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Criminals turn wine into weed
August 12, 2008
Oliver Styles
Vineyards in Washington are being bought and converted to marijuana farms by organised crime outfits, US state officials say.
Police in the Yakima Valley, one of the region's largest vineyard areas, have swooped on seven vineyards so far this year. All had been converted to illegal marijuana production – a significantly more profitable crop than the Chardonnay for which the region is more well known.
State authorities in the valley say that around 110,000 cannabis plants, used to make marijuana, and worth around US$100m (£52.6m) on the black market, have been seized this year alone.
'This year, we're probably going to surpass [the volume of seizures in] 2007 easily,' said Rene Rivera, heading the Drug Enforcement Agency's investigations in the area.
In 2007, 296,611 plants were seized – more than double the number confiscated the previous year.
According to news agency Associated Press (AP), the vineyards are bought by organised criminals living in Mexico. The vineyards are then registered under fictitious names, or those of relatives, to avoid suspicion or investigation.
Cannabis plants, however, require significantly more water for irrigation than vines – often one of the first signs a vineyard is being used to grow plants the drug.
The Yakima Valley, also home to fruit orchards and hop fields, is an important pipeline in the North American drug trade, with access to the cities of Seattle and Portland.
However, vineyard purchases by marijuana producers in the region are likely to decline. Vicky Schalau, executive director of the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers told AP that, after 'numerous busts', it was unlikely more attempts would be made to convert vineyards in this fashion.
The Yakima Valley is Washington's oldest wine region.
Have your say...
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 When USA authorities catch marijuana growers they need to be tried and sentenced within days and given Chinese justice. [Further comments, deemed inappropriate for this website, have been removed]
Ed Zeigler
Can someone please make a movie about this? It could star Alan Rickman and the Trailer Park Boys…
Mr Zeigler, don't knock it until you've tried it. You are quite frightening.
Brian Paré, Ontario, Canada
Being a long time Yakima Valley wine grape grower I would like to clarify something about this story. The vineyards being used for this illegal growing of marijuana are concord grape vineyards and not wine grape. Concord vineyards are located in the lower sections of the Yakima Valley, use lots of irrigation water, and have a dense low hanging canopy. All these factors are needed to grow and conceal the marijuana plants. Concords in this area are made into juice and jams and not wine.
David J Minick
Ed, I'm intrigued - what penalty do you suggest for illegal aliens? There is no drug problem in China because they use the death penalty - what planet are you on? There is a huge drug problem in China, as in most other countries in the world regardless of what there sentencing policy is.
Neil Maloney
Now that looks like an interesting alternative: Chateau Ganja. I've just planted nearly 15,000 sauvignon blanc vines and it seems like I've missed a trick. Trouble is, the rules in Bordeaux won't allow irrigation and these alternative little babies look thirsty. I wonder what the neighbours would think - funnily enough, they'd probably all be up for it.
Perhaps Ed would like to come and have a taste when production is up and running. I doubt I'll be able to ship samples.
Gavin Quinney, Château Bauduc, Bordeaux
Ed, do you live in the US? If so, get out! If not, Stay out! Pull your head out man! You are twisted!
Okay, now to the article. Are these really concord grapes? If so, Decanter please clarify. I find this a wine worthy story only if it is about wine grapes! I don't mean to sound harsh but that is why I subscribe to this site. I rely on your due diligence in vetting a story.
Ruth A
The Chinese actually have a huge drug problem - the world's largest consumers of tobacco. And the French apparently think of wine in the same category - all based on the drink-driving death rate among 16 - 25 year-olds!
Phil Styles, St.Gaudent, France
Ed - Thanks a lot for your input. Obviously you have done quite a bit of thinking and have a lot of very interesting & complex ideas to share.
You might have clicked on the wrong link though, as this forum is supposed to deal with wine stuff. You know those big bottles of yellowish or sometimes red liquid you can find in your nearby liquor store.
That being said, Ed, my friend, keep your eyes open, I've heard those immigrants can be everywhere…. they might even do the cooking where you go eat, wash the dishes or your car, do you dry-cleaning, or deliver to your trailer the booze you're drinking. I've even heard legends about some of those guys who would go as far as picking the grapes used to make wine somewhere on the West Coast!
Woo…scary…Wake up Decanter folks: there is quite a need for a moderator here, don't you think??
N Palazzi, Bordeaux
I like the idea of "criminals" turning vineyards into state legal "medical" marijuana. What does Mr.Ed, the talking horse's ass, think about that? I know I drink a lot more wine when I'm not smoking pot. I think the two complement each other quite well. I find that most Oregon Pinot noirs pair wonderfully with some high quality cannabis. Similar to the pairing of food and wine.
Guess what I'm doing after work?
Jordan Klass
David, The reputation of Minick Vineyards is well known and reckognized in the Northwest. Concord grape vineyards along the river, using flood irrigation sounds much more plauible a conversion than a commercial vineyard of vinifera wine grapes. Thank you for your clarification and voice of reason on this topic.
Ted, Vin du Bois Winery
There's a strong rumour in Switzerland that says that the vines in Bordeaux were brought there by immigrants - called Romans! Which led the locals to start a nasty habit.
And come to think of it, I'm an immigrant and..........no can't be.........but just a quick look at those surnames above would suggest that maybe we're all immigrants........chasing the wicked GRAPE!
Phil Styles, St.Gaudent, France
Growing marijuana in vineyards is not actually new. Those who have been following the recent history of the Australian wine industry may be aware of the story of a well known Clare Valley producer who allegedly cultivated reasonable quantities as cover crop among his vines. (I also seem to recall being told at a Pinot Noir event in McMinville that the sweet smell I noted at the outdoor salmon bake, was locally known as "Oregon cover crop".) All of which raises the interesting question of what the plants may have contributed to the wine - bearing in mind the traditional European theories that wines from vineyards surrounded by peach trees take on an attractive peachy character....
Robert Joseph
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