2026-06-10
Wine industry researchers and growers are focusing on a mix of vineyard sprays, lab testing, sensory review and winery treatments as wildfire smoke remains one of the most costly threats to grape quality in fire-prone regions.
That was the central message from a recent Smoke Summit highlighted by Wine Industry Insight, where speakers discussed how vineyards and wineries can reduce the risk of smoke-related damage rather than rely on a single fix. The issue has become more urgent across California and other western wine regions as hotter, drier conditions have increased the frequency of large fires during the growing season.
Smoke exposure can affect grapes before harvest and later show up in finished wines as unwanted aromas and flavors often described as ash, campfire or medicinal notes. For growers, that can mean fruit is downgraded, rejected or sold at lower prices. For wineries, it can mean difficult decisions about whether to pick, ferment, bottle or walk away from an entire lot.
According to the report, summit participants said the best protection is likely to come from combining several tools. One area of focus is spray-on barrier products applied in the vineyard to reduce smoke compounds from binding to grape skins. Researchers have been studying whether those coatings can limit uptake during smoke events, though results can vary depending on timing, grape variety, smoke intensity and how long exposure lasts.
Scientists and winemakers also stressed the importance of laboratory analysis. Testing grapes and juice for smoke-related compounds can help producers decide whether fruit should be harvested and how it should be handled in the cellar. But speakers also noted that lab numbers alone do not settle the question. Some compounds may remain bound in forms that are not immediately obvious in juice or young wine and may later be released during fermentation or aging.
That is why sensory analysis remains part of the process. Tasting panels and trial fermentations can give wineries a clearer sense of whether smoke character is likely to appear in the final wine. Industry specialists have increasingly argued that practical decision-making requires both chemistry data and human evaluation, especially when growers and wineries are negotiating contracts under time pressure near harvest.
The summit also examined winery-side interventions for fruit that has already been exposed. Those measures can include changes in fermentation and clarification practices as well as post-fermentation treatments intended to reduce smoke-related compounds or their sensory effects. None is considered a universal answer, and some methods may alter texture, aroma or varietal character along with the unwanted notes. That tradeoff has made prevention and early diagnosis especially important.
The concern reaches beyond wine style. Smoke damage can affect insurance claims, grape pricing and long-term relationships between growers and wineries. In regions where fires have become a recurring seasonal risk, many producers now build smoke protocols into harvest planning, sampling schedules and purchase agreements.
The Wine Industry Insight report appeared alongside another warning for California vineyards: concern over vine-killing insects found on grapevines sold at Costco stores in wine country. The publication said officials fear the spread of pests linked to Pierce’s disease, a bacterial infection that can kill vines and has long been one of the state’s most serious vineyard threats.
Pierce’s disease is spread by sharpshooter insects, including the glassy-winged sharpshooter. State officials have previously warned that the disease can cost California about $166 million a year if it spreads widely through vineyard areas. The discovery of infected or potentially risky plant material in retail channels has raised concern because backyard plantings can become reservoirs for pests and disease near commercial vineyards.
Together, the two issues show how climate pressure and biological threats are reshaping risk management in American winegrowing. Wildfire smoke can damage a crop within days during late summer or early fall. Insect-borne disease can spread more quietly but create lasting losses by killing vines and forcing replanting.
For growers facing smoke risk, the current direction of research points toward layered defense rather than certainty. Vineyard barriers may help in some cases. Lab testing can improve decisions but cannot replace tasting and trial work. Winery treatments may reduce damage but often come with limits. As fire seasons continue to overlap with ripening periods, producers are trying to turn that patchwork into a more reliable playbook for protecting fruit quality and preserving value in the marketplace.