A SPECIAL GROWERS’ REPORT OF AG ALERT ® C A L I F O R N I A Trees & Vines ®
Wineries deal with challenges including fires, drought ByDennis Pollock The three W’s—in this case, weather, wildfire and wine —took center stage at a we- binar on challenges facing California wineries. Smoke from a wildfire looms over vineyards in this file photo. Experts say more than a dozen compounds in smoke can add an off-taste to winegrapes, and severe fire seasons have caused increasing problems for grape growers and wineries. A University of California economist says wildfires add to a list of concerns affecting the wine business, which also includes drought, low grape prices and employee shortages.
Smith said a recent UCCooperative Extension study showed that chemicals that can cause an off-taste in grapes from smoke dissipate in two hours. “So, only smoke from fires close to the vineyard near harvest would cause significant smoke taint,” he said. Unlike in 2017, the 2020 fires mostly did not hit grape-growing regions directly, he said. Smith said farmers and vintners should expect andprepare for droughts andwildfire, which will affect all of agriculture. He said prices will likely rebound as the economy recovers, adding that he expects to see increased automation and use of artificial intelligence in vineyards. California accounts for 85% of U.S. wine production; the globe’s top producers are Italy, France and Spain. In her presentation, Williams discussed the impact of wildfire smoke and showed two pictures: one of “smoke-tainted” grapes, the other unaffected grapes, which were indistinguishable in appearance. She said 13 problemcompounds can impact or add an off-taste to wines. The wines may appear to be fine while young, but exhibit flaws during aging.
The event was presentedbyUniversity of CaliforniaCooperativeExtension specialists and featured Aaron Smith, UC Davis professor of agricultural economics, and Molly Moran Williams, industry and community relations director with the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Association. Smith added lowprices and employee shortages as issues facing a business plagued by the increasing frequency of wildfires and the likely increasing frequency and dura- tion of drought. He said the winegrape crush for 2020 declined 14% from 2019 and 21% compared to 2018. Red winegrape prices for 2020 dropped 23% from2019, and white winegrape prices declined6%. The largest pricedeclines came inpremiumwine regions, he said: InNapa, the drop was 21% from 2019 and in Sonoma, 15%. COVID-19 reduced premiumwine sales in restaurants and tasting rooms, he said, and early-season heat reduced grape yields. Even so, “there was a lingering oversupply,” Smith said, adding that people in the wine business also cite smoke impact fromwildfires as a factor in declining prices.
See CHALLENGES, Page 8
May 12, 2021 Ag Alert 7
Powered by FlippingBook