(NVR) - Napa Valley grapegrowers and their workers turned out in force Thursday for a trade show at Napa Valley Expo that celebrated the nurturing of the prized wine grape.

Rootstock featured vendors of all stripes that offered new technology, equipment options, advances in irrigation and frost protection and other industry services. Many wineries were represented as well, some of them leading blending sessions.

One of the distinctive vendors was Monvera Glass Décor, which specializes in screen printing and etching bottles. Displays of finely etched bottles decorated the company’s table.

Amanda Carmel, Monvera Glass Décor sales specialist, said that the market for screen-printed bottles is growing, although most wineries still use paper labels. Etched bottles, she said, seem to be more for commemorative purposes than for everyday use.

Tim Dewey-Mattia, public education manager with Napa Recycling & Waste Services, attended Rootstock because many of his customers are wineries, he said.

Dewey-Mattia and Napa Recycling & Waste Services seek to expand recycling programs, especially in the wine industry and with area restaurants. Their major project is composting.

“People are pretty good about recycling,” he said, but composting is new to them.

Wineries, in particular, have a lot of grape pomace – grape stems, seeds and skin. That waste product can be used for compost and in some types of animal feed, he said. If left on site, though, it can attract the glassy-winged sharpshooter.

A good compost can be made up of grape pomace, yard waste such as weeds and leafs, food waste, natural cork and even soiled pizza boxes and paper coffee cups, Dewey-Mattia said. It’s a natural way to enrich soil, prevent erosion, conserve water and save money, he said.

“It’s a pretty niche, regional show,” said Dylan Idlet, sales representative for Monreva Glass Décor said of Rootstock.