Don’t forget! The Early Bird discount period ends in one week. Register by Jan. 15 for the best available prices on your Full Access ticket to the 2019 Oregon Wine Symposium.
LETTER FROM EUGENIA KEEGAN
Greetings and Happy New Year to colleagues and friends in our Oregon Wine Industry. I am looking forward to spending 2019 as your Oregon Wine Board Chair.
My move to Oregon progressed slowly as I fell in love with one of the industry originals, David Adelsheim. Twenty years later we continue to make our home in Newberg, now on the original Adelsheim Vineyard planting, Quarter Mile Lane. While David managed his eponymous winery, I moved my career in winegrowing and small winery management to the spectacular Willamette Valley. I love my current role as the Oregon general manager for Jackson Family Wines.
As I enter my third year as an Oregon Wine Board Director and now your Chair, I could not be more excited and proud of the work that is being done at the OWB, both tactically and strategically.
Our mission is to promote Oregon wines through education, marketing and research. Research continues to be a key priority as we move forward facing the many environmental and economic challenges coming our way. This past year the research committee took two days with 20 of the industry’s most engaged colleagues in viticulture and enology and an outstanding facilitator to step back and reimagine the broadest needs of our industry, and then distill those needs down to a five year action plan with a provision for mandated updates. The results of this work will be unveiled five weeks from today at the Oregon Wine Symposium. Many thanks to outgoing Chair John Pratt and the industry’s research committee headed by Director Jason Tosch and former Director and Chair David Beck.
This retreat was so successful that we have extended this strategic review process to the Marketing and Communications portion of our charter. Led by Director Donna Morris and former Director and Chair Steve Thomson, an august group of industry leaders started meeting in 2018 and will continue into 2019 working on an updated five to ten year strategic plan for our Board and staff.
And of course, we continue to pursue the highest education and dissemination of new ideas and practical solutions during our two-day Oregon Wine Symposium held again this February in Portland. It is not only a fantastic opportunity to learn and engage but a great opportunity to network and renew long-standing friendships.
The OWB’s outstanding staff and management and your Directors are here to serve you! Please reach out to any and all with ideas and concerns.
Here’s to an exceptional and prosperous 2019!
Onward,
Eugenia Keegan
Chair, Oregon Wine Board
OREGON WINE SYMPOSIUM
Last Chance for Best Prices | Early Bird Deadline: Jan. 15
The Early Bird discount period for the 2019 Symposium ends on Jan. 15. This is your opportunity to get the best price on Full Access admission. Plus, Oregon Winegrowers Association members receive an additional $60 discount with the code sent Jan. 2.
Viticulture Track Focuses on Vineyard Vitality in a Changing Climate
Nowhere in the wine industry does the changing climate have a bigger impact than in the vineyard. The 2019 Symposium’s Viticulture track offers new insights and strategies to help address threats to the vineyard exacerbated by shifting climatic conditions, including water availability and red blotch disease. Each session features an OWB-sponsored researcher.
Register for Oregon Wine Trail Toronto: April 9, 2019 | Deadline: Jan. 18
The deadline is Jan. 18 to register to join the OWB in April as we return to Toronto, where we will host an Oregon Wine Trail trade and consumer tasting as well as multiple master classes for the trade.
TEXSOM International Wine Awards: Free Shipping | New Deadline: Jan. 25
OWB is partnering with FedEx to provide free FedEx Ground shipping on Oregon entries to the TEXSOM International Wine Awards. Due to the program’s popularity, the deadline has been extended to Jan. 25.
The OWB has compiled a package to support distributors participating in Oregon Wine Month this May, offering the tools you need to make the pitch on the Oregon Wine Month Toolkit. Distributors interested in participating in Oregon Wine Month 2019 must complete the Distributor Commitment Form by Feb. 1.
Van Duzer Corridor AVA Materials Now Available on the Resource Studio
With the new Van Duzer Corridor AVA becoming official on Jan. 13, we’ve added a map and presentation materials for Oregon’s 19th AVA to the Oregon Wine Resource Studio.
EDUCATION
Webinar: Emerging Insect Pests: Threats to Oregon’s Agriculture, Forests and Plant Trade | Jan. 17
The Oregon Invasive Species Council is offering a free webinar on Jan. 17 about key emerging invasive insect threats that could cause significant impacts to Oregon’s agriculture, forests and plant trade. Please RSVP.
DTC Wine Sympoisum in Concord, CA | Jan. 23-24
The annual DTC Wine Symposium, hosted by Free the Grapes!, offers two days of thought-provoking keynote speakers and practical workshops focused on the DTC marketplace.
RESEARCH
Participate in the Linfield College 2018 Oregon Wine Industry Labor Survey | Deadline: Jan. 15
Linfield College is conducting its second annual Oregon Wine Industry Labor Survey, and requests participation from vineyard and winery managers around the state prior to Jan. 15. Results will be presented at the Oregon Wine Symposium.
Register for OWRI Grape Day | April 3
Join OWRI at Oregon State University in Corvallis on April 3 for Grape Day, their annual event highlighting research relevant to the Oregon wine industry. The event provides industry members with an opportunity to network and discuss research with OSU researchers and invited speakers. Register by March 3 for Early Bird pricing.
January 2018 Weather and Climate Forecast
On Jan. 2, Dr. Greg Jones of Linfield College published an updated weather and climate summary and forecast. This report looks back at December conditions and forecasts conditions for January, February and March.
CALLS FOR WINE
Share Your Stories with Paul Gregutt of Wine Enthusiast
Paul Gregutt of Wine Enthusiast magazine wants to hear from Oregon winemakers more regularly. He says, “by so doing, wineries become eligible for in-person visits and inclusion in many other features and stories.”
2019 Women’s Farm to Food Business Competition | Deadline: Jan. 31
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, in conjunction with Oregon and Washington’s Departments of Ag, invites applications into its 2019 Women’s Farm to Food Business Competition. Women entrepreneurs from Oregon and Washington will compete for a total of $40,000 to help them launch, grow or scale their businesses.
Wine Spectator 2019 Advertising Opportunities
Wine Spectator is offering three cooperative advertising opportunities in 2019, providing exposure in the magazine at a more affordable price than standalone advertising. Up to nine first-come, first-served spaces are available per issue.
2019 Specialty Crop Block Grant Cycle Open | Deadline: Jan. 31
The ODA is accepting proposals for the 2019 Specialty Crop Block Grant program, with applications due at noon on Jan. 31. Requests for letters of support to accompany applications are due to the OWB by Jan. 15.
OTHER NEWS
OWA Annual Meeting: Jan. 30 (RSVP Requested)
The Oregon Winegrowers Association will hold its annual meeting on Jan. 30 followed by a legislative reception. This is a great opportunity to learn about OWA’s 2019 legislative priorities, compliance issues and member benefits, and to share industry goals and concerns with decision-makers.
2018 Vintage Report for North Willamette Valley
On Jan. 3, Dr. Greg Jones of Linfield College published a summary of the 2018 vintage, derived from weather and phenological observations from 12 locations across the north Willamette Valley.
Oregon Wine History Archive Publishes Nearly 300 Video Interviews
Congratulations to Rich Schmidt and his team at the Oregon Wine History Archive at Linfield College, who recently published 290 videos as part of their oral histories initiative. The short videos each focus on one of 26 themes and span the entirety of the state’s winegrowing regions. Production of these videos was made possible in part by a series of grants from the OWB and TOWER, the Trust for Oregon Wine Education and Research.
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