April 2025 Newsletter
In This Issue…
REMINDER: Register Now for Momentum 2025
REMINDER: Weather Forecast Service and Custom Dashboards
Lake County Wines in the News
Grape & Wine Marketplace
Weather & Climate Report
Affiliate Sponsor: Vineyard Industry Products
Affiliate Sponsor: PG&E
Affiliate Sponsor: Wine Industry Network
REMINDER: Register Now for Momentum 2025
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wine reception to follow.
Soper Reese Theatre
275 S. Main St., Lakeport
This popular wine industry seminar is tailored for Lake County winegrape growers, wineries, and trade professionals.
Keynote Speaker
David Glancy, MS, Founder of San Francisco Wine School
Positioning Lake County Wine in a Crowded Market
Master Sommelier David Glancy will present his thoughts on how Lake County can “be the solution” that sommeliers, retailers, and consumers need. Hear his top 10 ideas for selling what you have and preparing for future challenges.
Program
Lake County Pruning School Showcase
- Jonathan Walters, Vice President of Vineyard and Winemaking Operations, Brassfield Estate
- Andres Mendez, Viticulturist, Trinchero Family Estates
- Jett Johansson, Vine Master Pruners, Simonit & Sirch
- Padraic Sherlock, Vineyard Manager, Beckstoffer Vineyards – Red Hills
Vineyard Trellising: The Fluctuating Cost of Goods and Availability, Sunni Ashley, Owner, Vineyard Industry Products
Soil, Water, and Wine: How LCRCD Supports Climate-Smart Vineyard Management, Noah Cornell, Soil and Water Specialist, Lake County Resource Conservation District
Market-Driven Trends & Innovation – Discussion & Tasting
- Joy Merrilees, Vice President of Production, Shannon Family of Wines
- Bruce Regalia, Director of Winemaking and Viticulture, Wild Diamond Vineyards
- Scott Kirkpatrick, Director of Winemaking/General Manager, Dancing Crow Vineyards
No fee to attend, but registration is required. Premium seating is limited. Reserve your spot ASAP.
Premium Seating | Includes Technical Tasting
Balcony Seating | No Technical Tasting
REMINDER: Maximize Weather-Based Decisions with Local Forecasting and Customizable Dashboards
Lake County growers have access to a robust weather station network operated by Western Weather Group that provides a wealth of weather data, including daily weather forecasts, springtime frost forecasts, powdery mildew stress index, enhanced radar images, 30- and 90-day weather outlooks, and much more.
Choose from several ways to access these timely, detailed weather forecasts and in-depth weather reports:
- To receive Lake County daily weather forecasts directly in your e-mail inbox from Western Weather Group, simply fill out the form on the LCWC website.
- For more detailed weather station info and updated satellite imagery, be sure to bookmark the Lake County page on Western Weather’s web site.
Funding for these weather services is made possible in part by American AgCredit and LCWC, in collaboration with the Lake County Fruit Frost District.
Step-by-Step Guide: Weather Dashboard Tutorial
Western Weather offers the ability to create a customizable dashboard and has provided this introductory video showing some of the key data and how to navigate to specific reports.
In addition to weather updates from Western Weather Group, the LCWC website also links to monthly weather reports from renowned wine climatologist and terroirist Dr. Gregory V. Jones. His reports, which are issued during the growing season, include a summary of recent weather conditions and trends with forecasts for the coming months.
In the News
What to Know About 6 Newly Proposed AVAs
Editor’s note: This article appeared on SevenFiftyDaily.com.
Mount St. Helena-Lake County AVA, California
North of Mount St. Helena in Lake County, California, this proposed 4,000-acre AVA is protected from oceanic influences by the eponymous mountain and Cobb Mountain. Grapes are cooled during the day by southwesterly winds from the Mayacamas Mountains, while diurnal temperature swings widely due to the 1,100 to 1,400 feet of elevation, which helps retain acidity. At 40 inches, the region receives the most annual precipitation of Lake County, mostly in winter, which offsets scarce summer rain and a lack of productive wells. Soils blend quaternary alluvions from the Putah Creek with mineral-rich volcanic ash and serpentinite, which controls vigor.
“It’s an ideal environment for Petite Sirah to develop concentrated flavors, robust tannins, and deep color,” says Andre Gueziac, the vintner for Domaine Helena, who acquired a ranch in the area in 2021 and filed the petition for the AVA. “Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are also well adapted and develop small, thick-skinned berries from the near-dry farming.”
Collayomi Valley AVA, California
The region’s volcanic geology sets this proposed AVA apart from other growing areas in Lake County. Lying between the volcanic fields of Clear Lake and Sonoma and encompassing much of the original Rancho Collayomi land grant, Collayomi Valley has a terroir that’s impacted more by the Mayacamas Mountains to the west and a 1,200-foot elevation line to the south than the lake’s cooling influence. Most promising are big reds, according to Monica Rosenthal, the co-proprietor of R Vineyards, which thrive in the rocky volcanic soils and summer breezes.
“The wines are full bodied, rich in varietal flavor, and have balanced structure, tannins, and profiles,” says Rosenthal. “Cabernet Sauvignon has notes of black cherry and espresso, Cabernet Franc can be big and expansive yet graceful, and Petite Sirah has a core of firm tannins and acidity with currant, black cherry, and cracked pepper.”
The Burj Khalifa of Lake County: Brassfield Estate Winery
Editor’s note: This article appeared in The Somm Journal.
“In terms of terroir, Brassfield Estate Winery’s 2019 Perspective Syrah, blended with roughly 8% Viognier, is certainly unique: Overlooking Clear Lake and Mount Konocti, its eponymous vineyard in Lake County is set on well-drained, volcanic Franciscan series soils just under 3,000 feet above sea level—“to be precise, the same height as the tip of the [Dubai skyscraper] Burj Khalifa,” said Brassfield Estate Winery general manager Jonathan Walters. “There are no vineyards 5 miles to the west of it, about 100 miles to the north of it, about 2 miles to the east of it, and another 5 to the south, so this is a very isolated site. . . . It’s quite high—probably 1% of vineyards are planted at this elevation.”
Read full issue. This article begins on page 64 and features David Glancy, the Keynote Speaker for Momentum 2025, who also moderated the “Technique or Terroir?” panel at SommCon 2024.
Marketplace
In the market for bulk wine? Visit the Marketplace page of the LCWC website for an up-to-date list of Lake County bulk wine, grapes, and vines available for sale.
LCWC recently distributed this buyer guide and printed lists of available grapes and bulk wine for sale. Please feel free to download and share the file.
Weather & Climate
View April Report from Dr. Gregory Jones.
Affiliate Sponsor: Vineyard Industry Products
Affiliate Sponsor: Wine Industry Network
Wine Industry Sales Symposium – Exclusive Lake County Winegrape Commission Discount!
The Wine Industry Sales Symposium is your opportunity to gain actionable insights and expert strategies to grow wine sale and profits. Learn how to leverage AI forecasting, smart shipping solutions, and branding techniques to stay competitive in a changing market. This year’s event covers current consumer trends, media strategies, wine club growth, wholesale success, social media tactics and more!
Attendees will leave with practical takeaways they can immediately apply—whether it’s optimizing customer retention, enhancing guest experiences, or improving marketing efforts. Plus the many opportunities to connect with industry leaders, winery owners, and sales professionals to expand your network and explore new business opportunities.
Enjoy an exclusive discount with promo code LCWC2025 and Register for WISS today!
Affiliate Sponsor: Pacific Gas & Electric
Right Tree, Right Place Program
Learn how to keep communities safe by planting safely near powerlines and pipelines.
