News | Viticulture and Enology

Apply for a Roots Fund Scholarship

The Roots Fund is a non-profit organization focused on securing the pathway for the Black, Indigenous & LatinX community in wine. Built to create financial support, mentorship, and job placement opportunities. The Roots Fund is out “doing the work,” to create inclusivity for BIPOC in the wine industry. Scholarship applications are open now through September 24, 2021.

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Dr. Anita Oberholster featured on KCRA 3

Cooperative Extension Specialist Dr. Anita Oberholster was recently interviewed for a KCRA 3 news feature about how the wine industry is dealing with the risk of smoke taint due to wildfires in August and September during the brunt of harvest.

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Wildfire Impact on CA Grapes and Wine

Viticulture

Grapevines are very resilient and do not burn easily. In many cases the vineyards act like fire breaks and are likely playing a beneficial role, due the fact that only a limited number of wineries have been destroyed or significantly damaged by past fires that have surrounded them. Expectations are that the grapevines will recover fully if they did not actually burn, although yield may be impacted. Also, even if the grapes were impacted by what we call smoke taint, there is no carry over to the next season.