GrapeCrafter

Curtis Phillips’ article in the December issue of Wine Business Monthly decries the state of wine research funding in the United States as compared to Australia, with the American Vineyard Foundation’s budget at $1.2 M as compared to Australia’s $23 M, mostly gobbled up by the intrepid Australian Wine Research Institute. As he mentions, our publicly funded research pales beside the proprietary investigations pursued by Gallo’s Jim Peck and other in-house secret fact factories. There can be no doubt that in our country, a public system for addressing the practical needs of small wineries is sadly lacking. By continually coming through with useful, practical findings, AWRI trumps our institutions completely through a clear and well organized commitment to Industry.

But Curtis is focusing on politics rather than economics. One should consider what is the ultimate source of these funds. Who actually cash-rolls Australia’s research? Why, the same folks who pay for Gallo’s research, and also for marijuana research and cocaine research and China’s industrial boom. The American consumer. Give ‘em what they want, and they’ll shell out for it. Not to worry.

Good news is ever welcome. Winemakers who sympathize with the plight of our migrant worker partners will be delighted by the recent action of our enlightened local institution, Exchange Bank of Santa Rosa, regarding establishment of a system of handling wages for these hardworking providers of essential labor who deserve much more honor than they usually get. The new payroll card provides for direct deposits, can be used like a credit card or phone card, and includes a companion card for families back home to tap into the account at lower fees than any other method.

I have blogged previously the disgraceful treatment these folks receive in the U.S. wine industry. Exchange Bank, who has supported the dreams of my family's company with compassion, faith and understanding, has once again shown us that a corporation can have a heart. Kudos!

California winemaking gives me the creeps.  And I'm not alone.  Everything winemakers do is completely dependent on hispanic labor.  Yet we treat these people like animals. You have no idea. 

When I negotiate a sale of a piece of Napa real estate to be converted to vineyards, the first thing we do, before the D9's can fell trees and rip land, is to hire Mexicans to hand-carry out the bedsprings (which foul the backhoes of the machinery) left behind by the displaced tenants. 

Upwards of 20,000 migrants are employed in North Coast farming (and not a lot of locals want to horn in on their jobs).  Thanks to high visibility initiatives by good-hearted corporations like Beringer-Blass and Kendall Jackson, low income housing is now in place for nearly 10% of the need.  The rest sleep in the woods.  No kidding.