By Mike Lee Wine Press Northwest Facing demands to improve the quality of Washington wines, about 500 grape growers are gathering in Pasco this week to take the next step up the world's wine ladder. Make no mistake, the step is in technology. It's in global positioning systems, detailed land mapping, computer-generated graphics and advanced soil and temperature models. So said Daniel Roberts, one of the forces behind California's famed Kendall Jackson wineries and vineyards. That edge is in precision agriculture - matching soils and climates to specific root stocks and grape varieties.
Every site is unique.
Respect its uniqueness. Roberts' keynote presentation raised the bar for Washington growers, few of whom employ the sophisticated techniques he uses around the world. The meeting marked the largest wine grape growers annual convention in Washington history. Indeed, the upbeat convention couldn't have been more different than other farm gatherings in recent weeks, which featured flustered apple and potato growers trying to figure out how to beat three years of bad returns. Allen Shoup, who recently stepped down as president of Washington wine giant Stimson Lane, agreed Washington wine grape growers are in a great spot to capture lots of money baby boomers will spend in the next 10 to 15 years.