California Ag Network

Tag: National Grape Research Alliance

  • Nick Dokoozlian Receives Inaugural Ag Tech Leadership Prize

    Triple Helix Institute for Agriculture, Climate, and Society — a nonprofit that aims to build cross-sector engagement and public understanding around ag tech — announced Dr. Nick Dokoozlian as the recipient of its inaugural Triple Helix AgTech Leadership Prize.

    Extreme weather, soil degradation, pests and diseases and resource scarcity increasingly jeopardize crops. According to the announcement by Triple Helix, emerging technologies offer pathways to improve agricultural productivity and resilience, but realizing their technical potential requires vision, tenacity and collaboration across sectors. The Triple Helix AgTech Leadership Prize recognizes individuals who have worked across disciplinary and sectoral silos to develop and deploy improved ag tech.

    “Dr. Dokoozlian’s accomplishments reflect dedication to long-term collaboration among researchers, growers, industry leaders, and public institutions. By honoring trailblazers like Dr. Dokoozlian, the Triple Helix AgTech Leadership Prize celebrates individuals who build partnerships and infrastructure that drive agricultural innovation from scientific discovery to transformative impact,” said Dr. Sarah Garland, Founder and Executive Director of Triple Helix.

    After 15 years as a researcher in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis, Dokoozlian joined Gallo Winery in 2004. Throughout his career, his work has centered on improving the productivity, resilience and quality of viticulture. His achievements include:

    ● Playing a major role in the formation of the National Grape Research Alliance (NGRA) in 2003 and serving as the organization’s Research Chair since 2008.

    ● Supporting permanent federal funding for the USDA-ARS Grape Genetics Research Unit in Geneva, NY and Sustainable Agricultural Water Systems Research Unit in Davis, CA. These centers conduct foundational science to address critical agricultural challenges like disease and drought.   

    ● Establishing the landmark GRAPEX project (Grape Remote Sensing Atmospheric Profile and Evapotranspiration eXperiment), a decade-long collaboration involving Gallo, USDA-ARS, Utah State University, NASA and others. This initiative resulted in water use reductions in vineyards and has since expanded to almonds, olives and other crops.

    “I am humbled by this recognition from Triple Helix.The AgTech Leadership Prize is especially meaningful because it recognizes the importance of cross-sector engagement and stakeholder alignment for ensuring agricultural resilience. Triple Helix provides an innovative platform and vision for connecting stakeholders to advance solutions for agriculture’s most pressing challenges, a role critical for the future of food production,” Dokoozlian said.

    The Triple Helix AgTech Leadership Prize will be presented to Dr. Dokoozlian at an event held during Climate Week NYC in September.

  • From California to Idaho: ASEV Brings the Science of Vineyard Nutrition to a New Frontier

    Bringing together vineyard researchers, enologists, and growers from across the nation, the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV), in association with the National Grape Research Alliance (NGRA), will host the Vineyard Nutrition Symposium in Boise, Idaho, as part of the 2026 ASEV National Conference.

    The symposium will highlight the latest advances in monitoring vineyard nutrition considering variability—different soils, climates, and grape markets—that impact grape production in every region. By convening experts in the heart of Idaho’s emerging Snake River Valley, ASEV underscores its commitment to fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange that benefits both established and developing winegrowing communities.

    From emerging precision technologies to field-level applications, attendees will learn how to use advanced tools and methods to better understand, predict, and optimize vineyard performance. Presentations will bridge research and practice, offering actionable guidance for growers seeking to improve fruit quality, enhance resource efficiency, and strengthen vineyard resilience.

    “Growers are increasingly asking not just what to sample, but how to interpret that data, when to act, and why it matters for the finished wine,” said Patty Skinkis, Ph.D., Professor and Viticulture Extension Specialist at Oregon State University and symposium chair. “We’re moving from lab reports to integrated, vineyard-wide data—and ultimately, connecting that to fruit composition and sensory outcomes.”

    Donnell Brown, National Grape Research Alliance added, “The technology is catching up with growers’ need for real-time data. When you combine good science with practical, real-world applications, you can manage nutrition more efficiently and make a measurable difference in fruit and wine quality.”

    The symposium agenda will include presentations on:

    • Sensor Technology Integration: How tools for nutrient monitoring complement traditional sampling
    • Precision Agriculture in Practice: Field comparisons of nutrient sensors and mapping systems
    • Nitrogen and Beyond: New techniques for quantifying and managing nutrients critical to grapegrowing and winemaking
    • Physiology to Flavor: Linking vine nutrition, fruit chemistry, and wine sensory profiles
    • Panel Discussion: “Ask the Researchers—Exploring Vineyard Nutrition from Past to Future”

    The symposium will be held on June 16, 2026, at the Boise Centre in Boise, Idaho, and includes a networking lunch. For detailed information, visit the ASEV National Conference page. Registration will open in spring 2026.

    About ASEV

    The American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) is an international community of wine and grape professionals that promotes industry vitality through the exchange of information and support of research and education. ASEV publishes the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture and hosts a variety of platforms for the dissemination of basic and applied research as well as the examination of emerging issues shaping the industry. These include the annual National Conference in June and the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium that is co-hosted with the California Association of Winegrape Growers. The Society also operates the ASEV Foundation, which will provide scholarships and educational opportunities for students in enology and viticulture. The Foundation is currently in the fundraising stage. For more information, visit asev.org.

     About the National Grape Research Alliance

    The National Grape Research Alliance (NGRA) is an industry-led nonprofit membership organization that advances the research needs of all sectors and all regions of the American grape and wine industry, spanning wine, table grapes, juice and raisins, nationwide. We connect industry, academic scientists, and federal and state research agencies to initiate novel research projects and programs to solve industry challenges together. Since our founding in 2005, we’ve been instrumental in securing $65 million in funding for scientific solutions to grape and wine industry issues. Learn more at graperesearch.org.

  • Rich Smith Distinguished Service Award Presented to Jerry Lohr

    The third annual Rich Smith Distinguished Service Award for major contributions to the American grape and wine industry, and to research, was given to Jerry Lohr of J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines. Lohr has committed nearly 50 years of leadership and achievement to the wine industry.

    The award was presented to Lohr at the annual Leadership Luncheon of the Winegrape Growers of America (WGA), which co-sponsors the award with the National Grape Research Alliance (NGRA) and WineAmerica. The late Richard “Rich” Smith was a tireless leader and advocate for each of the three organizations. The luncheon was held during the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, the wine and grape industry’s largest conference and trade show.

    Smith was founder and co-owner with his wife, Claudia Alexander Smith, of Paraiso Vineyards and Smith Family Wines in California’s Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. He was widely known and revered for his passion for the wine and grape industry, his commitment to enhancing its future, and his collaboration with colleagues to achieve collective goals. Those three words – passion, commitment and collaboration – are inscribed on the award, which is presented annually to a person who emulates Smith’s defining traits and works as tirelessly for the common good.

    Claudia and Jason Smith, son of Rich and Claudia, stated, “It is an honor to present this award to Jerry. His decades of dedication to the industry and all its facets – research, marketing, policy, science and more – have been integral to the success of our industry nationwide. Jerry and my dad sat on many boards and shared a similar passion to do what is best for the winegrape growing community in a selfless and dedicated way that is hard to replicate. It gives the family great pleasure to share this award with Jerry in my dad’s name.”

    Lohr is respected universally by his peers for his intimate understanding of California winegrowing and for his vast knowledge, with which he can address all facets of winegrowing, from the day-to-day details of vineyard management to leading-edge viticultural research. An industry leader and one of the few remaining substantial independents, he is a fervent advocate both for the Arroyo Seco AVA of Monterey County and for Paso Robles; he is an energetic and articulate champion for these regions.

    Lohr’s dedication goes beyond J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines. His work on behalf of the entire industry has included former posts as director and chair of Wine Institute and chair of the Monterey Winegrowers Council. He is also one of the four founding members of Wine Vision, an industry group that promotes a long-range view of the wine industry. Additionally, Lohr founded the National Grape and Wine Initiative, now known as the National Grape Research Alliance, a coalition representing grape growers, processors, wineries and academic institutions committed to improving the industry.

    Over the course of his career, Lohr served as founding director, four-time president and chair of the marketing committee of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association (MCVGA). He served as director and chair of the marketing committee for the Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Association (PRWCA).

    In 2007, UC Davis honored Lohr with its Award of Distinction, and the California State Fair presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The following year, 2008, he was named Wine Industry Person of the Year by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. In 2010, Lohr received the Professional Excellence in Oenology Award from the New York Institute of Technology, and in 2011 the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) honored Lohr with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also named the 2011 Volunteer of the Year by the District VI Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and was awarded the 2011 Merit Award from the American Society for Enology and Viticulture. And, in 2017 Lohr was honored with Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s American Wine Legend Wine Star Award and with Wine Business Monthly’s Innovator of the Year Award.

    To select the recipient of the Rich Smith Distinguished Service Award, all three organizations and the Smith family submitted nominations and, together with the previous winners, John Martini (Anthony Road Winery) and Pete Downs (Family Winemakers of California), made the final selection. It is not required that the recipient be associated with any of the three organizations, just that he or she has made major contributions to the American grape and wine industry while demonstrating qualities consistent with Rich Smith’s memory. The award sponsors and Smith family are proud to honor Rich and encourage a legacy of service worthy of his name.