Wisconsin wineries, take note: Entries will be accepted starting May 3 for the first-ever Wisconsin State Fair Professional Wine Competition, scheduled for June 23 to 24 at the Tommy G. Thompson Youth Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park.

The competition is open to all bonded wineries and custom crush growers producing wines from cold-climate varieties of grapes, as well as fruit, honey and other non-grape wines. All wines submitted must be made commercially and available for purchase at the winery.

The entry fee is $30 per wine, and there is no limit to the number of wines a winery may enter. Wine will be judged in classes within seven different categories. A panel of judges including restaurateurs, winemakers, wine retailers, writers, bloggers and educators, will blind taste test each wine and evaluate them using the U.C. Davis 20-point scale, which rates appearance, color, aroma, acidity, sweetness, body, flavor, acescensy (bitterness), astringency and overall quality.

Medals will be awarded based on points, and one wine will earn a Best Wisconsin Wine award, co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Grape Growers Association and the Wisconsin Wineries Association.

More information can be found online at WiStateFair.com. Entries, accepted through June 16, can be submitted online or by mail sent to Wisconsin State Fair Park, Attn: Professional Wine Competition, 640 S. 84^th St., West Allis, WI 53214.

Chief judge for the competition will be certified sommelier and veteran wine judge Paul Gospodarczyk, an Instructor of Enology and Wine Service in Des Moines. Contest coordinator is Becky Rochester, a marketing agent for the Wisconsin Grape Growers whose family owns and operates R Little Vineyard in Stoddard.

State Fair runs from Aug. 4 to Aug. 14.

To see the actual online article CLICK HERE.

The Country Today: Page 1

The Country Today: Page 2

Downloadable Brochure

This free seminar will cover dormant pruning — from theory to hands-on techniques on how to prune non-bearing vines to mature vines.

The grape pruning seminar will explain dormant pruning basics to balance vegetative and reproductive growth to:

• Maintain fruit quality
• Maintain cold hardiness
• Maintain vine health

Please bring your work gloves and your pruners to the program.

Best Practice Workshops:

• SO2 Management, Analysis and Calculculations
• Winery Cleaning & Sanitation
• Identifying Wine Faults
• Individual Q & A (open topics)

Four potential options to attend:

• Tuesday, April 5 South Central Iowa
                   Schade Creek Vineyard & Winery, 1230 Warrior Lane, Waukee, IA 50263
• Tuesday, April 12 North Central Iowa
                   Fireside Winery, 1755 P Ave. (V77),  Marengo, IA 52301
• Tuesday, April 19 Western Iowa
                   Santa Maria Vineyard & Winery, 218 W 6th St. Carroll, IA 51401
• Tuesday, April 26 Eastern Iowa (tentative)
                   Heartland Harvest Winery, 2116 290th Ave. Fort Madison, IA 52627

These workshops are “FREE”, but advance registration is required!

To Register: Contact Tammi Martin at 1 week in advance with your name, address, e-mail, phone and date of choice. tkmartin@iastate.edu, 515-294-3308

Donations are always appreciated. Visit http://www.extension.iastate.edu/wine

Flyer attached.
Best Practices Workshops Flyer

The Country Today: Gone Grapes

The Country Today: Gone Grapes Page 2

Hi WGGA Members,

I just wanted to inform you of a new fungicide that has recently come down the pipeline. BASF has developed a new fungicide for controlling powdery mildew in grapes called Vivando. The active ingredient is metrafenone and comes from an entirely new chemistry of fungicides called benzaphenones. Vivando inhibits growth and infection of the powdery mildew pathogen by disrupting the actin cytoskeleton within the fungus. Vivando is lipophilic and is absorbed quickly into the leaf surface where it has some systemic movement into the tissue. The fungicide is best utilized as a protectant, but can have some curative effect if applied within a day or 2 of infection. It has also been shown to disrupt lesion expansion and spore development, helping to slow disease in the vineyard.

In a spray rotation, you would likely use Vivando in place of another powdery mildew fungicide like a sterol inhibitor (Rally, Elite, Rubigan), Topsin M, or sulfur and tank mix with a protectant like mancozeb and captan or a strobilurin (for control of black rot, downy, etc.). Vivando has a different mode of action than other fungicides, but fungicide resistance management will be needed to avoid resistance. The label requires a limit of 3 applications per year and no more than 2 applications in a row. Tank mixing with another fungicide is also recommended, and should be followed as Vivando will likely not give you control of black rot, Phomopsis, anthracnose, and downy mildew. Vivando has a 14 day PHI and a 12 hr REI. BASF claims that it has excellent efficacy for powdery mildew. I have not heard anything yet from other researchers that may have included it in university trials.

I’ve talked with a chem salesman and the price breakdown for Vivando looks relatively attractive. The product is sold in a 1 gallon jug (suspension concentrate) for ~$215. At a 12oz per acre rate (10-15oz being the high and low label rates), the cost per acre is ~$20. Vivando does have a label for Wisconsin, and is not a restricted use pesticide. You can get a copy of the label by searching CDMS (http://www.cdms.net/LabelsMsds/LMDefault.aspx?t=) for Vivando. I’ve attached a sales brochure for the product from BASF and a research paper that goes in-depth into the mode of action of the fungicide (if anyone is interested). If you have any questions about the product, let me know, and I will do my best to address them.

Vivando Brochure
Metrafenone: studies on the mode action of a novel cereal powdery mildew fungicide 

Regards,

Steve Jordan
Post-doctoral Research Assistant
Department of Plant Pathology
University of Wisconsin
378 Russell Laboratories

Wisconsin Grape Growers picks marketing coordinator

Feb 3, 2011

The Wisconsin Grape Growers Association has added Becky Rochester to the executive team as its new marketing coordinator, the Wisconsin Ag Connection reports.

Rochester’s new job at the Ripon, Wis.-based organization will be to facilitate the growing and sale of Wisconsin cold-climate grapes to wineries located across the state, while working to increase the sale of Wisconsin-grown wines to consumers.

Formerly employed by Bargetto Winery in Soquel, Calif., as direct marketing manager, Rochester brings a great deal of grape-related experience to her new post.

The Wisconsin Grape Growers Association is a nonprofit agricultural organization dedicated to uniting and educating growers, assisting with research and promoting and protecting the art, science and commerce of viticulture in Wisconsin.

Rochester told DailyVista all about her goals and objectives for her new position at The Wisconsin Grape Growers Association.

DailyVista: Can you explain your new job at Wisconsin Grape Growers?

Becky Rochester: This position is a one year, ¾-time, contracted position, whose purpose is to build relationships between growers and wineries in Wisconsin and thus increase the sale of Wisconsin grown grapes and therefore wines produced from Wisconsin grown grapes. I will work in cooperation with the Wisconsin Grape Growers Association (WGGA), University of Wisconsin Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin Extension personnel, growers, winery owners and industry partners.

DailyVista: What do you hope to accomplish in this position?

Becky Rochester:

• Survey wineries on Wisconsin grape purchases, bottles of WI accredited wine (75 percent or more WI grapes) produced, retail value of wines and if looking to purchase Wisconsin grapes;
• Analyze the current state of vineyards in Wisconsin relative to acreage, varieties grown, quantities grown and grape quality; and
• Implement the WGGA Wisconsin Wine Accreditation Program.

DailyVista: What are some of your other responsibilities?

Becky Rochester:

• Build relationships with growers, wineries, local media and industry partners;
• Update the WGGA website and Facebook with photos, information, links and educational tools for consumers, growers and wineries; and
• Wisconsin State Fair Wine Competition for 2011

DailyVista: How will your previous professional winery (and life) experience help you succeed in this new position?

Becky Rochester: I’ve worked in the wine industry for seven years. My experiences at wineries and vineyards in California, Wisconsin, Iowa, Oregon, New Zealand and Australia range from management and marketing to viticulture and oenology.

Previously, I served as a key manager at Willamette Valley Vineyards in Turner, Ore., where I was responsible for direct to consumer sales of over $2.5 million. By applying all of this “blended” knowledge and work experiences, I’ll be able to help move the Wisconsin wine industry to the next level.

I also have a bachelor’s in Business Administration with Marketing from Viterbo University, along with a Certificate of Specialization in Oenology from Des Moines Area Community College. Also, my family owns and operates R Little Vineyard in Stoddard, Wis.

DailyVista: What are the Wisconsin Grape Growers’ marketing goals, and how do you hope to reach them?

Becky Rochester: I’ve watched a lot of other associations like Oregon Wine Board and Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association grow and build awareness by implementing different marketing strategies and events. The WGGA can plan for longterm growth once an assessment of the Wisconsin industry has been completed.

DailyVista: Are you hoping to make any changes to the Association’s marketing strategy, or does it work well as is?

Becky Rochester: We use our Web site – www.wigrapes.org – Facebook and online press releases. I’m only one month into the position, so this is very hard to say. The WGGA is a fairly new association so there are a lot of things for us to improve on and offer our members. The main thing right now is helping growers connect with wineries. There are a lot of people growing grapes, but don’t know what they are going to do with them.

DailyVista: So who are you marketing to? What kind of demographic benefits from the services that Wisconsin Grape Growers offers?

Becky Rochester: This is still to be determined. Right now I’m focused on educating local consumers about the varieties of grapes grown in Wisconsin and the wines that are being produced from them.

The WGGA received a grant to produce grape marketing materials. This is just the first step in helping consumers understand that we do not grow Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, but instead some examples of Wisconsin wines being produced include Frontenac, Marquette, Marechal Foch and La Crescent.

Over the years, the Wisconsin wine selections have grown in local grocery stores and retailers. So the message is starting to get out that you don’t need to go to Oregon or California to go wine tasting, you can taste right at home. 

DailyVista: Does this make for lucrative partnership opportunities?

Becky Rochester: WGGA is interested in partnering with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. We also work with the Wisconsin Winery Association (WWA). This year WWAattended the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Wisconsin Dells.

 DailyVista: Does Wisconsin Grape Growers contract any outside help for marketing?

 Becky Rochester: No, not currently.

 © 2011 DailyVista ● All Rights Reserved ● (877) 339-1513 ● info@dailyvista.com

WHEN: Thursday, March 24, 2011 – 9:00 AM to 2:45 PM
WHERE: Wollersheim Winery, State Highway 188, Prairie du Sac, WI 53578

SPEAKERS AND TOPICS:
Dr. Rebecca Harbut, Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin -
Vineyard Nutrient Management: Soil Nutrients and How the Complexity of
the Soil Affects the Grape

Paul Gospodarczyk, Enology Instructor, Des Moines Area Community College
Grape Quality: Optimizing the Quality of Grape Cultivars

Philippe Coquard, Vintner and Owner, Wollersheim Winery
Pruning Grapes: First Year, Second Year, and the Veterans

Bruce Reeve, Vineyard Manager, Wollersheim Winery
How to Net a Vineyard: Protecting Quality Fruit from the Birds, and
Mulching with New Technology

Additional information and the registration form are located at the link below (PDF file).
Spring Vineyard School 2011 Registration Form

Following the beginner’s growing session at 5:00pm will be our 2nd
Annual Wine Pairing Dinner held at Chula Vista. This is a 4 course
meal well-paired with a selection of Wisconsin’s best Wisconsin-Grown
wines. Last year’s response to this event was excellent and this year
promises to be even better!

Monday, January 3rd and Tuesday, January 4th are filled with a variety
of sessions featuring both in and out of state viticulture experts.
Each session was selected for it’s direct impact on growing grapes in
Wisconsin and running an agriculture business. In addition to the
grape track of sessions, there will also be a winery track sponsored
by the Wisconsin Winery Association. They have an excellent variety
of sessions covering a number of winemaking topics.

Registration information and the conference schedule is located at
the address below:

http://www.wisconsinfreshproduce.org/WFFVC/

If you have any questions regarding registration, please contact
Executive Director Anna Maenner at 920-478-3852.