In this space one year ago I wrote about the two biggest issues facing the North American wine industry, in my estimation: immigration and the West Coast drought. The drought in California was finishing its third year, and immigration was a hot topic in Washington, D.C., as president Barack Obama anticipated the arrival of a Republican-controlled Congress.

Let’s take a brief look at where those two issues stand now, and take a look at comparably big topics as 2015 rushes to a close. The immigration and drought problems definitely did not go away. The drought continued and caused more and more expense and stress for grapegrowers and their crops. The immigration issue was not resolved either, but I don’t think it stayed in the daily thoughts of most winery and vineyard owners and managers.