At Malcolm Media’s recent Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo, UCCE Viticulture Advisor Gabriel Torres provided an in-depth presentation on sour rot prevention and management. If you missed his presentation or would like a refresher, watch this brief interview as Gabriel provides of some key points growers should consider in season-long prevention/management of this crop spoiling complex.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
Effective December 21, 2020, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau’s (TTB) will establish the Tehachapi Mountains American Viticultural Area (AVA). Spanning approximately 58,000 acres, this will allow local vintners to use the “Tehachapi Mountains” appellation of origin on bottle labels for wine produced in the Tehachapi Mountains AVA. Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) applauded the mid-November announcement from TBB with the following statement:
“This announcement is welcome news for our community, which has been working to establish the Tehachapi Mountains AVA for several years and is something I have strongly supported and urged the Administration to finalize. Tehachapi joins other AVAs such as Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, and the Central Coast as an official wine region. Tehachapi wines can now compete with other well-known AVAs in our state, further cementing California’s position as the top wine-producing state in the nation.
“Not only will the Tehachapi Mountains AVA encompass approximately 58,000 acres, it will be at one of the highest elevations in the country, making it truly unique. This AVA designation will also help stimulate the local economy by further putting Tehachapi wines on the map, thereby increasing awareness of our fast-growing winemaking region.
“I want to thank President Trump, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, and TTB Administrator Ryan for finalizing this important AVA designation, and I look forward to seeing the Tehachapi Mountains AVA become a top wine production and tourist spot in California.”
Community leaders issued the below statements:
“I am excited that the Tehachapi Mountains American Viticultural Area has been approved. This means a lot for the Tehachapi Wine Growers, the Greater Tehachapi Area, and Kern County. In addition to being known as ‘The Land of 4 Seasons,’ Tehachapi will become known as an exceptional wine growing region tucked away in the Tehachapi Mountains.” – Jim Arnold, Triassic Vineyards owner and President of Tehachapi Wine Growers Commission
“High altitude, yet warm conditions truly make the Tehachapi area unique, providing winegrowers a setting to grow and fully ripen quality wine grapes, which require both warm, sunny days and cool nights to develop the subtle flavors necessary to make outstanding wines. Establishment of the Tehachapi Mountains AVA will give Tehachapi area winegrowers the ability to develop and market their wine based on the reputation of the Tehachapi area for producing high quality wine grapes. On behalf of the Tehachapi winegrowers, I would like to thank Congressman Kevin McCarthy for his substantial efforts in support of the Tehachapi Mountains AVA that ensured our petition successfully navigated the approval process. I would also like to thank those in the community who submitted letters or comments in support of the AVA, as well as Karen Thornton of the TTB without whose patient guidance this AVA would not have come to pass.” – Julie Bell, Tehachapi Mountains AVA petition author
“Our Tehachapi Wine Growers are now recognized with an AVA designation which makes me so proud of how hard they worked, the designation ‘Tehachapi Mountains’ will be seen on every bottle of wine produced from our community.” – The Honorable Susan Wiggins, Tehachapi Mayor
“The successful effort to establish the AVA of ‘Tehachapi Mountains’ provides an important economic development tool for our regional vineyards, wineries and tasting rooms, undoubtedly increasing sales and tourism. I congratulate the Tehachapi Wine Grower’s Commission and the Greater Tehachapi Economic Development Council who have worked so hard to bring this important designation to our beautiful region.” – The Honorable Zack Scrivner, 2nd District Kern County Supervisor
“The Greater Tehachapi Economic Development Council is proud of the new American Viticultural Area designation for our Tehachapi Valley Wine Growers. Under the umbrella of the GTEDC, the Tehachapi Wine Growers Association worked very hard and diligently towards achieving the AVA designation for our mountain community. We look forward to new tourism and economic growth for our County of Kern.” – Lydia Chaney, President of the Greater Tehachapi Economic Development Council (GTEDC)
“Without the dedication of our Tehachapi Wine Growers Association, Greater Tehachapi Economic Development Council and our Congressman Kevin McCarthy we would not see the words ‘Tehachapi Mountains’ on the wine produced right here in Tehachapi. It shows the true power of collaboration and now our wine industry can grow and be recognized.” – Greg Garrett, Tehachapi City Manager
“Today we celebrate the Tehachapi area wine growers and our mountain community. The Tehachapi Wine Growers Association along with many others have worked diligently for several years to bring the designation of a American Viticultural Area (AVA) known as the ‘Tehachapi Mountains’ to fruition. This designation will showcase the Greater Tehachapi area and define our cherished wine industry.” – Ida Perkins, President, Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce
Background
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire — and also lots of microorganisms, according to a new study from the University of Florida.
For the first time, researchers have measured the number of microbes in smoke from fires in wilderness areas, also known as wildland fires. The researchers also found that a surprisingly high percentage of microbes survive the blazes and are lofted into the air.
Smoke analyzed for the study contained five times more microbes than smoke-free air, said Rachel Moore, a UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences graduate who led the study as part of her doctoral work.
The researchers also found that the percentage of microbes still alive in the smoke was the same as that found in ambient air.
“When you look at the smoke particles under a microscope, it’s as if the particles are life rafts for the microbes,” said Moore, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at Georgia Tech University. “Just how many microbes there were and how many were viable was a big surprise.”
Brent Christner, Moore’s dissertation advisor and one of the authors of the study, said he was also surprised, but for an additional reason.
“Common sense would tell you that fire would just kill and incinerate microbes when it burns through vegetation, but our findings show that’s not the case,” said Christner, an associate professor in the UF/IFAS department of microbiology and cell science.
While smoke poses a health risk to people, the microbes identified in the study aren’t harmful to humans on their own.
“The microbes released in these fires are similar to the kinds that live on plants. The results of this study indicate that fires may be an important way for these organisms to distribute in the environment, which is of ecological interest,” Christner said.
How microbes survive wildland fires is still unclear.
“The processes that aerosolize microbes during combustion of vegetation are clearly not as destructive as they’ve been presumed to be,” Christner said.
For the study, researchers analyzed smoke sampled during eight prescribed fires at the UF/IFAS Ordway-Swisher Biological Station, located about 20 miles east of the university’s main campus in Gainesville. With thousands of acres of wilderness, the station is a living outdoor laboratory where scientists can do experiments in the natural environment.
During each fire, Moore set up instruments called volumetric samplers downwind from the blaze. These machines sucked air and smoke from the fire through special filters that trapped the particles.
“Think of the filter on your vacuum cleaner that traps dust. These machines are essentially powerful vacuums with very fine filters that catch particles as small as 1 micrometer,” Christner said. For context, the width of a human hair is about 75 micrometers.
After sampling, Moore took the filters back to the lab, where she used various lab techniques to remove the particles from the filters and calculate the total number of microbes in the sample. She also used a special staining technique that makes living microbes appear green under the microscope, allowing her to estimate the percentage of viable organisms.
Moore and Christner also wanted to know if burning dead vegetation emitted more microbes than living vegetation. To find out, they teamed up with scientists at the Idaho Fire Initiative for Research and Education at the University of Idaho, who burned samples sent from Florida on a specially designed laboratory burn table. The researchers found that smoke from dead vegetation contained more microbes than smoke from living vegetation.
The study’s authors note that the prescribed fire used in the experiment was far smaller and less intense than the massive wildfires that have burned millions of acres in the Western United States. over the last few months.
“We think the huge fires out West are emitting even more microbes than what we found in our experiments,” Moore said.
The study is published in “The International Society for Microbial Ecology Journal.” — By Samantha Murray, University of Florida Communications
Foundation Plant Services (FPS) has been testing grapevines in its foundation vineyards for grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) since 2013. Red blotch infection rates have remained extremely low in the Classic Foundation Vineyard, ranging from 0% to 0.21% since 2013. None of the 4,270 vines were infected in 2020 (see table). Russell Ranch Vineyard (RRV) remained unaffected until 2017 when five of 4,132 vines, only 0.1%, were infected with GRBV. Since then, despite significant efforts to prevent the occurrence of the disease, the infection rate in the vineyard has increased to 0.5% (24 of 4,406) in 2018, 7.1% (339 of 4,761) in 2019, and 18% (788 of 4,367) in 2020 (see table).
Since the discovery of red blotch in the foundation vineyards, all propagated vines related to the positive vines tested negative in every case, indicating the incidence of red blotch at RRV is due to field transmission of GRBV. In addition, material from these plants was distributed prior to the last negative test date, suggesting that material was GRBV-free at the time of distribution. In 2018, we implemented a test-to-order policy that further ensure orders being shipped were negative just prior to distribution.
One of the greatest challenges in managing red blotch has been vector-mediated transmission. The three-cornered alfalfa hopper, Spissistilus festinus, has been documented as a vector in greenhouse studies and has been found in RRV. Given this threat, we have implemented more frequent vineyard inspections and additional spray treatments specifically targeting the vector and developed a comprehensive program for control of this vector. However, it remains unknown if other vectors are involved in the transmission of red blotch. We are working closely with University of California scientists to monitor the foundation vineyards for potential vectors and track the spread of the virus.
Given the level of red blotch infection in Russell Ranch Vineyard, we feel the best course of action is to discontinue distributing material from RRV. However, grapevine material from the Classic Foundation Vineyard, which represents the majority of clonal families from RRV, will continue to be available for distribution and is tested for GRBV as dormant canes prior to shipping.
FPS is greatly committed to maintaining the highest testing standard for our foundation vineyards. We will continue to test all vines in the foundation vineyards individually on an annual basis and implement the best management strategies to safeguard foundation material. In addition, FPS has begun working
with UC Davis planners to design a 24,000 square foot ‘Emergency Greenhouse’ that will protect approximately 4,000 of FPS’ most valued Foundation grapevines. This is essential to protect the material from vectors and guarantees immediate access to the clean plant material in case of field infection. FPS is currently renting two 1,100 sq ft greenhouses in the interim from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to temporarily house the most valuable clonal selections as newly propagated virus-tested mother vines in a protected environment.
Moving forward, a collaborative approach between FPS and the grape industry is needed to protect grapevine Foundation material from exposure to viruses. Although there are major knowledge gaps about the transmission and epidemiology of grapevine red blotch virus, well-funded research teams around the country are working on elucidating the biology. In the meantime, FPS is moving forward to ensure protection of the core grape Foundation which is an essential asset to the US grape industry. — By Deborah Golino (FPS Director dagolino@ucdavis.edu) & Maher Al Rwahnih (Director of Laboratories malrwahnih@ucdavis.edu)
Seghesio Family Vineyards announced a historic milestone as it celebrates its 125th harvest in Sonoma County this fall. Representing the past, present and future of old vine Zinfandel, Seghesio is best associated with the historic role it played in creating a spiritual home for its flagship grape. A unique variety with no prior old-world benchmark, Seghesio helped define Zinfandel as what has become the all-American wine.
Established in 1895 when Edoardo Seghesio planted his first Zinfandel vineyard in the Alexander Valley, Seghesio is now one of the oldest winemaking names in Sonoma—five generations of the Seghesio family have weathered earthquakes, Prohibition, the Great Depression, droughts and fires to establish themselves today as Sonoma’s preeminent Zinfandel specialists.
Five generations and 125 vintages later, Seghesio Family Vineyards continues to pioneer the highest quality Zinfandel along with a treasured collection of Italian varietal wines. In the cellar, Winemaker Andy Robinson takes an old-world approach, crafting every wine from small lots that are meticulously harvested, sorted, and fermented individually to ensure that each wine is true expression of the vintage, vineyard, and varietal. The dedicated vineyard team, led by Viticultural Director and fifth generation Seghesio family member Ned Neumiller, maintains several blocks of 100+ year old vine Zinfandel including the original vines that the founders planted in 1895 at Home Ranch in Alexander Valley.
“Our intention is to make wines that celebrate the work done in the vineyard and we insist on participating in every aspect of a wine’s life. We strive to produce elegant and balanced Zinfandels of character that offer the fullest expression of each vineyard or region,” said Robinson. “Our roots, just like those of the old vines we tend, run deep in Sonoma County and we have a responsibility to the Seghesio family name to make wines that celebrate the American dream of our founders—Italian immigrants who came to this country to build a family and a future. As we’ve evolved, so too has our idea of family to include not just the one you’re born into, but also the one you choose. This is the inclusive and welcoming spirit that inspires everything we do.”
Neumiller oversees more than 300 acres of sustainably farmed estate vineyards planted across the Alexander, Dry Creek, and Russian River Valleys—all of which are considered Sonoma County’s premier growing regions for Zinfandel. Neumiller brings a breadth and depth of Zinfandel expertise that is unmatched in the industry and is proud to serve as the guardian of some of Sonoma County’s most cherished old vine sites. On this point, Seghesio is especially bullish. In 2011, the winery purchased the historic Montafi Vineyard in the Russian River Valley specifically to ensure that the Zinfandel vines, planted in 1926, would stay in the ground.
Although “old vine” is an unregulated term, Seghesio applies it exclusively to vines that have reached at least 50 years, though the estate exceeds even its own strict guidelines with its flagship Old Vine Zinfandel, produced from vineyards whose ages average closer to 75 years. And while Seghesio’s old vine Zinfandels rely on those deep roots for their inimitable complexity and structural integrity, Robinson ensures that the work doesn’t stop in the vineyard, employing exacting methods in the cellar more commonly associated with First Growth Bordeaux or Grand Cru Burgundy than with California Zinfandel.
After rigorous sorting, Robinson employs the use of open-top fermenters—more commonly used for Pinot Noir than for Zinfandel and oversaw the identification and selection of an indigenous yeast strain from Home Ranch Vineyard that is now used exclusively for the wines made from that particular estate.
These painstaking winemaking techniques push the Seghesio Family Vineyards team, vintage after vintage, to re-set its own high bar for what it means to make great Zinfandel. A grape that spent decades overlooked or dismissed (or both), Zinfandel found its highest expression on American soil. For this reason, Zinfandel is often considered “America’s Grape”—there is no old-world benchmark for Zinfandel, because Seghesio Family Vineyards has set the benchmark here—in Sonoma County.
About Seghesio Family Vineyards
At Seghesio Family Vineyards, the key word is family. Our story begins in 1895 when our founders planted Zinfandel vines deep in Sonoma County soil and set down roots that, five generations and 125 vintages later, are still growing strong. Today, Seghesio Family Vineyards encompasses over 300 acres in preeminent Sonoma growing regions including the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys.
Seghesio Family Vineyards is one of Sonoma County’s landmark houses for Zinfandel, and Winemaker Andy Robinson showcases his experience with and respect for the grape in each bottle produced. Robinson works closely with the vineyard team, led by Viticultural Director Ned Neumiller who represents the Seghesio family’s fifth generation of winegrowers, and balances generations of experience with the most advanced modern viticultural practices. Seghesio’s celebrated, food-friendly wines have a timeless sensibility and are made with elegance, balance, and purity that are crafted to carve out more moments for wine lovers to slow down, breathe, and savor life, family-style.
The historic winery and tasting room are located in Healdsburg, Ca. For more information regarding Seghesio Family Vineyards, please visit www.seghesio.com.
The California Mid-State Fair is pleased to announce the winners of the 18th annual Central Coast Wine Competition (CCWC) presented by SLO Life Magazine, the Central Coast Spirits Competition (CCSC) and the Central Coast Vinegar Competition (CCVC). The blind-tasting event, held October 12-14 at the Paso Robles Event Center, is the largest wine competition on California’s Central Coast, which encompasses ten counties stretching from Alameda to Ventura.
This year’s competition included 86 wineries and 503 wines entered. The competition features 71 classes based on grape varieties and vintages, where the “Best of “ wines are selected for their varietal typicity, quality and character.
Best of Show/Best of Red – Piedra Creek Winery, San Luis Obispo, 2017 Estate Lagrein
Best Dessert – Glunz Family Winery & Cellars, Paso Robles, Mission Angelica (Fourth year in a row winning category)
Best Sparkling – Laetitia Vineyard & Winery, Arroyo Grande, 2017 Brut Rose (Third year in a row winning category)
Best Rose – Détente, Paso Robles, Field Blend Rose
Best White – CASS Winery, Paso Robles, 2019 Mr. Blanc
The Central Coast Wine Competition named Cass Winery as the 2020 Winery of the Year. The Paso Robles winery placed with all 18 entries entered featuring Best of White and 3 Best of class awards. This is the third Winery of the Year award for Cass, which took home the same honor in 2015 and 2018.
The Central Coast Spirits Competition included 12 companies with 35 total entries. The competition featured 60 total classes in each division—California – Spirits made in CA and Invitational – Spirits made outside of CA.
Best Brown Spirits/Best of Class Bourbon – The Splinter Group, Napa, Straight Edge Bourbon
Best White Spirits/Best of Class Vodka – Krobar Craft Distillery/Americana, Paso Robles, Americana Kaffir Lime
Best of Class Brandy – Castoro Cellars, Paso Robles, Bethel Rd. American Brandy
Best of Class Gin – Krobar Craft Distillery/Americana, Paso Robles, Americana Pink Gin
Best of Class Liqueur – Calwise Spirits Co. Paso Robles, WFEx Barrel Reserve Orange
Best of Class Rum – Krobar Craft Distillery/Americana, Paso Robles, Navy Strength Golden Rum
Best of Class Rye – The Splinter Group, Napa, Whip Saw Rye
Best of Class Whiskey – The Splinter Group, Napa, Slaughter House
Best of Class Whiskey (Outside of CA) – Breckenridge Distillery, Breckinridge, CO, Bourbon Whiskey
The Central Coast Vinegar Competition featured six brands with a record-breaking 19 total entries in 10 classes based on varieties.
Best of Show/Best of Class Flavored – IL Fiorello, Fairfield, CA, Fig Flavored
Best of Class White Vinegar – Virginia Vinegar Works, Wingina, VA, Petit Manseng
Best of Class Red Wine Vinegar – American Vinegar Works, Cambridge, MA, Ultimate Red Wine
Best of Class Apple Vinegar – American Vinegar Works, Cambridge, MA, Cranberry Apple Cider
“We are proud to be able to showcase several of the best wines, spirits and vinegars from around the Central Coast during this unprecedented year,” said Colleen Bojorquez, Interim CEO.
Under sunny fall skies the harvest of table grapes continues in the San Joaquin Valley, moving steadily toward its December conclusion according to Kathleen Nave, president of the California Table Grape Commission. “Fall is a beautiful time of year to harvest grapes in California,” said Nave. “The vineyards are full of fruit, the mornings are cool and the afternoons are sunny and warm but not hot.”
Nave said that many of the newer varieties of grapes were bred to be harvested in the fall. “Nearly 50 percent of the California grape volume is shipped to consumers from October through January,” she said, “making California grapes very much a fall and early winter fruit.”
According to Nave, this time of year there are often suggestions from grape growers in other countries that California production will fall short of what is needed to supply the US market through December. “California has dominated grape sales through December for years and this season is no different,” she said. “Promotion work with retailers and conversations with consumers through social media, influencers, and advertising in multiple mediums are moving ahead full speed to support the promotable volumes of November and December and support the wrap-up in January.”
These red wines were 20 years in the making; or rather, the grape vines took two decades to develop. Whitehall Lane joined forces with Dr. Andrew Walker of UC Davis and Dr. Paul Skinner of Vineyard Investigations in Napa Valley and planted these experimental grape varieties because they are highly resistant to Pierce’s disease. Pierce’s disease is caused by a bacterium spread by leafhopper insects called sharpshooters. It infects grape vines across the US and costs California grape growers more than $100 million per year.
“These varieties will hopefully make viticulture much more sustainable and provide a high-quality wine that the industry will welcome,” said Walker. Whitehall Lane owner Katie Leonardini agrees with Walker adding, “Rather than trying to manage the sharpshooter with insecticides and potentially harming other beneficial insects, these new rootstocks dovetail into our sustainable and green practices. And the wine is outstanding too!”
Whitehall Lane bottled the 2019 Camminare Noir and 2019 Paseante Noir wines as single, distinct varietals. These grapes from the winery’s Oak Glen Vineyard were harvested on October 15, 2019. Winemaker Jason Moulton kept the two small lots separate saying, “It was amazing how distinct these two wines were from color to flavor to texture.” He continued, “As they developed in our custom American oak barrels, it was evident that these were excellent stand-alone wines.” The special American oak barrels were designed by Nadalie Cooperage in Calistoga, CA to specifically suit the characteristics of these new American wines.
The Camminare Noir profile is a cross between Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon and the wine has aromas and flavors of blackberries, raspberries, cherries and a dense tannin profile. The Paseante Noir is a combination of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon and delivers flavors of cassis, coffee, and berry. Fewer than 25 cases of each were made and are available at the winery.
Whitehall Lane planted the two rootstocks in 2016 in their Oak Glen Vineyard. Dr. Walker, professor of viticulture and enology at UC Davis, developed the rootstock, creating grape varieties that provide high-quality wine while elevating the level of sustainable grape growing. “Whitehall Lane was constantly replanting dead vines infected by Pierce’s disease,” said Dr. Skinner. “I knew the Oak Glen vineyard was a perfect location for Walker’s experimental varieties.”
Whitehall Lane Winery is a family-owned and operated winery in Napa Valley’s historic Rutherford Appellation. They are dedicated to growing and making premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from their eight estate vineyards. They provide friendly hospitality at their Napa Valley winery and are Napa Green winery and vineyard certified with sustainable practices.
Dr. Walker is a faculty member of the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis. His lab is actively involved in breeding wine grapes for resistance to Pierce’s disease.
California Department of Food & Agriculture — Free raisin tonnage produced by handlers in 2019 totaled 24,844 tons, up from the 9,423 tons reported in 2018. This figure does NOT include raisins purchased from other handlers or producers. The total 2019 raisin crop purchased from producers, for whom pricing had been finalized, reached 145,145 tons at an average price of $1,162 per ton, down significantly from the $2,119/ton average of 2018. This price is rounded to the nearest dollar per ton and includes all bonuses and allowances.
Purchases from producers, for whom pricing was NOT finalized, totaled 139,888 tons. The average “good faith” estimate of the final weighted average price for this tonnage was $1,031 per ton.
The quantity of all raisins purchased from producers was 285,032 tons for the 2019 crop. This figure does not include raisins produced by the handler or purchased from other handlers. The tonnage produced by the handler plus tonnage purchased from producers for the 2019 raisin crop was 309,877 tons. 
Information contained in this report was supplied by raisin handlers to fulfill reporting requirements of Sections 55601.7 and 55601.8 of the Food and Agricultural Code. The report includes all tonnages of raisins that were either produced by the handler or purchased from producers. The final weighted average price, including bonuses and allowances, has been reported for all contracts which were finalized.
All 2019 crop transactions completed through the close of business on August 31, 2020 are included in this report. A “good faith” estimate of final weighted average price was reported for those contracts which were not final on the same date. The data are shown by major varieties at the State level only.
DEFINITIONS
Producer: A person or operator who is responsible for the raisins in the unprocessed state. A dehydrator operator is considered the producer of raisins if they grew or purchased fresh grapes and dehydrated them.
Handler: Firm that processes and markets raisins.
Finalized Purchases: Tonnage purchased from producers, for which a pricing contract has been completed.
Non-Finalized Purchases: Contracted tonnage, for which a final price has not yet been determined.
Free Tonnage: Tonnage received by a handler, for which the only Federal marketing order regulation is a minimum quality or size standard. Reserve tonnage is the tonnage set aside as authorized by a Federal marketing order.
Weighted Average Price: Weighted average price reflects prices or “good faith” estimates of prices as reported by handlers and include any bonuses or allowances.