grapes

Researchers from three West Coast universities have made a new discovery about how smoke affects wine grapes. Correspondent Lauren Paterson reports.…

(Runtime 1:11)Grapes have benefitted from the wet spring. The Red Mountain American Viticultural Area growers are predicting a good vintage for 2022. A…

Checking Vineyard Soil Moisture Now Can Save Grapes Later

Dick Boushey had a problem. When the COVID-19 pandemic dried up business for wineries and tasting rooms, the Yakima Valley grower anticipated his crop of…

Even if a wildfire doesn’t burn a vineyard, smoke can get into grapes. Smoke taint tastes like a small bit of ashtray, creosote post or burnt tires — so it’s not desirable in your pinot or merlot.

To qualify as an AVA, a wine grape-growing region must set itself apart with climate, soil, elevation and physical features. A new one doesn’t come around very often. The Royal Slope AVA is just over 156,000 acres, and is north of the Tri-Cities.

Across the Northwest, there are too many wine grapes and not enough demand. It started with an overly optimistic industry planting too much. Then came the coronavirus pandemic. Now, vineyard managers and wineries are being forced to think creatively to cope with 2020’s bumper crop.

East of the Cascades in Washington and Oregon -- it’s been about 5 to 10 degrees warmer than normal for most of the winter. And those usually warm conditions have buds on fruit trees and grapevines starting to “push,” or emerge early. That has farmers worried.