Anyone who regularly attended our departmental extension events over the last 30 years would recognize Ted Rieger as a constant presence. Maybe more importantly, those not attending our events could rely on Ted’s accounts of those programs in industry publications such as Wine Business Monthly, Vineyard & Winery Management, and Wines & Vines. After four decades of freelance writing, including nearly one thousand wine-industry-related articles, Ted has decided to retire. Ted did a tremendous job of covering news from our department, whether it was details of an on-campus extension event or a story introducing the industry to our newest faculty member, his articles were interesting and accurate. The entire industry benefited from the clarity of his writing.
David Block, former Chair of the Department commented, “We always knew when Ted was writing an article about an event or person that it would emphasize exactly the right points and that everything reported would be 100% accurate. Having been interviewed countless times over the years by others, I can say that those qualities are rare. With Ted’s reporting, he has helped our department and industry immeasurably! Ted played a significant role in assuring that the wine industry had ready access to information it needed to meet technical challenges and improve operations. We will miss working with him.”
We wish Ted all the best for a happy and healthy retirement!