VASCM: Latest CAWG Newsletter: TTB Survey on Winemaking Terms

[Mary Lindsay, Muns Vineyard]

Thought you might find something of interest in the Jan. 27 CAWG 
Newsletter. Note the survey being conducted by the TTB on winemaking terms:



*CAWG Winemaking Terms Survey*

When describing your grapes do you use terms like "estate grown", 
"single vineyard" or "old vine"?  The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade 
Bureau (TTB) is asking whether or not it should undertake a formal 
regulatory process to define and clarify what these terms mean and how 
they can be used. CAWG wants to make sure your voice is heard. 

 

Please click here 
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=7wzeipdab&et=1104276439502&s=929&e=001WbhvboSZBUwxJ1Mo0w9_lNpVIrUaK4V0QOvhHA3Gcjd-n0ldgKGYGNDcXEYxyEL1P-AHaOkn9nhhm9s2heidkqvUTaK4tvvM> to 
participate in the survey. It will take less than 10 minutes.  
http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e3af1u5ngj23pnv8/a00rgjhe41pr/questions


*CAWG Recognizes Jerry Lohr for a Lifetime of Achievement*

CAWG recognized Jerry Lohr, president and owner of J. Lohr Vineyards & 
Wines for his many contributions and a lifetime of achievement in the 
California wine industry.  Lohr was honored during CAWG's 37^th Annual 
Meeting held in Sacramento on Tuesday, January 25. 

  

Before his start in the wine industry, Lohr studied civil engineering at 
Stanford University, served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force and 
worked as a scientist for NASA. Eventually, he left his government 
career to launch a successful building development company. His success 
as an entrepreneur allowed him to pursue his passion for wine. In 1972, 
Lohr established himself as a Monterey County wine pioneer by planting 
vineyards in the Arroyo Seco area, which at that time had yet to 
establish its reputation as a world class wine growing region. J. Lohr 
Vineyards & Wines has since grown into a 3,700-acre estate program 
spanning the Central Coast and Napa Valley. Click here 
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=7wzeipdab&et=1104276439502&s=929&e=001WbhvboSZBUzvQjmroNrsVHrwZGiJcTtcy5CpqXl8AV4ADQRUexKhmJcMUu5XkS2jn47R9h73Tcfeb9HQdZqSgl8vYjOsKCIx7KD0Cdt1hG8=> to 
read more.


*Unified Wine & Grape Symposium Comes to a Close with Record Attendance*

The 2011 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium turned California's state 
capitol into the epicenter of the wine and grape industry, welcoming a 
record 12,200 attendees to the Sacramento Convention Center. For 17 
years, the event - the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere - 
hosts wine and grape industry professionals from around the world to 
discuss the industry's latest trends, issues and needs.

 

"Both the record attendance and the outlook of many of our speakers 
point to an upswing in the wine industry's economy," said Lyndie 
Boulton, executive director for American Society for Enology and 
Viticulture (ASEV), which co-organizes the event with CAWG. In 2010, the 
event drew 11,700 visitors.

 

Each day the event opened with a general session addressing important 
industry issues. Topics this year included a look at workforce issues 
with an expert panel discussion on the history of labor in the wine and 
grape industry, and efforts to recognize the diversity that defines the 
community. The hallmark "State of the Industry" address, on the second 
day of the symposium, has traditionally been the event's most 
anticipated session, and drew a standing-room only crowd. The general 
session on the show's third day, explored the current and long-term 
economic trends that shape the international movement of wine.  The 
session's expert speakers discussed key trends in wine consumption, 
production and trade.

 

Throughout the three-day event, a variety of breakout sessions were 
offered. On Wednesday and Thursday the event hosted an industry trade 
show with over 630 exhibitors from around the world displaying their 
products and services.

 

If you did not attend the Unified or missed a specific session, then 
watch for upcoming issues of the /CAWG e-News/ and /The Crush/ 
newsletter for summaries of key sessions.



*CAWG Works to Release EGVM Funding*

This week, CAWG President John Aguirre contacted USDA officials urging 
the release of $20 million from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) 
to fund surveillance activities for European Grapevine Moth (EGVM). If 
funds aren't released soon, then the resulting delay in setting traps 
may mean the first flight of EGVM, emerging from winter dormancy, is 
missed. Spring is a key time for determining the success of EGVM 
management efforts from the prior year and effective surveillance is 
necessary to determine the future status of quarantine areas.

 

Other state groups are requesting action too. This week, Robert Atkins, 
president of the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers 
Association sent a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack urging release 
of CCC funds for EGVM program activities.



*USDA Scientists Complete More Comprehensive Genetic Anaylisis of 
Domesticated Grapes*

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have completed the most 
comprehensive genetic analysis of the domesticated grape. The project 
revealed a surprising degree of genetic diversity within the grape and 
fine-tuning specific genetic markers may lead to significant advances in 
pest and disease resistance.

The study, published in the /Proceedings of the National Academy of 
Sciences/, shows that although wine and table grapes (/Vitis vinifera/) 
were domesticated up to 8,000 years ago in the Near East, they still 
have enough genetic diversity to offer untapped potential for developing 
desirable traits, according to lead author Sean Myles, now a 
postdoctoral research scientist at the Stanford University School of 
Medicine.  Click here 
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=7wzeipdab&et=1104276439502&s=929&e=001WbhvboSZBUwBcpgsmRRRmfakjEqmtiAZ_56g84t7j6cvTiADkG9bzgbOQjyC7RkRvlj0TmLbKw_lnBmGlcFRzPfMHrSSFSwO_xgQTiB8tiYEnCxuppLVFkj1luMl28fpwbZNXbQpYorxkTR4LOON1w==> to 
read more.

*Diesel Truck Regulation Classes Coming Soon*

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) is conducting upcoming training 
classes and holding other events to educate truck owners, operators, and 
heavy duty diesel vehicle and equipment sellers about California 
regulations that affect them.  The events include One-Stop Truck Events, 
Vehicle and Equipment Seller trainings, and a number of training classes.

 

The events and training classes will provide information about statewide 
idling limits, Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspection Program (HDVIP), engine 
labeling, Truck and Bus Regulation, Drayage Truck Regulation, Tractor 
and Trailer Greenhouse Gas Regulation, Transport Refrigeration Unit 
Regulation, and associated funding opportunities.

 

The topics for each event may vary.  For instance, certain training 
classes will focus on the Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas regulation 
compliance planning and reporting, while others will provide information 
about the Truck and Bus regulation with a focus on agricultural vehicle 
extension reporting.

 

The events and training classes are being held on various dates and at 
different locations throughout California.  Specific times,  locations, 
and information about each event's topic are available here. 
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=7wzeipdab&et=1104276439502&s=929&e=001WbhvboSZBUxV_7d27_LGVaBxk319xpew4MjGN9GTw8BsTDRAe6vfvPxTL71RvCBxu16yPY2rkW9t2EpQo0jXauWqfPFG1z_cKJJ7aXu50XMZ7jobS5eooDWVgXby_1n6SnccXg-SPACpsm4H2-9ybXpcJh4SzY80>


*State Water Project Allocation Increases to 60 Percent*

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) increased its projected 2011 
deliveries of State Water Project water to 60 percent of contractors' 
requests, up 10 percent from the December forecast.

 

In 2010, the State Water Project (SWP) delivered 50 percent of a 
requested 4,172,126 acre-feet, up from a record-low initial projection 
of 5 percent due to the lingering effects of the 2007-2009 drought.

 

"Today's allocation increase reflects robust early winter precipitation 
and an impressive Sierra snowpack," said DWR Director Mark Cowin.  "But 
prudent water planning dictates caution as we monitor the rest of 
California's rainy season."

 

Despite mostly dry conditions this month, precipitation so far this 
winter is over 66 percent of average for the entire water year (October 
1-September 30).  December precipitation was 195 percent of average. And 
near-record snowfall in the Sierra and other mountain ranges assures 
above-drought runoff into reservoirs and streams this spring and early 
summer.

 

Statewide, snowpack water content is more than 150 percent of average 
for the date and 79 percent of the average, April 1 seasonal total.  In 
addition, most major reservoirs are above normal storage levels.



*Hearing Held on Worksite Enforcement Issues *

This week in Washington, DC, members of a U.S. House of Representatives 
panel heard testimony on worksite enforcement by the U.S. Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement (ICE).


Kumar Kibble, Deputy Director of ICE, testified before the Committee on 
the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement, 
chaired by Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-CA). Kibble described the agency's 
worksite enforcement strategy as consisting of three principal elements: 
1) penalize employers who knowingly hire illegal workers, 2) deter 
employers who are tempted to hire illegal workers, and 3) encourage 
employers to compliance tools like E-Verify.


Kibble said statistics prove the success of the agency's strategy: in 
2010, ICE initiated 2,746 worksite enforcement investigations, more than 
doubling the number initiated in 2008. ICE arrested 196 employers last 
year and its worksite investigations resulted in more than $43 million 
in fines and penalties for employers.


Also testifying was Daniel Griswold, of the CATO Institute. Griswold 
told House members that without immigrants the U.S. agricultural 
production would decline, and both upstream and downstream economic 
activity would decline too. "According to estimates from the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, there are 3.1 related jobs for every job on 
the farm," said Griswold.


Hearing testimony from Kibble, Griswold and others can be found at the 
House Judiciary Committee's website 
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=7wzeipdab&et=1104276439502&s=929&e=001WbhvboSZBUyJWDuYu0u9rrhN_9TlM6eMJlzL_JQkr5a-3mwozwuel72AvDV6ZdRy4VQTe4_7IF3lhzya_ququ6KkDLRbqlaxuCWvq4mB4p-RUKoC9lIMna0en7kpvqaS4-Aq9fM5vlJX_Hz_RryUBAltm9gD7Ite>.

 

*Wine Industry Looks Forward to a Fruitful 2011*
After a sobering few years of weathering the recession, the domestic 
wine industry can now toast to cautious optimism. That was the message 
for some 2,000 wine industry professionals who attended the Unified Wine 
& Grape Symposium's State of the Industry presentation Wednesday morning 
at the Hyatt Regency Ballroom. The event, which ends today, attracts 
more than 12,000 attendees to Sacramento for workshops, the latest 
consumer data, and a trade show for the wine industry. Sacramento Bee 
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=7wzeipdab&et=1104276439502&s=929&e=001WbhvboSZBUxi5u8z0a4uH_qpWSRI7eOYlrorLbhFO3WBWrawcVkQKjLtCYhTcIWuikdDI2IqlzVd5g1tVq-AU2Ri1SPlNr-nS38pDwr2iNku10CHryb68hznV3iwzG60ra5wUXhwkcnwvrKRODWDl31E4bZ2Kw_K5lxLPoHoEiRypDUx2hCNSExvMcGRbizdW67kPVJC9oA=>


*Wine Prices Level Off*
Three years of slumping wine sales finally hit bottom in 2010, analysts 
said Wednesday at the annual Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in 
Sacramento, the largest wine industry conference in the United States.  
Press Democrat 
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=7wzeipdab&et=1104276439502&s=929&e=001WbhvboSZBUyzdPjZorKVXYvG42SqGPHDSBXoHqeOZeDNsLLjh9n_jFUbh3xsVm6Zk1851SLZU8WpoAvNQPJ14GTKtDEKMUEDHcAbLUSaxPxqoEAFMvAPCy3I8ccjXuT6lKP0yNizNk3prlvC6wyONPtdXuOG6KfeFtM83_hbS1cE-ewEK4Tg098E5i3Ukk-CZsMfsyF_8O1WsdNHRgcIfw==>