December 2019 Newsletter
In this Issue…
Congratulations to the Master Vigneron Academy Class of 2019
Crop Insurance Deadline Approaching
Reminder: CAWG Presents Crop Insurance Webinar Series
Reminder: UCCE Lake & Mendocino IPM Seminar, December 13
2020 California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards
University of California Grape Day: January 21
Gift Ideas for the Holidays
TerrAvion Accelerates Growth
Congratulations to Shannon Ridge
Lake County Wines in the News
Weather & Climate Report
From left to right: Paul Zellman (LCWC Educational Programs Consultant), Óscar Martínez, José González, Gerardo Martínez, Eduardo Jiménez, Carlos Maravilla, Gerardo Ramírez, Broc Zoller (LCWC Chair). Not pictured: Mauricio López, Roberto López, José Sánchez. Click photo for larger image.
Congratulations to the Master Vigneron Academy® Class of 2019
On November 23, the Master Vigneron Academy® (MVA) graduated its eighth class, awarding nine students with the credential of Master VigneronCM. To date, 82 vineyard managers and supervisors have completed the year-long Spanish-language professional development program, gaining insight into many aspects of the wine industry and bringing valuable skills back to their employers.
2019 Graduates
José González, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Mendocino
Eduardo Jiménez, Bella Vista Farming
Mauricio López, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Red Hills
Roberto López, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Red Hills
Carlos Maravilla, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Red Hills
Gerardo Martínez, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Red Hills
Óscar Martínez, Noble Vineyard Management
Gerardo Ramírez, Sutter Home/Trinchero
José Sánchez, JAC Ag Services
The Master Vigneron Academy is the first of its kind anywhere. Created in 2012 by the Lake County Winegrape Commission, the MVA program remains ahead of the curve in recognizing that the key to quality winegrapes and sustainable practices is the professionalism of those in the vineyard.
For program details and applications for the 2020 class, visit the MVA web page. For specific questions about the MVA program, email LCWC Educational Programs Consultant Paul Zellman.
 |
 |
Photos by Karen Pavone. Click each photo for a larger image.
Crop Insurance Deadline Approaching
If you’re considering crop insurance for the upcoming 2020 crop year, remember that crop insurance policies must be signed no later than January 31, 2020. Contact your insurance provider for details.
Reminder: CAWG Presents Crop Insurance Webinar Series
Join CAWG and Pan American Insurance Agency for a series of upcoming webinars discussing the ins and outs of crop insurance. On December 4, Crop Insurance 101 discussed the basics of crop insurance. On December 11, Crop Insurance 102 will discuss what is covered and what is not and answer specific questions about smoke-damaged fruit. Rounding out the series on December 18, Whole Farm Revenue Protection will help growers determine whether crop insurance is a good fit for their operation.
Click the webinar links below to register:
Wednesday, December 4, 10 AM – 11 AM: Crop Insurance 101
Wednesday, December 11, 10 AM – 11 AM: Crop Insurance 102
Wednesday, December 18, 10 AM – 11 AM: Whole Farm Revenue Protection
 |
 |
 |
Reminder: UCCE Lake & Mendocino IPM Seminar, December 13
The 22nd annual Lake & Mendocino IPM Seminar takes place on Friday, December 13:
UC Hopland Research and Extension Center
Rod Shippey Hall
4070 University Road, Hopland
Friday, December 13, 2019
Doors open 7:30 am, Seminar starts at 8:00 am
Catered lunch is provided
Register at https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=28789
Questions? Contact Tannis Boyd at the UCCE Mendocino Office: 707-463-4495 or tlboyd@ucanr.edu
Apply for the 2020 California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards
California vineyards and wineries are encouraged to apply for the 2020 California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards.
The California Green Medal is presented by California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, California Association of Winegrape Growers, Wine Institute, Lodi Winegrape Commission, Napa Valley Vintners, Sonoma County Winegrowers, and The Vineyard Team.
California vineyards and wineries that participate in a sustainability program in California are eligible to apply in four award categories that recognize outstanding achievement in sustainability:
- Leader Award, given to the vineyard or winery that demonstrates success and innovation in all of the below three areas of sustainable winegrowing and inspires others.
- Environment Award, given to the vineyard or winery that best demonstrates Environmental Stewardship through maximized environmental benefits from implementing sustainable practices.
- Community Award, given to the vineyard or winery that is a Good Neighbor & Employer using the most innovative practices that enhance relations with employees, neighbors, and/or communities.
- Business Award, given to the vineyard or winery that best demonstrates Smart Business through efficiencies, cost savings, and innovation from implementing sustainable practices.
Learn more and apply at greenmedal.org
University of California Grape Day: January 21
On January 21, 2020, UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology will present the University of California Grape Day.
The program will cover topics such as rootstock and germplasm evaluation, methods to mitigate heat wave damages, crop load management, and grapevine crop evapotranspiration calculation and irrigation scheduling, along with updates on vineyard sensing and mechanization projects.
Registration opens January 4. For more information, contact Dr. Kaan Kurtural at 707-944-0126 or skkurtural@ucdavis.edu. Or visit the Oakville Station Facebook page.
Gift Ideas for the Holidays
The Lake County Winegrape Commission has a selection of items available for purchase, just in time for holiday gift-giving. Quantities are limited. All prices include sales tax. To purchase in time for the holidays, stop by the Lake County Winegrape Commission during regular office hours, Monday to Thursday 8:30 am – 4:00 pm.
 |
Customized License Plate Frame $15 Jazz up your car or truck with this customized license plate frame. Frame is brushed stainless steel with laser etched text and logo. Hardware hider caps are included. |
| Logo’d Hat $25 Show your support for local farming while keeping your head warm with this authentic Lake County Winegrape Growers hat. |
 |
 |
Logo’d YETI Brand 20 oz. Stainless Steel Tumbler $35 Keep your “cup of joe” at the perfect temperature with this tumbler – all with the quality you expect from YETI. |
| Lake County Wine Region Map $20 A beautiful map of Lake County’s viticultural areas, designed to recall the classic wine maps of Europe. This 20″ x 30″ poster is suitable for framing. Available flat or rolled in a shipping tube. |
 |
 |
“Lake County Wine Guide” $18.65 By Gaye Allen. This book takes a novel approach to the world of wine, using volcanic soil as the overarching theme and link between a wide range of grapes and wine regions – from Alsace and Italy to Chile and Northern California (including a section on the volcanic wines of Lake County). |
| “Volcanic Wines – Salt, Grit and Power” $40 By John Szabo MS. This book is the ultimate reference guide to the wines of Lake County. The geology, soils, grape varietals, AVAs, and history are all graphically explained. The story of each winery and its wine-making philosophy is also documented in great detail, making this the perfect wine touring companion. |
 |
TerrAvion Accelerates Growth
TerrAvion, a leading provider of high-resolution subscription aerial imagery, recently opened a new office in Sonoma to accommodate its rapid growth and a strong focus on supporting viticulture.
TerrAvion Sonoma Office
19238 Highway 12 Sonoma, CA 95476
Local Office: 707-934-8272
Cell: 510-798-3109
For 2020, TerrAvion will be offering three flight schedules for California. Two of these flight schedules are focused on the coastal wine-producing region, with one exclusive Ultra-Premium Napa Country plan for high-end vineyards, and a third one focused on the wine-growing regions in the Central Valley.
In addition, TerrAvion has upgraded its sensor technology to offer an incredible resolution on all its imagery data. The continuous commitment to improvement and advancements is indicative in the new image layers, the Synthetic Color, and the Pansharpened Thermal with astonishing resolution improvement in the thermal imagery data. Read more
Congratulations to Shannon Ridge
Kudos to Lake County winery Shannon Ridge Family of Wines, which continued to garner awards in 2019.
#64 on The Enthusiast 100
For the second year in a row, the Shannon Ridge 2017 High Elevation Collection Petite Sirah was selected by Wine Enthusiast for its annual list of top 100 wines. The wine was rated 92 points by Jim Gordon, who described it as follows:
“This full-bodied, full-flavored wine practically bursts with flavors of cocoa powder, blackberry and blueberry. It is dark, rich and concentrated, supported by a massive layer of fine-grained tannins but not so heavy that one couldn’t drink it now with a nice, juicy cut of meat. Best after 2027.”
Lake County Wines in the News
Congratulations to these Lake County wines, which Wine Enthusiast recently scored 90 points or better:
- Sol Rouge 2015 Syrah (Red Hills): 94 Points, Editors’ Choice
- Sol Rouge 2015 Cinsault (Red Hills): 91 Points
- Prima Materia 2016 Sangiovese: 90 Points
- Prima Materia NV Negroamaro: 90 Points
- Shannon Ridge 2017 Vigilance Chardonnay (Red Hills): 90 Points
Weather & Climate
“The seasonal forecast for December through February points to the bulk of the country likely staying overall mild to warmer than average with wetter than average conditions north and average to drier than average conditions south. The warm North Pacific should boost precipitation totals across the northern states and Canada…”
Download the December weather report (PDF) from Dr. Gregory Jones.
Calendar of Events
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire Crop Insurance Q&A 4:00 pm Wildfire Crop Insurance Q&A Sep 17 @ 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm LCWC is hosting a 30-minute webinar with Pan American Insurance exclusively for Lake County winegrape growers. Thursday, September 17, 2020: 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm Register: http://bit.ly/lcwc-crop-ins-webinar The session will feature details on crop insurance[...] | ||||||
