One of a vineyard manager's worst early morning sights is walking among their vineyard and finding fruit damaged by birds. To combat this force of nature, growers have traditionally tried expensive and labor-intensive methods of mitigating bird damage in their vineyard. They've used sound-emitting devices, introduced other large birds of prey, placed netting in the fruiting zone and even tried netting the entire canopy, ultimately learning that nothing has truly provided an economic or socially acceptable solution to the problem. Luckily, the industry has been buzzing about a new solution that has shown spectacular results from guarding against bird damage without any netting whatsoever. Falcon Crop Protection has developed a falcon-shaped kite that is attached to a moveable pole and behaves like a real bird of prey. Their "FrightKite" looks like the real deal and has proven highly effective in fending off birds that would otherwise do damage to valuable crops. We

Afternoon Brief, June 17th

Winery Owners, Guests Flee as Point Fire Erupts in Sonoma County Wine Region: Guests enjoying an afternoon of wine tasting at Capo Creek Winery on West Dry Creek Road were forced to flee after the wind-driven Point Fire broke out Sunday afternoon in the heart of one of Sonoma County’s most iconic wine regions...

Join us at the picturesque Paradise Ridge Winery in Santa Rosa, California, for our annual Wine Industry Financial Roundtable for lunch, networking, and an industry-specific panel discussion. The event begins at 12:00 p.m., but check-in begins at 11:30 a.m. Please feel free to bring a bottle of wine to share. We look forward to seeing you. Panel topics include: •    Update on Q1 wine sales •    Insights on the 2024 bulk wine and grape conditions •    Hot topics facing the wine industry in the next 18–24 months Capacity is limited—please register early. Register Here Note to service providers: We’re limiting service providers, so please don’t forward to other providers. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Best of Show Awarded to Brecon Estate Albariño    June 6, 2023 (Santa Rosa, Calif.) — Winners have been announced for the 2023 Sunset International Wine Competition, which took place in May in Santa Rosa, Calif. Taking the top spot this year is Brecon Estate 2022 Albariño, which judges described as “fresh and bright,” “honeysuckle,” with a “lingering finish.” Ultimately, they concluded, “a very well-made wine.”  Brecon Estate is a boutique estate winery located in the westside hills outside of Paso Robles, Calif. “This particular varietal has been hugely successful for us,” says winemaker Damian Grindley. “It fits so well with alfresco summers in Paso Robles and so many Southern states, as well as the seafood culture of the [San Luis Obispo] Coast. It’s helped put both Brecon Estate and Central Coast Albariño on the map.” He continues, “Its fruit sourcing h

Best of Show Awarded to Brecon Estate Albariño    June 6, 2023 (Santa Rosa, Calif.) — Winners have been announced for the 2023 Sunset International Wine Competition, which took place in May in Santa Rosa, Calif. Taking the top spot this year is Brecon Estate 2022 Albariño, which judges described as “fresh and bright,” “honeysuckle,” with a “lingering finish.” Ultimately, they concluded, “a very well-made wine.”  Brecon Estate is a boutique estate winery located in the westside hills outside of Paso Robles, Calif. “This particular varietal has been hugely successful for us,” says winemaker Damian Grindley. “It fits so well with alfresco summers in Paso Robles and so many Southern states, as well as the seafood culture of the [San Luis Obispo] Coast. It’s helped put both Brecon Estate and Central Coast Albariño on the map.” He continues, “Its fruit sourcing h

Afternoon Brief, October 10th

Son Arrested on Suspicion of Murdering Father in Champagne: Yann Vadin, 33, has been arrested after allegedly admitting to killing his father, local winemaker Jean-Luc Vadin, 57, of Champagne Vadin-Plateau, and staging a burglary...

Afternoon Brief, June 16th

How Russia’s War on Ukraine Threatens Decades of Winemaking Progress: Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, the war has caused incomprehensible losses: millions of displaced citizens, thousands of dead and wounded, as well as the destruction of untold buildings and houses, to say nothing of entire cities and towns...

Tourist Visits for State and Napa Valley May Not See Full Recovery Until 2023 ... or Later: Visitation to California is expected to decline more than 40% this year, according to a study released by the tourism advocacy nonprofit Visit California. The figure is in keeping with several of Napa Valley’s cities, which have reported similar declines... The post Afternoon Brief, December 7th appeared first on Wine Industry Advisor. Url:https://wineindustryadvisor.com/2020/12/07/afternoon-brief-1753?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=afternoon-brief-1753 Published Date:Mon, 07 Dec 2020 23:04:06 +0000 

The Paradise Ridge Winery hospitality and event center, known for its wine, breathtaking views and welcoming gathering spaces was among the 5,643 structures destroyed in the 2017 Tubbs Fire. The rebuild of the hospitality and event center was completed shortly after the two-year anniversary of the fire. The new 7,661 SF building is a modern, two-story structure that is instantly recognizable, but design changes offer more natural light, additional tasting and hospitality areas, sustainability in both the building and the landscaping, and full compliance with the Wildland-Urban Interface mandates. The first level terrace provides a spectacular vineyard view and leads into the winery’s tasting area where guests can experience tasting at the wine bar or in the new private tasting room. A spacious event room on the second level features a bar, catering kitchen, and tall sliding glass doors that open to the covered deck with views of Russian River Valley and the winery’s famous