Second, most email service providers, such as Outlook and Gmail, now block images by default. If your graphics contain text including important information, such as the offer or wine details, make sure you repeat the information in the text.

•  Email marketing is just another branding opportunity. Place your logo in the upper left-hand corner or centered as a header of the email.

•  Include navigation like on your website. You don’t have to have every page from your site, but the significant sections help customers engage with you online and create familiarity with your website.

•  Make sure your email is no more than 500-650 pixels wide. Any more than that means your reader will be scrolling horizontally.

•  Keep text to less than 250 words and have frequent links to deeper levels of content or more information on your website.

•  Keep it clutter-free. The less clutter you have in your email, the better. Don’t use more than two typefaces.

•  Keep your main message and call to action (CTA) at the top of the email. It’s ok to scroll in an email and have it laid out vertically but keep your primary message upfront.

•  Create an engaging, concise subject line. A relevant offer that creates a sense of urgency will be your best bet. Your subject line needs to have an incentive for your audience to open the email.

•  While your site may have a lot going on, your email message should be singular in focus. Make sure the message and the requested action are clear. Instead of splitting up readers’ attention, focus on driving home a single-minded message.

•  The landing pages that prospects reach after clicking through are just as important as the initial email. Your landing page should match the email in terms of headline, copy, and content. Use similar colors, fonts, and overall design to keep your customer on the right track and avoid confusion.

•  Make sure your CTA from the email has a connection to the CTA on your landing page. Again, keep the call to action above the fold and relevant to your marketing message.

  Having an effective email marketing campaign is about being intelligent and concise. Focus on the list first, differentiate yourself with targeted segmentation, and then deliver a tested sales message with clean creativity, and your Q4 emails are destined to be a blast!

Susan DeMatei is the President and Nathan Chambers is an Account Director at WineGlass Marketing, a full-service direct marketing firm working within the wine industry in Napa, California

Irrigation Research & Management Strategies in the Vineyard

Cyndi
soaked cropped in a vineyard

By: Becky Garrison

During a panel at the Oregon Wine Symposium held virtually from February 16 to 19, 2021, Simone Castellarin, Ph.D., of the Wine Research Centre, University of British Columbia, presented research that spoke to the biological mechanisms that determine grape and wine quality. Also, Nazareth Torres, Ph.D., of the University of California, Davis, unpacked her findings in sustainable irrigation.

  Alexander Levin, Ph.D., a viticulturist at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center and assistant professor in the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University, opened this conversation by summarizing the Fifth Oregon Climate Assessment findings.

  “Hot summer days are projected to become more frequent in Oregon under continued global emissions of greenhouse gases, and overnight lows will continue to become warmer. The frequency, duration and intensity of extreme heat events are expected to increase. Not only are summers expected to warm more than annual average temperatures, but the hottest days in summer are projected to warm more than the mean summer temperature over the Pacific Northwest. The hot summers of 2015 and 2018 are salient examples of summer temperatures that are expected to become relatively common by the middle of the 21st century.”

  Given the ongoing rise in temperatures, Levin said a major challenge for vineyards is mitigating the impacts of these climate changes. In particular, how do grapevines respond to extreme heat and drought, and what can be done about this in the vineyard?

Biological Mechanisms that Determine Grape and Wine Quality

  Castellarin opened his presentation by commenting on how studies show that drought events affect grapevine physiology by limiting transpiration, photosynthesis, canopy, berry growth and yield, as well as impacting fruit composition. In particular, the topic of managing drought in vineyards has been investigated for many years and has always been a hot topic. “We know we need water to manage grape production. But we also know that we have to treat water carefully because by applying water, we might affect the quality of the grapes and also the quality of the wine. So we want to optimize the use of water in vineyards to optimize the quality of fruit and wine,” he said.

  The major compounds affecting the quality of grapes and wines are aromas and phenolics. As most of these compounds are synthesized in the berry’s skin, their concentration can be affected when the size of the berry is reduced or increased through irrigation management.

Improving Berry Quality by Reducing Berry Size

  Smaller berries tend to have a higher concentration of aromas and phenolics because they are synthesized in the skin. Less flesh, and the water produces a higher concentration of these com-pounds. By increasing the amount of water in the flesh, the water dilutes these compounds. The addition of water can occur via irrigation or high precipitations.

  Castellarin cited studies that show that by applying some level of deficit before variation, after operation, or prolonged levels of deficits during the season, growers decreased their yield but increased the concentration of total phenols.

  In his research, Castellarin found that applying a water deficit in vineyards increased the concen-tration of pigments and tannins, not only by reducing the size of the berry but also by stimulating the biosynthesis of these compounds. He also observed that several aromas were affected along with the color of the wine. In addition, wines produced from vines exposed to this water deficit had a darker or higher intensity of color and aromas associated with red fruit.

  The effect of drought or water deficit application on white grapes is less noticeable. Water deficits in the vineyard are not often applied to white grape varieties. In a 2012 study on white grapes grown under severe stress, researchers observed that the fruit harvested from those stressed grapevines had a higher concentration of terpenes.

  Researchers also observed that the trapped water stimulated the metabolic pathways that synthesize terpenes. That means that it did not only affect berry size but significantly affected the biosynthesis of specific metabolic pathways that work during berry ripening. The study showed that what they saw on the grapes directly affected the wine, and that by applying a water deficit, they could increase the concentration of these aromas.

  A three-year study was conducted in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, a significant Canadian wine region and an area called the infamy desert “Nk’Mip” by Canada’s First Nations. This semi-arid shrubland has very low precipitation, with only 100 to 130 millimeters of rain during the growing season. In this study, researchers sought to develop strategies that limit irrigation by applying moderate stress levels to the grapevines to improve aromas and save water.

  They wanted to assess how providing suboptimal irrigation amounts could affect yield and the composition of the fruit at harvest. The study focused on regulated deficit irrigation, managing irrigation so the plant receives regulated stress. They decided on moderate stress conditions that they knew would not strongly affect the plant’s growth but that they hoped could strongly affect the quality of the grapes.

  The study concentrated on Gewürztraminer, a variety known for its aroma. The study started with a control treatment: standard commercial irrigation, which would not put the plant under stress. They applied stress 30 days from blooming to harvest for a moderate level of prolonged water stress. They analyzed brief gas exchanges, photosynthesis, all the physiological parameters related to the grapevine and physiology, and then the compositional parameters of the fruit like sugars, acids and free and bound terpenes.

  According to Castellarin, they managed irrigation by weekly measuring leaf water potential and then applying irrigation volumes accordingly. “The irrigation volume change obviously depending on treatment. With the early deficit (a deficit applied from 30 days after blooming to veraison), we could save 30% of the irrigation water. With late deficit (a deficit applied from veraison to harvest), we saved 38% of the irrigation water. With prolonged deficit (a deficit applied from 30 days after blooming to harvest), we saved 50% of the irrigation water,” he said. 

  When they applied some level of stress, one of the first responses was a reduction in leaf gas exchanges. Moderate stress levels reduced photosynthesis by 50%, a finding that was pretty consistent across the seasons.

  While early and prolonged deficit treatments reduced yield, applying deficits later on during the ripening process did not affect the number of grapes grown or harvested. When they measured the grapes for composition, total soluble solids and acidity, researchers found that the irrigation treatment with the most significant effect was the prolonged deficit, which reduced sugars and increased the acidity.

  Across three seasons, the late deficit treatment consistently improved the concentration of some of the free terpenes, particularly Geraniol, which is the primary terpene synthesized in Gewürz-traminer grapes. They did not observe an increase in the bound terpenes. Researchers learned that if they applied a moderate water deficit during ripening, they could save 38% of irrigation water and increase the aromas of the grapes.

  Castellarin noted the tension between grape quality and commercial viability when factoring in how much growers can stress their grapes. For example, when conducting a study on Merlot grapes, researchers found that they limited the yields to an unsustainable point for commercial vineyards when they applied severe deficits.

Considerations of Sustainable Irrigation

  According to the California Water Resources, irrigated agriculture in California is the largest consumer of water, accounting for about 80% of the state’s water supply. Also, California’s climate is changing to limited or no cloud cover and a warming trend with no increase in precipitation supply.

  To evaluate if standard irrigation practices are economically sustainable, Torres summarized the results of a two year study conducted at UC Davis Oakville Experimental Vineyard in Napa County, California. This study sought to investigate the effect of different irrigation amounts on the plant physiology and berry quality of Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the Napa Valley and evaluate the impact of these irrigation practices on water resources and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with grapevines.

  Similar to Castellarin’s findings, this study found that water deficit irrigation strategies reduced the amount of water applied to grapevines, decreasing the water footprint and maintaining or increasing grape quality at the cost of some reduction of potential yield.

  This study also found that the ecosystem services provided by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increased plant resistance against biotic stresses while reducing photochemical input and plant resistance to abiotic stressors such as drought, salinity, metals and other mineral nutrient depletion. These fungi can reduce the fertilizer requirement by promoting plant growth and increasing plant quality for human health while improving soil structure, stability and water retention.

Tips for Helping Increase Bookings in Off-Peak Wedding Season

Cyndi
wedding couple standing in a vineyard

The months of January, February and March are typically considered “off-peak season” in the wedding industry and tend to be slower months. Getting more bookings in these months require a different strategy than peak season as well as thoughtful planning. Let’s look at some strategies to consider to help increase your business in the off season.

5 Tips to Booking in the Off-season

1.   Offer Off-Season Rates: There is a market for off-season weddings, you may just need to work smarter to reach it. Find budget-conscious couples through online target marketing (Social Media ads) and offer discounts for your slower months. Create a list of keywords that couples may use to search online for and include the words in your ad strategy. Some keywords may include affordable weddings, wedding discounts, wedding deals, wedding offers, wedding venue discounts, off-season wedding deals, off-peak wedding season discounts, etc.

2.   Promote Early: As you know, it takes time to plan a wedding. It makes sense to, start advertising your off-peak season discounts at least a year in advance. This gives couples looking for affordable alternatives a chance to decide if having a wedding in the off season is right for them.  An affordable way to advertise is through your blog and a special section on your website.

3.   Target Last-Minute Weddings: Most couples plan their weddings, at the very least, 6-months in advance. However, there are still couples who plan a wedding in less time. This can work to your advantage in the off-peak season. You may not have to offer the deepest discount to win this business because these couples are motivated to tie the knot. Again, the best way to find these couples is through targeted ads. Keywords that may appeal to these couples are last-minute wedding deals, last-minute wedding offers, booking wedding venues last minute, wedding planning in a short time, etc.

4.   Partner with Vendors to Offer Exclusive      Deals: The broader your network with local wedding industry professionals and vendors, the better positioned you may be for the off-season months. You may not be a couple’s first stop in their wedding planning – think bridal shops and jewelers. Consider exchanging voucher coupons with these vendors to promote each other’s businesses. In addition, if you partner with other local wedding vendors, you may be able to come up with an attractive package to offer budget-conscious couples and couples who are planning their weddings in a short amount of time. Partner with wedding planners, photographers, floral shops, DJs/bands, caterers, and more.

5.   Highlight the Advantages of an Off-Season Wedding: Engaged couples have a variety of concerns about booking in the off-season. Concerns they likely wouldn’t have to face in the peak season, mainly weather related. By highlighting the advantages of an off-season wedding to the couple, they may decide the risk is worth it. Here are some points to highlight:

•    Saving money with discounts.

•    Creativity with the theme and photos. Winter-themed weddings are unique and memorable because most weddings take place in the summer months. Their photos will be stunning with the natural beauty of the season and choice of winter fashion for outdoor photos (beautiful coats and capes for the wedding party).

•    Winter-themed décor and food choices that wouldn’t be offered in the summer months. For example:

      a. crystal icicles, shimmery linens and silver and gold accents lend a magical aura

      b. warm desserts such as death-by-chocolate, mini rum cakes, warm cobbler and crumbles

      c. hearty comfort food with creamy soup, whipped potatoes and roasted vegetables

      d. seasonal drinks like hot chocolate, hot apple cider, coffee, cappuccino, hot buttered rum, spiced wine, and eggnog

•    Increased attendance. People are busy in the warmer months and are more likely to decline invitations for other commitments. In addition, out-of-town guests, can experience lower airfare in the off-season.

•    Highlight the ways you prepare your venue for colder months, including your assurance of a comfortable, warm atmosphere (like a fireplace), cleared parking lot and walkways of snow and ice, a large, accommodating coat room, hand-warming towels in the restrooms, a backup generator, and many other ways you take care special care in the off-season to provide the best service possible.

  We hope these tips will help you attract more clients to your venue during the off season who should also think about event insurance. 

  Markel* offers event liability insurance to hosts and honorees, providing coverage such as property damage to the venue or injury to a guest. Up to $2 million in event liability insurance can be purchased by your client from Markel any time at least 1 day before the event. Policies start as low as $75. 

  By offering Markel Event Insurance, it will not only help protect your clients, but it can also help protect you by potentially decreasing your own business liability risk for accidents due to negligence of the event host or honoree. Markel Event Insurance is an easy and affordable solution for your clients – a free quote takes only a few minutes online or on the phone – turning you into a one-stop-shop for your clients.

  This document is intended for general information purposes only. The content of this document is made available on an “as is” basis, without warranty of any kind. Markel does not assume any obligation to update any information herein, or remove any information that is no longer accurate or complete. Furthermore, Markel does not assume any liability to any person or organization for loss of damage caused by or resulting from any reliance placed on that content.

* Coverage is underwritten by Markel American Insurance Company and policyholder services are provided by the underwriting manager, Markel Service, Incorporated, national producer license # 27585, in California d/b/a Markel Insurance Services, license # 0645481.  Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply.  Insurance and coverage are subject to availability and qualifications and may not be available in all states.