Grape & Wine Magazine Sample

Bourbon Barrel-Aged Wine Grows in Popularity

Lessons from Sustainable Vineyard Farmers

2023 Winegrape Outlook

January 2023

Volume 1: Issue 1

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PUBLISHER: Jason Scott Email: jason@jcsmarketinginc.com EDITOR: Taylor Chalstrom Email: article@jcsmarketinginc.com PRODUCTION: design@jcsmarketinginc.com Phone: 559.352.4456 Fax: 559.472.3113 Web: www.grapeandwinemag.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & INDUSTRY SUPPORT

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BOURBON BARREL-AGED WINE GROWS IN POPULARITY

Alejandro Hernandez Graduate Student, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis Steven Koike Director/Plant Pathologist, TriCal Diagnostics Patricia Lazicki Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

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LESSONS FROM SUSTAINABLE VINEYARD FARMERS

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2023 WINEGRAPE OUTLOOK

NEW CAL POLY VINEYARD AND VITICULTURE CENTER

Mark C. Siemens Associate Specialist, Biosystems Engineering, University of Arizona

Krishna Subbarao Plant Pathologist, UC ANR Florent Trouillas Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis Dr. Karl A. Wyant Director of Agronomy at Nutrien, Western Region Certified Crop Advisor Board Chair

Mark S. Sisterson USDA-ARS, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center UC COOPERATIVE EXTENSION ADVISORY BOARD Surendra Dara

Steven Koike Tri-Cal Diagnostics

Kevin Day

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ATTENTION TO IRRIGATION SYSTEM MAINTENANCE PAYS DIVIDENDS

UCCE Integrated Pest Management Advisor, Stanislaus County

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FIVE RS OF NUTRITION IN THE VINEYARD

Katherine Jarvis-Shean UCCE Orchard Systems Advisor, Sacramento, Solano and Yolo Counties

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NEW CLAIRVAUX VINEYARD AWARD

Director, North Willamette Research and Extension Center UCCE Pomology Farm Advisor, Tulare and Kings Counties Elizabeth Fichtner UCCE Farm Advisor, Kings and Tulare Counties

Jhalendra Rijal

Mohammad Yaghmour

UCCE Area Orchard Systems Advisor, Kern County

The articles, research, industry updates, company profiles, and advertisements in this publication are the professional opinions of writers and advertisers. Progressive Crop Consultant does not assume any responsibility for the opinions given in the publication.

January 2023

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BOURBON BARREL-AGED WINE GROWS IN POPULARITY

By STEVE PASTIS | Contributing Writer

S

ales of wines aged in bourbon barrels have increased dramatically in recent years. Originally a cost-saving practice for winemakers, the current popularity of these wines is a result of the way the used barrels enhance their taste and aroma.

Bourbon barrels also reduce the time necessary to age wine, according to Farrell. “After being fermented in stainless steel tanks, our wines are aged in second-pass-charred American oak bourbon barrels for 60 days,” she said.

“By using bourbon-aged barrels, we get entirely different components, smells, and flavors than we do with traditional wine barrels,” said Ellie Farrell, public relations manager for Treasury Wine Estates, an international wine company based in Australia with U.S. locations in Oakland and Napa. “Our American oak barrels introduce warm aromas and flavors of vanilla, caramel, roasted hazelnuts, butterscotch, and baking spice.”

She added that Beringer Vineyards makes wine using traditional winemaking practices, including aging wine in spirits barrels. Even the company’s bourbon barrel aging process has remained fairly consistent. “We’ve made a few tweaks here and there, but overall the process has stayed the same,” she said.

Treasury Wine Estates has more than 40 wine brands, including Beringer Vineyards, one of the first companies to use bourbon barrels to age wine.

“Because the toasting for bourbon barrels is different and more aggressive than for wine, we only age 20 percent of the wine in bourbon barrels,” said Farrell, adding that red blend, cabernet sauvignon, and chardonnay are among the types of wine benefitting the most from bourbon barrel aging.

“One-hundred-and-fifty years ago, brothers Jacob and Frederick Bering- Beringer prefers used bourbon er left Germany to establish a winery barrels to new, according to Farrell. and distillery in Napa,” said Farrell.

“The average age of our used barrels “Historically, wine producers used is four years,” she said. “We’ve found whatever was readily available to by using used bourbon barrels, we get ferment and even store their wines, better integration of flavors as well including various wood tanks like as unique flavors, resulting in better redwood or oak. To Jacob and Freder- quality wines.” ick, reusing their spirit barrels to age wine just seemed like good financial Even winemakers without a long sense, and they quickly discovered it history are finding success aging their added a whole new level of complexwine in bourbon barrels. ity.”

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Sales of wines aged in bourbon barrels have increased dramatically in recent years.

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Continued from Page 4 “We’re new to the business,” said Rob Hendriks, co-owner of Aloria Vineyards, based in Murphys, California, which started using bourbon barrels in 2020.

“We have four bourbon barrels and we put our port in them,” he said. “Basically, the wine we had was all finished, already aged. We put it into bourbon barrels to pick up the flavor.”

Hendriks described Aloria’s port wines as “all dry and not sweet,” and said that the bourbon barrel-aging process adds “some caramel overtones to it.”

“The response is usually pretty positive when people taste our fortified ports,” he said, proudly noting that the Aloria 2016 Forté Estate Bourbon Barrel Aged Syrah was one of the “seven bourbon barrel-aged wines to try,” according to Wine Enthusiast.

“It’s just a flavor category that people seem to like,” said Alison Crowe, partner and vice president of winemaking at Plata Wine Partners, the winemaking arm of Silverado Wine Growers. “It’s certainly been increasingly common in the last five-to-seven years.”

Plata Wine Partners makes three wines with the Big Six Bourbon Barrel label, a cabernet sauvignon, a red blend, and a zinfandel, which are sold through Total Wine & More.

Crowe described her company’s bourbon barrel wines as having “big bold ‘jammy’ flavors, fruity and sweet with very apparent fruity flavors like blackberry, raspberry, and cherry.

“Red blend and cabernet lend themselves to this style,” she added. “Everyone may have different opinions, but the consensus is the best wine tones to pair with bourbon barrels is something smoky.”

She said that wines with crisp floral aromas, such as riesling, are not a good match for bourbon barrel aging.

“It’s like cooking – you have to think about what spices go with what you are making,” she said, noting that wineries add ingredients to give their wines more complexities.

Crowe described the flavors suggested by bourbon barrel-aged wine as vanilla, clove, warm baking spices, cinnamon, toasted coffee, toffee, and caramel, but added, “Actually, it’s more complex than that.”

Only some wood is good for wine barrels, she said. “You can’t make barrels out of eucalyptus. They won’t hold together.”

Oak barrels are best – specifically, barrels made from French or American oak, according to Crowe. “Our French oak barrels are brought over by ship or airplane.

Originally a cost-saving practice for winemakers, the current popularity of these wines is a result of the way the used barrels enhance their taste and aroma.

“I wouldn’t want a new bourbon barrel,” she said, explaining that bourbon barrels are flame-charred using high heat, which burns the barrel and creates a flavor that can be very dominant. Traditionally, winemakers prefer to age wine in gently toasted barrels, slightly above light to medium charring.”

Because of the charring, she advises those using bour-

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bon barrels to age wine to test it often. “Make sure you’re not overdoing it.”

Even with the required testing, Crowe believes that the process of using bourbon barrels to age wine is here to stay.

“learned everything through youth and hard work.”

While the demand from wineries for Country Connection’s bourbon barrels has increased, winemakers’ preferences have remained the same, at least most of the time.

“It may seem kind of gimmicky, but there’s a long history of “I’m not seeing a whole lot of change,” said Hillier, “but one these vessels in our history,” she said. “What’s old is new again.” winery asked if I ever have tequila barrels, and I have provided rum barrels.”

“People don’t just want Budweiser and Coors, or Jack Daniels anymore,” said Marc Hillier, owner/president of Country ConThe main priority of wineries is that the bourbon barrels they nection, Inc., a company headquartered in Oroville, California, receive are as similar as possible. that supplies barrels to winemakers, brewers, and distillers.

“They want something unique and interesting. If you can say “People like consistency,” Hillier said. “If you’re going to develop your wine was finished with a French oak bourbon barrel in the a brand, your customers expect the same flavor. Wineries also Napa wine region, it makes a good story.” prefer barrels that are unrinsed,” explaining that some distillers wash their barrels and use the water to dilute the alcohol Hiller started Country Connection in 2005 because, he “fell in content in their whiskeys. While that may be a good business love with the barrel – and the smell of wine and bourbon in the practice for distillers, it causes wineries to lose the bourbon barrel.” flavors in the barrels.

Country Connection went through some early challenges, but Hillier said his company had strong growth in 2009, again in 2013-14, and is experiencing “amazing growth now.” He said he

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January 2023

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Lessons from Sustainable Vineyard Farmers

By BETH VUKMANIC | Executive Director, Vineyard Team

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W

hile “sustainable” is a common term in agriculture today, this was not the case in 1994, when a small group of vineyard growers got together on California’s Central Coast to talk about critical resource concerns like safe pest management, soil quality, and farmworker training.

Nearly 30 years later, that small group of growers has expanded to include hundreds more, representing over 80,000 vineyard acres. They are members of the non-profit organization, Vineyard Team. The organization continues to uphold the original growers’ mission: bringing together experienced growers and researchers to educate the industry on sustainable winegrowing practices. Today, sustainability is accessible to growers across the globe through in-field meetings, digital resources, and third-party certification.

Founders Dana Merrill of Mesa Vineyard Management, Steve McIntyre of Monterey Pacific, and Don Ackerman of Constellation Brands reflect on three decades of sustainable research and education.

Evolution of Sustainability Concept

Consumers continue to prioritize their health and wellness as we enter the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. But consumers’ health needs have evolved beyond the basics of physical well-being. With increasing concern for the future health of our families, communities, and the planet, many consumers are seeking brands and products that promise a better tomorrow. In a 2021 study conducted by Simon-Kucher & Partners, 85% of respondents indicated they have shifted towards purchasing sustainable products over the last five years.

One way the wine industry is meeting this demand is through certification.

Programs like SIP Certified verify that the vineyard and winery are implementing practices that protect the people and planet. The process requires that growers and winemakers adhere to specific practices and complete audits with third-party inspectors to verify compliance.

“Within the industry and the world, sustainability has become a guide for best practices,” says Don Ackerman. “Acceptance and participation have snowballed.” Dana Merrill concurs, “Today, sustainability is a standard operating procedure. Most buyers expect a sustainability certification.”

Sustainability Just a Buzz Word?

Consumers today are growing increasingly environmentally conscious.

WWF commissioned global research by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in 2021 (An Eco Awakening) that found that searches for sustainable goods have increased globally by 71% since 2016.

Growers agree, certification is not just a marketing tactic. Don Ackerman says, “We can do well by doing good.” Many certification programs began as an educational self-assessment tool. Today, certification enables winegrowers to better manage their practices. Regular peer reviews with university Extension programs and professors, and industry experts ensure that the latest research and technology are incorporated into the SIP Certified program so participants implement new sustainable practices as they go through the certification process. Steve McIntyre reinforces that the goal of sustainability is to regularly improve at a farm level, “It is a competi-

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Continued from Page 9 tion with yourself.” Wine consumer demand for sustainable products increases annually, and winegrowers should communicate their good work through certification in order to be visible to consumers who are looking for sustainable wines.

Incorporating science based, best practices is good for the environment and communities, and meets consumer demand.

Major Issues in Vineyard Sustainability Today

From integrated pest management (IPM) to irrigation efficiency to labor supply, farmers need to balance numerous issues that impact sustainability in order to bring a marketable product to consumers. At its core, sustainability is a holistic approach to the business of winegrowing. A single practice can have an impact on more than just one specific area of production. A generous employee benefits program will create labor stability for the vineyard and job stability for the employee.

Decreasing irrigation reduces both water and electricity use.

When asked what they see as major issues in sustainability today, the founders mentioned the health and safety of workers, regenerative agriculture, technology, and pest management.

The resounding theme in all of their responses was thinking about the cumulative impacts of a decision.

Continued on Page 12

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Continued from Page 10 Sustainability encourages growers to consider multiple management options. Pest management is a great example of an area where the vineyard manager uses all of the tools in the tool box. IPM strategies begin with cultural practices, like leafing to reduce mildew pressure. These kinds of practices in turn reduce the load of pesticides applied to the vineyard, which improves health and safety conditions for workers, and often lowers costs to the vineyard.

“Farmers are continually looking for ways to do more with less,” says Steve McIntyre. His company addresses weed control by using multipurpose equipment. This practice decreases tractor passes, thus burning less fuel and reducing pollution.

Dana Merrill explains that good soil quality creates healthier plants so there is less need for chemical pest management.

“Sustainability means farming the same ground hopefully forever because you have created a healthy system.”

Sustainability and the Ag/Urban Interface

In 2020, direct on-farm employment accounted for 2.6 million of the 19.7 million jobs related to the agricultural and food sectors -- just 1.4 percent of total United States employment. Building relationships between agriculture and residential neighbors is very important because few people have

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direct experience with agriculture. Safe farming practices like night sprays that prevent drift and protect workers from heat stress can be misunderstood. When farmers proactively get to know their neighbors, they open the lines of communication. This builds trust that can mitigate conflict and misunderstandings.

Dana Merrill explains that, “The more people understand sustainability, the better they feel about being a neighbor to a working farm.” The requirements of being certified sustainable help to create good neighbors because sustainability necessitates consideration for the health and well-being of all members of the community. Don Ackerman believes that being considerate to neighbors is part of the ethos of sustainability. “Sound farming practices protect the environment for neighbors and the community.” Ultimately, sustainability helps farmers tell their story of stewardship.

The Future of Sustainability

In viticulture, sustainability is a grassroots movement. In three decades of promoting sustainable winegrowing, countless growers have told Vineyard Team that they continue their education, trial new practices, push the bar, and get certified because “It’s the right thing to do.” Thirty years later, all three Vineyard Team founding members still see sustainability as the future because it is a doctrine that keeps evolving and improving so that winegrowers can have a positive impact on more acres, neighborhoods, and communities for years to come.

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