New vineyard adviser appointed for UC Extension programs for North Bay counties

Christopher Chen has been appointed as the vineyard systems adviser for the UC Cooperative Extension program working with farmers in Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties.

Chen received his doctoral degree from UC Davis last year and has a background in horticulture and agronomy. He has previously worked on finding ways to reduce heat damage for wine grapes in the Napa Valley and also measuring the rootstock tolerance to saline soils while at UC Davis.

He has experience in both field and greenhouse-based viticulture research.

Soil health seminar to be held Thursday

The Mendocino Winegrowers trade group will hold a soil health webinar 10-11:30 a.m. Thursday.

Topics will include determining the specific parameters that are important in soil health; which tests farmers should use; and both conventional and organic farming practices that can achieve better outcomes.

Speakers include Erica Lundquist, a soil scientist for U.S. Department of Agriculture; Terry Rosetti of Farmecology Viticultural Services; and Lindee Love of Grow West farm supply.

For more information visit the trade group’s website: https://mendowine.com.

New hospitality manager at Chappellet Vineyard

Oscar Riveiro Woolsey has been named the new director of client services for Chappellet Vineyard in St. Helena.

Woolsey will manage a 15-person hospitality team and oversee the winery’s wine club, events program, concierge services and its tasting room located on Pritchard Hill.

A Spanish native, Woolsey most recently served as direct-to-consumer manager for all of the PlumpJack Group’s winery operations.

Compiled by Bill Swindell. Submit items to bill.swindell@pressdemocrat.com.