Wines & Vines

August 2012 Closures Issue

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GovtLiaison_Dir08 11/29/07 2:00 PM Pag A UGUS T NEWS APPROVALS TTB LABEL Low per-label costs Gov't. Liaison Negotiations or Footwork Reasonable Hourly Rates TRADEMARK SEARCHES As Low as $185 Your trade names or designs are searched at the U.S. Patent Office to help establish valuable ownership or avoid costly legal liability. Over 100 years' total staff experience handling every government liaison need for industry. Phone or write for details. HoytShepston_Monthly09 10/31/08 4:44 PM Phone: (703) 524-8200 Fax: 525-8451 TOLL-FREE 1-800-642-6564 Major Credit Cards Accepted www.trademarkinfo.com Since 1957 200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 321 Arlington, Virginia 22203 Concern Grows About Stink Bug in Oregon Invasive pest detected in Willamette Valley towns C orvallis, Ore.—Vineyard watchers fear this could be the year the vora- cious brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) enters local vineyards and orchards, potentially causing sig- nificant economic damage to the state's grape crop. Since first being detected in the state in 2004, the bug—by now well established on the East Coast and in 27 states nationwide—has been lim- ited to urban areas. But sampling conducted in 2011 by postdoctoral researcher Nik Wiman discovered the bug in Portland, Ore., and it's also been detected at sites in com- munities throughout the Willamette Valley including Tualatin, Lafayette, Monmouth and Corvallis. Recently a population was detected near the Hood River train station in the Columbia Gorge AVA. Mike Eastwick, owner of Lamonti Vine- yards opposite Hood River near Under- wood, Wash., and manager of two other vineyards, said he is a little concerned. "My personal concern has been raised from low to medium," Eastwick told Wines & Vines, adding, "The area here is basically in the wait-and-see mode." The extent of damage the bug poses to winegrapes is unclear. The bug can cause necrosis in berries, and small wounds may lead to bunch rot and other infec- tions, but measuring damage to date has been difficult. This spring a test plot of Pinot Noir vines in the Willamette Valley was outfitted with exclusion bags and infested with male stink bugs (to pre- vent egg-laying) to study feeding habits through the season. The study, funded by the Oregon Wine Board, was designed to gauge the potential impact the pest could have on winegrapes. winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keywords "Oregon BMSB." —Paul Franson elseyville, Calif.—With wineries facing grape shortages all over California, growers in Lake County are once again getting inquiries from across the mountains in Napa and Sonoma counties. Wineries turn to Lake County K winesandvines.com The recession and grape glut hit Lake County hard, and the grow- ers are certainly ready for the potential customers. Many growers planted substantial vineyards a decade ago in anticipation of demand—particularly Cabernet in the desired Red Hills AVA—only to see demand drop in recent years. Most Lake County grapes go into $15-$30 blends labeled California or North Coast, but about 300 wines mention the origins on the front or back label—that's down from 360 a few years ago, but the number is likely to rise once again as grape stocks tighten. Lake County has just 8,500 acres of vineyards compared to Napa's 45,000. The county is home to 30 wineries and about 150 growers. The Hess Collection winery buys Lake County Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc for its Select line. "We buy from about nine different growers but have been working with Jake Stephens at Diamond Ridge Vineyards since his first crop in 2001 or 2002," notes Dave Guffy, director of winemaking at Hess. Learn more: Search keywords "Lake inquiries." —Paul Franson 18 WINES & VINES AUGUST 2012

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