If you missed our earlier announcements about the OWB’s latest tourism meetings at which new learning was shared specific to individual regions, click here for reports prepared by researchers at the University of Oregon for the Umpqua Valley, Rogue Valley and Columbia Gorge AVAs. Data for Willamette Valley, captured and summarized by Destination Analysts in partnership with the Willamette Valley Wineries Association, are also available using that link.
Our friends at the University of Oregon have also been busy verifying and summarizing the regional grape pricing data by variety from last fall. We strive to get this report out earlier every year, however it requires sufficient data points from the industry as well as thorough validation in order to be useful. In response to your suggestions, researchers revised the methodology this year to eliminate possible distortions caused by internal grape transfer prices reported by business owners who sell grapes from their vineyard operation at favorable prices to their own wineries. The new report is right here and has been modified slightly since its original publication last week.
This is the final in our series of notices that the industry’s Nominating Committee is accepting applications from those interested in being considered by the Governor for a three-year appointment to the Oregon Wine Board of Directors. Applications for a term beginning Jan. 1, 2020 are being accepted by the committee through next Wednesday, July 31.
Tom Danowski
President
NEWS FROM THE OREGON WINEGROWERS ASSOCIATION
One more bit of good news for our industry from the recently concluded legislative session: the OWA was part of a successful lobbying effort in Salem that helped Oregon State University get a 5.5% increase in its state funding allocation for the College of Agriculture’s Fermentation Science program. Viticulture and enology researchers and their projects are the primary beneficiaries of the College’s fermentation sciences investments.
As some of you may recall, the federal Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2017 includes some tax code changes that offer meaningful benefits to Oregon’s family-owned wine and grape-growing businesses. However, they expire at the end of 2019, so OWA has been working with Wine America and other state-level wine industry organizations over the past several months to get the critical provisions either extended or written into law permanently, including a fix for wine transfers in bond. Work continues to develop language to address tax credits for custom crush producers.
OWA, along with Oregon’s other beverage alcohol producer groups, met with Sen. Ron Wyden’s chief of staff and Senate Finance Committee staff in Portland late last month for an update on the legislative strategy to advance Senate Bill 362, the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2019, which Sens. Wyden and Blunt introduced. We can be cautiously optimistic about its prospects since more than half the members of the House of Representatives and more than two-thirds of U.S. Senators support the bipartisan legislation. We’ll keep you updated on the bill’s progress as we learn more.
MARKETING
Wine Spectator Fall Advertising Opportunity
Wine Spectator is offering cooperative advertising opportunities in December’s Top 100 Wines of the Year issue, providing exposure in the magazine at a more affordable price than standalone advertising. Up to 18 first-come, first-served spaces are available.
RESEARCH
Regional Winery Visitor Profile Research Available
Over the past year, researchers at the University of Oregon have been conducting a study to understand the demographics, attitudes and behaviors of people who visit wineries in three of Oregon’s major wine regions: the Columbia Gorge, Rogue Valley and Umpqua Valley. Presentations from workshops held this spring in each region are now available, as is the presentation on the Willamette Valley sponsored by the WVWA.
OWB-Funded Research Update: Using MLF to Prevent Brettanomyces bruxellensis Spoilage
Dr. James Osborne, associate professor and enology extension specialist at OSU, has prepared an update about research he is conducting to investigate interactions between the wine spoilage yeast Brettanomyces bruxellensis and the malolactic bacteria Oenococcus oeni in order to reduce the risk of wine spoilage.
2018 Preliminary Grape Pricing Report Available (Revised)
The preliminary pricing report for grapes from the 2018 Oregon Vineyard and Winery Survey is available. It includes weighted average prices and median prices by region and variety, as well as minimum and maximum prices per ton to provide a more comprehensive picture of pricing around the state. Note, some figures have been updated since the report was first issued July 15.
July 2019 Weather and Climate Forecast
On July 3, Dr. Greg Jones of Linfield College published an updated weather and climate summary and forecast. This report looks back at June conditions and forecasts conditions for July, August and September.
CALLS FOR WINE
Call for Symposium 2020 Wine Trial Proposals
With harvest on the way, you may be thinking about exploring new winery tools and techniques. If you have an experiment or trial you would like to develop and share at the 2020 Oregon Wine Symposium, contact Scott Dwyer. You may also reach out with an idea for which you need help developing a protocol. The Symposium organizers are searching for three trials, ideally focused on viticulture, enology and a product/tool.
OPPORTUNITIES
Submit Wines to the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition | Entry Deadline: July 31
The OWB team always likes getting to know better the community we represent. Wineries are invited to sign up to share their wines and brand story with us in our office at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. This is a great opportunity for you to get to know our organization better, ask questions and share your suggestions.
OTHER NEWS
JamesSuckling.com Reviews Now Out
Reviews from JamesSuckling.com senior editor Nick Stock, who visited Oregon in May, have been published. Nick says, “It should come as no surprise the wines once again delivered a strong unified impression of rich flavors, structure and balance.” The full Oregon report will be published soon.
