In this episode of Grown in Napa Valley, host Caleb Mosley sits down with Tracy Cleveland, Napa County's Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures, for a candid conversation about one of the more alarming pest events in recent memory. What began as a routine call from a neighboring county inspector turned into an urgent, coordinated response after glassy-winged sharpshooter was discovered on grapevine shipments sold through Costco stores across Northern California. Tracy walks Caleb through the timeline, which stretched across four separate shipments arriving from late April through late May, and describes what it looks like on the ground when inspectors mobilize to track down where infested plants may have landed. She also offers a practical reminder for growers: with harvest approaching, now is the time to contact the Agricultural Commissioner's office and schedule scale inspections before the season gets underway.
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The conversation goes deeper than the incident itself, touching on Tracy's 23 years with the county, her early days as a seasonal glassy-winged sharpshooter inspector, and the protocols her team uses when evaluating incoming plant material. She reflects on how the European grapevine moth eradication shaped the county's approach to pest response and emphasizes that keeping up this kind of vigilance requires community participation, from reporting suspicious plants to being thoughtful about moving material between regions.

For Glass with a Grower, Caleb welcomes Jason Haas, second generation proprietor of Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, fresh off his appearance at NVG's Organic Wine Growing Conference. Jason traces the story of Tablas Creek from its 1989 founding, a partnership between his father Robert Haas and the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel, through its evolution into the first winery in the world to earn Regenerative Organic Certification. He unpacks each of the certification's three pillars and shares why the social welfare component turned out to be the most transformative, leading to changes in how the vineyard team communicates, shares knowledge, and takes ownership of the work. Despite a challenging wine market, Jason closes on an optimistic note: the tools to build a resilient, forward-looking operation are there for growers and producers willing to look for them.

• "At the end of it, it was 40 counties impacted." - Tracy Cleveland 
  
• "Costco let us know they had donated 15 vines to our local food bank. We were able to trace it back to the food bank that same day — and that was our first egg mass find." - Tracy Cleveland 
• "I did not expect that. I thought we were going to go through [the social pillar] with flying colors — we've given our field crew year-round employment since 1996. But it required us to break down some of the more hierarchical systems." - Jason Haas 
  
• "The pre-existing certifications — organic, biodynamic, even the sustainability certifications — don't really have this social aspect. I don't think they have as much meaning as this regenerative certification, because it is such a holistic look at your operation." - Jason Haas 

On Friday, May 22, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers had the privilege of hosting a remarkable group of visitors: a cohort of Ukrainian agri-tech startup founders participating in the UC Berkeley Agro Accelerator program. The afternoon, held at the iconic V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena, was a working session designed to bridge two worlds: the deep-rooted agricultural tradition of Napa Valley and the innovative, technology-driven perspective of a new generation of global entrepreneurs.
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This was not a wine tourism stop. It was a genuine exchange between professionals who share a common commitment to advancing agriculture through science, innovation, and collaboration.

The UC Berkeley Agro Accelerator brings together agri-tech companies that already have products and market traction, but are looking to scale, sharpen their investor readiness, and learn how demanding agricultural markets evaluate new technologies. The cohort represented a wide range of innovation areas including precision agriculture, IoT hardware, livestock management, greenhouse automation, and farm data platforms.
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Napa Valley was chosen as the closing experience of their two-week California program for good reason. Our region represents a global standard of excellence in high-value agriculture, and offers a compelling case study in how a sophisticated farming community evaluates, adopts, and integrates new technologies over time. The afternoon was designed to help the founders reflect on the human side of ag-tech adoption: how trust is built with growers, why some solutions succeed while others struggle to gain traction, and what it takes to become a genuine partner to farmers rather than just a vendor.

​Amidst an uncertain growing season, Richard Mendelson offers a forward-looking view of Napa Valley, emphasizing how the region’s history of resilience positions it well for the challenges ahead. Napa Valley has undergone a remarkable evolution, from the trials of Prohibition and phylloxera to the global triumph of the Judgment of Paris and the establishment of the Ag Preserve, Napa has always found strength through collaboration and a shared commitment to agriculture. While today’s pressures include climate variability, shifting consumer trends, rising costs, and significant vineyard removals, the valley remains steadfast, spurred on by its enduring advantages: exceptional land, multi-generational expertise, a culture of quality, and a community determined to protect what makes the valley special.

​To build on these strengths, Mendelson introduces a four-part framework designed to guide Napa toward a balanced, resilient future. The proposals include identifying and protecting the valley’s most sensitive ecological lands, developing a viticultural suitability system informed by modern science and GIS tools, implementing in-lieu fees to ensure net environmental benefits, and creating a Transfer of Development Rights program that supports both conservation and much-needed affordable housing. These tools, already successful in other regions, offer Napa a practical and proactive path forward, one that encourages smart growth, protects irreplaceable landscapes, and helps the agricultural economy adapt with intention rather than urgency.

​While the path forward requires change, Mendelson highlights the importance of celebrating and preserving Napa’s identity through a vineyard registry that documents vineyard histories, boundaries, and defining traits. This effort, alongside active participation in the county’s General Plan update, will help ensure that policies reflect both ecological priorities and agricultural realities. Napa’s capacity for reinvention has never been accidental, and with thoughtful planning, shared stewardship, and a commitment to balance, the valley is well positioned to thrive in its next chapter, strengthening the land, the community, and the legacy that future generations will inherit.

The wine market is in a period of structural change, not a temporary dip. For growers, this shift calls for clear-eyed planning, realistic budgeting, and renewed partnership with wineries. Below is a concise look at the most important takeaways from our recent Business of Vineyards Financial Resiliency webinar, with speaker Jon Moramarco of bw166, distilled to what matters most for Napa growers today.

Long-term industry growth trends that guided vineyard development for decades have flattened. Total U.S. alcohol consumption has declined, and wine’s share is no longer expanding. Lower-priced segments are seeing the steepest drop, while premium categories remain more stable, though within a smaller overall market.

What it means for growers
• Make decisions with conservative assumptions.
• Stress-test budgets against low-demand scenarios.
• Reassess capital projects through a realistic, slow-growth lens.

Younger consumers are drinking less alcohol overall, and pandemic-era purchasing spikes have normalized. While older demographics continue to value wine, the pipeline of new high-frequency wine drinkers is narrower than it once was.

What it means for growers
• Vineyard strategy should focus on quality-driven, premium positions.
• Don’t rely on demographic growth to drive future demand.

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.

​Last week, we had the privilege of joining the team at Inglenook in Rutherford for a behind-the-scenes look at the harvest season.

Over ten hospitality professionals gathered to hear from Enrique Herro, Director of Vineyards, about the critical role of harvest in winemaking. We learned about the history of Inglenook, a stunning 1,700-acre estate nestled in the heart of Rutherford.
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​Our tour took us to a sun-drenched vineyard block where skilled crews were expertly harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon. Sr. Associate Winemaker, Jonathan Tyer, shared his insights on the key qualities he seeks in grapes before giving the green light to pick. He emphasized that exceptional wines begin in the vineyard and that the quality of the grapes is paramount to producing estate wines.

We concluded our visit with a tour of the new winery caves, featuring state-of-the-art tanks with automated pump-overs.
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Thank you to everyone who participated in our Seasonal Vineyard Walk and a special thanks to Inglenook for hosting us.

On October 4, 2024, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers are proud to participate in Leadership Napa Valley’s Ag Day, an annual event highlighting Napa Valley's agricultural sector. Leadership Napa Valley (LNV) is a premier leadership development program designed to inspire, connect, and cultivate diverse individuals committed to making a positive impact in the Napa Valley community. Ag Day is an integral part of this program, providing participants with an in-depth look at the region's agricultural heritage and current practices.

NVG will lead several key activities throughout the day. The event will kick off with a harvest ride-along led by Garrett Buckland of Premiere Viticulture, an NVG Board Director. This immersive experience will offer participants a unique, hands-on view of vineyard operations during harvest.

Later in the day, Ted Hall of Long Meadow Ranch, a former NVG Board Director, will present on organic farming, emphasizing sustainable viticulture practices. Following this, Meghan Becker of In Vino Veritas, an NVG Board Director, will discuss the business of wine, covering the economics and market trends that shape Napa’s wine industry.

NVG's involvement in Ag Day underscores our commitment to community education and encourages sustainable farming practices. Be sure to follow along on Instagram as we share highlights from Ag Day on October 4!

Dear members,

With great gratitude for our local firefighting crews, last week’s smoke has cleared, and containment of regional fires progresses. It was a sobering reminder of the importance of our community’s ongoing focus on wildfire resiliency.

Just this last week, NVG representatives attended Napa County’s budget hearings. We’ve advocated over the last several years for greater allocation of resources for wildfire and were encouraged to hear that the now approved budget includes the greatest community investment in wildfire and disaster prevention to date. It was noted in these hearings that the vigor of the local wine industry is uniquely tied to the county’s revenues and available services via property and sales tax. This further goes to show that NVG’s support of the grower community has a direct and positive impact on the community as a whole.

On your behalf, we are building strong ties with Napa County’s new Fire Administrator, David Shew, who will be a guest on our podcast in July. We hope you tune in to hear more about his vision for Napa County to become a model of wildfire readiness. 

We continue to work in lockstep with Napa County Ag Commissioner Tracy Cleveland to ensure an easy-to-navigate Ag Pass Program. If you are not yet enrolled in the 2024 Program, now is the time to do so.

We appreciated hearing from many of you last week, seeking our guidance and support in understanding smoke impacts and fielding your concerns about scheduled controlled burns as we rapidly approach veraison. While controlled burns are an essential wildfire mitigation tactic here in Napa County, we are working to address the need for a crop protection overlay with CalFire and community stakeholders, taking into consideration timing and scale of controlled burns at times when grapes are most susceptible to smoke. Following outreach with Napa County Fire this week, we want members to be aware that controlled burns are now suspended for the season, as fire personnel and resources shift their attention to fire suppression.

Meanwhile, our understanding of the impacts of smoke exposure on winegrapes continues to improve. We completed our third year of baseline data collection with ETS Labs and encourage you all to follow our best practices guidelines for collecting baseline grape samples this growing season, both to inform your teams as well as the global testing methodology.
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Don’t forget to access all your member wildfire resources when in need or reach out to an NVG staff member anytime. Our team is here for you through this wildfire season!

​Jennifer Hampton, a social worker, life coach, and mental health professional, spoke to Connect & Cultivate attendees about Strategies for Preventing Burnout in the Workplace. Drawing from her extensive experience in stressful environments, she shared practical strategies to prevent and address burnout. Here are the key takeaways:
 
Definition and Impact of Burnout:

• Burnout is characterized by emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion due to prolonged stress.
• Unlike stress, which can sometimes be motivating, burnout leads to decreased productivity and serious health issues such as depression and heart disease.

 
Practical Tools and Techniques:

• Circle of Concern/Control: Focus efforts on things within your control to reduce stress.
• Pomodoro Technique: Enhances productivity by working in focused intervals with breaks.
• Aligning with Values: Living by your values reduces stress and enhances contentment.
• Setting your Boundaries: What you say “yes and no” to.

 
Stress-Relief Techniques:

• Self-Care: Take a self-care assessment and see how you maintain a healthy wellbeing
• Music: Can improve mood and reduce stress.
• Regular Breaks: Help manage stress levels throughout the day.
• Box Breathing: A technique to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety – even Chris Hemsworth does it!
• Tolerance: Healthy stress tolerance and stress management means paying attention to the pressure that is building and acknowledging your limitations before you reach your capacity.

 
Books to Read:

• Awareness by Anthony de Mello's
• Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey

 
Creating a Supportive Work Environment:

• Open communication and collaboration among colleagues are key to fostering a supportive atmosphere.
• Leaders play a crucial role in recognizing burnout and promoting a culture of well-being.
• Here are some ways we can address the “the disappearance of the off-season:”

 
1. Flexible Scheduling

• Staggered Shifts: Implement staggered shifts to ensure that not everyone is working overtime at the same time. This helps distribute the workload more evenly.
• Compressed Workweeks: Allow employees to work longer hours on certain days in exchange for additional days off during the week.
• Seasonal Time Off: Offer compensatory time off during less busy seasons to make up for the intense periods.

 
2. Open Communication and Feedback

• Regular Check-Ins: Conduct regular check-ins with employees to understand their workload and stress levels.
• Feedback Mechanisms: Establish anonymous feedback mechanisms for employees to express concerns about work/life balance.

 
3. Time Management Tools

• Efficient Scheduling Software: Use scheduling software to optimize labor allocation and reduce unnecessary overtime.
• Task Management Systems: Implement task management systems to prioritize work effectively and ensure that critical tasks are completed without excessive overtime.

 
4. Cultural Changes

• Promote a Healthy Work Culture: Encourage a work culture that values work/life balance and recognizes the importance of downtime. Celebrate when a team member submits a vacation request, encourage regular doctor appointments, and support parents attending a school function.
• Health and Wellness Programs: Provide access to health and wellness programs, such as fitness classes, mental health support, and ergonomic assessments.
• Lead by Example: Ensure that management sets a good example by maintaining their own work/life balance and not encouraging a culture of overwork.