Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/804714
April 2017 WINES&VINES 17 WINE INDUSTRY NEWS 䐀椀猀挀漀瘀攀爀 琀栀攀 䌀甀瘀攀 猀攀爀椀攀猀 戀礀 漀爀搀攀爀椀渀最 愀 猀愀洀瀀氀攀 欀椀琀 昀爀漀洀 漀甀爀 眀攀戀猀椀琀攀⸀ 甀渀洀椀猀琀愀欀愀戀氀攀 昀氀愀瘀漀爀猀 䌀唀嘀䔀䔀 匀䔀刀䤀䔀匀 攀瘀伀䄀䬀ᤠ猀 䌀甀瘀攀 匀攀爀椀攀猀 漀昀 漀愀欀 挀栀椀瀀猀 愀渀搀 琀愀渀欀 猀琀愀瘀攀猀 愀爀攀 挀爀愀昀琀攀搀 甀猀椀渀最 瀀爀漀瀀爀椀攀琀愀爀礀 戀愀琀挀栀 琀攀挀栀渀漀氀漀最礀 琀漀 礀椀攀氀搀 琀愀爀最攀琀攀搀 昀氀愀瘀漀爀 戀氀攀渀搀猀⸀ 䔀愀挀栀 戀氀攀渀搀 ⠀一漀Ⰰ 一漀㈀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 一漀㌀⤀ 椀猀 昀漀爀洀甀氀愀琀攀搀 眀椀琀栀 挀攀爀琀愀椀渀 昀氀愀瘀漀爀 挀栀愀爀愀挀琀攀爀椀猀琀椀挀猀 椀渀 洀椀渀搀 琀漀 栀攀氀瀀 礀漀甀 挀爀愀昀琀 眀椀渀攀猀 琀栀愀琀 愀爀攀 琀爀甀氀礀 最爀攀愀琀⸀ 眀眀眀⸀漀愀欀猀漀氀甀琀椀漀渀猀最爀漀甀瀀⸀挀漀洀 Valley, will speak about innovations in barrel and cellar sanitation in- cluding ultra-violet treatments. Mike Blom, a winemaker and the owner of the large cellar facility Napa Barrel Care, will share what he learned during and after the 2014 earthquake. Lee Riggs, cellar supervisor for Franciscan Estate in Napa, will detail how his opera- tions use less water in tanks and barrels—and use it smarter. A wide-ranging panel discussion called "Matching Barrels to Wine Styles" brings together four accom- plished winemakers. Moderator Jeff Morgan is co-founder, wine- maker and barrel buyer at Cove- nant Wines in Berkeley, Calif. He will question three colleagues on considerations including oak forest, grain, stave seasoning, toast, wood tannin content and the importance of a good cooperage rep. The panelists are Jeff Cohn, who is moving his Jeff Cohn Cel- lars from Oakland, Calif., to So- noma County this year; Megan Schofield, currently winemaker for Robert Mondavi in Oakville, Calif., who previously worked at Buena Vista and Simi wineries in Sonoma County; and Michael Terrien of Tricycle Wine Partners and Obisid- ian Ridge Vineyard in Lake County. The registration price includes all general conference sessions, two of three technical tastings, a light breakfast, full lunch and trade show. Exhibitors will bring tasting trials of their own to be shared at their trade show booths. These other content sessions are also included: • "Recent Research," including Brett management in oak, and the sources of sensory properties in two French oak species; • "Élevage Without Barrels," a technical tasting of oak adjunct trials; • "Managing Phenolics," an over- view of new enology products to use during fermentation; • One-on-one consultations with consulting winemakers. For more information, or to register for the Wines & Vines Oak Conference, visit wvoak.com. —Jim Gordon March 8, 2016 March 16, 2017 EMERGING FROM THE DROUGHT One year ago, less than 1% of California was classified as free from drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. As of this March, that figure had climbed to more than 76%, thanks to winter storms that drenched the state with rain and even left vineyards underwater in some areas. At press time, all parts of California had emerged from the two most serious drought categories, and just 1% (the inland area bordering Mexico) was still listed as being under "severe drought." "In Southern California, severe drought was eliminated in the Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles county region (which) has improved long-term impacts to groundwater," an accompanying report said. U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR