Temperature highs ranged from the mid 70s to high 90s in the mountains, mid 60s to low 100s along the coast, high 80s to mid 100s in the valley, and mid 90s to mid 110s in the desert. Temperature lows ranged from low 40s to mid 60s in the mountains, high 40s to high 60s along the coast, low 50s to low 90s in the desert, and mid 50s to mid 70s in the valley.
Field Crops
In Tulare County, corn for silage was maturing with some fields being harvested. Black-eyed beans were sizing up, and pods drying. Cotton continued to be irrigated and cultivated. Alfalfa was cut and baled. In Siskiyou, Trinity and Modoc counties, cattle were moved to range land at higher elevations. San Mateo County, hay continued to be cut and baled. Fresno County corn continued to be harvested for silage. Alfalfa yields are good with lower quality with prices decreasing. In Fresno County, alfalfa seed has been dried and harvest expected to begin soon.
Fruit Crops
Stone fruit orchards were irrigated. Apricot, peach, plum, pluot, and nectarine harvest continued. Post- harvest pruning and mechanical topping was ongoing. Some older stone fruit orchards were pushed out after harvest. Persimmons, figs and olives were maturing well. Grape harvest was underway. Irrigation and mechanical vineyard maintenance continued. Valencia oranges were harvested. Citrus groves were pruned and hedged. Some citrus were pushed out in preparation for new plantings.
Nut Crops
Orchards continue to be irrigated. Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios were developing well. Almonds were treated for Navel Orangeworm and mites. Orchard floors were cleaned up in preparation of almond harvest. Almond harvest began in Fresno County with the first shaking reported this season.
Vegetable Crops
Monterey County is reported good weather conditions for lettuce. In San Mateo County, fall squash plants are in flower. In the Sacramento Valley, tomato harvest began. Tulare County summer vegetables continue to be sold at roadside stands and famer’s markets. Producers are picking tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, and squash. In Fresno county processing tomatoes and garlic have been reported with below average yields and carrot harvest will begin soon.
Livestock
Rangeland grasses continued to dry. Foothill rangeland and non-irrigated pasture remained in fair to good condition, though water was hauled to livestock in some locations and supplemental feeding had commenced. Some cattle were moved to higher elevation range. Sheep grazed in fallow fields. Bee were active in sunflower fields.
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.
SAN FRANCISCO — California’s northern Central Coast, extending from the San Francisco Bay to Monterey County, is the focus this month as part of Wine Institute’s Wine Country Back Roads series. California is home to dozens of distinct wine regions, including some of the world’s most famous destinations. But hidden among even the high-profile appellations are the wine roads less traveled. These welcoming regions feature stunning rural scenery, delicious wines and, often, fewer visitors. There’s still plenty of time this summer to discover off-the-beaten path wine roads and regions, and the Central Coast is a great place to do it.
The entire Central Coast wine region and Santa Cruz Mountains stretches roughly 250 miles along the California coastline, extending from San Francisco County to Santa Barbara County. Grapes there are among the oldest in the state, planted by Franciscan monks in the late 18th century as they made their way north on El Camino Real (known today as Highway 101). Now hosting thousands of acres of vineyards and hundreds of wineries, California’s Central Coast and Santa Cruz Mountains are home to 14 percent of the state’s winegrapes.
Livermore Valley wineries will hold Taste Our Terroir events July 25-28, their premier food and wine affair. Photo: Livermore Valley Wine Country.
TASTE: Not far from San Francisco, with its famously steep hills and Victorian architecture, you’ll find several hospitable wineries near the East Bay cities of Moraga, Oakland, Berkeley as well as Treasure Island to help you kick off your Central Coast adventure.
Nearby Livermore Valley, 35 miles east of San Francisco, is the one of the state’s oldest wine regions and the genetic source of 80 percent of California’s Chardonnay vines. Along with its iconic Chardonnay, Livermore is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Italian, Rhone and Spanish varieties. Discover the region’s rolling hills and scenic canyons along the Burgundy Wine Trail, or enjoy mountain vistas on the Red Trail.
The Santa Clara Valley, also known today as Silicon Valley, includes more than 30 wineries, many clustered near Gilroy and San Martin. The Santa Cruz Mountains, west of Santa Clara Valley, was among the first American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) to be defined by its steep mountain topography. The area played a pivotal role in California’s winemaking history with viticultural roots going back more than a century. Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot predominate on the warmer eastern inland side of the AVA, while Pinot Noir thrives on the coastal side and ridge tops. The region boasts more than 60 wineries. For a scenic overview, try the Silicon Valley Wine Trail in the hillsides above Silicon Valley, or the coastal Corralitos Wine Trail, at the sunny, southern portion of the AVA.
San Benito County, set in an idyllic valley about 75 miles southeast of Santa Cruz, has been growing winegrapes since the mid-1800s, planted by French and German immigrants. The region grows a wide variety of grapes but is best known for Pinot Noir and Syrah. Find wineries near the towns of Hollister and San Juan Bautista.
Monterey County’s River Road Wine Trail winds along the Santa Lucia Highlands where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay winegrapes flourish. Photo: California Wine Institute.
Heading back to the coast, Monterey County is known or having one of California’s longest growing seasons, thanks to cool marine air that blows in from Monterey Bay. Franciscan friars introduced winegrapes to the area more than 200 years ago, and over 40 varieties are planted there today—including more Chardonnay than in any other county in America. Monterey is also well known for its cool-climate Pinot Noir. With eight distinctive AVAs within its borders and 82 wineries, Monterey offers an array of tasting opportunities. The River Road Wine Trail, set among the canyons and slopes of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, highlights Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, along with northern Rhône varieties such as Syrah. Beautiful Carmel Valley is renowned for producing rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
TOUR: The Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Passport event on July 20 includes special tastings at more than 40 participating wineries. (As a bonus, passport experiences can be redeemed for a full year after the event.) The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park is nearby with its multiple attractions. Livermore Valley hosts Taste Our Terroir July 25-28, a four-day food and wine affair offering wine tasting adventures, garden tours, food pairing events, seminars, falcon demonstrations and more. Music in the vineyards is a Santa Clara specialty, with performances scheduled at individual wineries throughout the summer. While visiting San Benito County, take a hike among towering rock spires and observe falcons and golden eagles in flight at Pinnacles National Monument, formed by ancient volcanos. On Monterey’s Cannery Row, sample local wines at A Taste of Monterey and visit the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium or John Steinbeck Museum.
For all of the wine regions included in this series, use the discovercaliforniawines.com interactive map to search wineries by amenities such as tours, gardens and picnic areas, and view winery events around the state.
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 139 American Viticultural Areas, California attracts 24 million visitors to its wine regions each year.
As wine inventory movement has been pretty slow since the spring, there is some concern in the industry whether there will be room in the tanks for the 2019 crop that is beginning to mature. Watch this brief wine market update with Wine Broker Glenn Proctor from the Ciatti Company as he explains, and read more in American Vineyard Magazine.
Corn for silage continues to mature. Black-eyed beans are sizing up, and the pods are beginning to dry. Cotton continues to be irrigated and cultivated. Alfalfa continues to be cut and baled.
Deciduous Tree Fruits, Nuts, And Grapes:
The stone fruit season continues on. Peaches are being exported to Brazil, Taiwan, Canada,Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, the Dominican Republic, and Australia. Nectarines are being exported to Australia, Canada, Taiwan, Brazil, Honduras, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. Plums are being exported to China, Canada, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand. Hand-pruning and mechanical toppingcontinues to take place in some stone fruit orchards, after harvest. Immature stone fruit continuesto develop. Some older stone fruit groves are being removed after harvest. Grapes continue to mature and harvest has begun slowly, but will pick up next week. Grapes are being exported to Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand. Some vineyards continue to have leaves thinned to allow for better airflow and light. This year’s almond, pecan, walnut, and pistachio nuts continue to develop. Pistachios are being exported to Vietnam, India, Spain, and Hong Kong. Almonds are being exported Vietnam, Germany, Finland, Jordan, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico, Indonesia, Colombia, and Argentina. Persimmons continue to develop. Irrigation continues for orchards and vineyards.
Citrus, Avocados, And Olives:
Valencia and navel oranges continue to be harvested. Late navel harvest is nearing the end, with oranges mainly being sent to juice from the field. Gassing of Valencia oranges to improve color continues. Valencia oranges are mainly being sent to domestic markets but they continue to be exported in small amounts to Mexico and Hong Kong. Ruby grapefruit and Finger limes are being exported to Mexico. Some citrus groves are being pruned and hedge rowed. Immature olives continue to develop.
Vegetables, Melons, Herbs, Berries:
Certified producers are picking tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumber, watermelon, and squash. Summer vegetables continue to be sold at roadside stands and Farmer’s Markets. Blueberries are being picked and sold by local growers.
Livestock And Poultry:
Rangeland forage is of fair-good quality. The fed cattle price is at $112 per cwt.
Additional Comments:
Local wholesale nurseries are still shipping small orders of nursery stock to local and out-of-state retail nursery outlets. Nurseries continue to receive various flowers and plants daily. Bare-rootrose shipments continue to be sent to Florida.
With the annual Summer Conference of the California Association of Winegrape Growers came the announcement and presentation of CAWG’s Grower of the Year award, honoring Andy Hoxsey from Napa Wine Company. Watch this brief presentation honoring Hoxsey, as delivered by Randy Lange of LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards at the Awards of Excellence dinner in Sonoma. Hoxsey was also featured in the June issue of American Vineyard Magazine.
California vineyard owners are carefully watching grapes mature on the vine this summer, just one in a list of responsibilities that determines their chances at a successful season.
Years of experience working the land have been the main tool for these growers, but environmental restrictions and requirements are making the job increasingly complicated.
David Ebert of Purdue University’s College of Engineering is focused on helping the wine industry through Discovery Park’s Big Ideas program. Ebert along with Christian Butzke, a food science professor and enologist, and other Purdue colleagues are trying to help growers in California transition to utilizing new, efficient technology for their operations without being caught in a data overload.
“We’ve basically been looking at factors in how the growers can harness technology that allows them to become more effective and more efficient in their operations and decision making,” said Ebert, Purdue’s Silicon Valley Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
There are long-running farm owners who are only now beginning to consider the new technologies available to them.
“Since it hasn’t been made intuitive to use and they haven’t grown up using it, they are uncomfortable blindly trusting what a computer is telling them to do, and they shouldn’t have to be,” Ebert said. “They need tools to make data understandable and useful to them in their operations.”
Because grapes are a perennial crop, some decisions by growers can have a 20- to 25-year impact on their operations and their profitability. Ebert’s work is intended to help growers understand how to make effective decisions in adopting new technology to increase their economic and ecological sustainability. The technology is intended to improve both day-to-day and long-term operations as well as help their overall investment.
Ebert said growers today are facing new local community constraints in addition to uncertain growing season conditions. A number of counties in California have decided vineyards need to be certified sustainably farmed and many ground water districts are setting new guidelines to preserve water resources and make sure that water is used effectively.
“Trying to bring all of those factors together is a complex process,” Ebert said. “We’re working to bring all these limitations and data together in a understandable system so people have the policy constraints, economics, science basis, data analytics and their operations models combined into a simple dashboard to make better decisions.”
When the project began in 2014, Ebert discovered that the rules of thumb many growers used to judge crop conditions no longer worked. Data collected from the technology can help forecast and understand multi-year impacts on the crop, including complex weather.
“There’s an increasing trend for growers wanting these new tools, seeing real value in it and realizing that they need to move in this direction to be sustainable economically and environmentally,” Ebert said.
However, the technology and data must be targeted to each crop and regional conditions to be trustworthy and effective. Ebert said technology that works for wheat farms in Kansas can’t be directly translated to work for a vineyard crop that has been growing for 20 years.
“Some vineyards we work with were planted in the early 1900s,” he said. “These vines are adaptable, but the growers need the right information in these unprecedented growing conditions.
“This is what our Purdue science-based, data-driven and grower-driven approach enables: Understandable, trustable information from all these new sensors and data sources to enable them to adapt and sustain their operations.”
With the annual Summer Conference of the California Association of Winegrape Growers came the announcement and presentation of CAWG’s Leader of the Year award, honoring Lodi wine grower Brad Goehring. Watch this brief presentation honoring Goehring, as delivered by John Duarte of Duarte Nursery at the Awards of Excellence dinner in Sonoma. Read more the grower leaders that make this industry great in American Vineyard Magazine.
Recently planted corn for silage continues to mature. Black-eyed beans continue to mature. Cotton continues to be irrigated and cultivated. Alfalfa continues to be cut and baled.
DECIDUOUS TREE FRUITS, NUTS, AND GRAPES:
The stone fruit season is in full swing. Peaches are being exported to Canada, Brazil, Mexico,Guatemala, Honduras, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Australia. Nectarines are being exported toCanada, Brazil, the Philippines, Guatemala, Honduras, Australia, and Mexico. Plums are beingexported to Canada, Taiwan, Australia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.Apricots are being exported to Australia and Canada. Hand-pruning and mechanical topping continues to take place in some stone fruit orchards, after harvest. Immature stone fruit continues to develop. Some older stone fruit groves are being removed after harvest. Grapes continue tomature and harvest should begin soon. Some vineyards continue to have leaves thinned to allowfor better airflow and light. Irrigation continues for grape vineyards. Almond, pecan, walnut, and pistachio nuts continue to develop. Persimmons continue to develop. Irrigation continues for nutand stone fruit orchards.
CITRUS, AVOCADOS, AND OLIVES:
Valencia and navel oranges continue to be harvested. Navel oranges are being sent to domesticmarkets only. Navel oranges are being juiced from the field. Gassing of Valencia oranges toimprove color continues. Valencia oranges are mainly being sent to domestic markets, but they continue to be exported in small amounts to Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore, and Korea. Rubygrapefruit are being exported to Mexico. Finger-limes are now being exported to France and the Netherlands. Some citrus groves are being pruned and hedge rowed. Immature olives continue to develop.
VEGETABLES, MELONS, HERBS, BERRIES:
Certified producers are picking tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, jalapeno peppers, cucumbers,watermelons, and squash. Summer vegetables continue to be sold at roadside stands andFarmer’s Markets. Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are being picked and sold by localgrowers.
LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY:
Rangeland forage is of good quality. The fed cattle price is at $109 cwt per 100 weight.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
Local wholesale nurseries are still shipping small orders of nursery stock to local and out-of-stateretail nursery outlets. Nurseries continue to receive various flowers and plants daily. Bare-rootrose shipments continue to be sent to Florida.
Kristen Barnhisel, winemaker for white wines at J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, has been named 2019-2020 president of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV). She succeeds John Thorngate, vice president of operations technical services at Constellation Brands. In her new role, Barnhisel will lead ASEV’s 12-member board. “I am pleased to serve with leaders in viticulture and enology as president of the ASEV board. My goals are to continue to elevate ASEV as the leading organization promoting research and technical advances in enology and viticulture. I look forward to guiding the exchange of technical information at our conferences to improve grape-growing and winemaking quality and production, as well as mentoring the next generation,” says Barnhisel.
The daughter of a microbiologist mother, who worked for Simi Winery, and a father who was a home winemaker, Barnhisel has over two decades of viticulture and winemaking experience on three continents-Italy, South Africa and the United States. After earning her master’s degree in enology from UC Davis, Barnhisel worked at Columbia Crest in Washington. After two years, she moved back to California to hold positions as assistant winemaker at Jordan Vineyard & Winery and at Belvedere Winery, and later at Handley Cellars, where she was co-winemaker with founder Milla Handley. She then took a position as the quality control manager with Inglenook, where she oversaw quality control for Rubicon, Inglenook’s flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the winery’s top white wine.
Barnhisel joined J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines as winemaker, white wines in 2015, where she has earned a reputation for her commitment to research and experimentation, and for the exceptional quality of her wines. She has been an ASEV member since 2005 and has been an active participant with ASEV since 2012, serving as chair for the scholarship and best student presentation committees, member of the membership committee, industry seminars organizing committee, and co-organizer for the ASEV Annual Meeting Fun Run (2001 -2006). She’s currently a member of the American Vineyard Foundation Enology Proposal Review Committee and Women for WineSense. She also served as a member of the Napa Valley Wine Technical Group and Sonoma County Wine Technical Group. She has served as a moderator for the Pinot Noir session at the 2012 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium and presented her research at a smoke taint seminar at the University of California, Davis in 2009.
ASEV also confirmed Anna Katharine Mansfield, associate professor of enology at Cornell’s NYSAES in Geneva, NY, and James Osborne, associate professor, enology extension specialist at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR, as new board directors.
In addition to Kristen Barnhisel, the board’s Executive Committee for 2019-2020 includes: Patty Skinkis, associate professor at Oregon State University, Corvallis, first vice president; Tom Collins, assistant professor at the Wine Science Center, Washington State University, Tri-Cities, second vice president; and Merilark Padgett-Johnson of the Natural Resources Department at Santa Rosa Junior College, California, secretary-treasurer. Continuing on with their board positions are Markus Keller, professor and Chateau Ste. Michelle distinguished professor in viticulture at Department of Horticulture, Washington State University, Prosser, WA, continues as the ASEV science editor and James Harbertson, associate professor of enology at the Wine Science Center, Washington State University, Tri-Cities, as the technical program director. Additional ASEV directors include: Torey Arvik, chief science officer of Sonomaceuticals/Whole Vine Products, St. Helena, CA; Michelle Moyer, associate professor, extension viticulturist, Washington State University, Prosser, WA; Anita Oberholster, assistant cooperative extension specialist, from the University of California, Davis; and R. Keith Striegler, grower outreach specialist of E. & J. Gallo Winery, California. For a full board list, go to http://asev.org/board-directors-staff.
Formed in 1950 as a professional society dedicated to the interests of enologists, viticulturists and others in the fields of wine and grape research and production, ASEV’s membership of approximately 2,000 includes professionals from wineries, vineyards and academic institutions and organizations from around the world. In addition to publishing the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture (AJEV) and the Catalyst: Discovery into Practice, the Society also hosts its National Conference, which will be a joint 71st ASEV National Conference and 45th ASEV Eastern Section Annual Meeting, scheduled for June 15-18, 2020, in Portland, Oregon. ASEV co-hosts the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium with the California Association for Winegrape Growers(CAWG), which will be held at Cal Expo on February 4-6, 2020. For more information, visit www.asev.org>.
