Wine and Grape Grower 8.12

GROWER

Wine & Grape

The NEWSPAPER for the wine and grape industry August/September 2012

www.wineandgrapegrower.com

Volume 1 Number 5

In This Issue

Minimizing damage from birds and other unauthorized vineyard visitors ~ Page 17 Classifieds ~ Page 20-21 Tasting Rooms Section ~ Page 8

Wycombe Vineyards ~ Page 8

Multitalented Michael Shaps a Virginia wine industry leader

by Karl H. Kazaks CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — Winemaking and vinifera grape growing require an ability to juggle a multitude of variables. There are so many interlocking factors — weather conditions, vineyard management practices, decisions on when to harvest, how long and at what temperature to ferment, what yeasts to use, and on and on — and every year new decisions have to be made, influenced by a new set of variables.

Yet the juggling act Michael Shaps manages while running his several wine businesses is particularly impressive. He makes wine in Virginia, under two labels: Michael Shaps and Virginia Wineworks. He makes wine in the Burgundy region of France — he is a partner in Maison Shaps & RoucherSarrazin. He consults for a number of wineries up and down the East Coast. If that’s not enough, he also conducts custom winemaking for some 25 different labels.

How does he manage all of those endeavors? By using the same guiding philosophy for them all. “You take the same approach,” no matter where you’re working, Shaps said.

The goal is to “reflect the local conditions, the style of the place.” In colder climate

Michael Shaps shows how the bag-in-the-box bottling machine works at Virginia Wineworks. It is set to fill each bladder with exactly three liters of wine and then purge in a measure of nitrogen. regions, like Burgundy, that means wines that emphasize minerality, acidity, terroir.

Warmer climes are better for producing richer, more intense wines, with “more aromatics, more extraction, more structure,” Shaps said.

Shaps studied winemaking in Burgundy in the early 1990s, receiving a degree in Enology and Viticulture from L ycée Viticole de Beaune.

While there, he also interned at Maison Chartron et Trébuchet, where he befriended Michel Roucher-Sarrazin,

An associate at Virginia Wineworks/Michael Shaps works on the bottling line to label the wines of a custom crush customer of Virginia Wineworks.

the winemaker and general manager of the winery (and today Shaps’s partner in their Burgundy winery).

By 1995, Shaps was in Virginia, making wine at Jefferson Vineyards.

He quickly made a name for himself with the quality of the wines he was making. “I started getting calls from several wineries asking for help,” Shaps recalled.

So, in 2000, Shaps decided to go into business for himself, as a winemaking consultant and as the producer of his own wines, under the Michael Shaps label. As a consultant, Shaps helps wineries manage aspects of their production from the vineyard to the cellar.

He has helped many start ups, and typically works with between eight and 12 clients at any one time. Some clients use Shaps’s services for just a few years or so, others prefer to keep him as an advisor over the long-term. He has consulted to wineries along the East Coast, in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. “I enjoy helping grow the industry,” Shaps said.

There are currently seven Michael Shaps wines being made — Viognier, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, a dry red Meritage, and a sweet red wine made with the ripasso style of drying grapes prior to fermentation. The wines are produced in a traditional oldworld style. The reds are highly extracted and typically benefit from aging. The whites showcase varietal intensity while maintaining natural acidity.

All grapes used in Michael Shaps wine production come from leased vineyards. Shaps selects vineyards that have

varietals suited to the location. The reds come from Central Virginia near Charlottesville, Viognier from further south near Roanoke, and Chardonnay in northern Loudon County, in northern Virginia. The Chardonnay from that location, Shaps said, “ripens two weeks later than here in Central Virginia.

There’s more balance to the fruit, more natural acidity.”

Shaps’s vineyard-lease arrangements are structured on a per-acre basis. “We don’t buy by the ton,” he said.

Instead, he offers his growers a premium for adhering to his specified management practices. That work — including canopy management and green harvesting — is often done by Shaps and his winemaking team. “During the growing season we’re on site every few weeks,” he said.

For the vineyard owners, Shaps said, that arrangement is “win-win.” Because they know what they’ll get peracre, they don’t have to worry about maximizing production for profit. “It reduces their risk considerably,” Shaps said.

Typically, production at these leased vineyards is three to three-and-a-half tons per acre rather than the five or six tons per acre that could be achieved if tonnage was the only production goal.

The annual production of Michael Shaps wine numbers about 1,000 cases. Shaps likes to use small lots because it allows him to manage them with his high quality standards while also keeping up with his consulting business.

“I don’t want to grow too big,” he said. “I want to keep an eye on quality.”

That same model applies in Shaps’s Burgundy winery, which he established with his partner Roucher-Sarrazin in 2004. There, the duo contracts all of their grapes — but instead of leasing acreage, they lease by the row, following a typical Burgundian practice. They make wines from a multitude of appellations, from Bourgogne Rouge and Blanc, to village wines (NuitsSt-Georges), to a few premier cru vineyards (the climats Volnay Santenots and Chaponnieres, Meursault Charmes and Les Cras).

“It’s kind of like a dream come true,” Shaps said, of making wine in Burgundy.

Total, he and his partner make about 1,000 cases of Burgundy, half estate wine and half negociant. Most of that wine is produced under their own marquee, but some 200-300 cases they sell under another label, l’étalon, which is more value-driven.

Michael Shaps - Page 4

Michael Shaps in the cellar of Virginia Wineworks/Michael Shaps Wines. Behind him a cellar assistant filters a batch of wine.

Photos by Karl Kazaks

Northern Grapes Project expanding cold-climate frontier

by Tamara Scully By focusing on education and extension, the Northern Grapes Project aims to tap into the potential for farm wineries throughout cold northern climates, Tim Martinson, Northern Grapes Project director and senior extension associate at Cornell University, explained. “We are really trying to link up the growing and the fruit characteristics with the wine making, marketing and decision-making. There is vast interest from growers even in very cold environs.”

It is now estimated that over 3,000 acres of cold climate grapes are in production across the United States.

Vineyards and wineries have sprung into existence in areas not conducive to growing traditional wine grape varieties.

Over 300 wineries and 1,300 grape growers, spread across a dozen cold-climate states, are involved in the industry today. The Northern Grapes Project aims to address the needs — from vine to wine — via a network of industry researchers and professionals, spread across 12 states in the Northeast and Midwest, in conjunction with numerous grape growing organizations, focusing on the unique concerns that arise for both the vineyard and the winery.

The development of coldhardy grapes, able to survive harsh extremes of winter

Vitis labrusca have Vitis riparia, also native to North America, as a parent. Four wine grape varieties have been developed by the university, with a fifth — Frontenac blanc — now available. All are considered reliably hardy to -35 degrees or better.

Canopy management The survivability of cold climate grapes isn’t just about the weather. Special treatment year-round is needed to retain the ability of the vine to withstand the cold. Developing techniques to increase the survivability of vines in cold climate areas is one focus of the research being done.

Cultivation issues impacting vines grown in extreme weather areas are not the same as those encountered by traditional grape growers in moderate climates. Pruning, disease control, canopy management and training systems can affect the ability of the vines to survive the harsh weather.

“The best choice for hardiness is one that favors photosynthesis in the renewal zone with resultant maximal darkness of cane periderm color for that cultivar,” said Paolo Sabbatini, assistant professor of horticulture at Michigan State University. Sabbatini specializes in wine and juice grape cold climate physiology.

The management of the canopy was the topic of one of the initial webinars recently produced by the Northern

Judging wines at the International Cold Climate Wine Competition.

Started in 2009 and held each August at the University of Minnesota. Sponsored by the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Grape Growers Association, MInnesota Farm Wineries Association, and the Minnesota State Fair. The competition reflects the increasing number of commercial wineries making wines in northern regions. In 2011 over 250 wines were entered in the 27 different competition categories.

weather, has been ongoing since the 1940s. Farmer Elmer Swenson, used the native Vitis labrusca, or Eastern wild grape varieties of cold hardy grapes developed at the University of Minnesota, beginning in the 1970s. The

Grapes Project. Martinson addressed this topic at the Minnesota Grape Growers Association Cold Climate Conference, held Feb. 23-25 in St. Paul, MN, as well as via the mid-February webinar.

Viticulture Specialist Mike

White of Iowa State University co-presented the webinar with Martinson.

White stated that very little canopy management is needed in-season if the cultivar, site selection, input management and trellising system are all in balance. Indications that management is needed include: high vine vigor with low yield, lack of fruit ripening, inadequate skin color and ineffective sprays. Proper canopy management will increase sunlight penetration, increase airflow through the vines, provide more effective spray management and efficiency, increase fruit quality and balance the crop load to the vine to prevent winter injury.

Perfect growing conditions for grapes don’t exist in the colder climate regions, so canopy management is going to be a necessity, Martinson said. While canopy management costs time and money, and can also reduce the overall yield, it does result in higher quality fruits.

At Cornell, Martinson’s own research for the Northern Grapes Project will focus on whether or not “there is enough heat to consistently ripen” cold climate wine grapes in the areas. Summer heat is not as reliable here as in Minnesota, Maritnson said, and the grapes don’t always have enough time to mature during the season. Martinson will explore “ways to manipulate this through canopy and crop management, to push things in a certain direction,” he said.

Enology Producing high-quality wines is another part of the Northern Grapes Project mission.

“These varieties are things that have some unique characteristics from a wine-making perspective,” Martinson said.

Katie Cook, enologist at the University of Minnesota, has been delving into the intricacies of wine making with extremely cold-hardy grape varietals. Recognizing the inherent characteristics of the fruit, she said, is the first step to success.

“While one of the objectives of using (Vitis riparia) in the breeding program was to impart its super cold-hardiness into our hybrid varieties, we also inherited its tendency toward high acidity and high sugar,” Cook said.

There are different types of de-acidification techniques available for highly acidic

Winter pruning at the University of Minnesota's Horticultural Research Station, where breeding of extremely cold-hardy grapes occurs.

Photos courtesy David Hansen, University of Minnesota

grape varieties, Cook said.

Malolactic fermentation is an option, as is stopping the fermentation process with residual sugar, thus balancing the high acid content. With some varieties, particularly the Swenson cultivars hybridized from Vitis labrusca, harvest occurs when they are still a bit under-ripe, to minimize their strong “grapey” aroma, which is not considered desirable. As a result, the grapes are low in sugar, and winemakers would need to address this deficit in order to achieve the desired alcohol content.

Murli Dharmadhikari, extension enologist at Iowa State University, along with Anna Katharine Mansfield, of Cornell University, presented a Northern Grapes Project webinar on enology in January. Mansfield identified high titrateable acid, high malic acid and high potassium as potential issues when making wine from cold-climate grapes. Understanding the chemistry of wine, and the many factors that contribute to the fermentation process, as well as how to adjust or adapt the wine-making process to achieve the proper

balance, was discussed at length by both presenters during the webinar.

Selling the product “It’s a tourism business,” Martinson said of making wines from cold climate grapes.

Even vineyards without wineries are ultimately selling their grapes primarily to small and mid-size farm wineries, that are dependent, in turn, on the business of agritourism for sales. By focusing on education and extension, the Northern Grapes Project aims to tap into the potential for farm wineries throughout cold northern climates by “supporting the people in the industry to help them make more informed decisions about what they grow and how they grow it,” and also how to make and market an end-product that attracts a strong customer base, Martinson said.

The webinars will focus on all aspects related to cold-climate grapes: cultivars, cultivation, enology, and marketing, with new webinars each month.

Northern Grapes Project webinars will also be available in archived form from Cornell University.

MDARD in favor of reforms to liquor control regulations LANSING, MI — The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) announced its support for proposed changes to the state’s liquor control laws, rules, and policies. Seventy-two recommendations were developed by an Advisory Rules Committee (ARC) under the direction of the Office of Regulatory Reform in the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The committee, comprised of 21 stakeholders in alcohol regulation, met over several months to develop its report for Gov. Rick Snyder.

“The ORR report regarding liquor regulations is one more example of how the state is moving forward in supporting business growth,” said Jamie Clover Adams, MDARD Director.

“With growing momentum in many sectors of Michigan’s food and agriculture industry, efforts to streamline

regulations and make it easier to do Farm Winery License and the ability business in Michigan without sacrific- for small winemakers and craft brewing public safety, will foster statewide eries to sell wine at farmers markets within the state. economic activity and business The beverage “The ORR report regarding alcohol development.” industry is The recommen- liquor regulations is one a highly regulated dations include more example of how the industry, with federal, state and changes to procedures to stream- state is moving forward in local regulations line the licensing supporting business impacting business activities. process at growth.”

Michigan Liquor Over 250 Michigan C o n t r o l ~ Jamie Clover Adams wineries, breweries and distilleries Commission, throughout the which provides benefits to all licensees, including state are part of the growing food and winemakers, small winemakers, agriculture sector. Many of these bevmicro-brewers, and distillers. MDARD erage manufacturers use grapes and will work closely with industry groups other fruit, hops and grains grown in to fully consider each of the recom- Michigan. By doing so, they further mendations, such as the recommenda- enhance the contributions to the tions regarding the establishment of a state’s economy. Wineries, breweries,

Cover photo by Sally Colby Justin Fraser, the son of Wycombe Vineyards owners Rich and Debbie Fraser harvests grapes at the Furlong, PA, winery.

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Michael Shaps Shaps has a partner in his Michael Shaps label, Philip Stafford, who also partnered with the winemaker in his most recent development, Virginia Wineworks, established in 2007.

Located at the site of the old Montdomaine winery (built into a hillside, with a green roof, it offers ideal cellar conditions — cool temperatures and high humidity), Virginia Wineworks is a dualpronged operation. It makes valueoriented Virginia wines — including the first Virginia wines sold as bag in a box (which Shaps accomplishes with a piece of equipment he purchased in Burgundy), and some screwcap wines — under the Virginia Wineworks label. Virginia Wineworks is also Virginia’s first winery to provide custom winemaking services.

Again, as with his consulting, Shaps started the custom winemaking business when people came to him asking for help.

“People had vineyards but didn’t want to build wineries,” Shaps said, describing the source of the some of the requests he fielded. “Bulk grapes don’t always sell,” so by making their own wine these vineyard owners could have more control over their produce.

What’s more, there were some people who didn’t own vineyards who simply wanted to make their own wine. About the time Shaps started Virginia Wineworks, there was a change in Virginia’s farm winery law that allowed such non-vineyard owners to get into the wine business.

Starting from scratch, “word spread pretty quickly,” Shaps said, and soon the custom crush business was operating at capacity. Today Shaps custom makes 20,000 cases of wine for some 25 different labels.

Some of those are private labels for restaurants, hotels, and grocers.

“It’s very labor-intensive, having so many lots and brands,” Shaps said.

and distilleries are also important destinations in Michigan’s growing tourism and hospitality industry.

“The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council looks forward to providing input on the implementation of recommendations from this report, supporting the Council’s mission of value-added, sustainable agriculture,” said Linda Jones, executive director of the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council. “Michigan ranks in the top 10 states in the nation for wine grape and wine production; and the industry has grown rapidly in the past decade, from 39 wineries to 95 wineries today.

Future growth will bring economic benefits and jobs to new regions of the state, as new super cold hardy varieties of grapes become part of the industry in regions of the state that were not suitable for grape growing in the past.”

Continued from Page 2 Virginia Wineworks currently keeps four full-time employees, with a good bit more help in the fall during crush. The various lot sizes also require equipment of different sizes.

The fermentation tanks, for example, range in size from 500 to 5,000 liters.

The role of the custom crush customers in the winemaking process varies. “Some want to be really involved,” Shaps said. “Others tell us the style they want, the influence they want, and let us do it.”

In 2010, Shaps expanded his winery, enclosing what had been the former crush pad, turning it into more cellar space, and constructing a new crush pad outside. Still, Virginia Wineworks at present cannot take on more custom crush business. “It’s unfortunate,” Shaps said. “We’re turning away customers.”

Minimum production for custom crush is 100 cases, though in most cases the amount is larger. As part of the forecasting process, each spring Shaps asks his clients for their annual production plans.

Recently, Virginia Wineworks received a grant from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) to help with promoting and marketing the value-oriented brand.

Now that Virginia Wineworks has matured from start-up phase into an established company — operating at full capacity and adequately staffed — Shaps plans to turn his attention more to his Michael Shaps and Burgundy wines. He’s even considering producing a Burgundy bag-in-abox wine.

“Consulting and Virginia Wineworks have been driving the business side of things,” Shaps said.

“Michael Shaps and Shaps & Roucher-Sarrazin are more for the pure satisfaction of producing wine. I hope to step up my attention to them.”

Today’s Marketing Objectives By: Melissa Piper Nelson Farm News Service News and views on agricultural marketing techniques. fle the business for a profitable ending. With either analogy, the plan remains the same, what marketing strategies in the second half of the year will work the best?

Maybe the first half of the year has positioned your business for new opportunities: Adding value to an already existing product, rolling out an entirely new venture, or diversifying a current operation to include a different set of products or services.

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What’s in the pipeline?

Second half marketing strategies Many major sports (except our summer obsession, baseball) have either drawn to a close, or are contemplating and planning for the next few months of a rapidly culminating year. We like to call the process: Taking stock and future planning.

Some producers liken it to looking far down the marketing pipeline and deciding where to shuf-

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Whatever the opportunity, a business operator needs to consider the best use of three major components: Land, labor and capital.

Of the three factors, land use is often the most difficult to plan for and implement. Unlike hiring more help or seeking more funding, planning for new or diversified uses of fields, pastures, cover crops, and even rented land demands “think time,” research, risk management and flexibility.

Even if a new venture looks promising, the implementation time could be months to years before a new product could be brought to market. Incorporating new products into a rotation, or withdrawing a product from a current farm plan, should include careful consideration of just what is down the

pipeline in terms of possible expenses vs. income.

While labor may seem like an easier component to handle on a timely basis, it too, requires advanced planning. What will happen when your summer help returns to school, or if a family member cannot help? Risk management carries over into labor issues as much as cropping, raising livestock, or agri-tourism. After reviewing the first half of the business year, you may be looking at expanding a part of the operation or extending hours of operation. Labor requirements for each part of this new operation must be covered and included a fluctuating business plan for the remainder of the year.

Making major adjustments that affect capital considerations half way through the year is no easy task, either. If a new venture requires more capital than you planned for, you may need to go back to your lending agency to dis-

cuss additional financing, or pull money from your savings or “rainy day” fund. Lenders will want to see how the new venture or diversification will add to your profit margin and what types of risk may become barriers to repayment. If you are self-financing, borrowing for a new venture should be weighed against other factors that may occur until the end of the year.

Great summer sales may encourage you to consider other options for the second half of the calendar year, but be prepared to outline how the venture may impact the three major components of land, labor and capital, as well as many other life and business factors. Unexpected things happen with farm families and to business operations.

Being prepared for as many situations as possible is a prime part of risk management. Managing the “what ifs,” allows for more immediate and better implementation when new opportunities show up.

Wine lovers unite for Third Annual Winestock More than 2,500 people sat next to manicured vineyards and soaked in sunshine, blue sky and lake views at the Third Annual Winestock NY 2012 on June 16 held at Three Brothers Wineries &

Estates located near Geneva, NY. They tasted awardwinning wines — fresh from media and consumer acclaim at the “NYDrinks NY” program in New York City — from Three Brothers

Wineries & Estates, Miles Wine Cellars, Fulkerson, Fox Run, Anthony Road, Deep Roots Winery, Red Newt, Hazlitt, Hector Wine Co. Buttonwood Grove, Hosmer Winery, Americana Winery and

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As you look down the pipeline and decide what the second half of the business year will bring, you can opt for new and exciting ways to grow your business, or be mired with decision-making that could keep you from pursuing a great option.

Producers often ask why business and marketing plans are necessary — why you can’t just offer a product and see what happens, or start a new venture that looks like a good deal.

Planning for diversification and managing your overall business through new phases is much easier if you have thought about it, planned for it, and are ready to implement a strategy that has substance backing it. A good business plan prepares you for handling an ever changing market and meeting customer needs.

The above information is provided for educational purposes only and should not be substituted for professional business or legal counseling.

Tina Hazlitt, Saw Mill Creek Vineyards in Hector, NY and Lawrence Doolittle, Frontenac Point Vineyard — Estate Winery on Cayuga Lake take a breather at the check in booth after the first of visitors to the Third Annual Winestock NY 2012 sponsored by the New York Wine Industry Association and hosted at the Three Brothers Wineries & Estates on Seneca Lake.

Lakeland Winery.

Chinchillas, Misfit Karma, Dirty Birds, Buford and the Smokin’ Section, and Mike Shaw and the Delta Blues Band played on two stages all afternoon.

Joe’s Hots and Napa Wood Fired Pizzas, artisan cheeses and creations of local artists participated in this event.

Stephen Beals and Cindi Rosse won the raffle prizes of a wine and sundries basket and limousine tour.

Winestock NY 2012 was sponsored by the NY Wine Industry Association, Waterloo Container, labelgallery, Rebecca Reisinger Insurance, L yons National Bank, Crop Production Services, Stork Insurance, Empire Tractor, Honeoye Falls Market Place and S&S Limousines. Tickets included a collectable wine glass.

Wine Institute elects officers and Board Directors

SAN FRANCISCO — Wine Institute, the public policy advocacy group representing nearly 1,000 California wineries, announced the election of Kathleen Heitz Myers of Heitz Wine Cellars in St. Helena as its board chairman for 2012-13.

The election was held in June at Wine Institute’s 78th Annual Meeting of Members at Lake Tahoe where other board officers elected included Chris Fehrnstrom of Constellation Wines U.S. in San Francisco, first vice chairman; Carolyn Wente of Wente Family Estates in Livermore, second vice chairman; Greg Coleman of E. & J. Gallo Winery in Modesto, treasurer; and Margie Healy of Korbel Champagne Cellars in Guerneville, secretary.

Robert P. (Bobby) Koch remains president and CEO of Wine Institute.

“I am honored to support the Wine Institute’s work on state, federal and international public policy. We will continue to focus on defeating tax increase

proposals, expanding direct-to-consumer shipping, enhancing our wine exports, and promoting the adoption of sustainable winegrowing practices,” said Heitz Myers. “As vint-

ners and grapegrowers, we have a long-term commitment to California with deep roots in many communities. We recognize the importance of communicating to the public that the

wine industry generates 330,000 jobs and nearly $62 billion in economic impact to California annually.”

Heitz Myers has been president of Heitz Wine Cellars since 1998. As

the second generation to lead the family business, she has continued to advance the winery’s international reputation. She is a dedicated advocate for California wines and is

Kathleen Heitz Myers of Heitz Wine Cellars in St. Helena, CA, was elected chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Wine Institute for 2012-13. The election was held in June at Wine Institute’s 78th Annual Meeting of Members at Lake Tahoe.

highly regarded for her leadership as past president of the Napa Valley Vintners, past chair of Auction Napa Valley, member of the Land Trust of Napa County Advisory Council and past president of the Napa Valley Exposition board of directors.

The Wine Institute membership also elected new district and at-large directors and alternates.

District directors and their alternates were elected on a one member, one vote basis in each district, following nominations by regional winery associations.

The Wine Institute’s members accounting for 95 percent of California wine production and 85 percent of U.S. wine production. Based in San Francisco, with offices in Sacramento, Washington, D.C., six regions across the U.S. and 15 foreign countries, the Wine Institute is guided by 80 vintners who are members and alternates of an active board of directors. The board elects the chairman and officers on an annual basis.

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OSU Wine Grape Variety Trial seeks to increase Ohio wine grape growing options WOOSTER, OHIO — In an effort to boost Ohio’s wine industry, researchers with Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) are determining what new wine grape varieties can survive and thrive in Ohio’s climate.

Since 2008, the team has studied more than 40 wine grape varieties, especially highquality, high-value European types. Most are relatively new to Ohio, such as Arneis, Carmenere, Gamay noir, Gruner Veltliner, Pinotage, Regent, Sangiovese, and Teroldego, to list a few, said Imed Dami, a state viticulture specialist with OSU Extension.

The questions researchers are looking to answer include how the grapes will perform

in Ohio vineyards and cellars; can they survive and thrive through harsh Ohio winters; and is planting them worth it for Ohio wine grape growers, Dami said.

Although it is still too early in the trials to make any definitive recommendations on what varieties perform best and in which location, researchers are seeing some promising indications, said Dami, who also has an appointment with OARDC. “Some varieties are promising, however, we are still in the process of evaluation,” he said.

“It typically takes eight to 10 years for a variety evaluation trial to come to fruition for conclusive results, considering it takes four years for the grape vines to establish and mature.

“We then collect data on growth, yields, cold hardiness, fruit quality of the grapes and make wine from them. Last year, we had the first crop and made wine from some of the vari-

Piketon, and OARDC’s Ashtabula Agricultural Research Station in northeast Ohio near Lake Erie.

One of the goals of the trial is to increase the diversity of Ohio

Since 2008, the team has studied more than 40 wine grape varieties, especially high-quality, high-value European types. eties, and we observed some encouraging results from some varieties.”

Researchers conduct the grape and wine trials in the research vineyards at OARDC’s Wooster campus, the OSU South Centers in

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doing well, but consumers are always looking for something new and different,” he said. “And wine producers in Ohio, in response to consumer demand, want to offer more varieties, especially more red wine varieties.”

This as Ohio’s wine industry has seen significant growth in recent years. In fact, the number of Ohio wineries has nearly doubled since 1997. During the last 10 years, Ohio’s wine industry has grown significantly, said David T. Daniels, director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

According to a 2008 Economic Impact report, Ohio’s grape and wine industry generates more than $580 million in economic activity that supports local communities while producing a superior agricultural product.

The Ohio grape and wine industry also employs more than 4,100 people, providing a payroll of $124.2 million, he said.

“Ohio’s wine industry is now the fourthlargest in the eastern United States and is known nationally and internationally for excellence,” Daniels said in a statement. “The grape and wine industry is deeply tied into the state’s agriculture industry and plays a significant role in our

history and our current economic success.”

That success has contributed to the significant growth of Ohio wineries, said Gary Gao, an Extension specialist and associate professor of small fruit crops at the OSU South Centers in Piketon. That’s also led to a shortage of Ohio-grown wine grapes, because there aren’t enough producers to meet the growing demand, he said.

“One of the reasons is that we used to have about 70 wineries several years ago,” Gao said. “We’ve since had a tremendous increase in the numbers of wineries, and all those new wineries need grape juice as a starting product for wine.

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Other Ohio State researchers working in the program include Todd Steiner, an enology (wine-making) specialist; Dave Scurlock, a viticulture outreach specialist; Greg Johns, manager at OARDCAARS; and specialists Mike Ellis (grape diseases), Doug Doohan (weeds) and Roger N. Williams (insects).

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Wycombe Vineyard ~ Picking with family and friends

by Sally Colby The first year Rich and Debbie Fraser had enough wine grapes to harvest, they knew they’d need a little help.

But they really only needed a little help — not enough to hire pickers.

Their solution? Invite family and friends to help harvest. The Frasers provided basic instructions and plenty of food, and the grapes were harvested on time. While the Frasers’ Wycombe Vineyards in Furlong, PA has grown since that first harvest, they still rely on volunteers.

“People sign up through our website throughout the year,” said Rich, “and when we get closer to harvest dates we send e-mails through Constant Contact. Dates are set for Saturday, with Sunday as a rain date. We ask people to RSVP so we know how many pickers we’ll have.”

Although harvest dates are dependent on conditions throughout the season, Rich can predict with pretty good accuracy when the grapes will be ready, although this year might be especially challenging.

“We had a warm winter and a record warm March,” said Rich. “The white grapes — Chardonnays and Pinots — bud out first and are usually ready to pick in September. The red grapes don’t bud out until late April or early May, so they aren’t ready until sometime in October. This year, since it’s been dry so far, everything has been pushed up a little bit. Red grapes can hang longer, but white grapes can only get so ripe before we lose sunlight and ripening days.”

In an average year, it takes between 10 and 30 people to harvest grapes from the 6,500 vines — a sixmile walk one way. Fraser says the hardest part is knowing when to alert people about picking dates. “It’s hard to gauge how many people will show up, so if we don’t get all of the grapes on the weekend, we’ll pick them during the week. We don’t have to get them all in one day, but if we let them go for an extra week or so, we’re going to start backing up on the others. Then there’s constant pressure with deer and birds.”

As harvest approaches, everyone on

the list receives an e-mail about how many people are needed for harvest, and are asked to RSVP so that both labor and food can be planned. Even closer to harvest, Fraser announces when the harvest is likely to be. “We’ll pin the picking dates down, then if it looks like it’s going to rain, we send an e-mail to cancel until Sunday or the following weekend.” The e-mail includes information about appropriate clothing, suggests sunblock and advises women to avoid using perfume because it attracts yellow jackets. The Frasers encourage people to bring a friend, and say that about a dozen people have become regulars who return every year.

Prior to pickers arriving, bins are set out in the vineyard. Pickers arrive at around 10 a.m., and before heading to the vineyard, Rich provides picking and safety orientation. “The most common injury is cuts,” he said.

“People are talking, having a good time, and might reach behind a cluster to cut the stem. If they aren’t watching, they can clip a finger. The other thing is yellow jackets that are after the sugar and the grapes. We want to make sure that if anyone is allergic, they know what to do. We tell people that before they put their hand behind a cluster to cut it, tap the cluster with the front of their hand.

Any yellow jackets will fly to the next cluster. They won’t sting unless you come around the backside of the cluster and trap them.” Debbie is busy throughout the day dispensing water, and has a first aid kit for minor cuts and stings.

Pickers are instructed to leave anything that looks deteriorated. “Generally, if about 85 percent or more of the cluster is good, pick it,” said Rich, adding that a lot of grapes were lost to rot last year. “Pinot has a very thin skin and you can’t knock the bad grapes out. With others, you can hold the cluster in your hand and knock the bad grapes out.” Fraser explained that the word ‘pinot’ is French for pinecone — the grape clusters are so tight it looks like a pinecone. “Even in a good year, the grapes are so close together that when you pick them, the

Before heading to the vineyard, Rich provides picking and safety orientation to the group of volunteers.

Photos by Mark Margraff, courtesy of Wycombe Vineyards

skins break and juice runs all over. If they’re split, there’s vinegar, and then the fruit flies are everywhere.”

Several people are assigned to pickup duty, collect the filled bins regularly and take them directly to the destemmer/crusher on the premises.

Rich says that people enjoy learning about the destemming and crushing process. He encourages people to taste the juice when it comes off the crusher. “If you like Chardonnay or Cabernet or whatever, remember the flavor of that grape,” he said. “That flavor should be in that wine. Most Americans don’t know what these grapes taste like — Chardonnay has an apple/pear flavor on the vine; Cabernet will have a strawberry or cherry flavor.”

Rich explains that if the grapes are for white wine, the slurry goes directly into a press. “For red wine, the grapes are fermented on the skins and go directly into tank. We mix the must with 50 ppm sulfite to kills the bacteria on the vines. It stuns the wild yeast. The sulfite isn’t quite strong enough to kill it, but we want to make sure the wild yeast is

knocked down so when we put the wine yeast in, there’s no competition.

After 24 hours, we put the wine yeast in and it does its thing.”

White grapes aren’t fermented on the skins, so they go into a separate bin, then sulfite is added. Those are pressed right away, and the juice goes in the tank without skins. Fraser says that the winemaker may decide to soak on the skins for a few days, which can produce more flavor, and the skins get softer when pressed. This yields more juice, but there’s a chance of more astringency from the skins.

Lunch is served at around noon, and picking is finished up by 3 p.m.

After each picking day, there’s a thorough clean up to prepare for next time. Picking goes on for about three or four weekends, since varieties ripen at different rates.

“Timing is everything,” said Rich as he talked about harvest. “Every day the grapes are out there, we’re losing them to critters.”

For more information on Wycombe Vineyards, visit www.wycombevineyards.com

The harvesting at Wycombe Vineyards is done by family and friends.

Patty Skinkis, Oregon State University Introduction An individual grape inflorescence (flower cluster) contains hundreds of flowers. However, not all of those flowers will set fruit and develop into berries. On average, 50 percent of flowers within an inflorescence set fruit and become berries. Any greater percentage of fruit set can lead to more compact, tight clusters that can be more prone to fungal infections, particularly in those regions that have higher risk of botrytis and other rots.

Fruit set that low (less than 30 percent fruit set) can lead to clusters with few berries, and/or clusters with significant

A Pinot Noir cluster at harvest exhibits signs of poor fruit set including few berries per cluster and small green (shot) berries.

Causes of poor fruit set in grapes berry variability. This phenomenon is often called “hens and chicks” where large and small clusters exist within a cluster.

Defining Poor Fruit Set There are a number of different ways that poor fruit set can be defined.

There can be loss of the entire inflorescence (flower cluster), termed inflorescence necrosis and loss of individual flowers within an inflorescence, or flower necrosis. Some flowers may abscise before bloom, and still others may abort prior to bloom. Finally, there can be flowers that set and form small shot berries

Flowers may abort prior to bloom, and the flowers shown here are separating at the top (cap). These are termed “star flowers” and will abort.

that never ripen and may abscise before harvest.

In some cases, these shot berries are retained.

If you see a significant lack of fruit set, you should document and describe your observations, as this may be indicative of a potential causal factor.

A Pinot Noir cluster at harvest exhibits signs of poor fruit set including few berries per cluster and small green (shot) berries.

Potential Causes of Poor Fruit Set When poor fruit set is observed, it can usually be associated with factors that influence the development of flower parts between bud break and bloom. Development of flower parts begins shortly after bud break and takes approximately six to eight weeks. The conditions during bloom can be a critical factor in how many flowers per inflorescence set fruit. Because nearly 50 percent of the flowers may not set fruit in a cluster, it is normal to have some flower abscission. It is best to wait until approx-

imately 10 to 12 days after full bloom to observe flower clusters for fruit set estimates.

• Vine nutrition.

Research to date indicates that vine nutrition has an impact on bud fruitfulness (number of flower clusters in a bud and on a shoot) developed during the previous growing season as well as floral differentiation in the current season prior to bloom. Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) status of vines have been implicated as potential causes of poor fruit set and inflorescence necrosis. Micronutrient deficiencies of boron (B) and zinc (Zn) can result in poor fruit set as they play a role in early season shoot growth, and in the case of boron, pollen tube generation which is required for fertilization.

Water stress prior to bloom has also been associated with poor fruit set, and this can be related to the lack of shoot growth and nutrient uptake prior to bloom. The influence of vine C and N is more complex and not completely understood with regard to flowering and fruit set. However, too high or too low vine N can lead to poor fruit set or inflorescence necrosis. The relationship may not be solely in total concentrations of N in vine tissues, but rather the C:N status of the vine.

This is directly related to vine vigor status.

• Vine vigor status.

Vines with high vigor tend to have higher N in their tissues, making C:N lower. Conversely, weak vines have lower N and higher C, leading to a higher C:N ratio. In either case, having an unbalanced C:N status of the vine can lead to poor flower development and fruit set. This also relates to competing sinks in the vine: shoots vs. clusters. In overly vigor-

Very poor fruit set is visible as shown here 12 days after full bloom.

Photos by Patty Skinkis, Oregon State University.

ous vines, shoot tips can out-compete clusters for resources pre-bloom and can lead to reduced flower development and poor fruit set. Conversely, a weak vine will have fewer resources in stored carbon and nitrogen, leading to weak growth.

The stronger sink in the weak vine (shoots) will pull resources from the flowers leading to poor fruit set. Therefore, it is best to achieve good fruit set by managing vines for vine balance between vegetative and reproductive growth. The goal is a moderately vigorous vine, not a weak or overly-vigorous vine.

• Weather.

Overcast, cool, and wet weather can reduce fruit set; however, the mechanism differs between the times when the weather occurs for different processes (floral initiation, development, bloom, and fruit set).

Cold and overcast weather prior to bloom can lead to problems in floral development.

These environmental factors are likely linked to vine C and N status, particularly if growth is stunted during the early stages of the growing season. If the weather is cold at the time of bloom, the progression of bloom may be delayed and result in reduced set. Finally, rain during bloom can physically inhibit pollination and fertilization by dilution of the stigmatic surface which is to receive pollen from the flower’s anthers.

• Damaging Events.

Anything that is drastically damaging to the vine’s canopy can lead to problems with poor fruit set. These events may include early fall frost, winter damage, hail, or other methods of vine defoliation (herbicide, insect feeding, etc). During fall, the vine is redirecting nutrients from its leaves to store as reserves in the trunk and roots. If a severe fall frost is experienced well before leaf-fall, there can be a significant disruption of this nutrient storage that will leave the vine in a weaker state the following spring.

Similarly, any event that can significantly defoliate a vine late in the growing season or in ear-

ly spring can lead to poor flower development and reduced fruit set by way of reduced carbon assimilation and storage.

• Plant material.

A few cultivars and clones of Vitis vinifera can normally have poor fruit set. The underlying cause is not certain. In some rare instances, self-pollination incompatibility may be an issue. Wild and seedling Vitis muscadinia vines are often dioecious (have either only male or female flowers). Therefore, male vines would have flowers, but would lack fruit. Some of the older muscadine cultivars have only female flowers, requiring either a monoecious vine or a male vine to be planted nearby.

Documenting Poor Fruit Set If you observe poor fruit set in your vineyards, it is best to keep a record of the situation. If you are not currently doing some estimate of fruit set, it is wise to begin the practice to develop a baseline of information for a given block. To begin observing fruit set, monitor clusters within 10 to 12 days after full bloom. Remember, nearly 50 percent of the flowers may not set fruit, so they can be found falling from the clusters before, during, or after fruit set.

Consider taking some observational notes and photos at fruit set for rough estimates. Also, fruit set can be estimated through cluster weight data. Records of berries/cluster and berry weight are certainly good to have in your records, but this requires significant sampling across blocks and is very time consuming and not practical on a production scale. If you observe inflorescence necrosis and/or significant flower necrosis, make note of the block and flag the vines for future investigation.

Record weather data from bud break to bloom. Consult your vineyard nutritional analysis records and pruning weights to determine any changes over time in vine vigor as indicated by yields and pruning weights.

Grapes 12

Integrated Disease Management Developing an Integrated Disease Control Program for Your Vineyard

by Andy Allen - Viticulture Extension Associate Part 1 ~ Non-Chemical Controls There are many challenges to successful winegrape production in the Midwest, but perhaps the greatest of these challenges, one which plagues longtime growers and neophytes alike, is vineyard disease management. There are several reasons for this; one is that there are so many diseases affecting grapes, and a large percentage of them appear to be active here. Another reason for why vineyard diseases are so problematic in the Midwest is that the climate is just right for them. During the growing season we have hot days and warm nights, high relative humidity, and frequent periods of high rainfall. This provides an ideal environment for disease organisms to infect and reproduce, resulting in high disease pressure in our vineyards. Managing these diseases requires 1) knowing the ones with which you are dealing, 2) knowing what chemical materials and cultural methods provide some measure of control, and 3) designing an effective control strategy using these materials and methods.

The Relationship of Vine, Pathogen, and Climate When discussing plant diseases pathologists refer to the “Disease Triangle” (Fig. 1). The triangle illustrates the conditions required for a plant disease to occur. It basically represents that infection occurs when a susceptible host (in this case a grapevine or grape berry) comes into contact with an effective pathogen un-

der environmental conditions that are favorable for the pathogen’s growth and reproduction. Implied in this is that disease can then be reduced or prevented by interfering with one of the three factors involved. We want to grow the grapevines, so taking them out of the equation is out of the question. But we can select grapevine cultivars that offer some resistance to a particular pathogen.

We cannot change the weather patterns or overall climate of the area, but we can affect the environment immediately surrounding the vine or within the canopy through vineyard and canopy management practices. Finally, we can affect the pathogen itself by reducing the amount of inoculum or killing a large percentage of (or the entire) pathogen population through chemical means (for pathogens with known chemical controls).

Non-chemical Disease Control There are several vineyard management practices that can help reduce the amount of disease pressure in the vineyard.

Some of these take place before the vines are ever planted. One is selecting a vineyard site with full exposure to sunlight throughout the day and that permits good airflow through the vineyard.

These two site factors affect the Favorable Conditions corner of the Disease Triangle by providing an environment within the vineyard that is less conducive to disease development by promoting more rapid drying not only of wet grapevine foliage and fruit but also of groundcover vegetation,

thus reducing humidity within the vineyard. Another preplanting practice that can help reduce disease pressure is cultivar selection. As previously mentioned, this affects the Susceptible Host portion of the Triangle.

No cultivar is totally immune to any and all diseases and under high enough disease pressure

in your disease management program without added expense in that they are there working in your favor night and day without any further input from you.

Other non-chemical practices that impact disease are active methods in that you have to provide some labor input. Two of these impact

Removing dead spurs or other dead wood, especially on older vines where it tends to accumulate, can help reduce the amount of inoculum that will be available to cause new infections in the coming season. even Norton/Cynthiana, which has high levels of resistance to most of the common fungal diseases, can become infected.

However, by choosing cultivars that offer some resistance, the incidence of disease can be reduced or the severity lessened.

Good site and resistant cultivar selection are passive methods of disease management that give you a good starting point

the Effective Pathogen portion of the Disease Triangle by removing the amount of inoculum available to cause infection. The first practice is eliminating alternate hosts for grapevine diseases from around or within the vineyard.

This can be accomplished by removing wild grapevines from woods in the near vicinity of the vineyard. Wild

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vines can be overwintering sites for many fungal and perhaps viral pathogens and can serve as sources of disease inoculum in the vineyard.

But wild vines are not the only potential alternate hosts.

Some viruses that affect grapevines, such as tomato ringspot virus, also infect numerous other plant species, some of which may be in the vineyard, such as the common dandelion. For those in warmer regions where Pierce’s Disease (PD) is a problem, Xylella fastidiosa, the bacteria that causes PD, also has a large list of alternate hosts, including such common species as oak, sycamore, wild blackberry, and Bermudagrass.

In the same manner practicing good vineyard sanitation by removing dead or diseased portions of the vine, whether it is mummified berries/clusters or infected wood on the vine, can reduce the amount of disease inoculum in the vineyard. Phomopsis is one of the most common diseases we see in vineyards in this region. It can be found in many vineyards on the lower two to three intern-

odes of canes. Since these are the portions of the canes retained for fruiting spurs, where infected spurs must be retained for fruiting the disease inoculum is kept also. Phomopsis also overwinters on dead wood. Removing dead spurs or other dead wood, especially on older vines where it tends to accumulate, can help reduce the amount of inoculum that will be available to cause new infections in the coming season. Likewise with black rot and mummified berries or clusters still hanging in the canopy after harvest. These are the primary sources of overwintering inoculum in the vineyard. Simply pruning them off and dropping them to the ground will reduce both the amount of spores that are released the following spring and the length of time in which they are released.

Canopy Management Finally, using good canopy management practices such as shoot thinning, shoot positioning, and fruiting zone leaf removal can create a less

Management 11

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Management from 10 favorable microclimate within the canopy for disease development by allowing more sunlight and air movement into the canopy. Vigorous vines have dense canopies with less sun exposure, higher humidity and reduced air flow within the canopy (Allen, 2011) compared to more open canopies. This results in the surfaces of interior leaves and fruit drying off more slowly after rains and dews than those in more open canopies, which can lead to a more favorable environment for disease development, particularly fruit rots. Good fruit zone exposure can also help reduce the incidence and severity of powdery mildew on clusters of susceptible varieties.

Thinning out non-count shoots reduces the number of shoots and their associated leaf area, thus decreasing the thickness of the canopy.

Proper shoot positioning according to trellis system (vertically upright for Vertical Shoot Positioned trellises, vertically downward for High Cordon and Geneva Double Curtain trellises) moves the remaining shoots and associated leaf area away from the fruiting zone, preventing the formation of a thick shell of foliage that blocks light and air movement and interferes with spray penetration and deposition within the interior of the canopy and on the clusters. But of all the canopy management practices, fruiting zone leaf removal gives the greatest benefit for disease management in that it opens a window around

the clusters to allow more sunlight penetration and air movement in the fruiting zone. It also increases the ability of applied sprays to penetrate into the interior of the canopy and provide better coverage and protection of the fruit. In the 1985 California study of canopy management practices and Botrytis bunch rot (Gubler, et. al. 1987), fruiting zone leaf removal by itself greatly reduced the incidence and severity of Botrytis bunch rot in Chenin blanc winegrapes. In a similar study in 1992 in a couple of commercial Missouri vineyards on the effects of leaf removal on bunch rot development (English, et. al., 1993) leaf removal not only by itself drasti-

cally reduced both the incidence and severity of bunch rot in unsprayed Seyval blanc vines, but also greatly improved the level of control achieved in sprayed vines compared to vines where leaves had not been removed.

Source: The Midwest Grower, Spring/Summer 2012, University of Missouri

the 2010 session and went on sale through the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles in May. The fee for the plate is $54 per set ($30 surcharge + $24 plate fee). The $30 surcharge is due at issuance and at every renewal. It is the same for both two-year and four-year (new vehicle) registration periods. Funds

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Vintner creates new wines from unusual grape varieties

Nearly half of the 55 unusual winegrape varieties in a plot at the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier displayed enough promising characteristics to prompt a cooperating vintner to make 25 small lots of wine.

The research at Kearney is designed to expand the wine industry’s options in the San Joaquin Valley, currently California’s top grape growing district in terms of production, but lowest in terms of price.

“Most of the popular wine varietals — merlot, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay — are at their best in somewhat cooler climates. So we are looking for grapes that make superior fruit in warm climates,” said Matthew Fidelibus, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis.

Fidelibus is supervising the production at Kearney of winegrape varieties that were collected from countries such as Spain, Greece and Italy, where the climate mimics the valley’s hot days and warm evenings. In the research plot, the vines exhibit a wide range of vigor, productivity and fruit quality.

While Fidelibus is gathering data on each variety’s yield potential,

Grapes from 9

Conclusion While we cannot control weather conditions, we can do our best to manage vineyards for a healthy, balanced state.

When this is achieved, even poor years will cause only a minor problem with flowering and fruit set. Where there are considerable problems with over- or under-vigorous vines and/or poor fruit set, the problems in vegetative and reproductive balance can be difficult to bring back into equilibrium and may take more than one season to achieve.

For more information, visit: www.extension .org/pages/33106/caus es-of-poor -fruit-set-ingrapes Source: www.extension.org

cluster architecture, amenability to mechanization and other viticultural characteristics, winemaker Constellation Brands is monitoring the winegrapes’ potential to produce distinctive, flavorful California wines.

“We need a breakthrough variety,” said Oren Kaye, a research and development winemaker at Constellation Brands. “Many of the wines we produced showed significant promise.”

Currently, 80 percent

of California wine is made from fewer than 10 types of winegrapes, with the most popular white being chardonnay and the most popular red cabernet sauvignon.

Kaye says the market is ripe for something new, perhaps fianio, a

white wine with a fresh, young style evoking flavors of melon and grapefruit, or the stylistically unique marselan noir, a red wine with bright cherry flavor that pops.

“Millennials own tomorrow,” Kaye said.

“They are more accept-

ing of things that are new, as long as it is good. At a restaurant, they think nothing of pulling out a smart phone to look up a wine they haven’t heard of before.”

Source: University of California

Fruit Maturity Evaluation of Wine Grapes for Harvest Planning

Figure 1. Evolution of flavorants in Cabernet Sauvignon (from Bisson, 2001).

by Ed Hellman, Texas AgriLife Extension Harvesting wine grapes at optimal fruit maturity, or ripeness, presents many challenges, not the least of which is accurate assessment of fruit ripening. Much of the difficulty with discussions of grape ripeness is that there is often an implied standard, but in reality, ripeness is subjective. There are two issues to address: 1) how do we define grape maturity, and 2) how is maturity measured.

What is Grape Maturity?

Numerous winegrape ripeness indices have been investigated and a few analytical laboratories are attempting to quantify grape ripeness through complex chemical analyses of flavor and aroma constituents, phenolics, color compounds, sugars, acids, and pH. But there will never be a single set of numbers that defines ripeness for a particular grape variety under all circumstances and for all purposes.

Ripeness is defined by the individual and is primarily a function of the

intended use for the grapes. Often, an individual’s definition of ripeness is also influenced by what is “typical� for that variety in his or her growing region. Some benchmark of ripeness is achieved in one or more seasons and all subsequent crops are compared to that benchmark.

Winemakers commonly have a target for grape ripeness they would like the fruit to achieve for the wine they plan to produce. That target can vary, even within the same grape variety, depending on the type or style of wine that will be made. For example, one winery may prefer to produce a wine emphasizing red fruit characteristics while another winery would prefer riper black fruit characteristics.

Grape ripening is a continuous process and the progression of aroma and flavor characteristics for red grapes is shown in Figure 1. Timing of harvest, therefore, is a matter of determining that point along the ripening continuum that best fits

Maturity 14

Maturity from 13

the winemaker’s objective for the wine.

Measuring Ripeness The ability to harvest grapes at the desired fruit ripeness is dependent upon one’s current knowledge of the progression in fruit maturity occurring in the vineyard. Weather conditions will cause seasonal differences in the rate and characteristics of grape ripening.

Varieties and even blocks of the same variety are likely to have different patterns of ripening. The only way to know where the fruit is on the ripening continuum is to collect samples of the fruit periodically and assess ripeness.

Fruit maturity of grapes is commonly monitored by periodically measuring soluble solids content of ripening berries with a handheld refractometer. But sugar content is not necessarily related to accumulation of flavor and aroma compounds. Tasting fruit for a subjective assessment of flavor development typically augments the quantitative measure of sugar content. Such simple techniques can be very useful indicators of grape maturity, but only if the sample tested is appropriate. Too often however, conclusions about grape ripening status are drawn from very small, nonrandom and

A pH meter with calibration solutions.

Photo by Ed Hellman, Texas AgriLife Extension

unrepresentative fruit samples. The key to a good estimate of fruit maturity is to collect berry samples that are truly representative of the vineyard block to be harvested.

Fruit samples should be taken weekly beginning about three weeks before harvest is anticipated. More frequent sampling should be done as the anticipated harvest date becomes closer, particularly if there are changes in the weather that could affect ripening or condition of the fruit.

Sample Preparation and Analysis Accurate assessment of fruit ripeness also depends on proper sample preparation and analytical procedures. Fruit samples should be processed quickly, preferably within a few hours of collection, and processing procedures should simulate winery conditions as closely as possible. The fruit can be crushed and pressed by hand, taking care to crush each berry thoroughly. Large samples are more easily crushed with a small roller-crusher and pressed with a small bench-top press. Crushing should be accomplished without breaking the seeds. The crushed fruit can be hand-

Digital refractometer.

Photo by Lane Greer, Oklahoma State University

squeezed tightly through cheesecloth to obtain both the free run and the pressed juice. Fruit constituents are not evenly distributed in the pulp of the berry so a thorough pressing or squeezing is necessary with all of the juice combined. A common mistake is to use only the free run juice for analysis, which tends to have higher sugar and titratable acidity, lower pH, and lower potassium than fully expressed juice.

Juice yields from commercial processing can be approximated by pressing hard enough to obtain approximately 300 ml of juice per pound of fruit. This corresponds to about 160 gallons/ton.

Red winegrape samples are best prepared by crushing, de-stemming, and macerating the skins for 1-2 hours at room temperature before pressing. Ripe red grapes rapidly release the anthocyanin pigments from the skin upon crushing and pressing.

Juice samples should be temporarily stored in sealed, full containers and allowed to settle to remove suspended solids. Refrigeration aids settling and delays enzymatic browning. Browning can be reduced by the addition of 25 mg/liter each of sulfur dioxide and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which also helps maintain sample freshness for sensory evaluation. Pectolytic enzymes can be added to enhance juice clarity, if necessary. A sensory evaluation of aromas and flavors should also be conducted. Samples can be held refrigerated in full containers for up to 1-2 weeks for comparison with later samples.

Soluble solids are measured as degrees Brix using either a refractometer or a hydrometer. Refractometers should be calibrated following the manufactur-

er’s instructions. Accurate hydrometers are calibrated to narrow ranges of 5 to 10 degrees and are subdivided to 0.1 degree units. Inexpensive hydrometers typically have a large range such as 030 degrees and have other scales such as ‘potential alcohol’. These hydrometers are not very accurate. Both hydrometer and refractometer readings are usually calibrated at 20ºC (68ºF) so if the juice sample is at a different temperature, a correction must be made.

Laboratory procedures for determining soluble solids, titratable acidity, and juice pH are found in several books. The accuracy of a chemical analysis is highly dependent upon following appropriate procedures and maintaining properly calibrated equipment. Common errors with refractometer measurements include failing to calibrate with distilled water and not making the necessary temperature corrections. Titratable acidity measurements can be inaccurate because of careless pipetting of the sample, failure to neutralize the acidity in the water before adding the juice sample, overtitration, and failure to calibrate the pH meter properly. Common errors in pH measurement include failure to standardize the pH meter, disregarding temperature correction, and the use of worn or insensitive electrodes.

Sensory evaluation should be conducted on the juice sample collected using the processing procedures described above. Crushing and pressing extracts aroma, flavor, and color from the grape skins. The juice sample should be evaluated for both intensity and quality of aroma and flavor, acidity and taste balance, and color.

Source: www.extension.org

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Viticulture Field Day University of Missouri, Columbia, MO June 5, 2012

Approximately 65 people from Missouri, Arkansas and Kansas attended the Viticulture Field Day presented by the Phillip and Jason Gerke. Jason is the President of the Missouri Grape Missouri Grape Growers Association Growers Association. and the ICCVE.

Dr. Turner Sutton, Apple-Grape Pathologist, NC State University, presented “Summer Bunch Rot Management in a Strange Season”.

Attendees were able to tour Les Bourgeois Vineyards in the afternoon to learn about integrated wildlife damage management.

Discussion at the vineyard tour included demonstraDr. Reid Smeda, Weed Research Scientist, University of Missouri – Columbia, did a presentation on “Weeds in Attendees had a chance to talk with Dr. Reid Smeda after tions of wildlife control. his presentation.

Photos by Kathy LaScala Grapes: What’s Out There and What to Do About It”.

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Minimizing damage from birds and other unauthorized vineyard visitors

by Sally Colby “We’ve had bird problems for a long time,” said Jerry Forest, owner of Buckingham Valley Vineyards. “It’s one of the most serious problems we have in the vineyard. Our biggest problem birds are starlings and robins. The robins never leave — they are here year round, and have two or three broods a year.”

Forest, who shared his experience with bird control at the recent Eastern Winery Exposition, noted that birds are an especially challenging problem in smaller, isolated vineyards adjacent to wooded areas. In addition to the year -round birds Forest deals with, a nearby park is haven to 3 million resident starlings that seem to know just when the grapes are juicy.

Forest explained that there are several ways to control birds: acoustical, visual, physical and repellents.

“The effectiveness of any of these isn’t consistent,” he said, “but they all help.”

Visuals such as scarecrows, windmills, reflective strips and strobe lights may be effective for a while, but nothing works all the time. Forest noted that

the advantage of visuals is that they appeal to visitors. “They see these things and think you’re doing something ‘green,’” he said. “It looks good, and neighbors love it because it’s quiet.”

Forest uses a propane canon that’s programmed to work from dawn to dusk. “You have to move them around to make them effective,” he said.

“Neighbors don’t like them much, but you can use it in ag security zone. Do anything you can to protect your business.”

Although the canon works fairly well, Forest says that physical exclusion — in the form of netting — has worked well for him. “Netting is the best single way to guarantee protection,” he said. “We love netting but it can be expensive in materials, and in putting it on and taking it off. Netting can interfere with spraying, so you have to have everything done before the netting goes on.” And despite his best efforts to ensure no entry points for birds, Forest says that the birds can sometimes still get in. He also noted that if deer are present in the vineyard, antlers can be-

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come caught in netting and create huge tears.

Forest uses over -thetop netting that measures 14-feet wide and allows it to drop to the ground, which makes it hard for birds to get underneath.

Some growers use kestrel breeding boxes to encourage predatory birds that will go after starlings and robins.

Other growers have had success with sound systems that are mounted from poles and operate with solar cells. Forest noted that systems that include predator sounds are more likely to be effective, especially if the speakers are moved to different parts of the vineyard throughout the season to keep the birds confused.

“These can be programmed with hundreds of sounds — pots and pans, chainsaws, screaming owls,” said Forest. “The drawback is that these systems are expensive, but if they work, they’re worth it.”

Forest encourages a lot of noise in his vineyard, and invites employees and friends to bring ATVs and bikes to ride around in the vineyard. “The birds don’t like it and will eventually leave,” he said. “We also have an aggressive shooting program, and encourage the local police to come to practice shooting.”

Jeff White of Glen

Manor Vineyard in Virginia says that he started to see numerous birds in the mid 1990s.

“I used mylar tape, distress calls and some other things,” he said.

“Everything worked for a while, but then didn’t

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work. Scare eye balloons work for a while, but tend to lose air and require time to refill.”

White constructed hawk perches using pvc piping, but says he hasn’t seen any hawks hunting birds.

“Our mission is to ripen berries sufficiency to make a great wine, so we don’t want to pick grapes before they’re ripe,” said White. “At this point, bird netting is the way to go — it helps me sleep at night.” With four fulltime employees, White has the labor it takes to put the nets on. “What you have to keep in mind is that birds are trying to find an easy source of food, so the goal is to get them to

find it somewhere else.

After veraison, there isn’t too much work, so the nets go on.”

With Glen Manor’s proximity to the Shenandoah National Park, birds are a growing problem every year.

As the vineyard has grown, White has essentially increased the birds’ food source from a 2-acre vineyard to a 14.5-acre vineyard. He also found that birds are hanging around in the vineyard longer in the season. “They used to be gone after veraison,” he said, “but in late October, they’re still there.”

Bird netting is a costly investment, so prop-

Damage 18

Damage from 17 er storage is important.

“Nets have to be stored to keep mice out,” said White. “The drape-over netting comes inside and is stored in large canvas bags in the barn.” White says that he stored some nets in a walk-in cooler, but found that the nets already had mice in them. He now uses mothballs to deter mice in stored netting.

White’s side netting is rolled up and connected to trellises, and will be kept outside yearround. White noted that it’s important from the start to not allow a resident population of birds know that grapes are present. “I put up deer fence the first year to train them away from the vineyard,” he said.

“Same with the bird netting.”

Despite the care he takes when putting netting on, taking it off and during storage, White says that rips and tears are inevitable. “Raccoons can eat through it,” he said.

“I use string to tie nets back together.” White says that it’s important

to check nets daily because birds can enter from underneath. He uses clips to secure the netting on all sides to prevent birds from entering from any direction. Although netting can interfere with a spray program, White says that by veraison, which is when he puts up netting, he’s finished with spraying.

Dr. Peter Oldak, whose Jewell Towne Vineyards are surrounded by forested land in New Hampshire, has found that planting rows closest to the woods with white grapes — the most attractive grapes to birds — is the key to delaying entrance of birds to the vineyard. He has also had success with BirdGard. “When it’s active and squawking, we have hawks looking for the injured bird,” he said. “Customers on tour love to hear microchip chirping away.”

Oldak noted that his vineyard is in an area that receives a lot of hurricane rain in fall, which coincides with fall migrations. He’s

aware of this activity and can be prepared to monitor bird presence before they become a problem.

In addition to dealing with birds, Oldak remains aware of other vineyard predators.

“Know what is getting into your vineyard,” he said. “Look for footprints, teeth marks and use a game camera. Being able to identify what’s coming in helps

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determine what the prevention plan should be.”

For large animals such as deer and moose, fencing is the most effective first defense. Vertical fencing works well, but angled fencing is better because deer don’t know how to handle the angle. Deer fencing requires maintenance and must be installed correctly for maximum effectiveness. Oldak says that while electric fencing can be effective in controlling deer, it has to be properly grounded and free of vegetation that can cause shorts in the circuit.

Oldak has had some success with chemicals, but noted that such deterrents require repeat applications. He says that while odor from perfumed soaps and human hair is marginally effective, coyote

urine works well to keep large animals out of vineyards. Dogs are also a good deterrent, so Oldak encourages employees to bring dogs to work. “Dogs scent mark,” he said. “It’s an effective method of keeping deer away.”

Another solution is guns, which may require a permit to use for ag land protection.

Oldak joined the local fish and game club, put a notice up inviting deer hunters and got a positive response from hunters willing to pursue problem deer.

For vineyards with the nets, Oldak says raccoons can be a problem.

“They get under nets and tear them,” he said.

“One of the patterns you see with raccoons is a lot of eaten grapes behind the trellis. They strip a cluster, eat the

pulp and leave the skins.”

Although groundhogs don’t cause a problem with grapes, they burrow and injure vines. “It’s the same with opossums,” he said, “and skunks also burrow in the sod or grass looking for grubs.

They can really mess up a mid-row area. Rabbits are also a big problem — they like to nibble at young vines.” Oldak suggests grow tubes or cages to prevent small rodent damage.

Oldak says that if a vineyard is close to a stream or river, snapping turtles come to the vineyard to lay eggs. “If you’re putting in new vineyard, they disturb the new vines, then they come back and lay eggs,” he said. “The solution is to pick them up and take them for a drive.”

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2012 International Cold Climate Wine Competition All entries must be submitted online by 4:30 pm CDT on Mon., Aug. 6, 2012. Preregistered entries must arrive by 4:30 pm on Fri., Aug. 10.. Contact Gary Gardner, 612-624-3606 or email ggardner@tc.umn.edu.

On Internet at http://mngrapegrowers.com /competition.

AUG 8 Advanced Wine Analysis Workshop WSU Tri-Cities, Richland. $100. Registration requested. Contact Debbie Schwenson, 509-372-7224 or e-mail schwenso@wsu.edu.

AUG 9 Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council Meeting Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, East Lansing, MI. 1:30-4 pm. On Internet at www.michiganwines.com AUG 15 Wine Fault Protection WSU Tri-Cities, Richland.

Wine Fault Protection - Acidity, Phenolics (White Wine Phenolics), Color (Pink, Brown) - Instructors: Dr. Jim Harbertson, Dr. Richard Larsen, Dr. Thomas HenickKling.

On Internet at www.wawgg.org.

AUG 16 International Cold Climate Wine Competition University of MN Continuing Education Conference Center.

On Internet at www.mngrapegrowers.com/ competition.

4 EASY WAYS TO PLACE A WINE & GRAPE GROWER CLASSIFIED AD 1. PHONE IT INJust give Peggy a call at 1-800-836-2888

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MAIL IT IN Fill out the attached form, calculate the cost, enclose your check or credit card information and mail to: Wine & Grape Grower Classifieds PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428

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The newest publication in the Lee Publications, Inc. family of agricultural papers

GROWER

Wine & Grape

The NEWSPAPER for the wine and grape industry January 2012

www.wineandgrapegrower.com

Volume 1 Number 1

Newport Vineyards: Record harvest, grand expansion plans ~ Page 2 Breaux Vineyards Ltd. prunes now for shape, quality and production ~ Page 10

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Wine and Grape Grower will offer features, news and information on growing grapes, and making and selling wines.

As readers of Country Folks and Country Folks Grower you know the value of our publications as you run and improve your business.

If your current business or future plans include grapes or wine you can now have a publication with those same benefits for that branch of your business.

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If you have friends or family who would be interested please feel free to share with them also.

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You can reach us at P.O. Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 or call 800-218-55866 • Fax 518-673-23811 • Email: dwren@leepub.com

GR7 officially renamed to ‘Geneva Red’

by Dr. Bruce Reisch, Cornell Grapevine Breeding & Genetics Program In 2003, Cornell University released a red wine grape known as ‘GR 7’. The name stood for “Geneva Red” as it was one of a series of red wine grapes (GR1 to GR8) from the Geneva Experiment Station to be extensively tested during the 1960s and 1970s. Since it was tar-

geted primarily for blending wine production at the time of its release, it was simply given the official name ‘GR 7’, as it had been known until that time.

Since its release, members of the grape and wine industry have asked for a more marketable name to be applied to ‘GR 7’ because the name ‘GR 7’ causes confusion among consumers not accustomed

to abbreviated names, and since even with blends, wineries often list the names of varieties used on the back of the label. In response to the requests we’ve received, we have therefore decided to simply re-name ‘GR 7’ officially as ’Geneva Red’. The United States Tax and Trade Bureau has already approved this name for use on wine labels.

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Grape growers and wineries show dedication despite hot weather CASHMERE, WA — In July, the Washington Wine Industry Foundation handed off the 12th Annual Wine Cup® to Team Champoux in 100 degree heat at the Meadow Springs Country Club, raising over $34,000 and marking another successful fundraiser for the organization despite the sweltering weather. The team included Jeff Champoux, Jason Champoux, Jeremy Champoux and Joe Prior.

Second place low gross team was Washington Trust Bank while third place was Walla Walla Valley. Lowest team net was an individual team comprised of Brian Ash, Kim O’Brian, Mario Carofanello and Garry Anderson. Second place low net went to Oak Tradition while third went to Andrews Vineyard.

Additional winners included Sean Tudor from Tudor Vineyards and Lisa McKinlay from Coventry Vale Winery with longest drive. Closest to pin winners were Kelvin Soldat from Chandler Reach Winery and Vicki Gordon from Gordon Estate, while Bob Gamache from Gamache Vintners and Kim O’Brien from International Paper Co. took home the longest putt award.

Doug Rowell of McKinley Springs Winery was this year’s winner of the putting contest.

The Wine Cup® is a yearly fundraiser for the Washington Wine Industry Foundation to help support efforts toward education, scholarship and research. This year marked the 12th year the Foundation has served the wine industry.

Recently, WWIF started the process of setting new goals, revising a five-year vision for the organization and its role in the wine industry. So far, WWIF has made huge strides in developing programs, organizing industry education opportunities and securing funds for research pursuits, paying special attention to the health and longevity of the wine industry.

In 12 years, WWIF has connected industry needs including programs like the Vinewise®, Winerywise™, risk management education programs and a Clean Plant Campaign totaling over $3 million.

For more information or to contribute, visit www.washingtonwinefoundation.org.

Mendocino Wine Co. names new head of national sales

John Girty UKIAH, CA — Mendocino Wine Co. (MWC) announced the appointment of John Girty as vice president of national sales.

Girty, with more than 25 years in the wine industry, comes to MWC from Shannon Ridge Wine Co. and will report directly to MWC President Gary Glass. In his new role, Girty is charged with expanding the national distribution of MWC’s brands, including Parducci Wine Cellars and Paul Dolan Vineyards.

“John’s experience and track record in all trade channels will be instrumental to Mendocino Wine Company’s continued growth and broader market penetration,” said Glass. “Adding a pro like John to the sales team is crucial for leveraging the critical acclaim that our recently launched Parducci Small Lot Blend line has garnered, along with MWC’s other brands.”

“I’m proud to join the Thornhill family, Gary and the entire sales team here

at Mendocino Wine Company as the company continues to grow, and I look forward to contributing to its success.” said Girty.

For the past five years, Girty was the vice president of sales and marketing at Shannon Ridge Wine Company, where he created the sales team and set up the company’s national distribution network. Prior to that, he spent 13 years with Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, first as a district manager in the New York and New Jersey region and then as division manager for the west, where he oversaw sales in four western states, led his team to numerous awards and sales records. Girty is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.

About Mendocino Wine Co. Formed in 2004, the Mendocino Wine Co. (MWC) owns and operates Parducci Wine Cellars, Mendocino’s oldest winery, as well as Paul Dolan Vineyards, Sketchbook and Wines That Rock, among others. The Thornhill family continues the tradition of making awardwinning wines using sustainable wine growing and land use practices. Parducci Wine Cellars is America’s greenest winery, twice (2007, 2009) receiving the Governor’s Environmental and Economic

Leadership Award, California’s highest environmental honor. www.mendocinowineco.com

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