As many are aware, Sonoma County Winegrowers launched a unified effort within the community and bold five year goal back in 2014 to achieve 100% sustainability. In the final year and stretch to reach this goal, they have made phenomenal progress, but will they achieve their goal? Watch this brief interview with Amy Tesconi to find out, and read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine.
Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support HERE.
Following a record rainfall this past winter and a cool spring, the summer growing season has been near-perfect for Sonoma
County winegrapes. Now grape growers and winemakers throughout Sonoma County are in constant contact coordinating their schedules as the 2019 harvest began overnight.
Among the first grapes of the season harvested in Sonoma County were picked this morning just after midnight at Sasaki Vineyards in Schellville. The Pinot Noir grapes will be going to Gloria Ferrer for their sparkling wine program. This year’s harvest start is only one day later than the 2018 vintage, despite predictions that it would begin a week to ten days later than last year. In Sonoma Valley, vintners, growers and members of the community will gather today at the Mission San Francisco Solano on the Sonoma Plaza to officially ring the harvest bell to signal the beginning of the harvest season in Sonoma Valley.
“This is the most exciting time of the year as the guessing and anticipation are over and ‘go time’ has arrived. The action is picking up and we are all looking forward to harvesting our grapes,” said Karissa Kruse, president of Sonoma County Winegrowers. She added, “Every report we are receiving from throughout Sonoma County indicate ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’ quality. Ideally, this weather pattern holds for a smooth harvest but, during this time of year, you have to be prepared for anything Mother Nature throws at you.”
Early reports from the vineyards also indicate that the recent hotter temperatures are providing the right amount of stress to occur at the right time. The cool spring appears to have originally slowed down some of the fruit growth and held back the degree day accumulation slightly pushing back harvest in many areas compared to recent seasons.
The harvest begins just as Sonoma County Winegrape Growers close in on its goal of reaching 100% sustainability this year. This summer, wine consumers can now purchase the first wines bearing the new Sonoma County sustainably grown logos. Sonoma County’s Francis Ford Coppola Winery is releasing some of their Director’s Cut wines with the new Sonoma County sustainably grown labels. This follows the recent release of sustainable wines from Cline Cellar’s and Ferrari-Carano which also bear the new sustainability label. The label went through extensive consumer testing and proprietary research to measure effectiveness. After several revisions, the brand was finalized. Brand guidelines were developed and adopted before the TTB-approved label was made available to qualified Sonoma County growers and winemakers.
Here are some of the first 2019 harvest reports from the front lines of some of our AVAs:
Dutcher Crossing, Dry Creek Valley:
Dutcher Crossing Winery picked 4 tons of Chardonnay for sparkling wine on their Dry Creek Road estate in the early morning hours on Tuesday, August 13th.
Gloria Ferrer, Carneros:
Harvest kicked off today in the early morning hours. At their 12-acre vineyard property off San Luis Road in Schellville, winegrower Janet Sasaki predicted crews would pick around 61 tons, which is similar to their total tonnage last year. They are picking Pinot Noir for Gloria Ferrer sparkling wines. Janet Sasaki has been selling her grapes to Gloria Ferrer for 18 years.
Iron Horse, Green Valley of Russian River Valley:
Joy Sterling is expecting that they will kick off harvest on Tuesday, August 20th but they are keeping a close eye on the heat to see if they need to move that date up. They will be picking Pinot Noir from their estate. According to Sterling, “This year we are particularly excited about kicking off harvest as this vintage represents the 40th anniversary of the opening of Iron Horse winery and my father’s 90th birthday.”
Atlas Vineyard Management, Inc. has acquired the premier viticultural group, Bowland Vineyard Management. The addition of the 34 Bowland properties to Atlas’ existing client portfolio represents over 3000 total acres of premier vineyard property in the prime winegrowing regions of California, Oregon, and Washington states. Atlas Vineyard Management facilitates everything from site selection, vineyard development, vineyard farming, viticulture services, and grape sales marketing.
Atlas Vineyard Management will take over the farming of the estate properties of Williams Selyem Winery, Carlisle Winery and DuMol Winery, and in addition to 24 different properties in Sonoma County, primarily in Russian River and Bennett Valleys. In 2018, Bowland Vineyard Management sold grapes to over 40 wineries including such esteemed labels as Flowers Winery, Sonoma Cutrer Vineyards, and Gary Farrell Winery, and small, family-owned brands such as Massican Winery, Cruess Wine Co, Sua Sponte Cellars.
Chris Bowland, founder of Bowland Vineyard Management, will stay on in a senior role as Director of Farming. He brings 20 years of experience to Atlas Vineyard Management, 13 years spent leading Bowland Vineyard Management. All 100 employees will also stay on with Atlas “Our industry is experiencing increased pressures of labor shortage, tightening of grape prices, and a constant barrage of new regulations. In order to be successful through these times, I realized I either needed to grow my business significantly or find a partner to share the load. I found a great one in Atlas Vineyard Management.” says Chris Bowland.
Atlas’ Co-founder and CEO, Barry Belli notes, “We are thrilled to have Chris, his team, and clients on board with Atlas. Our team has always been our greatest strength and adding Chris’ leadership will add unprecedented depth of expertise for all of our clients. We strive to build a culture of great people who are humble and have a passion for the industry. Chris will be a great fit and we look forward to growing Atlas together.”
The acquisition is ideal for both entities. Bowland considered succession options and ultimately chose to merge for greater growth and business success. Bowland was introduced to Atlas through Tony Bugica, Director of Farming and Business Development, who joined Atlas through Bacchus Vineyard Management, which was absorbed by Atlas in 2016. “Atlas Vineyard Management is a growing and innovative company that has depths of experience and a positive, energetic, “can-do” attitude. They do whatever they can for the winemakers and vineyard owners. I had complete trust that they would take care of my employees the same or better than I have been these last 13 years.” said Chris Bowland.
Bowland Vineyard Management was represented by John Holdredge, Esq.
About Atlas Vineyard Management
Atlas Vineyard Management is a full-service vineyard management company. The team manages over 3000 acres in multiple regions including the Central Coast, Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties, continuing up into the Willamette Valley in Oregon and the Columbia Gorge in Washington. Since its inception in 2012, Atlas Vineyard Management has been committed to excellence. Atlas Vineyard Management is dedicated to farming first-class vineyards sustainably to not only ensure the quality of the vineyards now but for future generations of caretakers. The team is committed to developing and managing first-class vineyards and producing high-quality grapes for some of the most recognized wines in the world, all while providing unprecedented service.
Long hours. Seven-day work-weeks. Grape-stained clothing, boots and skin. These are just a few of the challenges that await California vintners in the coming weeks and months. But before the bustle of crush begins, winemaking and vineyard teams are making careful preparations to ensure that the harvest process runs as smoothly as possible.
Wine Institute asked four California winemakers and vineyard managers to share how they’re getting ready for harvest and to deal with whatever Mother Nature decides to send their way.
Linda McWilliams
Owner / Winemaker, San Pasqual Winery, San Diego County
McWilliams normally starts her harvest preparations around mid-July, after veraison (when grapes turn from green to their ripe
color), by estimating the crop size.
Then, she decides how that fruit will be handled in the cellar. “Is it going to be in stainless steel tanks or in barrels?” she says, “And how much space do we need to allocate and have ready?”
Around the same time, McWilliams and her team empty barrels and try to bottle as much wine as possible to free up barrel space for the incoming juice.
“In the vineyard, the team is gearing up for harvest, making sure that fruit thinning is done, that we’re into veraison and keeping powdery mildew in check,” she says.
Once veraison is underway, new concerns emerge. “We’re worried about attack by birds,” says McWilliams, “so netting or sound systems are applied.”
Lining up harvest help is also essential in San Diego County, where the wine industry is smaller, and labor can be hard to come by. “We recruit family and tasting room staff to help. Everybody gets out there to help pick.”
Picking usually begins for white grapes just after Labor Day, but in recent years, heat spikes have accelerated it to as early as the third week of August. This year, McWilliams is predicting a return to normalcy—as long as the weather holds out. “We can’t control Mother Nature. The key in this business is to be flexible and ready for anything.”
Mark Houser
Vineyard Manager, Alexander Valley Vineyards, Sonoma County
At Alexander Valley Vineyards, the most intense harvest prep begins around late July.
“It’s kind of like grooming,” says vineyard manager Mark Houser. “We’re going through and taking a few leaves off, removing ugly fruit, looking for mildew.”
The vineyard team also estimates the size of the crop to help determine the amount of tank and barrel space needed for the harvested fruit. Along with historical data, the calculation is based on the average number of clusters per vine, average weight per cluster, number of vines per acre and the total number of acres.
Other pre-harvest prep includes getting the equipment ready, from reserving rental trucks and trailers to cleaning grape bins. “There’s always something that needs attention,” says Houser, “so you start early to make sure it’s going to work.”
A typical harvest for Alexander Valley Vineyards begins just after Labor Day with Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, and this year’s timing appears to be right on target—barring any last-minute weather changes.
Cameron Parry
Director of Winegrowing, Groth Vineyards & Winery, Oakville, Napa Valley
Parry starts planning for next year’s harvest immediately after the current one ends.
“Shortly after we finish, the winemaking team gets together and has a debrief,” he says. “We talk about what worked, what didn’t and what we need to fix. Then we get it down on paper while it’s fresh.”
In June and July, harvest preparations begin ramping up. Parry and his team check and repair winery and vineyard equipment as necessary and start ordering supplies such as yeast and nutrients. The vineyard team starts pulling unwanted shoots that can potentially produce a second crop of inferior fruit—and removing extra vine leaves to ensure the appropriate amount of light is hitting the grape clusters. When the reds begin the onset of ripeness and the grapes change color during veraison, there’s more work to do.
“We’ll make a crop-thinning pass to eliminate undesirable fruit once we’re at about 50 percent veraison. We’ll drop any clusters behind in maturity, just to ensure good uniformity and homogeneity,” Parry says.
A month from the start of harvest, the Groth team spends lots of time walking the vineyard rows and tasting in order to determine the optimal picking dates. “Closer to harvest, we’ll start taking bigger fruit samples for analysis of sugar, pH and acidity levels,” Parry says.
Days before harvest, he’ll make a last sampling and decide the picking schedule. Because harvest is done at night, when it can be difficult for the crew to see the clusters, the vineyard team goes through a few days in advance and strips the extra leaves from the fruiting zone, removing any clusters that are damaged, sunburned, raisined or moldy.
Groth’s harvest typically begins with Sauvignon Blanc in late August, but Parry predicts a later start this year—around Sept. 6.
Chris Eberle
Winemaker, Eberle Winery, Paso Robles
At Eberle Winery, harvest preparations begin as early as February, when winemaker Chris Eberle places his annual barrel order for the coming year. Planning ahead helps him avoid last-minute surprises—such as strikes at the docks—and helps save money with certain discounts by ordering far in advance or accepting barrels early. “When you’re talking about a $100,000 order, a 3% discount adds up,” Eberle says.
A month or a few weeks out—Eberle schedules yearly maintenance on presses, destemmers and other essential equipment.
Around the same time, new harvest interns arrive for training, which usually involves reviewing important safety procedures and washing tanks. “There’s lots of cleaning—clean, clean, clean—and it just doesn’t stop,” Eberle says.
Walking the vineyards is essential in the weeks leading up to harvest, so Eberle will spend time among the rows each day, checking on fruit development. “We’ve got about 30 percent of our production in estate fruit, and the rest is contracted,” he says, “so I deal with 15 different growers and 50 different vineyards.”
Along with monitoring crop sizes, he checks that the vines are in balance and decides whether or not to adjust the canopy or drop fruit. Two weeks from the estimated harvest date, he’ll start sampling white grapes and early-ripening reds such as Zinfandel and Grenache to check progress.
While harvest normally begins between the end of August and mid-September, Eberle predicts this year’s crush will kick off closer to mid-September.
About Wine Institute
Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy group for California wineries, which produce 80 percent of U.S. wine and account for more than 95 percent of U.S. wine exports. As the nation’s number one state for wine and food tourism and home to 139 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), more than 24 million visitors experience California wine regions each year.
Although the California Water Resources Control Board may not be terribly popular amidst local farming communities due to recent actions that have not been in the best interests of agriculture, what you may not know is that there are farmers that sit on this board, including Dorene D’Adamo. Watch this brief interview with Dorene as she explains that it will take much more that a couple farming board members to make a difference in water issues today. Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery and attend one of their upcoming Bennett Hickman Almond Field Days in Pixley or Modesto.
The California State Water Resources Control Board is getting ready to crack down on farmers for their increased use of groundwater unless their local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies can come up with a sustainable plan that will not overdraft local groundwater resources. Watch this brief interview with Taryn Ravazzini from the California Department of Water Resources as she shares a progress report of this local GSAs at work.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced further details of the $16 billion package aimed at supporting American agricultural producers while the Administration continues to work on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals.
In May, President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a relief strategy in line with the estimated impacts of unjustified retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods and other trade disruptions. The Market Facilitation Program (MFP), Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FPDP), and Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) will assist agricultural producers while President Trump works to address long-standing market access barriers.
“China and other nations have not played by the rules for a long time, and President Trump is the first President to stand up to them and send a clear message that the United States will no longer tolerate unfair trade practices,” Secretary Perdue said. “The details we announced today ensure farmers will not stand alone in facing unjustified retaliatory tariffs while President Trump continues working to solidify better and stronger trade deals around the globe.
“Our team at USDA reflected on what worked well and gathered feedback on last year’s program to make this one even stronger and more effective for farmers. Our farmers work hard, are the most productive in the world, and we aim to match their enthusiasm and patriotism as we support them,” Secretary Perdue added.
American farmers have dealt with unjustified retaliatory tariffs and decades of non-tariff trade disruptions, which have curtailed U.S. exports to China and other nations. Trade damages from such retaliation and market distortions have impacted a host of U.S. commodities. High tariffs disrupt normal marketing patterns, raising costs by forcing commodities to find new markets. Additionally, American goods shipped to China have been slowed from reaching market by unusually strict or cumbersome entry procedures, which affect the quality and marketability of perishable crops. These boost marketing costs and unfairly affect our producers. USDA is using a variety of programs to support American farmers, ranchers, and producers.
Participating in the Trade Mitigation Call – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA Chief Economist Rob Johansson, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Brandon Lipps.
MFP signup at local FSA offices will run from Monday, July 29 through Friday, December 6, 2019.
Payments will be made by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) under the authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act to producers of alfalfa hay, barley, canola, corn, crambe, dried beans, dry peas, extra-long staple cotton, flaxseed, lentils, long grain and medium grain rice, millet, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, rapeseed, rye, safflower, sesame seed, small and large chickpeas, sorghum, soybeans, sunflower seed, temperate japonica rice, triticale, upland cotton, and wheat. MFP assistance for those non-specialty crops is based on a single county payment rate multiplied by a farm’s total plantings of MFP-eligible crops in aggregate in 2019. Those per-acre payments are not dependent on which of those crops are planted in 2019. A producer’s total payment-eligible plantings cannot exceed total 2018 plantings. County payment rates range from $15 to $150 per acre, depending on the impact of unjustified trade retaliation in that county.
Dairy producers who were in business as of June 1, 2019, will receive a per hundredweight payment on production history, and hog producers will receive a payment based on the number of live hogs owned on a day selected by the producer between April 1 and May 15, 2019.
MFP payments will also be made to producers of almonds, cranberries, cultivated ginseng, fresh grapes, fresh sweet cherries, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts. Each specialty crop will receive a payment based on 2019 acres of fruit or nut bearing plants, or in the case of ginseng, based on harvested acres in 2019.
Acreage of non-specialty crops and cover crops must be planted by August 1, 2019 to be considered eligible for MFP payments.
The MFP rule and a related Notice of Funding Availability will be published in the Federal Register on July 29, 2019, when signup begins at local FSA offices. Per-acre non-specialty crop county payment rates, specialty crop payment rates, and livestock payment rates are all currently available on farmers.gov.
MFP payments will be made in up-to three tranches, with the second and third tranches evaluated as market conditions and trade opportunities dictate. If conditions warrant, the second and third tranches will be made in November and early January, respectively. The first tranche will be comprised of the higher of either 50 percent of a producer’s calculated payment or $15 per acre, which may reduce potential payments to be made in tranches two or three. USDA will begin making first tranche payments in mid-to-late August.
MFP payments are limited to a combined $250,000 for non-specialty crops per person or legal entity. MFP payments are also limited to a combined $250,000 for dairy and hog producers and a combined $250,000 for specialty crop producers. However, no applicant can receive more than $500,000. Eligible applicants must also have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 of less than $900,000 or, 75 percent of the person’s or legal entity’s average AGI for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 must have been derived from farming and ranching. Applicants must also comply with the provisions of the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation regulations.
Many producers were affected by natural disasters this spring, such as flooding, that kept them out of the field for extended periods of time. Producers who filed a prevented planting claim and planted an FSA-certified cover crop, with the potential to be harvested qualify for a $15 per acre payment. Acres that were never planted in 2019 are not eligible for an MFP payment.
In June, H.R. 2157, the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 was signed into law by President Trump, requiring a change to the first round of MFP assistance provided in 2018. Producers previously deemed ineligible for MFP in 2018 because they had an average AGI level higher than $900,000 may now be eligible for 2018 MFP benefits. Those producers must be able to verify 75 percent or more of their average AGI was derived from farming and ranching to qualify. This supplemental MFP signup period will run parallel to the 2019 MFP signup, from July 29 through December 6, 2019.
For more information on the MFP, visit www.farmers.gov/mfp or contact your local FSA office, which can be found at www.farmers.gov.
Additionally, CCC Charter Act authority will be used to implement an up to $1.4 billion FPDP through the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to purchase surplus commodities affected by trade retaliation such as fruits, vegetables, some processed foods, beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and milk for distribution by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals.
AMS will buy affected products in four phases, starting after October 1, 2019 with deliveries beginning in January 2020. The products purchased can be adjusted between phases to accommodate changes due to: growing conditions; product availability; market conditions; trade negotiation status; and program capacity. AMS will purchase known commodities first. By purchasing in phases, procurements for commodities that have been sourced in the past can be purchased more quickly and included in the first phase.
To expand the AMS vendor pool and the ability to purchase new and existing products, AMS will ramp up its vendor outreach and registration efforts. AMS has also developed flyers on how the process works and how to become a vendor for distribution to industry groups and interested parties. Additionally, AMS will continue to host a series of free webinars describing the steps required to become a vendor. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to submit questions to be answered during the webinar. Recorded webinars are available to review by potential vendors, and staff will host periodic Question and Answer teleconferences to better explain the process.
AMS maintains purchase specifications for a variety of commodities, which ensure recipients receive the high-quality product they expect. AMS in collaboration with FNS regularly develops and revises specifications for new and enhanced products based on program requirements and requests. AMS will be prioritizing the development of those products impacted by unjustified retaliation. AMS will also work with industry groups to identify varieties and grades sold to China and other markets imposing retaliatory tariffs, such as premium apples, oranges, pears, and other products. AMS will develop or revise specifications to facilitate the purchase of these premium varieties in forms that meet the needs of FNS nutrition assistance programs.
The products discussed in this plan will be distributed to States for use in the network of food banks and food pantries that participate in The Emergency Feeding Assistance Program (TEFAP), elderly feeding programs such as the Commodity Supplemental Foods Program (CSFP), and tribes that operate the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).
These outlets are in addition to child nutrition programs such as the National School Lunch Program, which may also benefit from these purchases.
Additionally, the rule provides flexibility for FNS to explore new channels of non-profit distribution of product, should the availability of distribution through traditional channels prove to be insufficient. FNS will offer products through traditional channels prior to consideration of new outlets.
AMS has coordinated with FNS, industry representatives, and other agency partners to determine necessary logistics for the purchase and distribution of each commodity, including trucking, inspection and audit requirements, and agency staffing.
USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) will administer the ATP under authorities of the CCC. The ATP will provide cost-share assistance to eligible U.S. organizations for activities such as consumer advertising, public relations, point-of-sale demonstrations, participation in trade fairs and exhibits, market research, and technical assistance. Last week, USDA awarded $100 million to 48 organizations through the ATP to help U.S. farmers and ranchers identify and access new export markets.
The 48 recipients are among the cooperator organizations that applied for $200 million in ATP funds in 2018 that were awarded earlier this year. As part of a new round of support for farmers impacted by unjustified retaliation and trade disruption, those groups had the opportunity to be considered for additional support for their work to boost exports for U.S. agriculture, food, fish, and forestry products.
Already, since the $200 million in assistance was announced in January, U.S. exporters have had significant success, including a trade mission to Pakistan that generated $10 million in projected 2019 sales of pulse crops, a new marketing program for Alaska seafood that led to more than $4 million in sales of salmon to Vietnam and Thailand, and a comprehensive marketing effort by the U.S. soybean industry that has increased exposure in more than 50 international markets. These funds will continue to generate sales and business for U.S. producers and exporters many times over as promotional activity continues for the next couple of years.
Despite the recent increased tariffs slapped onto US pistachios in the midst of an international trade war, consumers worldwide just can’t get enough of them. Watch this brief interview with Richard Matoian from American Pistachio Growers and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery and attend one of their upcoming Bennett Hickman Almond Field Days in Pixley or Modesto.
With the number of wineries in the US higher than ever, and only a few retailers controlling the bulk of wine distribution, what’s a mid-size winery to do to get their product through the supply chain? Watch this brief interview with wine broker Glenn Proctor from the Ciatti Company as he shares a few recommendations and read more it in American Vineyard Magazine.
As farmers well know, the actions of California Water Resources Control Board don’t often reflect the best interests of the farming community, and the recent Bay Delta Plan they are proposing is going to have a devastating impact if enacted. Watch this brief interview with Michael Frantz from the Turlock Irrigation District as he shares what farmers can do about this in the form of a settlement agreement.
Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery and attend one of their upcoming Bennett Hickman Almond Field Days in Pixley or Modesto.