Winegrowers are nothing if not adaptable, given that the grape is a harbinger crop, or in more prosaic terms, the canary in the coal mine for agriculture. As a result, when climate shifts generate more frequent heat waves of higher temperatures and longer duration, viticulturists swing into action with a toolbox of methods to mitigate the effects.  Growers use misters to cool the air around the grapes, irrigate in advance of heat waves to prevent dehydration, and even apply anti-transpirants that work like sunscreen to protect from sun damage. Medium-term options include changing canopy management to delay ripening and using regenerative farming techniques to boost water retention in the soil.  The most aggressive strategies involve relocating vineyards to cooler microclimates or pulling up and replacing less heat-tolerant varietals. However, vineyard owners are unlikely to invest in these approaches while consumption and demand are declining.  A better alternative wou

The Importance of a Generator Maintenance Program In the modern business environment, reliability and efficiency are paramount. A key component of ensuring these factors is the implementation of a comprehensive maintenance program, particularly for critical infrastructure like backup generators. Such programs not only prevent unexpected downtime but also extend the lifespan of equipment, ensuring that businesses remain operational even during emergencies.  Why a Maintenance Program is Crucial for Businesses 1. Minimizing Downtime One of the primary benefits of a maintenance program is the reduction of unplanned downtime. For businesses that rely heavily on continuous operations, even a short power outage can result in significant financial losses and damage to their reputation. Regular maintenance ensures that equipment such as generators are always in optimal working condition, ready to provide backup power when needed. 2. Extending Equipment Lifespan Regular maintenance helps

The Australian ‘Black Summer’ of 2019/20, which saw bushfires destroy swathes of vineyard land across the country was a dramatic reminder of the growing challenges facing winemakers around the world. We spoke to leading Australian winemakers and lab technicians to find out how agile decision-making is helping to deal with the consequences of global warming. Offering alarming proof of the escalating effects of climate change, in November 2019 bushfires blazed through New South Wales, scorching more than five million hectares of land following Australia’s hottest and driest year on record. In December 2019, the fires swept through the Adelaide Hills, destroying 650 ha of vines in the region, and wiping out entire vineyards. Making matters worse, the smoke from the fires was far-reaching, rendering vineyard plots from Canberra to the Hunter Valley useless. Ravaging an estimated 24.3 million hectares of land in total and destroying over 3,000 buildings, the September 2019

February 9, 2024 – Novato, CA – The California Department of Food and Agriculture Preliminary Grape Crush Report, containing tons crushed and prices of wine grapes sold during the 2023 harvest, has been released. The Crush Report provides growers and wineries insight into the inventory position of the California wine business as a whole and influences market dynamics for the current bulk wine market and grape market.  The 2023 Crush Report, coming in at a total of 3.6 million tons, fails to capture the full story of the 2023 harvest. The crop would have been considerably larger if not for soft demand and disease pressure that caused some acres to go unharvested. Despite the size of the overall crop, most wineries found themselves with an excess supply amid challenging conditions in consumer sales.  For specific details on 2023 harvest, see below: Key Insights by Region   Tons Crushed 2023 Tons Crushed 2022 Net Gain/Loss Equivalent Gallons

Did you know that owls are cannibalistic? Baby owls will feast on their owlet-siblings to reduce competition. Did you know that owls strike so fast they kill on contact? It’s the equivalent of getting hit with a truck…a truck with talons. I love talking to bird people. They’re such sadists. Or rather, they look at the grim brutality of the natural world and dive right in. They’re the ones who root for the T-Rex in Jurassic Park. In Don’t Look Up, they’re most likely rooting for the asteroid. So, when it comes to rodent control, a topic most people find icky, who better to consult than someone passionate about birds? Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with John Schuster of Wild Wing Company in Sonoma County, Calif. Schuster has had a fascinating career in forestry, firefighting and conservation. He also makes most of the owl boxes I see in the North Coast. It turns out if you ply him with a cappuccino, he’ll tell you all sorts of thing

In industrial and hazardous environments, safety is paramount. Many industries handle flammable or explosive substances, making the risk of potential accidents a significant concern. When it comes to cooling equipment, such as chillers, the need for safety becomes even more critical. Enter the explosion-proof chiller – a specialized cooling solution designed to ensure maximum safety in hazardous locations. The Importance of Explosion-Proof Cooling Equipment In industries where safety is paramount, an explosion-proof chilling unit is more than just a cooling system; it's a vital safeguard against potential disasters. From hazardous environments with flammable substances to laboratories handling volatile materials, these specialized chillers play a pivotal role in protecting lives, assets, and operations. By ensuring compliance with industry regulations and offering robust safety features, explosion-proof coolers are a must-have for any organization committed to maintaining th

Loss of grid power can occur at any time, whether planned or unplanned – commercial and mobile generators are the solution. Loss of power to commercial buildings can impact vital systems like smoke, fire, elevators, refrigeration units, heating and cooling equipment, health and safety equipment, communications, and many other applications. Commercial, Industrial, and Towable Power Generators With roughly 3,600 large-scale power outages caused by severe weather events in 2014 — plus many non-weather-related outages — there is a critical need for propane generators to ensure uninterrupted operations for a large number of commercial properties. What’s more, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, outages are actually lasting longer. And even a few hours without power can cost a mid-sized business more than $14,000. For other businesses, those losses aren’t hourly; they’re minute-to-minute. Click here to learn more about our generators!

Afternoon Brief, May 8th

Willamette Valley Wineries Hire Fire Litigation Lawyers to Investigate Suing Pacific Power for Grape and Wine Losses Arising from the 2020 Labor Day Fires: Today Willamette Valley Vineyards, Brigadoon Wine Co., Samuel Robert Winery, Retraite, LLC (fka Lingua Franca – LS Vineyards Holdings, LLC), and Elk Cove Vineyards Inc. announced they have hired a well-known legal team to investigate filing suit against Pacific Power, a division of PacifiCorp, in the Oregon state circuit courts...

With rising inflation and operating costs, winery owners are looking for ways to manage the bottom line without raising prices. Written by Jeanette Tan  |  Photo by Pexels With rising inflation and operating costs, winery owners are looking for ways to manage the bottom line without raising prices.  Let’s focus on the rising winemaking costs; I am not suggesting that winemakers allow the bean-counters to make winemaking decisions. However, I am suggesting that winemakers need to be aware of the financial impact of various decisions that they make in the cellar. For example, I told two different winemakers that their yields decreased significantly compared to the previous year. One winemaker said “hmm, I might have concentrated the wine a bit too much.”  The following year, both changed something on the crush pad so that the yield was higher. The wine? Just as delicious. In our wine costing process, we identify four main components of the cost o

Afternoon Brief, April 14th

California Vintners Welcome Higher Last-Resort Fire Insurance Limits but Await Return of Private Market: The Golden State raises coverage limits on its last-resort policies after billion-dollar wildfire losses at wineries, vineyards and other ag properties. Here’s how North Coast wineries are coping...