Category: Winery Info

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.

the power of storytelling

Beyond the Tasting Room

Cyndi

How to Build a Visual Content Ecosystem That Powers Your Sales Team

By: Jake Ahles | Morel Creative

The average winery pours countless hours and dollars into its tasting room experience. From curated lighting to seasonal menus, from bottle shots to Instagram Reels, everything is designed to draw the consumer in and create a memorable moment.

But Here’s the Hard Truth: If your storytelling ends at the tasting room door, you’re leaving growth on the table.

Your Sales Team: Whether it’s internal reps, distributor partners, or national brand ambassadors are out in the world every day pitching your wines. And far too often, they’re doing it without the assets, clarity, or tools they need to succeed.

  If they don’t know your brand story inside and out—and if they don’t have the right media to help them tell it—you can’t expect them to win placements, gain traction, or build long-term buyer relationships.

THE PROBLEM

Inconsistent Storytelling & Missed Opportunities

We hear this from sales teams all the time:

•    “I know the wine is good and the story rocks, but me telling it isn’t as powerful as showing it.”

•    “I wish I had a some visual assets I could send after meetings to follow up on specific buyer questions.”

•    “We need something that shows the vibe of the brand, not just a sell sheet.”

The Reality is: Great wine doesn’t sell itself, Great storytelling does. Especially when it’s consistent, engaging, and accessible to every person representing your brand.

  Yet most wineries still treat content as a siloed marketing task or a consumer-only asset. Sales decks are made once and forgotten. Distributors are left hunting for old PDFs. Brand videos, if they exist, live on YouTube instead of in rep-ready form.

There’s a better way. We call it a Content Ecosystem.

THE SOLUTION

A Content Ecosystem That Powers Sales

A content ecosystem is a structured library

of storytelling assets that:

•    Trains and equips your sales team.

•    Supports buyer meetings and follow-up.

•    Drives consumer pull-through.

•    Keeps your brand story consistent

      across all markets.

  We first rolled this out with a globally recognized non-alcoholic spirits brand during their North American expansion. The brand needed a way to align regional sales reps, educate distributor teams, and ensure a consistent brand message—no matter who was telling the story. As the brand entered new markets, they needed a way to align regional sales reps, educate distributor teams, and ensure a consistent brand message—no matter who was telling the story.

  Morel Creative built out a strategic media ecosystem that did just that.

What It Looked Like in Practice

  The brand was scaling rapidly, and with that came a new challenge: ensuring that every account manager, field rep, and bartender ambassador was telling the same compelling brand story.

The Content Ecosystem included:

•    Short-form brand story videos that could be played in meetings or texted as follow-ups.

•    Product-focused micro-content to showcase each SKU’s unique benefits.

•    Digital-ready pitch decks with visuals, soundbites, and sell-in talking points.

•    Interactive training modules so reps could absorb brand language on their own time.

•    A centralized media library so no one ever had to ask, “Do we have a bottle shot?”

  The result? Not only did reps feel more confident in the field, but they also had the tools to follow up with purpose, using targeted assets based on what came up in buyer meetings.

Why Wineries Need This Now

  In today’s hyper-competitive wine landscape, it’s not just about making great wine. It’s about making it easy for other people to believe in your brand and then tell its story effectively and consistently.

  That means building a media ecosystem that does more than just look good.

IT TRAINS

•    Your sales team learns how to talk about the brand.

•    They understand what makes each wine unique.

•    They feel confident walking into meetings or events with a story to tell.

IT SELLS

•    Buyers get clean, compelling follow-ups.

•    Brand story videos or vineyard content reinforce what was discussed.

•    Restaurant and retail staff have tools to hand-sell your wine to customers.

IT SCALES

•    New sales reps onboard faster.

•    Distributors can self-educate and stay aligned.

•    Your brand message remains clear in California and Connecticut.

Anatomy of a Content Ecosystem for Sales

  Here’s what a modern winery’s sales content ecosystem might include:

1. Brand Story Video

•    60–90 seconds.

•    Shows the people, place, purpose, and product.

•    Ends with an invitation to carry or try the wine.

2. Product Highlight Reels

•    Quick videos (15–30 seconds) that focus on tasting notes, sourcing, pairings, or seasonal context.

•    Perfect for email follow-ups or social sharing.

3. Digital Sales Deck

•    Slides with concise story points, strong visuals, and QR codes to videos or training links.

•    Pitchable in-person or over Zoom.

4. Asset Library

•    Bottle shots, label art, brand bios, winemaker photos, awards, etc.

•    Organized and shareable via Dropbox, Google Drive, or a custom portal.

5. Follow-Up Toolkit

•    Templated email scripts.

•    Suggested video or content to send

      post-meeting.

•    Customizable based on buyer interest (e.g., sustainability, food pairings, origin story).

6. Internal Training Materials

•    One-pagers for reps.

•    Brand language cheat sheets.

•    Internal-use video walk-throughs of key storytelling points.

REAL RESULTS:

What Happens When You Support the Whole Funnel

  When you invest in your sales-side content, here’s what typically improves:

•    Faster onboarding for new reps.

•    Better brand recall during meetings.

•    Stronger trade relationships (because buyers feel like you “get it”).

•    Higher conversion rates post-pitch.

•    More consistent brand experience from the tasting room to the restaurant floor.

•    And most importantly: More cases sold.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Make Your Story Easy to Sell

  You already know that wine is an emotional product. People buy it because of how it makes them feel—the story it lets them tell.

  That applies not just to consumers, but to buyers, distributors, and floor staff. If you can give them a story they believe in—and the tools to tell it well—you’ll stop relying on charisma alone and start seeing real momentum.

So the question is…

•    Have you equipped your team to sell the story as well as they sell the wine?

•    Do you have a follow-up plan after a meeting ends?

•    Is your brand message consistent, clear, and easy to repeat?

  If not, it’s time to build a content ecosystem that works as hard as your wine does.

Because great stories don’t just inspire. They sell!

Paying Homage to the Region’s Heritage and History

Cyndi

By: Gerald Dlubala

Bryce and Julia Flaherty appear to be typically busy parents, with Julia recently leaving her job to be a stay-at-home mom for their three children, all under the age of four, and Bryce holding down a physically and mentally demanding job as a full-time firefighter/paramedic. Now add everything that comes with owning, maintaining, and operating a family vineyard and winery to the mix, and you can see that the word busy, when describing Flaherty’s lifestyle, is quite the understatement. They purchased a 13-acre plot on a former golf course in LeClaire, Iowa, intending to start a vineyard and winery using Iowa grapes while honoring the region’s history. That was the birth of Olathea Creek Vineyard and Winery.

owners of the winery enjoying a UTV ride with their two sons

  “The property was an original 9-hole golf course for 30 years, with ownership plans to expand it to an 18-hole range,” said Bryce. “That plan never materialized due to health reasons of one of the owners. The course eventually closed permanently for about five years. When the property became too much to maintain, the owner sold it in lots. We took the opportunity to purchase a 13-acre plot to begin our dream of planting a vineyard and opening a winery here in LeClaire.”

  Olathea Creek Vineyard and Winery is named in reference to the property’s history. The former golf course was named Olathea Golf Course. Additionally, the property was once the campsite for the Sauk and Fox tribes. The word “olethe” is the Fox term for beautiful, which perfectly describes the vineyard and winery’s pleasing country setting and picturesque creek that serenely sits along the Mississippi River.

Hobbyist to Winemaker

  The Flaherty’s jumped right in with no previous vineyard, winery, retail, or service industry experience between them.

  “It was a huge learning curve for us,” added Bryce. “The Kirkwood classes and programs helped us out tremendously. They were heavy into hands-on training and experience, aimed at those who wanted to open wineries or were heavy home producers and growers, generally, those who produced at least 50 gallons annually for home use. There were four wineries that opened just from our class alone, so everyone was willing to share and bounce resources and ideas off each other. We shared good and bad recipes, contacts, and resources, and discussed problems winemakers ran into and how to fix them. It was a great group, and we continue to network and use these folks for any questions or resources we need.”

  “Additionally,” said Julia, “We learn, and continue to learn, through other winemakers and grape growers in our region through the Iowa Wine Growers’ Association. It is a very connected network open to sharing ideas and helping each other.

First Plantings

  The Flaherty’s planted their first grapevines in 2019. The first production was in the Fall of 2020, and by their third harvest, Olathea Creek Vineyard and Winery production came in at 5000 pounds.

  “I was ecstatic with that production,” said Bryce. “Currently, our two-acre vineyard contains about 75% Petite Pearl vines and 25% L’Acadie Blanc vines. The Petite Pearl is a red wine grape that we use for our darker, bolder selections, and is probably the closest we can get to a true cabernet within our climate. The L’Acadie Blanc is a white grape from Nova Scotia that we use for our dry white selections and a recent sparkling wine we’re making. We’re excited to be one of only two growers in Iowa making wine with L’Acadie Blanc grapes right now, and we’re one of only a few to make wine using both varietals.”

vines growing in the vineyard

  The Flaherty’s were concerned that because the ground was a golf course for 30 years, it could be over-fertilized and exceed the desired nutrient thresholds. However, numerous core sampling results showed optimal ranges for the soil, eliminating those concerns. Because the course was closed for five years before planting, the excess nitrogen had burned off. The vineyard had excellent, farmable soil in a rivershed landscape, only needing micronutrients due to normal wear and time.

  “All of our winemaking focuses on using Midwest grape varietals,” added Bryce. “Everything currently on our menu here is an Iowa-specific grape, and we work with other Iowa grape growers for use in the selections we don’t specifically grow here.”

  Bryce told The Grapevine Magazine that all production and processing are done on-site. For the first 3-4 years, everything was hand bottled, corked, foiled, and labeled. The Flaherty’s received a “Choose Iowa” grant for value-added agriculture and were able to purchase a bottling line to make their life a little easier.

  “We updated to a ViMeg 500 bottling line that fills and corks four bottles at a time,” said Bryce. “We still manually shrink wrap and label the bottles, doing 10-15000 bottles annually.”

Visitors Enjoy Great Wines, A Modern Farmhouse Vibe, And Country Scenic Views

  “We like to keep an open attitude towards wines because many people are nervous about trying new wines,” said Julia. “Visitors can have tasting flights upon entering our tasting room. Our wine tenders are truly knowledgeable in helping our guests choose tasting flights based on their likes and dislikes. We offer wine and chocolate pairings as well. But once you decide, you’re welcome to take your flight, glass, or bottle out back to enjoy while you take in our serene country setting and river views. We have a variety of indoor and outdoor seating, including a gazebo and a large patio and lawn area for outside seating.”

wedding set up on the vineyard

  “It’s a modern farmhouse vibe,” said Bryce. “We have the front six acres that includes everything now, with the open room in the back for future expansion. We’re close to town but still secluded outside. We encourage guests to wander the vineyard and enjoy all the property offers, including views of the Mississippi River, only about 100 feet from the property. Guests can come to hang out, or they can enjoy our scheduled special events or weekend live music events.”

  Located in the Midwest, sweeter fruit wines are the most popular, including Olathea Creek Vineyard and Winery’s raspberry and blackberry wines. Other, unique seasonal offerings include jalapeno-flavored and hibiscus-flavored wines. Olathea Creek Vineyard and Winery also have a returning core of dry wine drinkers who come specifically for their Petite Pearl and “The O.C.,” a premium dry white wine that mimics a quality chardonnay made from Iowa grapes.

Parties, Events, And Advice for Future Winemakers

  Olathea Creek Vineyard & Winery offers several outdoor areas to hold that special event, party, or wedding reception, including the gazebo overlooking the vineyard, an arbor wedding in the vines, or under an elegant chandelier on a white bridge with outdoor spaces located near the tasting room.

winery visitor on the patio

  “Our max capacity inside right now is around 99 guests,” said Bryce. “We have a small party room with a sweet spot of about 40-60 people, so we regularly host showers, family gatherings, and similar-style events. We can manage between 150-250 guests outside for larger weddings. Of course, there’s always anxiety over the weather for outdoor weddings, but those who have done it and rented tents have loved our facility and surroundings.”

  “It’s always been in our extended plans to build a wedding venue barn to be able to host larger weddings on a year-round basis,” said Julia. “For right now, we are in a smaller event niche. We do have live music and food trucks every other Sunday, yoga in the vineyard, wine and chocolate pairings, and this July 19th, we are partnering with Mississippi Bend Trykes to sponsor a 5k run to support children with disabilities and help provide specially made bicycles for those who cannot ride traditional bikes.”

  “We also offer winemaker series classes for those that want to learn more about winemaking in a little more detail,” said Bryce. “We offer those classes in things like sugaring, oak sampling, and more to pull the curtain back a little to allow interested guests a way to come in and learn the ropes of certain tasks and get an insider’s view of winemaking.”

  Bryce advised future vineyard and winery owners to develop a trusted network consisting of those who they feel comfortable leaning on for help, questions, contacts, and advice.

people in lawn chairs at the vineyard

  “Here in Iowa, everyone is so helpful,” said Bryce. “It’s a Napa-style attitude that no visitor comes to the area for just one winery, but they will come for a group of wineries. When we help each other individually, we’re helping to support the entire Iowa wine industry, and that’s good for everyone. Everyone here was more than willing to open their books, share contacts and resources, and share how we can all save money in our industry. No one may make the trip to visit just one winery, but they will make the trip to visit three or four and have a wonderful day of visiting and touring the area.”

  Another money-saving tip Bryce added was that many wineries are willing to take on help and use those people who are looking to gain valuable winery experience. Customers and interested people can fit into an apprentice role in many areas and help get tasks done quicker than if they had to do it all themselves. It’s a great idea for new or young, family-owned businesses.

  Olathea Creek Vineyard & Winery is open from 12-7 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 12-6 pm on Sundays. For more information on their wines and upcoming events, or to contact the Flaherty’s, head to their website or call:

Olathea Creek Vineyard & Winery

23456 Great River Road

LeClaire, Iowa 52753-9141

(563) 726-1892

www.olatheacreekwinery.com

julia@olatheacreekwinery.com

pretty very purple wine grapes

Sustainable and Organic Wines-Alternatives, Opportunities and Compliance

Cyndi

By: Louis J. Terminello and Brad Berkman, Greenspoon Marder LLP

It’s common knowledge that consumption of alcoholic beverages, in general, has been on the downslope. Wine sales in particular, as reported by SipSource, dropped by approximately 6% from 2023 to 2024. Gen Z is at the forefront of this trend and is choosing to consume alcoholic beverages that are perceived as being healthier alternatives to the usual fare. With that in mind, it might be useful to introduce a few wine-making certifications that are regarded as eco-conscious or “green” and carry the perception of being a healthier and sustainable alternative to traditional wine. In addition, this article will look at federal labeling requirements that must be considered when seeking TTB label approval for these wines, especially those carrying the reasonable consumer-alluring USDA Certified Organic seal.

Sustainable Practices

  Sustainable winemaking is arguably a broadly defined term that is applied to the winemaking process that minimizes or totally avoids the use of chemicals, especially pesticides. The practice of this sort of winemaking extends significantly beyond that limiting definition and can include other important impetuses such as environmental and social concerns.  Issues of responsible irrigation, water usage, energy consumption, and reducing the production of greenhouse gases can be included. For some certifications, safe and fair labor practices can fall within the rubric of sustainable practices and become an important part of the certification process.

  Communicating a winemaker’s efforts and commitment to sustainability is, at least on the wine label, conveyed by the affixing of the certifying organization’s seal, of which there are many.

  Regardless, the concept of sustainability and “green” practices go well beyond the mere affixing of a seal. The certifying organizations and those in the industry who follow their guidelines take the matter of sustainable practice very seriously. Moreover, a significant number of consumers consider sustainability when deciding on a wine purchase. The bottom line is sustainable practices, and their commensurately labeled wine may be good for the bottom line, as well as the environment.

  What follows are examples of a few sustainable certifying organizations, that, after meeting the organization’s requirements, are permitted to affix their seal to the label.

SIP Certified

  SIP Certified, based in Atascadero California, has been promoting sustainable winegrowing since 2008. SIP claims that the organization has certified 43,000 vineyard acres in California, Oregon, and Michigan, six wineries, and more than 63 million bottles of wine have been SIP Certified (as stated on their website). SIP is a membership organization whose members uphold values such as social responsibility, water management, safe pest management and energy efficiency among other values. According to the organization, it sets strict “non-negotiable requirements that measure environmental, social, and community impact of its members while assuring consumers that the product in their bottle was made with conscience and care.” There is a rigorous application and inspection process that if passed and adhered to, successful applicants may emblazon their products with the SIP seal.

For more informaion contact…

Whitney Brownie

Certification Coordinator

Email: whitney@vineyardteam.org

Phone: 805.466.2288

Beth Vukmanic

Executive Director

beth@sipcertified.org

Phone: 805.466.2288

Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Certified

5915 El Camino Real

Atascadero, CA 93422

The Demeter Association

  Demeter is another well-regarded sustainable practice association that focuses on certifying biodynamic wines. Sustainable and organic practices are part and parcel of biodynamics, but the concept of biodynamics goes beyond organic practices. Demeter and biodynamic producers take a “holistic approach to the wine-making process and treat the vineyard as a living organism.” Demeter adherents may incorporate such unique aspects as the lunar cycle in the growing and processing of grapes as well as certain soil preparations using unique ingredients not normally associated with traditional vineyard practices. Demeter is a worldwide organization and there are only a few wineries in the US that carry the seal.

For more information contact…

Demeter Association, Inc.

317 Church Street

Phoenixville, PA 19460

Phone: (541) 929-7148

Email: info@Demeter-USA.org

Certification Staff:

Evrett Lunquist – Director of Certification – Ext. 105 Office Hours 8-5 CST Mon-Friday

Sarah Rhynalds – Certification Manager – Ext. 209

rows of wine grape vineyards

Why Should I Get Grape Crop Insurance?

Cyndi

By: Trevor Troyer – Agricultural Risk Management

That is a question I hear a lot. It can make a lot of sense to purchase grape crop insurance, depending on the growing risks you are dealing with.  For others it might not be a perfect fit for them. Often times large growing operations may “self-insure” as they have money set aside for the upcoming season.  For a lot of growers this is not an option as a large portion of the previous year’s income is being re-invested into the new crop.  If they don’t make a good crop and sell it this year, they might not have enough money for next year. 

  Grapes are very different from traditional row crops or vegetable crops.  A lot of the risks are very much the same though.  Drought, freeze, wildlife damage, fire/smoke and the list goes on. From what I can see the risks are actually more with perennials.  Your vineyard is subject to the elements and other risks all year round.  Things may happen after you harvest that might affect the following year’s grape production.  You might have a late frost and lose your primary buds.   There might be a fire 20 miles away that could ruin your crop’s value.

  Risks are different depending on growing regions throughout the US.  You might have grower in Pennsylvania or New York worried about frost/freeze and then a grower in Sonoma or Napa County in California worried about smoke taint.  Regional issues play a large part in decisions on whether or not crop insurance is right for you.  Also, grape variety can play a large part in your decision making.  And then how much coverage is needed for the risks involved in making a good profitable crop.

  With rising production costs, tariff and trade issues this makes decisions on crop insurance even more tricky.  Chemical prices are rising, fertilizer is at an all-time high shipping and labor costs are also up.  Can you afford to purchase crop insurance? Can you afford not to have it with how much you have invested now? These are questions that have to be asked.  I have had growers ask about reducing their coverage as these production costs go up.  You then have to ask how much of a loss can you sustain and not have it affect your ability to keep growing.  Can you lose 20% of your tonnage?  What about 40%?  That is something you have to think about.

  Crop insurance is designed to help a grower have enough money to be able to produce a crop the following year.  It is not set up to replace profits lost.  I have had winery owners complain to me that it doesn’t cover the cost of how much their wine is worth.  While I can totally understand this, it is the growing costs that are being insured against loss.

  Crop insurance does not cover the production costs of making wine or juice etc.  Only Causes of Loss listed in the policy are being insured against.  It doesn’t cover the inability of a grower to sell his grapes or broken contracts with wineries or processors.  It does cover grape quality issues due to an insured Cause of Loss like smoke taint due to a Fire.

  Here are the Causes of Loss for Grapes out of a National Fact Sheet from the USDA:

Causes of Loss

You are protected against the following:

•    Adverse weather conditions, including natural perils such as hail,frost, freeze, wind, drought, and excess precipitation;

•    Earthquake;

•    Failure of the irrigation water supply, if caused by an insured peril during the insurance period;

•    Fire;

•    Insects and plant disease, except for insufficient or improper application of pest or disease control measures;

•    Wildlife; or

•    Volcanic eruption.

Additionally, we will not insure against:

•    Phylloxera, regardless of cause; or

•    Inability to market the grapes for any reason other than actual physical damage for an insurable cause of loss.

  Crop insurance is partially subsidized through the USDA. Premiums are subsidized from 100% at Catastrophic Coverage (there is an administrative fee though) to 38% depending on coverage level chosen.  A lot of growers “buy-up” coverage from 65% to 80% and their premium subsidy is around 50% to 60%. Crop insurance is more likely to pay out a claim than any other type of insurance.  

  Premiums are more expensive than a lot of other types of insurance, this is why the premiums are subsidized. The subsidy makes your premium much more affordable.  You do not hear too often of people that have had an auto accident 3 years out of 5, with a claim paid each of those years.  But I have seen vineyards have payable losses 3 out of 5 years.   No one wants to have a loss but they do unfortunately happen.

  Hopefully you don’t have a lot situations where you have a loss.  But as a grower you need to assess your risks and take action.  These have to be taken into consideration for the growing region your vineyard is located in. Here are some other questions to ask yourself. What are your break-even costs?  Do you know your cost of production with projected inflation? Have you evaluated the risk of a severe crop loss? What varieties are planted in your vineyard?  Some types of Vitis vinifera are more susceptible to weather issues than others. Are you able to repay current operating loans without crop insurance in the event of a loss?

  Grape crop insurance is available in the following states; 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 state.   Crop insurance may not be available in all counties in these states, though. 

  My job is to help you make an educated decision, based on your risks, on whether or not you need crop insurance.  And then, if it is a good fit to mitigate your risks, to determine how much coverage is needed. 

bubbles in liquid that is wine

What is Pét-nat?

Cyndi

By: Becky Garrison

Pét-nat is short for pétillant-naturel, which means “naturally sparkling” in French. It refers to sparkling wines that complete fermentation in the bottle. Patrick Rawn, Vineyard Operations for Two Mountain Winery (Zillah, WA) describes the process in producing pét-nat versus sparkling wines made using the traditional method (also known as méthode traditionnelle or méthode champenoise). “Unlike traditional sparkling wine production where you bottle the base wine with a bit of additional juice for a secondary fermentation in the bottle, pét-nat is bottled partway through the primary fermentation process.”

  Brian Rudin, Winemaker / General Manager at Echolands Winery (Walla Walla, WA) describes pét-nat as a fun diversion from the traditional architecture of “champagne-methode” due to its lighter carbonation and more creative license on style, along with an embrace of the “farmhouse” aesthetic. “While there is huge diversity in styles across pét-nats, what they share in common is divergence from the mold cast in champagne – they can be delightfully sparkling and full of personality without pretense or adherence to an established style. It is an enclave of avant-garde winemaking, for sure.”

  Matt Austin, Owner/Winemaker at Grosgrain Vineyards (Walla Walla, WA), concurs, adding that “with less control over the winemaking process, they can be a bit wild compared to other styles of sparkling wine, but therein lies the charm.” As a wine producer who works in a low-intervention style in general, Austin likes that pét-nat can be made with very little or no additives involved in the winemaking process. “While this can be more challenging than the production of other methods, the reward is a product that is more unique, and that fully expresses our terroir.”

  Jay Anderson along with his sister Lisa established Foundry Vineyards + Pét Project in Walla Walla, WA with the intention of focusing solely on pét-nats. According to Anderson, Winemaker and Creative Director, “Pét-nats can vary widely depending on the grape variety and the winemaker’s approach—they can be clean or a little cloudy, fresh and juicy or more rustic and wild. Overall, you can expect a pét-nat to be a unique, energetic, and lively sparkling wine.”

  At Foundry Vineyards + Pét Project, Anderson makes several styles that highlight different grape varieties and vineyard sites. These include the fresh, acid-forward Sunlight Cuvée (Chenin Blanc & Chardonnay), the aromatic Orange Cuvée (Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Muscat Ottonel), a savory red pét-nat made from Syrah, and our Perpetual Cuvée (Pinot Noir & Chardonnay), which is a multi-vintage pét-nat inspired by grower Champagnes and solera systems or aging. Their pét nats are sealed with a crown cap, which is common for the style, and reflects the fun, casual nature of these wines, which need not be reserved for celebratory moments like Champagne often is.  These don’t require long aging and are best enjoyed in their vibrant youth.  These are great apertif wines, but are also quite versatile for food pairing due to the freshness, acidity, and low alcohol levels. While many pét-nats contain yeast in the bottle they riddle and disgorge to remove the yeast and produce a more approachable style. 

  In crafting his pét-nats, Rudin relishes the opportunity to rethink the creative process to make something fun and unexpected in a world filled with boring cliches. “You can use any variety, make it any style, and make a completely irreverent wine, as long as it tastes great and delivers joy,” he opines.

  Also, pét-nats afford Rudin the opportunity to embrace the uncontrollable side of winemaking.

  While winemakers normally want to control the process, with pét-nat, you are decidedly never in control. So you relinquish your ability to make clear, polished wines in favor of letting nature take its course inside each bottle. And the result is that each bottle is slightly different, but all bubbling forth with personality and unrestrained expression. No filtration, no cold or heat stability, no guarantee on final residual sugar or bottle pressure. You just have the natural fermentation processes inside each bottle determining how each will taste. If you get the base wine right, you’ll end up with thousands of fun bottles of fizz that are each a little different, in a charming way..

Challenges of Producing Pét-nats

  In Rudin’s estimation, the biggest challenge is bottling the wine during harvest, as it is approaching dryness in tank. “You want to bottle it somewhere between 1.2% and 2.0% residual sugar, so that it ferments to the right bottle pressure (half to two-thirds of traditional method Champagne) and so you need to be able to do it right away once it reaches that point.” As he notes, since this happens during the busiest time of year: the second month of harvest, it becomes a labor of love.

  The second challenge is the need to disgorge the bottles by hand. With traditional method champagne, disgorgement can be automated since there is very little bottle variation. But with Pét-nat, bottle variation is the norm, so it can be disgorged better by getting human eyes and hands on each bottle, and doing it by feel. Since this process takes a long time, Rudin assembles a big crew and makes a week of it, dusting off their best stories and jokes for the long days.

  Austin adds that with the traditional method of sparkling wine production, you add a precise amount of sugar to determine the amount of pressure in the bottle, whereas with pét nat you have to bottle at the stage of the initial fermentation where there is the desired level of sugar remaining in the grape must. In addition, they can’t stabilize the wine with fining and filtration as is done with most other styles, so great care is needed to produce a wine that will not gush when opened. Also, the lack of protective sulfites requires great care with winery sanitation to avoid producing a wine with overt flaws.

Marketing and Educating Consumers About Pét-Nat

  Anderson markets their wine through the Foundry Vineyards’ tasting room, retail and restaurant placements, along with educational content on their website and Instagram. Press coverage and storytelling help introduce pét-nat to new audiences. Also, they traveled to France to participate in a pét-nat-only wine fair, thus deepening their connection to the global pét-nat community.

  At Ecolands Winery, they release their pét-nat made from a rose of Cabernet Franc on Bastille Day every year in the middle of July. This release ensures that people can have some cold ones on hand for the hot summer months. Most of it is sold right at the winery, so they can give a little explanation for the uninitiated.

  Since Two Mountain Winery has no aspirations to be a sparkling wine house, pét-nat enables them to play around without purchasing the specialized equipment needed to produce a traditional sparkling wine. Hence, they can experiment on a small scale by making a couple of pallets that they sell direct to consumer. They feature their pét-nats at wine club events while holding some back for holidays like New Years when people are in a sparkling wine mood.

  In Grosgrain Vineyard’s tasting room, the preface these wines with a discussion of how they are produced and why they are different from Champagne or Prosecco. Austin finds that customers across the spectrum enjoy learning about pét nat, adding that these wines tend to be amongst their fastest sellers.

  As consumers are becoming more aware of the additives that are used in the production of the food and beverages that they consume, Austin thinks they would likely be surprised at the long list of unappetizing products that go into some mass-produced wines. Hence the appeal of pét-nat wines since they can be made with one ingredient: grapes, and preferably ones that are organically grown.

wine cap assorted

Meet Three Innovators Leading the Wine Closure Revolution

Cyndi

By: Alyssa L. Ochs

Wine closures are an often overlooked but crucial aspect of winemaking because they preserve wine’s taste, quality, and aging. The type of cork, screw cap, or capsule you choose for your bottles can impact oxidation, freshness, and contamination risks. Meanwhile, wine closures can also appeal to consumer preferences and further your business’ sustainability goals.

  To better understand what trends are shaping the wine closure industry today and the options available to wineries, we connected with three industry leaders working in this field. Guala Closures, Ramondin and Cork Supply shared helpful guidance and insider insights with The Grapevine Magazine to support best practices in the wine industry.

Guala Closures North America: Sustainable and Customizable Aluminum Screw Caps

  Guala Closures is a global leader in producing closures for spirits, wine, edible oil, water, and other beverages. With headquarters in Italy and a North American division based in Fairfield, California, it offers a range of screw caps and produces nearly three billion per year. Demand for aluminum screw caps has dramatically increased in recent years because of their convenience, customization potential, recyclability, and taste preservation capabilities.

  Dave Campbell, the general manager for Guala Closures North America, told The Grapevine Magazine that aluminum screw caps have been steadily growing in popularity because they have significant benefits in wine quality, convenience, and moderation factors.

  “Specifically, premium wine closures like Guala’s WAK or Savin, both internal thread, are growing fast,” Campbell explained. “These premium closures support a brand’s distinctive brand assets and stand out on a crowded wine shelf.”

  Campbell told us about how screw caps maintain a wine’s integrity and freshness with a seal free from cork taint.

  “It’s delivered to the consumer just as the wine maker intended,” he said. “There are also several screwcap options for increased oxygen ingress, allowing the closure to support age ability in a controlled environment.”

  He also noted how moderation is a key trend in today’s market and how screw cap closures support this by being easy and convenient to open, plus just as easy to reseal and take out the following night.

  Campbell shared that a common mistake wineries make regarding their closures is being restricted by history and tradition.

  “The future of the wine industry will be about how we attract new drinkers to the category with more sustainable, convenient lifestyle choices,” he said. “Closures and packaging are a key part of this purchase decision.”

  When asked about some of the most innovative things he’s seen in the wine closure industry lately, Campbell said his company is consistently challenged to develop new and different decoration options, such as full metallization closures.

  He shared, as an example, “The Wine Group’s Cupcake brand is leading the industry with consumer engagement by printing unique QR codes under each screwcap closure.”

  Meanwhile, sustainability is a big part of Guala Closures’ business. The company established comprehensive goals to reduce its carbon footprint by incorporating sustainable manufacturing practices and offering sustainable-focused products. 

  Its Sustainable Together 2030 program focuses on production using renewable energy, increasing its use of recycled aluminum and plastic and purchasing aluminum from low-carbon suppliers. Aluminum is generally a sustainable closure material because of its high recyclability, thereby reducing the demand for extracting new natural resources and conserving the environment.

  Guala has the largest network of closure manufacturing plants in the world. Campbell said that by working directly with Guala and identifying the quantity, artwork, and timing, Guala can create a production plan to meet your specific closure requirements.

  “From premium wine screwcaps made in California, to fully metallized closures made with modern technology in Europe, Guala’s global footprint has a solution for you,” he said.

Ramondin USA: Elegant Capsules for Brand Identity, Security and Sustainability

  Another industry leader is Ramondin, which has been manufacturing capsules since 1890. It leads the global capsule market and offers a complete portfolio of closure products for wine, champagne, and spirit bottles. For the wine industry, it provides one-piece capsules that are 100% recyclable and organic, suitable for any bottle neck and that use water-based inks.

  Ramondin USA is based in Napa, California and has worked alongside wineries since the 1990s. Jorge Gómez, Ramondin USA’s general manager, told The Grapevine about his company’s diverse portfolio that responds to wineries’ needs.

  “If a winery wants to elevate its packaging and reinforce a luxury image, tin capsules are the go-to,” Gómez said. “They’re elegant, fully recyclable and allow for intricate custom design. Polylaminate is great for brands that want a premium look with more flexibility on cost. For wineries focused on sustainability, we offer E-CAP, which is the first two-piece, plastic-free capsule in the market, and our Lite range, made to reduce material usage and carbon footprint without sacrificing quality.”

  Gómez said they are really excited about Inspiral, a new screw cap line, with implementation in the finalization stage in Napa right now.

  “It’s a smart answer to the growing demand for sustainable closures that don’t compromise on aesthetics and an alternative for high-rotation wines, following new trends in medium/low ranges and exports.”

  Working with Ramondin USA involves sitting down with the company to develop solutions tailored to specific bottling needs. Ramondin USA manufactures locally in Napa and handles everything from technical validation to design and delivery.

  Gómez mentioned that one big challenge in the wine capsule industry is sustainability because regulations quickly change, putting wineries under pressure to use eco-friendly processes and materials. Ramondin USA overcomes supply chain issues by having a U.S. plant. Yet another challenge is reaching the new-generation wine consumers who crave emotional connection, which they can get through interactive closures that tell stories.

  Sustainability is no longer an option in the industry—it’s an expectation. Gómez has noticed that more wineries want their closures to do more than just seal the bottles—they want them to reinforce their brand identity. In response, Ramondin USA has been exploring innovative materials and manufacturing processes to reduce its environmental impact and improve efficiency.

  “We’re already producing capsules that are lighter, plastic-free and more energy-efficient to make,” Gómez said. “Our Lite range, for instance, can reduce carbon emissions by up to 80 percent in tin and 55 percent in the E-CAP. And all of it is done right here in Napa, which significantly lowers the carbon footprint tied to logistics.”

  Another vital aspect of Ramondin USA’s business is customization, which is one of Gómez’s favorite aspects of the job.

  “We’ve worked on everything from minimalist designs for boutique wineries to highly embossed, multi-color capsules for premium brands,” Gómez said. “Now we have relaunched an irregular side pattern that was specially made for a U.S. customer back in 1995 that tried to imitate the wax effect, and that has become trending for the market. Classics never die!”

  Ramondin USA helps wineries find the “sweet spot” between sustainability and functionality. In the next five to 10 years, Gómez expects to see wine closures become smarter, greener, and more integrated into the consumer experience.

  In addition to sustainability and brand identity, Gómez said, “Anti-counterfeiting and authentication will become non-negotiable. Premium brands need to protect their wines with secure and traceable packaging solutions.”

  He also predicted, “Premiumization will reach top levels. There will be an increased demand for high-end decorations to dress top tier wines, and tin is and will continue to be the solution for future of exclusive wines.”

Cork Supply: High-Tech Natural Corks That Minimize Environmental Impact

  However, the most classic wine closure is natural cork, which has been used for centuries and is still the most common type among wineries today. Cork Supply, a Harv 81 Group company, offers the most consistent natural corks in the market because of its patented and certified technology.

  Greg Hirson, Cork Supply’s global director of innovation, told The Grapevine how the oxygen transfer rate (OTR) affects wine’s long-term aging. He explained that oxygen plays a critical role in determining how a wine evolves in the bottle over time. For example, if oxygen ingress is too high, it can lead to premature oxidation, flattening the wine’s structure and diminishing its aromatic complexity. However, too little oxygen can result in reductive aromas and a lack of proper development.

  “Cork Supply’s Legacy Natural Cork addresses this challenge by offering unmatched consistency through its advanced X100 technology,” Hirson said. “X100 is a proprietary imaging system that scans the internal structure of each cork to assess its OTR and predict potential oxygen ingress, eliminating outliers that could negatively impact a wine’s aging potential. The X100 system, powered by AI and machine learning, draws on 12+ years of data to identify corks that could allow up to 10 times more oxygen ingress than desired. By removing these inconsistencies, Legacy ensures that every bottle maintains its intended profile, allowing winemakers to have confidence that their wines will age gracefully and predictably over time.”

  Hirson described how X100 technology significantly advances Cork Supply’s ability to control natural cork closures. It uses advanced imaging techniques, AI, and deep-learning algorithms to map the internal structure of natural corks. The AI software can predict oxygen ingress rates to identify and eliminate corks with anomalous OTR values that could compromise wine preservation.

  “Cork Supply invested €1.2 million in the development of X100, which has gained international recognition and multiple innovation awards at major industry trade shows, including SIMEI (Milan 2024), Vinitech (Bordeaux 2024), SIVAL (France 2025) and ENOMAQ (Spain 2025),” Hirson said. “Since its launch at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in January 2024, X100 has been hailed as a game-changer in ensuring consistent OTR rates and providing winemakers with greater confidence in the longevity and quality of their wines.”

  Hirson also told The Grapevine Magazine about VINC, a line of TCA taint-free, micro-agglomerated corks. He said VINC stands out from other micro-agglomerated corks because of Cork Supply high-quality raw materials and production processes. He explained that after the natural corks are punched, they use the remaining corkwood, which retains its premium structural and chemical properties, to create VINC closures.

  “This vertical integration ensures that the raw material is carefully managed from forest bottle, allowing for unmatched consistency, quality and performance,” Hirson said. “Additionally, VINC closures undergo the VAPEX® disinfection process, a proprietary method that eliminates any risk of TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole) and guarantees sensory neutrality. As a result, VINC provides winemakers with a reliable, sustainable, and high-performing closure that combines the best attributes of natural cork with the consistency of micro-agglomerated technology.”

  Meanwhile, sustainability is also a top priority for Cork Supply. The company’s efforts to minimize its environmental impact are guided by a global strategy aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and built on the 3P Strategy: (1) people and communities, (2) products and innovation and (3) planet and operations.

  For example, Cork Supply has a zero-waste commitment. The company re-utilizes virtually 100 percent of harvested corkwood, converting cork dust into energy at a 99 percent recovery rate. Hirson also described how Cork Supply reduces its carbon footprint by curbing energy consumption through energy audits and investing in renewable energy sources.

  “A high-efficiency corkwood boiler system maximizes heat energy and water usage, while a solar photovoltaic system generates 35 percent of the company’s electricity needs,” he said.

  Cork Supply also collaborates closely with cork forest owners in Portugal and Spain. It develops estate rehabilitation plans to promote cork oak quality, combat pests and diseases, protect biodiversity and support conservation and local economies. By leveraging 100 percent of the raw material harvested, producing environmentally friendly products and investing heavily in R&D to develop sustainable technologies and packaging materials, Cork Supply promotes the circular economy.

  Although each type of wine closure has its own unique benefits, sustainability is clearly top-of-mind for everyone involved in this industry and a driving force in shaping future trends among today’s wineries.

filtration wine machine

Filtration options & overview

Cyndi

By: Thomas J. Payette, Winemaking Consultant

Filtration can be a critical aspect of fine wine making. Many winemakers work hard getting their wines opulently clear, but do they understand what is happening and what the choices of filtration are?

  The Webster definition of “filter” is “A device containing a porous substance through which a liquid or gas can be passed to separate out suspended matter.”  In most instances, filtration is the physical removal of solid objects, in suspension, by way of a mechanical means.  In most cases, wine is forced through a filter media by way of positive pressure.  In only one case the author is aware a vacuum is used.

The Typical Types of Filtration are…

Plate and Frame:  One of the more common types of filtration one finds in the wine industry for large particle removal and its versatility by way of changing the filter pads to remove very small particle sizes down to 0.45 microns and potentially smaller.  Pads, mostly cellulose today, are installed between frames in the proper orientation and the unit is tightened down on the filter pads so leaking is minimal.  This type of filter uses positive pressure from a pump to physically push the wine through the filter pads.  A very versatile piece of equipment for the winery after the wine has been allowed to settle reasonably well in the wine vessels.  For “dirtier wines” and fast to market wines one may consider the DE filter descried below.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE):  A Diatomaceous Earth filter uses diatomaceous earth, similar to what one may find used in the swimming pool industry, as the filter media.  Stainless steel “screens” hold the DE on them, while positive pressure is exerted continuously, holding the DE in place to be the filter media.  A dosing pump will systematically add extra DE to the wine, upstream of the filter screens, to continuously add to the filter media.  If run properly, one may be able to filter substantial amounts of wine with few to no tear downs or much clogging.  The flow rates, if operated properly, will not be reduced significantly.  These filters do take time to learn how to run them and the media (DE) has some health concerns during its storage, use and as a waste product filter after use.  Please investigate these issues to make an informed decision should the choice to move forward with these types of units exist.

Lees Press:  This may be considered the largest pore size filter and most frequently used with juices during crush.  Diatomaceous Earth may be added to juice or wine lees and forced through canvass filter sheets.  Often the results are that muddy looking juices filter opulently clear, before fermentation, to provide a large economic return.  It is estimated that a winery of 3,000 cases or more of wine, made from white grapes, will benefit from these types of filters and pay for themselves, with proper use, within the first two years easily.  The cost of the DE is minimal and the rewards are great.  The one slight disadvantage is that this becomes another process to do during harvest when many processes require the winemaker’s attention.  If managed properly it becomes easily juggled during harvest and worth the winemaker’s while not to mention the wineries’ financial bottom line. This filter has the same DE health concerns mentioned above.

Cartridge:  These can range from large pore sizes to minute pore sizes and their surface area is not as easily adjusted as one may be able to do with a plate and frame as mentioned above.  This may be the only filter a smaller winery may have but as volumes get larger in the cellar one rapidly outgrows this type of filtration. Success is very much dependent on the style and age of the wine.  One advantage these filters have added to the industry is the ability to do a final polished filtration during bottling.  Because these filters are made largely for the pharmaceutical industry and have significant cost, it is recommended wineries obtain them for bottling and to re-sterilize them before each use.  This feature provides the most effective use of these filters and makes them highly cost effective. They should also be evaluated for their integrity if one is using them for “sterile bottling” as the industry knows it today.

Vacuum Drum: Typically used very much like the lees filter press above for “dirtier juices.”  For this reason, vacuum drum filters are used mostly with lees, raw juices, and racking bottoms.  This mode of action has a coating of Diatomaceous Earth on a large drum that spins while partially submerged in the liquid.  The liquid is sucked through the DE coating on the drum.  As the drum spins a large blade or knife cuts off the clogged portion of the DE revealing a clean layer of DE for filtration as the drum continues to spin into the juice or wine for uninterrupted continuous filtration.  The clean juice or wine after filtration exits the drum by way of a central tube in the center of the drum.  This filter has the same DE health concerns mentioned above.

Cross-flow:  Another up-and-coming filtration option for the wine maker.  It is sophisticated and proving very promising while becoming a potential mainstay in the industry.  In this case the filtrate and the filter media are moving in opposite directions, not perpendicular as in most other cases, while crossing over a barrier from one wine media to another.  The unfiltered wine continues to wash away the solids, known as the retentate, from the porous membrane. To continue to be current on this topic one should contact their sales representative.  Crossflow is especially useful for fruit wines, and it has no expendables such as DE or filter pads with little waste other than the solids that were removed.  From blind tasting trials the results of this filtration are often equal to other methods but not superior.

Centrifuge:  Worth mentioning, briefly, in this segment because it does offer clarification to a wine or juice by way of spinning the liquid, magnifying gravity, and forcing the particles out of solution.  This is not a filtration but it does offer a means to reduce solids, including yeast and bacteria, from the wine or juice.

  Every winemaker struggles with the question of how much one should filter and how tight of a pore size should be achieved.  Once the winemaker stands at the filter and an assessment is done, as a before and after application, one understands certain parts of the wine dissociate and/or become lost.  In some cases, this is temporary and in other cases this is permanent.  On the contrary, however, some wines “clean up” after filtration.  The wines become cleaner and purer tasting with more opulent clarity to the aroma and mouth feel.

  The pore size is often determined by analytical review linked back to bacteria and or yeast.  If a wine has not undergone a malo-lactic fermentation to completion most winemakers will use a 0.45 micron rated absolute filtration.  Absolute means all particles of that size or larger will be removed if operated properly.  If a wine has a residual fermentable sugar remaining many wine makers will once again use the 0.45 micron rated “sterile filter.”  Dry wines having gone through a complete malo-lactic fermentation will offer a potential to review a larger pore size filtration. 

  This is often desired because many winemakers feel it leaves more in the wine and therefore it is more pleasing to the consumer.  In many cases, a dry wine with a complete malo-lactic will only need a filtration down to 0.80 microns.  In this case, the winemaker is targeting the next largest potential threat and that may be Brettanomyces.  (Some more recent research has shown this may not be “absolute” at 0.80 micron and that a 0.65 micron may be needed).

Caution:  Many winemakers try their best to filter as little as possible and often with positive results.  Some go as far as no filtration with success.  The reader should be aware that a wine could go bad if no filtration is used and certain microbial risks are very large.  A wine that goes bad “on the consumer’s shelf” will offer a new meaning to most winemakers and their increasing desires to filter in the future if the problem is the result of a lack of filtration.

  Keep in mind to balance the possible brand damage against the safety of proper filtration.

  Filtration is a wonderful tool that previous winemaking generations were not fortunate enough to have.  Filtration is the number one tool to decrease cross-contamination in the wine cellar because each microbe must have an origination point.

  Filtration has been one of the best industry advancements for the winemaker because a certain amount of predictive control is placed in the winemaker’s hands as a tool allowing them to use less or fewer chemicals for the wine’s preservation.  

  Overall, filtration has enhanced wine quality to the consumer because fewer wines become spoiled after bottling.  Think of filtration in terms of bacteria/yeast removal and less for clarification; yet, it will assist both.

References: 

Amerine, M.A., Berg, H.W., Cruess,W.V. 1972. The Technology of Wine Making

Dharmadhikari, M.R., Wilker, K.L. 2001. Micro Vinification.

Zoecklein, B.W., Fugelsang, K.C., Gump, B.H., and Nury, F.S. 1999. Wine Analysis and Production

Verbal discussion with Mr. Jacques Boissenot, Mr. Jacques Recht, Dr. Ralf Kunkee, Mr. Joachim Hollerith and Mr. Chris Johnson.

Wine Marketing Association of Ontario-Icewine Celebrations

Freezing Grapes as a Pre-Fermentative Technique

Cyndi

By: Aude Watrelot, PhD – Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition, Iowa State University

Temperature plays a critical role in winemaking, influencing everything from fruit cleanliness to fermentation smoothness and wine stability. Proper temperature management helps reduce microbial spoilage risks, extract phenolic compounds, and preserve aroma and color, all of which contribute to the overall quality of the wine. Cold temperatures can be strategically used in several pre-fermentation techniques, such as cold soaking (or cold maceration), cryomaceration, and freezing grapes, to optimize these outcomes.

Cold Maceration: Enhancing Color and Flavor

  Cold soaking, particularly common for red grapes, involves storing harvested grapes in a tank or bin, where they remain in contact with the must at low temperatures (typically between 10°C and 15°C) for a few days (3-5 days). This process reduces the risk of oxidation and microbial spoilage while preventing the onset of alcoholic fermentation. During this period, sulfur dioxide is often added to further minimize microbial activity.

  The primary goal of cold maceration is to extract phenolic compounds—such as anthocyanins and tannins—from the grape skins, seeds, and flesh. These compounds significantly impact the color, flavor, and overall quality of the wine. Anthocyanins, the red pigments in grape skins (and sometimes flesh, in “teinturier” varieties), are water-soluble and easily extracted into the must. Condensed tannins, which are chains of flavanols found in grape skins and seeds, play a key role in wine structure. They not only help create stable color pigments by interacting with anthocyanins, but they also contribute to astringency, serve as antioxidants, and improve the wine’s aging potential.

  Although cold soaking is widely used, the impact on the final wine quality can vary depending on grape variety, soaking duration, and temperature. The degree of tannin and anthocyanin extraction differs based on these factors, so it’s important to tailor the technique to the specific needs of the grape variety.

Cryomaceration: Freezing Grapes to Maximize Phenolic Extraction

  Cryomaceration takes cold soaking a step further by freezing grapes at temperatures between 0°C and 10°C. This freezing process disrupts grape cells, breaking open their vacuoles and facilitating the release of phenolic compounds. Freezing below 0°C, as seen in ice wine production, enhances this effect by further breaking down cellular structures and making the extraction more efficient.

  While ice wine production typically focuses on white grapes, the freezing technique can also be applied to red grapes. After harvesting, grapes can be frozen and then thawed prior to fermentation. This process is especially useful for red grape varieties that tend to have less color stability, lower tannin content, or a limited aromatic profile. For example, cold-hardy red varieties like ‘Marquette’ and ‘Frontenac’, commonly grown in the US Midwest, Northeast, and Eastern Canada, have specific chemical characteristics that make them suitable candidates for this technique. These varieties tend to have high acidity (from their Vitis riparia genetic background), abundant anthocyanins, and lower tannin levels, which can make phenolic extraction challenging during traditional winemaking.

A Study on Freezing Grapes: Marquette and Frontenac Case Study

  A recent study led by Iowa State University enology assistant professor Aude Watrelot explored the effects of freezing grapes before fermentation on the phenolic and color profiles of wines made from Marquette and Frontenac grape varieties. In the study, three batches of each variety were frozen at -10°C for five months, while control batches were directly destemmed, crushed, and fermented without freezing.

The results showed some interesting insights:

•    Alcoholic fermentation took two days longer to be complete in the frozen grape batches, likely due to the higher availability of sugars released during the freezing process.

•    The pH of musts right before fermentation was significantly higher in Frontenac control (pH of 3.38) than in Frontenac frozen condition (pH of 3.28), while the opposite was observed in Marquette musts (pH of 3.02 in control and pH of 3.05 in frozen condition). These differences were not observed in the wines at bottling.

•    The titratable acidity (TA) was statistically different in musts and wines of Frontenac and Marquette. At bottling, the TA was twice higher in the frozen condition wines than in control wines.

•    The phenolic concentration in the must was the same between the frozen and control batches, but the musts made from Frontenac grapes had higher phenolic concentrations overall compared to the musts made from Marquette grapes.

•    The concentration of phenolics in the Frontenac wines was lower at pressing and bottling in the frozen samples compared to the control, likely due to phenolics being adsorbed onto broken cell wall material during freezing.

•    Tannin concentrations were low in the must of both treatments, as a result of the low solubility of tannins in aqueous solutions. However, Frontenac control wines contained 50% more tannins at bottling than the Frontenac frozen samples. No significant difference in tannin levels was observed for Marquette wines.

•    Color intensity was noticeably higher in the frozen must compared to the control, but this difference was not maintained in the final Frontenac wines at bottling. In contrast, Marquette wines at bottling still retained higher color intensity in the frozen samples.

  These results indicate that freezing grapes can enhance color intensity early in the process, but the long-term impact on wine quality may be less promising without additional steps to balance tannin and anthocyanin interactions.

Conclusion: A Valuable Tool for Certain Varieties

  Freezing grapes as a pre-fermentation technique can be beneficial in extracting phenolic compounds and enhancing color intensity in musts, particularly for cold-hardy red grape varieties like Marquette and Frontenac. However, its long-term effectiveness on the finished wine’s color and structure may not be as pronounced without additional treatments, such as the addition of tannins from other sources, to ensure stable pigment formation.

  Winemakers could consider freezing as part of an integrated strategy for improving wine color and phenolic content, especially when working with varieties known for having less color stability or lower tannin content. It’s essential to tailor this technique to specific grape varieties and wine goals to achieve the best results.

About the Author:

Dr. Aude Watrelot is an Assistant Professor of Enology in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University. Dr. Watrelot’s research area is fruit, grape and wine tannin and polysaccharide chemistry and their relationship with wine quality. Dr. Watrelot graduated with a PhD degree in Food Science from the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and the University of Avignon in France. Following graduation, Dr. Watrelot moved to California both at CSU Fresno and UC Davis to keep conducting research into polyphenol-macromolecular interactions on red wine chemistry.

  At ISU, she is currently conducting research and developing Extension programs on understanding viticultural and winemaking practices that could maximize phenolics extraction and improve wine quality. She has developed extension programs such as webinars, workshops, field days, articles to answer the growing wine industry in Iowa and in the Midwest.  She is currently serving as the chair for the American Society of Enology and Viticulture – Eastern Section (ASEV-ES) and as the vice-president for the Groupe Polyphenols.

References:

1.   Aleixandre-Tudo, J.L.; du Toit, W. Cold Maceration Application in Red Wine Production and Its Effects on Phenolic Compounds: A Review. LWT 2018, 95, 200–208, doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2018.04.096.

2.   Cheng, Y.; Wimalasiri, P.M.; Tian, B.; Watrelot, A.A. Influence of Grape Flesh on the Retention and Composition of Polyphenols from Skins and Seeds. J Agric Food Chem 2024, doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00612.

3.   Sperotto, G.; Marçal, E.N.; Campos, F.M.; de Souto, V.O.; Comparin, S.J.; Nogueira, A.; Lazzarotto, M. Cold-Driven Strategies as Pre-Fermentative Techniques on Winemaking: A Review. Food Chemistry 2025, 463, 141504, doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.141504.

4.         Watrelot, A.A.; Delchier, N. How Does Extended Maceration Affect Tannin and Color of Red Wines from Cold-Hardy Grape Cultivars? Foods 2025, 14, 1187, doi:10.3390/foods14071187.

Field of Chardonnay

The Growth of Chardonnay in Willamette Valley

Cyndi

By: Becky Garrison

The Oregon Chardonnay Celebration, held this year on February 22, 2025, was founded as an industry event designed to share best practices and insights on how to best elevate Oregon chardonnay and change the narrative that Oregon can’t grow chardonnay. Today, the event is a consumer-focused wine and food festival held during the Dungeness and truffle season in Oregon, two items that pair very well with chardonnay.

  This year’s sold-out celebration, “The Elements of Chardonnay: An Oregon Chardonnay & Culinary Celebration,” was held at The Allison Inn & Spa (Newberg, Oregon). At this event, nearly 400 attendees sampled wines from 61 participating wineries along with chardonnay-friendly savory bites prepared by Allison’s culinary team, including executive chef Jack Strong and featured guest chefs.

  Most reported accounts credit this rise of Willamette Valley chardonnay to the decision made by growers to plant Dijon clones after wine pioneer David Adelsheim did an exchange with the University of Dijon and convinced them to allow the importation of these clones.

  According to Michelle Kaufmann, Oregon Chardonnay Celebration president, this growth is also attributed to vintners’ decision to plant chardonnay grapes with the same intentionality they gave to their pinot noir grapes. For example, in 1995 Stoller Estate Vineyard planted 10 acres of chardonnay using clones Bill Stoller was able to obtain from those Adelsheim imported. She states, “You have the right clone and the right varietal in the right spot to ensure that those grapes are going to thrive and make the world-class wine that Oregon has become known for producing.”

During the 2008 recession, several winemakers, including Stoller’s winemaker, went to Burgundy and studied with their winemakers. While the focus was on Burgundy’s pinot noir grapes, some began asking questions about how to create chardonnay from grape to glass. Kaufmann sees the parallel between Burgundy and the Willamette Valley in that visitors can still meet many winemakers, which gives both regions a down-home feel.

Exploring the Varieties of Willamette Valley Chardonnay

  As evidenced by this curated collection of Willamette Valley chardonnays, each vineyard and winery produce their own representation of this grape that reflects both their particular vineyards and preferred winemaking techniques.

Alloro Vineyards (Sherwood, Oregon): Originally planted in 1999, their LIVE certified 34-acre vineyard devoted to pinot noir, chardonnay, riesling and muscat sweeps across a west-to-east southern aspect of Laurel Ridge in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. An elevation between 450 and 700 feet, replete with deep, wind-blown loess topsoil over decomposed basalt, creates optimal conditions for sustainable, dry farming practices.

  In terms of their chardonnay, they focus on the Dijon clones 76 and 96. Their current releases include a 2023 Estate Chardonnay aged in new oak and a 2023 Primavera Chardonnay, which is their inaugural stainless-steel chardonnay. In addition, their 2020 Blanc de Blancs represents their second vintage of sparkling wine from their estate vineyard made via the traditional ‘Metodo Classico’ using chardonnay from the oldest vineyard blocks on their property.

Benza Vineyards (Hillsboro, Oregon): Paden West, winemaker for Benza Vineyard, discovered chardonnay when he became the assistant winemaker for Lavinea Single Vineyard Wines (Carlton, Oregon). After his first vintage, he quickly realized how incredible, versatile, and flexible chardonnay expressions can be. As he reflects, “In Oregon, we are unburdened by tradition and have nothing but creative opportunities laid before us—all while being in a state that offers many different microclimates, soils, clones and overly curious winemakers.”

  At Benza Vineyards and Approachment Wines, West tries to craft as many varied expressions of this grape as possible. “From vineyard practices, fermentation management, lees selection/contact time, oak usage, etc.—the world is your oyster with chardonnay,” he opines.

Bethel Heights Vineyard (Salem, Oregon): Chardonnay Wente selections were originally planted at Bethel Heights by Vic Winquist in 1977.

  After the Casteel family purchased the property the following year, they added Dijon 76 clones in 1994, along with 95 and 548 clones. According to Ben Casteel, co-owner, director, and winemaker, “Our soils are primarily clay, so we have plenty of water holding capacity for healthy vine growth and abundant nitrogen for aromatic development. It is also a natural swale on our hillside that can be prone to powdery mildew, and as certified organic growers, that’s something we need to monitor.” 

  Also, they planted chardonnay in Justice Vineyard in 1999. Unlike Bethel Heights, these soils are primarily marine sediments and thus do not retain water well. Hence, Casteel finds this soil requires more natural inputs for soil health, so they have been rotating a herd of 150 sheep from Naked Grazing through these blocks for the past two years.

  The Eola-Amity Hills AVA represents a cooler part of the valley, which makes the acidity important to their wines easy to come by due to their cool nights. In Casteel’s estimation, “This grape is well suited to our climate, and I suspect will continue to be even with warming temperatures in the future.”

  Post-harvest, their wines are barrel fermented with full malolactic fermentation, aged on lees in barrels for 12 months, and then again with lees in stainless steel tanks for an additional four to six months. 

Chehalem Estate Vineyard (Sherwood, Oregon):

The mainstay of their chardonnay plantings is the Dijon clones where they’ve planted Dijon 76, 95, 96, 548, Mt. Eden and 809. According to Jason Tosch, vice president of vineyard operations, Dijon clones are proven performers in the various meso- and micro-climates throughout the Willamette Valley. Regardless of differences in vintage, they produce a decent size yield and tend to ripen slower than the lower-yielding (non-Dijon) clones, ensuring consistency. 

  The faster ripening 548, Mt. Eden and 809 have unique olfactory and textural characteristics that could make exciting standalone chardonnay bottlings. When selected as components in the blending phase of winemaking, these clones add a synergy that gives the winemaking team greater creative freedom.

  Winemaker Katie Santora states that the essence of Oregon chardonnay is primarily derived from the natural acidity of the chardonnay fruit grown here. They make two distinctive styles of chardonnay. INOX is their unoaked, stainless-steel fermented chardonnay, which is bottled about four to five months after the vintage. Their Reserve Chardonnay is barrel fermented and aged in French oak barrels for 10 months before being racked in a stainless-steel tank with lees to age for another four to five months, which allows the wine to integrate and deepen.

Left Coast Estate (Rickreall, Oregon): Left Coast Estate’s early years were heavily inspired by the traditions of Burgundy, where chardonnay was the dominant white varietal. As Taylor Pfaff, CEO and family ownership, notes, “Chardonnay is incredibly versatile and expresses a wide range of flavors and aromatics while being perfectly suited to growing in the cool climate of the Willamette Valley.”

  All their chardonnays are Dijon clones originally sourced from Burgundy, and their first block was planted in 2006. Left Coast’s chardonnay is planted in their Truffle Hill, Left Bank and Field of Dreams vineyards. These vineyards are well-drained and sit on ancient marine sedimentary soils. The cool winds of the Van Duzer Corridor slow down ripening and allow them to achieve full phenolic ripeness while keeping sugars relatively low. This allows them to grow balanced chardonnay that maintains tension between bright acidity and ripe, rich flavor profiles.

  Currently, they produce three chardonnays: a Truffle Hill Chardonnay that sees a 100 percent French oak fermentation, aging in oversized puncheon barrels and complete malolactic fermentation. In addition, their Suzanne’s Estate Reserve Chardonnay is only produced during exceptional vintages and is crafted for the highest quality and longevity. Occasionally, they produce a wine club-only Beton Reserve Chardonnay that is fermented in Nomblot concrete eggs and then aged in neutral oak.

Nysa Vineyard (Dundee, Oregon):  Michael Mega, owner of Nysa Vineyard, fell in love with Puligny Montrachet from Sauzet, Lafon and Romonet in the 1980s. He knew when he started planting Nysa in 1990 that there would be a place for chardonnay. For 20 years, he searched for the proper clone. Rejecting the Dijon clones due to their lack of finish, he settled on the heritage clone Wente.

  When tracing the history of this clone, Mega recalls how they were originally brought to Oregon in the late 1940s from cuttings through California that were smuggled from France. In the 1970s and 1980s, clones struggled with full ripening in Oregon and were replaced with the earlier ripening Dijon clones. The small “chicks” and bigger “hen” berries in the Wente clusters were perceived as a detriment due to lower crop yields compared to the more robust Dijon clones. Now, with climate changes, these heritage clones are being replanted in Oregon due to their superior mid-palate and finish that the Dijon clones lack.

  Mega saved one acre of the southwest corner of the hottest aspect of Nysa for the slow-ripening Wente clone and another single acre of the fully due west aspect. Since they dry-farm at tight spaces (three feet by six feet), these hot west blocks require several years of nurturing before he allows them to produce a harvest (six to eight years). “No commercially motivated operation would tolerate this patience,” he surmises.

  Their first vintage of chardonnay was in 2015, planted on 2006 rootstock, though because they patiently cellar their wines, this vintage wasn’t released until 2017. Nysa chardonnay is barrel and stainless steel fermented via native yeast, undergoes full malolactic fermentation, is in elevage for 10 to 18 months (estate versus reserve), with zero to 15 percent new French oak and is unfined/unfiltered.  

Soter Vineyards (Carlton, Oregon):  For Tony Soter’s 1997 debut vintage, he used three chardonnay Dijon clones along with another lovely French selection to craft a few hundred cases of Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine. These first Blanc de Blancs stayed on the lees in bottles for a full decade before they had the confidence to release them. Even though it became something of a cult classic, they chose to focus on their sparkling wines given there was a very limited market at the time for Oregon chardonnay.

Having quietly championed chardonnay through their ongoing sparkling wines, they felt it was time to explore this grape further. At Mineral Springs Ranch near Carlton, they planted one Dijon clone (#76), a lesser-known French selection especially suited for sparkling wine. Also, at their Eola-Amity Hills site, they planted a “sélection massale”—a mix of numerous, unspecified clones.

  Currently, they produce three chardonnay-based wines, each with a distinct identity. Their Estates Chardonnay is a barrel-fermented, steel-finished blend of their two primary vineyard sites, while their Mineral Springs Chardonnay is a single-vineyard bottling sourced entirely from mysterious heirloom selections. Also, their Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine is a traditional method of sparkling wine aged six years on the lees and another on cork before release.

The Future of Oregon Chardonnay

  Moving forward, other winemakers continue to enter the scene as they explore the boundaries of what Willamette chardonnay can do. For example, Tracy and Aaron Kendall of Folly of Man (Amity, Oregon) combined their decades of experience as winemakers to embrace biodynamic and regenerative agricultural practices that breathe life back into the soil with Moe Momtazi of Momtazi Vineyard & Maysara Winery (McMinnville, Oregon) serving as Tracy’s long-time mentor. Their first vintages of pinot noir and chardonnay, released in March 2025, are already receiving accolades with their 2023 Estate Chardonnay and 2023 Coleen Chardonnay awarded 95 and 93 points, respectively, from Decanter.

  In reflecting on the future of Oregon wines, Kaufmann proclaims, “Pinot noir is our king. Chardonnay is becoming Oregon’s queen. And right behind them as prince or princess is a sparkling wine with these two grapes coming together to make a beautiful marriage.”