Wine and weed go to war in Oregon

Quite the story:

Does this surprise you? It was bound to happen. More to come.

No surprise at all. It’s already happening here in SB County in so far as taking over land that had been designed for vineyards or already planted and taken out.

Any specifics as to where this is happened in our County? I hadn’t heard of anything concrete, but it sounds like you have. Cheers.

No content

I know there is a lot of hysteria and exaggeration in these kinds of disputes, but I’m curious what the reality is as far as aromas from pot fields and whether it will impart flavors on the grapes.

Has anyone stood in or near a field of marijuana, and does it have a strong smell? Does it emit oils or other particles that get carried downwind?

It hasn’t gotten nasty in Niagara and Prince Edward County out here in Ontario, Canada yet but I think it’s inevitable as there is a three way fight brewing between marijuana growers, wineries and land developers – and while the wineries have the upper hand at the moment I don’t expect it to last for very long. The last time I was in the Niagara wine region, I saw both fields of goddamned marijuana buds as well as long greenhouses… a sight I never imagined I’d ever see and in fact didn’t see at all last year. Just the sight of it disgusts me.

The provincial government controlled alcohol regulation monopoly here screwing all of our local wineries combined with the country’s legalization of marijuana is pretty much a guaranteed death knell for our local wine industry in the long run. I fear for the future of the industry on both sides of the border.

There are definitely some intense fragrances that rise from the pot fields as they mature in the fall.

At first your brain says, “Oh, skunk nearby.”

Then, your brain says, “No, wait, did someone spill Budweiser?”

Finally, the fragrance settles in and you realize it’s Bob Marley.

So, smell, very much so!
As to affecting nearby grapes, no idea.

Past experience with Eucalyptus and smoke make one think it could happen.

Dr. Vinny says: Can marijuana farms affect the aroma or taste of wine from nearby vineyards? | Wine Spectator

Time will tell.

Great post Anton

Do you think the French would ever re-plant La Tache? (Nope)

But they might move away from some of the less prestigious sites. Maybe the plants need different growing condition?

Larry, I`ll PM you with specifics once I get the OK to do so from 2 different sources. Even at the SB Wine & Food event at the Nat. Hx Museum, there was talk about land purchases near Lompoc and in the Santa Ynez Valley that had been targeted for vineyards.

Wouldn’t Lompoc be too cool for weed??
Why not grow it in the Central Valley?
Temecula? Could make those bachelorette parties even better.

My biggest complaint is the 10 or more emails I receive every day to purchase or sell weed.

need more data on impacts of cannabis farms on grapes

I wonder this as well. If nothing else, it seems there should be much less expensive land on which you can grow pot than next to prime vineyards.

I have no fondness whatsoever for the pot culture, but it does sound highly unlikely that the plants would create off aromas in wines made on adjoining vineyards. Other issues could be legitimate to some degree – pesticides, UV lights, armed security, etc.

organic farming on a high. interesting read

La Stache

See Winemaker's Quarterly Vol. 2 Issue 1 by ETS Laboratories - Issuu - am looking for the original study. Languedoc wines often get labelled as tasting of garrigue for the same reason. Would hate to have my Pinot taste of weed - I absolutely loathe the smell.

Maybe the weed farmers are worried their flower will taste like grapes.

Drinkables!