Winegrape News

Welcome to this edition of the Lake County Winegrape Commission newsletter.

The Commission newsletter is a publication dedicated to keeping our members informed about industry happenings and the Commission's work, meetings, and other events.

To find additional details on many of the topics covered here, as well as other useful information, visit the Lake County Winegrape Commission website, www.lakecountywinegrape.org.

As always, you are invited to comment on the newsletter, the website, or any of the programs of the Commission. Call the Commission office, 707-995-3421, or send an email shannong@lakecountywinegrape.org.

Growers Tackle 'State of Sauvignon Blanc'

FINLEY - Can ice cream and sauvignon blanc be a winning combination? The Lake County Winegrape Commission thought so as it staged the latest in its series of winegrape growers workshops, "The State of Sauvignon Blanc," at the Big Valley Grange during the month of August.

Nearly 40 Lake County growers attended the workshop and were treated to ice cream floats provided by LuLu's Ice Cream of Kelseyville whose owners are also winegrape growers in the Kelseyville area.

The workshop served as a springboard for the Commission's outlined marketing efforts to focus on the growers' sauvignon blanc products. In its budget for 2011-2012, the Commission's Board of Directors allocated funds for public relations and outreach aimed at boosting Lake County's sauvignon blanc industry.

Calling the Aug. 5 workshop a "fact finding" session, presentations were made by Commission President Shannon Gunier, winegrape grower and marketing consultant Dennis Krentz, project coordinator Terry Dereniuk, and social networking consultant Bryan Dias.

Gunier opened the workshop with an overview of the Commission's intent to assist growers and seek more opportunities for grape sales. She presented statistical reports but emphasized that the Commission was hosting the workshop to hear from grape growers about their ideas and thoughts on marketing issues.

Krentz followed with sales and retail information for the growers. Workshop attendees voiced concerns about online sales and wine industry companies that have failed online.

Krentz urged the winegrape farmers to keep up with industry trends and daily happenings by checking several free online newsletters including vinoenology.com, winebusiness.com and wineindustryinsight.com. "It will help you keep current on what winemakers want," he said.

Talking about the "long-term effort" for development of the Big Valley and Kelsey Bench AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), Dereniuk spoke briefly about the marketing work "to put Lake County on the map." She told the group that wineries and consumers want to know where their food - and beverages - are coming from. Questions about the AVAs may be directed to Dereniuk, the Commission president added.

Gunier introduced Dias to the group as the individual who provides a monthly Social networking newsletter to winegrape buying prospects. Dias is proposing a promotion pilot in Lake County that will "work to benefit both the consumer and industry sides," he told workshop attendees. The idea is to start a nonprofit group that would serve as an advocacy group for sauvignon blanc. It would be part of a targeted outreach campaign, said Dias.

Pedro Rubio and Terry Dereniuk Gunier said the Commission is prepared to work with such a group but needs the support of grape growers for the idea "to fly."

Showing posters that proposed a "Summertime in a Glass" slogan, Dias outlined the advocacy possibilities. Attendees were asked to visit summertimeinaglass.org on the worldwide web.

Growers offered suggestions including marketing sauvignon blanc actively by targeting magazines and writers, create a "flavor profile" for Lake County grapes to address a new group of bloggers, and making sure to avoid competing with New Zealand's sauvignon blanc. Gunier said the ideas will be given to the Commission's Marketing Committee.

LuLu's Ice Cream owner Lou Ann Bauer served rootbeer and orange floats to attendees prior to the presentations. Acknowledging and thanking Bauer, Gunier encouraged the group of attendees to "support your local grape growers - in any business they are in."

Message From County Agriculture Commissioner

LAKEPORT -- Kris Eutenier, Deputy Agricultural Commissioner for the County of Lake, reminds all winemakers and other individuals in the wine industry that compliance agreements must be in place BEFORE harvest if they are going to be bringing in any grapes from a European Grapevine Moth quarantine area.

Although only a few moths have been found in Napa, Sonoma, Nevada, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties this year, all areas that were under quarantine last year (Fresno, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Sonoma, and Solano) are still under quarantine.

"If someone is unsure where the grapes are coming from, their grower should know if they are in or out of a quarantine area," said Eutenier.

Incoming grapes need to have compliance agreements with the grower, hauler, winery, green waste hauler and green waste receiver. They can have agreements with other counties and Eutenier's office will accept those for growers and haulers. Receivers and green waste receivers must have compliance agreements with the Lake County Agriculture Department. Quackenbush Compost Co. in Clearlake is now under compliance to receive winery green waste from quarantine areas, Eutenier added.

As an update to the European Grapevine Moth project, Eutenier provided the following information:

Moths have been found in only Napa, Sonoma, Nevada, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties this year. Napa went from hundreds of thousands to under 250 for this year, with only one in the second flight. The rest of the named counties have only found one to four moths this year.

"Fresno, Mendocino and other counties that had moths last year are not finding them so far this year. If they continue with no finds, they should be out of quarantine for the season next year," she said.

"Lake County has remained moth free. Due to budget concerns the trapping program is being reduced from 25 traps per square mile of vineyard to 9 traps per square mile. The Lake County Agricultural Commissioner has determined a few high risk areas that are going to be trapped at a higher density for the rest of this trapping season. The department was very pleased with the compliance follow through of everyone last year. We were at receiving wineries for almost all shipments and found only one truck that was not in compliance. Green waste was handled and disposed of without risk to our grape industry.

"CDFA and affected counties have not only worked with wineries receiving grapes and affected growers, but have been working with homeowners on either treating grapes or removing bunches. They are now in the process of finishing up second bloom grapes in those areas. They have had pretty good reception with the local communities with only a few refusals. Court warrants are being obtained to complete treatment on those properties. At this time, the possibility of eradication of this pest is very much a possibility. The reduction in Napa alone from 100,000 moths in the first flight last year to 100 this year is just remarkable. This is being proven not only by trap counts, but by physical, boots on the ground, searching in the vineyards. So, kudos to all of us for the efforts to maintain the high standards of cleanliness in the vineyards, equipment and wineries; it really works."