Category: Vineyard Info

Mechanized Farming Pushes Canopy Management Evolution

Cyndi
farming equipment in action

By: Gerald Dlubala

  From pruning, shoot thinning and positioning, leaf and lateral care to hands-on vine training, canopy management is the best way for a vineyard to achieve optimal, mature fruit from their vines. Good canopy management, partnered with the proper trellis and row spacing, allows vineyards to better combat fruit loss due to disease or pest damage while providing an overall protective and nurturing environment.

Canopy Management Is An Evolving Science

  “It’s always been evolving, but it seems to be moving along at a more deliberate pace now,” said Duff Bevill, founder and partner of Bevill Vineyard Management in Healdsburg, California. “We’ve come a long way in the past 30 years from when it was fashionable just to have the California flop, meaning the grapes were grown-up vertically, and the canopy was left to flop over. When increased production was needed, and European varieties were introduced, it became apparent that we needed to provide better light and greater air circulation for the fruit. Around the 1980s came the push to reduce or eliminate bunch rot and mold, and after a particularly wet season, the practice of leafing began. Then around the mid-1980s, Dr. Richard Smart, an Australian viticulturist, revolutionized our way of grape growing with his Smart-Dyson trellis system.”

  Smart’s trellis system helps canopy management by finding the balance in leaving enough foliage to facilitate the necessary photosynthesis process without causing excessive shading that would negatively impact fruit ripening or promote disease.

  “His style of trellis system is still the way to go,” said Bevill. “We see the Vertical Shoot Position trellis or modified VSP trellis with movable wires used the most because it traditionally results in a high-quality first crop. Another popular configuration is the high wire system, with the first wire 42 to 48 inches above the ground and then a secondary wire hanging about six inches above that first one. The downside to the high wire system is that it creates a need for manual shoot training for about the first five years. But if done properly, subsequent pruning can be done mechanically, with manual pruning only necessary for mechanical misses. Suckering is also minimal.”

  Bevill told The Grapevine Magazine that hand labor can eat up to 60% of a vineyard’s expenses, so that is an area of canopy management that is drawing extra attention. In an industry looking toward a mechanized future but, in the meantime, still requires hand labor, the VSP trellis remains the best all-around canopy management trellis for fruit production.

  “First, that hand labor has to be available,” said Bevill, “and it needs to be available when needed, frequently and for extended times to get the fruit picked on time and during prime harvest conditions. That’s getting harder to come by and more expensive to utilize. We offer bunkhouses and higher wages to our immigrant workers here on H2A visas to ensure our labor availability. But if things keep going the way they are, I would estimate that such extensive use of hand labor will end within the next five or six years in favor of mechanical labor. Compatible trellis design, along with smart canopy management, has a lot to do with this, allowing your trellis systems and vine configurations to grow in a manner that is favorable to mechanical picking, pruning and leafing. It’s better if you can accomplish these tasks with the off-the-shelf mechanical implements available today.”

  Bevill has already seen this in action. By applying the principles of trellis placement and design with well-planned canopy management, the cabernet sauvignon vineyards have shown a dramatic decrease in farming costs associated with labor.

  “Only one man is needed per ten acres here in Sonoma County,” said Bevill. “That figure matches what we believe is necessary, and that’s also what we have and use. Currently, only about 50% of farms are mechanically harvested. Many older ones can’t take advantage of mechanized farming because of how they were originally planned. Some leafing and mechanical harvesting can be done, but much of the canopy management has to be done by hand. Some older vineyards with their original planted vine systems are still entirely managed using hand labor. We are seeing a lot of these vineyards now being pulled out and replanted to use a flat-faced trellis system more conducive to mechanical farming.”

  Bevill told The Grapevine Magazine that mechanized farming will likely be the focus for the foreseeable future. There is nothing new on the horizon regarding the mechanical aspect of agriculture. All the advancements are within farming technology, things like devices to better detect the best times and amounts for irrigation, and increased uses for drone mapping. The yields and performance of high wire trellises are showing promise, but it will be another 10 years before any data can be confidently identified as reliable.

  “Overall, farming knowledge is constantly increasing, and as a vineyard management company, we are always looking at new and better planting standards and goals. They’re all tied into making mechanized farming as friendly as possible,” said Bevill. “Acquiring and using machinery to do the work is certainly the way of the future. It’s much cheaper and more reliable than hand labor, and let’s face it, it’s there when you need it.”

Seeing Each Vineyard As A Unique Environment

  “I literally have a different protocol for every vineyard depending on the winemaker’s desires for his product and the environment that we’re growing in,” said Mike Loconto, viticulturist for Barbour Vineyards, a vineyard management and development company in Napa, California. “You know, we do all the normal tasks, like suckering, tucking, shoot positioning and hedging, but the winemaker’s end goal determines the amount and timing of these tasks and the best canopy management practices for their situation. For example, we like to leave 12, 14, or 16 leaves per shoot to get two clusters of fruit out of each one, but when to remove those leaves is different for each client. We always like to open up the fruit zone, including below the clusters, but you have to leave just enough shade to baffle the sunlight and produce a great environment all around the fruit zone. It’s about getting sunlight and airflow to that bloom at the right time to deter disease and increase the quality of the fruit.”

  Loconto told The Grapevine Magazine that canopy management in Napa is all about controlling the heat and sun exposure to provide the highest quality fruit and the highest volume of product. When some of the older vineyards were installed, they preferred open, wide spacing between the rows. Over time, in an attempt to increase grape production, the vineyards started tightening up and leaving less and less spacing between the rows. Some were tightened to the point that they lost volume, quality, or both by inadvertently limiting light and decreasing airflow, increasing heat retention and inferior growing conditions. 

  “Heat prevention here in Napa is big and proven to directly affect quality, so now we try to stay around the seven-foot mark for row spacing and utilize cross arms to provide shade and heat prevention for the fruit,” said Loconto. “In any vineyard installation, you want to be smart about canopy management and factor in the ability to mechanize the farming now or in the future. Labor is so expensive that even if you can find it, you may not be able to afford the amount you’ll need to get the tasks done on time. Canopy size and row spacing need to be used jointly so that at some point, mechanized tools can be used for leafing, pruning and harvesting. By using between eight and 12-inch cross arms, you make more effective use of available mechanized tools.”

  Loconto works mostly with high-end cabernet growers, and over the past five to 10 years, he’s seen the customary canopy management practices start to change.

  “Call it climate change or whatever, but we’re starting to see a fundamental change,” said Loconto. “There’s still a high use of VSP or modified VSP trellis systems, but any newly planted, replaced or moved rows are being repositioned and spun in a better and more precise North-South orientation. This makes better use of the natural path of the sun and maximizes and better balances the use of morning and afternoon for both sides of the canopy. After that, it’s about timing and the goals of the vineyard regarding their fruit and vine quality and desired yield. If you have weak or younger vines, it may be better to sucker sooner and perform your fruit thinning. For stronger and older vines, you can thin fruit and sucker later for maximum sugar loading. Open zones are beneficial for more aromatic profiles, and they can help with the amount of acidity and tannin development with simple vine management. You always want warm days and good sap flow for pruning.”

  Different environments require different management and trellis considerations. Vineyards located in volatile weather settings have to be willing to use netting, shades or some other blocking material in case of severe weather, extreme winds or hailstorms. Some colder climate vineyards make use of buried canes, green growing vines that are pulled down and buried in the vine row. The Geneva Double Curtain trellis is a popular choice for increased frost protection because of its downward growing, split canopy system. Still, being bulky and top-heavy, it is a liability in areas experiencing frequent windy situations.

  “Our biggest challenge here in Napa is to develop mechanized vineyards that retain the quality we’re known for, while also controlling heat and sun exposure issues,” said Loconto. “Everywhere you go, you’ll see misters and shade cloth used to combat sun exposure. For those older vineyards that are still orientated to have unequal amounts of sun in the morning and afternoon, there is a noticeable difference on the contrasting sides of the vine. Any issues we address have to be solved with the idea of optimizing our vineyards for mechanical farming. Plain and simple, labor is just hard to come by and getting harder. Some equipment manufacturers are helping by developing machines that are comparable to hand labor, gently pulling the right amount of leaves while being relatively gentle on the fruit and soft on the clusters. That trend has to continue to move towards the mechanized vineyard.”

Exploring How a Boutique Winery Crafts a Diverse Wine Portfolio

Cyndi
4 red wine bottles

By: Becky Garrison 

A quick glance at the wine list at Fullerton Wines, and one could easily be fooled into thinking this family-run venture is a large-scale commercial winery. Depending on one’s palate and pock-etbook, they can choose from Fullerton Wines’ Single Vineyard and Reserve wines, their nu-anced Five FACES line of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, or their more playful and lighter Three Otters line of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir Rosé and Pinot Gris. So how can a boutique winery that produces 8,000 cases annually craft such a vast array of wines?

  The short answer? “I’m on the road a lot,” said Fullerton Wines’ winemaker, Alex Fullerton. The long answer starts with Alex’s lifelong passion for wine, cultivated through his family back-ground and education in viticulture and enology at Oregon State University. These factors gave him the tools he needed to craft distinctive wines that reflect the soil where they are grown.

A Wine-Loving Family

  Prior to founding Fullerton Wines, Eric and Susanne Fullerton, hailing from Denmark and Swe-den respectively, introduced their passion for wine to son Alex and his siblings. As a teenager, Alex caught the wine bug during a trip to France with his father. His interest continued when he journeyed with his family through Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne and other Old World re-gions. During these trips, he learned how wine can serve as a bridge between cultures.

  After high school, Alex attended OSU, where he graduated with an economics degree before en-rolling in the Viticulture and Enology program. Here he obtained the scientific skills needed to fine-tune the informal education and refined palate he received from his parents.

  After college, Alex worked at Drylands Winery in Marlborough, New Zealand, as well as Pen-ner-Ash Wine Cellar and Bergström Wines, two wineries based in Newburg, Oregon. While get-ting hands-on experiences at Willamette Valley wineries, he gained an in-depth understanding of Willamette Valley soils. While the Valley’s soil is known internationally for producing award-winning Pinot Noirs, other area soils are ideally suited for growing white wines such as Char-donnay and Pinot Gris. In some instances, the same soil can produce both grapes.

  In 2011, Alex and his family put that Willamette Valley soil to the test. Despite a challenging growing season, they achieved success with the 468 Chardonnay vines planted at Estate Ivy Slope Vineyard, the formal name of the family’s backyard in Beaverton, Oregon, on the northern border of Willamette Valley.

  From the winery’s inception, the Fullertons have sought to produce quality fruit that mitigates the impact of climate change. They achieved this goal by employing organic and biodynamic farming methods such as permanent cover cropping and the use of organic fertilizers.

Looking to the Soil

  Since then, the Fullertons expanded their winery by exploring which grapes work best with the type of soil in a given vineyard. The soils present in the Willamette Valley are sedimentary, vol-canic, and loess. The history of how the soil came to be so varied is as complex as the grapes that grow from it.

  Flooding during the end of the last ice age formed the Willamette Valley and left behind a com-plex series of soils with unique characteristics. A repeatedly melting glacial dam led to Missoula flood deposits that were brought down the Columbia Gorge and eventually became the Valley’s floor soil.

  The flooding from the Pacific Ocean brought marine sediments, creating the soil that produces voluptuous blue and black fruit with rich aromatics, denser tannins and earth tones.

  Basalts originated due to lava flows from eastern Oregon, which gave rise to the volcanic hills in the Valley. Here, one finds grapes that produce red-fruited wines with soft tannins, a noteworthy acidity and spicy aromatics.

  Silt blown up from the Valley onto the northeast side of the Willamette Valley produced wind-blown loess. This soil tends to produce a darker flavor with grapes that have a round tannin structure and mixed berry aromas with undertones of exotic spices and briar patches.

A Vast Portfolio of Vineyards

  This year, Fullerton is working with a dozen vineyards nestled among the AVAs that spawn the entire Willamette Valley wine region. These AVAs and their corresponding vineyards include:

•   Willamette Valley (Apolloni Vineyard, Bennett Vineyard, Croft Vineyards)

•   Chehalem Mountain (ArborBrook Vineyard, Nemarniki Vineyard)

•   Dundee Hills (Bella Vida Vineyard)

•   Eola-Amity Hills (Bjornson Vineyard)

•   McMinnville (Momtazi Vineyard)

•   Ribbon Ridge (Lichtenwalter Vineyard)

•   Van Duzer Corridor (Wetzel Vineyard)

•   Yamhill-Carlton (Fir Crest Vineyard)

  This vast portfolio of vineyards are selected based on the Fullerton family connections. The net-work allows Alex to pinpoint the exact plots of land that will work best for producing particular types of wine. “This selection process preserves the heart and soul of the individual vineyards so they can all speak for themselves,” he said.

  According to Alex, this diversity allows him to blend with consistency, as he has a vast palette of grapes at his disposal that he can use to craft specific wines. Furthermore, by having vines scat-tered throughout the Willamette Valley, Fullerton Wines can still harvest grapes should one re-gion experienced a severe weather crisis such as drought or fire.

  Still, Alex admits it can be draining to run around sampling the vines. He decides when it’s time to harvest a particular vineyard based primarily on his taste assessment. A refractometer helps him assess the sugar and when to mash the grapes. Then he titrates the wine and uses a spec-trometer to evaluate the enzymes.

Less is More

  Zoning restrictions and the desire for a modernized facility led the family to move the winery to Corvallis, Oregon. Here Alex puts his “less is more” belief into practice. For example, the reality that wine can be made naturally with the aid of wild yeast, combined with Alex’s years of tasting hundreds of inoculated and spontaneous fermentations, led to his preference for spontaneous fermentations. He eschews fining, which results in producing vegan-friendly wines. Also, only select wines will receive cross-flow filtration once testing proves they will benefit from the pro-cess.

  Fullerton’s Single Vineyard and Reserve wines point to those selections that Alex believes come from the best barrels from their premier vineyard sites. Each bottle represents the unique condi-tions of that particular vineyard, and are marketed towards the serious wine connoisseur.

  Their Five FACES label, an acronym for the five Fullerton family members—Filip, Alex, Caro-line, Eric and Susanne—was created to make a true Willamette Valley blend. Five FACES Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend fruit from both volcanic, basalt-based soils and sedimentary, sand-stone-based soils. The complexity of this wine is due to their restrained use of aging in new French oak.

  Five FACES Pinot Noir tends to be on the lighter side, with refined tannins and high but well-integrated acidity. Notes of spice, smoke, and wet earth speak to the mixed berry aromas and fla-vors like fresh marionberry, strawberry, and cherry.

  Five FACES Chardonnay speaks to the growing acceptance of white wine grapes in the Willamette Valley. This wine has a medium-plus body with an elegant tension between acidity and texture. Underneath the intense aromas of apple, pear, brioche and citrus, is a sense of min-erality and spice notes.

  In 2014, Fullerton launched its Three Otters line with the intention of offering an intriguing value wine. The line is geared towards the broader market by appealing to consumers who are seeking a quality wine in the $15-$25 range. The label honors the family’s Northern European heritage, as three otters have rested prominently on the Fullerton family crest since the 13th century. This label also highlights the playful nature of this approachable, lighter and easier drinking wine.

  In addition to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the Three Otters line includes Pinot Noir Rosé and Pinot Gris. The rosé was crafted as the result of a friendly competition between Alex and his fa-ther, Eric. It has soft floral undertones and a light, breezy structure with notes of watermelon, strawberry and citrus. Even though Alex admits that Pinot Gris can be a “boring wine,” he want-ed to add one to the Three Otters line because he had a unique chance to work with some fifty-year-old Pinot Gris vines.

  While the winery is not open to the public, visitors who take a trip to Fullerton’s wine bar and tasting room in Northwest Portland can take a mini-tour through the range of wines produced by the entire Willamette Valley. That way, they can sit and savor without spending the day navi-gating traffic.

Sustainable Wineries Attract More Consumers

Cyndi
winery at the foot of the mountain

By: Briana Tomkinson

  Concern about threats related to climate change is inspiring more consumers to make lifestyle changes like going vegan, upgrading to electric cars, reducing plastic waste and seeking more environmentally sustainable products. It’s also starting to affect how consumers select their wine.  

  Surveys of wine consumers in Canada, the U.S., Sweden and the UK are indicating a growing interest in purchasing sustainably produced wine, favorable perceptions of sustainable certifi-cation programs and certification logos, and a willingness to pay more for sustainably pro-duced wine—particularly by Millennials and Gen Z.

  For many Canadian winemakers, however, their interest in sustainable winemaking began well before consumers started paying attention.

  According to veteran British Columbia winemaker Gordon Fitzpatrick, adopting environmentally sustainable practices isn’t just the right thing to do—it also makes good business sense. “Often, sustainable choices have economic benefits. It’s not mutually exclusive,” Fitzpatrick said. “Every little bit helps.”

  Fitzpatrick has been in the wine business since 1986 when he founded Cedar Creek Estate Winery. He sold the majority of his vineyards to Mission Hill five years ago, but kept one be-tween Peachland and Summerland. In 2017, he launched a new label, Fitzpatrick Family Win-ery, using those grapes.

  The boutique winery focuses on sparkling wine and has approximately one-fifth of the produc-tion capacity of Cedar Creek, topping out at about 10,000 cases at full production. The shift into sparkling wine was a strategic choice to take advantage of the vineyard’s unique microcli-mate.

  “We lose the sun about two and a half hours earlier than most other vineyards,” Fitzpatrick said. “That’s why we specialize in sparkling wine. It creates that natural crisp acidity. I call it shade’s gift.”

  Fitzpatrick Family Winery is located in the Thompson Okanagan region, British Columbia’s pri-mary wine-growing region. The area boasts 84% of the province’s vineyards by acreage and has over 200 wineries. Wine tours are a big draw for visitors to the region. With the local tour-ism association increasingly spotlighting sustainable tourism, wineries like Fitzpatrick’s are get-ting more recognition for their environmentally friendly choices.

  The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association recently developed a sustainability pledge to identify and feature responsible tourism providers in the region, including Fitzpatrick Family Winery. Other wineries who have signed on to the program include Poplar Grove (https://www.poplargrove.ca/), Grizzli Winery (www.grizzliwinery.com) and Meadowvista (www.meadowvista.ca).

  The region was also officially certified as the first destination in the Americas to achieve the Sustainable Tourism Accreditation from Biosphere International and the Responsible Tourism Institute. The certification criteria includes commitments to environmentally sustainable practices, including ensuring access to sustainable energy and adopting measures to mitigate cli-mate change.

  Fitzpatrick Family Winery was a pilot winery for the program last fall, Fitzpatrick said, which included a thorough audit on water, energy and waste management practices.

  “We think of ourselves as good stewards of the land, but you always want to look at how you’re doing things. They came up with some recommendations on how we can do things even better than we currently are [doing them]. It was a very worthwhile process to go through,” he said.

  Recommendations ranged from replacing big-ticket items like a 25-year-old water pump with a newer, more energy-efficient model, to less costly initiatives like installing flow meters to better monitor water usage, and expanding the winery’s compost program to incorporate food waste from the on-site, seasonal restaurant.

  The winery is also now pursuing organic certification, following a recent $40,000 investment in mechanical weeding equipment that will allow Fitzpatrick to stop using herbicides in the spring.

  In the last five years, Fitzpatrick said consumer awareness of sustainable practices has changed significantly. “People are much more aware and want to know what your practices are, and are you being a good steward of the land,” he said. “it’s nice to be able to stand be-hind what we do.”

Do Wine Consumers Care? Researchers Say Yes

  According to market research by Wine Intelligence, it’s not just hippies who are choosing more socially and environmentally conscious purchases. Interest in organic, fair trade and sustaina-bly produced wine is growing and is now considered mainstream, particularly among consum-ers under the age of 45.

  In the U.S., almost three-quarters of consumers surveyed said they would consider buying sus-tainably produced wine in the future. Seventy percent of Canadians agreed.

  Nine out of ten millennial consumers surveyed said they would be willing to pay an average of $3 more for sustainably produced wine. The research found that sustainability certifications for wine improved consumers’ willingness to buy.

  The research was presented at the first U.S. Sustainable Winegrowing Summit in Sonoma last June. In a speech at the event, Wine Intelligence CEO Lulie Halstead outlined five key concepts  to “sell” sustainability to consumers, highlighting how it’s good for people as well as for the environment:

1.   Focus on the small steps producers and consumers can take today.

2.   Frame sustainability as a positive choice: talk about positive benefits.

3.   Use groupthink for good: invite customers to be part of a larger movement to make greener choices.

4.   Appeal to feelings, not facts: logic is not as persuasive as emotion.

5.   Be brief: keep messaging succinct.

  The second edition of the U.S. Sustainable Winegrowing Summit will be held this year on May 5-6 in Long Island, New York. The event will feature tours of sustainable wineries in the area, as well as a full conference program. Tickets are $50. More details are online at https://www.sustainablewinegrowing.org/summit/.

British Columbia to Host Global Sustainable Tourism Conference

  The Thompson-Okanagan region is also hosting the 2020 Global Sustainable Tourism Confer-ence November 19-22—the first time the annual event will be held in Canada—at the Delta Ho-tels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort in Kelowna.

  The event will feature expert speakers and panelists from around the world. Over 500 local, national and international delegates are expected to attend, including destination marketing professionals, airlines, travel agents, international media and tourism-oriented business lead-ers.

  According to President and CEO of Tourism Kelowna, Lisanne Ballantyne, industry research indicates that interest in sustainable tourism destinations is growing. She said recent reports have found 87% of consumers want to travel sustainably, and 67% are willing to pay more for travel that has a less negative impact on the environment.

  In 2019, for the second year in a row, TOTA was named the World Responsible Tourism Award Winner at the Annual World Travel Awards.

  According to British Columbia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Lisa Beare, the prov-ince’s stunning scenery and unspoiled wilderness is a key draw for visitors from around the globe, and the region’s tourism strategy reflects that.

  “Our strategic framework for tourism seeks to responsibly grow the visitor economy by re-specting nature and the environment, and making sure that everyone sees the benefits of this important industry,” Beare said in a press release about TOTA’s award win.

Why You Like Ontario Wine But Just Don’t Know It

Cyndi
bench at the middle of a vineyard

By: Alyssa Andres

  I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard people say, “I don’t like Ontario wine.” It’s a statement I constantly hear, especially in the Niagara region, where a lot of wine lists focus on local producers. Every time I hear this sentiment, I’m a little appalled. It’s like saying you don’t like Chardonnay. Maybe you just haven’t found the right Chardonnay for you. So, this year, when I attended my very posh friend’s annual holiday wine tasting party, I brought along a nice, moderately priced bottle of Ontario wine to add to the mix of thirty bottles we were blind tasting. The premise: each person brings a bottle of wine and, throughout the night, tries each one and chooses their favorite. The winner was chosen based on everyone’s overall rating. Simple. The prize: a $200 bottle of Gamble Mary Ann, a Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend. I quietly uncorked my bottle of wine from Ontario’s Ridgepoint Wines and waited for the night to unfold. 

  Currently, Ontario is cursed with the same stigma that California received in the 1970s before the Judgement of Paris. No one seems to believe Ontario vintners are capable of producing great wine. Forty years later, California is one of the leading producers in the world and seen as a premier destination. However, Ontario winemakers are still fighting to make a name for themselves in the international market, despite having been producing wine for decades. Several factors influence this: the lack of knowledge when it comes to the Ontario wine region, the stereotypes associated with Ontario wine, and the need for better distribution of wine from within the province.

  Winemaking in Ontario dates back to 1811 when German native, Johann Schiller planted Pennsylvania-native Labrusca grapevines in Cooksville, Ontario. The first winery in the province opened its doors in 1866 on Pelee Island and Niagara’s first winery, the Ontario Grape Growing and Manufacturing Company, followed shortly after in 1873. These early days of winemaking in Ontario saw over thirty new wineries open for business by the late 1800s. Unfortunately, by the time prohibition was repealed in 1927, this number had fallen from 61 to six. At this same time, the government created the Liquor Control Board of Ontario to control the sale, transportation and delivery of alcoholic beverages in the province. Eighty-six LCBO stores opened by the end of that year, and liquor permits were issued at $2 each to enable individuals to purchase alcohol. At this point, the rules and regulations surrounding the production and sale of wine did not allow for new wineries to open.

  It wasn’t until the early 1970s that winegrowers started to take the first steps to revitalize the Ontario wine industry. In 1974, Inniskillin Winery became the first new Ontario winery to open its doors since 1916. They opened the gates for a slew of other wineries to follow, and, by 2005, a total of 75 new wineries had opened up in the region. In 1988, the Vintner’s Quality Assurance laid out the specific geographic guidelines for the winemaking appellations of Ontario and set strict production standards on wine throughout the province.

  Today, there are three VQA wine appellations in Ontario: Lake Erie North Shore, Niagara Peninsula and Prince Edward County. Within the Niagara peninsula, there are two regional appellations: Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Niagara Escarpment. These regional appellations are then broken down further into 10 sub-appellations based on their unique geographical conditions. Each sub-appellation has different geology, soil, elevation and variation in temperatures and precipitation. There is such diverse terroir in this 13,600 acres of land that they can produce everything from delicate Rieslings to bold and tannic Petit Verdot. The Niagara Peninsula currently boasts over 46 different grape varietals. Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Gamay Noir and Pinot Noir particularly flourish here. 

  When people think of Canada, they don’t naturally think of wine. They think, “The Great White North,” hockey and snow. The reality is, the Ontario landscape is so vast and varied that it allows for the production of a lot more than just icewine. The Great Lakes border the southern part of the province. Most vineyards are planted along the perimeter of Lake Ontario, an enormous body of water that moderates the typically colder winter temperatures of the area. Moderate temps also make for a longer growing season. Harvest of most grapes doesn’t start until late September, with the late-ripening grapes being picked still well into November. Everything from Malbec to Nebbiolo can be grown. Ontario may have cold winters, but the summertime temperatures reach Mediterranean levels of 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

  Ontario also has elevation. The Niagara Escarpment stands 177 meters tall and runs through the entire Niagara Escarpment appellation. The enormous cliff formation faces north and, combined with the moderating effect of Lake Ontario, creates the perfect micro-climate for nurturing a diverse variety of grapes. The escarpment shelters the vineyards from prevailing southwest winds and traps warm lake air from the north, allowing for later bud bursts and less risk of frost in the spring, as well as extended growing seasons in the fall. Hot days followed by cold nights allow grapes to retain their acidity while fully ripening, making for exceptionally well balanced, food-friendly wine. The streams that run through the escarpment provide drainage during the spring melt and provide an excellent source of groundwater during the dry summer months.

  The soil in the Niagara Escarpment is rich and complex. UNESCO recognizes the region as a World Biosphere Reserve due to the regional appellation’s fossil-rich sedimentary soils, not unlike Burgundy and Loire Valley. The Beamsville Bench sub-appellation has some of the most sought after vineyard land because it’s home to fossil-enriched dolomites. High in calcium-magnesium, the dolomites give the wines of Beamsville Bench a distinct minerality, similar to a Chablis. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris are being produced here with notes of slate and wet stone, complemented by fresh pear and crisp green apples.

  Just a few kilometers from the Beamsville Bench, you find yourself in the Twenty Mile Bench with a terroir comprised predominantly of limestone and shale. These soils provide excellent water holding capacities during the growing season. Combined with the numerous streams that dissect the escarpment and provide drainage in the spring, Twenty Mile Bench is a highly regarded VQA sub-appellation. Here you will see producers focusing primarily on Burgundian style Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These beautiful cool climate wines are a breath of fresh air after an onslaught of overripe and overproduced New World wines the market has been seeing over the recent years.

  Directly next to Twenty Mile Bench, nestled between the escarpment and Lake Ontario, the Lincoln Lakeshore appellation has one of the longest and warmest growing seasons in the region. The scarp acts as a shield from heavy winds, and the lake provides insulation against cold temperatures and traps moisture during hot, dry summers. The most notable characteristic of Lincoln Lakeshore, though, is its terroir. The soil within this appellation is extremely varied. Fifty-five percent of the area is covered in light sand, but you will also find pockets of deep red clay loam and alluvial deposits from the ancient lake that once existed here. Cabernet Franc seems to flourish in these areas in a very classic expression of the varietal. Big tannin, bold black fruit and a hint of crisp green pepper are typical in these wines.

  Meanwhile, along the sunny banks of the Niagara Lakeshore appellation, light, sandy soils allow for deep-rooted vines and later ripening grapes. Here, you will find notably fuller-bodied wines with potential for maturing: big Bordeaux style blends with bold black fruits and ripe tannin. They are even growing Petit Verdot and Tannat in this appellation. The simple geography and proximity to the lake and Four Mile Creek ensure warm temperatures and lots of sunlight year-round. In other words, when it comes to wine in Ontario, there’s the opportunity to produce just about anything.

  The issue is you won’t necessarily find the best Ontario wines in the local liquor store. Ontario vintners can’t even get most of them on the shelves in their own LCBO stores. The process of getting wine in the hands of consumers is not an easy one in Ontario.

  Most Ontario wineries are opting for small-batch wines that are only available in the winery tasting rooms. Recently, “virtual wineries” have started popping up with no physical storefront, just a product packaged under a winery name—similar to the Old World French tradition of “negociants.”

  The best way to find the best Ontario wine? Come to Ontario. Let the locals tell you where to go. It won’t necessarily be the big names like Wayne Gretzky or Jackson-Triggs. Some of the best wineries are literally inside the winemaker’s house, and they’re all too happy to have you.

  Since moving to the region, I have had the pleasure of discovering numerous wine producers who are doing remarkable things. Ridgepoint Wines, located in the Twenty Mile Bench, is one of the wineries that impressed me. At Ridgepoint, they are producing everything from appassimento-style Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to single varietal Sangiovese and Nebbiolo. The wine that I brought to the holiday tasting party was a 2012 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Ripasso-style Aglianico. Amongst the juicy California Cabs and concentrated Amarones on the table, it was a delightful respite.

Tasting thirty wines in one night is no easy feat. Your palate can only handle so many Barolos in one evening. What my wine offered was a beautiful variation from the others, starting with a complex nose of cherry and cassis, toast and cedar. The refreshingly bright acidity stood out amongst the other wines, and the body, tannin and alcohol still held up against all of the heavy hitters. The palate showed lots of plush fruit balanced with oak and developing notes of leather and tobacco that lingered on the palate in a long, complex finish. The crowd didn’t know what hit them.

At the end of the night, I put on my jacket and packed up my newly acquired bottle of Gamble Mary Ann with a smug grin on my face. I proved to myself, and the others at the party, that Ontario has something to offer the world of wine. Ontario wine is not just good—it’s great.

On Target Spray Systems – The Future of Spraying

Cyndi

Feb 3, 2020, Mt Angel, Oregon – “Now, more than ever, it’s extremely important that you use a sprayer that provides complete overall coverage,” states Willie Hartman, Founder of On Target Spray Systems. “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.” 

Willie explains the top three reasons to switch to an electrostatic sprayer: 

1. Use Less Water: 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. 

2. Save Valuable Time: 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. 

3. Make Your Materials Count: By using less water, the spray drops are concentrated and more potent, resulting in less runoff, minimal drift, and improved coverage. 

Electrostatic Sprayers Save the (Rainy) Day for East Coast Wine Growers In 2018, East Coast wine grape growers experienced an unusually rainy season causing widespread mildew and rot problems. Some growers didn’t even pick. “With the On Target sprayer, we were able to keep on top of the spray program,” shares Chris Jenkins of Faith Brooke Vineyard in Luray, Virginia. “Timing was critical, application efficiency was critical, and we were able to make it happen. We actually had a fair crop, where a lot of vineyards lost theirs.” Click here to learn more from impacted growers. 

Calculate Your Savings What are the top two benefits customers enjoy from an On-Target sprayer? Labor and time savings. By switching to an On Target sprayer you too can improve your profitability. Watch our 2-minute video to learn how easy it is to calculate YOUR savings opportunity: https://ontargetspray.com/savingscalculator/ 

About On Target Spray Systems Headquartered in Oregon, On Target Spray Systems is the leader in providing reliable, electrostatic spray technology to the agricultural industry. Company founder Willie Hartman began his career selling greenhouse sprayers and equipment. He was instantly drawn to the power of electrostatic technology. With a passion to innovate, Mr. Hartman and his engineering team began a quest to create sprayers that were easier to maintain, more reliable, and more effective. On Target Spray Systems was born. Driven by technology and powered by a dynamic team, the company now serves farmers and growers in 10 

countries and more than 10 different crop segments. Equipment proudly made and manufactured in the USA. Visit www.ontargetspray.com 

The Essence of Good Winemaking

Cyndi

By: Dr Richard Smart, Dr Misha Kwasniewski, Alex Fredrickson and Dr Angela Sparrow

Think about it, if you will, what is the essence of winemaking? A very important question.

  How about if wine is were made just from the juice and pulp. What an uninteresting beverage it would be. Alcohol only, with no aroma and no flavour. Spirits are not so uninteresting.

  All of the chemical compounds which make wine such an interesting beverage are to be found in the skins, maybe a few in the seeds. These compounds include colour phenolics and the complex of flavour and aroma compounds which help to make varietal wines so distinctive.

  So the answer to my rhetorical question is: the essence of good winemaking is in skin extraction.

  This leads then to the important question of how winery practices might be conducted to facilitate extraction from the skins. I remember well my friend Dr Chris Somers, distinguished wine phenolic scientist from the Australian Wine Research Institute making the statement: ”everything that winemakers want in their wines is to be found in the pomace”. In other words the standard winemaking factors is inefficient at extraction from the skins.

How can Extraction from the Skins be Improved?

  I have long thought about this remark made by Chris Somers and wondered how might extraction from grape skins be improved. I had the opportunity to investigate some solutions to this problem in 2011. As part of my consultancy with Tamar Ridge Wines near Launceston in Tasmania we had established an experimental winery. This allowed us to make pilot scale fermentations to evaluate vineyard trials aimed to improve wine quality.

  This facility (in fact a converted apple-packing cum sheep-shearing shed) also offered the possibility for Angela Sparrow and I to investigate how the extraction from grape skins might be improved. Angela initially worked as a technician in the experimental winery before enrolling as a PhD candidate at the University of Tasmania in 2011.

  Our first effort was a modification to fermenter design which showed little promise. The second was the light bulb moment. We figured that a simple way to improve skin extraction would be to make skin particles smaller (skin fragmentation), so that they had a larger edge to surface area ratio. There would be a smaller diffusion path of skin constituents to the skin edge from smaller rather than larger skin particles. So extraction would be enhanced.

  We find in fact that most grape berries coming out of commercial crushers are simply squashed or flattened, each with a rather small broken skin edge. We call this phenomenon “flattened spheres”, each “envelope” often contains skin and seeds. We analysed a sample of Pinot Gris berries from a Bucher Vaslin crusher, and found that there were 181 flattened spheres, and only 12 skin fragments.

  We evaluated fragmenting grape skins simply using a laboratory blender. We were of course mindful that such an operation should not damage the seeds, and careful checking revealed that this was the case. Therefore we proceeded to make experiments using our micro-vinification techniques, and found that the color and phenolic extraction of Pinot Noir was greatly improved, and sensory evaluation showed that so was the wine quality. We were of course thrilled!

agar plates Control vs ACE
Figure 1

  Figure 1 shows Pinot Noir must samples one hour after treatment. The sample on the left shows typical flattened spheres after crushing, with limited color diffusion. The sample on the right was crushed then fragmented, and see the difference in color extraction!

Confirming the Results

  The intensive study by Angela of grape skin fragmentation for her PhD created a considerable number of scientific publications, including both wine chemistry and sensory evaluation verification of the concept. Angela developed the term “ACE” to describe the process, the acronym standing for Accentuated Cut Edges. The first paper in the series was published in the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture in 2016. It was entitled “Reducing skin particle size affects the phenolic attributes of Pinot Noir wine. Proof of concept.” Other papers followed including wine chemistry and sensory evaluation. Always ACE shone through, producing better Pinot Noir wines.

  For the next six years Angela’s studies progressed from small ferments to those in commercial wineries, helped in part by an industry research grant. A prototype machine to achieve ACE was designed and developed, and allowed ACE evaluation at commercial scale.

Enter Della Toffola and DTMA

  The machine, the scientific results and wine samples were shown to Giacomo Della Toffola in Tasmania. The large Italian winery equipment company Della Toffola then proposed a joint venture with Richard Smart and Angela Sparrow to further the development commercially. The result is the DTMA machine, DTMA being the acronym for Della Toffola Maceration Accelerator.

  This machine was evaluated as a prototype by Angela in Australia, New Zealand and Italy in 2016 and 2017. The DTMA machine is now commercially available in a range of capacities through the international dealerships of Della Toffola (see www.dellatoffola.it).

Della Toffola Maceration Accelerator

  The machine is shown in Figure 2. It is relatively small and portable, and is connected by hoses between the crusher and the fermenter.

  Coriole winery of McLaren Vale, South Australia was the first to purchase DTMA in Australia following trials conducted there by Dr Angela Sparrow. More recently the unit has been used in experiments by several researchers from the University of Adelaide. Trials have been conducted as well in California during the 2019 vintage which will be reported in the future.

Using ACE to Improve Chambourcin Tannins in Missouri

  Interspecific hybrid wines are generally much lower than vinifera in final tannin content. This is in spite of some hybrid grapes having appreciable tannins in their skin and seeds. Several studies have pointed to hybrids as having trouble with tannin extraction and retention during winemaking.

  This has led researchers at the University of Missouri in the U.S. to investigate the efficacy of ACE treatment on cv. Chambourcin.  Alex Fredrickson, PhD. student in Misha Kwasniewski’s lab, presented preliminary results of the study at the 2019 Eastern Section of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture. Alex found that ACE treatment at crush and immediately before pressing substantially increased final tannin concentration in the wines versus control, in measurements made 6-months after pressing, as measured by Adams-Harbertson assay.

  ACE at crush yielded 146 mg/L catechin equivalents (CE), ACE 24 hours to pressing was 118 mg/L CE, whereas control was only 47 mg/L CE. ACE at crushing  represents a massive 310% increase in tannin! This work was part of a larger investigation that included looking into exogenous tannin addition retention as well as tannin protein interactions. The ACE treated wines were similar in concentration to a massive exogenous tannin addition of 1400mg/l at either 20° Brix (1-day after inoculation) or later at 5° Brix.

  These results suggest that ACE treatment either released a large enough amount of tannin to overcome whatever factor is causing poor retention of exogenous additions, or alternatively that the ACE treatment somehow is mediating the problem. No differences were found between total protein content in ACE treated wines or control immediately after pressing; this suggests that the protein-tannin interactions may not explain the increase. Further characterization of the proteins is ongoing.

  Given the promising results the work was repeated in 2019. As this work moves forward the group will be looking into impacts on wine volatiles, the consistency of treatment impacts on Chambourcin and potentially other interspecific hybrids. As well, studies continue into the underlying mechanism for the dramatic increase found in the 2018 results.

Conclusion

  Giacomo Della Toffola believes that the ACE process achieved with DTMA will be a “revolution in winemaking”, his impression when he first viewed the results of ACE research.

  Interestingly Della Toffola has been awarded an esteemed Innovation Award in Winemaking at the 2019 SIMEI Winemaking exhibition in Milano Italy.

  Continuing research has shown that ACE/DTMA can considerably save winemaking costs, some of which are accentuated by vintage compression and climate change. Earlier research by Angela Sparrow has shown that following ACE treatment, red wine ferments can be taken off skins after only three days, thus allowing more use of specialized red wine fermenters and with savings in cellar labor. Early results with DTMA have shown encouraging results with aromatic white wines.

  For further information about ACE contact Angela Sparrow (angela@vinventive.com) or Richard Smart (richard@smartvit.com.au); for DTMA contact  www.dellatoffola.us

1.  Dr Richard Smart: Smart Viticulture, Greenvale, Vic., Australia; vinedoctor@smartvit.com.au

2.  Dr Misha Kwasniewski: Grape and Wine Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA. kwasniewskim@missouri.edu

3.  Alex Fredickson & Dr Angela Sparrow: Vintessential, Laguna, Tas., Australia

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

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

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.

Age of Customer

  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

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!

Profiling Software Used by the Wine Industry

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.