Dear Friends,LAST CALL: Get your nominations in this week for the next round of industry awards to be presented in February at the 2024 Oregon Wine Symposium.
Over the past couple of years, the Oregon Wine Board (OWB) has been enhancing Oregon Wine Month (OWM) to help wineries achieve greater impact and to extend the window for programming beyond the month of May. Advance planning is more important now than ever with distributor portfolios more cluttered and direct-to-consumer activity intensifying. So, we held our 2024 Oregon Wine Month kickoff meeting a couple of weeks ago. View the Zoom meeting recording with OWB’s spending details and the ways marketing associations and businesses can jump in early next year.
And save the date, Thursday, Dec. 7 for another OWB webinar. Register here to join our discussion of the OWB’s 2024-25 budget planning process and how you can provide your input. We’ll also have marketing topics on that day’s agenda including a preview of the ways business owners and AVAs can access some of the 1,200 new photos OWB is adding to the industry’s archive for websites, social feeds, and promotional mailings.
For business owners factoring global markets into their 2024 business plans, take a look here at the OWB’s calendar of grant-funded International Marketing events.
If you haven’t heard yet about the Hospice du Rhône coming to the Walla Walla Valley next April, it’ll be a well-deserved showcase for the vineyards and wines coming from every corner of that unique two-state AVA. Sarah Murdoch at the OWB has designed a plan to maximize press attention for growers and winemakers on the Oregon side of the valley and has built a new relationship with the Eastern Oregon Visitors Association to work in concert with us and The Rocks District wineries.
California’s Bottle Bill will involve new registration, reporting, and processing fee payment responsibilities for wineries. Zoom with Kelly Luzania from Davis Wright Tremaine on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 11 a.m. to learn more about future requirements specific to Oregon wineries. Register here.
Finally, click here and let us know if you can join us in person for the Oregon Wine Board of Directors’ upcoming meeting on the morning of Friday, Dec. 1 in Dayton. It’s a great chance to get an insider’s view into Directors’ decision-making about priorities and industry resource allocations. Directors will also be electing the Board’s Executive Officers for 2024 and considering one or two funding requests from associations.
Tom Danowski
President
The Directors of the Oregon Wine Board invite you to share in a celebration of Tom Danowski’s 12 years of service leading the OWB
Tom Danowski is stepping down as Executive Director at the end of the year. In recognition of all that Tom has helped us achieve as a wine industry, we hope you will join us on Friday, Dec. 1 at 4 p.m. at the Stoller Experience Center in Dayton to celebrate Tom and his contributions to Oregon.
A reception with appetizers, a few speeches, toasts, and a look back at Tom’s tenure at the OWB are planned along with good cheer and community. We request that you, or your winery, bring 2 bottles of wine. One is to be shared with guests and the 2nd to be gifted to Tom as a special Oregon Collection for his cellar.
In “True Character”,The Directors of the Oregon Wine Board
Register for OWB’s Marketing and Budget Planning Webinar I Dec. 7 at 10 a.m.
The agenda includes OWB’s 2024-25 budget planning, a review of OWB tools/resources industry members can use for providing input and utilizing our organizational offerings, a media and image library unveil and walk-through, and more. Attendees will have the opportunity to provide input and ask questions. See the full agenda and register to attend here.
Wine Industry Insights
Forbes Analyzes Wine Market Council’s Study of U.S. Consumer Attitude Towards Wine Ingredients and Nutrition Labelling
Providing ingredient and nutrition labeling for wine has not traditionally been required by federal law in the United States. However, with the European Union enacting a mandatory ingredient and nutrition labeling regulation for wine beginning in December, many are wondering if similar legislation will be forthcoming in the U.S. as well. The big question is, do consumers really care about wine ingredients and nutrition labeling? Learn more.
Leading Retailers Collaborate to Reduce Wine Bottle Weight
Jancis Robinson, a founder member of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR), has advocated the need for lighter bottles for many years: “Lighter bottles is an easy win to reduce carbon emissions.” Jancis Robinson’s article on the SWR Bottle Weight Accord is available here. The SWR led wine retailers from around the world to reach an accord to reduce the average weight of 750ml still wine bottles in their range. Learn more.
Education
Oregon Wine Symposium Early Bird Registration
The Oregon Wine Growers Association (OWA) and the Oregon Wine Board (OWB) are proud to announce that registration has opened for the largest in-person wine industry trade show and education seminar in the Northwest. On Feb. 13 and 14, the Oregon Wine Symposium will unite experts from the scientific and wine business communities to share the latest learnings, best practices, and industry expertise in a new condensed day-and-a-half format. Register at the Early Bird rate.
Join OWA for a Webinar on California Bottle Bill Requirements I Nov. 16 at 11 a.m.
Effective Jan. 1, 2024, wine and spirits containers will be added to California’s beverage container recycling program, better known as the California Bottle Bill. Beginning July 1, 2025, wine and spirits containers will be required to be labeled with California Redemption Value (CRV) indicia. Beverage manufacturers inside and outside of California have registration, reporting, and processing fee payment responsibilities. Join Kelly Luzania from OWA’s legal team at Davis Wright Tremaine to learn more about the requirements specific to Oregon wineries followed by Q&A. Register here.
Additional Resources:
Read this advisory from Davis Wright Tremaine’s Food & Beverage Practice
Consult Wine Institute’s web page for an implementation guide for wineries, a list of frequently asked questions and more
CalRecycle is hosting two webinars on Nov. 8. More details can be found here
Register for the OIV Webinar on the New EU Labeling Regulations I Nov. 17 at 8 a.m.
The OIV (International Organisation for Vine and Wine) in collaboration with the International Society for Vine & Wine Law proposes a webinar to address the questions raised by the new European Union regulation which will come into force on Dec. 8. This new regulation states that wines marketed in the EU (including those imported) should, on their label, display or provide access to the list of ingredients and nutritional information. Register here.
Press and Media
Media Highlights
Shanken News Daily Reports on Success of Oregon Wines
With sales growing despite the wine category declining, average retail price more than twice the national off-premise average, and some labels growing at double-digit rates, the future looks bright for the Oregon wine industry. Read more.
KDRV.com Relays Asante’s Intention to Discontinue Hosting Oregon Wine Experience
Asante will no longer host the Oregon Wine Experience, the wine-tasting fundraiser event that started in 2015. The company announced the closure in a news release, citing financial troubles after the pandemic as the primary reason. Co-founder of Resistance Wine Company, “best of show” winner at Oregon Wine Experience 2023’s Competition, Kirk Drake says, that not only will the Southern Oregon wine scene be impacted, but the event also affects the local economy on many different levels with the tourism it brings to the area. Learn more.
Food & Wine Reports on SWR Bottle Weight Accord and Highlight Oregon Winery
The Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) is based in London but has retailers, wineries, and industry expert members around the globe, including Whole Foods Market, Lidl, and Richard Branson’s Virgin Wines. The SWR led wine retailers from around the world to reach an accord to reduce the average weight of 750ml still wine bottles in their range. Many wineries who are not officially part of the SWR are doing their part, too. Case in point: Brooks Wine in Amity, Oregon. In 2012, they switched from bottling the majority of their wine in 595-gram bottles to 467-gram ones. Learn more.
Decanter Would Like to Hear from You | Respond by Dec. 1
Decanter‘s reach extends to more than 100 countries, with 34% of print and digital distributed in North America. Over the last year, Decanter has made a significant commitment to the U.S. with dedicated editor Clive Pursehouse, who covers Oregon and Washington from Seattle. Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), is celebrating its 20th edition this year and Oregon is currently underrepresented in both submissions and event engagement. Help Decanter understand how it can better serve the Oregon wine industry, by taking 5 minutes to participate in their survey.
Register for 2024 London Wine Competition | Submit by Feb. 22
Organized by the Beverage Trade Network, the 2024 London Wine Competition is accepting registrations for submission until Feb. 22, 2024. Learn more.
Research
Viticulture & Enology
November 2023 Weather and Climate Forecast
Dr. Greg Jones recently published an updated weather and climate summary and forecast. This report looks back at October conditions and forecasts conditions for November, December, and January 2024.
James Osborne Named Director of the Oregon Wine Research Institute
Founded in 2008 as a partnership between the Oregon wine industry and Oregon State University, the Oregon Wine Research Institute (OWRI) builds on Oregon’s reputation of quality in grape and wine production and enables growers and winemakers to make informed decisions to further enhance its well-deserved reputation. James Osborne will continue to lead his research program as he takes on this new leadership role at the OWRI. Learn more.
OPB Features OSU’s New Sound Robot Developed to Protect Vines from Pests
Oregon State University (OSU) entomologist Vaughn Walton and undergraduate Vincent Vaughn-Uding work on an insect sound-mimicking robot to provide farmers with a targeted way to control pests without the use of toxic chemicals. Their device, the Pied Piper, uses the fact many insects rely heavily on vibrational communication. Learn more.
Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research (NCSFR) Conference
2023 NSCFR conference will be held on Nov.13-15 virtually and in person in Corvallis at the Alumni Center. Book your conference tickets and special room rates at the Hilton Garden Inn. Scholarships are available, eligible attendees can apply here.
Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Seeks Relevance Reviewers
USDA-NIFA is recruiting industry representatives (growers, packers, shippers, staff from commissions and trade associations, etc.) to volunteer to review the industry relevance of pre-applications for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) for 2024. Relevance reviewers ensure that SCRI projects address critical needs for the grape and wine industry. The time commitment is about 15 – 20 hours total, spread over two months (Jan. Feb.) to review and score pre-applications and to participate in the final 1.5-hour grape panel Zoom meeting the week of Feb. 26, 2024. Learn more.
Opportunities
International opportunities
View OWB Calendar of International Programming, Register to Participate
OWB’s calendar of international events for the 2023-2024 fiscal year is now available and registration is open for all events. The calendar with registration links is available here.
Other Opportunities
Make a Nomination for ’24 Oregon Wine Industry Awards | Nov. 17
Nominations for the 2024 Oregon Wine Industry Awards are being accepted until Nov. 17. The awards recognize contributions to the industry in the categories of Lifetime Achievement, Founder, Outstanding Industry Leadership, Vineyard Excellence, and Industry Partner.
Provide Suggestions and Planning Ideas for Next Fiscal Year | Feb.1
OWB is interested in your budget planning input for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Visit the Annual Business Plan Toolkit for a detailed list of dates, meetings, budget postings, and the idea submission form. Input will be accepted through Feb.1, 2024. If you would like to have a more in-depth discussion regarding your feedback or learn about other feedback we have received, please email info@oregonwine.org or reach out to Sally Crawford at sally.crawford@oregonwine.org.
Two days, two events, one purpose. Join ¡Salud! n Willamette Valley wine country and Portland with two new venues showcasing Pinot Noir producers alongside incredible food. From the Big Board Auction’s fun and electric energy to the Grand Dinner & Live Auction Gala’s elegant evening attire and fast-flying auction, this is one weekend you do not want to miss! Learn more.
Register for Sustainable Ag Expo | Nov. 14-15
With 14 seminars and over 10 hours of online courses, the Sustainable Ag Expo brings together researchers and growers to provide continuing education hours all while offering networking opportunities. Brought to you by Vineyard Team, this multi-day seminar and tradeshow provides an opportunity for farmers, ag professionals, and pest control advisors to learn about the latest in farming research, resource issues, and business trends related to sustainable agriculture. Find out more and register here.
World of Pinot Noir | Feb. 29 – March 2
The event returns to the seaside Ritz-Carlton Bacara resort in Santa Barbara. The program includes tasting seminars, pairing dinners, and tastings showcasing more than 200 premier Pinot Noir producers from around the globe. Winery registration information and marketing opportunities are available here.
Tom Danowski
President
