The Department of Viticulture and Enology co-hosted, along with the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and Western SARE, a Climate Resilience in Vineyards Workshop, at the Oakville Station on June 3, 2026. There were presentations on temperature extremes, pests and diseases, water use and drought adaptation, soil health and dry farming, and wildfire and smoke taint. Following the talks there was a Q and A session with the speakers and then attendees broke into groups to discuss what kind of research and other resources would be useful going forward. Ideas brought forward included: what are we measuring/should we be measuring, how do people feel about sharing data and where should it be kept, collecting longer-term datasets, and perhaps there should be a template for entering data. Topics included climate resilience practices, soil health, berry quality, fermentation outcomes, baseline data for smoke impact and more. Participants also mentioned having to potentially communicate the return on investment (with respect to new practices or research) to management. Education through extension was mentioned along with educating consumers about agriculture and how growers are adapting to climate change. We would like to thank all the speakers, panelists, facilitators, and attendees for taking the time to come together and discuss these important issues.
We have spent the last couple of months organizing our Department of Viticulture and Enology educational extension programs and other departmental programs for the upcoming year. We are planning both On Campus and On the Road programs. On December 9, 2026, we will be On the Road in Santa Barbara, at the Firestone Vineyard in Los Olivos! Registration will be opening soon, so check our upcoming events page for the latest information.
At the January 2027 Unified Symposium in Sacramento, the Departments of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis, CSU Fresno, and Washington State University, and the Oregon Wine Research Institute will be co-hosting an academic, alumni, student, and friends’ reception on January 27, 2027, at 5:15 pm. You will have to register to attend. Stay tuned for more details and a registration link.
Here is a list of our upcoming educational extension programs:
On Campus 2027:
February 24, 2027: Viticulture-focused program (with a general focus on pests and diseases and a deeper dive into Red Blotch)
April 1, 2027: Enology-Focused Program
May 26, 2027: Grape Day at the Oakville Station
On the Road 2026-27:
On the Road in Santa Barbara County - December 9, 2026, Firestone Vineyard, Los Olivos CA
On the Road in Alameda County - February 4, 2027, UC Livermore Collaboration Center, Livermore, CA
On the Road in Sonoma - March 17, 2027, Sonoma County Farm Bureau, Santa Rosa, CA
On the Road in Napa - April 21, 2027, CIA/Copia, Napa, CA
On the Road in Santa Cruz County – May 12, 2027, Regale Winery, Los Gatos