Beginner’s Guide to Pruning Cold Climate Vineyards

Cyndi

By: Annie Klodd, University of Minnesota Extension

As the viticulture industry grows in the northern US, beginning growers should be aware of special considerations when pruning in cold climates. Between the risk of cold injury and the trial and error of managing new varieties, growers in this region have adopted a more nuanced approach to pruning.

  Dormant pruning is not only a necessary management step in the northern US – it is also an opportunity to cut out winter damaged wood and make way for more productive cordons.

  In the northern US, pruning takes place between late December to early April, with most growers pruning between February-March. Waiting to prune until February allows you to evaluate winter injury before deciding how aggressively to prune. Crews can also prune more efficiently and effectively in slightly warmer temperatures.

  Pruning in January may be uncomfortable, temperature-wise. On the other hand, it gives the pruning wounds time to dry and close before spring, helping them resist grapevine trunk disease infection.

Reasons We Prune

  Without pruning, grapevines would produce a huge amount of foliage, but low quality, underripe fruit. Pruning limits the amount of foliage and fruit clusters on the vine. This promotes high quality fruit that ripens evenly.

  Grape berries also need some, but not too much, direct sunlight to ripen. Limiting the number of canes on the vine helps sunlight reach the grapes so that they ripen correctly. Pruning also increases airflow through the vines. This helps them dry off after rain, reducing disease problems.

  In the first two to three years after planting a vineyard, growers in cold climates must evaluate winter damage to young canes and train them onto the trellis system as they become strong enough. 

  Foliar, fruit, and trunk diseases infect all grapevines in northern climates with regular summer rainfall. We also tend to see plenty of trunk disease in this region, as winter injury-induced cracking serves as one entry point for grapevine trunk disease.

  However, grapevine trunk diseases can also enter the vines at pruning wounds, and are active once temperatures rise above freezing. Pruning in the winter during freezing temperatures has been shown to reduce the spread of trunk diseases.

Basic Steps to Pruning Cold Climate Vineyards

1.  In the first 2 years after planting grapevines, prune canes back to living, pencil-thick wood. Secure wood to the posts and trellis wire to create trunks and cordons

2.  Remove dead cordons and dead trunks

3.  Replace dead cordon wood with healthy one-year old canes

4.  Remove excess canes completely – each fruiting spur should have just one extension each year

5.  Cut each remaining one-year-old cane down to just 1-4 buds, depending on winter bud injury

6.  Remove suckers unless using them to establish a new trunk

Pruning and Training New Grapevines

  Training the grapevine refers to the process of forming the trunk and cordons of the vine, and securing them to the trellis poles and wire with tape.

  The training step takes place in the first 1-2 years of the vineyard. Slow-growing vines in drought or poor soil conditions, or those that were severely winter-injured after the planting years may take up to 3 years to train.

  First, choose whether you want one or two trunks. In cold climates, some growers choose to train two trunks, in case one succumbs to winter injury. A handful of northern growers even use a 4-trunk system, although this should only be done if deemed necessary after getting to know how your varieties perform in your vineyard.

  Next, choose the strongest 1-4 suckers and tie or tape them snuggly to the bamboo or rebar pole. Cut the selected canes at the point where the wood becomes thinner than a pencil. If no canes are thicker than a pencil, cut each cane back to 2-3 buds. Wait for new shoots to grow back stronger the next summer.

  The next step is to establish cordons. In a northern climate, a couple of different scenarios may play out when establishing cordons.

  If the suckers you used for the trunk are still at least pencil-thick past the top of the post, you may choose to bend the top of the canes downward and tie them to the wire in either direction. These becomes the new cordons. Make a cut where the wood becomes thinner than a pencil. The next season, another shoot should form from a bud near the top of the trunk. Bend it down along the wire in the second direction, to become the second cordon.

  Alternatively, cut the trunk at the top of the post (at or near the level of the wire). The next season, shoots will grow from buds near the top. Choose two of them, and tie one in each direction along the wire, forming the cordons. Make a cut about 12 buds down the cane, or when the cordon becomes thinner than a pencil. If the cordon did not reach its full length, finish it the follow season by tying down a cane toward the end of the cordon.

Remove Dead or Dying Cordons & Trunks

  In cold climates, even the hardiest grape varieties can be injured by extreme temperature drops. Injuries are more common following droughts or early freezes the previous fall. Cold injury is also more common in wet, low-lying areas, so it is not advisable to grow grapevines in those areas.

Cold-injured grapevines may exhibit dead cordons and trunks. However, it is very common for the cordons to remain partially alive but have areas with dead buds and spurs.

Remove and replace cordons that have blind wood for more than one linear foot. Replace the cordon by selecting a strong, healthy one-year old cane from the base of the cordon (or near the top of the trunk) and bending it down to the wire. Tie or tape it to the wire, establishing a new cordon.

  When pruning in very cold temperatures, bending down a vertical cane may tear it. If so, wait to tie it down until temperatures rise above freezing, when it is more flexible. If most of the grapevine has stopped producing fruit and new canes, or if the cordons are dead, it is best to remove the entire trunk. Let suckers grow up from the ground and re-train the entire vine, or dig up the roots and plant a new vine.

Fruiting Spurs

  The cordons of cold climate hybrid grapes have fruiting spurs every 3-5 linear inches. The fruiting spurs are formed from the stubs of removed canes. Each year during pruning, we add a small amount of length to each fruiting spur, until they are removed and replaced.

  The year after cordons are established on a young vine, canes will grow from buds along the cordons. During the following dormant season, cut each cane back to the bottom 2-3 buds. The stub left behind is now a fruiting spur. The next growing season, new shoots and fruit clusters will grow from the remaining buds.  Each growing season, one cane grows from each bud on the fruiting spur. During the dormant season, remove all but one of those canes, and prune the remaining cane back to about 2 buds. This stub becomes part of the fruiting spur, making it a bit longer. If the fruiting spur gets too long, opportunities exist to shorten or replace it. Read on for more information.

Removing Excess Canes & Spurring Back Canes

  Typically, each spur will have at least 2 canes growing from it. Select one cane to keep and remove the others. The cane that you keep will then need to be “spurred back” (it will be trimmed back to become part of the spur).

  Keep the strongest cane, indicated by thickness and color. If both canes are equally healthy, keep the cane that is closer to the bottom of the spur. This helps keep the spur short. With the cane that you have selected to keep, make a cut after the first 1-4 buds. Leaving 2 buds per spur is typical. If you suspect winter injury, leave 3 or 4 buds per spur to account for potential bud losses.

Removing Suckers

  Suckers are the canes that grow from the ground at the base of the vine. With own-rooted cold climate hybrid grapevines, the suckers have the same genetics as the rest of the vine. Therefore, growers using own-rooted, ungrafted hybrid grapevines can use suckers to train up new trunks if the vine needs replacement.

  If no suckers are needed, simply cut them off as close to the ground as possible. This is a good task for older kids; it gets them involved in pruning and is easier than the other steps.

Example Timeline for Pruning New Grapevines

Spring-Summer 2022: Plant grapevines, let the canes grow

Winter 2023: Prune back canes to healthy wood

Summer 2023: Grow and train the best canes to form trunks and cordons

Winter 2024: Trim back cordons to healthy wood

Summer 2024: New canes grow from buds along cordons

Winter 2025: Prune canes back to 2-bud spurs

Winemaking in the Land of Enchantment: Casa Rondeña’s Unique Approach to Wine in New Mexico

Cyndi
a vintage mansion

By: Alyssa L. Ochs

Here’s a quick trivia question for you: Where is the oldest winemaking region in North America?  Although Northern California, the Hudson Valley of New York and the Coahuila state of Mexico are common guesses, the correct answer is actually New Mexico. This fact might come as a surprise to many wine enthusiasts because New Mexico wines rarely gain the widespread attention or recognition of wines produced in other regions across the continent. Yet the wine industry is thriving in this part of the Southwest and has a lot to offer local residents and curious travelers.

  The first widespread production of wine began in New Mexico in 1629 after Spaniards settled in the area and began making wine to support their Catholic communion traditions. Fast-forward to 1995, when Casa Rondeña Winery first came onto the New Mexico winery scene as a family endeavor at the hands of vintner John Calvin and his two young sons, Ross and Clayton. Although there are over 50 wineries today in New Mexico, Casa Rondeña, located in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, stands out because of its hands-on approach to winemaking, a nod to cultural traditions and unique event offerings. It is also one of my favorite local wineries and just a few miles down the road from where I currently live in New Mexico, also known as the “Land of Enchantment!”

Getting to Know Casa Rondeña

  Casa Rondeña’s owner and vintner, John Calvin, along with the Casa Rondeña Winery team, shared some details with The Grapevine about what makes this winery unique and stand out among others in the region and beyond.

  While living in Spain, Calvin gained an appreciation for architecture, music and winemaking – three components that helped build Casa Rondeña Winery into what we know and love today. As a family-owned-and-operated winery, Casa Rondeña has been committed to growing and winemaking practices that respect its agricultural roots and the greater community. The winery is loved by its members for both the elevated experience and elegance of the surroundings, as well as the dedication to creating the finest wines in the Southwest. Meanwhile, the nearby Sandia Mountains offer a stunning background as you stroll through the vineyard, enjoying the grandeur of architecture or relaxing with a glass of wine by the pond.

  John Calvin built and raised his family in what is now known as the ever-popular 1629 Club. Unique to the state and named for the year the first vines were smuggled into New Mexico by Franciscan monks, this private membership club offers an exclusive atmosphere that is committed to providing members exceptional service in a relaxing atmosphere to unwind from life’s fast pace. The Casa Rondeña tasting room has been open since August 1997, and it built a new barrel aging and storage facility in 2008.

  As you pass through the Rondeña archway, you are immediately transported to a different time and place. It is a place for peace and reflection, of beauty and grace, where beauty is created for its own sake and where your friends and family are reminded of why we live in New Mexico.

The Wines of Casa Rondeña

  As a boutique winery, Casa Rondeña takes a hands-on approach to winemaking and makes wines that the family and winery team enjoy – bold, dry reds and classic, crisp whites. These are wines that pay tribute to the land and culture of the Rio Grande Valley.

  Calvin and the winery team pointed out that Casa Rondeña built a wine around 1629 as a nod to the origins of winemaking. This 1629 flagship wine is as rich in history as in its flavor. This blend of tempranillo, syrah, and cabernet sauvignon is layered and full-bodied, and its wonderfully dense flavors are credited to the vines that have been rooted for more than 25 years. It’s entirely New Mexican and not found anywhere else in the world. 

  A complete and updated list of Casa Rondeña’s current wines can be found on the Tasting Room page of the winery’s website, along with descriptions of each locally hand-crafted wine.

Behind the Scenes at Casa Rondeña

  When I asked Calvin and the Casa Rondeña Winery team about the most significant challenges they have experienced, they noted that the quality of wine worldwide goes up every year. Vintner John Calvin and Assistant Winemaker Joshua Franco listen and feel this climate, creating wines that represent this place, the sky, river and sunlight.

  “We focused on what we do best: make the best wine in the Southwest and maintain the most hospitable and beautiful environment in the region, paired with an incredible staff,” Calvin said. “With our wine club members and growing audience of wine-enthusiasts, our biggest challenge is always about keeping up with production demand.” 

Visiting Casa Rondeña

  In my personal experience, I have found Casa Rondeña to be an exceptionally friendly and welcoming winery where it’s easy to lose track of time and spend all afternoon catching up on conversations with friends and perhaps even making new ones. The Casa Rondeña tasting room is open to the public daily from 12pm to 7pm, and no reservations are required to visit.

  For first-time visitors, the best way to experience Casa Rondeña is to select four wines for a tasting flight and learn about each one to discover your favorite. Crackers, chips, meat and cheese plates, fruit and veggie plates and chocolates are available in the tasting room. Nearby, you’ll find a gift shop filled with unique items crafted by local artisans. Casa Rondeña does not allow outside food to be brought into the winery.

  From here, step outside to take a walk around the grounds with a glass of wine in hand or take a seat on the patio to soak up the natural beauty of pure New Mexico. In addition to flights, visitors can purchase wines by the glass or bottle. It is a very family-friendly winery that welcomes children, obviously, as long as they don’t consume alcohol and are appropriately supervised. Only registered service animals, but no pets are allowed at Casa Rondeña. For non-wine-drinkers in your group, Casa Rondeña offers canned beers from the Albuquerque-based Marble Brewery and non-alcoholic beverages.

Not Just Your Average Winery

  Yet Casa Rondeña is much more than just a local producer of wine in Albuquerque’s North Valley. It is also a one-of-a-kind event venue that is loved for its spiritual, calming and romantic vibes. There are three event spaces at Casa Rondeña that are surrounded by lush vineyards, flowing fountains, a lovely pond, and cottonwood trees that evolve with the seasons. Casa Rondeña is a popular local spot for weddings because it offers customized wedding packages with options for rehearsal dinners, private tours and tastings, engagement photography sessions, bridal suites, groom’s rooms, and a long list of amenities.

  Calvin, a Rio Grande Valley native and trained flamenco guitarist, is passionate about world music and local music, and so the winery has even hosted intimate concerts to celebrate these interests and support the community. In addition to private events for special occasions, there is also Casa Rondeña’s Wellness + Wine program, which attracts people who are passionate about wine and inspired by health.

  According to Calvin and the Casa Rondeña team, the program consists of classes run by five of the area’s top yoga and Pilates instructors. Open to all skill levels, this one-hour, beautiful outdoor practice is followed by a glass of wine and an invitation to stay and relax on the grounds. Classes surround the pond of the 1629 Club, paired with the tranquil and meditative sounds of Handpan music. Reservations are required to participate in Wine + Wellness events, and participants can purchase picnic-style food options from the tasting room.

  “While the program takes a hiatus during the winter months, we anxiously await its return in the spring of 2023,” Calvin said.

What’s Next for Casa Rondeña?

  Aside from the much-anticipated return of Wine + Wellness events and periodically scheduled holiday happenings, there is much more to look forward to at Casa Rondeña in the coming months and years.

  Calvin and the winery team shared, “Adjacent to our nearly 30-year-old Casa Rondeña Winery is the home to our new Animante Winery. This newest addition to the property is expected to break ground in early December 2022. The winery will be doubling in size with a new vineyard, and be a new winery that will offer a new menu of wines.”

  Through new additions and the changing seasons, the people of Casa Rondeña remain humble and ever grateful to be able to continue their mission: to be at the cutting edge of culture, architecture and winemaking in the Land of Enchantment.

Science Takes Charge

Cyndi

Companies Using Scientific Expertise in the Use of Biologicals & Organics in the Wine Industry

By: Cheryl Gray

Science, by design, is innovation in constant motion.  Such is the focus of an industry driven by the science behind biopesticides that alter what Mother Nature originally intended, redirecting naturally occurring processes to protect wineries and their vineyards.

  Among the companies with this expertise is family-owned BioSafe Systems, headquartered in Connecticut. For the wine industry, BioSafe specializes in solutions from vineyard crop protection to winery sanitation. A branded leader in research, manufacturing and applications of sustainable chemistries for the agriculture industry, BioSafe Systems has spent the past quarter century finding new, innovative ways that offer sustainable means of protecting its customers’ investments.

  Dr. Jodi Creasap Gee of BioSafe Systems has an intensive educational and industry background in the field. She describes her journey through the science of biologicals and organics protecting wineries from the vineyards to production evolved.

  “My dissertation focused on the mechanism of biological control of crown gall in grapes by a non-pathogenic strain of Agrobacterium vitis. After a brief post-doc studying Erwinia amylovora, I spent five years as the viticulture extension educator for a Cornell Cooperative Extension regional program in Western New York. There, I worked primarily with juice grape growers to improve efficiency, vine health and yield (quantity and quality). From there, I led the Kent State University – Ashtabula Wine Degrees Program as the program director, which also was a dual role with the Viticulture and Enology Science and Technology Alliance as the Ohio representative. Adding in my time spent working at my grandfather’s vineyard when I was a teenager, most of my life has been spent thinking about and working with grapevines.”

  Dr. Gee dually serves as BioSafe Systems’ field research and development project manager and agriculture technical sales representative for the Northeastern United States. She describes some of the company’s products, their applications and how biologicals and organics play a key role in making wine.

  “We work every day in research and development to find new, innovative ways that offer sustainable means of protecting our customers’ investments. Our viticulture and enology customers range from small to large operations using OxiDate 5.0 in the vineyard and SaniDate 5.0 in the winery. Many eastern (U.S.) vineyards regularly use OxiDate 5.0 to control bunch rot later in the season and to control and clean up powdery mildew infections on leaves. Using a broad-spectrum fungicide/surface disinfestant like OxiDate 5.0 in the vineyard reduces a large swath of fungal pathogens and their isolates on leaves and clusters, thereby reducing the likelihood of fungicide resistance. Additionally, biologicals deliver another mode of action for disease management in the vineyard and prevent fungicide resistance.

  Two of our materials fit especially well into a viticulture spray program: OxiDate 5.0 and PerCarb. OxiDate 5.0 can be tank-mixed with many conventional, and biological pesticides, and PerCarb is an excellent rotation partner. Together, these two materials can clean and protect grapevines and clusters, leading to higher quality fruit for excellent wines.”

  For BioSafe products that are designed for use inside wineries, Dr. Gee adds that the company has several solutions for problems that can easily threaten wine production and its preservation.

  “The winery is where the magic happens, and the winery is where high quality fruit can potentially be ruined by spoilage microorganisms, such as Brettanomyces and acetic acid bacteria. Our GreenClean alkaline cleaner used with our BioFoamer foaming agent gets into the nooks and crannies around the winery. For hard surfaces and non-porous sanitizing, SaniDate 5.0 is an excellent option for keeping tanks, floors, walls and lines clean. Finally, in the tasting room, because chlorine is the enemy of good wine, BioSafe Systems carries SaniDate sanitizing wipes for cleaning bars and tables, as well as our SaniDate RTU for end-of-day cleaning.”

  On the West Coast is Pacific Biocontrol Corporation, headquartered in Vancouver, Washington. The company, in business for 35 years, considers itself one of the original pheromone companies and a global player in the science of manipulating naturally occurring pheromones. 

  Pheromones are chemicals emitted by organisms that allow them to communicate among the same species. These chemicals serve many functions, including finding food sources, detecting potential dangers and locating a potential mate. It is the latter that most interests Pacific Biocontrol, according to Jeannine Lowrimore, the company’s technical sales representative for Northern California.

  “PBC’s mission is to increase the use of its mating disruption formulations by developing efficacious products and educating growers on how a pheromone program can impact production. We work with academia, industry and growers to establish regional pest management programs where pheromone mating disruption benefits entire communities. Our fruit and nut customers range from small family ranches to large production farms mainly throughout the Western United States.”

  Lowrimore, with a B.S. degree in entomology from UC Davis and over 20 years of pheromone experience, joined Pacific Biocontrol in 2014. Her expertise in the science of mating disruption through manipulating pheromones includes 15 years as a research assistant for a UCCE Walnut farm advisor, where she worked to effectively develop codling moth mating disruption in walnut orchards.

  Lowrimore says that Pacific Biocontrol provides multiple products for wineries using the same kind of science. Among those products is ISOMATE® VMB, which is used to manage insect pests by interrupting their mating behaviors. Lowrimore explains the process along with the research and development behind the product.

  “Mating disruption works by saturating the field with a synthetic pheromone formulation which keeps the males from finding the females and thus reducing mating and egg laying. The ultimate goal of a mating disruption program is the long-term population decline of that pest. This, in turn, brings an economic benefit to the grower by having to treat less for that pest.

  ISOMATE® VMB was registered in California in May 2021 after several years of extensive research in the Lodi and Napa regions. We also collaborated with Dr. Kent Daane of UC Berkeley in table grape trials in the central San Joaquin Valley. As VMB (vine mealybug) has become a critical pest in California vineyards, giving growers another tool in the battle was extremely welcomed. For organic growers, this challenge is greater without conventional chemistries to lean on. The honeydew and sooty mold caused by VMB infestations contaminate fruit and can impact quality. VMB activity can be detected from early spring months all through the fall and more so in warmer climates. For this reason, ISOMATE VMB was developed to release all through this extremely long season.

  One of the most crucial and largest flights of VMB occurs late October-November when growers are wrapping up harvest activities and not thinking about pest management. Our dispenser has proven longevity to disrupt this flight which then aids in reducing the population going into the following season. For the Lodi and Napa regions, where evenings are cooler, dispensers easily release pheromones for over 200 days. These dispensers quickly twist onto a cordon or trellis wire, are discrete in color and stay secure through mechanical harvesting. We want dispensers to stay in the vines for the remainder of the season and not end up in the fruit.”

  Lowrimore adds that ISOMATE VMB is OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) listed and CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) approved.

  “Products are non-toxic and environmentally safe and when used in integrated pest management (IPM) programs, ISOMATE® can suppress pest populations while conserving beneficial species. This approach can reduce the need for conventional pesticides and limit the development of pest resistance. More ISOMATE® results in less pesticide residues.”

 Lowrimore says that Pacific Biocontrol Corporation has a diverse pheromone product portfolio targeting the pests of vineyards and fruit and nut orchards. The company, she adds, sells its products through agricultural chemical distributors and dealers worldwide, with customer service a top priority. That means helping clients understand the science and expertise behind the products.

  “We realize educating growers and consultants on the benefits of mating disruption helps reassure them of the investment they’ve made. We also pride ourselves on excellent science in the development of products that are efficacious and economical for growers. Understanding insect pest behavior is crucial for mating disruption programs to have the strongest impact on populations. 

  Our staff is predominantly composed of technically trained and experienced entomologists with advanced degrees, who have worked in academic or government-related pheromone research prior to joining PBC.” 

  Another company among the best in helping wineries protect their grapes using is Suterra.

In business for more than 30 years, the Oregon-based company produces hundreds of products that are used in agricultural regions across the globe, including more than 400,000 acres in California.

  Suterra manufactures its CheckMate® VMB-XL, a membrane dispenser, and CheckMate® VMB-F, a sprayable microencapsulated formula. The products target vine mealybug (VMB), a highly efficient vector of Grapevine Leafroll Associated Viruses. The active ingredient in both products is synthetic replicas of the vine mealybug’s sexual reproduction pheromone. These products limit reproductive capacity, lowers populations and reduce direct crop damage caused by the pest. 

  The use of biologicals and organics in protecting wineries, their fruit and their products is a plan of defense built exclusively around science. Innovation in this industry is as perpetual as the threat of existing microorganisms, as well as those yet to come. Leaders in the industry know this, which is why their expertise is essential, and the depth of their experience in research and development is key.

How To Create a Memorable California Inspired Wine

Cyndi
Napa Valley Sign outside of Vineyard says Welcome to this world famous wine growing region

By: Marlo Richardson

When one thinks of Napa Valley, the mind becomes filled with images of vineyards stretching towards the horizon, the scent of purposely-cultivated grape varietals, and the unique flavor profiles of each carefully-crafted wine. After all, finding the perfect balance between taste and quality is something that the region’s wines have become globally renowned for.

  Last year, California was named the best state for vintage quality, which should come as no surprise considering that most sparkling wines are typically the first to be picked in California. The Golden State produces about 80% of the nation’s wine, making it the world’s fourth-largest wine-producing region and the most popular wine origin for high-frequency drinkers at 35%.

  For winemakers, this recent growth should spark more than one proverbial lightbulb. The market for California wines is larger than ever, and with that growing market comes a rising demand from customers for wines that can quickly become their new favorite go-to drink. But in order to stand out from the swelling tide of competition, you will need to ensure that the wine you produce will be one that stays as fresh in the bottle as it does in the mind of your customers — you will need to create a wine that resembles California in a single glass.

Finding a Distinct California Taste

  When one is seeking to not only create a quality wine true to what California embodies, but one that will create lasting memories, attention to every detail is key. For any new winemakers out there, this counts double. Wineries and vineyards in the Golden State hit a record $40 billion in sales in 2020, and international exports of their goods are only climbing as more and more people around the world seek out the flavors and aromas distinct to the region. The California wines primarily enjoyed include Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, Pinot Noir, assorted red blends, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

  When you are a new winemaker looking to create something that resonates with California, it’s important to remember that your consumers are also likely looking towards other smaller wine brands in order to get a taste of their distinctly local flair. California has over 4,000 wineries, including the famous Napa Valley and Sonoma, where every seasoned sommelier should at least make one trip on their vino journey.

  Many wine drinkers get comfortable with their favorite brand and style of wine, but the way to encourage them to try something new and different is to give them something familiar, yet unique. As a winemaker, your goal should be to put your own spin on the flavors you love in a wine. If there’s something you love about it, chances are someone else will love it, too.

The 5 Components of

California Wine Climate

  The Golden State boasts a climate as unique to the region as it is diverse. Benefiting from the generally mild, Mediterranean-like climate — dry, warm summers followed by fairly mild winter and spring months — the grapes cultivated for wines in California are able to steadily grow throughout the majority of the year.

Geography

  California’s natural geography cannot be overlooked for the role it plays in the state’s wine production. Thanks to the cool Pacific winds that naturally cool the west and northwest portions of the state, the grapes grown in California’s vineyards are able to retain a majority of their acidity, highlighted in the balanced, fresh taste of the wines they produce. And thanks to variations in both elevation and soil found throughout California, winemakers and vineyard owners are able to plan for the specific wines they want to make.

Sustainability

  Balance and sustainability are arguably two of the most important components of quality wine, and California is no stranger to either component. The Golden State has long been a trailblazer in terms of sustainable environmental practices, prioritizing the health of its natural soils, water, and other resources — all of which shine through in its wines.

  The trick to mastering this component with wine production, however, is understanding what elements of a specific wine balance well with others. For example, if a wine has identifiable characteristics that are clearly tied to a specific grape variety or region, that specific vino is explicitly expressive of that particular region. But if the flavor profile, acidity level, or aroma of that particular grape — say a Cabernet Savouignon — does not balance with the overall palate, the perceived quality of the wine will diminish amongst consumers.

  Many wine drinkers have their favorite varietal of wine, but the great thing about a distinct grape or blend is that it is immediately recognizable to anyone who has tried it before. Even if one doesn’t describe themselves as a sommelier, or even a seasoned vino drinker, they can still taste and identify the grape’s distinct flavor profile.

Intricacy and Aromas

  Ultimately, the flavor profile of any wine comes down to the varietal of grapes used in its production. If you are looking to create a vino that one could consider a simple blend, then your varietal should remain relatively unchanged. However, to make a more complex — and, perhaps, more memorable — concoction, various aromas and flavors should be added, including primary (water, alcohol, acid, sugar, and phenolic components), secondary, and tertiary flavor components.

  Secondary components derive from the actual winemaking process, which includes fermentation and the aging process. These elements could include biscuit and yeasty, elements that appear from autolysis, an effect that occurs when the yeast dies off. Or a distinct popcorn aroma that is a common byproduct of malolactic fermentation in Chardonnays. 

  Tertiary components occur when the aging of the wine occurs in an ideal environment. For red wines, fresh ripe fruit used in production will, in the process, transform into stewed or dried fruit, not dissimilar to a raisin or fig. During this process, it is not uncommon to experience aromas occurring that are reminiscent of tobacco, earth, and even mushrooms.

  For aged white wines in tertiary, these can commonly develop notes of dried apricot or orange marmalade, as well as Sherry-like notes of almonds and flavors similar to candied fruits. Other tertiary characteristics include nutty aromas and more complex spice components such as nutmeg, ginger, or petrol.

  It is essential to note that wines with tertiary aromas are not considered to be inherently “better” than wines with primary and secondary aromas. Sommeliers attracted to fruity, lighter tastes, for instance, are more likely to prefer a primary or secondary wine. Moreover, at least 90% of wines are made to be consumed young and fresh, according to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, while only a smaller percentage improves with aging.

  When you think about the aromas of a wine, you usually hear about the more fruity or floral aromas. But depending on the varietal you use in making your wine, there are plenty of other flavors you can incorporate and bring out in the final product. The key, again, is to make it your own.

Perfecting the quality

  The aging process can also significantly influence the flavor profile of a wine. For example, many California vineyards age their red blend in oak barrels, allowing the wine to absorb some of the oak’s distinct flavor. Oak aging, for instance, gives sommeliers flavors such as vanilla, clove, smoke, coconut — even coffee. Although the oakiness isn’t strong in the finished product, it’s noticeable enough to be a pleasant addition to the wine’s flavor profile, hence the tertiary element.

  Securing the right flavors could be easier said than done, especially given the frequent lack of consistency that occurs throughout the distilling process. For those more new to the process, this can rightfully feel frustrating. If you find that the distinct California flavor you are looking for isn’t quite there yet, continue experimenting with the elements of the process you can control. There are so many different flavor profiles that you can create, so you have to find something that captures not only your own taste, but the taste your customers are after.

  With home-distilling red wine, I should advise that achieving consistency in your wine’s flavor will perhaps be the most difficult challenge. Yes, you are bound to make mistakes, but remember that your customers are after consistency in the final product just as much as they are for its quality. If either component is found lacking, so will your future revenues!

  The biggest challenge about having your own wine is that, once you have the product in your hand and people taste it and love it, they’re going to ask where they can buy it. When you’re just starting, it will probably be only online or in a handful of physical locations. The challenging part is getting the wine into the hands of more people so they can try it and enjoy it as we do.

  Entrepreneurs hoping to get their foot in the door of the wine business should find a particular varietal or blend they are passionate about. Your consumers have an abundance of options when it comes to alcohol brands — especially wine. If you’re making wine just to make it, you will not be able to stand out as a smaller, independent brand. Find a wine that you are passionate about, and start there. Once you find success with that first varietal, you will be far better equipped to grow your business alongside your base of customers.

  Marlo Richardson is a multi-entrepreneur, CEO, and founder of four Black-owned cannabis businesses in California. She is also the founder of the wine company, Braymar Wines and Business Bullish, a website, and resource that seeks to train people in the areas of financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Marlo is the owner of STAGE 21 bar in Culver City, CA, formally known as the Tattletale Room Tavern. She is also the president of Marlo Productions and produced two theatrical films and hosts a podcast that mentors people looking to start investing in cryptocurrency & the stock market.

Deterring Pests From Your Vineyard Starts With Consistent, Proactive Action

Cyndi
deer crouched in a vineyard

By: Gerald Dlubala  

It’s not only wine drinkers that look forward to tasting your offerings. Vineyard pests are consistently looking for a handout, and although they are reliable, repeat consumers, they are not your ideal customer. Problematic pests will attack your grapes using any and all available pathways. Professionals agree that whether they arrive at your vineyard by land or air, the best way to control or limit the damaging effects of predatory pests in your vineyard is by adopting proactive methods to effectively stop their intrusion before it begins. Preventative pest deterrent systems implemented on a consistent schedule always have the highest success rates. Luckily, effective pest deterrence methods to thwart the most common offenders can be easy on you without affecting the quality, taste, texture or fermentation abilities of your grapes.

  While trying to halt the invasion of ground-traveling threats like foraging deer, a quality fence system successfully keeps them on the outside while your vineyard thrives on the inside. To protect your vineyards from ground predators, contact a professional to discover what type of fencing solution is best for your vineyard and landscape configuration.

Quality Fencing Keeps Your Vineyard Safe from Hungry Predators: Trident Enterprises

  “Trident Fence specializes in deer and wildlife fencing solutions for numerous applications, including vineyards and wineries,” said Mark Dayhoff, Chief Operating Officer for Trident Enterprises. “Our fencing materials are constructed of heavy-grade polypropylene or PVC-coated metal and are available in six-to-eight-foot heights. We also carry the more traditional fixed knot/field fence options for those that prefer that style. When focusing on deer for vineyards and orchards, we recommend the fencing to be seven and a half to eight feet tall for maximum effectiveness. However, some clients install fencing as high as 10 feet for added protection and peace of mind.”

  Vineyard owners or managers will always want to get a custom quote for their wildlife exclusion fencing, including their preferred height requirements. The fencing choices available from Trident include polypropylene options, 14-gauge PVC-coated welded wire, 20-gauge steel hex and 12.5-gauge field fencing. In addition, all fencing materials can be attached to matching posts provided by Trident or wooden posts under certain circumstances.

  Dayhoff tells The Grapevine Magazine that while they do not do in-person consultations with their clients, they treat each winery and vineyard uniquely, going over the different options in detail with winery personnel to come up with the best choice for success.

  “Frequently, we receive plots or detailed landscape drawings from the wineries,” said Dayhoff. “Using that information, we work up an itemized quote based on the unique needs of the vineyard owner, along with our recommendation for the best choice. Additionally, we’ll use video chat to meet with the client and get a real-time look at the area of the proposed fence installation to see the landscape and any trouble spots or specific areas that need additional discussion or planning. We can also video chat for any issues that come up along the way.”

  Dayhoff says that Trident’s fencing is designed to be installed without needing a separate installer, saving the vineyard owner money. In addition, no specialized tools are required for the polypropylene, steel hex or welded wire fencing systems. Most installations are completed using standard tools, like sledgehammers, drills and wrenches. The only exception is Trident’s fixed knot fence, which is a bit more complex to install. Installation for a fixed knot fence may require the use of tensioners, tractors or miscellaneous heavy equipment to complete the installation. Expected lifespans range from 15 years for their polypropylene options to 30 years for metal fencing, depending on the thickness of the wire chosen by the customer.

  “The thing to remember is that it’s important to act early for maximum success with deer fencing,” said Dayhoff. “Our fencing works best when installed before you have a deer problem, so when the deer initially encounter the fence, they won’t attempt or think about jumping over or going through it. Instead, they’ll walk the perimeter of the fence and head off searching for the next, more accessible food option. If the deer are already accustomed to coming into the vineyard, you’ll have to correct their feeding habits to get them to look elsewhere. That will take a little longer, and a few may initially still get in during the process. Consistently checking and inspecting the fence line for breaches or breach attempts by wildlife will show the areas that need strengthening and reinforcing to keep the deer from getting through. Over time, the deer will establish a new trail outside the fence line in search of a different food source. It’s always easier to keep them out from the start rather than training them to go elsewhere for their food source.”

  As expected, pricing for deer fence systems varies based on the vineyard’s size, landscape and needs, along with the vineyard owner’s choice of fencing material and unique configuration needs, including gates, corners and ends. The overall cost is different for every application and situation, so Dayhoff suggests that it is always beneficial for the vineyard owner or manager to call to obtain a definitive and accurate quote rather than relying on estimates and hypothetical situations. One size never fits all.

  “We have all the parts and accessories a vineyard owner or manager needs to create an effective wildlife exclusion fence to keep deer and other crop-damaging wildlife out of their vineyard,” said Dayhoff. “We will provide the proper materials, including the fencing, posts, corner, ends and necessary gates needed for complete and effective installation. Along with fencing, we can also supply the vineyard with options in full lines of bird and trellis netting to help and aid in other areas of vineyard and winery pest control.”

Bird Is the Word: Avian Enterprises

  Now that you have the land-based wildlife held at bay, you must also consider the air attack that can destroy and decimate your vineyard. Bird problems can get out of hand quickly. With abundant food and cover, there’s no better place than a vineyard for nesting birds to call home. Like fencing installations, getting an early jump on a potential bird problem in your vineyard is critical before it becomes a legitimate, more significant problem.

  “You always want to be proactive and start weekly applications before you have a full-blown problem,” said Jon Stone, president of Avian Enterprises LLC, which offers simple solutions to bird problems across many industries. “For best results, we recommend early applications of Avian Control® for Crops before the scout birds can come in and set up residence.”

  Avian Control® for Crops is a biological pesticide that protects your crops from bird damage by reducing or eliminating bird nesting in your vineyard and surrounding property, thereby reducing or eliminating harmful bird droppings on the plants along with the loss of crops from birds feeding on them. Avian Control® repels only birds. There is no effect on humans or domestic animals. It’s proven effective at significantly reducing bird predation on both wine and table grapes, as well as many other crops.

  “Avian Control® is a Methyl anthranilate (MA)-based repellent that negatively stimulates the trigeminal nerve located in the bird’s head. This unpleasant or uncomfortable sensation subsequently urges the bird to go elsewhere for nesting purposes,” said Dan Kramer, technical director of Avian Enterprises LLC. “Methyl anthranilate is a naturally occurring ingredient found in bergamot, black locust, gardenia, jasmine, lemon, mandarin oranges and strawberries, and it features a chemical formula comprised of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, all essential life elements. It, along with all the ingredients in Avian Control®, is completely biodegradable and widely used in foods designed for human consumption. All ingredients formulated in Avian Control® are food-grade and generally recognized as safe (GRAS) within the food industry while providing growers with affordable, easy-to-apply repellents that reduce or eliminate the need for additional netting, noisemakers and inflatables. Additionally, when MA biodegrades, it breaks down into the simple elements of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, all found naturally in grapes and produced in small quantities in several V. vinifera cultivars, including pinot noir, riesling and silvaner.”

  The current Avian Control® repellant is a third-generation product designed to repel birds for up to 14 days without affecting the treated grapes’ appearance, taste or fermentation abilities as some other bird-repellent products are known to do. The patented formula provides a strong effect without harming the birds that come into contact with it. Additionally, the birds cannot acclimate or become immune to it, so with the regular use of Avian Control®, the birds are effectively being trained to stay away.

  “The best results occur when Avian Control® is mixed with water of pH7 or higher,” said Stone. “Avian Control® can be used all over a winery’s property and is easily and effectively applied through equipment that the vineyard likely has on hand, including air blast, boom and handheld sprayers or through shoulder mount foggers. Along with the vineyards themselves, it’s also beneficial to use Avian Control® in nearby barns, pavilions, sheds or any place where birds tend to congregate. You want to get in those places and fog rafters at least once a week or more frequently for the first two weeks to get ahead of the scouting birds. Consistency is the key to success, so after the initial application, we recommend a weekly schedule to keep things fresh and most effective. The recommended application schedules can change with weather conditions, particularly in rainy conditions, where the application may have to be reapplied more frequently to remain effective.”

  “Avian Control® Bird Repellent provides the vigneron with a bird control technology that repels feathered pests, is easy to apply and economical, is not phytotoxic and has no impact on the fine wines produced from treated grapes,” said Kramer.

  An application of Avian Control® can cost a vineyard as low as $12.50 an acre and last up to two weeks in normal conditions. The length of effectiveness is even longer when used in indoor structures.

“I can’t stress enough that proactive, consistent application at strong enough rates is key,” said Stone. “Use this approach, and you will succeed in keeping birds away from your vineyard.”

LUTZ OF LENNE’ SELLS ICONIC VINEYARD ESTATE

Cyndi

Fast Facts

  • Steve Lutz, vigneron and founder sells his iconic estate after 22 years
  • Peavine soils certified worst in Yamhill County, proved to yield distinctive Pinot Noirs
  • Lutz is said to be setting up next phase of his idiosyncratic wine career
  • Purchasers Jory, LLC will release next stage brand name and concept for the estate

Yamhill, Ore October 31, 2022. Lutz’s wine career spans 4 decades and includes hospitality management for part of the Mondavi Wines Group in Napa Valley among other Napa brands and heading up hospitality at Chateau Benoit (now Anne Amie) in Carlton, Oregon culminating in the discovery of his unique 20.9 acre estate vineyard. The brand name Lenné’ was derived as a French influenced wordplay of Lenny, Steve’s father-in-law who reportedly was a chicken farmer in a suburb of London.

Lenné’ produces only estate wines, with annual production ranging from 1,600 – 2,000 cases, most of which is allocated to local wine club and out of state wine enthusiasts. Having achieved what is essentially cult status over 20 years as a craft producer, Lutz quips “It’s more work than you can imagine! Most people think that wine is a lifestyle business, it most assuredly isn’t, although, of course, we do enjoy some perks!” When queried about what’s next, Steve offers “Lenné’s unique programs and experiences will exist in new formats for years to come, although you’ll have to get on our mailing and membership lists to take advantage of what’s coming up next.” The Lenne’ tasting room closes at the end of 2022.

Jory, LLC had been searching for a bespoke Pinot producing site and were delighted when approached by Steve. They intend to further develop the existing property with a new brand name, marketing concepts, and larger facilities. Co-owner Eugene Labunsky has admitted to being thrilled to finally acquire a property he has had his eye on for years.

About Lenné’ Estate

Lenne’ Estate grows death-defying Pinot Noir vineyards on steep slopes in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Steve Lutz planted his first vines in 2001, expanding the vineyard property to 20.9 acres. The estate is planted with five clones of Pinot Noir (Pommard, 777, 115, 114, and 667), and most recently Chardonnay.

About Jory, LLC

Jory, LLC is a partnership between grower and wine enthusiast Eugene Labunsky and Jared Etzel, winemaker and co-founder of Domaine Roy, and son of Mike Etzel of Beaux Frere fame. The partnership was formed with the intent to grow a portfolio of fine wine brands produced from singular estates of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Additional information will be released in the upcoming months.

———————————————————

Contact: Carl Giavanti, Media Relations Lenné’ Estate

Phone: (971) 221-4212

Email: carl@carlgiavanticonsulting.com

Website: https://www.lenneestate.com/trade

Asking a ‘Scary Good’ AI about SMS Wine Marketing in 2023

Cyndi


open AI x sms wine marketing
What can wine merchants learn from an AI? Now’s the time to find out…

By: Bryan St. Amant  December 12, 2022

Lauded in the press as a “scary good” AI, the recent launch of ChatGPT – an AI-powered chatbot that simulates human conversation – prompted this wine marketer to ask one of the world’s most powerful AI systems what it thinks about wine marketing.

Specifically about SMS wine marketing.

As it turns out, ChatGPT has much to say about wine marketing, including advice on how wine merchants can profit from text messaging in 2023.

But as this conversation unfolds, it’s hard to believe AI won’t profoundly change all our lives.

This transcript of an interview conducted Dec 9-11, 2022, by Bryan St. Amant, Founder & CEO of VinterActive, provides an eye-opening look at the future of wine marketing and artificial intelligence.

BTS: What made you interested in learning about SMS wine marketing?

ChatGPT: I am a large language model trained by OpenAI, so I don’t have personal interests or experiences. I am designed to provide answers to a wide range of questions on a variety of topics, based on the information I have been trained on. In this case, I was able to provide information and advice on SMS wine marketing based on my understanding of marketing, the wine industry, and the use of text messaging as a marketing tool.

~~~

BTS: So, what do you know about the effectiveness of text messaging for merchants who sell luxury goods directly to consumers?

ChatGPT: Text messaging can be an effective marketing tool for merchants who sell luxury goods directly to consumers. Text messages have a high open rate and are often read within minutes of being received, making them a great way to reach customers quickly and efficiently. Additionally, text messages can be personalized and targeted, allowing merchants to tailor their messaging to specific customers or customer segments. This can help merchants create a more personalized and engaging experience for their customers, which can be important for luxury goods. However, it’s important for merchants to use text messaging responsibly and comply with any relevant regulations.

~~~

BTS: In your opinion, why should DTC wineries care about text marketing in 2023?

ChatGPT: In my opinion, DTC wineries should care about text marketing in 2023 because it is a highly effective and efficient way to reach and engage with their customers. With text marketing, DTC wineries can easily send personalized, targeted messages to their customers, which can help to increase brand awareness, drive sales, and build customer loyalty. Additionally, text marketing is a cost-effective and relatively easy-to-implement marketing strategy, which means that even small DTC wineries can benefit from it. Overall, I believe that text marketing can be a valuable tool for DTC wineries to help them grow and succeed in the increasingly competitive world of wine.

~~~

BTS: Can you explain why the wine industry is still so reluctant to use text marketing compared to other industry segments?

ChatGPT: I think the wine industry may be hesitant to use text marketing for a few reasons. First, the wine industry is highly regulated, and there may be strict rules around how and to whom wine companies can market their products. This could make it difficult for wine companies to use text marketing effectively. Second, the wine industry is often focused on creating a luxurious and sophisticated image, and sending text messages to customers may not align with this image. Finally, the wine industry is highly competitive, and wine companies may be hesitant to use a marketing channel that their competitors are also using.

~~~

BTS: How hard is it for wine merchants to comply with the regulations that govern text marketing in the U.S.?

ChatGPT: It can be challenging for wine merchants to comply with the regulations that govern text marketing in the U.S. The wine industry is highly regulated, and there are strict rules around how and to whom wine companies can market their products. This can make it difficult for wine merchants to use text messaging as a marketing tool. For example, wine merchants may need to obtain consent from customers before sending them text messages, and they may need to include opt-out mechanisms in their text messages to allow customers to stop receiving messages at any time. Additionally, there are rules around the content of text messages, including rules around making false or misleading claims, and rules around using spamming techniques to send unsolicited messages. It’s important for wine merchants to be aware of these rules and ensure that their text messaging campaigns are compliant.

~~~

BTS: What are the best methods wine merchants can use to obtain consent from consumers before sending marketing texts?

ChatGPT: Wine merchants can use a few different methods to obtain consent from consumers before sending marketing texts. One common method is to include a checkbox on their website or in their physical store where customers can opt-in to receive text messages from the merchant. Another option is to include a clear statement in the merchant’s terms and conditions that explains how the customer’s personal information will be used, including for the purposes of sending marketing texts. Wine merchants can also ask customers directly for their consent, either in person or over the phone. It’s important for wine merchants to clearly explain how customers can opt-out of receiving text messages at any time, and to provide an easy way for customers to do so.

~~~

BTS: Can you recommend any good ways wine marketers can learn if their customer base would like to receive text messages from their brand?

ChatGPT: There are a few good ways that wine marketers can learn if their customer base would like to receive text messages from their brand. One way is to simply ask customers directly through surveys or by including a checkbox on their website or in their physical store where customers can opt-in to receive text messages. This can provide valuable insight into whether customers are interested in receiving text messages from the brand. Wine marketers can also use social media or other online platforms to gauge customer interest in receiving text messages. For example, they can post a question on their social media channels or send out a newsletter asking customers if they would like to receive text messages from the brand. This can provide valuable feedback and help wine marketers determine whether text messaging is a good fit for their business and their customers.

~~~

BTS: What are the most important business benefits small wine merchants should expect when they start using text marketing?

ChatGPT: Small wine merchants can expect several important business benefits when they start using text marketing, including:

  1. Increased customer engagement: Text marketing allows small wine merchants to easily reach and engage with their customers in a personalized and targeted way, which can help to build stronger relationships and increase customer loyalty.
  2. Improved sales and revenue: By sending targeted promotions and offers to their customers via text, small wine merchants can drive more sales and increase their revenue.
  3. Cost-effectiveness: Text marketing is a relatively inexpensive marketing strategy, which makes it a great option for small wine merchants who may have limited marketing budgets.
  4. Easy implementation: Implementing a text marketing campaign is relatively simple and can be done quickly, which means that small wine merchants can start seeing the benefits of text marketing almost immediately.
  5. Greater reach: Text marketing allows small wine merchants to reach a wider audience than they might be able to with other marketing channels, which can help to expand their customer base and grow their business.

~~~

BTS: Can you think of any substantial business benefits wine merchants might expect by learning how to leverage text messaging before their competition adopts SMS marketing?

ChatGPT: Wine merchants can expect several substantial business benefits by learning how to leverage text messaging before their competition adopts SMS marketing. First, they can gain a competitive advantage by being among the first to use text messaging as a marketing tool in the wine industry. This can help them reach and engage their customers more effectively, and can help them stand out from their competitors. Second, they can improve customer loyalty and satisfaction by providing a more personalized and engaging experience for their customers. Text messaging can provide a convenient and efficient way for wine merchants to communicate with their customers, and can help build stronger relationships with them. Finally, wine merchants can increase sales and revenue by using text messaging to drive traffic to their website and physical store, and to promote special offers and promotions. Overall, learning how to leverage text messaging can provide many substantial business benefits for wine merchants.

~~~

BTS: What steps do you recommend wine merchants take before implementing text marketing?

ChatGPT: Before implementing text marketing, wine merchants should take a few key steps to ensure the success of their campaign. First, they should clearly define their goals and target audience for the campaign. This will help them determine the best approach for their text messaging and ensure that their messaging is relevant and valuable to their customers. Second, they should carefully research and understand the regulations that govern text marketing in the wine industry. This will ensure that their campaigns are compliant and avoid any potential legal issues. Third, they should develop a plan for how they will obtain consent from customers before sending them text messages, and how they will provide an easy way for customers to opt-out of receiving messages at any time. Finally, they should carefully test and refine their text messaging to ensure that it is effective and engaging for their customers. These steps can help wine merchants implement a successful text marketing campaign that meets their goals and provides value to their customers.

~~~

BTS: Do you recommend wine merchants work with text marketing vendors with experience in the wine industry or take a DIY approach to SMS marketing?

ChatGPT: It can be helpful for wine merchants to work with text marketing vendors that have experience in the wine industry. These vendors can provide valuable insights and expertise that can help wine merchants navigate the complex regulations and unique challenges of the industry. They can also help wine merchants develop effective and engaging text messaging campaigns that align with the industry’s luxury image and target the right customers. However, wine merchants can also take a DIY approach to SMS marketing if they are comfortable doing so. This can provide more control and flexibility, and can be a cost-effective option for smaller wine merchants. Ultimately, the best approach will depend on the individual wine merchant’s goals, resources, and expertise.

~~~

BTS: What advice would you give to DTC wineries that are thinking about adding text messaging to their marketing mix in 2023?

ChatGPT: There are several pieces of advice that I would give to DTC wineries who are thinking about adding text messaging to their marketing mix in 2023. First, I would recommend that they carefully research and understand the regulations that govern text messaging in the wine industry. This will help them ensure that their text messaging campaigns are compliant and avoid any potential legal issues. Second, I would recommend that they develop a clear plan for how they will obtain consent from customers before sending them text messages, and how they will provide an easy way for customers to opt-out of receiving messages at any time. Third, I would recommend that they carefully test and refine their text messaging to ensure that it is effective and engaging for their customers. Finally, I would recommend that they consider working with a text marketing vendor that has experience in the wine industry, as this can provide valuable expertise and insights that can help them succeed with their text messaging campaigns.

~~~

BTS: With all due respect, why should DTC wineries listen to business advice dispensed by an AI like you?

ChatGPT: As an AI trained by OpenAI, I have access to vast amounts of information and data that I can use to provide valuable insights and advice on a wide range of topics. I am designed to be knowledgeable, objective, and unbiased, and to provide information and advice that is accurate and up-to-date. While I am not an expert in the wine industry, I can provide general business advice and recommendations based on my knowledge of marketing and consumer behavior. My primary goal is to provide helpful and informative answers to the questions that are asked of me, and to assist users in gaining a better understanding of the topics they are interested in. I hope that DTC wineries will find my advice useful and that it will help them make informed decisions about their marketing efforts.

~~~

BTS: Thank you for your thoughtful advice!

ChatGPT: You’re welcome! I’m glad I could help. Let me know if you have any other questions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Founder & CEO of VinterActive LLC, Bryan St. Amant, is a pioneer in developing preference-based direct marketing and its successful application in the wine industry.

His award-winning work has been featured in books, magazines, and seminars, including CFO Magazine, Inc., CNN Money, eMarketing Magazine, Integrated Direct Marketing, Direct Marketing Association, Wine Business, Wine Marketing Report, and the Wine Industry Network.

Tagged: #textmarketing, #artificial intelligence, #automation

Best Practices for Water Management  

Cyndi
pond for crops

By: Becky Garrison   

  During the virtual Oregon Wine Symposium (February 15-17, 2022),  Cheney Vidrine, winemaker for Union Wine Company, moderated a panel on winery sustainability focusing on best practices for water management in the cellar.

  Brighid O’Keane, former outreach director for LIVE, opened with a brief overview of LIVE’s sustainability standards for wineries. LIVE is a Pacific Northwest (OR, WA and ID) organization that supports environmentally and socially responsible wine-growing through third-party certification and education. Their certification is granted based on their values, which are climate action, biodiversity, soil health, worker rights, natural ressource conservation and pesticide reduction. At present, they have 328 vineyard members that produce 425,000 cases of certified wine (97 percent certified fruit).

  LIVE contracted with Erin Upton from Erin Upton Consulting to analyze the environmental impact of their member wineries, focusing on water use in the winery. First, Upton noted the myriad ways wineries utilize water. In the cellar, water is used year-round on the hospitality side for dishwashing, toilet flushing and watering visitor areas. Water use rises during harvesting and bottling.

  Upton notes how wine industries exist in the context of regional communities where water resources are shared by others who often have varied or possibly conflicting needs around water. “Water operates in a hydrologic cycle and moves through the air and landscape in ways that don’t adhere to land ownership boundaries or political boundaries.”

  In her research, Upton uses a framework to look at the interconnected relationships between social, ecological and institutional systems in wine regions and how these contribute to decision-making and impact outcomes around water resources and water management. A major impact is climate change challenges, with weather extremes informing the amount of snowpack that will be available for water use, as well as the increased demand for water use as a result of heat waves.

  Another major impact is on water availability, meaning the ability to access clean water in the amounts needed on a timely basis. The institutional systems influencing water decision-making in wine regions include legal regimes, legislation, policy and management. This goes along with the constellation of regulators, planners, businesses, nonprofits and other governments like tribes that influence decision-making about water at the local, regional, state and federal levels.

  The third category she considers is social systems, which include cultural aspects, such as one’s values, economics and political contexts. Upton observes, “People hold different values about what contributes to making the highest quality of wine ranging from economic and cost considerations to a commitment to environmental stewardship.”

  In accessing winery water use data from 31 LIVE-certified wineries from 2018-2020, Upton observed that most of the 31 wineries use less than 500,000 total gallons of water each year, and the average annual total water use rate is approximately 1.4 million gallons. There was a wide variation between wineries for water use rates, ranging from 0.39  gallons of water per case of wine to 72 gallons per case of wine. Approximately half the wineries used 10 gallons of water per case of wine produced or less, which translates to 3.6 gallons per gallon of wine produced. The average water use rate is 17 gallons of water per case of wine, which translates to 6.3 gallons of water per gallon of wine produced.

  Although there is no statistically significant change in water use across these three years, a little over 70 percent of wineries reported less water use in 2020 than in 2018. But it’s important to note that in the same time period, the total production dropped by nearly two million cases overall due to COVID-19 and the 2020 wildfire season.

  Through the act of monitoring water use, multiple wineries reported that they discovered leaks that were contributing to the higher amounts of water used. In Upton’s estimation, this discovery is a good endorsement for them to pay attention and monitor any leaks.

Building a More Sustainable Winery Program

  Katie Jackson, second-generation proprietor and SVP for corporate social responsibility at Jackson Family Wines (Santa Rosa, CA), and Haley Duncan, safety and sustainability manager for Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars (CA and OR), discussed the practical ways they work to achieve a more sustainable winery.

  According to Jackson, they have been focused on conserving water since they began their winery 40 years ago. They participate in multiple certification programs, including LIVE. At present, they are saving about 29 million gallons of water in their wineries based upon the conservation practices they put in place, along with keeping sixty percent of their land in its natural habitat to preserve the health of those natural ecosystems going strong.  

  Since 2015, they’ve conducted an exhaustive inventory, along with a third-party audit, so they can track their emissions. Jackson notes, “Having this inventory is really helpful in showing us where we can make some changes and lets us know where we need to be focused going into the future to continue to decarbonize.” This move has reduced their carbon footprint by 17.8 percent of their absolute emissions, with the goal to reduce their carbon footprint in half by 2030 and become climate-positive by 2050. 

  Presently, they have the U.S. wine industry’s largest solar array, with more than 23,000 panels and plans to continue their investment in renewable energy. Also, they reduced the bottle weight by five percent on their four highest volume bottle molds, which reduced total company emissions by 2-3 percent annually. This produced savings of approximately a million dollars annually in glass costs and $500,000 per year in fuel costs.

  Duncan described her role as project manager for the construction of their Alexander Valley winery in Healdsburg to achieve LEED Platinum status and living building status for the production side of the winery, the tasting room and all of the vineyards on the property. They were tasked with eliminating fuel use, using alternative refrigerants and installing only electric equipment.

  They achieved positive energy, which means that they produce more energy than they require, by installing over 2,500 solar panels on their buildings. For their hot water, they partnered with a Mayekawa (MYCOM) to provide CO₂ heat pumps. These were the first pumps to be used in a winery, and they work differently than a traditional on-demand gas-fired boiler by slowly warming the water up to about 160 to 180 degrees. As this is not an on-demand system, once all the water is used in the water tank, it takes a full 24 hours to regenerate. In Duncan’s estimation, this delay represents a good thing. “It’s pushed us to be much more conservative with our winery water use in our peak water use seasons and plan ahead,” she said.

  Another piece of technology they utilize is ammonia-based refrigeration. While this has no ozone-depleting potential and no global warming potential, they needed to put the right mechanisms in place to ensure employee safety should a leak occur. Along those lines, they focused on all their electric equipment, including their HVAC and appliances, for the commercial kitchens in their tasting room.

  Also, they were tasked with designing a system that treated and reused their winery process water. As they could not find an example where another winery was actually reusing their process water back into the facility, they had to make up the process as they went along. Eventually, they landed on a piece of equipment called a membrane bioreactor, which Duncan noted is not new technology, but it has never been used in quite the way that they intended to use it. They chose this piece of equipment to treat all of their winery process water because of its ability to produce a very high-quality effluent so they could reuse the water, not just in equipment like a cooling tower or landscape irrigation, but in the cellar as well.

  When conducting their first greenhouse gas audit in 2019, they discovered that the largest impact on their inventory was product transport, which is out of their control. Most of this cost is attributed to the two-day shipping that uses airplane transport offered on their website. The second expense was packing and then an equal mix of employee commuting, tasting room traffic, purchasing products like the grapes they buy from their contract growers, their vineyard practices and soil admissions.

  At present, over half of their onsite renewable energy needs are met with solar. The remaining of that is green power they purchased through the grid.

International Wineries for Climate Action

  In 2019, Jackson Family Wines co-founded this group with Familia Torres (Spain) wineries worldwide, with the overall goal of achieving net zero emissions by at least 2050. This group seeks to bring together as many wineries across the industry as possible from all different regions across the world in order to learn from each other,  provide a roadmap with their collective knowledge and share strategies so they can get all of the members to that decarbonization goal as quickly as possible.

  The group’s accomplishments include creating a gas emissions calculator to help wineries more easily measure their carbon footprint and joining the United Nations Race to Zero campaign. It has grown from 10 to more than 30 members representing seven countries across five continents. “Having a large critical mass of wineries, I think, is going to be really critical in helping us achieve our goals as an overall industry,” Jackson reflects.

SMS Wine Marketing Compliance – 3 Simple Rules to Follow

Cyndi
finger pointing to the word compliance

By: Bryan St. Amant, Founder & CEO of VinterActive

  With the latest research showing SMS wine marketing is performing 32-times better than email, many DTC wineries are now eager to use text messaging to grow their business.

The great news is wine lovers are especially interested in staying in touch with their favorite brands using text messaging, and a new crop of SMS wine marketing solutions are now available.

  But industry awareness of the compliance rules all U.S. wineries must follow still seems to be a problem. Misinformation spread by dubious sources and rumors on social media now puts some wineries at risk of severe consequences.

  So in this article, we’ll demystify SMS wine marketing compliance so your winery can delight your customers and confidently profit from text messaging.

  DISCLAIMER: This advice is offered for informational purposes only and is neither intended as nor should be substituted for consultation with appropriate legal counsel and/or your organization’s regulatory compliance team.

What Regulations Apply to SMS Wine Marketers?

  Text marketing is regulated primarily by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Unlike email marketing, these regulations are strictly enforced by the FCC.

  We don’t want to scare you, but failing to follow the law can have serious consequences. For example, in 2012, Papa John’s agreed to pay over $16 million to settle a class-action lawsuit against them for failure to get proper consent before texting their customers.

  In addition to the TCPA, wine marketers are also regulated by the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) which prohibits sending text messages about regulated products to consumers who aren’t of legal age. For SMS wine marketers accepting credit cards, you should also be familiar with the payment card industry’s PCI-DSS standards for securing payment card data.

  PCI-DSS isn’t the law, but it governs your relationship with credit card processors. And if you don’t comply with these standards, your business can be subject to costly fines and lose the ability to accept credit cards.  The good news is that SMS wine marketing compliance isn’t complicated! But it is mandatory to comply with three simple rules:

1)  Express written consent

2)  Age verification

3)  Payment card security

Express Written Consent

  Complying with the TCPA requires any business sending automated texts to obtain “express written consent” before sending any text messages.

That means you can’t just upload the names of wine club members, purchase a list of phone numbers, or assume you can text customers because you already have an “existing business relationship.”  If anyone tells you otherwise, you might ask them if they’ll foot your legal bills if they’re wrong.

You might be thinking, what’s “express written consent,” and how is it different than “written consent”?

  When you sign up for a service like Gmail, you agree to their terms and consent to paragraphs of language you probably didn’t read. But that type of consent isn’t good enough for text marketing — you can’t bury consent to receive texts in a privacy policy or a hard-to-read user agreement.

  By federal law, you must provide clear and conspicuous disclosure of what consumers are consenting to and who they’re consenting to get it from. The rules about asking customers to opt-in to text messaging depend on whether you’re sending transactional or promotional messages.

  Obtaining customer consent can be simple if you only send transactional messages containing information necessary to use your products or services. By adding a prompt to your checkout process that says, “provide your mobile number for shipping and delivery updates,” customers consent when they enter their digits.

  But the key term here is “necessary.”

  If your customers ask for SMS updates about an order, you can’t assume they’re opting in to receive texts about future releases or upcoming events. In the eyes of the FCC, these messages are promotional and require your opt-in message to include specific elements:

•    Who will be texting them.

•    What type of messages they’ll receive, and how often they’ll receive them.

•    Confirmation that consent to receive text messages isn’t required for purchase.

•    Instructions on how consumers can stop receiving your automated texts.

•    A link to your privacy policy and a disclaimer about data/message rates that may apply.

  Fortunately for wine marketers, our industry is already familiar with the importance of compliance. And SMS wine marketing solutions now offer built-in consent forms that comply with the law.

Age Verification

  In addition to the TCPA’s regulations about obtaining express written consent, wine marketers are subject to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association’s (CTIA) prohibition against sending text messages to consumers who aren’t of legal age.

  These rules apply to any business promoting products or services associated with sex, hatred, alcohol, firearms, and tobacco, otherwise known as SHAFT. CTIA’s guidelines aren’t the law, but all wine marketers should carefully follow them for two reasons. 

  First, if someone lodges a legitimate complaint that you’re sending text messages to anyone younger than 21, any reputable text marketing service will quickly suspend your account. And in our view, U.S. wineries have a moral obligation to market their products only to adults over 21.

  So what are SMS wine marketers to do? 

  The answer is to use “age gates” whenever you offer consumers the chance to join your SMS list. Most carriers accept a wide range of age gates as long as they protect you from sending text messages to minors.

Examples of popular age gates currently in use include:

•    Websites that require visitors to confirm they’re over the age of 21 before entering.

•    An automated data collection system that requires text marketing subscribers to enter their DOB or confirm they’re over the age of 21.

•    A wine commerce system that includes DOB data confirming the age of your subscribers.

•    Signage in your tasting room that makes it clear your text marketing offers are only available to adults over the age of 21.

Payment Card Security

  All SMS wine marketers accepting credit/debit cards should know never to encourage customers to transmit card data via text because it’s not secure and violates the agreements you have with your payment processor. For over a decade, all merchants accepting payment cards have been required to comply with the payment card industry’s data security standards, also known as PCI-DSS. Complying with these standards offers your winery an essential element of protection in the case of a security breach. 

  Merchants that don’t comply with PCI-DSS guidelines then suffer a breach that exposes payment card data may be liable for fines of several hundred dollars for each card compromised.  So it doesn’t take many customers for non-compliant wineries to incur fines that might put them out of business.

Astonishingly, some sources in the wine industry still encourage merchants to put themselves at risk by using non-compliant methods to collect payment card data.

  If anyone tells you they have a way for your winery to see the full 16-digits of a payment card online, they’re inviting you to violate the terms of your merchant agreement by offering a solution that doesn’t comply with PCI-DSS.

  As tempting as it might seem to collect payment card data you can copy and paste, ask yourself why you don’t have access to this same data through your online store or your payment card processor’s portal? The answer is that it puts you out of compliance with PCI-DDS, it’s not secure, can hurt your customers, and exposes your business to unnecessary risk.

  Fortunately, there’s an easy way to use text messaging to invite customers to update payment card data in a way that complies with PCI-DSS requirements. Since all modern commerce systems have secure pages where customers can update their card data, sending a link to your commerce page is the best way to use SMS messaging to help customers change their payment information.

The Bottom-Line on SMS Wine Marketing Compliance

  Compliance with the law and industry standards should already be familiar to any wine marketer. After all, we’re selling a highly regulated product.

Although SMS marketing has its own unique rules, compliance issues shouldn’t keep your customers from staying in touch with you via text.

  Now that you understand the three most important compliance rules that apply to SMS wine marketing, your business can profit too.

Happy Selling!

About the Author

  Founder & CEO of VinterActive, Bryan St. Amant, is a pioneer in developing preference-based direct marketing and its successful application in the wine industry. His award-winning work has been featured in books, magazines, and seminars.

VinterActive is located in Windsor, California. For more information please call or visit thier website…707-836-7295; vinteractive.com

The Psychology Behind Gift Buying

Cyndi

How to Tweak Your Messaging for More Sales this Holiday

By: Susan DeMatei, Founder of WineGlass Marketing

  There is a lot of pressure on Q4 this year. Americans fueled by high gas prices, inflation, and pent-up demand flocked to Europe instead of domestically in 2022. For most North American wineries, this resulted in a slow summer tourist season, with some wineries reporting as much as a 25% drop in sales from pre-COVID visitations. Many of our clients hope a strong holiday season will make up for a lackluster Q2 and Q3.

  The addition of gifting makes betting on Q4 reasonable. In addition to increased wine consumption among known purchasers and club members due to social occasions around the holidays, we also can sell additional wine to the same group for gift giving. In addition, those who have not tried the wine might do so as a gift, positioning this quarter as a perfect time to grow brand awareness and increase our prospect databases.

  Buying a gift is undoubtedly different from buying for personal consumption. Consider if the traditional copy and images work in both situations. Has the offer positioning and targeting of the wine been adjusted for gift occasions? Neuromarketing, the study of marketing and consumerism’s influence on the brain, has some tips for us on what messaging is appropriate when motivating consumers to buy a product they intend to give to someone else.

  Objective 1: Get existing buyers to give wine as gifts. Prior research into gift-giving has concretely established that we buy gifts based on our ego, and the subconscious motivation in most gift choices is identity-consistent. According to (Sherry, 1983), gifts become “containers for the being of the donor who gives a portion of that being to the recipient.”

  It makes sense; we buy what we would like to receive ourselves. However, it does not stop there. The gift is also an “acknowledgment by both people that the identity imposed is accepted” (Schwartz, 1967). So not only do we tend to give gifts we feel represent our self-worth, but when others accept it, they confirm that value.

  So, psychologically speaking, getting our loyal base to share the wine they have already identified as worthy should be relatively easy. The most compelling messages here would be ones of connection and pride. Bottle X is their favorite wine, and Brand Y is their favorite winery. They have the inside information on what Brand Y offers, and because of that access and knowledge, they have chosen Bottle X as the best gift.

  What if they are not so confident? Perhaps they are new to the brand or unsure about their wine knowledge. Choosing a present for someone is more complex than choosing something for oneself because of the tension inherent in selecting a product that is appropriate for the recipient while still reflective of the giver’s own identity and the relationship between the individuals. (Belk 1979; Caplow 1982). As marketers, we can relieve this tension by making a solid argument. Emotionally we need to highlight why Bottle X from Brand Y is a solid, esteemed choice that reflects well on the giver. Highlight quality and details and bring up best sellers that further confidence. We do not need to waste time on introductions to Brand Y. We can keep the message focused on the selected products that make the strongest case for the best gifts. Furthermore, do not forget to create urgency with either shipping deadlines or limited quantities.

  Cost is unimportant in this scenario because we shop with a budget concerning gifts. At the onset, Bottle X is within the consideration set or is not. Psychologically speaking, a discount will not help this purchase and might hurt perceived value. Based on cultural norms and other factors, the average gift expenditure is between $50 and $100 for a family member and between $20 and $50 for a friend. (mint.com) So our best chance is to make the most attractive and strongest argument we can within those price ranges.


  TIP: The savvy marketer will also realize a hidden opportunity to target the recipient. An expertly crafted introductory brochure inserted into the gift box serves a dual purpose of not only furthering the giver’s confidence but can engage the recipient as well.

  Objective 2: Get existing buyers to buy wine for consumption. Wine for consumption falls into either self-presentation (at the customer’s own event) or as a hostess gift to another’s event. Research shows that motivations are far less dramatic when the gift is obligatory. We have less alignment with our identity when we give from a sense of obligation, and we are more likely to select practical or utilitarian gifts than those we give from a voluntary motive.

  Here is where logic and price come into play: Avoid outliers. Choose wines that pair well with various foods and situations and are between $15 – $40, the average amount spent on wine brought to parties (Forbes.) By mentioning food pairing, we are putting Bottle X in the context of the consumers’ lives and providing ideas about where the wine will be accepted.

  TIP: For extra incentive here, try a referral offer. The consumer is already in the headspace of how he/she will be spending time and celebrating with friends. It is a tiny leap to consider who else might enjoy Bottle X and suggest an introduction.

  Objective 3: Get prospects to give wine as gifts.

If gift-giving reflects our self-image, how do we immediately resonate with someone who has not tried Bottle X? We must present Bottle X and Brand Y as attractive representations of this potential buyer. The best way to do this is to overcome any objection a potential buyer might have. These objections could be the price, quality, or taste of the wine and, more than likely, the company’s values. We are far more likely to convince a prospect that we are a good gift if we are transparent about what we stand for, and this truth aligns with our prospect’s values.

  To succeed here, highlight mainstream varietal wines between $20 – $100 and have a pretty label or custom box. (Yes, you read that right, here is where research shows us attractive labels are perceived as higher value and thus a better gift choice.) Additional validation, like a score, also helps, as does any information on company values or beliefs. Target this value group on Meta or Google for even more alignment.

  TIP: Brainstorm how to make a bottle of wine special to this target audience. Gift boxes, merchandise inclusions, an insert about the company or an aligned charity, or signed bottles all add to the perceived value and make an otherwise impersonal gift more personal and attractive.

  Objective 4: Get prospects to buy wine for consumption. This is the most challenging of the four objectives but still achievable. The psychological emotion to overcome in this situation is guilt.

  It is bound to happen. We spend hours online combing through gifts (that we now know are reflections of ourselves), and we will see something that we want for ourselves. Our opportunity here is to grant permission to treat themselves.

felix gray website interface

By framing a personal choice as a potential gift, we can now include non-traditional gift categories. In the Felix Gray email, it is unlikely that someone would give a pair of prescription glasses as a gift. Nevertheless, their messaging leans into the season by positioning their glasses as gifts and additionally appropriate as a small personal luxury. They permit the target to splurge $100 on some new lenses in the context of “I was just Christmas shopping.”

  TIP: Luckily, wine is a relatively low-risk purchase, so our permission can come in the form of removing minimal barriers like shipping costs. The message here should be that the target deserves the wine, and it is painless to get it.

Summary:

  We get something like this chart if we put all four quadrants together and summarize our messaging. We have discussed the psychological motivation between each purchase as slightly different and recommended how to tweak messaging depending on the goal for the best outcome.

  One final note on gifts: A 2016 study asked people to give a friend either a “material” or “experiential” gift (valued at $15). Material gifts included things such as clothing, and experiential gifts included things such as movie tickets. Recipients of the experiential gifts showed a more significant improvement in perceived relationship strength than recipients of the material gifts.

  This shows that the gift we most value is quality time. So, consider experiences when planning the holiday lineup. A unique experience targeted to the local fan base could resonate during a stressful holiday season.

About the Author

  Susan DeMatei is the founder of WineGlass Marketing, a full-service direct marketing firm working within the wine industry in Napa, California. Now in its 10th year, the agency offers domestic and international clients assistance with strategy and execution.   

WineGlass Marketing is located in Napa, California at 707-927-3334 or wineglassmarketing.com