TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2025. BY STEPHANIE BOLTON, PhD, LODI WINEGRAPE COMMISSION.
Want a fun way to check in with people during these chaotic times? Ask them to name 5 things that are growing right now. No google searches or AI necessary. Just 5 quick things will give you an idea of how someone is doing. One answer I got was “my impatience” and another was “Lodi’s wine reputation.”
To remind us all that life goes on no matter what, here are 5 things that are growing right now, even when our wine industry as a whole is not:
1. Our grapevines.
These resilient beings are survivors, lasting through countless wars, plagues, extreme weather events and even Prohibition. The featured image above is a photo I took last month at the GiESCO international viticulture conference in Germany, where we visited Oberhofer’s Rhodter Rosengarten Traminer vineyard planted around 1623. Below is a photo I took days later in Lodi’s Bechthold Vineyard (Cinsault planted in 1886) at sunset.
2. Agritourism.
People today want semi-structured educational experiences that connect them with nature and enhance their lives. Give them a pretty photo, some new knowledge and a reason to take a break from looking at their phones. Agritourism means any activities carried out on a working farm for leisure, recreation or education. California is creating the infrastructure needed for agritourism to expand, noted by a whole conference dedicated to the topic held in May. Italy marks the epicenter of agritourism with 28,000 “agriturismi” – and they saw over 25% growth in this sector between 2010 – 2020.
There are 2 million farms in the USA and as of 2024 there were only 29,260 farms with agritourism. The photo below is from the Petra Bianca agriturismo on the Italian island of Sardegna/Sardinia, where guests are encouraged to walk around the vineyards and enjoy agri-cocktails. Photo by author.
3. Our viticulture knowledge.
We learn something new every single day and the world of wine proves fascinating to the curious mind. In Lodi, we continue to host several learning opportunities for growers and our community each month, in addition to posting these blogs. I was in the Loire Valley in mid-June where we had an entire four-day academic conference on a single grape variety: Chenin blanc.
There is also a lot to teach the public about winegrapes. We were at the Lodi Farmer’s Market selling winegrapes last week and got the question, “Are there wine in these grapes?” Lots to learn and share. Below, Rosa Kruger (bottom right; world-renowned viticulturist from South Africa) discusses the benefits of contoured rows for water retention at the Chenin blanc conference in Angers, France. Photo by author.
4. Us and our children.
The energy and excitement of our youth is a treasure. Life feels most joyful and full with the child-like sense of wonder around. It’s good for the next generation to experience this time period so that they learn about supply and demand, and that the business side of farming is just as important as producing a quality crop. From left to right below: Claire Lange, Stephanie Bolton (author) and Julia Lange learning how to add mini bouquets of foraged flowers to wine bottles at the Lodi Farmer’s Market this summer. Photo by Meghan Lange.
5. The universe.
Taking a moment to look up at the night sky is a fantastic reminder that we are very, very small and not quite as important as we sometimes think we are. Takes some of the pressure off of each decision! Cy Bersi captured the big dipper over the Mokelumne River last week after his wife and I enjoyed a night swim next to his mother’s Grenache vineyard.
Have a wonderful week. Reach out and check on your friends.
Have something interesting to say? Consider writing a guest blog article!
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For more information on the wines of Lodi, visit the Lodi Winegrape Commission’s consumer website, lodiwine.com.
