Thank you again to those of you who attended our regional and virtual Strategic Planning Listening Sessions last month. Your ideas and feedback continue to guide us as we enter the next phase of the process for building the 2025-2030 OWB Strategic Plan. We look forward to sharing our progress with you in the coming months.
As we look ahead to May, we can’t wait to celebrate Oregon Wine Month alongside all of you as we kick off what is sure to be an exciting season full of events and adventures in Oregon wine country.
Read on to learn about the release of the new Oregon Wine Film as well as upcoming industry events, calls for wine and requests for your participation in brief surveys focused on helping support our industry.
Sincerely,
Your OWB Team
News & Updates
Your Oregon Wine Board team is working closely with our industry partners within Oregon and across the world to determine the impacts of the impending tariffs on our industry. We will continue to monitor the situation and meet with buyers, importers and agents of Oregon wine to provide support and communication. Below is an update on what we know at this time, and what we have been working on regarding this matter.
Oregon
The Governor’s office has assembled a task force to discuss the impacts of the tariffs on some of the largest agricultural industries in the state
Business Oregon has put out a survey to agricultural producers to determine the financial impact the tariffs are already having on Oregon businesses
Canada
All of the cooperating U.S. wine regions and their in-market Canadian contractors are meeting frequently to provide united messaging to the industry, provincial governments, and buying monopolies
There has been no indication thus far that the provincial governments will reverse their decision to take U.S. alcohol off the shelves at this stage
The Canadian agents are working together and have had meetings with the provincial governments to talk about the negative impact this has had on their businesses
General
OWB is working closely with CWI and the Washington State Wine Commission (WSWC) on messaging and strategy
OWB has been monitoring the situation in all of our target export markets, including meeting with monopoly buyers in Europe, to continue the long-standing positive relationships and we have offered support if needed
OWB is continuing with its scheduled programming (outside of the Canadian market), in order to continue to support importers and the wine trade in key markets
Contact your Members of Congress
The Oregon Winegrowers Association, a statewide advocacy organization representing Oregon growers and winemakers in Salem and Washington, DC, is communicating with policymaking about the harmful impact of tariffs on our industry. OWA is a member of the Toasts Not Tariffs Coalition and WineAmerica, where Executive Director Jana McKamey serves on the board of directors. WineAmerica will host its annual Washington, DC fly-in May 6-7 and tariff impacts are high on the list of issues for OWA to discuss with Oregon’s Congressional Delegation. As part of the fly-in, wine associations from around the country will meet with their Congressional Delegations and amplify our impact nationally. Please contact Jana McKamey by May 2 to share how tariffs are impacting your wine business so these experiences can be shared with policymakers. To share your experience directly with your US House and Senate representatives, utilize this Find Your Legislator Tool.
Marketing
OWB Marketing
The Oregon Wine Film is Released!
We’re excited to unveil the Oregon Wine Film, a beautifully crafted video series celebrating the people, places, and passion that define Oregon wine. The series includes a statewide film, along with individual features for each of Oregon’s six winegrowing regions.
Each film is available in two formats: a long-format version and a 30-second cut, making them perfect for sharing on social media, your website, in tasting rooms, or at events. You can view the long-format statewide Oregon Wine Film and regional films now on our website.
Help us spread the word! Share these films with your staff to inspire pride in our industry, and with your customers to deepen their connection to Oregon wine and its diverse regions. All 14 films are available on our YouTube channel now and will be available for download from our Media Library starting in May.
And there’s more – we’re bringing the films directly to consumers during Oregon Wine Month through a variety of exciting placements:
Featured on our Oregon Wine Month website
Digital kiosks in Portland International Airport (all terminals, all month)
Wine section features in 156 Harris Teeter stores
A video ad on the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) Alcohol Server Education online course
Let’s raise a glass to Oregon wine—together!
May is Oregon Wine Month
The 2025 Oregon Wine Month Toolkit is your resource to kick-start your marketing plans and make the most of Oregon Wine Month. We encourage you to register your events and promotions for Oregon Wine Month here, so OWB can help amplify your efforts. Together, let’s celebrate Oregon wine and launch the 2025 wine country tourism season with impact!
Advertising Opportunity: New Oregon Wine Tour Guide
Production of the 2025-2027 edition of the Oregon Wine Touring Guide is underway. This bi-annual publication is designed to inspire travel to Oregon’s wineries and provide practical information about visiting Oregon’s wine regions. If you reserve your ad space by May 20 you’ll save 10% off rates. For more information, contact [email protected] or call 503-445.8830.
Tillamook Event Activation – One Spot Remaining!
As announced in the February Grapevine, OWB is partnering with Tillamook to be part of its Graze & Sip event on Sunday, May 4. Tillamook is interested in partnering with wineries who share their sustainability values and we have one spot remaining to fill for the event. Participating wineries will manage and staff a booth at this event from 11 am – 4 pm. Please direct your interest to Carissa Cook, OWB’s Marketing & Insights Director.
Share & Pair Sundays
Share & Pair Sundays is a Spring-to-Summer campaign that celebrates the delicious marriage of wine and food. The campaign encourages consumers to get together on Sundays to enjoy wine, food, and friends. Share & Pair Sundays will be promoted by the Come Over October team and its sponsors and partners now through May 25. If you haven’t already, now is the time to get in on the fun!
The Oregon Wine Board is a Share & Pair Sundays sponsor, and will continue to showcase food and wine pairings across Oregon, highlighting what makes our state unique. We’ll feature local ingredients and regional flavors, celebrating the distinctive flavors and bounty of Oregon. Be sure to tag us (@oregonwineboard) in your own Share & Pair promotions!
Education
Linfield University to host Wine Business Executive Workshop on May 10
Linfield University’s Center for Wine Education presents the Wine Business Executive Workshop, a high-impact, one-day intensive designed for wine industry professionals navigating today’s business challenges. The workshop features expert-led sessions on sales, marketing, finance and operations, plus interactive breakouts and opportunities for networking in a focused, small-group setting. Full details and registration can be found here, and please contact [email protected] with any questions.
Recording Available: Reducing Vineyard Costs in a Difficult Market
In March, OSU Viticulture Extension brought together viticulture, enology, and wine economics faculty to discuss considerations for farming in a challenging grape market. View the recording of this valuable session.
Last week, the Oregon Winegrowers Association hosted a webinar with Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP to help employers and employees know their rights and responsibilities regarding immigration enforcement. The recording can be viewed here, and a PDF of the documents referenced in the webinar may be downloaded here.
Press and Media
Media Highlights
The Newberg Graphic promoted the 2025 Women in Wine Conference, happening on June 3. Read more.
Cori Solomon spotlighted Umpqua Valley for The Alcohol Professor. Read more.
SIP Magazine highlighted the Dundee Hills 20th Anniversary as an AVA. Read more.
SIP Magazine promoted the upcoming new Savor Southern Oregon event and the wineries it will feature. Read more.
Media Opportunities & Calls for Wine
OWP Cellar Selects – Due on April 22
Oregon Wine Press Cellar Selects | July 2025
Rosé (+SPK)
Send TWO bottles of a SINGLE submission per brand. Please only send two different rosés if you have a second label with a different producer name. Varietal-specific sparkling wine accepted.
Include retail price, and wine must be received by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22. Please drop off or ship your submission(s) by UPS or FedEx only to:
Oregon Lithoprint, Attn: Cellar Selects OWP, 1315 N.E. Miller St., McMinnville, OR 97128
Drop off hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Questions? Contact Michele Francisco.
Paul Gregutt’s Northwest Wine Guide – Ongoing Submission Opportunity
Ship to: Paul Gregutt’s NW Wine Guide
230 West Street Waitsburg, WA 99361. 206-849-7999.
The submission guidelines from Paul are as follows: Please confirm I’m home before shipping. Always include details on case quantities, release dates, retail prices and vineyard sources.
IMPORTANT: You will not be directly notified when reviews are published, so you may want to Subscribe to Paul Gregutt’s Northwest Wine Guide to view the published reviews (there is no cost to subscribe). All submitted wines are tasted; all recommended wines are featured. Please contact Paul with any questions.
Research
Viticulture & Enology
April 2025 Weather and Climate Forecast
Dr. Greg Jones recently published an updated weather and climate summary and forecast. This report looks back at March conditions and forecasts conditions for April, May and June.
Growers: Participate in OWB’s 2025 Vintage Questionnaire
With the current wine and grape market dynamics posing significant challenges to winegrowers around the state, we’re asking all Oregon grape growers to complete a short questionnaire to help us address your needs with relevant education and support. The anonymous questionnaire focuses on three key questions: your approach to farming your vineyards leading up to harvest, how much of your crop is under contract compared to a typical season, and what support would be helpful to you. Please respond by Friday, April 25.
Take the OWB Research Funding Priorities Survey
The Oregon Wine Board’s Strategic Plan for Viticulture and Enology Research guides the development of an annual Request for Proposals (RFP). The Research Committee will be reviewing the priorities for the 2026 RFP this summer and invites industry input on grape growing and winemaking research priorities. Please share your perspective by April 30 through this brief survey. Participants will be entered to win a ticket to the 2026 Oregon Wine Symposium!
2025 Oregon Wine Industry Labor and Salary Report Available
The 2025 Oregon Wine Industry Labor and Salary Report is now available to download. Produced by Dr. Jeff Peterson of Vinum Docet, the report is based on a survey of winery and vineyard operations in Oregon. It provides benchmarking wage and salary information for more than 20 positions. The slide deck also includes several illustrative examples of cost of living comparisons for winegrowing regions, as presented by Dr. Peterson at the regional salary survey presentations in March.
Opportunities
Portland Business Journal – Survey
On May 23, the Portland Business Journal (PBJ) will publish its annual List of the Largest Wineries in Oregon & S.W. Washington, ranked by cases produced during 2024. PBJ’s weekly edition and annual Book of Lists reach over 30,000 readers around the region, and there is no cost to be listed. They would be honored to include your winery in The List. To receive the survey for it, contact Brandon Sawyer, PBJ’s Data Editor, at [email protected] or 503-219-3411 (text or voice) or sign up here.
Budget Planning
OWB FY25-26 Budget Process and Proposed Timeline
OWB’s budget development for FY25-26 is underway. The Annual Business Plan Toolkit includes timelines, dates, budgets, industry input form, meeting registration links, and recordings of public presentations.
We greatly value the input of all OWB stakeholders. You can share your ideas via this form: FY25-26 Budget Planning Ideas. If you would like to have a more in-depth discussion, please reach out to OWB’s Chief Financial Officer, Sally Crawford. The submission deadline to be considered for the FY25-26 budget plan is June 1, 2025.
