Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/918844
10 WINES&VINES January 2018 A member of Wine Communications Group Inc. President & Publisher Chet Klingensmith Chairman Hugh Tietjen Publishing Consultant Ken Koppel Associate Publisher Tina Vierra Publishing Assistant Ian Fadden Publishing & Events Assistant Emily Rosendahl EDITORIAL Editor Jim Gordon Managing Editor Kate Lavin Senior Editor Andrew Adams Northwest Correspondent Peter Mitham Contributing Editor Jane Firstenfeld Columnists Andy Starr, Glenn T. McGourty Contributing Writers Laurie Daniel, Richard Smart, Richard Carey, Jaime Lewis, Chris Stamp, Andrew Reynolds, Craig Root, Ray Pompilio and Fritz Westover Practical Winery & Vineyard (PWV) Editor Don Neel Wine East Editor Linda Jones McKee DESIGN & PRODUCTION Graphic Designer Rebecca Arnn DATABASE DEVELOPMENT – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Vice President — Data Management Lynne Skinner Project Manager Liesl Stevenson Database & Web Development James Rust, Peter Scarborough Research Assistant Sara Jennings EDITOR'S LETTER THE TYPICAL THEME for a January issue would be something like our cover headline last January: "Equipped for the Future." As our team put together this issue, which will be distrib- uted before and during the wine industry's biggest North American trade show and conference, the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium set for Jan. 23-25, we were using a working headline of "Tools for Tomorrow." However, after staring at that one for a few weeks it began to look too much like a 1950s-newsreel title that would have run over a big-band soundtrack and grainy black-and-white video of jerky robots and computers the size of whole rooms. Plus, on reviewing several of the key articles in this issue, they are really not so futuristic, but instead over realistic, practical solutions for winemakers and grape growers now. Hence the final cover headline, "Tools for Today." Probably the best example of this theme is the thorough review of lab analysis equipment for small to medium-size wineries researched and written by Richard Carey, Ph.D.: "Putting Modern Lab Equipment to the Test" (page 86). Carey is a long-time winemaker and winemaking consultant who loves using technology to make better wines. Learn all that these counter-top machines can do today in terms of testing must and wine in a matter of seconds in your own lab. Two Technical Spotlight articles reveal how wineries in the Carneros district of California and the Walla Walla Val- ley of Washington are utilizing the latest technology to make high-quality wine more simply and efficiently. The new Carneros winery is Hyde Estate, owned by the family renowned for its vineyard-designate-quality Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and other varieties. Senior editor Andrew Adams wrote the report (page 94). Contributor L. M. Archer wrote the second Technical Spotlight, which focuses on a refurbished Walla Walla winery, The Walls (page 104). Other "Tools for Today" include two reports on what happened in 2017 that will give you a better idea of what to expect in the wine industry in 2018. First, Adams surveyed growers and winemakers around the country to compile the Vintage Report 2017, which covers how the growing season progressed and how well the harvest turned out in 24 regions of North America (page 58). Second, Cody Jennings of mergers-and-acquisitions firm Zepponi & Co. projects what types of major transactions are likely today based on his wrap- up of M&A activity in 2017 (page 142). It's not a "spoiler" to reveal that premiumization will continue to be a key driver. In a similar vein, the results of the annual Wine Execu- tive Survey by Sonoma State University (page 136) re- flect what owners and CEOs at wineries and allied businesses were thinking about in 2017 and are now addressing in 2018. Those are just a few highlights of the extra-large amount of editorial content in this massive 164-page issue. If you want to discuss any of these themes with members of the Wines & Vines team in person, you are more than welcome to visit us Jan. 23-25 during the Unified Symposium at the Sacramento Convention Center. We will be in booths 428, 430 and 441. Best wishes for the rest of 2018! —Jim Gordon Key articles in this issue are not futuristic, but instead cover realistic solutions for winemakers and grapegrowers now. CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS Email: subs@winesandvines.com Online: winesandvines.com/subscribe Phone: (866) 453-9701 EDITORIAL Email: edit@winesandvines.com MAIL 65 Mitchell Blvd., Suite A San Rafael, CA 94903 CONNECT WITH US facebook.com/WinesandVines twitter.com/WinesandVines youtube.com/WinesandVines1919 Practical Ways to Improve Wine Production in 2018