Lodi, Calif., Sept. 13, 2016 — The Lodi Winegrape Commission, which represents over 750 winegrowers in the Lodi AVA, has recently announced the appointment of Dr. Stephanie Bolton to Grower Communications & Sustainable Winegrowing Director. Bolton assumed her new role on August 15, 2016.
In her position at the Lodi Winegrape Commission, Bolton will provide targeted and daily support to Lodi winegrape growers in the areas of advanced grower education and outreach, marketing and promotions of the region’s diverse winegrapes, and – most notably – viticultural research and sustainability programming, including Lodi’s world-renowned Lodi Rules™ sustainable certification program. The Lodi AVA (Crush District 11) has one of the highest planted acreages of any AVA, with a unique profile where new vineyard plantings exist alongside century-old vines, soil types range from sandy loam to volcanic terrain, and just about every trellising system invented is being used. In this dynamic region, Bolton’s role is key in facilitating effective communications for progressive grape growing.
Bolton comes to the Lodi Winegrape Commission with a history of building strong relationships within the wine industry, having recently earned a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Georgia, where she studied fungi isolated from Vitis vinifera vineyards in the southeastern United States and surveyed mycotoxins in red wine. Bolton also holds a master’s degree in Food Science from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Wake Forest University.
As part of her work with the American Wine Society (AWS), the AWS Educational Foundation awarded Bolton two scholarships for graduate studies. She has also worked at Gordon Brothers Cellars in Washington State and spent time in Tuscany educating American university students on viticulture and enology practices as part of a study abroad program.
“I am so excited about my new position with the Lodi Winegrape Commission,” says Bolton. “It’s thrilling to work with an acclaimed wine region where the growers work closely together, where there exists a true community spirit and where sustainability is regarded as an ethical and scientific pursuit before a marketing objective.”
According to Lodi Winegrape Commission Board Chair, Galen Schmiedt, “Stephanie is a valuable addition to the Lodi team. She brings an extensive knowledge of grape growing along with a strong background in sustainability initiatives. Her valuable connections within the academic and research communities will continue to position Lodi as an innovator in the viticulture and enological world.”
About the Lodi Winegrape Commission
The Lodi Winegrape Commission, established in 1991, strives to serve the common interests of all Lodi Crush District 11 winegrape producers and to enhance the profitability of winegrape production through promotion, research and education. The Lodi Winegrape Commission represents 750 winegrowers farming nearly 110,000 acres of winegrapes.
Located south of Sacramento and west of the Sierra Nevada, the Lodi wine region features a classic Mediterranean climate. A major winegrape growing region since the 1850s, Lodi is home to more than 85 wineries, many of which have garnered major awards at domestic and international wine competitions. Most notably, Lodi was recently named “2015 Wine Region of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast magazine, one of the wine world’s premier wine publications.
Lodi is also a leader when it comes to sustainable viticulture. The Lodi Winegrape Commission created Lodi Rules, California’s first third-party-certified sustainable winegrowing program, which recently won Gov. Brown’s annual Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) – the highest environmental award in the state of California – for its mission to address major environmental, economic and social challenges facing California’s agricultural industry. With more than 100 varieties currently being cultivated, Lodi offers a diverse array of wines, from its renowned Zinfandel to Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Chardonnay, Albariño and Tempranillo, among many others. For more information about the Lodi wine region, visit http://www.lodiwine.com/ and http://www.lodigrowers.com.
