This edition of the Grapevine includes the release of the 2023 Vineyard and Winery Report, calls for nominations for the OWB’s Board of Directors and the Oregon Wine Industry Awards, a reminder that the 2024 Salary Survey will open next week, and more. Read more below.
Letter from Greg Jones
Dear Colleagues,
That magical time of year is here…harvest. As the days get shorter, growers and producers around the state are picking grapes that will be crafted into the wines that will represent the 2024 vintage. Hard work has gone into every step of this process, but this time has also come during a difficult period for the wine industry. Negative narratives and outlooks seem to pervade our every waking hour, and the glory that is harvest may be fleeting for some.
The Oregon Wine Board directors and staff hear your concerns and are ready to face our industry’s challenges. Executive Director Gina Bianco has built a strong team that is prepared to work on our industry’s behalf. Our marketing efforts, both nationally and internationally, are more focused than they have been in a long time. Our research efforts continue to document our industry, address immediate issues, and fund projects that examine long-term challenges. Our educational efforts continue to bring timely information to help the industry respond to opportunities and challenges in viticulture, enology, and wine business.
Here are a few highlights.
The OWB Education Committee is putting the final touches on the 2025 Oregon Wine Symposium, to be held at the Oregon Convention Center February 3-4, 2025. Look for program announcements soon for what is shaping up to be another must-attend event.
Do you know someone that deserves recognition for all they have done for your company, region, or the industry overall? If so, please take a few minutes to nominate them for Oregon Wine Industry Awards that will be presented at the Symposium (more information below).
The 2023 Oregon Vineyard and Winery Report has been released (see below). Thanks goes to everyone who contributed to this important census of our industry! While the report shows continued demand for Oregon wine nationwide, increasing challenges in our industry are evident and will likely only grow more in the coming year. Responding to industry requests, we are moving the census data collection up to fall to better align with the end of the vintage. Other data collection efforts include the OWB salary survey, which opens next week. Look for announcements for both the salary survey and 2024 vineyard and winery census coming soon.
With October right around the corner, help the Oregon Wine Board and others support Come Over October by inviting friends and maybe someone new to wine, to your table. Sharing our bounty with others and creating lasting friendships over a glass of wine is what makes our product and industry so rewarding.
We are a wonderful collection of mostly family-owned wineries and vineyards producing some of the world’s best wines, and while there are numerous economic and political pressures touching nearly everything we do, we need to remain steadfast…we are Oregon…we are Oregon wine!
Greg Jones, OWB Chair
Marketing
International Marketing Update
OWB has finalized its 2024-25 international calendar which means we will be opening registration for all events on Wednesday, October 2. Spots are confirmed in order of registration with a few exceptions. The large trade shows, Wine Paris, Prowein and Vinexpo Singapore, will be pre-registration as spots are limited. After you pre-register for these large trade shows, OWB will contact you about your participation status in the coming weeks. All other registrations are confirmed immediately.
The registrations will be announced via our international newsletter so if you are not on that distribution list, please contact Margaret Bray so she can get you signed up. We will also link to the registration via the International Marketing webpage. Please see the calendar of events below for events with winery participation but please note that some dates are subject to change.
For those of you new to export or who are thinking about expanding to international markets, please make sure you are on the international marketing newsletter list as we will be announcing a webinar soon about best practices, registration process and to answer any questions you might have about our international programming and opportunities. All wineries are welcome to join in our programming regardless of size and experience. Through our federal grant funding, we are able to help offset most of the costs of these events which make them a great opportunity to diversify your sales channels. For any questions, please contact Margaret.
Upcoming International Calendar of Events
February 4 – Manchester, England – Trade Tasting and Masterclass
February 6 – London, England – Trade Tasting and Masterclass
February 10 – 12 – Wine Paris (space is limited)
March 11 – Copenhagen Programming (space is limited)
March 13 – Oslo, Norway – Trade Tasting and Masterclass
March 16 – 18 – Prowein, Dusseldorf (space is limited)
April 7 – Toronto – Trade Tasting and Masterclass
April 9 – Montreal – Trade Tasting and Masterclass
April 21 – 28 – Korean Trade Inbound Tour
May 20 – Osaka, Japan – Trade Tasting and Masterclass
May 22 – Tokyo, Japan – Trade Tasting and Masterclass
May 27 – 29 – Vinexpo Singapore (space is limited)
June 21 – 27 – Summer Tour and OPC
Reminder: Order Your Oregon Wine Touring Guides
Get ready for the holiday season! Copies of the current Oregon Wine Touring Guide are still available to order. This edition is an 80-page magazine full of compelling editorial, beautiful photography, helpful local tips and tasting room listings with regional maps. Printed guides come in boxes of 40 and may be ordered here.
Come Over October Kicks Off Next Week
As announced earlier this month, the OWB team is excited to be a supporting sponsor of the international campaign, Come Over October. It has been great to see the various events and promotions that wineries around the state have put forward so far. The OWB will continue to reach out to our consumer audience as COO kicks off next week, and we will share the events you have planned both through our consumer newsletter, social media platforms, and our online events calendar. Please keep adding your events here, or email them directly to OWB Communications Director Katie von Bargen. Now, more than ever, is an ideal time to come together in support of our industry, lift each other up, and connect over a glass of Oregon wine.
TEXSOM Sponsorship
The OWB returned to Irving, Texas on August 25 to proudly sponsor the prestigious TEXSOM Conference. Since its launch in 2005, the conference has consistently aimed to elevate professional wine standards, provide advanced beverage education and certification, and enhance public awareness of the importance of sommelier credentials.
The conference kicked off with the Somm Camp luncheon, expertly led by former OWB Director of Education Bree Stock, MW and OWB Trade Relations Manager David DeWitt. This exclusive gathering offered an invaluable platform for educating over 100 on-and-off premise buyers from 20 states, alongside media and educational professionals. This year’s tasting highlighted 11 outstanding Oregon wines that showcased the diverse styles and terroirs of Oregon wine country. Remarkably, seven of these wines received gold medals at the 2024 TEXSOM Awards. The focus was on Oregon Pinot noir and red varieties, which performed exceptionally well in the competition. The OWB remains committed to supporting wineries across the state for the 2025 TEXSOM Awards, with the goal of increasing the number of medal winners.
For any inquiries about the TEXSOM Conference or Awards, including participation in next year’s events, please reach out to David DeWitt. See photos from the luncheon and the highlighted wines below.
Education
Save the Date! 2025 Oregon Wine Symposium
The Oregon Wine Symposium returns to the Oregon Convention Center on February 3-4, 2025. Please Save The Date. Registration will be opening very soon!
New: Join the Oregon Wine Board for an interactive listening session following the 2025 Oregon Wine Symposium
The Oregon Wine Board invites you to join us for an afternoon of idea sharing on Tuesday, February 4. Whether or not you are attending the Symposium, we want to hear from you! Mark your calendars for this industry-wide listening session with the Oregon Wine Board directors and staff. Now more than ever, we want to understand your concerns and challenges and hear from you as to how we can better serve your needs. We welcome your questions and collaborative discussion. This session is free to attend for all industry members. Symposium attendance is not required. We look forward to sharing more details about this program in the months ahead!
Patrick Comiskey profiles some of the pioneering winemakers and winegrowers of the Rocks District and calls it “home to the world’s wildest Syrah-based wines.” Read more.
Media Opportunities & Calls for Wine
SIP Magazine Best of the Northwest Submissions Now Open
Registration is open for Sip Magazine’s 13th Annual Best of the Northwest wine competition. Deadline to submit wine is October 18 and the results will be released on December 10. Full submission details, including instructions, shipping and categories can be found here.
Research
Viticulture & Enology
September Weather and Climate Report
Dr. Greg Jones recently published an updated weather and climate summary and forecast. This report looks back at August conditions and forecasts conditions for September, October and November.
2025-26 Viticulture & Enology Research RFP Posted
The 2025 Request for Proposals for Viticulture & Enology Research Projects is now available to view. Each year, OWB seeks proposals for research projects relevant to Oregon viticulture and/or enology and consistent with the OWB’s Strategic Plan for Viticulture and Enology Research. Applications will be accepted through the Unified Grant Management website between December 1, 2024 to January 31, 2025. Any questions may be directed to Jess Willey, OWB Research and Education Director.
Wine Industry Business
2023 Vineyard and Winery Report Released
The results of the 2023 Oregon Vineyard and Winery Report were announced earlier this week and an overview of the results, as well as the full report and data tables, can be found here. Since 2017, the Oregon Wine Board has contracted the University of Oregon’s Institute for Policy Research and Engagement (IPRE) to prepare the report. The report is the result of analysis of data received from hundreds of Oregon grape growers and wine producers each year. Any questions may be directed to Katie von Bargen, OWB Communications Director.
Oregon Wine Industry Labor/Salary Survey Launches Next Week
The 2024 Oregon Wine Industry Labor/Salary Survey will launch next week. After the initial release, we will include reminders in the upcoming editions of the Grapevine through the end of the year. For reference, the presentation of the 2022 survey results from the 2023 Oregon Wine Symposium can be found here. This survey is intended to be filled out by proprietors, general managers, human resources managers, etc. For questions about this survey, please email [email protected] and we will direct your inquiry to the correct contact.
Opportunities
Call for Nominations to the Oregon Wine Board of Directors | Due Oct. 5
Every fall, the Governor appoints new Oregon Wine Board Directors for three-year terms beginning Jan. 1 of the following year. Per ORS 576.856, the Governor shall consider nominations or recommendations made by organizations with nominating committees that are representative of all major wine industry regions of the state.
The two statewide advocacy organizations – the Oregon Winegrowers Association and the Oregon Wine Council – have convened a Joint Oregon Wine Board Nominating Committee (“Committee”) to develop a common slate of nominees to present to the Governor for consideration. The Committee is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) to ensure a transparent and collaborative process.
While Oregon statute does not include official quotas to be filled or specifications for any of the nine seats on the Oregon Wine Board, the MOU outlines qualifications and target composition for the board to ensure a diversity of regions, business sizes and models to reflect the makeup of the industry. For the 2024-26 term, there are 4 positions available with 3 current directors eligible for reappointment.
If you or an industry colleague is interested in being considered for recommendation by the Joint OWB Nominating Committee, please complete this interest form by October 5. You may also submit your application directly to Salem by October 5 without the endorsement of the Joint OWB Nominating Committee. Learn more about Oregon Wine Board service.
Call for Nominations for the 2025 Oregon Wine Industry Awards
Nominations for the 2025 Oregon Wine Industry Awards are being accepted until Nov. 22. The awards recognize contributions to the industry in the categories of Lifetime Achievement, Founder, Outstanding Industry Leadership, Vineyard Excellence, and Industry Partner. Please direct any questions to the OWB via email.
