XChateau Wine Podcast

• More Data, Less Sprays w/ Sarah Placella, Root Applied Sciences

  Spraying for powdery mildew can be ~25% of the cost of farming a vineyard and be one of the key elements of a grower’s carbon footprint. Sarah Placella, Founder and CEO of Root Applied Sciences, has taken her deep research in microbes and created a data-driven solution to monitor the air for mildew and spray only when needed. Root can cut ~5 sprays per season, and growers have an average 5x ROI using the system. Detailed Show Notes: Root Applied Sciences (“Root”) - airborne pathogen monitoring for farmers, like an “early warning system”Founded in 2018, 1st work with/ growers in 2021Powdery mildew (“PM”) is a big problem for vineyards in CA (March - August)Currently only markets to vineyards, done work with/ strawberries, leafy greens, can do anything with/ DNA and small insectsNapa, Sonoma, Central Coast todayHW enabled SaaS model - Root owns and maintains devicesDevice in the field, just above the canopySend data (battery status, device status, temp, humidity) to the cloud over LTEM connectionSW to see the dataThe grower collects samples from devices 2x/week and sends them to the labGrowers can share data with/ each otherHas an automated prototype in processWill not need a grower to collect and send samplesFundraising “seed” round for an automated system~25% of operational costs are spent managing PM6-16 pesticide applications/seasonConventional growers have fewer applications, but spend more for each oneOrganic may be spraying every weekPM takes 7-10 days to enter plants. See 2 peaks of PM before growers can see it, once PM exists, it's hard to controlRoot can cut 20-80% of sprays (~5 sprays/season), lengthens spray intervals when low risk~$100/acre spray cost per application, ~$300/acre if need to spray by hand (e.g., steep slopes)2024 - saw PM on Mar 29 in Carneros, growers planned 1st spray 4/16, moved up 1st spray to 4/2; cut sprays and more clean fruitRoot data enables more biological sprays (have shorter efficacy windows, are more environmentally friendly, and data gives more confidence to try them)Other benefits of RootClean fruit - faster fermentation (5 days faster), higher quality, possible increase in yieldsEnvironmental (less sprays, tractor use) - less diesel use, lower soil compaction; for 1 grower, 1 spray is a 13% reduction in carbon footprintFarmworker health - fewer chemicals in the airPricing$3,000/season/monitoring station all-inAvg grower has 4 stations, 1 every ~30-50 acresPrecision growers or rolling hills, 1 station every ~10 acres~5x ROIBarriers to adoptionRisk aversionNo access to a carrier to send samplesGrape prices down (budgets)More adaptive sprays can make operational scheduling harder for vineyard management companiesOther PM solutions“Spray and pray” (~90% of growers) - calendar-based systemWeather-based tools don’t work well and may be impacted by climate changeSpore trapping tools (e.g., spinning rods, roto rods) have sticky material that reduces sample size and efficacy, UV light exposure degrades PMImage-based analysis (new) - lots of data to send, samples ~2L air/min vs 400L air/min Root, does not specify type of PM present (~40 types)Product roadmap - more power efficiency, integrating a solar panelHas done work with/ downy mildew, botrytis, vine mealybug, and can detect them, but does not add a lot of valueExcited about growth in microbial mildewcides (biologicals) Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  43:36
• The Deep Well of Kosher Wines w/ Gabe Geller, Royal Wine

  With over 1,000 kosher wines from across all major winegrowing regions, Royal Wine is the largest importer (and producer and distributor) of kosher wine in the world. Gabe Geller, Director of PR & Wine Education, discusses the market for kosher wine, how and where it is made, and how Orthodox Jews hear about them.Detailed Show Notes: Gabe’s background, at Royal Wine >9 years, wine industry for 16 years (retail, consulting, marketing)Royal Wine - world’s leading importer, producer, distributor of kosher wineIn US, carries >1,000 kosher wines from every major wine producing regionOwns Kedem, Herzog, and other brandsCan’t taste kosher wine, similar to other winesProduced only by Sabbath observant JewsNo non-kosher ingredients or processing agents (e.g. - fining agents)Has kosher certification on the bottleMevushal (“boiled”) - for some kosher wines, uses flash pasteurization which is also used by some non-kosher wineries; tend to taste more approachable initially, but ages longerIsrael #1 producer of kosher wine (~5M cases), USA (~350k cases; mostly Herzog), France (~350k cases across many wineries)Kosher wine marketObservant Jews drink kosher wine year-roundJews use wine in almost every religious ceremony, considered the “holy beverage”Passover 1st night dinner (Seder), every adult is required to drink 4 cups of wine (can by any kosher wine or grape juice), each cup symbolizes 1 way God saved Jews from slaveryJews who don’t do kosher normally will for Seder40% of kosher wine in the US is purchased for Passover (used to be 60%, declining as more quality kosher wines available, so more is being bought year-round)Top markets - Israel, US (NY/NJ #1, FL, CA - CA Jews drink less wine than East Coast Jews), FranceIn top kosher markets, large retailers (e.g. - Total Wine) will have a kosher selection, some kosher wine stores, and online retailers (e.g. - Wine.com) also carry kosherOf the 15.7M Jewish people (2023), only a small portion keep kosherSome kosher wines sold to the general market (e.g. - Bartenura Moscato #1 imported Moscato the past 15 years, most don’t know it’s kosher; Jeunesse semi-dry wines have a distinct consumer appeal)Israeli politics / Gaza war have lead to people buying more to support IsraelMarketing to the Orthodox communityIdentify sects with stricter mevushal rules (e.g. - 101F vs 105F) and promote specific brands that meet thosePrint advertising big (English, Yiddish), many do not use as much internet, none on Sabbath, take in news via printWhatsapp #1 social media for Orthodox Jews (or Telegram) Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  33:23
• Spreading Israeli Wine Globally w/ Victor Schoenfeld & Walter Whyte, Golan Heights Winery

  Though one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world, Israel is still exploring its potential after Muslim rule after World War I. Victor Schoenfeld, Head Winemaker, and Walter Whyte, VP of Sales for Yarden Imports, explain how Golan Heights Winery has set the bar for the quality of Israeli wine and spreads its wines globally, both within the Jewish community and beyond. Detailed Show Notes: Victor Schoenfeld - CA native, went to UC Davis, recruited to Golan Heights Winery in 1991Walter Whyte - managed officers’ clubs in the military and learned about wineGolan Heights Winery (“GH”) backgroundFounded 1983 to export wine of high quality26% exported today (production to increase 30%, primarily for export)NE Israel, Syrian border, 33rd parallel (like San Diego)Volcanic plateau, Mediterranean climate, high elevation (1,200-4,000 ft)19 varietals, known for traditional method sparkling, Yarden CabernetZelma Long, former consultantPrice points range from $15 (Mt Hermon) - Yarden Cab ($50) - $80+ - $1,000 (Cru Elite)Manage 40% of vineyards (to increase), rest on long-term contracts500 vineyard blocks, harvested & vinified separatelyHas two propagation vineyards and a nurseryIsraeli wine historyJournal of Science (2023) - identified two winegrape domestication events 11,000 years ago - Caucasus (Georgia) and Western Asia (Israel)Discovered ~30 ancient wine artifactsGolan Heights is the coolest climate region in IsraelMuslim rule 738 - WWI - old varieties died outIsraeli war impactsMinimal grape growing impacts (1 missile fell on vineyard), but emotionally challengingSupport in the US for Israeli wine, reduction in sales in Europe after Oct 7, 2023 eventsIsraeli wine marketGH demand > supply in IsraelPer capita consumption is low; a large segment does not drink due to religionThe food scene has exploded in the last 20 years, but many restaurants do not serve Israeli wineTop 5 markets - US, Canada, Europe, Far East (Japan)Top US markets - NY, NJ, CT, FL, TX, IL, CAHistorically, wines went to religious markets, expanding into secularinternationally marketed as high quality, not as kosher; Angelo Gaja distributes in ItalyDifferentiating GH“Oldest new world winery in existence”Marketing messages: World-class wine, kosher, then from IsraelHigh elevation, volcanic soils on 33rd parallel (Etna is 37th)MarketingGrass roots, get people to taste the wineActive in Jewish organizations, ads in Jewish publications, tasting events sponsored by Jewish groupsStrong presence in Kosher wine storesAll GH wines are kosher2 types - Mevushal (cooked/pasteurized) - required for some, esp Kosher restaurants (catering, weddings, bar mitzvahs); Non-mevushalMany wineries do bothEverything used in winemaking needs to be certified kosher (e.g., yeast)Can’t use things like isinglassGH's whole facility is kosher“Could double business if made mevushal,” but will not to maintain qualityFood and wine pairing is not typical. Traditional Middle Eastern cuisine, “mezze,” has a lot of different flavors at oncePassover dinner is coursed, and every adult must drink four glasses of wine (or grape juice)Yarden Cru Elite - $2,000 per pair265 pairs related, including NFT, sold directly from wineryCelebrate the 40th anniversary with collectorsCabernet Sauvignon, single vineyard, single block, two single barrelsLaunched at an Israeli restaurant in Singapore Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  48:50
• Dialing in the Vineyard w/ Cody Ashurst & Lex Palmer, Phytech

  Tracking vine trunk movements down to the 0.5-micron level, Phytech is leveraging technology to optimize vine irrigation. Cody Ashurst, Director of Vineyards, and Lex Palmer, Marketing Manager, discuss how their solution optimizes and automates irrigation today and how it can be extended to optimize fertilization, harvest dates, and much more. Detailed Show Notes: Phytech - a global SaaS company that optimizes agricultural irrigationTechnology includes dendrometers, irrigation pressure switches, soil moisture probes, and frost & weather stationsCrops include nuts (biggest), citrus, pears, getting into row cropsVineyard solution primarily West Coast / CA, pursuing Portugal, Spain, Italy, Chile, Mexico, TexasDendrometer - digital devices mounted onto vine or tree, measures expansion and contraction of plant trunks at the 0.5-micron level (70 microns = 1 human hair)Vineyard solution includes a dendrometer, soil probe, website, and mobile app with wireless comms and data loggers connected via cellular, satellite, or wifiThe solution can be adjusted based on the type of farming (e.g., quality or quantity), rootstocks, clones, soil typesTracks trunk size and soil moisture to signal irrigation needsOptional: pump/value control for irrigationCan schedule up to 2 weeks of irrigationCan monitor fertilizer inputs (cost of fertilizer up 600% last 5 years)Benefits:Don’t promise water savings, but see up to 60% less water useImprove quality by knowing when veraison happens and when vines stop growing or are stallingOptimize fertilizer, diesel, and electric pump costsReduce labor for irrigation if automatedThe system logs data, enabling knowledge transfer when people leaveCase study: High-end Napa vintner got WE94 points 1st vintage, then used Phytech in a heat wave year and got WE97 w/ tailored post-veraison irrigation; other growers had a 30% loss, the winery had a 3% lossCase study: one ranch was expecting a 50% loss, but down to 3% with irrigation changesPricing - depends on # of sites in a blockThere is a small upfront fee for installationMonthly SaaS fee (~$50-80/acre/year), includes maintenanceWeather station ~$700/year (vs ~$3,500 to buy)Case studies (videos on website)Ultra premium Napa winery NeotempoLarger Mendocino grower Bonterra Marketing most through word of mouth/referralsDigital media, video testimonials, trade shows & panelsVideo in digital media has been the most valuableConnecting 1:1 is very helpfulPhytech is more holistic than other solutionsThe most significant barrier to adoption is technophobiaThe subscription-based model eliminates “tech graveyard” growers haveProduct roadmapPredictive brix/pH model (growers input brix, system tracks weather, vine response) to predict harvest date by blockGDD (growing degree days) monitoring tracking temperature and humidity in the field at the block levelAI Advisor to look at past data and current practices and enable recommendationsOther exciting innovations - Autonomous spraying and tractors (Guss, Monarch), optical arrays for vine health (Scout), microalgae for soil health (MyLand) Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  47:32
• A Medical Record for Each Vine w/ Shawn DeMartino, Sentinel

  After struggling with tracking vineyard data firsthand, Shawn DeMartino, CEO and Founder of Sentinel, decided to create a solution with his partner. Enabling vine by vine mapping and data collection that could stand the test of time enables vineyard managers to increase the lifespan of a vineyard, manage viruses, and effectively create a “medical record” for each individual vine. Detailed Show Notes: Shawn’s background - winemaking, viticulture, now general managementSentinel was a Covid project that became real, software that collects individual vine information over time“Patient medical system of record for vines”The solution includes a mobile app, desktop platform, and high-accuracy GPS (receivers that clip onto phones)Maps all the vines in the fieldConfigurable data collection formsAvailable in 5 countries currentlyMapping the vineyardCreate a 3D model with lat/long and elevationBasics (variety, clone), images, comments, discrete statuses (e.g., life stage, virus status)The vineyard mgmt team populates data, can walk up the vines and recordWork with/ Sentinel to put in bulk metadata (e.g., block info, varietal)A client mapped 100 acres in 1 weekWork order functionE.g., irrigation can be recordedRoguing, planting, and grafted statuses can auto-update when the work order is completedCore benefitsExtend the life of the vineyardsVirus/disease management, see the program more clearly, identify asymptomatic vines in hot spots (case study: ~10% of vines asymptomatic) Optimize pick areas (through mapping flavor profiles)PricingMostly software, hardware costs smallAnnual subscription based on acres, not users (<1% of farming cost)Biggest growers ~$2k/yearROI example: client roguing 1% of vines/year w/ growing virus problem, Sentinel enabled them to get ahead of the problem in 1 yearMarketing mostly organic searchArticles and podcasts helpedLast 18 mo, mostly word of mouthReferral program: The referrer gets a bottle of KrugBarriers to adoptionWorries about time requirements; the goal is to collect data when already in the fieldWorries about less flexibility to manage vineyard; full customization of data enables more flexibilityNext on the product roadmap - continue to flesh out more work order functionalityOther tech Shawn is interested inWinery management platforms (e.g., Innovint)Soil moisture probes for irrigation Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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