Dear Colleagues,
Shortly after joining the Oregon Wine Board (OWB) a year ago, I set two goals for myself and this role: develop positive working relationships with industry partners and foster a more transparent financial process for our board, our team, and the industry. I believe good progress has been made on both and is the reason I am providing an update today.
I realize budgeting is not exciting for everyone, so, my apologies in advance, but I hope this will be informative on how OWB budgets your money.
All state agencies are mandated to submit an approved budget to the state by April 1 for the upcoming fiscal year, which runs July 1 through June 30. Unfortunately, April 1 does not align well with OWB’s revenue, programs, or planning. To provide a more accurate budget, OWB passes a budget in March followed by revisions in August at the beginning of the fiscal year. As an ongoing exercise, we refine programs for the upcoming year to support the strategic plan and inform the budget.
We start planning and asking for industry input as early as November for the next fiscal year. In January and February, we post budgets and hold public presentations for discussion and industry feedback. A budget is presented to the OWB Board for approval at the March board meeting. This initial budget is fiscally conservative and allows us to meet the State submission deadline of April 1. From April through July, we develop year-end forecasts to understand how we will close out the year, the impact on the next fiscal year, and prepare budget revisions for the August Board meeting.
This year we are extending our public input sessions to include the August budget revisions. We will post a proposed revised budget in early July. The Industry Partnership Committee (IPC) will include a budget discussion during its July 11 meeting. Additionally, a public presentation will be held on July 30 for input (Registration Link). The OWB board will vote on the proposed budget revisions at the Aug. 7 Board Meeting. This revised budget will most accurately represent the programming budget for the fiscal year.
The Annual Business Plan Toolkit includes timelines, dates, budgets, industry input form, meeting registration links, and recordings of public presentations. Meeting notifications are provided to the industry via the Grapevine and specific email announcements.
So how is this year looking to close out?
As you know, we had an abundant harvest and crush in 2023; grape tax revenue is ahead and expenses are on target. This is good news and means we will have additional funds to allocate for the next fiscal year and shore up the “conservative” March budget.
I look forward to sharing details and discussions at the July budget forums. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me directly to me if I can provide more information or clarify our budgeting process. Thank you for working with us to create a process open to ongoing feedback and continual improvement.
Sally Crawford
Chief Financial Officer
Marketing
OWB Marketing
Register for the Oregon Wine Month Recap and Oregon Wine Sales Mid-Year Business Review | July 17 at 11 a.m.
OWB and guests, including veteran beverage consultant Danny Brager, will share results and activations from OWM 2024. In addition, we will inform trade and industry on the mid-year sales business climate for Oregon wines and the greater category. Register here.
Promote Your Events Through OWB
The OWB promotes consumer-facing wine events through its website, Oregon Wine Insider consumer newsletter, and social media channels. Wineries and organizers are reminded to take advantage of this promotional resource to amplify events outreach. While wineries can submit individual events at any time on oregonwine.org, OWB seeks events that include multiple wineries and/or benefit a positive cause to promote on its consumer channels. Event organizers can reach out to [email protected].
Wine Industry Insights
2024 BMO Wine Market Report
This new report has been put together by the U.S. Wine Industry Partnership comprising of BMO wine & spirits group, BW166 and Gomberg, Frederikson and Associates, Wine business Analytics, and Full Glass Research. View report here.
Wine Hits Back at Negative Headlines
The Wine Market Council is leading the charge against pessimistic wine stories about the U.S. market. Learn more.
Andrew Adams, editor of the Wine Analytics Report, and Erin Kirschenmann, managing editor for WineBusiness Monthly reviewed the latest Tasting Room Survey. Conclusions include: volume down by around 5%, wine prices increased, tasting fees are up, and premium wines continuing to outperform the total market. Sarah Brown covered the findings in an article where she provides a perspective from an Oregon winery on the tasting room reservation model. Read more and watch the webinar recording.
Education
OSU Viticulture Extension Free Webinar Series, Vit Now!
Vit Now! is a webinar series from OSU Viticulture Extension offering timely topics to vineyard producers and wine industry professionals. In the first edition titled:Learn how to access information to guide ET-based irrigation scheduling, Dr. Alec Levin will provide crucialinformation for preparing for the irrigation season. Register in advance to receive webinar connection details.
Watch: OWB Viticulture and Enology Funded Research Presentations
On May 14, as part of its commitment to report the results of funded Viticulture and Enology Research to the industry, OWB hosted a webinar where scientists presented their findings. Topics included updates on Rootstock research, grapevine pests, and viruses. On the enology front, we heard about Malolactic Fermentation and Brettanomyces and finally, we learned about the status of establishing a smoke compounds baseline for Oregon. Watch the webinar recording. The presentation decks will soon be made available.
Register for the Virtual Smoke Summit | June 5 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The West Coast Smoke Exposure Task Force is pleased to announce its Annual Smoke Summit. This summit serves as a platform for sharing updates, recent findings, and future initiatives on the impacts of wildfire smoke on the wine industry. The webinar will be recorded, and the link will be shared. Register here.
Wine Business Features ¡Salud! Accessible Healthcare Services Innovations
Established in 1992, ¡Salud! Services is a clinical department of Hillsboro Medical Center, an OHSU Health partner, and a project of the Hillsboro Medical Center Foundation. Its mobile units bring care directly to where migrant vine tenders work – in the vineyards. Services include health, prenatal, dental, vision, and mental healthcare. Read more.
Forbes Explores Southern Oregon’s Wine Industry Appeal
Rogue Valley’s Mediterranean climate has made it an ideal landscape for growing over 50 grape varietals. Wine tasting has become a staple of the region and a major draw for visitors from all over the world. Read more.
Decanter Shares List of 30 Top American Syrahs
Syrah is still the underdog of American wine despite some iconic brands. Four wines from the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater made the list, representing more than 13% of Decanter‘s selection for the variety. Read more.
Paste Magazine Invites Readers to Discover The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater
Following her media trip with OWB, writer Kathleen Willcox covered white varieties from the small but increasingly renowned AVA of the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. Read more.
VinePair accepting Merlot (June 12) and Pinot Grigio/Gris (June 18)
VinePair is accepting submissions to be considered for their buy this booze guide. They are looking for Merlot and Pinot Grigio/Gris. They request that wineries not wait until the end of the submission period to send wines. Learn more.
Oregon Wine Press Seeking Stories About Oregon-Grown Grenache
Read the Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research (NCSFR) Newsletter
NCSFR has published the spring edition of its quarterly newsletter, with updates on Pacific Northwest research, news, USDA funding, and personnel. Read the Spring 2024 newsletter here and have future editions sent directly to your inbox by signing up here.
Opportunities
Join the Women In Wine Family
Women in Wine (WiW) Oregon invites you to join as they grow and expand their reach. Membership with WiW provides access and discounts to educational seminars, networking events, and the annual conference in July. You’ll receive access to the video library from past events and much more. Memberships are valid for one year after purchase. Scholarships and payment plans are available. Please reach out with any questions: [email protected].
The Regenerative Viticulture Foundation (RVF) Launches New Free Self-Assessment Tool
RVF, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a sustainable future for vineyards, growers, and the planet, has launched a guide to practices considered useful in farming vines regeneratively. The new guide is a free online self-assessment tool to help growers recognize the good practices they already have in their vineyards, gauge their level of integration, and discover new practices. View press release.
Submit Wines for The 1976 Judgment of Paris Redo | Deadline June 21
The 1976 Redo pays homage to the spirit of the original 1976 Paris tasting. This new competition will further showcase the incredible wines produced in the U.S. today. Submissions are now open. Any American winery, whether a legacy or young up-and-coming brand, that produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, or Syrah is invited to participate. Learn more.
Other News
IPNC Ending in Current Form
The signature event that helped grow Oregon’s reputation as a Pinot noir leader is ending after nearly four decades. Organizers hope interest in the swan song edition this July will provide a springboard to a fresh event under a new format. BUY TICKETS. Read more.
Sally Crawford
Chief Financial Officer
