The American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) Board announced Dr. Jim Wolpert, Viticulture Specialist, University of California-Davis, as ASEV's 2013 Merit Award recipient.

Jim Wolpert is a native of Indiana. He received his bachelor of science from Purdue University in Horticulture in 1973. He took further training at Michigan State University, receiving a Master's degree in 1978 and a PhD in 1983. Both thesis projects involved research on production practices of 'Concord' grapes and how these practices influence vine cold...

SPECIAL OFFER-Vineyard Pest Identification and Monitoring Cards

Stay on top of pest activity in your vineyard!

Keep your vineyard healthy with this set of 50 sturdy, pocket-size laminated cards, now available in both English and Spanish. This is the perfect quick field references for identifying and monitoring vineyard diseases and pests for you and your crew.

Each set covers 41 common insects and mites, 11 diseases, 23 beneficial insects, and a variety of other disorders, weeds, and invertebrate pests. Each pest is identified by a description and high-quality close-up...

The last two years, San Joaquin Valley raisin growers experienced a high number of rolled raisin thefts. The majority of the thefts occurred near Biola and the area west of Selma. In past years the Sheriff’s Department has received reports of both bin and rolled raisin thefts. In 2011 thefts consisted primarily of rolled raisins taken from the fields, usually during the evening and late night hours.

PREVENTION TIPS

• Place rolled raisin trays deeper in the vineyard away from main roads. Doing so limits visibility from the roadway.
• Remove raisins and/or bins from fields or unsecured locations as soon as possible.
• Secure tractors, trailers and most importantly forklifts, so...

Help name the newest grapes from the Cornell University Grape Breeding Program!

It’s hard to come up with new winegrape names-they have to be unique, distinctive, and descriptive, look good on a wine bottle, and meet a variety of complicated legal specifications that you don't even want to think about.

Even more important, you have to like the grape and its name- because we hope we’ll be seeing the varietal name on wine bottles in the near future!

So the Cornell University Grape Breeding Program...

The second annual Raisin and Wine Grape Mechanical Harvest Safety Training is set for July 18, 2012 at the C.P.D.E.S. Hall in Easton CA, located at 172 W. Jefferson Ave.

Training will be provided in both English and Spanish.

The free training for farm employees and supervisors will increase awareness and improve safety in the field during mechanical raisin and wine grape harvest. Trained...