Category: Vineyard Info

From the Sublime to the Ordinary

Cyndi

Art in a bottle and insurance considerations

photo showing rows and rows of barrels on racks in a winery

By Brad Berkman & Louis J. Terminello of Greenspoon Marder LLP

The wine-making experience is often sublime, requiring the best attributes of the artist. Sometimes, however, it is essential to call on the practical among us. In this instance, at least, I am referring to the insurance broker along with the versed attorney who can assist in advising on insurance policies that manage and limit the winemakers (“Suppliers”) risk (it’s worth noting that these recommendations are applicable to all producers of beverage alcohol as well as distributors). Of course, this article is written by an alcohol beverage attorney, so its main objective is to make this publication’s readers aware of recommended areas of coverage for production and distribution relationships and agreements, as well as in the context of the contract packaging relationship.

  In simple terms, business insurance is essential for managing risk and protecting a business against economic loss. Wine is obviously a consumable good, and risk exposure occurs from the production facility through the distribution chain and ultimately, to the consumers’ table. It is advisable that the producer ensure that it, and its partners down the distribution chain, have adequate insurance guarantees that are memorialized as obligations in the various agreements that the Supplier may enter.

General Contractual Provisions

  Insurance terms and their requirements can be confusing to those unfamiliar with them. As an exercise in clarification, below is a sample of insurance provisions that may appear in a Supplier/distributor agreement with terms that may be known to the reader, but little understood. First, read the following:

Supplier Insurance: Producer will maintain: (1) primary products liability coverage totaling at least $1,000,000.00 per occurrence and $2,000,000.00 in the aggregate, on an occurrence and (2) commercial general liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000.00 per occurrence and $2,000,000.00 in the aggregate. Producer will give Distributor at least 30 days’ advance written notice of cancellation, nonrenewal, or material change in the terms of the liability policy. All policies shall name Distributor as an additional insured party.

Distributor Insurance: Distributor shall maintain Commercial General Liability Insurance and Product Liability Insurance in such an amount as is commercially reasonable but not less than the coverage amounts stated in Paragraph above. Within ten days of the effective date of this Agreement, Distributor will provide to Brand Owner an original certificate of insurance evidencing such insurance and these terms and thereafter will provide Brand Owner with each certificate of renewal, within ten days of the effective date of renewal.

What Stands Out?  

  Obviously, the reader will notice that the insurance provisions are reciprocal and that both the Supplier and distributor have insurance obligations. Additionally, both parties are named as additionally insured on the other party’s insurance policy. The additionally insured party is not the policyholder but is added to the policy, and the policy’s protections are extended to the additionally insured, covering them for the risks of the policyholders’ activities. In our example, additional insurance provides the distributor with protection against a Supplier risk event, and the producer is protected against a risk event associated with the distributor. This begs the question, what are the party’s insurance policies covering in the above clauses?

For the Producer-Product Liability Coverage

  Wine producers and Suppliers should have product liability insurance coverage as identified in the contractual provision. This type of coverage covers consumers’ claims against the producer stemming from damage caused by the alcoholic beverage. Such damages may include those resulting from a manufacturing defect during the production process. Ideally, the product will always come off the bottling line fit for human consumption, but sometimes contaminants or other substances may be present and consumed by the end user, which causes injury. Product liability insurance will cover the economic consequences of such incidents. Those entities in the chain of distribution, such as wine distributors, should also consider obtaining product liability insurance to guard against economic loss resulting from the distribution of beverages that may be defective.

  Many insurance policies, including those covering consumables like wine and alcohol beverage, have policy payout limitations. Phrased another way, your insurance provider will only pay up to a maximum coverage amount per occurrence or in the aggregate. Per-occurrence limit is the amount the insurance company will pay for a single claim or incident. The aggregate is the total amount the insurer will pay for all claims covered by the policy for its term.

  It is wise for the Supplier and distributor to include these policy limitations in their agreement to ensure adequate coverage in the event of a claim. Further, it is important to consult with an insurance professional to be sure that the policy limitations provide adequate coverage and protection based on the policyholder’s economic exposure.

General Commercial Liability Insurance

  General commercial liability is also called for in the above reciprocal clauses. As an industry standard, General commercial liability insurance protects against economic loss from claims that the Supplier or distributor caused injury to another person or property. Common areas of coverage include bodily injury, medical expenses, or property damage caused by the wineries or distributors business operations. As an example, this type of coverage may cover damage caused by a distributor’s vehicle to a retailer’s property when delivering the Supplier’s product. As with product liability insurance, adequate amounts should be acquired per occurrence and in the aggregate based upon risk exposure. Again, speaking with an insurance professional is essential for determining sufficient coverage amounts based upon the economic risk exposure to the policyholder.

Additional Areas of Coverage for Consideration

  There are many types of risk coverage available to wineries and other alcohol beverage industry members. Other coverage areas to explore include:

•     Liquor liability insurance: Covers claims for incidents as a result of the consumption of alcohol and for actions brought by claimants under dram shop laws (dram shop laws concern a business’s liability for the service and over-consumption of alcohol by consumers on their premises). This is especially important for Suppliers that have tasting rooms on their premises.

•    Recall insurance: Covering economic loss for the recall of defective alcohol beverage products that made its way into the marketplace.

•    Crop Insurance (for wineries in particular): Protects against losses to the crops from damages due to weather and other factors.

•    Business interruption insurance: Covers losses resulting from an unplanned interruption or temporary stoppage in business due to unforeseen circumstances.

  Risk management and the policy types mentioned here, and the terms defined, are meant to introduce and bring clarity to an often thought of as mundane area of business operations. However, it is extremely important that stakeholders in the beverage alcohol industry, in whatever form they take, bring serious consideration to this matter. Inadequate insurance coverage amounts or the wrong policy coverage could lead to catastrophic consequences for those who labor so hard to create and distribute art in a bottle. The reader should take care to consult with well-versed insurance professionals and attorneys to ensure adequate risk management.

Botham Vineyards

Cyndi

Award-Winning winemakers preserve Wisconsin’s agricultural landscape

owners of botham vineyards in harvesting the grarpes in their vineyard

By Gerald Dlubala

The Wisconsin wine industry is a growing sector that relies on cold-hardy hybrid grape varieties and fruit wines to overcome a cold, humid climate unsuitable for traditional European wine grapes.  We would like to introduce you to Botham Vineyards and Winery.

   “This is very much a family operation, and I have the good fortune to be able to work alongside my mother and father in a wonderful line of work,” said Mills Botham, second-generation winemaker and Chief Operating Officer of Botham Vineyards and Winery in Barneveld, Wisconsin, part of the Madison, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Area.

  Peter Botham founded Botham Vineyards and Winery in 1989, but to get the whole story of this award-winning winery that features spectacular views among its agricultural landscape, you must go back to Mills’ grandfather, Richard Botham, who originally purchased the property back in the 1960s.

  “My grandfather grew up on a farm in Lancaster, Wisconsin,” said Mills. “He was a surgeon by profession, but even with that, he still wanted to be involved in something agricultural. So, it was in the 60s that he bought this farm, which is now the vineyard, along with four contiguous farms around our property. Those other four are now in the Nature Conservancy.”

  Richard Botham converted those farms from dairy operations to beef cattle operations. He oversaw bigger picture duties like buying and selling cattle, but Botham employed families to live on the farms and manage the day-to-day cattle farming operations.

  “In the summers growing up, my dad and his siblings lived in Madison but spent their summers working on the cattle farms helping out with the wrangling, operations, and all related things,” said Mills. “They’d live on the farms during the week and return to Madison for the weekend. That’s how my dad initially got acclimated to an agricultural approach to life. After he graduated from college, he lived on the East Coast, holding different and interesting positions like commercial draftsperson, clothing salesperson, and high-end audio and security systems. He eventually made his way to a vineyard just outside of Baltimore, and the way my dad tells the story is that he was there all of two weeks when he decided that the vineyard and winery lifestyle was what he wanted to do with his life. In the late 1980s, my dad reached out to my grandfather, who had scaled back his beef cattle business dramatically and was renting out most of his farmland for row cropping. My dad worked out a deal on some land and ended up buying what was a run-down farm desperately needing some attention at that time. He converted what was left from the row crop and beef cattle operation into a vineyard. We’ve been here ever since.”

Vineyard Reflects Wisconsin Climate and Consumer Demand

  “Our vineyard is currently about eight acres,” said Mills. “And currently we grow two different varietals, Marechal Foch and Léon Millot. At one time, our vineyard was bigger, but we’ve scaled back a bit in recent years as the demand for French hybrid grown wines has come down a little bit. Additionally, my dad is getting older and is not as vigorous a farmer as he used to be, which makes it a bit easier for us to manage. Our two main varietals are cold-hardy and quick ripening, so they do very well here in the Wisconsin climate. They just fit our shortened growing season, and we still have a good number of our oldest, original plantings from the 80s. We’ve added as necessary, but for the most part, our vineyard is very old and very well established, especially when talking about Wisconsin standards.

  “Dad and I run the majority of the operation and take care of all vineyard duties,” said Mills. “That includes the main agricultural duties, tending to the vineyard, winemaking, and managing the business and grounds. Dad doesn’t have a formal viticultural degree or anything like that. Instead, he learned on the job alongside other winemakers out east and back here in Wisconsin. They taught him the ropes, which he passed on to me. Mom oversees administrative operations as well as marketing, PR, and graphic design. She is instrumental to our business, but she also has other businesses and employment. We also have a wonderful crew of tasting room staff that helps us on weekends, but for full-time employees, it’s just my dad and me.”

Production Fluctuates with Demand and Trends

  “Our production is all on site,” said Mills. “But we can’t grow everything here. Some vines don’t or can’t grow here in Wisconsin. Anything we can grow here, we do, and anything we can’t grow here, we get the juice for working through quality brokers. We do make the wines here, everything from fermentation through production through bottling, putting out 10-12 thousand gallons annually on average. That number fluctuates, however. We meter how much we make based on the previous year’s sales and the estimates we see for the next year, including what we see as industry trends and what is and isn’t selling well.”

  Botham Vineyards and Winery currently feature 13 wines. The volume of each wine produced depends on consumer demand and interest. Big Stuff Red is their flagship, and was Mills’ nickname as a child.

  “Big Stuff Red is a semi-dry red that we have been making for quite a while,” said Mills. “We serve it chilled, which is admittedly a bit unusual for a red wine, but we find that it’s a little more flavorful that way versus room temperature. It’s a blend of Foch that we grow here and wine from the Finger Lakes region of New York.

  “It’s certainly our best seller, and the wine that we’ve been known for the last 20-25 years, but we stand by everything we make,” said Mills. “We believe that our wines are some of the best in the state, and our awards history backs that up. I credit my dad, who is the primary winemaker and vastly more experienced than I am. He’s been at it for 30+ years.”

  Botham Vineyards and Winery have over 150 medals, accolades, and awards that can be seen adorning the walls of their tasting room. Botham believes this is a true testament to the care and artistry that go into crafting their wines. Botham Vineyards is the only Wisconsin winery to have twice earned a double gold medal on an estate-grown wine in international competition. Their Big Stuff Red is a two-time, double gold medal winner at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. And that’s just one example of the exemplary quality of the Botham wine collection. Their top sellers are distributed within Wisconsin, but to experience their whole portfolio, you should visit their picturesque location.

Guests Enjoy the Landscape Views and Personalized Service

  “Our property is gorgeous with a spectacular vibe,” said Mills. “Especially when everything is blooming and coming in. That’s not by accident. We work extremely hard to keep it looking the way it does. Our tasting room is inside the original 1904 agricultural barn. We have tastings, live music, and a robust public and private event business. We offer an excellent, personable staff able to talk and engage with our guests and come up with personalized tastings to suit everyone’s likes.

photograph showing many people at tables inside Botham Vineyard's building

  “We want the visitor experience to be personal and personable,” added Mills. “We don’t just pour you a flight of four or five wines and send you on your merry way. I talk with and engage our guests. I enjoy telling them about our wines. I’ll pour the glasses one at a time, hopefully finding something they genuinely enjoy. It’s rare that someone cannot find at least one or two of our wines to enjoy. All our wines are excellent, but we’ll take the time to find what suits every visitor’s tastes.”

  Mills tells The Grapevine Magazine that Botham Vineyards and Winery does not have an on-site catering kitchen. Instead, they offer premade snacks to supplement their lineup of wines, including Wisconsin’s excellent block cheese and sausage choices.

Host Your Event or Special Occasion Indoors, Outdoors, or Both

  “Although we will never move away from our excellent and storied wines, we are pushing our capacity to host in-demand events, including weddings,” said Mills. “We’re working to be an excellent and viable option for events with the capability and capacity to offer a choice between indoor and outdoor spaces. I’m always on site whenever we have a wedding or something big going on, just in case something weird happens. Fortunately, incidents like that are infrequent, but it’s good to have someone here to work personally and directly with the event organizers and can help when the occasion is warranted.”

photo showing Botham Vineyard visitors enjoying a man playing a guitar outside

  Whether it’s an intimate wedding ceremony, reception, rehearsal dinner, family celebration, or any special occasion, Botham Vineyards and Winery provides a one-of-a-kind vineyard venue with both indoor and outdoor options in their historic barn or beneath their ancient oaks surrounded by a picturesque vineyard landscape.

  “We’ll bring your vision for your special occasion to life,” said Mills. “We also host company retreats, business luncheons and outings, team gatherings, baby and bridal showers, anniversaries, birthday celebrations, and more. We’ll often have a wedding ceremony outside under our iconic huge oak tree, and then a reception in the barn, which is covered and out of the sun and wind, but still able to provide that summer ambiance. It’s a beautiful space in the unrenovated part of the barn with exposed beams, old woodwork, and historical architecture.”

It’s a Wonderful Life

  “It really is a wonderful and fun line of work where I get to meet and talk with a lot of really stellar people and friendly folks who are genuinely interested in our products,” said Mills. “Many times, we become friends, and those friends become supporters of our brand. Our vineyard and winery are really wonderful places to be, and I honestly have no complaints or regrets.”

For more information or to schedule an event:

Botham Vineyards

and Winery

8180 Langberry Rd.

Barneveld, WI 53507

608-574-2162

info@bothamvineyards.com

Vineyard Insurance

Cyndi

When can I sign up for grape crop insurance?

vineyard showing damage from storm

By Trevor Troyer, Agricultural Risk Management

Crop Insurance is unlike most other types of insurance.  There are specific deadlines for signing up, reporting the previous year’s production, reporting acreage etc.  You can only sign up for crop insurance by certain dates.   Since crop insurance is partially subsidized through the USDA these dates, along with premiums, are set by them. 

  All states where you can obtain grape crop insurance, except for California, have the sign-up deadline or Sales Closing Date (SCD) of November 20.  The states where grape crop insurance is available are Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.  Grape Crop insurance is not available in all counties in the above states though.  You may be able to obtain coverage through a special Written Agreement with the USDA, in one of those counties where it is not.

  If you want to amend the existing policy for next year, it needs to be done by the Sales Closing Date.  What changes might you want to make by the SCD or sign-up deadline? 

The main ones are:

1.    Add coverage.

2.   Cancel coverage.

3.   Change optional endorsements.

4.  Increase coverage levels.

5.   Decrease coverage levels.

  What about options that you might not realize are available?  While all crop insurance is the same from one insurance provider to the next, not all options may be added by your agent.  He or she might not have told you about certain ones or they themselves might be unaware of different endorsements that are available.  Contract Pricing and Yield Adjustment are a couple I think can be particularly important. 

  Yield Adjustment is an option that allows you to use a higher yield, in a disaster or in place of a bad year. This would replace your actual yield, in the database that is used to calculate your average tons, with a higher one.

  Here is what the Crop Insurance Handbook, 2023 and Succeeding Years says:

  For APH yield calculation purposes, insureds may elect to substitute 60 percent of the applicable T-Yield for actual yields (does not apply to assigned and temporary yields) that are less than 60 percent of the applicable T-Yield to mitigate the effect of catastrophic year(s). Insureds may elect the APH YA and substitute 60 percent of the applicable T-Yield for low actual yields caused by drought, flood, or other natural disasters.

  T-Yield is a transition yield. These are set by the USDA for each county and variety.  The main point is that Yield Adjustment allows you to use a higher yield to calculate your average.  This can make an enormous difference when it comes to how much of a reimbursement you get on a claim. 

harvester working in the grapevine vineyard

  I have seen many vineyards in California and Oregon that had zero production due to fires and smoke taint.  Their averages would have been significantly worse moving forward without Yield Adjustment (YA).  This would in turn cause them to have less insured value and lessen the likelihood of future claims getting paid.

  Contract Pricing is another valuable tool that allows growers to increase their price per ton.  Prices per ton are set by the USDA Risk Management Agency per county and variety and other counties allow for Contract Pricing.  If you have a contract or contracts with a winery or processor you may be able to get a higher per ton price.  This endorsement – Contract Pricing (CP) needs to be elected at the Sales Closing Date.  Contracts are not due till the acreage reporting date which is later. 

  With Contract Pricing for vineyards, all your grapes do not have to be grown under contract.  You can have part of your grapes grown under contract and your other grapes are not.  Or you can have other grapes grown under different contracts, with different values per ton, with various wineries.  In these cases, a weighted average is used to determine the per-ton price.  Of course, if the value of your grapes goes up so does your premium. 

  Here is an example from the Crop Insurance Handbook:

  Production based contract for 290 total tons at $2,100 per ton = $609,000 total contract value. Non-contracted 72.5 tons at the price election of $1,622 per ton = $117,595. Total value of contracted and non-contracted tons = $726,595. Total value of $726,595 divided by the total expected production = $2,004 weighted average price.

   So, at the time of a claim in the above example any indemnity payment would be $2004 per ton instead of $1622.  Again, using Contract Pricing means your premium will go up.  The higher the dollar value the more the premium will be.  I have seen growers choose not to use CP because of this.

  Another option that growers may opt to use is price election. Normally the price election is 100%. 

  What is price election or percentage? Simply put it is a percentage of the price you are getting per ton.  For example, at 75% coverage you are covering 75% of the value of your grapes.  You would have a 25% damage deductible.   The underlying price election would be 100%.  So, you are getting paid 100% of the value of the grapes covered (75%).  If you had CAT or Catastrophic coverage you would have a coverage level of 50% and a price election of 55%.   You can adjust this price election percentage by coverage level. 

  This can get extremely complicated, but it can make sense for a variety of growers.  You can select different price percentages for different coverage levels.    What if you choose a higher coverage level and then a lower price percentage?  Sometimes this makes more sense.  You would be more likely to have a claim paid but the claim payment might be less.  You would still come out ahead rather than not having a claim paid.

  Here is an example let us say you choose 65% coverage.  If your average is 5 tons per acre, then you are covered for 3.25 tons per acre.  You have a 35% or 1.75 tons per acre deductible.  You must harvest less than 3.25 tons an acre to have a loss.  Maybe you think 35% is too big a deductible.  You might have had a loss last year of 30% and did not get paid anything.  You have looked at 80% with a 20% deductible and that seems good, but the premium is too high for you at 100% of the price.  You could instead choose 80% coverage and then decrease the price percentage.  That way you lower your deductible percentage, making it more likely to have a claim paid while paying around the same premium.

   Decreasing the price percentage lowers the dollar value of what is covered and therefore lowers the premium.  You will get less money per ton, but you may get a claim payment, where in the past you would not have been paid as much or at all.

  This is all very relative to the grower, the state, the county or growing region and the main perils with which you are concerned.  These are just a few examples of available tools you can use to mitigate your risks.  Hopefully, this helps.

Grapes of Math

Cyndi

Howdy! Welcome to grape breeding in Texas

picture of grapevines growing in the vineyard

By Andrej Svyantek, Ph.D., Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, AgriLife Research

Grapevine improvement is a numbers game. One metric ton of fresh wine grapes likely contains more than one million grape seeds (after accounting for variation in berry mass, seed set, rachis mass, and other factors). That’s a lot of potential grapevines. In the wild, grapes play this number game to their advantage, using their sweet sugars, colorful pigments, and delicate aromas to conscript birds and beasts to pick their berries and spread their seeds. When dropped to grow, grape seeds are deposited with a little bit of fecal fertilizer on their way to becoming the latest vine to try their hand against Mother Nature’s Phylloxera, freezes, and foliar diseases. Of all the many billions of seeds sprouting forth each year from compost piles and spread by bird splat, few may have what it takes to shape the growth of our anthropocentric grape and wine industries.

  Intentional crossing, imposed environmental constraints, and an applied breeder’s eye can help improve the odds of finding a vine worthy of training, naming, and growing as a new cultivar. These odds are further increased through the addition of tools that either enhance a breeder’s data collection process, boost selection accuracy, or expand the genetic variation in a meaningful manner.

  As a breeder, my goal is to reduce the amount of time and money spent on developing new grapevines by refining methodologies and technologies. As a grape grower, my goal is to create vines that are productive, durable, and simultaneously both easier and more economical for our farmers to grow. As a parent, my goal is to develop vines that are a delicious component of healthy eating habits. Finally, as a new Texan serving our farmers, my goal is to develop vines that are suited to the needs of our state so we can put food on the table and drink in the glass for our families and friends.

  Texas is graced with a rich and growing viticultural history. Early grapevine introductions date back to the 17th century Spanish missions that brought Vitis vinifera from Europe. This was followed by reciprocity with the exchange of North American Vitis to Europe for use as rootstocks, courtesy of the work of Thomas Volney Munson of Denison, TX. Cumulatively, our state is gifted with just about 171.9 million acres; it is home to many distinct viticultural regions and eight established AVAs. However, growing grapevines in Texas is not without challenges. We can lump our obstacles into abiotic (think drought, heat, and soil or water conditions), biotic (think Pierce’s disease, Black Rot, Grasshoppers or Phylloxera), and chaotic (think hurricanes and tornadoes, extreme temperature swings, and hail). As a grapevine breeder, each obstacle is a new opportunity for work. The open communication of farmers’ struggles helps breeders identify new targets and traits so that future cultivars are better adapted to the on-farm needs of our growers.

Genetic Variation, the Basis of Breeding

  As a diploid organism, bunch grapes (Vitis) have two copies of each of their nineteen chromosomes (one from each parent). Each chromosome contains unique sequences with genetic variation built up through chromosomal aberrations (structural changes to chromosomes) and point mutations (shifts in specific base pairs or their order). These genetic variations are shuffled through the process of meiosis when gametes are formed (pollen and ovules); the combined shuffling and inherent variation from both the seed and pollen parents give rise to seedlings, each drastically different from the next.

  Taking this variation into account, breeding a new grapevine variety is kind of like buying a winning lottery ticket several thousand times in a row. Each individual DNA base pair in a plant’s genome is what drives variation; they can be viewed as individual balls of the lottery where the winning alignment is a desirable expression of a trait contributing to a new cultivar. The genomes of our grapevines are composed of only about 500 million base pairs. This complexity leads to a considerable number of possible lottery tickets. When there is a difference at a single DNA base pair, we call it a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). These SNP differences can shift the state of alleles (think of alleles as the varying forms of a given gene); when alleles differ, it drives shifts in the plant’s phenotype (observable traits associated with things like resistance, resilience, production, and quality).

  As plant breeders, we are playing the lottery with each specific cross we make. After emasculation and pollination, we are gambling that our new seedlings’ DNA will contain impactful SNPs that shape a majority of “winning” alleles across the approximately 30,000 genes of the Vitis genome. More “winning” alleles contribute to a more desirable phenotype for our growers, processors, and consumers. Plant breeders are playing the odds in attempting to align favorable parents, select favorable seedlings, and win the lottery for our growers with the goal of transforming meaningful genetic SNPs into industry shaping sips with each new grape cultivar released.

Fortunately, we are not gambling blindly like a bird plucking and plopping berries along a fence row. After crossing, the tools a plant breeder utilizes on the path to a new cultivar are phenotypic selection, marker-assisted selection, and genomic selection. These tools are critical, and their useful application is dependent on the presence of genetic variation within our crop plant.

Tools of the Trade

Genetic Variation:  For all crops in the U.S. (including grapevines), the genetic variation that allows breeders to serve growers is housed in the USDA Germplasm Repositories. These repositories are our most valuable resource for viticulture’s present and future success. They are our first ingredients when we start cooking up a new cultivar and they are our last line of defense as we battle against pests, diseases, and environmental challenges. Without these repositories’ collections of plant biodiversity, all breeding would be incapacitated and incapable of forging a better future for U.S. farmers.

Phenotypic Selection:  As breeders, phenotyping (measurement of a trait) is the single most important factor in selection and cultivar release. This process is critical for identifying plants that will perform for growers because it is an observation of the plant’s actual performance. For grapes, we have multiple phenotypes of interest. To serve our growers, we need environmental stress tolerance, biotic stress resistance, and yield. However, with grapes we are often as interested in improving chemistry and end-product quality, such as wines. Phenotypic selection is expensive and challenging for many traits due to the cost and time associated with data collection, the time required to wait for that trait to expose itself, the inherent sources of variation that impact plant performance, and the required environmental or biotic constraints for selection of certain traits (we cannot test for drought tolerance during a deluge). Traits that require mature plants (like wine chemistry), traits that require pest and disease pressure, and traits that require extreme climate events (like Winter Storm Uri to test the hardiness of vines in Texas) all can benefit from marker assisted and genomic selection techniques.

Marker Assisted Selection:

Researchers merge phenotype with genetic markers to develop molecular maps for breeders to follow on the path of grapevine creation. This process of associating traits with regions along chromosomes is called Quantitative Trait Loci mapping. The knowledge of which chunks of DNA explain variation in plant response become very important for breeders hoping to use this information for marker assisted selection (MAS). MAS allows a breeder to screen seedlings for things like disease resistance (without exposing them to pathogens) and wine color (without waiting for their fruit). MAS tools require a substantial investment of researchers’ time and effort, but they have a massive time saving impact for breeders in selection.

Genomic Selection:  For crops with many target traits (like grapes) that are under control of many genomic regions (like grapes) where farmers demand whole-plant improvement and high-quality cultivars (like grapes) a technique called genomic selection is necessary to address these highly quantitative traits. Developing an integrated genomic prediction platform for Texas and other grapevine breeding programs is essential to making the most of researchers’ efforts past, present, and future.

  In 2025, Texas A&M University launched a Grapevine Breeding Program into the turbulent waters of viticulture, research, and cultivar development. As a new program, our efforts are geared towards developing methods to rapidly screen promising progeny. This is geared towards increasing the odds of winning the lottery for Texas farmers using Vitis’ natural variation, informative markers, and genomic and phenomic selection procedures so we can deliver environmentally durable grapevines with rugged resistance for our growers. Starting a new grapevine breeding program at Texas A&M University is a challenge, but it is a numbers game that we can win for our farmers if we keep the numbers on our side.

Adiós For Now!

  My name is Andrej Svyantek. You can reach me at andrej.svyantek@ag.tamu.edu for collaborations, discussions, or just to describe your dream grapevine.

Update on Grapevine Red Blotch Virus Disease

Cyndi
red blotch shown on vineyard leaves

By: Judit Monis, Ph.D.

The symptoms of red blotch virus infection become more pronounced and progress in vineyards late in the summer towards the fall season. Therefore, it is timely to provide an update in this issue of the magazine.  In addition, this summer I attended a session on Grapevine red blotch disease at the 76th National ASEV (American Society of Enology and Viticulture) Conference held in Monterey, California.   Here I will summarize information on the biology, symptoms, transmission, and management of the virus responsible for red blotch disease plus a brief synopsis of two relevant ASEV oral presentations. 

Red Blotch Disease

  Red blotch is one of the most important viral diseases in grapevines.  The main symptoms are expressed in red-fruited grape varieties in the late summer/fall season.  It is difficult to distinguish symptoms of leafroll from red blotch disease. Because of this and until 2012 in which the virus was characterized, growers thought that their vines were infected by a yet uncharacterized species or strain of leafroll virus.  Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) genetic material is DNA rather than RNA, belongs to the Grablovirus genus  within the Geminiviridae family.   Foliar symptoms include reddening, or yellowing of leaves depending on the grapevine variety.  Very often, Grapevine red blotch virus infection displays leaf discoloration which usually appears spotty or blotchy.   In red fruited varieties, GRBV infected vines may display red veins, but red veins have also been observed in non-infected vines, and many red-blotch infected vines do not display red veins.   In white-fruited varieties red blotch disease displays yellow blotchy discoloration in leaves. genus Visual diagnostics can be complicated by the fact that grapevines often carry mixed infections of viruses and other pathogens.  The most important negative effect of red blotch virus infection is the reduction of sugar in fruit resulting in lower Brix values and delayed fruit maturity.  Two different genetic groups (clades) of GRBV have been reported but no differences in their biology or effect on symptoms in vineyards have been described.  Just as seen with leafroll, the symptom expression of GRBV infected vines is affected by climatic conditions and the author has noted differences in the effect on sugar reduction in sunnier and warmer areas (i.e., California coastal areas with more fog and lower sunshine yield fruit with lower sugar concentration than the same grape clones grown inland with more sun/heat exposure).

Transmission, Spread of Leafroll and Red Blotch Viruses

  Work by researchers at Cornell University and the University of California reported that the three-cornered alfalfa hopper (Spissistilus festinus) can transmit the GRBV in greenhouse and laboratory conditions.  It is interesting that grapevine is not the preferred host for Spissistilus festinus that prefers to feed on legumes, grasses, and shrubs.  Furthermore, the insect is not able to complete its reproductive cycle in grapevines.  Because the virus is spreading in areas where the three-cornered alfalfa hopper is not present, research is in progress to determine if other insects are capable of transmitting the red blotch virus.   Recently, it was shown that Tortistilus albidoparsus (another tree hopper) is a vector capable of transmitting GRBV.  The rapid expansion of this virus in vineyards  in USA and other countries (Asia, Europe, and South America ) was due to propagation and grafting of cuttings from infected vines.  

Virus Diagnosis and Disease Management

  The distribution and concentration of red blotch virus is uniform in infected vines.  In fact, the  detection of red blotch virus can be performed any time of the year.   Further, work performed in my lab showed that red blotch virus can be detected in high titers in any part of the vine.  The work showed that red blotch virus can be detected in any tissue tested, new or mature leaves, petioles, green or lignified canes, as well as cordons and trunks. 

  Keeping red blotch viruses out of the productive vineyards relies on clean planting stock programs.  Because the causal virus is graft transmitted and has biological vectors it is important to implement a monitoring and sampling program at the nursery and production vineyards.  Vines that are symptomatic or that test positive must be removed from the vineyard to avoid spread.  Depending on the disease incidence (I have developed a statistical sampling formula to calculate and help make decisions), the removal of a few vines or the whole vineyard is recommended. The use of chemical control, although might be used to control GRBV vector is not presently recommended. However, the choice of cover crops that are less appealing to its insect vector’s diets might minimize their presence in the vineyards.  

Highlights of ASEV Presentations

Effect of GRBV in Wine Quality:  Raul Cauduro Girardello (University of California at Davis) presented research to determine if the length of time the vines are infected with GRBV have an effect on wine sensorial and grape chemical quality components.  The study was performed with wine produced using grapes grown in an infected Merlot vineyard block located in Paso Robles (California Central Coast).  The parameters analyzed in grapes were: soluble solids, titratable acids, pH, and phenolic composition. The wine produced were analyzed for basic chemical composition, volatile and phenolic compounds. In addition, descriptive analyses provided and evaluation of the wine’s sensory attributes.  The study found no substantial difference in the analyzed fruit and wine parameters regardless of the time since the vines were infected.  Interestingly, wines produced from recently infected vines were affected (not significantly), sensorially.  Furthermore, the descriptive analyses demonstrated that panelists were able to distinguish the wine’s attributes based on how long the vines were infected.  It would be interesting to learn if the results would be different in other growing areas such as Sonoma and Napa Valley vineyards.

Control of GRBV using Spray-Induced Gene Silencing:  Christian Mandelli (Oregon State University, Corvallis) presented research on the application of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) to induce what plant virologists know as RNA interference.  Compared with animals, plants do not have an immune system to defend themselves from the infection of viruses (or other pathogens).  However, plants have developed a gene-silencing mechanism to respond to viral infections known as RNA interference (RNAi).  Pathogen derived resistance has been applied to many plant species including grapevine (i.e., development of rootstocks resistant to fanleaf disease) using genetic engineering methods.  Unfortunately, these rootstocks are not being used due to the lack of popularity and acceptance of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) by consumers.  The study presented at the meeting proposes to bypass the use of GMOs by spraying small portions of double stranded RNA (dsRNAs) onto plants.  The researchers report the finding of  “hotspots” in the GRBV genome that can be targeted by the plant’s RNAi machinery to induce viral gene silencing, inhibiting the viral replication, ultimately suppressing viral infection.  If the research is successful, a method for foliar application (spraying) of small interfering dsRNAs  would provide resistance to GRBV replication and therefore reduce the detrimental effects of the virus.  The project is interesting  because the application of spray-induced gene silencing would provide a non-GMO strategy that could mitigate GRBV infection in vineyards.

Conclusions

  Exciting new research is promising and may allow growers and nursery personnel to control GRBV infection.  However, the production of clean planting grapevine stock still remains the number one prevention strategy to keep newly planted vineyards free of viral and fungal diseases.  Presently, there is no clear recommendation on the needed isolation of foundation or nursery mother blocks and production vineyards. A prudential distance and isolation will help avoid infection of clean planting stock from diseased blocks. We know that the lack of symptoms does not correlate with a healthy diagnostic result.  Therefore, it is recommended to test a statistical sample of the nursery propagated material to confirm the material’s health status. Obviously, nurseries and growers must determine the health status of grapevine stock prior to planting to avoid the propagation and/or introduction diseased vines to the vineyard.  But as important is to isolate and monitor newly planted vineyards to avoid the introduction and propagation of disease via insect vectors. 

  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 the vineyard.   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

Canadian Winemaking

Cyndi

The Rise of Vancouver Island Wines

ariel view of canadian vineyard and winery

By Becky Garrison

Most of the attention on British Columbia (BC) wines tends to focus on the Okanagan Valley Wine Region, as this premier grapegrowing region boasts 86% of the province’s vineyard acreage. However, Vancouver Island’s ocean breezes, abundant green setting, and intimate, dedicated group of largely family-owned vineyards and wineries give this region an intimate artisanal vibe. These attributes give Vancouver Island’s vineyards and wineries a distinct alternative to the Okanagan’s grander, more established wine community.

  The Island’s cooler climate and short growing season can present challenges in selecting and growing grapes designed for cooler climates. In addition, growers need to monitor their vines for the presence of botrytis. Also, the seasonal rain can lead to mold, mildew, and other related diseases if not properly addressed in time.

History of Winemaking on Vancouver Island                                

  While European homesteaders were growing grapes for private consumption as far back as the 1800s, commercial winemaking on Vancouver Island began in the early 1920s with wines produced from loganberries by the Growers’ Wine Company in Saanich, BC.

  From 1983 to 1990, the provincially funded Duncan Project evaluated about 100 grape varieties to determine which would thrive in the region, identifying Pinot Gris, Auxerrois, and Ortega (a German hybrid) as especially promising. Today, Vancouver Island is building a reputation for premium wines, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir leading the way joined by Gamay, Gewürztraminer, Merlot, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Blanc, and a range of sparkling wines. Notably, Charme de l’Île (“charm of the island”) is a distinctive sparkling style made on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands using the Charmat method. Many producers embrace sustainable and organic practices, crafting wines that pair beautifully with the Island’s exceptional seafood, from salmon and halibut to spot prawns, oysters, Dungeness crab, and creamy clam chowder, capturing the essence of coastal BC in every glass.

  Currently, the Vancouver Island GI (Geographic Indicaton) contains 321 planted acres with 22 licensed grape wineries. (Similar to AVA, a GI is a legally defined term indicating the geographical area from which wine originates.) The majority of these wineries are situated in the Cowichan Valley and Saanich Peninsula with a growing winery community in the Comox Valley.

Cowichan Valley

  Home to 13 wineries, the Cowichan Valley was officially recognized as the first sub-geographical indicaton outside of the Okanagan Valley on July 10, 2020. The First Nations Salish translation of Cowichan means warm land, with the Cowichan Valley having the distinction of being the warmest area in British Columbia.

  The region’s soil consists of a mixture of ancient volcanic activity, salt, and glaciers. Most wineries in the Cowichan Valley are shielded from Pacific Ocean storms by nearby mountains. The warm, dry summers and mild, moist winters make the Cowichan Valley Canada’s only “cool” maritime Mediterranean climate. The Valley records a long season of up to 1,097 growing degree days with low frost risk. This combination provides good conditions for many Vitis vinifera grape varietals that bud late and ripen early.

  In 1986, an “experimental vineyard” opened in Duncan on the land that is now home to the Blue Grouse Estate Winery (Duncan, BC). This site was managed by John Harper, a well-known and respected viticulturist from the Fraser Valley.

  Then in 1992, Zanatta Estate Winery (Duncan, BC) opened as the first modern estate winery and tasting room on Vancouver Island. That same year Blue Grouse Estate Winery received its license to operate a winery, retail store, and sell its wines. This was the second license issued on Vancouver Island. Jackson Family Wines purchased this now 65-acre estate winery in 2022 with plans to enhance the winery’s Pinot Noir and Chardonnay portfolio.

  Also in 2009, Tim Turyk, a long-time resident to this region, learned of a small vineyard and winery up for sale. After working for over forty years in BC’s fishing industry, he was looking for a new challenge. So Turyk and his wife Colleen decided to purchase this property where they set out to create a vineyard, winery, and restaurant using sustainable means. The name Unsworth Vineyards (Mill Bay, BC) is a homage to Turyk’s mother’s heritage as Unsworth was her maiden name.  Like Blue Grouse Estate Winery, Unsworth Vineyards is owned by Jackson Family Wines though both wineries still retain a gracious family-friendly island ethos with guided tasting experiences. 

  Four vineyards on Vancouver Island are certified by Sustainable Winegrowing BC (SWBC). The mission of SWBC is to guide wineries and grape growers in BC that enable and encourage them to practice good land stewardship, offer safe fulfilling employment, and be respectful neighbors. These four vineyards are owned or operated by Unsworth Vineyards. Currently no wineries are SWBC certified though Unsworth has an application in process with their new winery.

  Some of Unsworth Vineyards are certified by Sustainable Winegrowing BC (SWBC). The mission of SWBC is to guide wineries and grape growers in BC that enables and encourages them to practice good land stewardship, offer safe fulfilling employment, and be respectful neighbors.

  Other wineries in the Cowichan Valley include Alderlea Vineyards (North Cowichan), Averill Creek Vineyard (North Cowichan), Cherry Point Estate Wines (Cobble Hill), Cobble Hill Winery (Cobble Hill), Deol Estate Winery (North Cowichan), Divino Estate Winery (Cobble Hill), Emandare Vineyard (North Cowichan), Enrico Winery (Mill Bay), TellTale Winery (Cobble Hill), and Venturi-Schulze Vineyards (Cobble Hill).  The annual month-long Cowichan Valley Wine Festival held in August offers visitors a curated experience through these aforementioned wineries. 

Comox Valley  

  Moving north, Comox Valley encompasses mountains, farmlands, and beaches that include the village of Cumberland, the city of Courtenay, and the town of Comox, along with smaller communities. 40 Knots Winery (Comox, BC), one of the largest wineries on Vancouver Island, was founded by Bill Montgomery and opened in 2011. In addition to a range of red, white, and sparkling wines, they produce ciders and a line of skin care products named VinoSpa made with the Pinot Noir Noble Grape, which contains naturally occurring resveratrol and polyphenols.

  In 2019, Beaufort Vineyard and Estate Winery (Courtney, BC) became the first organically certified vineyard on Vancouver Island with full organic certification for the winery being awarded in 2022. This family-run vineyard and winery grows 11 different varieties across 18 acres on the estate with 100% of their wines made from organic, estate-grown grapes.

  The other two wineries situated in Comox Valley are Coastal Black Estate Winery (Black Creek, BC), a fruit winery and cider, and Raven’s Moon Estate Winery & Cider Worx (Courtenay, BC), who produce hand-crafted spirited fruit wines and sparkling hard ciders.

Saanich Peninsula, BC

  This region’s proximity just north of the city of Victoria makes this area particularly accessible to travelers looking to combine their urban adventures with a wine tasting experience. Situated in the picturesque city of Victoria, Prohibition Vineyard was once known as Dragonfly Hill Winery. This historic winery established in 1995 played a significant role in shaping the wine industry on Vancouver Island. 

  North of the city of Victoria is Church and State Wines (Brentwood Bay, BC), which opened in May 2003 as Victoria Estates. Their 25 acres afford visitors to their tasting room panoramic views of the valley and the ocean. The name Church and State Wines represents the balance they seek to achieve with their wines by balancing traditions and technologies in the cellar and vineyard. They source most of their fruit from their second location in the Okanagan Valley fruit as Vancouver Island does not produce enough supply or diversity of classic Vitis vinifera grapes.

  Other wineries in this region include Deep Cove Winery (North Saanich BC)

Invinity Sparkling Wine House (North Saanich, BC), Roost Farm Centre (North Saanich, BC), and Neighbourly Wine Co. (Saanichton, BC).

Preparing for Harvest 

Cyndi

Maximizing Profitability Amidst Industry Challenges

By: Roberto Iturralde, Agronomic Service Representative, Syngenta

As harvest season approaches, wine grape growers face a unique combination of challenges—from fluctuating market dynamics to increasing labor costs and the ever-present threat of disease.

  To stay competitive in today’s market, it’s essential for growers to adopt targeted strategies that balance cost management with optimized production. Though the table grape sector has faced challenges, it has not been impacted as severely as the wine grape industry.

 Weathering Through the Wine Industry

  The current wine grape market presents significant difficulties for growers. According to the Wine Institute, California wine production in 2023 reached only 606 million gallons, one of the lowest levels on record since 2015. Additionally, the state’s 2024 harvest was the lightest in two decades, down more than 25% from the previous year, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

  Compounding these issues, wine grape supply continues to overwhelm demand, lowering the price of wine grape varieties. The same California Department of Food and Agriculture report found that the average price for all grape varieties decreased to $992.51 in 2024, a 4.5% drop from 2023.

  The ongoing supply-demand imbalance in the wine grape industry is forcing growers to make difficult decisions, including reducing vineyard acreage. In a recent interview with Ag Alert, Jeff Bitter, president of Allied Grape Growers, emphasized the continued oversupply and urged for the removal of 50,000 acres in 2025. This follows an estimated 37,500 acres that have already been pulled between the 2023 and 2024 harvests. Bitter hopes these measures will help stabilize the market. 

  As many contracts between growers and winemakers go unrenewed and the return on investment is increasingly uncertain, growers must carefully consider every input cost to maximize their bottom line this harvest.

  To navigate these obstacles, diversification is key. While older vineyards are dropping acreage at higher rates to mitigate supply challenges, younger vineyards have diversified their portfolios by switching wine grape varieties to meet demand needs and stay in business. As harvest season approaches, it may be time for growers to reevaluate variety types to improve the likelihood of their crops being purchased in the future.

  Meticulous vineyard planning will also be vital. Optimizing irrigation, fertilization and canopy management can help reduce input costs while maintaining quality, making grapes more attractive to potential buyers. Balancing these decisions with the realities of market conditions is essential for long-term success.

Optimizing Labor and Equipment for Cost-Efficient Harvesting

  Labor represents one of the highest costs for wine grape growers, especially during harvest. Not to mention the California state minimum wage has more than doubled in the last 12 years – from $8 in 2013 to $16.50 in 2025 – while the price of grapes is on a decline. Thus, efficiently managing labor is crucial, and when paired with the right equipment, growers can significantly reduce expenses while also maintaining productivity.

  One of the most effective ways to manage labor costs is to minimize the number of tasks requiring manual intervention during harvesting. For instance, reducing the number of sprays can cut down on labor needs. By using high-performing solutions with extended control periods, growers can reduce the frequency of applications, lowering both labor and product costs over time.

  Another approach is to plan operations carefully to ensure that labor is allocated efficiently. Scheduling tasks like pruning, thinning and harvesting during optimal conditions can help avoid costly delays and overtime expenses.

  In addition to optimizing labor for cost efficiency, many growers look to machines to fill the gaps when workers are few and far between and at higher costs. The long-held belief that hand-harvested grapes are superior has become increasingly abandoned, as upwards of 80% of California’s wine grapes are now machine-picked. Growers can also choose to alternate between hand harvesting and mechanical harvesters to give vines a break from the rough handling of the machinery every couple of years.

  While the upfront cost of mechanical equipment may be significant, the long-term savings in labor costs can make it a worthwhile investment. Mechanical harvesters can handle large acreage in a fraction of the time that it would take a manual workforce, allowing growers to be less reliant on seasonal labor.

  Additionally, using modern pruning and spraying equipment can speed up operations and improve treatment consistency to help maximize the return on investment. Mechanical leaf and sucker removal can also be done before harvest to help prevent disease, especially in humid environments, and to unmask bunches for picking, which in turn reduces harvesting time. Properly functioning machinery not only saves time but also minimizes the risk of crop damage, which can affect yields and quality. Growers who utilize machinery should take caution to maintain and calibrate equipment regularly to ensure peak performance during harvest.

Early Detection of Diseases

  A profitable harvest season begins with healthy vines, and disease management is paramount to achieving optimal yields. Amidst industry challenges and rising labor costs, every vineyard management decision is critical, including how growers monitor and prevent disease outbreaks.

  Common diseases like powdery mildew can wreak havoc on vineyards if not addressed promptly. It’s essential to identify potential disease outbreaks early by closely monitoring crop development throughout the season. Initial symptoms of powdery mildew may appear on leaves as chlorotic spots on the upper leaf surface. As spores are produced and spread to the lower leaf surface, the infected areas take on a white, powdery or dusty appearance, which may eventually overtake the entire grape surface.

  Regular scouting for disease symptoms can help growers take timely action before the infection escalates. Using advanced technologies, such as remote monitoring solutions and digital imaging, can further improve the accuracy of disease detection.

Proactive Disease Management

  As bud break occurs, sulfur dusting can provide an economical protective barrier on grape leaves and stems, preventing fungal diseases like powdery mildew from infecting the plant. Once there is an active infection, growers will typically transition from sulfur dusting to a more powerful chemical that can provide extended control. As vines mature into the bloom stage through bunch closure and veraison, a premium spray may be necessary for effective disease management to maximize yield potential at harvest.

  Incorporating an effective fungicide into a comprehensive spray program can significantly aid in disease protection and prevention. A FRAC 3/7 fungicide like Aprovia® Top delivers preventive activity and extended broad-spectrum control of powdery mildew and other common grape diseases, which reduces the need for frequent applications and lowers overall input costs.

  A versatile tank-mix option can serve as a valuable resistance management tool and can also be effective in rotation programs with other modes of action. Consider a fungicide that also offers plant health benefits, which can lead to higher yield potential and quality fruit at harvest. Combining fungicide use with cultural practices, such as improved air circulation through canopy management, can further reduce disease pressure.

  Balancing disease prevention with cost management is an ongoing challenge for growers. By investing in high-quality products that offer long-term efficacy, growers can reduce the number of inputs required over the season, while maximizing ROI and yield potential.

A Look into the Future

  Preparing for the harvest season requires wine grape growers to adopt a multifaceted approach that addresses economic, operational and agronomic challenges. By understanding market dynamics and adapting vineyard management practices accordingly, growers can better position themselves for success in an uncertain industry. Efficient labor and equipment utilization further enhance operational effectiveness, while proactive crop monitoring and disease prevention can maximize yield potential and improve fruit quality.

  In these challenging times, strategic planning and innovation are vital for continued success in the wine grape industry. By implementing these tips, growers will be better equipped to navigate through future complexities and uncertain times.

  For more information about Aprovia Top fungicide, visit https://www.syngenta-us.com/fungicides/aprovia-top

Author Biography:

  Roberto Iturralde is an Agronomic Service Representative with Syngenta in Fresno, CA. He is also a Certified Crop Advisor and Pest Control Advisor, specializing in permanent crops including grapes, tree nuts, citrus and more. He can be reached at roberto.iturralde@syngenta.com.

Legalese:

  Syngenta hereby disclaims any liability for third-party websites referenced herein.

  All photos are the property of Syngenta or are used with permission.

  © 2025 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Aprovia® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective third-party owners.

Why Less Visitation to Wine Country Is Everyone’s Problem

Cyndi

By: Susan DeMatei – WineGlass Marketing

Wineries with tasting rooms know all too well that foot traffic is shrinking. But it was our clients without a hospitality arm who got us thinking: how important is the on-site channel to the wine industry as a whole?

  Maybe we’re just evolving. After all, people buy everything—from cars to carrots—online these days. Isn’t it natural for wine to follow suit?

  We pulled on that thread, and it turns out the decline in wine country tourism is a bigger issue than it first appears.

What Is the Problem?

  When we look at why wine sales are down, we can break it into three core factors:

•    Frequency


•    Volume


•    Abstinence


  And one of those clearly dominates.

  Frequency—how often someone chooses wine—is the elephant in the room. It accounts for a whopping 65% of the volume decline. Simply put, fewer people are reaching for wine in their daily lives.

  Next up is volume, responsible for about 19% of the drop. These consumers still drink wine, but they’re drinking less per occasion.

  Finally, abstinence represents only 7% of the decline. These folks have exited the wine category altogether, often favoring spirits, RTDs, or non-alcoholic options.

  This breakdown gives us a clear direction: focus on increasing frequency, encourage responsible volume, and work to keep existing wine drinkers from drifting away.

Who Is the Problem?

  Demographic data shows us where the decline hits hardest—and where there’s still potential.

chart showing decrease in wine consumption coming from ages 65+

Let’s start with age.
Younger drinkers (ages 21–24) are actually increasing their wine consumption—by 73% more than any other age group. Meanwhile, drinkers aged 65+ are leading the retreat, with an index of 121 for drinking less and just 48 for drinking more. This could be due to health concerns, lifestyle shifts, or simply changing preferences.

  Income tells a similar story.
Low-income consumers (<$50k) are more likely to be drinking less wine. On the other hand, higher-income consumers are still spending—often on premium bottles—indicating the luxury wine segment remains strong.

So if we’re looking for growth, it’s clear: the opportunity lies with younger, affluent consumers who are curious and still forming their wine habits.

How Do We Encourage Premium Wine Purchase?

  Across the board, consumers who begin buying wine over $20 didn’t just wake up one day and change their habits. They were introduced to a gateway wine—a bottle that surprised and impressed them, often in a memorable setting.

  That single bottle becomes a turning point. From there, consumers often start exploring more expensive options, seeking wine education, and becoming more involved in wine culture. Creating that moment is the key. The industry’s challenge is to get more consumers to cross that threshold.

Where Do These Gateway Moments Happen?

  According to the Wine Market Council, the most common place consumers discover wines over $20?

Wine country.

chart showing travel is an important introduction to wine

  A full 76% of consumers say visiting a winery or wine region plays a role in their discovery of premium wines. The physical, sensory, and emotional experience of being on-site is nearly impossible to replicate online.

  Social gatherings, tastings, and trusted retailers also matter—but in-person, immersive experiences lead the charge. More passive methods like influencer content or wine club shipments don’t seem to have the same effect.

  The takeaway? Wine isn’t just a product. It’s an experience—and wine country is still the best showroom we have.

Why This Matters

  Our biggest opportunity lies with converting curious, affluent younger consumers into wine lovers—and eventually, loyal buyers. To do that, we need to get them into wine country.

Research consistently shows that visiting wineries increases consumers’ exposure to higher-end wines and reinforces a lifestyle that includes wine. And that lifestyle leads to stronger engagement, deeper knowledge, and more frequent purchases.

But Here’s the Catch

  Only 16% of consumers visit a wine region monthly or more—and most of them are already wine lovers.
Another 53% visit once to three times a year.
And 31% of consumers visit less than once a year or never.

chart showing novice and infrequent drinkers less likely to go to wine country

  That last group is where the biggest opportunity lies—and also our biggest challenge.

  Novice wine drinkers make up 54% of those who rarely or never visit wine country. These are exactly the people we need to reach if we want to grow the category long-term.

The most engaged wine tourists?

•People who buy $50+ wines


•Those who own 25+ bottles


•Wine experts


The least engaged? Newcomers.

  This leaves us with a critical challenge: How do we attract novice drinkers and infrequent buyers to wine country in the first place?

What Now?

  To grow our consumer base, wineries must take this data seriously. That means:

•Lowering the barriers to entry with more accessible, welcoming, and inclusive experiences


•Designing immersive, unforgettable visits that educate and inspire


•Investing in storytelling, hospitality, and connection—the things that can’t be bottled, boxed, or shipped


In Summary

  The decline in wine country visitation isn’t just a hospitality problem—it’s a brand engagement crisis. If fewer people are stepping into our world, fewer people are falling in love with wine. And that affects the entire industry, from DTC to wholesale.

  We need to rethink the winery experience, not as a bonus channel, but as the first step in a consumer’s lifelong journey with wine. The more gateways we build, the more drinkers we gain—and the better chance we have at making wine culture thrive for generations to come.

  Susan DeMatei founded WineGlass Marketing; the largest full-service, award-winning marketing firm focused on the wine industry. She is a certified Sommelier and Specialist in Wine, with degrees in Viticulture and Communications, an instructor at Napa Valley Community College, and is currently collaborating on two textbooks. Now in its 13thyear, her agency offers domestic and international wineries assistance with all areas of strategy and execution. WineGlass Marketing is located in Napa, California, and can be reached at 707-927-3334 or wineglassmarketing.com.

Year-Round Vineyard Solutions for Small, Tow-Behind Equipment

Cyndi

By: Alyssa L. Ochs

Smart equipment investments are essential to running a profitable, sustainable, modern vineyard that aligns with your business goals. Some of the most affordable and versatile equipment solutions are small tow-behind implements that work well between rows of grapevines.

  Tow-behind equipment is especially beneficial for small and mid-sized vineyards with tight budgets. With the right mulchers, spreaders, mowers, deleafers, and harvesting tow behinds, you can maneuver tight spaces and rely less on manual labor to save costs and overcome worker shortage issues.

  To learn more about compact, nimble machines that aren’t unnecessarily complicated or overpriced to strain your budget, we connected with several industry leaders offering small tow-behind equipment for vineyards.

BDI MACHINERY: Time-Saving Deleafers and Optimal-Coverage Sprayers

  BDi Machinery, based in Macungie, Pennsylvania, offers a wide selection of vineyard equipment. BDi sells many types and sizes of sprayers, hedgers, leaf removers, shredders, cultivators, pruners, mowers, row mulchers, and other specialized machines.

  Paul J. Licata from BDi Machinery explained that his company focuses on growth and cultivation mechanization equipment and is the exclusive importer of OLMI Pneumatic Deleafers for vineyards in the U.S. OLMI is the pioneer, innovator, and premier brand of Pneumatic Deleafers, which encourage optimal grape development and lead to improved grape health and quality wine.

  “An OLMI deleafer does not harm grapes during any period of use, since the OLMI leaf remover does not work in contact with vegetation,” Licata said. “It allows work in any kind of vineyard and has short application times. The OLMI in pre-harvest facilitates manual harvesting with a saving of time of 30 percent, while with mechanical harvesting it eliminates moisture in the fruiting area so a greater cleanliness of the crop can be reached. Also, fungicides and other impurities in the tanks of the harvester can be reduced. Even in this phase, the deleafer does not harm the grapes.”

  Licata shared that this deleafer requires 50 PTO HP for a single diffusor head machine and 85 PTO HP for a multi-head diffusor head model machine. Maintenance and inspection after each use stage during the growing season involve checking the filter, greasing points, oil levels for the compressor and gearbox, and the fan coupling joint.

  “We provide complete post-purchase support for the startup and training of the machine use,” Licata said. “Whenever there is a need, we and our customers are in direct contact with the OLMI Italy factory for all customer needs, and we offer a one-year warranty.”

  He shared that the typical return on investment for an OLMI deleafer is 1.5 to 2.5 years, depending on the size of your vineyard operation.

  Licata also told us that BDi Machinery imports CIMA Low-Volume Atomizer Sprayers, which are the pesticide sprayers of choice for growers who want quality, clean fruit. They offer a better alternative to traditional high-volume air-blast “soaker sprayers” that don’t have consistent pressure control.

  “The CIMA Blitz Trailer Model T50 – 300 Gallon with a TC.2M2M spray head is a very common solution for our customers for single row, and TCF.2M2M spray head for multi-row,” Licata said. “The CIMA makes droplets in the 100 to 150µ range. In contrast, a high-pressure “soaker sprayer” commonly makes droplets in the 250-400µ range.”

  “Since droplets are three dimensional, when you break down a large droplet, it has many smaller droplets inside of that large droplet,” he explained. “Therefore, with a CIMA Atomizer Sprayer, you will have many more droplets available for better coverage. This type of spray method also allows you not to have to spray to a drip. Unlike typical high-pressure air blast sprayers with air speeds around 80 to 100 mph, the atomizer-style delivery system coats all surfaces of the canopy with air speeds around 170 to 200 mph, achieving better quality of coverage and yielding a cleaner crop.”

CLEMENS TECHNOLOGIES: In-Row Cultivating and Mechanical Weed Control

  Another company, Clemens Technologies, offers efficient and sustainable machine solutions that make winegrowers’ daily work in grapevine rows easier. Clemens Technologies was founded in 1952 and is based in Germany. The company launched in the early 1970s with a specialization in mechanizing all work steps in vineyards and orchards.

  Clemens’ first product line featured specialty cultivators for working the soil in steep hill conditions. From there, the company developed a steadily perfected line of soil-working equipment, especially mechanical solutions for in-row cultivation and weeding to avoid the use of herbicides. Clemens’ machines operate worldwide in all vineyard conditions, row spacings, and varieties.

  Since 1988, Clemens Technologies USA has been based in Woodland, California, offering these vineyard solutions to the U.S. wine industry. Here, Clemens provides products for under-row care, soil cultivation, canopy management, tool carriers, high-wheel tractors and crawlers, and vineyard management software.

  Owner and president Thomas Clemens explained to The Grapevine Magazine that his company specializes in in-row cultivating and mechanical weed control. Clemens’ equipment solutions are designed year-round for mechanical weed control in vineyards and orchards, especially in the spring and summer.

  “The well-known Clemens Radius under-vine-weeder undercuts the weeds and detects the vine,” Clemens said. “Is mounted to a tractor or tool carrier either in front, in the rear, or in between the axles. It is driven by tractor hydraulics, like most of the Clemens products. There are multiple versions and accessories for the Radius.”

  “For high weed situations and no-till vineyards Clemens offers a brush system, called Multiclean, which mows the weeds in between the vines,” Clemens went on to share. “Also, this unit is hydraulically-driven and has the same mounting options as the Radius.”

  In addition to these pieces of vineyard equipment, Clemens Technologies has offered a range of machines for canopy management since the early 2000s. These products include pre-pruners, hedgers, shoot-binders, and leaf-removers.

  Clemens told us that all his company’s products are low-maintenance and easy to service. If repairs are needed, parts are always available in Clemens’ Woodland, California warehouse.

  “Modern tractors are equipped with sufficient hydraulic remotes nowadays,” Clemens said. “If not, we offer joystick controls to provide a comfortable and most efficient way to control the equipment. Most of the Clemens units are available in one-sided or two-sided versions. During intensive discussions with the customer, we configure the right setup for each individual vineyard situation.”

GEARMORE: Various Attachments to Make Tractors More Productive

  Based in Chino, California, Gearmore sells reliable tractor attachments exclusively through servicing tractor dealers. For over 50 years, it has served the vineyard, farm, ranch, landscape, municipal, and construction industries. Gearmore’s primary service areas are California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Hawaii, Baja California, and Sonora, Mexico. However, it also sells products nationally and globally.

  Its selection of vineyard implements includes sprayers, vine trimmers, deleafers, pre-pruners, compost spreaders, and sulfur dusters. Skid steer mowers, mower shredders, soil conditioners, air blast sprayers, and in-row cultivators are other products available.

Innovations in Modern Tow-Behind Equipment

  Many vineyard managers have been gradually shifting away from large, heavy, and complex machinery that damages vine rows and compacts soils. Instead, they’re looking for more manageable equipment solutions that can easily be hitched to tractors and navigate tight rows over challenging terrain. Vineyards between five and 50 acres of rows benefit tremendously from this approach.

  Vineyard managers rely on tow-behind equipment to achieve sustainability goals by reducing soil compaction and promoting long-term vine root health. Variable-rate technology, data-logging features, and GPS guidance further enhance product offerings with greater automation and precision. Lightweight, eco-friendly equipment materials like aluminum can further minimize vineyard impacts and boost soil health.

  Another industry innovation trend is multi-function, modular tow-behind platforms, which are versatile tool carriers able to accommodate multiple attachments. Vineyards can consolidate multiple tools into a single platform for spraying, cultivating, mowing, and other tasks while minimizing downtime. Some systems include digital dashboards, quick-swap interfaces, and remote diagnostics using Wi-Fi connectivity.

Choosing and Maintaining Your Tow-Behind Equipment

  Vineyard managers can avoid common maintenance and operational challenges by implementing regular maintenance plans at defined intervals and as specified by equipment manufacturers. Regularly inspect your tow-behind equipment by greasing it and checking the fluid levels and belt tension.

  “Importantly for BDi Machinery customers is the stocking of parts and support materials for all the brands we represent,” Licata from BDi said. “Anyone can sell a machine, but the service, parts, and support is where the rubber hits the road. Customers know they can always count on BDi Machinery, with also additional direct factory technical support should that ever be needed.”

  Licata also advised that customers must understand the specific tow-behind equipment tractor requirements before making any purchase. The relevant and essential technical tractor specifications include the tractor HP, PTO HP, hydraulic flow rates at remotes, and electrical outlets for controls. It’s also necessary to assess your vineyard application criteria, such as row width, row height, trellis system, growing system, irrigation system, and soil density.

  Looking ahead, we may see future innovations involving autonomous tractors and tow-behind units guided by GPS and robotic systems. Meanwhile, self-leveling mowers and sprayers can help vineyard managers make real-time adjustments based on their terrain. Other high-tech tools to watch in the years ahead are performance tracking tools to help you monitor tow-behind equipment usage, labor needs, and maintenance schedules.

  Embracing innovations in vineyard tow-behind equipment can give winegrowers a competitive edge while maintaining an authentic, hands-on production approach. With precise, well-designed machinery that improves both vine health and worker productivity, tow-behind equipment has come a long way from its original, humble beginnings.

What Is Soil Health?  

Cyndi

A Living Foundation Beneath the Vine

Cover Crop of Native Texas Wildflowers in the Texas Gulf Coast

By: Daniel Hillin and Justin Scheiner, Ph.D. – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Soil is more than just the ground beneath our boots. For grape growers, it is the living foundation of every vine, vintage, and bottle. Sometimes overlooked as just an inert medium, soil is now understood as an extremely complex and dynamic ecosystem. The concept of “soil health” has emerged as a cornerstone of modern viticulture, blending ecology, chemistry, biology, and sustainability. But what exactly is soil health, and what all does it encompass?

  The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) defines soil health as “the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans.” It’s a functional definition that shifts the focus from soil as a passive growing material to one that is alive and responsive. Unlike “soil quality,” which often refers to inherent characteristics like texture or fertility, soil health emphasizes the dynamic, living processes that can be improved or degraded over time.

The Biological, Chemical, and Physical Components

  At the heart of soil health is life itself. Billions of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and arthropods form a vibrant web underground, collectively known as the soil food web. These organisms decompose organic material, cycle nutrients, build soil structure, and suppress pathogen activity. In vineyards, a diverse and active biological community helps buffer vines against stress while simultaneously supporting nutrient uptake. For example, mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic relationships with grapevine root systems, thus extending their access to water and certain nutrients. In Texas vineyards, especially those with minimal tillage and ground cover, growers report higher earthworm activity and microbial respiration rates—an encouraging sign of thriving biology.

  Healthy soil must also provide the chemical building blocks of plant growth. This includes essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and a suite of micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and boron. Nutrient availability depends not just on how much is present, but how accessible those nutrients are to plants. Soil pH, salinity, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) all influence nutrient dynamics in the soil and ultimately the amount of nutrients available to the plant. In many Texas vineyards, high-pH calcareous soils can tie up micronutrients like iron and zinc, leading to deficiencies even when these nutrients are present in adequate quantities. Maintaining balanced fertility through soil and petiole analysis and amendments is key to supporting chemical soil health.

  The physical structure of soil influences everything from water infiltration to root growth. Soil texture (sand, silt, clay), aggregate stability, and bulk density all play a role in shaping the vines root environment. Healthy physical properties help support vigorous root systems, allow for both timely drainage and water retention, and help mitigate soils from compaction and erosion from everyday vineyard tasks.

Click Series Gravelly Soil Under Vine in the Texas Hill Country

  Click Series Gravelly Soil Under Vine in the Texas Hill Country

Soils in the Texas High Plains AVA are often deep and sandy with good drainage, while some areas in the Texoma and Hill Country AVAs tend toward heavier clay soils that can compact easily. In vineyard systems, with frequent traffic, narrow row spacing, and fixed irrigation lines are common, compaction becomes a critical concern. Growers can enhance physical soil health by minimizing mechanical disturbance, avoiding traffic on wet soils, and incorporating organic matter to improve structure.

  Often called the “gold standard” of soil health, organic matter is central to physical, chemical, and biological functioning. It improves water-holding capacity, fuels microbial life, and increases the ability of the soil to retain nutrients. In soils with naturally low organic matter, increasing soil organic matter (SOM) levels in vineyards is a process that requires a long-term investment. Practices such as compost applications, cover cropping, reduced tillage, and mulching can incrementally build organic matter content year to year. In Texas, where soil organic content is naturally low due to high temperatures and erosion risk, establishing and maintaining a cover crop and adding compost or biochar can make a significant difference.

Medlin Clay Soil Midrow in the North Texas Region

Medlin Clay Soil Midrow in the North Texas Region

Managing Soil Health in Vineyards

  Soil health can be observed in the field and measured in the lab. Observable indicators include aggregate stability, root depth, soil smell, and biological activity (like earthworms). Lab tests might assess organic matter content, microbial respiration, bulk density, or nutrient profiles. While no single test captures all aspects of soil health, combining multiple indicators over time helps growers make informed decisions. Some vineyards are beginning to adopt composite soil health indices that synthesize biological, chemical, and physical data into one management tool.

  Soil health in vineyards is not static, it is something growers can actively build through thoughtful, region-specific management. Key practices begin with minimizing soil disturbance by reducing tillage and avoiding equipment passes when soils are wet, especially in heavy clay regions prone to compaction. Protecting the soil surface with cover crops or mulches not only guards against erosion but also supports biological activity and enhances organic matter over time. Cover crops improve soil structure by creating pore spaces, regulating soil temperature extremes, and increasing water infiltration, especially after rainfall.

  Organic matter contributes to thermal regulation in the root zone, protecting vines from temperature extremes. Texas soils, especially in the High Plains and Hill Country, often suffer from naturally

low organic content due to warm climates that accelerate decomposition. Adding compost, tilled cover crop residue, or biochar, and selecting materials with balanced carbon-to-nitrogen ratios help stimulate microbial life and lessen nutrient immobilization.

Annual Ryegrass Utilized as a Cover Crop in the Texas High Plains Region

  Annual Ryegrass Utilized as a Cover Crop in the Texas High Plains Region

Proper drainage is another critical factor. In poorly draining soils, growers are encouraged to conduct percolation tests and consider pre-plant interventions like subsoiling or installing French drains. For clay-heavy soils, deep ripping before planting and inter-row cover crops can help break up compaction layers. Sandy soils, though well-drained, may struggle with nutrient leaching requiring split fertilizer applications and nematode-resistant rootstocks.

  Ultimately, managing soil health is a holistic, site-adapted process. Incorporating these strategies improves vine performance and ensures optimal vine health in the face of Texas’s highly variable climate while contributing to consistent wine quality.

Texas Terroir: Soil Diversity and Potential

  Texas’s diverse wine regions—High Plains, Hill Country, North Texas, West Texas, and the Gulf Coast—showcase a broad spectrum of soil types that shape not only how grapes grow but also how wines taste. Each region presents unique soil-driven opportunities and challenges for the vineyard management approaches and ultimately the wine expression.

  High Plains: The Texas High Plains, known for its elevation and arid climate, is dominated by well-drained sandy loam soils over a layer of caliche. These soils allow deep root penetration and efficient drainage, reducing disease pressure. However, they tend to be low in organic matter and nutrients, requiring strategic inputs such as fertilizer, cover crops, and irrigation. Wines from this region often exhibit full bodied styles with pronounced fruit character.

Amarillo Fine Sandy Loam Soil in the Texas High Plains Region

  Amarillo Fine Sandy Loam Soil in the Texas High Plains Region

Hill Country: Soils in the Hill Country are as varied as its landscape, everything including granite-based sandy loams, shallow limestone, and even clay-rich profiles. Wineries report that local limestone-based soils impart a distinct minerality to wines and these soils are prized for their drainage and root penetration qualities. The mix of soil types enables a wide range of grape varieties to thrive, including Tempranillo, Viognier, and Mourvèdre.

  North Texas: This region, encompassing the Texoma area, features soils with high clay content and silty loam overlays. These soils can retain water well but may require aeration and organic matter to improve structure and avoid compaction. The historical roots of grape growing in this area, especially with both hybrid and vinifera varieties, are well-suited to the regional soils and climate.

  West Texas: West Texas includes parts of the Davis Mountains and desert-influenced zones with volcanic, granitic, and calcareous soils. These high-elevation soils are often shallow and rocky but mineral-rich, offering excellent drainage and imparting complexity to wines. Managing soil structure and organic content is vital in this region, where water retention can be a challenge.

  Gulf Coast: The Gulf Coast wine region features flatter terrain with sandy, often acidic soils and high humidity. While disease pressure is higher, the well-drained sandy soils help minimize root zone saturation. Grape varieties like Blanc du Bois and Black Spanish, and the new UC Davis “Walker Varieties” known for their resistance to Pierce’s Disease, thrive in these conditions. Maintaining organic matter and cover crops is key to controlling vine vigor and maintaining soil resilience.

  This soil diversity across Texas is not just an environmental feature, it’s a functional tool that can be utilized. By understanding the foundational properties of their region’s soils, growers can make informed decisions about vineyard designs, rootstock selection, fertility management, and irrigation rates, all of which directly impact wine quality and vineyard longevity.

  Overall, soil health is not a singular trait. It is the integration of biology, chemistry, and physics, shaped by time, management, and environment. For grape growers, cultivating healthy soils is as foundational as pruning or irrigation. In Texas and beyond, managing soil as a living ecosystem is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity for long-term vineyard sustainability. Investing in soil health means investing in the future of the vine, the vineyard, and the wine itself.

References

Helwi, P. 2020. Nitrogen Management in Vineyards. Texas A&M AgriLIfe Extension Service. HORT-EHT-143.

Lazcano, C., Decock, C. and Wilson, S.G., 2020. Defining and managing for healthy vineyard soils, intersections with the concept of terroir. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 8, p.68.

Scheiner, J., and M. Cook. 2024. Understanding Vineyard Soils. Texas A&M AgriLIfe Extension Service. HORT-PU-290.