Jan 30, 2020

Washington winemakers asked for input into proposed research

Washington state wineries and winegrape growers are invited to be part of the Washington State Wine Commission’s annual Research Review on Feb. 25-26, 2020, at the Clore Center in Prosser. Industry members will be asked for input on the research proposals seeking grant funding through the wine research programs in Washington.

The Research Review is a key component of Washington’s industry-driven research program that supports diverse viticulture and enology projects. A record number of proposals will be under review this year, thanks to increased funding and two new research grant programs launched by Washington State Wine. In addition to grants available from the statewide grape and wine research program administered by Washington State University, the wine industry hopes to fund demonstration, short-term projects and extend Washington wine industry’s reach beyond the state.

The Review gives researchers a forum to share results of ongoing projects and pitch new proposals to the Wine Research Advisory Committee (WRAC). WRAC is a subcommittee of the Wine Commission that serves as the scientific review arm for Washington’s wine industry, and makes research grant funding recommendations to the Wine Commission’s board of directors for approval.

Nearly 40 proposals will be reviewed over the two days. Industry members attending the review will be asked to rank the research proposals by importance to industry. The industry feedback will be considered by WRAC when it makes grant funding recommendations.

The statewide research program currently provides more than $1 million in research grants through a unique blend of state, industry, and private monies which includes Washington State Wine, the Auction of Washington Wines, Washington State University’s Agriculture Research Center and state taxes collected from all wine sold in Washington.

There is no charge for the meeting but pre-registration is encouraged. For more information, contact the Washington State Wine Commission Research Program Manager Melissa Hansen at: [email protected].

Washington State Wine represents every licensed winery and wine grape grower in Washington state. Guided by an appointed board, WSW provides a marketing platform to raise positive awareness of the Washington state wine industry and generate greater demand for its wines. Funded almost entirely by the industry through assessments based on grape and wine sales, WSW is a state government agency, established by the legislature in 1987. To learn more, visit www.washingtonwine.org.