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NEWS FOR JULY 21, 2020

Marketing
Research
Education

Opportunities
Other News
Upcoming Events

LETTER FROM TOM DANOWSKI

Dear Friends,

This is the fifth and final reminder that the governor’s Executive Appointments Office is accepting application materials from wine industry members interested in serving on the Oregon Wine Board of Directors. The July 31 deadline is just ten days away. Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about Board service along with instructions on submitting the interest form and other required information.

Next Friday, July 31 is also the final day to lock in discounted national ad space in Wine Spectator’s October 15 edition. The price reduction for Oregon wineries, and the opportunity to buy a more affordable fractional ad page, are the result of OWB’s negotiated commitment to this ongoing co-op program offering a chance to reach the Spectator’s three million fine wine buying consumers. Although electronic ad files are not due for a couple more weeks, be sure and contact Marissa Barker right away for more information and to confirm ad space.

Another OWB advertising program leverages our partnership with Travel Oregon and highlights the Oregon Vine Perks summer promotion. Travel Oregon helps us build awareness for OWB programs by inserting reminders like this one at no charge in e-newsletters sent to approximately 125,000 consumers.

While we understand the need for sensitivity and common sense in communication about wine country re-openings, Oregon Vine Perks helps remind everyone that curbside pick-up, delivery or tasting room takeaway purchases are still smart options. Wineries can still sign up anytime to participate in Oregon Vine Perks for free.

If you’ve had the same trouble we’ve had finding time to sort through all the valuable webinars being offered, I’ll point out two that deserve a look:

The first rolled out last month courtesy of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. It’s entitled “Best Practices for Reopening Oregon Restaurants, Venues and Wineries.” It runs about an hour and includes a cameo from the OWB’s Kai McMurtry at the 17-minute mark leading into a Travel Oregon presentation, which is followed by some thoughtful insights from Tracy Timmins with the Stoller Wine Group around the 44th minute;
The other, delivered July 9 by SOVOS ShipCompliant, also lasts just over an hour and focuses on “The Off-Premise & DtC Landscape in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond.” It includes guest speakers from Nielsen and Wines Vines Analytics.

And although 2021 seems a long way off, we wanted to alert you that the OWB’s education committee has been at work since early in the lockdown examining contingencies and exploring the best ways to present next year’s Oregon Wine Symposium. The committee’s volunteers are designing an alternate-format event that maximizes participation opportunities and minimizes travel expenses. Since an industry gathering similar to the ones we’ve grown accustomed to is increasingly unlikely, we expect to deliver next year’s event virtually. We’ll soon have more details on the sessions, guest speakers and all the other popular elements of the Symposium. For now, mark your calendars for Feb. 16-19, 2021.

Tom Danowski
President

MARKETING

Order Copies of Oregon Wine Touring Guide

Now is a great time to keep Oregon wine country visitation top of mind with the complimentary Oregon Wine Touring Guide. Whether on display in tasting rooms or included in club shipments, the 2019-2020 Oregon Wine Touring Guide will inspire people to come (back) to Oregon wine country. Cases of 40 copies can be ordered here.

Wine Spectator 2020 Co-op Advertising Opportunities | Deadline: July 31

Wine Spectator is offering cooperative advertising opportunities in its Oct. 15 issue, providing exposure in the magazine at a more affordable price than standalone advertising. Participation is first-come, first-served, and only a few spaces remain available.

RESEARCH

OWB-Sponsored Research Update: Grapevine Response to Soil Moisture under Drying Seasonal Conditions

Dr. Patty Skinkis, professor and viticulture extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University, has prepared an update about research she is conducting to determine vine water status, growth, and berry development response to weather and soil moisture conditions among different soil types throughout the season.

Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research Announces Newly Funded Projects

The Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research has just announced its 2020-21 funded projects list. After a thorough review of applications by industry members and researchers, 26 projects were selected for funding. The NCSFR team thanks the peer review panelists for volunteering their time to participate in this year’s funding decisions.

July 2020 Weather and Climate Forecast

On July 3, Dr. Greg Jones of Linfield University published an updated weather and climate summary and forecast. This report looks back at June conditions and forecasts conditions for July, August and September.

Survey Request: Understanding the Impact of Climate Change on Evaporation During Barreling | Deadline: July 31

Masters students in the Food and Resource Economics program at the University of British Columbia are conducting a study among U.S. wineries to understand how predictions from climate change modeling could potentially impact “angel share” evaporation of wine during barreling. As a thank you, the research team will share aggregate feedback with wineries that participate in the study, which should take less than 5 minutes.

EDUCATION

Webinar: Inclusion and Equity Initiatives that Create Long-term Sustainable Growth | July 22

On July 22, Travel Oregon and ORLA will present a webinar examining topics of social justice and why sustainable growth in tourism is dependent on DEI initiatives. With a focus on strategic partnerships, a panel will share stories of how they have created beneficial change for themselves and their communities, and why these initiatives have become a business imperative for those looking for long-term sustainable growth.

Webinar: Destination Marketing and COVID-19: Planning for Oregon’s Tourism Recovery | July 23

Join Travel Oregon on July 23 for a webinar aimed at ensuring Oregon’s tourism industry has clear understanding of how to leverage Travel Oregon and DMO recovery efforts through destination marketing. Learn about trends and forecasts in destination marketing, hear about how Travel Oregon is preparing for recovery, and see examples of how businesses are working to safely welcome back visitors.

Vineyard Steward Education from AHIVOY and Chemeketa

AHIVOY (Asociación Hispana de la Industria del Vino en Oregon y Comunidad) has collaborated with Chemeketa Community College to develop a professional training program for current vineyard stewards. In addition to enrolling vineyard stewards for the 2021 class, they are also seeking industry professionals interested in contributing to instruction.

OPPORTUNITIES

Prepping for Harvest Industry Forums | Thursdays at 10 a.m.

The Willamette Valley Wineries Association is hosting weekly calls for vineyard and winery teams to discuss particular questions and concerns related to harvest 2020 in the COVID-19 environment. Links to recordings from previous calls as well as registration for the next meeting on Thursday can be found in the Prepping for Harvest Toolkit Google doc. These calls are open to all interested industry members.

Apply to the Oregon Wine Board of Directors | Deadline: July 31

The Executive Appointments staff at the governor’s office are accepting applications from industry members interested in joining the Oregon Wine Board of Directors for a three-year term starting Jan. 1, 2021. Learn more about Oregon Wine Board service and submit your application by July 31.

OTHER NEWS

COVID-19 Photography Best Practice and Call for Photos

The OWB recently published a reminder that photography posted to social media should feature current health and safety practices to ensure expectations are set for visitors. Wineries that have photography featuring staff or customers in face coverings, practicing physical distancing, or other measures are invited to share their photos for use in the OWB’s communications channels.

Update on Wine Advocate Review Process

Due to COVID-19, Wine Advocate Reviewer Erin Brooks will not be traveling to Oregon this summer as she normally does. Instead, she will soon begin planning her call for wines, requesting shipments to her home in Napa where she’ll taste and review them. Stay tuned for more.

Partners in Diversity

Partners in Diversity is a Portland based non-profit that aims to connect professionals of color with employers in Oregon. In light of the commitment many Oregon wine businesses have recently made to diversify their business, membership may be of interest. Benefits include access to a network of Oregon-based professionals of color.

Post Harvest Jobs on the OWB Marketplace

The Marketplace on the OWB industry website is frequently used by producers to post grapes, bulk wine and equipment for sale. Did you know it can also be used to post job opportunities? If you have harvest internship jobs—or others—available, post them to the Marketplace so we can spread the word to other organizations that might know of good candidates.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The OWB’s industry website hosts a calendar that includes industry-facing events as well as events with significant industry participation. Consult it when scheduling or rescheduling events to avoid conflicts, and don’t forget to post entries as well.

Links to post to both the industry calendar and the OWB’s consumer-facing calendar can be found here.

August 11

OWB Board Meeting

TBD

August 11-13

Willamette: The Pinot Noir Auction

Online

August 17-23

Oregon Wine Experience

Jacksonville

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Grapevine Newsletter July 21 2020