​In this episode of Grown in Napa Valley, host Caleb Mosley steps out into the vineyards to explore the art and science of pruning. He speaks with esteemed vineyard professional Anulfo Solorio from Silverado Farming Company about the upcoming Napa County Pruning Contest, highlighting the importance of education and precision in vineyard management. Solorio shares his deep appreciation for pruning as a craft, emphasizing how it shapes the future of the vine and contributes to overall vineyard health. 

Later, Mosley meets with international pruning expert Jacopo Miolo​ from Simonit&Sirch, who provides insight into how viticultural practices vary worldwide and the importance of adapting techniques to local terroirs. Their discussion underscores the need to move beyond rigid pruning formulas and instead cultivate an approach that respects the vineyard’s unique climate, soil, and history. 

The episode concludes with a sit-down conversation with John Truchard, who shares his journey from grape growing to winemaking and his impact on Napa’s music scene. Truchard discusses the success of JAM Cellars, the evolution of vineyard leasing, and the business strategies behind building a scalable and accessible wine brand. While we chat, we enjoy a glass of 2024 John Anthony Church Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc.

At Napa Valley Grapegrowers, understanding weather trends is key to supporting sustainable vineyard practices. Recently, we spoke with Erik Moldstad from Precision Forecasting to discuss the current dry and sunny conditions affecting our region.

A Dry Winter Explained
​This season, Napa Valley has experienced drier-than-average weather following a wet early winter. Erik attributes this to a La Niña pattern combined with warmer-than-usual ocean temperatures across the Pacific.

“These warmer ocean temperatures create high-pressure systems along the coast, blocking rain and resulting in dry, sunny weather,” Erik explained. Napa often falls between the extremes of wetter weather in the Pacific Northwest and drier conditions in Southern California during La Niña years. Unfortunately, the forecast for the second half of winter points to less frequent and lighter rain than usual.

Hopes for Rain?
When asked about the likelihood of an atmospheric river breaking through, Erik shared that while some rain is possible, high-pressure systems are expected to dominate. Still, Napa’s early-season rains have filled reservoirs and replenished soil moisture, putting the region in a better position despite the dry outlook.

Looking Ahead
While the forecast suggests continued dryness, Napa Valley is well-prepared thanks to early winter rains. Erik encourages growers to enjoy the mild weather while staying informed. His forecasts, available through Precision Forecasting, provide valuable insights to help vineyard managers adapt to changing conditions.

Half a century ago, a group of forward-thinking, passionate Napa Valley farmers met around Ren Harris’ dining room table in Oakville to create the Napa Valley Grapegrowers. These pioneers recognized the unique potential inherent in this valley to grow winegrapes that could create wine worthy of competition with the finest offerings from across the globe. Over the past 50 years, NVG has evolved to address some of the most pressing issues facing the Napa grape-growing community, further establishing and protecting this amazing land for generations to come.
A few highlights of our work over the past 50 years:

• Our founders helped create and pass legislation ensuring Napa Valley growers were not only recognized but fairly rewarded for their efforts in cultivating some of the best grapes grown in the state of California. NVG evolved to promote the use of geographical and historical indicators to establish a wine’s appellation, allowing consumers to further distinguish Napa Valley wines.
• NVG participated in crafting the Winery Definition Ordinance and supported Measure J as a means to add more impactful longevity to Napa County’s groundbreaking Agricultural Preserve.
• When organic farming began to gain traction in Napa vineyards, NVG launched the Organic Winegrowing Conference to disseminate cutting-edge viticultural practices, a practice that serves as a pillar of our organization to this day.
• Our support of and collaboration with the Napa County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office helped eradicate the invasive European Grapevine Moth from Napa’s vineyards.
• In 2018, NVG leadership took the bold step to transition the organization’s nonprofit status from a 501(c)(5) to a 501(c)(3), empowering our efforts to bridge to the greater community. We remain committed to providing key technical education and unwavering advocacy for our members and their vineyards while embarking upon outreach to the community to promote our unique grape-growing heritage.

The NVG Board of Directors, in collaboration with our dedicated NVG staff, has curated a year-long celebration of this milestone, complete with monthly themes highlighting important aspects of our past, present, and future. Our “Grown in Napa Valley” Podcast, released on the tenth of each month, will feature a cast of growers and winemakers who have played a pivotal role in the success of our valley. I invite you to tune in to our freshly released January episode featuring Richard Mendelson and, appropriately, Ren Harris.

We will host several events, including the relaunch of our annual membership meeting (complete with a special guest keynote speaker), to celebrate this feat together with a glass of Napa Valley wine in hand. Keep your eyes peeled for announcements on these upcoming events, and take a peek at our 50th-anniversary calendar.

As we embark upon the next 50 years, the practice of grape growing in our precious valley will be faced with numerous challenges. The wine sales marketplace continues to evolve. Our climate continues to shift. Our knowledge of our environment and our impact upon it will continue to progress. The Napa Valley Grapegrowers stand at the ready to tackle challenges and to support our growers and the health of our environment. We, too, will continue to evolve.

I invite everyone to take a moment this year to embrace the accomplishments of the past, to contemplate the current nature of our valley, and to envision a future that continues to provide for our entire community, just as it has for each and every one of us. I find myself overflowing with gratitude to play a part in leading this historic organization as we celebrate, and I can’t wait to raise a glass with you!

Here’s to the next 50 years of growing together!

Caleb Mosley
​Executive Director

In this episode of Grown in Napa Valley, Executive Director and host Caleb Mosley celebrates the Napa Valley Grapegrowers' 50th anniversary with two in-depth conversations highlighting the region's rich history, agricultural legacy, and future challenges.
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The episode begins with Richard Mendelson, a renowned wine lawyer, author, and historian. Richard discusses the pivotal moments that shaped Napa Valley, from the 19th-century wine pioneers to the post-Prohibition revival and the creation of the Agricultural Preserve in 1968. He emphasizes the critical role of human influence in terroir, the importance of resilience in the face of climate change, and the need to preserve Napa’s agricultural heritage. 

The conversation continues with Ren Harris, one of the founding members of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and a celebrated vintner. Ren reflects on his early days in Napa, the region’s shift from prunes to vineyards, and his instrumental role in creating the Napa Valley Grapegrowers organization. He shares stories about his work advocating for farmworker rights, creating health insurance plans for vineyard workers, and establishing marketing orders and appellation rules that shaped Napa’s identity. Ren also discusses the evolution of vineyard practices, his family’s Paradigm Winery, and the significance of preserving Napa’s community spirit and agricultural lands amid climate and economic changes.

This episode is brought to you by Pulido Walker Estate Vineyards. 

"The secret to Napa Valley's success is people, not just terroir. Terroir includes the natural elements, but it also includes the human element — the people who plant the vineyards, work the fields, make the wine. Without that, it's not a complete picture." – Richard Mendelson

"The Agricultural Preserve was a bet on Napa’s future before anyone knew what was coming. It was about preserving the land for agriculture at a time when many didn’t believe in the potential of wine here. It remains the most important decision in Napa's history." – Richard Mendelson

"Social justice is now a part of terroir. When I traveled the world to protect the Napa Valley name, people asked me how we treat our farmworkers. It’s become clear that how we care for our community is just as important as the land itself in defining our identity." – Richard Mendelson
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"You make your wine in the vineyard. I always tell Heidi Barrett, 'We're bringing you really good grapes — just don’t screw it up!' It’s all about even ripening and meticulous farming, and you can’t achieve that by cutting corners." – Ren Harris

"Two dirt farmers from Napa got the federal government to change appellation laws for the entire country. We used the tools we had — connections, common sense, and persistence — to ensure that if it says Napa Valley on a bottle, it means something." – Ren Harris

The 2024 ROOTSTOCK Conference emphasized actionable strategies for managing Red Blotch Virus (RBD), improving pest control, and fostering collaboration. Here are the key points growers can implement now:
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1. Understand the Unique Nature of Red Blotch Virus

• Red Blotch is unlike any other virus in viticulture; comparisons to existing mitigation efforts have proven ineffective for analysis and control. Continued research and experimentation are essential for effective management.
• Address Critical Challenges:
  • The virus has an extensive latent period before symptoms appear.
  • Its distribution within vine tissues is extremely uneven. These issues complicate scouting, sampling, testing, and rogueing programs.

2. Adopt Targeted Rogueing and Replanting Strategies

• Zonal Rogueing: Removing only symptomatic vines year after year is insufficient. Instead, adopt zonal rogueing strategies to account for asymptomatic but infected vines by removing adjacent plants within a certain radius depending on the dynamics of the disease spread within your vineyard.
• Coordinate Replanting: Whenever possible, coordinate large-scale replanting efforts with neighboring vineyards. A community-level commitment to addressing Red Blotch is key to success. Remember, Sauvignon Blanc and white varieties can still harbor the disease and serve as an inoculum source for adjacent vineyards. 

3. Monitor Virus Spread Dynamics

• Two patterns of Red Blotch spread have emerged:
  • Concentrated Spread: Linked to infected planting material, leading to clusters of infected vines.
  • Diffuse Spread: In vineyards without infected plant material, the virus spreads less densely, resulting in lower annual infection rates.
• Drought and Vector Activity: Excessive drought correlates with increased feeding and virus transmission by the Three-Cornered Alfalfa Hopper (TCAH). The 2024 season highlighted a rise in newly symptomatic vines due to heightened TCAH activity during previous dry periods in 2020 and 2021.

4. Prioritize Testing, Mapping, and Monitoring

• Implement proactive testing and mapping to detect asymptomatic infections early.
  
• Due to the uneven distribution of the virus within the plant, it's essential that visual scouting accompanies testing programs. 
• Use visual year-over-year mapping to demonstrate trends and justify resource allocation to stakeholders.

5. Foster Collaboration and Communication

• Invest in neighborly relations to develop regional Red Blotch management strategies. Success depends on trust, open communication, and shared commitments.
• Align internal vineyard teams on the financial and operational impact of Red Blotch to ensure unified decision-making before engaging in community-wide efforts.

6. Adapt Vineyard Practices to Improve Wine Quality

• Harvest fruit at different ripeness levels to optimize unaffected clusters, though be mindful of logistical costs.
• Petit Verdot can be used in co-fermentation to enhance the structure and color of virus-affected wines.

​By implementing these actionable strategies—rooted in collaboration, targeted rogueing, and proactive monitoring—growers can mitigate the impacts of Red Blotch Virus and develop long-term solutions to sustain vineyard health.

In this episode of Grown in Napa Valley, Executive Director and host Caleb Mosley engages in two thought-provoking conversations that explore the present and future of Napa Valley's wine industry.

Kicking off with Jon Moramarco, managing partner of BW166 and a renowned expert in beverage alcohol trends. Jon shares his journey in the wine industry, insights into seismic shifts in global wine markets, and the challenges facing Napa Valley. Jon highlights the importance of innovation, smarter business practices, and the potential for Napa to explore new opportunities to remain a leader in the global wine industry.
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The episode continues with Paul Goldberg, 2024 Grower of the Year and vineyard manager at Bettinelli Vineyards. In this candid conversation, Paul reflects on his Napa upbringing, his journey into viticulture, and the evolution of vineyard practices over the past 50 years. Paul discusses the meticulous farming techniques Bettinelli employs to enhance phenolic development, the importance of adapting to changing market demands, and the opportunities to champion diverse grape varietals. He also shares the story of Sleeping Lady Vineyard and the 2019 Ad Vivum Cabernet Sauvignon he brought.

"Napa is an anomaly. The rest of the country doesn’t live like we do here, and understanding that reality is key to shaping the future of the wine industry." - ​Jon Moramarco

"What was three or four passes through a vineyard in the 1970s has now grown into 10, 11, sometimes 12 passes—each one critical to achieving balance and quality." - Paul Goldberg

"The global wine market has been oversupplied for 20 years. For Napa to thrive, it’s about being smarter, innovating, and working harder to stand out." - Jon Moramarco

"When you actually walk a row with someone and explain how a vineyard is planted, trellised, and managed, it creates a level of appreciation that’s mind-blowing." - Paul Goldberg

"If I can enjoy life with my wine every day, and it shortens my life by two months, I’d say that’s worth it." - Jon Moramarco

This holiday season, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers is thrilled to announce several opportunities to celebrate, connect, and give back to our vibrant grape-growing community. As we gear up for the season of giving, we invite you to join us in supporting NVG’s mission to cultivate viticultural excellence and environmental stewardship for the Napa Valley. Here’s how you can make a difference:

CanDo’s Napa Valley Give!Guide
For the first time, NVG is proud to be included in Napa Valley Give!Guide. From November 15 to December 31, this annual initiative highlights local nonprofits, offering a simple way for the community to contribute to organizations that make Napa Valley a better place. Your donation through the Give!Guide directly supports NVG's critical work to preserve and promote sustainable grape growing in our region.
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Festival of Trees
NVG is spreading holiday cheer by participating in Napa’s downtown Holiday Market with a uniquely decorated Christmas tree for the Festival of Trees. Festival attendees can vote for their favorite tree, and the winning design will be auctioned off on December 7-8. All proceeds from the auctioned NVG tree will benefit our organization. Stop by to admire the creativity and cast your vote!

​KTVU Giving Tuesday Segment
Watch NVG on KTVU’s Giving Tuesday segment, where we had the exciting opportunity to be a nonprofit spotlight!

This season of giving is the perfect time to support the vital work NVG does to sustain our agricultural heritage, enhance environmental stewardship, and strengthen our community. Whether through a donation to the Give!Guide, voting for our Festival of Trees entry, or sipping wine for a cause, every contribution makes a lasting impact.

Let’s come together to support Napa Valley’s vineyards this holiday season. Thank you for your generosity and commitment to our mission. Happy Holidays from all of us at Napa Valley Grapegrowers!

​This holiday season, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers has the exciting opportunity to participate in the Festival of Trees at First Street Napa's Holiday Market. The event is scheduled for December 7 and 8, 2024, from 12:00pm - 4:00pm. 

Join in the Holiday Spirit: Donate an Ornament
We’re calling on our members to help us bring a bit of vineyard life to our tree. Do you have a grape, tractor, truck, or ag-related ornament that captures the spirit of the Napa Valley? Your ornament can be the perfect addition to showcase the artistry, tradition, and community that define Napa Valley grape growing. Drop off your ornament at the NVG office (831 Latour Court, Suite A, Napa)  by Dec 1. Label your ornament with your name, so we can recognize your contribution.

Don't Have an Ornament to Donate?
Order something off our Amazon Wishlist! We have fun, festive decorations that will help make the NVG sparkle!

Vote and Bid for Our Tree!
Support local non-profits in a friendly competition through online voting and auctioning. Your vote could help us win while bringing awareness to our mission! Proceeds from the online tree auction will go directly to support the NVG, allowing us to continue our work for Napa’s growers and the community. Simply visit firststreetnapa.com to vote on December 7 & 8 for the NVG’s tree and place your bid for a chance to bring home our beautifully decorated holiday tree!

Thank you in advance for making the NVG tree one to remember. With your help, we’ll make this holiday season at the Festival of Trees a memorable celebration of our community and our vines!

In this episode of Grown in Napa Valley, host Caleb Mosley takes listeners on a journey through two critical aspects of Napa Valley’s wine industry: climate change and grower relations. First, Caleb sits down with Andrew Isaacs, a professor at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and climate expert, to discuss the evolving challenges that climate change presents for grape growers. They explore how climate impacts viticulture, and the importance of both mitigation and adaptation strategies in the vineyard. Andrew partnered with NVG on a six-part Climate Science video series to provide on-demand education for the industry.
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Then, for our Glass with a Grower segment, Caleb sat down with Jan Kappmeyer, a seasoned grower relations expert with 15 years of experience at Constellation Brands. Jan shares her career journey and the unique challenges she faced while navigating the dynamic relationships between growers and wineries. She offers valuable advice on how growers can approach contracts, manage market downturns, and maintain strong relationships with winemakers. Jan also introduces a special Viognier that she and her husband produce, sharing the story behind the vineyard and the wine itself. 

"Climate is just long-term weather. So day to day, we call it weather, but decade to decade, we call that same thing climate. And that’s what’s changing. For farmers, it’s right in front of our faces." - Andrew Isaacs

"Reducing emissions on a vineyard isn’t just about what happens within the four corners of your property—it’s a holistic lifestyle shift. It’s not just fewer tractor passes; it’s rethinking everything we do." - Andrew Isaacs

“Every single time there’s a downturn in a particular industry, the climate footprint of that industry goes down too. The reason is people cut costs—anything discretionary ends up on the cutting room floor.” - Andrew Isaacs

"In grower relations, you have to be honest and share your opinions—whether it's for one side or the other. That transparency and curiosity are what makes it work." - Jan Kappmeyer

"It’s like having a foot in two different canoes—you’re balancing the needs of growers and winemakers. Sometimes it goes one way, sometimes the other, but it’s all about keeping those relationships strong." - Jan Kappmeyer

On October 29, 2024, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers gathered with an exceptional group of over 50 sponsors at Arrow&Branch’s beautiful new winery in Oak Knoll. The evening was set against the golden backdrop of fall, culminating in a breathtaking sunset that made for a perfect close to the day. It was an occasion to honor and celebrate the vital support of our sponsors, whose contributions enabled NVG’s work throughout the year and the success of Harvest STOMP.

We were delighted to welcome some of NVG’s most dedicated sponsors, including Allied Propane, American AgCredit, John Anthony Vineyards, and Mechanics Bank. Their longstanding commitment has been instrumental in supporting Napa Valley’s growers, our shared vision for excellence in viticulture, and the success of signature events like Harvest STOMP.

Looking ahead, 2025 marks a milestone for NVG as we celebrate our 50th anniversary. In recognition of this special occasion, we’re offering a new 50th Anniversary Sponsor level that will provide exclusive opportunities to commemorate this exciting chapter in NVG’s history. As we look ahead to the new year, our 2025 sponsorship opportunities are available to review. We look forward to including you! 

To all our sponsors, thank you for being essential partners in Napa Valley Grapegrowers’ mission. Here’s to another year of growth, connection, and shared success in Napa Valley!

For more information on sponsor opportunities, please reach out to Quincy Scott.