Afternoon Brief, April 19th

Equipment Operator Killed in Tractor Rollover in Healdsburg: An equipment operator was killed Monday after a tractor they were operating rolled over in a Healdsburg vineyard, fire officials said...

Video Recap of 2023 XylPhi-PD® (Pierce’s Disease Prevention) Field Day with Bevill Vineyard Management, Sonoma

Palo Alto, CA – March 1, 2024– A&P Inphatec, a specialist developer of bacteriophages, held a field day in September 2023 in collaboration with Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness and Bevill Vineyard Management.  […]

Afternoon Brief, January 8th

Napa Valley Robot ‘Sommelier’ Spurs Debate on AI in the Wine Business: “He doesn’t break glasses,” Maria Reznikova said, citing a bonus with hiring her new staffer — a robot “sommelier” that has become quite an attraction for gawkers shopping on Calistoga’s Lincoln Avenue...

A Later and Prolonged Harvest Led to Exceptional Quality and Quantity  SANTA ROSA, Calif. (November 20, 2023) – August 24th marked the beginning of another record-breaking harvest in Sonoma County and winegrowers and their vineyard employees finally gathered recently in a local vineyard to discuss the year and the outstanding quality of the harvest. Their comments, both in English and Spanish, are provided below and the harvest roundtable can be viewed here. The year started with a winter and spring filled with above-average rainfall and below-average temperatures that got the growing season off to a slow start, delaying harvest well past the early-August “norm” of the past few drought-impacted years.  A mild spring and summer allowed for ample hang time, enabling the fruit to develop with stunning quality, and a few late-summer heat spikes are thought to have “made the vintage” according to Steve Sangiacomo, Partner at Sangia

After a record winter and spring, with much-needed rainfall and below-average temperatures, the growing season started slower this year, putting predictions for the start of harvest closer to the “norm.” Vine and grape development are showing about one to two weeks behind a normal year (depending on the appellation and vineyard) and around three weeks behind the last few drought-impacted growing seasons. Accurate predictions for harvest rely heavily on favorable weather during August, with hopes that growth progress will quicken slightly.  Bloom was met with cool, misty weather, but the vines are looking healthy, and the 2023 crop is shaping up for what should be an average-size year, with expected yields getting back on par with pre-drought sizes. With steadily climbing temperatures during July, veraison has just started in some of the warmer, northern areas of the county, with the rest of the region eagerly awaiting its arrival.  Alexander Valley  “Th

Jose Aceves, a 54-year veteran of Dutton Ranch, claimed the Sonoma County vineyard workforce’s highest honor over the weekend Jose Aceves was just 19 when he began working at Dutton Ranch, a sixth-generation family farm, apple orchard and vineyard in Santa Rosa. That was 1969. Fifty-four years later, Aceves still works at Dutton Ranch, where he’s gone from field worker, to tractor driver, truck driver, foreman and supervisor. Those years of hard and successful work paid off Feb. 25 when Aceves received his most prestigious title yet: Sonoma County’s Vineyard Employee of the Year. “There is no doubt we wouldn’t be as successful without Jose’s dedication and expertise all these years,” said Steve Dutton, president and co-owner of Dutton Ranch. “Vineyard workers are the backbone of the wine industry, so It’s fantastic to see him receive this honor.” Born in Jalisco, Mexico, Aceves came to Dutton Ranch with his childhood best frie

Jose Aceves, of Dutton Ranch, Named Vineyard Employee of the Year At Newly Named “Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos” Event SANTA ROSA, Calif. (February 27, 2023) – News was being delivered throughout the day at the newly named Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos’ 5th annual Vineyard Employee Recognition Celebration. Acknowledged as one of the most innovative and prestigious awards in the winegrape industry, the Employee Recognition award salutes the accomplishments, talent and leadership of vineyard employees who contribute greatly to making Sonoma County a world-renowned wine region and sustainability leader. This year’s event was held at Saralee and Richard’s Barn at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in front 380 people including vineyard employees, their families, grape growers and community leaders. “The Employee Recognition event is my favorite of the year because we publicly honor our valued employees in front