The Buyer: Building Vineyard Biodiversity to Combat Climate Emergency
Walk into a vineyard and what do you see? Vines and soil, sun and sky. This is a snapshot of place, a moment in the vineyard’s lifetime. The ecosystem here is influenced by a myriad of factors. Some work over eons — building the bedrock, for example — and some change daily. Taken together, these slow and fast factors dictate the suitability of any given Vitis to place.
Wine Business Monthly: Off-Target Herbicide Drift Threatens Vineyards Across the U.S.
In 2018-19, Joe Juniper, owner of Vermilion Valley Vineyards and Ohio Vineyard Management, lost 5 acres of vines due to off-target drift. That’s because grapevines — from canopy to cluster — are readily affected by drift from the herbicides commonly used on their neighbors’ field crops.
Wine Searcher: Democracy In A Glass: The Return of Moldovan Wine
This tiny country, nestled between Ukraine and Romania, is the smallest in Europe. It's a good bet most Americans have dim knowledge of it, to say nothing of its wine. Yet since 1992, the US has provided more than $1.5 billion in assistance to Moldova, pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into rebuilding their wine industry.
Forbes: Yarra Valley Wine Growers Embrace Phylloxera Infestation As An Opportunity To Prepare For Climate
“Phylloxera is having a significant impact in the Yarra Valley,” laments Sandra de Pury of Yeringberg Winery, “Despite the best efforts of wineries and organizations to contain it, the louse is now found in the majority of the region.”
Wine Enthusiast: The ‘Monumental’ Role Soil Microbes Play in Wine
Soil science is rapidly evolving in the understanding that the community of microorganisms living in soil, called the biome, play a monumental role in both vine health and wine quality.
A heathy biome faces many threats. Yet, conscientious winegrowers around the world are combating these threats in a multitude of ways to insure quality wine.
Forbes: The Women Who Breathe Life Into The Petaluma Gap AVA
“It takes a lot to birth an AVA,” explains Ana Keller, Estate Director of Keller Estate in Petaluma, California, speaking of Petaluma Gap, designated an American Viticultural Area (AVA) December 7, 2017, “but it’s not surprising a dynamic group of women took up this charge—as women, we are used to being an underdog, having to fight harder for a seat at the table.”
Wine Enthusiast: The People and Lands of Chile’s Indigenous Wine Movement
Long shut off from land and resources, some Indigenous communities find a path in the wine industry.
Forbes: What’s The Deal with Orange Wine?
“I think the idea of orange wine is really interesting—a white wine with lots of structure that pairs with richer foods and ages well,” shares Brook Bannister, winemaker of Bannister Wines.
Wine Searcher: Uco Valley: Winemaking on the Edge
November in Argentina's Uco Valley is hot – temperatures hover around 90F; 3500 feet above sea level, at the base of the Andes Mountains, the relentless sun applies its finishing touches on the grapes phenolic and sugar ripeness prior to harvest. Coupled with infinitesimal rainfall, less than 10 inches annually, the valley is a mountain desert.
Forbes: Smashing Misconceptions About White Wine
“The overall perception of white wines in the U.S really bothers me,” declares Sue Tipton, owner and winemaker of Acquiesce Winery, Lodi. “White wines are priced lower, often treated like second class citizen at most wineries.”
Forbes: Is The Future Of Wine In The Can?
Until recently, popping the top on an ice cold can of wine wasn’t my thing—but after being inundated with sample requests and social media recommendations, I decided to give a few canned wines a try. Much to my surprise, the quality wines I tasted thwarted my wine snobbery, prompting further investigation into this growing category.
Wine Searcher: New Burgundy Level Adds to the Chaos
As Burgundy prices continue to rise, the Bureau Interprofessional des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB) continues seeking ways to delineate terroir-driven quality wines at more affordable price points.
Wine Business Monthly: Third Times The Charm: Texas Legislature Passes New Wine Labeling Law
A labeling law designed to guarantee authenticity of Texas wine-authored by a Republican, with three Democrat joint authors-slid through and was signed by the governor into law. For six years this issue has been mired in controversy, splintering the industry into two factions: those who believe all wines labeled "Texas" should be crafted of 100% Texas-grown grapes, and those who feel there should be some "wiggle room" to source grapes from outside the state.