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.

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.
​
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

The nation’s most prestigious wine grape grower organization, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVGG), gathered in early November for their two day annual conference, Rootstock. Breaking with the tradition of covering many topics at Rootstock, this year the group featured just one subject–weed control.

​The topic has stirred controversy in recent years.

A week later, Napa Green, the county’s prominent sustainability program, announced it would require its members to phase out conventional herbicides, including Roundup, by 2026, offering growers technical and financial assistance to support the change  The program has 25 current members and 44 others who are in transition. Together they collectively farm 7,000 acres of vines.

The growers’ educational gathering was held amidst growing consumer concerns that glyphosate based herbicides, featured in front page news (in recent court cases and ongoing studies), inhibit soil health and affect human health. In Napa, some consumers then began asking vintners if they used the herbicide, which put the topic on some wineries’ radar.

“The Napa Valley Grapegrowers have never shied away from a difficult topic or an interesting topic for discussion within the industry,” said NVGG board member Dave Whitmer, the county’s former Ag Commissioner. 
​
As the NVGG said in describing its Nov. 6-7 event on its website, “as consumers' and lenders' perceptions around herbicides shift, there is mounting pressure across the wine production chain to adapt farming methods…. as Napa Valley growers continue to strive for viticultural excellence, employing innovative practices is paramount to continuing to increase quality and sustainability in our vineyards.”

Dr. Ayana Johnson, co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab and the All We Can Save Project, sits down with Professor Andrew Isaacs of UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Hear from two great minds in the climate science field about the role that coastal waterways and vegetation play in absorbing carbon and how their protection will ultimately keep us safe from storm surges. In Napa, we are connected to these coastal systems via our river, streams, and riparian areas. Dr. Johnson emphasizes the connectivity between oceans and our farming practices that may not always be front-of-mind. 

Included in this discussion is the importance of climate justice when addressing the disproportionate impacts of climate change on communities. Dr. Johnson also highlights tenacity, collective action, and remaining joyful when confronting the challenges brought by a changing climate. What role can a farming community, and more specifically, our wine community play in meeting these challenges?

Senior Policy Advisor with Carbon 180, Vanessa Suarez, discusses key practices to promote carbon storage in soils, an opportunity to counteract the 1.5 degree Celsius warming threshold. Suarez encourages AOTC attendees to reframe their idea of carbon emissions to focus on the long game: net negative emissions. A concept Carbon 180 explores is agroforestry. How can we incorporate more biodiversity into our vineyards to promote the soil carbon holding capacity while improving wine quality and creating another path to economic stability for smaller wineries?

​Jamie Goode of Wine Anorak demystifies consumer perspectives and presents pathways for those in the wine industry to communicate and market environmental ethos and practice. While warning against the blanket term “sustainability” which he notes is well-positioned to promote greenwashing, Goode projects that future wine consumers will increasingly care about where their wine comes from. The audience is encouraged to share their innovative practices in narrative form through their labeling, marketing, and DTC channels to connect the consumer to the vineyard, farmers, soil, and ultimately, the wine. Illuminating the path forward for the wine industry, Goode shares, “Wine is the rockstar of agriculture and is ideally placed to lead conversations about climate change and green credentials.”

​Elisa Turner, Founder and CEO of IMPAKT IQ discusses the rapid acceleration of global ESG standards in the pipeline for 2024, and how financial institutions will begin looking at ESG scores like credit scores. In the past, there was no significant framework for consumers to learn about a company’s brand ethics. Now, ESG reporting is becoming mandatory for some sectors, whether the push is from government regulations, or consumer demand to purchase socially responsible and environmentally friendly goods. Wine distributors and wholesalers will require that wine companies meet certain ESG standards soon, particularly public companies like large grocers and retail. Elisa dives deep into the impacts this could have on local businesses and shares how IMPAKT IQ was designed to help navigate this new age of our industry both for large companies and smaller growers. 
Alan Lewis, VP of Natural Grocers, addresses the rapid state of transition in consumer demand for natural foods and the failure of regulatory bodies to keep up with what science now knows about the microbiome. When consumer trust erodes, how should companies respond, what changes in practices are expected, and how does this translate into market demand for Napa Valley wines? Turner & Lewis discuss the intersections of their work through a Q&A with the audience.

​Anthony Myint, Executive Director of Zero Foodprint, highlights incredible pathways for growers striving for innovative change, and poses this thought experiment: Can Napa Valley become the regenerative wine capital of the world? In their 5-year plan to generate funds to support growers with climate-smart farming, Zero Foodprint suggests an inventive OPT-OUT ordinance of 1% tax on food and wine that could be given directly to farmers. 1% of the Napa wine industry is more than $70 million dollars. Imagine what the Napa Valley could look like in 10, 20 and 50 years with this emphasis on regenerative agriculture: lush landscapes, healthy soil microbiomes, and a new consumer market dedicated to Napa Valley’s forward-thinking wines.