MAY 10, 2022

Letter from Tom Danowski

Dear Friends, Thanks to everyone who joined us for the April 27 webinar on dealing with the aftereffects of the frost and freeze conditions evident around the state last month. I know some vineyards even experienced snow and persistent cold conditions again last weekend. Here’s the 1:34 recording and the documents shared on the 27th. The follow-up Zoo m is scheduled for Wednesday, May 25 at 2 p.m. Full agenda to follow.

As we enter week two of Oregon Wine Month, we’re seeing solid support from retailers and wholesalers around the country. One example (pictured) is the country’s highest-volume wine and spirits distributor choosing to spotlight Oregon on its e-commerce homepage this month for customers in California and other states. In addition to building momentum for Wine Month, other showcase events are demonstrating the creativity and commitment of our industry members:

Assemblage Founder and Executive Director Rachel Adams along with her team welcomed 250 guests to the revival of their “live and in-person” Symposium in Carlton last week. Attendees heard from a fantastic lineup of presenters and panelists. Learn more and support Assemblage’s work lifting the voices of our underrepresented colleagues in wine.

Assemblage Founder and Executive Director Rachel Adams

The 2022 edition of Hospice du Rhone, which brought Rhone devotees to Paso Robles, also returned to its “live and in-person” format last month. Elaine Chukan Brown (pictured second from right) moderated “Syrah to Rock the World,” a panel starring five winemakers from The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. Pictured from left to right, the winemakers are Steve Robertson, Billo Naravane MW, Sean Boyd, Todd Alexander and, on the right, Deyani Gupta.

Christophe Baron and Elizabeth Bourcier also represented Northeast Oregon during “The Hoofbeats of Tradition,” session focusing on the benefits of draft horse cultivation in their high-density Horsepower Vineyard on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. Finally, mark May 19 at 5:30 p.m. on your calendars to join your friends and neighbors for OSU’s Oregon Wine Research Institute reception in Portland. You can taste experimental wines, learn about new projects, and get the inside story on the new teaching winery under construction in Corvallis. Here are the event details and registration link. P.S. the Oregon Wine Board is hiring a Manager of Insights and Industry Relations. Neil Ferguson currently holds the position but Neil is taking on more consumer marketing responsibilities in addition to those he has handled over the past two months. The Insights role will be focused primarily on the industry’s Vit. and Enology Research program and will also manage OWB’s communications with growers, winemakers, and other stakeholders.

Tom Danowski President

Marketing

Oregon Wine Month 2022 Educational Webinar Series

Trade and industry members are invited to join OWB Director of Education, Bree Stock MW, who will explore all of Oregon’s dynamic growing regions. The masterclass webinars take place each Monday at 2 p.m. PST. Register through our Wine Month toolkit or below: Webinar 1: Oregon Overview (RECORDING) – April 4 – 2 p.m. PST Webinar 2: Willamette Valley AVAs (RECORDING) – April 11 – 2 p.m. PST Webinar 3: Portland Urban Wineries (RECORDING) – April 18 – 2 p.m. PST Webinar 4: Rogue Valley AVAs (RECORDING) – April 25 – 2 p.m. PST Webinar 5: Umpqua Valley AVAs (RECORDING) – May 2 – 2 p.m. PST Webinar 6: Columbia Gorge & Walla Walla AVAs (RECORDING) – May 9 – 2 p.m. PST Webinar 7: Future Farming in Oregon Vineyards – May 23 – 2 p.m. PST

Alaska Airlines Relaunches Promotion of Wines Fly Free Program

As we come out of the pandemic, Alaska Airlines has restarted the promotion of their Wine Flies Free program. There was a recent article in Adweek and look for Wine Flies Free/Oregon Wine Month to be promoted on the Alaska Airlines social media networks on May 25. As promotion of Wine Flies Free starts to ramp up, we ask that you:

Remind your tasting room staff about the Oregon Wine Flies Free program and how it works
Check your listing in the tasting room directory to make sure your status as a participating winery is correct

Wine Flies Free is a great sales tool for wine tourists and also provides an opportunity to educate customers on proper packaging of wine for air travel. If you have questions about the program, reach out to Jean Carlon at Alaska Airlines at [email protected].

Share Your Input on the Oregon Wine Tour Guide 2023 Edition

As we move towards the next fiscal year, we are gauging interest from our industry members in the next edition of the Touring Guide, whether print or digital. Please take a moment and respond to the survey questions.

Education

Biodynamic Viticulture 2.0 Seminar Taking Place Aug. 5

The Montinore Estate is hosting an all-day seminar that will offer practical information on effectively implementing Biodynamic practices to achieve results in our vineyards and wineries. Presentations from local and international speakers, panel discussions, and wine tasting will provide attendees insights into the “how to” of Biodynamic practices to produce better grapes and wine. The $100 attendance fee includes lunch, and the event is limited to 50 attendees. Please send inquiries to [email protected].

Press and Media

Food & Wine Provides Expansive Guide to Oregon Pinot Noir

Ray Isle dedicates an entire article to Oregon Pinot noir, recommending “16 Great Pinots for Springtime Pouring” across a range of price points. In addition to mentioning wineries like Brandborg Wine in the tiny Elkton Oregon AVA, King Estate, Elk Cove, and many more, Isle also recommends lodging and dining options across the Willamette Valley.

Forbes Draws Attention to Southern Oregon Wineries

Katie Chang puts the emphasis on Southern Oregon, saying “Oenophiles are also in for a treat, as the area lays claim to over 150 wineries” in her recent article Natural Wonders, Hip Wineries, And Charming Inns Await In Southern Oregon.

Influencer Shares Guide to Oregon Side of Walla Walla Valley

A recent media tour to Oregon and Washington netted this article by Paige Comrie, a blogger and influencer with almost 30K Instagram followers who fully got Oregon’s role in our shared AVA of Walla Walla Valley.

Media Opportunities: Calls for Wine

Paul G on Wine Paul G seeks White Pinot noir for a future post to be published on Paul G on Wine. Deadline is May 14. Learn more Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine The Connoisseur’s Guide needs more Oregon Pinot noir for a special segment devoted to Oregon. They have extended the deadline to May 16 in hopes of receiving 20 or so more bottles from producers. Learn more

Research

May 2022 Weather and Climate Forecast

Dr. Greg Jones recently published an updated weather and climate summary and forecast. This report looks back at April conditions and forecasts conditions for May, June, and July.

Northwest Center for Small Fruit Research’s Annual Conference Taking Place Nov. 14-16

Save the date! The NCSFR’s Annual Conference will be held from Monday, Nov. 14 to Wednesday, Nov. 16 at the Red Lion Columbia Center in Kennewick, WA. A room block is open for hotel reservations now, and more details will be posted later this month. Attendees can call (509) 783-0611, mention the conference, and get the room block rate.

Opportunities

Register to Pour at Crush On Oregon – June 5 in Portland

Crush On Oregon, presented by the Oregon Winegrowers Association (OWA), is now open to all interested Oregon wineries. Register by Friday, April 29, to pour at this walkaround consumer tasting event on June 5 in Portland. Spaces will be allocated first-come, first-serve, so reserve your spot today. See more details in this email from OWA.

Other News

OLCC Invites Wineries to Use Online Privilege Tax Portal

As the result of House Bill 2150, which was requested during the 2017 legislative session, OLCC’s Oregon Privilege Tax Online (OPTO) is a way for businesses who are required to file privilege taxes to submit their documentation and pay their fees through a web-based portal. Some license types are already reporting in the new system. OLCC will be onboarding wineries in the coming months. OLCC wants to work with the wine industry to make sure our partners are trained and prepared when the time comes to start reporting in the new online system. Learn more

Upcoming Events

Industry event calendar | Consumer event calendar | Post an event

Growing Season Townhall – Spring 2022

Register to attend

May 25

OWB Board Meeting

Walla Walla/Milton-Freewater (Venue TBD) June 9

All-industry Forum