Steve Matthiasson
Matthiasson Winery
Beneficiary of Federally Funded Research
Federal Support Drives Innovation in Wine Industry
As a small, family-run operation in Napa Valley, Matthiasson Winery relied on a federally funded research partnership with UC Davis to study how smoke affects grapes and ways to mitigate the damage. This collaboration gave them access to advanced scientific tools and expertise they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford.
The research was especially valuable because it was close to producing practical solutions to reduce or prevent smoke taint — solutions that could save harvests and protect wine quality. Then the funding was cut.
“It's unthinkable to conduct our business and try to be farmers without having that resource that we can rely upon to help us navigate a constantly changing landscape.”
—Steve Matthiasson