Wine & Grape Grower 10.12

GROWER

Wine & Grape

The NEWSPAPER for the wine and grape industry October/November 2012

www.wineandgrapegrower.com

Volume 1 Number 6

In This Issue

Long Trout Winery ~ Page 12

Classifieds ~ Page 20-21

Frenchie Winery ~ gone to the dogs ~ Page 2

October / November 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • Page 2

Winery gone to the dogs

by Kelly Gates In virtually every sense, Raymond Vineyards is a pure expression of a classic, iconic Napa Valley winery.

Founded in 1971, Raymond has five generations of viticultural and winemaking expertise, cultivating over 300 acres of estate vineyards in the Napa Valley.

The vineyard produces wines that are powerful yet elegant in style, reflecting a sense of place and terroir. Most known for its signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Raymond also produces Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc from its estate vineyards.

According to Patrick Egan, marketing manager for Raymond Vineyards, the winery was already a highly esteemed operation before Boisset Family Estates took over ownership in 2009. The changes made by current proprietor, Jean-Charles Boisset, during the past three years have made the place even more popular than ever.

“The winery continues to encompass a collection of historical wineries in the world's pre-eminent wine regions,” said Egan. “But when Jean-Charles spent the summer here in 2011, he was hard at work on several renovation projects

thought of his own dog, Frenchie the French bulldog, sitting there, by himself in a car.

Shortly after the sighting, Boisset set out to create Frenchie's Winery.

“After much planning, we opened Frenchie's Winery in June of this year,” explained Egan. “There is a separate building with three walls, a roof and an open-air front for people to put their dogs while they are in the human tasting room trying our wines. Each dog gets his or her own pen, complete with red-colored water in a doggie dish.”

As owners enjoy a relaxing tasting in another area, they need not worry about what is happening with their four-legged counterparts. The winery has television monitors in the tasting room with a direct feed to the Frenchie Winery building so they can keep an eye on their furry friends from afar.

The dogs-only structure itself was designed with an eye for aesthetic as well. The building is decorated with an array of tongue-in-cheek portraits of Frenchie dressed as different French historical characters. Some of the same pictures appear on the labels of Frenchie Winery's bottles of wine.

There's a 2009 Frenchie Louis XIV Winemaker Grégory Patriat inspecting the riches of the harvest Photos courtesy of Frenchie’s Winery the unique outlet, attracting 140 guests and 40 dogs to the one-time affair.

Since then, word-of-mouth has resulted in a steady stream of samplers-both human and canine. One of the big draws is the opportunity to support The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) with every purchase of a Frenchie product.

According to Egan, Boisset insisted that the doggie division not be solely for the winery's gain. He wanted to give pooches a pampered place to rest their paws but he wanted to pass on some of the profits too.

One dollar from each bottle of Frenchie wine is given to the ASPCA to help prevent animal cruelty. The $30 per bottle blends have quickly becomes

customer favorites.

Many buy on site after taste testing the varieties. Others purchase online at the Frenchie Winery web site or on wine.com in a select 10 states.

“Recently, we started selling a pack of three Frenchie-logo tennis balls with bottles of Frenchie Winery wines for just under $50 online. Those are starting to catch on,” noted Egan. “It's amazing how much people have responded to this addition. We're just weeks into this and already, we have a big following.”

Raymond Vineyards intends to continue selling its Frenchie Winery wines for as long as there is an interest.

Having people-and their pets-begging for more is a sign that the company is doing something dog-gone good.

Frenchie Winery’s recent ‘Bark-B-Que’ was a big hit. within the vineyards and winery that have made the place an even more dynamic destination.”

While many of the changes were standard upgrades, one was an undertaking uncommon to even the most forward thinking proprietors.

Boisset decided to open a tasting room for canines at the Californiabased company. He wanted humans to sample the sauvignon and Spot to sip alongside them.

According to Egan, the idea came one day when Boisset noticed a running car in the parking lot at Raymond Vineyards. As he approached the car, he noticed a dog inside, staring back at him.

The windows were rolled up. The air conditioner was keeping the animal cool. But the expression on the mutt's mug tugged at his heartstrings as he

Cabernet Sauvignon with an image of Frenchie dressed as King Louis XIV atop a white stallion. The wine is a blend of 61 percent Sonoma County and 39 percent Napa County fruit that boasts fetching aromas and flavors of blackberries and cocoa with hints of cassis and subtle notes of vanilla.

“We now have a new Frenchie Antoinette Chardonay, an homage to Marie Antoinette,” said Egan. “And we sell a 2009 Frenchie Napoleon Red Blend that is made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

The Napoleon Red Blend has an image of Frenchie on the bottle dressed as Napoleon Bonaparte.”

When Raymond Vineyards first opened the doors to Frenchie Winery in June, the response was overwhelming.

The winery hosted an event to celebrate

Getting the Big Picture! Visitors were able to have their photo taken with their favorite four-legged friends at Frenchie Winery.

by Karl H. Kazaks BERRYVILLE, VA — Veramar Vineyard, located about one hour west of Washington, D.C., has become one of Northern Virginia’s most popular wineries by focusing on the customer’s experience.

“I believe that part of the whole winemaking customer experience is to engage the customer to have an understanding about farming, an understanding about grapes — about how to grow them and how to process them — as well as how to drink and enjoy wine,” said owner James Bogaty.

By keeping customers engaged, Bogaty believes they become part of the Veramar family, itself a family-owned and -operated business.

Bogaty wants all of the visitors to his winery “to get that warm family feeling.”

Education is one approach Veramar uses to engage its customers. It has an educational series, with the following classes scheduled throughout the year: Tasting 101, Tasting 201, Planting, and Vineyard Tour and WalkAround. There’s also a Wine Camp, what Bogaty calls a “three-day wine and viticultural immersion. They do everything I do for those three days.” The cost of wine camp is $700 per person, double occupancy (usually couples attend). The maximum partic-

James Bogaty checks the shoot positioning on a just-harvesting planting of Cabernet Franc.

Photos by Karl Kazaks

ipation for the camp is six people. Many participants in the camp are preparing to start their own winery and learn from Bogaty.

Veramar, which was Virginia’s 63rd winery, has grown from producing 500 cases in its inaugural vintage, 2000, to 10,000 cases today. It sells about 90 percent of its wine from the tasting room (the remainder is wholesaled throughout the mid-Atlantic,

Longtime Veramar employee Curt Harvey showcases the current wine club selection — Veramar’s 2011 Chardonnay and 2011 Ameritage.

with 100 cases going to Europe every year). In addition to making its own wine, Veramar also custom crushes for a number of smaller wineries — primarily owned by wine club members who wanted to start their operation.

One reason Veramar is able to sell so much of its own production retail is its strong wine club, which currently has about 1,000 members.

“They act as our ambassadors,” said Bogaty. Not only do they bring in additional customers, but “many of the folks in this club like to come and volunteer. They volunteer for bottling, they volunteer for crush, they volunteer for festivals — and when they’re here they treat the land as if it’s their own. They pick up after themselves, they clean up — I can find them in the kitchen sometimes, putting dishes away.

“Some of them are so integrated with us that when we’re swamped they help bus the empty glasses. It’s a neat feeling when your customer thinks they’re part of your business. It’s heartwarming.”

Veramar Vineyard currently has 20 acres under vine — growing Seyval Blanc, Norton, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Traminette. They plan to plant an additional five acres next year, and eventually double the vineyard to 40 acres.

The vineyard — which is in the northern part of the Shenandoah AVA — has variations in its soil type, but is generally loamy clay overlaying limestone shale. The vineyards are on east-facing hill-

sides, not far above the Shenandoah River.

With an average yield of about four tons per acre, Veramar currently harvests about 80 tons of fruit. As it uses 120 tons, it buys about 40 tons annually — all from Virginia. When the vineyard expands to 40 acres, it will produce about 160 tons of fruit annually.

Because Bogaty expects wine production to remain constant, Veramar will then become a seller rather than a buyer of fruit.

Veramar makes a number of wines, including Cabernet Franc, Rooster Red (a red blend), barrel-fermented (whole-cluster pressed) Chardonnay (which does go through malolactic), Seyval Blanc, Pink Chicken (a Syrahbased rosé), Mourvedre, Viognier, a late-harvest dessert wine, Seyval Blanc, and Riesling/Vidal Blanc blend. The reds are typically macerated for about two weeks, sent through a vertical basket press, and then aged 10 to 11 months before bottling.

of them do.) In addition, club members can taste at the winery with no charge.

Veramar encourages visitors to the tasting room (which is a renovated dairy barn) to consider joining the wine club by having both a special club tasting flight and a dedicated club tasting bar. The classic tasting is $7, the club tasting $15. There is also a seasonal third tasting bar outside.

On Saturdays, Veramar typically hosts 300 to 350 visitors, Sundays about half of that, and weekdays 25 to 50 visitors. The vineyard — which has attractive views of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east — is also a popular spot for weddings.

In addition to the educational series, the events at Veramar tend to be winefocused, such as a Virginia vs California tasting, or a Virginia vs. France tasting.

All of Jim and Della’s three children are involved in the business, with (UC-Davistrained) Justin as winemaker, Tiffany in charge of media relations, and Ashley in charge of the wine club as well

Bogaty’s son-in-law — and cellar assistant — Eric Hamilton adds DAP to feed the yeast in a lot of barrel-fermenting chardonnay.

In addition, Veramar makes a number of wines which are made available only to wine club members, including Estate Club Cabernet Franc Free Run and Estate Club Cabernet Sauvignon Free Run. Bogaty keeps a special line of wines reserved for club members because, he said, “We want to make our club special. They’re part of the family.”

Wine club members receive two bottles per quarter, at the cost of $38 plus tax and shipping. (Bogaty encourages members to visit the winery themselves to pick up their wine club selections, and most

as Bogati Bodega, a new winery six miles from Veramar Vineyard.

Bogati Bodgea is just two years old, but already has 500 members in its wine club. The lineup of wines at Bogati Bodega are different than Veramar’s — with selections like Malbec — and they’re styled differently as well. That ensures that visitors can experience something unique at each winery.

It’s all part of the emphasis to treat customers like family.

“We try to treat everyone like family,” Bogaty said. “We want to treat you like part of our family extension.”

Page 3 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • October / November 2012

Veramar Vineyard finds success by treating customers as family

October / November 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • Page 4

Student-run vineyard is certified organic

by Craig Cramer A block of about 500 grapevines at Cornell Orchards — a little more than half an acre — is now certified organic by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York Certified Organic, LLC. “Virtually all of the management, from planning and planting to harvest and winemaking — even the paperwork — is done by students,” said Justine Vanden Heuvel, assistant professor of horticulture.

The planting grew out of the twosemester course Sustainable and Organic Grape and Wine Production.

“We started the course in 2010 because viticulture and enology students told us that they wanted to focus specifically on sustainability issues,” said Vanden Heuvel. “That’s something you can’t just learn in the classroom.

You have to go out in the vineyard and

do it.

“To our knowledge, we are the only university in the country with a student-run organic vineyard or a course devoted entirely to organic viticulture,” she added.

During the spring semester, students develop a management plan for the season, from improving soil health to coping with weeds, pests and diseases. All the practices must comply with U.S. Department of Agriculture organic standards. The students prune and tie vines to the trellises, and one serves as an intern to carry out the plan through the summer.

Students planted the vineyard in 2010. Many of the vines are NY95, a new variety developed at Cornell that’s particularly well-suited to organic vineyards due to its resistance to diseases such as downy and powdery mildews. Other varieties in the plant-

Cover photo courtesy of Frenchie’s Winery Winemaker Grégory Patriat and the crew at Frenchie’s Winery are busy cleaning grapes from this year’s harvest.

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Joe Young, intern at Cornell Orchards, is busy at work in the orchard.

ing include such cold-hardy wine grapes as Frontenac gris, Marquette and Maréchal Foch.

The young vineyard will likely yield about a ton of grapes for its first harvest this fall. It should be in full production in 2014, when Vanden Heuvel estimates that it will yield three to four tons of grapes, or the equivalent of about 180 to 240 cases of wine. During the fall semester, Kathy Arnink, lecturer in food science, will take the lead in the class when students harvest the grapes and turn them into organic wine in the Teaching Winery at Cornell Orchards.

“When we’re at full production, we’ll probably use a quarter to half of the fruit in class and the rest we’ll sell to home winemakers through Cornell Orchards,” said Vanden Heuvel.

Intern Molly Smith did the paperwork for organic certification as an independent study project in 2011.

The process went smoothly, notes Vanden Heuvel, in part because the vines are surrounded on three sides by the Dilmun Hill Student Organic Farm, the MacDaniels Nutgrove and an idle field. Students added a temporary sudangrass buffer on the east side of the planting to separate the vineyard from other crops that are not managed organically until a pine tree planting on that side matures. They also planted the other three sides of the vineyard with flowers designed to attract beneficial insects to help control insect pests.

“Organic viticulture is growing quickly in the U.S., but it’s really taken off in Europe,” said Vanden Heuvel.

“The organic vineyard and the course are really helping our graduates to go out into the world with real experience with these practices.”

Source: www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Aug12/OrganicVineyard.html

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Eric Shatt, left, Cornell Orchards farm manager, and summer intern Joe Young adjust bird netting to protect fruit in the organic vineyard adjacent to the Cornell campus.

Photos courtesy of Craig Cramer

by Joseph M. Perla and Bradley J. Rickard, Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University In 2007, the TransPacific Partnership (TPP) began with trade negotiations between Chile, New Zealand, Singapore, and Brunei

in order to promote increased trade between those four nations.

More recently Australia, Vietnam, Peru, Malaysia, the United States, Mexico, and Canada have joined the TPP negotiations. The TPP discussions between Canada and the United States have re-

newed an agricultural issue that has attracted attention among industry stakeholders in New York State. It concerns the regulations that Canada, and in particular Ontario, places on the importation of wine from the United States.

Feedback from industry sources suggests that

the combination of a Canadian duty of $0.62 per liter and an Ontario excise tax of 39.6 percent creates a prohibitive barrier on sales of U.S. wines to Canadian visitors, and that this is especially important for New York wineries located close to the Ontario border. Direct

sales from tasting rooms are a very important component of total revenues at wineries in New York State.

It is expected that the wineries that are members of wine trails in the Niagara Region and in the Thousand Islands Region are most affected by this trade barrier given their close proximity to Ontario’s major population centers. Wineries in these regions are therefore expected to benefit the most from a policy change that removed the trade barrier facing Canadian consumers.

In addition, the Finger Lakes Region (including wineries in the Canandaigua Wine Trial, the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, the Keuka Lake Wine Trail, and the Seneca Lake Wine Trail) includes many wineries and also receives visitors travelling from Ontario.

In order to gauge the economic impact on the wine industry in New York State, we conducted interviews with winery owners in each region. During each interview we collected information about the aver-

Projected Annual Increase in Direct Wine Sales Given Trade Liberalization with Canada (a) Number of wineries in trail (total wineries) Average number of visitors per winery Share of Canadian visitors Average sales per transaction (b) Wine sales as a percent of winery sales Total increase in sales of wine ($)

Niagara Region 16 (18) 20,000 8 to 10% $36.

90% $414,720

Thousand Island Region 7 (8) 40,000 15 to 30% $40 95% $798,000

Finger Lakes Region 69 (124) 50,000 4 to 6% $24.

80% $1,324,800

(a) Calculations based on information provided by winery owners in the three wine regions. (b) We assume that there are transactions from 50% of visitors (to account for the observation that many visitors travel in pairs).

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age number of visitors per winery, the share of visitors that were Canadian, the average sales amount per transaction (for all transactions across all visitors to the winery), and the share of total sales that were wine sales. Information from industry sources indicate that the Canadian visitors currently purchase very little wine. The purpose of this exercise was to predict the increase in wine sales if the Canadian visitors did not face import restrictions and, as a result, developed spending patterns that were similar to other visitors. During each interview we collected information about a specific winery and also documented information that described ranges on the number of visitors to other wineries within the region. We then combined this information with data describing the number of wineries in the wine trails in each region to calculate the annual change in wine sales per region given trade liberalization with Canada.

In the table below we outline the key variables that were used to calculate the likely annual change in wine sales in each region.

Here we see that the average number of visitors per winery ranged between 20,000 and 50,000 across the three regions (it ranged between 5,000 and 200,000 across individual wineries) and the share of Canadian visitors was higher the closer the region was to Canada. We used the lower bound of this

Trade 6

Page 5 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • October / November 2012

How would trade liberalization with Canada impact tasting room sales of New York State wines?

October / November 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • Page 6

Jacto, Inc adds new VP of Sales Greg Imus has joined Jacto Inc. Tualatin, OR as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the company’s new Small Farm Solutions business unit. Jacto, Inc. is a subsidiary of Máquinas Agrícolas Jacto S/A of Pompéia, SP, Brazil.

Jacto is Brazil’s market leader in spraying equipment for a variety of agricul-

tural applications and does business globally.

Jacto Small Farms Solutions (JSFS) will focus on the needs of small farmers around the world to aid them in efficient and economical production of crops. Imus’s primary role will be to develop and enhance sales and distribution in North

America, Central America and South Asia Pacific.

Formerly VP of sales, marketing and technical services for Shindaiwa Inc., in Tualatin, OR, Imus’s most recent position was Area Manager for Europe, Oceania and Africa with Maruyama Manufacturing Company of Tokyo, Japan.

“The prospect for working with Jacto on the new JSFS unit is very exciting,” affirms Imus. “There is certainly a good market opportunity.

And, with Jacto’s engineering expertise and history of developing strong relationships with customers, we have the right combination to make a positive impact within our industry.

Northern New York cold-hardy grape entrepreneur receives 3rd Sustainable Agriculture Grant MORRISONVILLE, NY — Grape grower and winemaker Richard Lamoy has received his third Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NESARE) grant in support of innovative coldhardy grape research at his Hid-In-Pines Vineyard, Morrisonville, NY. Lamoy is an entrepreneur who has converted his volunteerism with the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program-funded grape research trials at the Cornell University Willsboro Research Farm into his own successful vineyard and winery business. He established his vineyard in 2006. He received his first NESARE grant to conduct grapevine training trials research at his 3-acre vineyard in 2009.

“I am using techniques learned through the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program trials at Willsboro and sharing some I have developed to help strengthen Northern New York’s grape and wine industry,” Lamoy said.

“We are pleased to see that the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program seed money that started the cold-hardy grape trials at Willsboro has paid off in the entrepreneurial development of new research and practical on-farm results,” said NNYADP Co-Chair Joseph Giroux.

“Richard Lamoy and the other farmers who pay attention to the research being conducted here and extrapolate what they need to enhance their own businesses are helping to grow this region’s agricultural industry. Richard’s work promises to benefit the entire Northern New York region,” Giroux adds.

The results of Lamoy’s first trials showed the potential for sizable (40-67 percent) improvement in grape yield and quality in a year 200 growing de-

Trade from 5 variable (share of Canadian visitors) in our calculations. Overall, we see that total annual wine sales would increase by $414.7 thousand in the Niagara region, by almost $800 thousand in the Thousand Islands Region, and by $1.3 million in the Finger Lakes Region. The disproportional increase in sales to the two smaller regions is not surprising given that a much larger share of their visitors are from Canada.

The total economic impact across the three regions would be over $2.5 million per year in increased wine sales.

Wine sales are a wellrecognized engine of economic development

and are credited with generating substantial spillover effects in local economies. Recent multiplier effects used to describe the New York wine sector indicate that each additional $1 spent on wine generated an additional $7.86 to supporting industries upstream and downstream. Therefore, using this multiplier value, the increase in wine sales calculated above would translate into an increase in economic activity in New York State of $19.9 million per year. Overall, our results indicate that the effects could be very important for individual wineries and non-trivial for the industry in aggregate.

gree days (GDD) short of the NNY region’s usual 2400 GDD. “The early trial data indicated that matching the type of training system to the habit and vigor of specific varieties can indeed influence grape yield, quality and a higher return of farm income,” Lamoy said.

Lamoy is evaluating four types of training systems with two red and two white grape varieties with one each of a lower vigor and one each of a higher vigor vine growth habit.

Lamoy’s technical advisors include Willsboro

Farm Manager Michael Davis, and a cadre of Cornell University viticulture and enology specialists, including Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Northeast NY Commercial Fruit Program Specialist Kevin Iungerman.

The results of Lamoy’s early research, along with data from the Willsboro Farm trials are online in the Horticulture section of the NNYADP website at www.nnyagdev.org. The trials at the Willsboro Farm have also received support from the New York Farm Viability Institute.

New York extends duration of DTC permits The New York State Liquor Authority announced that the duration of Out-of-State Direct Wine Shipper licenses will change from one to three years beginning Jan. 1, 2013. The State Liquor Authority decided to extend the duration of wine licenses from one to three years in order to lessen the amount of

time wine licensees must spend on paperwork associated with the renewal of their license. The fee for the three-year direct shipping license has been adjusted to $375 to reflect the new license term. Currently, wineries pay $125 fee for a direct shipper’s license that is valid from Jan. 1 — Dec. 31 of each

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Discerning the differences between oak barrels

by Michael Leonardelli Enology Extension Associate Among the many species of the genus Quercus (“oak” to most of us), only a few are of major interest for cooperage. Researchers have examined three different species of Quercus, focusing on the main structural and physical-chemical characteristics likely to affect the watertightness of the barrels and the resulting quality of wines stored. With use of a scanning microscopy, researchers saw that it is possible to saw-cut American white oak staves, without risking loss of water -tightness. On the other hand, European oak must always be split to avoid rupturing the vessels.

Another difference is

the concentration of ellagitannins. European pedunculate oak has high quantities of extractable ellagitannins, while sessile oak releases much smaller quantities of these compounds, and white oak even less. Ellagitannins are impressive oxidation regulators, quickly absorbing the dissolved oxygen and facilitating the formation of wine constituents. Such reactions favor stabilization and deepening crimson color, and prevent the development of brick-yellow color. In addition, the ellagitannins reduce wine astringency.

The American species have a greater aromatic potential than European oak: American white oak is easily identified by the low quantity of extractable

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polyphenols, the high methyl-octalactone content (coumarinic, coconut, Iactonic, woody, maple and Iovage with a slightly toasted, nutty nuance) and the presence of two different structures of a chemical compound (3oxo-retro-£\-ionol), with American white oak containing relatively large quantities of the compound.

Consequently, this compound is a useful chemical marker for identifying stave wood of American origin, but it has no effect on the flavor of the wine. European sessile oak and American white oak are perfectly suitable for aging fine wine. Pedunculate oak, with its low aromatic potential and high ellagitannin content, is best suited to aging spirits. The quantity of extractable aromatic compounds (methyl-octalactones) in American white oak is sometimes excessive and would likely have a negative influence on the wine’s aroma. Proper control of toasting operations in barrelmaking could facilitate the use of this type of

oak, by modeling the release of volatile and odorous substances from the wood.

Numerous cooperage studies have reported that wood properties vary widely among different sources of cooperage wood, but it has been difficult to establish the cause of this variation due to the number of factors that may influence the properties of the finished barrel.

American oak is characterized by higher levels of volatile extractives, particularly of the oak or whisky lactone, and lower amounts of nonvolatile oak tannins than French oak However, no comprehensive study has compared the composition or quantities of wood extractives among different species of American white oak.

Until a more complete and wide-ranging examination of American oak has been completed, some doubt must remain over the reported differences between French and American oak and whether the results are representative of all American oak.

It is often claimed

that the effect of French barrels on the aging of wine varies according to the origin of the oak used.

Several studies that compared different types of barrels or stave wood report large variations in the levels of volatile and nonvolatile oak extractives. While many studies suggested that oak wood varies according to forest origin, particularly between Limousin and Troncais forests, they were not able to attribute these differences to any single factor such as the botanical species, speed of growth, or the forest environment.

Subsequent studies characterized Troncais wood as possessing higher levels of volatile constituents, such as eugenol (clovelike) and whisky lactone, and lower concentrations of oak polyphenolic constituents than Limousin wood.

Flavor extracts of eight oak wood samples from the U.S., together with 39 samples coming from six different French regions, were classified according to geographical origin.

Sensory analysis demonstrated that all samples from U.S. and France can be distinguished from each other, while most of the samples from France can be unambiguously assigned to their actual classes of geographical origin even though they have been taken from neighboring forests.

Measurement of sensory extracts: Barrels made by the same cooperage firm from French and American wood were put into a study to measure sensory extracts over time.

This experiment was conducted over three fill-and-empty cycles of the barrel, using white wine. The residence time in the barrels was short —12 and 16 weeks for the first and

second fills — respectively; while the third fill barrels’ aging time was six months. The differences between the French and American woods were dramatic on the first fill, but became less dramatic with each subsequent fill. Data indicated that tasters could distinguish between French and American wood even through the third fill.

Barrel to barrel variation: Barrel-to-barrel variation in barrel-fermented wines was measured by determining the concentrations of seven different oak aromatics in individual barrels of four 10-barrel lots, two French and two American oak — of barrel-fermented Chardonnay after seven months of oak aging. With four barrels per lot the variance for a specific aromatic fell within 30 percent of the barrel population (a specific barrel type from a specific producer); while a 10-barrel lot would be within 20 percent and a 39-barrel lot would be within 10 percent. However, the use of one barrel could yield chemical levels more than 50 percent different from the population.

So what is the significance for the wine?

The basic question that must be answered is whether or not those heartwood constituents that vary in concentration actually influence wine flavor and what degree of variation will affect flavor.

Whisky lactone: The principal volatile component, known commonly as whisky lactone, is highly specific to oak wood and has been shown to have sensory properties that may directly influence wine flavor. The most common flavor descriptors associated are coconut and wood, or pencil shavings. Other

Differences 8

Page 7 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • October / November 2012

French or American?

October / November 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • Page 8

Differences from 7 studies have also reported that high concentrations of the molecule are associated with the vanilla character of wines. Other volatile compounds that may influence flavor include the simple phenolics, particularly vanillin and eugenol (clovelike) and norisoprenoid compounds, such as betaDamascenone, a major contributor to rose aroma. Oak constituents may influence wine flavor indirectly by chemical and physical interaction with other wine constituents, influencing conditions such as pH, oxygen availability, and the solubility of other volatile wine compounds and by catalytic activity on reactions occurring during aging.

Sensory effect: Direct or indirect?

Most oak constituents are found at lower concentrations than their threshold values. This has led to doubt about any direct influence of oak constituents on wine flavor.

Recent studies strongly suggest that oak constituents influence wine aroma at levels lower than their individual threshold values determined from single compound solutions. Such results may be explained by additive, synergistic, or suppressive flavor effects of different compounds.

Selecting oak for wine aging: While studies have failed to indicate any completely reliable indicator of the flavor properties of wood, three obvious criteria are the wood grain, species, and geographical ori-

gin.

Currently, wood grain, which corresponds to differences in annual ring widths, is most often used to discriminate between types of French oak.

The different flavor effects attributed to differences of grain may be explained by the greater representation of Q. petraea among slowly grown, fine-grain trees, and the preponderance of Q. robur among more rapidly grown, coarse or widegrain oak. Therefore, wood grain, which remains the only verifiable criteria by which the purchaser may distinguish between types of oak, may indeed provide an indicator of likely wood properties.

However, the lack of any direct correlation with flavor characteristics suggests that it is unreliable as an indicator of the flavor-effect of new sources of wood.

Changes in concentration of chemical compounds: Research during the late 1980’s suggested that aging in different types of oak affects primarily the quantitative rather than the qualitative composition of the wine. For a period of 12 weeks, Seyval blanc wine was aged in new American, Nevers, and Limousin oak barrels to measure differences in free phenolic acids among the three barrel types. Of 33 chemical compounds, six were identified as having concentrations large enough to affect the sensory experience of the wines. Of the six compounds, only one

(gallic acid) increased — by 7 percent — due to oak aging, no matter which type of oak was involved. Gallic acid is found in gallnuts, sumac, witch hazel, tea leaves, oak bark, and other plants. Gallic acid seems to have antifungal and antiviral properties. (http://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Gal lic_acid) This increase did not significantly affect the sensory aspects of the three oak-aged wines.

Two typical Hungarian red wines, Egri bikaver and Cabernet franc, were aged for six months in Hungarian Quercus robur L. and Quercus petrea L. barrels. During the aging period, the qualitative and quantitative changes in flavoring chemical com-pounds were measured. Eleven compounds were identified from the extracts of natural and toasted stave wood chips and from the wines, of which the concentration of two major compounds, ellagic and gallic acids increased with time and depended on the type of wine and species of wood.

Plants produce ellagic acid and convert it to a form of tannin known as ellagitannins. The highest levels of ellagic acid are found in strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, and g r a p e s . (http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Ellagic_acid) Conclusions: • Water -tightness is possible with both American and French oak: it is possible to saw-cut American white oak staves; European

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oak must always be split to avoid rupturing the vessels.

• The American species have a greater aromatic potential than European oak.

• The quantity of extractable sensory compounds in American white oak is sometimes excessive and may have a negative influence on the wine’s aroma.

• No comprehensive study has compared the composition or quantities of wood extractives among different species of American white oak.

Some doubt must remain over the reported differences between French and American oak and whether the results are representative of all American oak.

• It is often claimed that the effect of French barrels on the aging of wine varies according to the origin of the oak used. Several comparative studies report large variations in the levels of volatile and nonvolatile oak extractives, but are unable to attribute these differences to any single factor such as the botanical species, speed of growth, or the forest environment.

• Sensory analysis demonstrated that all samples from U.S. and France can be distinguished from each other, while most of the samples from France can be unambiguously

assigned to their actual classes of geographical origin even though they have been taken from neighboring forests.

• The differences between the French and American woods are dramatic on the first fill, but become less dramatic with each subsequent fill. Data indicated that tasters could distinguish between French and American wood even through the third fill.

• The principal volatile component, known commonly as whisky lactone, is highly specific to oak wood and has been shown to have sensory properties that may directly influence wine flavor. The most common flavor descriptors associated are coconut and wood, or pencil shavings.

• Oak constituents may influence wine flavor indirectly by chemical and physical interaction with other wine constituents, influencing conditions such as pH, oxygen availability, and the solubility of other volatile wine com-

pounds] and by catalytic activity on reactions occurring during aging.

• Oak constituents influence wine aroma at levels lower than their individual threshold values determined from single compound solutions. Such results may be explained by additive, synergistic, or suppressive flavor effects of different compounds • Three obvious criteria to indicate potential flavor properties of wood are the wood grain, species, and geographical origin.

• Aging in different types of oak affects primarily the quantitative rather than the qualitative composition of the wine, e.g. concentrations of gallic and ellagic acids, which do not affect the sensory qualities of the wine.

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by Craig Cramer A block of about 500 grapevines at Cornell Orchards — a little more than half an acre — is now certified organic by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York Certified Organic, LLC. “Virtually all of the

management, from planning and planting to harvest and winemaking — even the paperwork — is done by students,” said Justine Vanden Heuvel, assistant professor of horticulture.

The planting grew out of the two-semester

course Sustainable and Organic Grape and Wine Production. “We started the course in 2010 because viticulture and enology students told us that they wanted to focus specifically on sustainability issues,” said Vanden Heuvel. “That’s some-

Joe Young, intern at Cornell Orchards, is busy at work in the orchard.

As used by the Grafted Grapevine Nursery, Clifton Springs, NY

thing you can’t just learn in the classroom.

You have to go out in the vineyard and do it.

“To our knowledge, we are the only university in the country with a student-run organic vineyard or a course devoted entirely to organic viticulture,” she added.

During the spring semester, students develop a management plan for the season, from improving soil health to coping with weeds, pests and diseases. All the practices must comply with U.S. Department of Agriculture organic standards. The students prune and tie vines to the trellises, and one serves as an intern to carry out the plan through the summer.

Students planted the vineyard in 2010. Many of the vines are NY95, a new variety developed at Cornell that’s particularly well-suited to organic vineyards due to its resistance to diseases such as downy and powdery mildews.

Other varieties in the

planting include such cold-hardy wine grapes as Frontenac gris, Marquette and Maréchal Foch.

The young vineyard will likely yield about a ton of grapes for its first harvest this fall. It should be in full production in 2014, when Vanden Heuvel estimates that it will yield three to four tons of grapes, or the equivalent of about 180 to 240 cases of wine. During the fall semester, Kathy Arnink, lecturer in food science, will take the lead in the class when students harvest the grapes and turn them into organic wine in the Teaching Winery at Cornell Orchards.

“When we’re at full production, we’ll probably use a quarter to half of the fruit in class and the rest we’ll sell to home winemakers through Cornell Orchards,” said Vanden Heuvel.

Intern Molly Smith did the paperwork for organic certification as an independent study project in 2011. The

process went smoothly, notes Vanden Heuvel, in part because the vines are surrounded on three sides by the Dilmun Hill Student Organic Farm, the MacDaniels Nutgrove and an idle field. Students added a temporary sudangrass buffer on the east side of the planting to separate the vineyard from other crops that are not managed organically until a pine tree planting on that side matures. They also planted the other three sides of the vineyard with flowers designed to attract beneficial insects to help control insect pests.

“Organic viticulture is growing quickly in the U.S., but it’s really taken off in Europe,” said Vanden Heuvel. “The organic vineyard and the course are really helping our graduates to go out into the world with real experience with these practices.”

S o u r c e : www.news.cornell.edu /stories/Aug12/OrganicVineyard.html

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Eric Shatt, left, Cornell Orchards farm manager, and summer intern Joe Young adjust bird netting to protect fruit in the organic vineyard adjacent to the Cornell campus.

Photos courtesy of Craig Cramer

Page 9 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • October / November 2012

Student-run vineyard is certified organic

October / November 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • Page 10

Assassin bugs as beneficial insects in the vineyard

Adult wheel bug (Arilus cristatus) Photo by Becky Hunn, On the Edge Vineyard

by Eric Rebek, Oklahoma State University, and Eric Stafne, Mississippi State University Assassin bugs are important predators, since both adults and nymphs feed on a variety of insect pests. Some species specialize on one particular prey type such as ants, while others are generalists, feeding on anything from small items such as aphids and insect eggs to larger prey such as leafhoppers and caterpillars. They

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may even feed on other benficial insect species.

Even though assassin bugs are mostly predaceous, they should be handled with care or just left alone when found because they can inflict a painful bite.

Assassin bugs are quite mobile and are found in a variety of habitats, but they will most often be found in vegetation, searching for prey. The adults are poor flyers, but adults and nymphs will move rapidly if disturbed.

Several species of assassin bugs can be encountered in the vineyard.

One of the most commonly encountered species in the southern Great Plains is the wheel bug (Arilus cristatus).

The wheel bug is distinctive because it has a crest behind its head that resembles a cog wheel. Other species include the spined assassin bug (Sinea diadema and Zelus species).

Assassin bugs vary widely in size and color.

Adults can be as long as 11/2 inches and range from brown or gray to bright orange with stripes. Assassin bugs have large, grasping front legs, narrow heads, and a long, three-segmented “beak”.

The abdomen also extends past the wings in the adults. Assassin

bugs undergo gradual metamorphosis, and the nymphs resemble adults, except they lack fully formed wings. Eggs are brown and laid in masses on plants or in the soil.

The best way to conserve assassin bugs and other natural enemies is to reduce the use of broad-spectrum insecticides in the vineyard.

These products kill beneficial insects as well as

pests. If insecticides must be used, use narrow-spectrum products that target only the key pest and have minimal impacts on beneficial insects. Integrated pest management (IPM) strategies often include alternative control methods, which minimize or eliminate the use of insecticides altogether.

Source: www.extension.org

Assassin bug nymph (Zelus luridus) Photo by Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org

Adult assassin bug (Zelus sp.)

Photo by Louis Tedders, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org

The award-winning European Grapevine Moth eradication program

by Dr. Robert Leavitt, Director, CDFA Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services Several years ago, CDFA detected a new pest in California — the European grapevine moth, an invasive species that targets a number of plants, notably grapes. Because California is the leading grape producer in the country and one of the largest in the world, we understood immediately that the stakes were enormous for the wine, raisin and table grape industries, and our response was decisive.

We teamed with stakeholders at the USDA (the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service — APHIS, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service-NRCS), the University of California, and in key California counties and industry to put an eradication plan in place that has been very successful so far. Relying

largely on fruit removal from residential properties and industry-driven treatment programs in commercial vineyards, the European grapevine moth population has dropped dramatically, and the USDA has determined that the effort is worthy of the APHIS Administrator’s Award, which will be presented next month.

The letter announcing the award notes the program has protected the California grape and tree fruit industry by preventing the establishment of the European grapevine moth. While that’s definitely true, and an achievement worthy of attention, we know full well that our work isn’t done. We will continue to protect the food supply and natural resources of our state from this and many other invasive species.

It’s what we do. We’re pleased with these results, proud of our team, and grateful for the partnerships we share in making this recognition possible.

(L-R) Adam McTaggart and Mark Chien spoke on growing Cabernet Franc vines at the Eastern Winery Exposition.

Photo by Stephen Wagner

by Stephen Wagner Is Cabernet Franc the Signature Red for the Mid-Atlantic? No less a winemaker than Stephane Derenoncourt says it is. Find the right places where it can consistently ripen fully, advises Penn State Viticulturist Mark Chien, and find the right soils to achieve a small to moderate balanced vine, and you might well have the beginnings of a beautiful friendship.

“If you’re not on top of your game as a grower/winemaker,” said Chien, “you’re not going to make a very good wine.

In fact, I will argue here that cabernet franc makes a really high quality wine, and really bad wine, but not much in between that’s of interest.

Cabernet Franc in this region [southeastern PA] is still very much in development but showing great promise. North of the Mason-Dixon Line, I think the main reason we looked at Cabernet Franc was because of its cold hardiness. We knew that Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were very tender varieties but Cab Franc is considerably cold hardier than either of its other two cousins.

That’s sort of by default.

Working with it now, it seems to have a good fit in our region. It grows vigorously in fertile soils.”

As he broached the subject of growing Cab Franc to his audience at the Eastern Winery Exposition, Chien found a quote in John Caldwell’s A Concise Guide to Wine Grape Clones for Professionals that admirably thumbnails Cabernet Franc: “…this is a very old variety widely used in Gironde and Loire. The wine has more aromatic character than Cabernet Sauvignon and is slightly less tannic and less colored. Often blended, with CS and Merlot, Cabernet Franc is also produced as a varietal in some areas.

It is a very perfumed variety, characterized by raspberry and violet aromas with structure for long aging.”

Cab Franc is made in Bordeaux/St Emilion (Bouchet) — concentrated, elegant, savory blended red wines (Merlot); Loire (Breton) — varietal, bright, fruit-driven wines; California and Washington — dense, extracted, fruit-driven wines; Finger Lakes and Ontario — red wines grown in cool to cold climates; it does well in warm/dry vintages, but can be acidic, donut,

and herbaceous in cooler ones; and the Mid-Atlantic — CF is still very much in development but has demonstrated potential.

Looking at characteristics of Cab Franc, Chien notes that it grows vigorously in fertile soils; has a bud break very similar to Chardonnay — mid to late April in Southeast Pennsylvania; is an indicator variety for leaf roll virus; is susceptible to bunch stem necrosis and crown gall; is “a lot like Pinot Noir, not quite as finicky, but needs lots of attention to make fine wines, and can make fine wine, rose or ice wine, but wines in between lack character.”

In seeking a site for Cabernet Franc, look for a place where heat will ripen and drainage will regulate growth. First determine type, style and price point of the wine being made. CF should be premium to ultra-premium wines. For premium (boutique) wines, Chien says soils should be of low to moderate capacity, well to excessively welldrained, with moderate nutrition, pH 5-5 to 6, organic matter 1 1/2 - 3 1/2 percent. Climate?

“It’s all about rainfall and getting rid of water, so low to moderate rainfall, especially after veraison.

As steep a slope as you can find. Aspect is also very important, preferably a southeast to west exposure.” Elevation can be played from 200 to 500 feet. Relative (local topography): avoid frostfreeze and wet areas; for higher production wines: more fertile soils would be in order.

“I think vineyard design for Cabernet Franc is incredibly important based on your soil capacities, and getting that vine density and spacing to achieve a balanced vine,” Chien counseled. This depends, he said, on grape destination: for premium quality on low capacity site… 20 to 35 square feet per vine (7x3/2074 VPA to 8x4/1361 VPA).

Training and trellis system • Vertical shoot

Franc 16

Page 11 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • October / November 2012

Growing Cabernet Franc for fine wine

October / November 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • Page 12

Long Trout Winery ~ where the wine is cool and hippie chicks rule

by Sally Colby Tom and Kim Leibensperger’s Long Trout Winery in Auburn, PA, is just a little different from the rest. The theme is tiedye, peace signs and tunes that’ll take customers back to the music they loved in the 60s.

“Tom has been making wine since 1979,” said Kim as she explained how they got started in the business.

“We’d go to wine festivals, and everyone said, ‘Tom, you can make wine that’s just as good as all these other wineries — you ought to start your own business.’”

That was enough of a push for the Leibenspergers. Eleven years ago, they started what is now Long Trout Winery. “It’s come a long way,” said Kim. “It’s much more than we ever anticipated.”

Although Tom had been making as much as 200 gallons at home in his garage, doing it

on a larger scale took some planning. Kim says that in addition to acquiring the necessary equipment, they had to learn to calculate sugars on a larger scale and make sure the chemistry was right.

When they first started making more wine for bottling and sales, the Leibenspergers didn’t know what it would turn into. But they did know what kind of theme they’d have. The extensive collection of 60s memorabilia was part of the family’s pool room, and it followed them to the winery as they built and expanded there.

Whenever possible, the Leibenspergers purchase grapes, fruits and berries locally to make their unique wine. “Last year we went to California to purchase certain whites,” she said. “We had a tough year around here with white grapes. One of the growers told us that he lost some of crop due to

the early, warm spring followed by rain. Most of our fruit and berries are easier to get than grapes.”

Fruits used in Long Trout wines include Asian pears, apricots, peaches, plums and berries. “We also purchase several tons of strawberries for our berry and chocolate wines,” said Kim. “We have ‘Berried Alive’, a berry blend wine, and ‘Instant “O”’, a straw-

berry and milk chocolate blend.”

Long Trout’s initial wine-making set-up was in a three-car garage, but they needed a building for storage.

“To get the space he needed out there, we had to add on to this building,” said Kim, pointing out the addition that is the expansive tasting room.

The destemmer and crusher are used outside during the season,

Friends and family help process, bottle and package wine at Long Trout. The Leibenspergers added this 6station bottler when they expanded the winery.

then the slurry is blended and fermented according to what it will eventually become. For example, plum wine begins when fresh plums come in and are placed in a barrel for primary fermentation.

Next, yeast is added, the mix sits for two weeks. “The process macerates the fruit,” said Kim. “All the juice is pulled out.

Once that happens, Tom pulls the fruit and the mix is pumped to a secondary tank. He adds whatever else goes into the mix, then it sits for several months to ferment further.” Kim says they’ve learned through experience how long each fruit should remain in fermentation

Trout 13

Family friend Dennis Griffith works on applying capsules to bottles.

to get just the right flavor.

The packaging area at Long Trout is reminiscent of a 60s party, with strains of Jimi Hendrix and the Grateful Dead competing with the din of bottling equipment. Friends and family sporting tie-dyed shirts help with all phases of winemaking and packaging.

The packaging process begins at the bottle washing station,

which is manned by Kim’s sister Kristie. The clean bottles then go to the six-bottle station for filling. After years of working in the other garage, the Leibenspergers knew how they wanted to set up their new winery and what the work flow should be for optimum efficiency in the available space. “We used to have a four-bottle station,” said Kim, “but it wasn’t enough. We got

Kim Leibensperger checks a batch of plums that were just placed in a barrel for primary fermentation.

this equipment mainly to save time.” After filling, corks are self-fed to the bottles, then capsules are added.

The Long Trout labels, which are added right before boxing, are unique. Tom says he came up with the design in a bar and drew it on a cocktail napkin.

Each label includes a multi-colored peace sign with the Long Trout mascot, the name of the wine and a sim-

ple description of the wine.

The crew bottles every weekend to keep up with demand in the winery sales area. “A lot of wineries have wine in a tank from a year or so ago,” said Kim. “We make enough and it just keeps going — we rarely have anything that’s more than two years old. We wouldn’t be able to do any more.”

There’s a story and a unique name behind

Family and friends work together in a 60s-style atmosphere, bottling and packaging wine for retail sale. Left to right are John Fenstermacher, Dennis Griffith and Tom Leibensperger.

Photos by Sally Colby

each of the wines produced at Long Trout.

Kim says that when they started making chocolate wine, they knew of only one other winery producing it.

Their ‘Oompa Loompa’ wine has a light pear base with the richness of dark chocolate, and “Heavy Breather’, a chocolate orange wine, is described as a breathtaking combination. For fall, a pumpkin wine starts with roasted pumpkin. Long Trout also makes several vegetable wines, including ‘Yellow Snow’, a hot pepper wine with a hint of garlic, and ‘Old One Eye’, described as a garden medley. “He got the idea for that from a friend who made really good Bloody Marys,” said Kim. “Tom created a wine using tomatoes, onions, hot and sweet peppers, garlic, green beans and carrots.”

The large variety of wines offered at Long Trout means smaller batches. “We’ll have only 1,000 bottles of

one,” said Kim, “or 100 bottles of another.”

Most of Long Trout’s business is through word of mouth or through events such as the Split Rock resort’s annual wine festival.

“Anything to get the word out,” said Kim. “A lot of local people still don’t know we’re here.”

The Leibenspergers welcome groups, and will be able to host more people and special events once their outside deck is expanded.

“We get a lot of limos coming here,” said Kim. “They come here because we’re the party winery. Sometimes it gets really packed in here.”

Kim says when they first started, Tom tried new wine blends every year, but found it hard to keep up with so many wines. “He likes to play,” she said. “He’s ready to try different blends again.”

Visit Long Trout on line at www.longtrout winery.com

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October / November 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • Page 14

Bubbles readied as Frontenac Point winery turns 30 New York Wine Industry Association member celebrates 30 years in business

Carol and Jim Doolittle, Lawrence Doolittle offer wine tastings during scheduled times each month or by appointment.

Frontenac Point Vineyard and Estate Winery has been in operation since 1982. They are located on State Route 89, near Ithaca, NY. Photo courtesy of Frontenac Point Vineyard

TRUMANSBURG, NY — Jim Doolittle, an Elmira native, winemaker and co-owner of Frontenac Point Vineyard-estate winery, will release four distinct Brut Méthode Champenois cuvees to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the winery. Two are from the Pinot Noir grape, one from Chambourcin, one from Riesling.

After graduating from Cornell University, while working in Albany, Doolittle was tapped by Governor Hugh Carey’s office to analyze how the state could structure licenses to allow small “farm” wineries to open. Prior to this, fees and sales constraints kept most grape growers from opening a winery in the state. Before Governor Carey signed the Farm Winery Bill into law, in 1976, there were 19 wineries in New York; in 2012 there are more than 300.

His interest piqued by the research he did for

the legislation, Jim and his wife Carol left Albany, bought land on the west side of Cayuga Lake, planted grapevines and started New York Farm Winery #47 in 1982, producing only 400 cases of wine. They chose to restrain growth and currently make 2000-3000 cases a year; half devoted to dry, red wines including Pinot Noir and Chambourcin.

Their white wines include Riesling and Chardonnay. Their son, Lawrence, has joined the family business.

The Doolittles are active members of the New York Wine Industry Association, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, the New York State Agricultural Society, New York Farm Bureau, The American Society of Enology and

Viticulture, Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, The Business Council and the Trumansburg Area Chamber of Commerce.

Frontenac Point Vineyard wines are available only at the winery tasting room that is open on weekends from May through November. For more information visit www.frontenacpoint.com

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Governor Jerry Brown has signed the Wine Institute-sponsored SB 778 (Padilla), the bill that allows manufacturers or licensed suppliers of wine, beer or spirits to conduct consumer sweepstakes and contests in California. The Senate previously passed the bill on a 37 to 0 vote and the Assembly passed the bill on a 75 to 4 vote. The bill will take effect on January 1, 2013.

Californians will now be able to join consumers in the other 49 states to enter a sweepstakes or contest conducted by a manufacturer or supplier of wine, beer, or spirits. SB 778 will allow a Californian 21 years or older to submit, for example, a sweepstakes entry with a chance to win a trip to California wine country or to enter a contest for the best recipe or photograph.

Assembly amendments split consumer contests and sweepstakes into separate code sections and provide more clarity to aid ABC enforcement.

Additionally, the amendments modify a portion of the ABC’s Rule 106 so that licensed beverage suppliers are able to sponsor sweepstakes with nonprofits, third-party providers, for profit businesses, and licensed re-

tailers consistent with the limitations in the measure.

According to Wine Institute, sweepstakes and contests provide a winery with an important tool to build brand awareness with its consumer base which is a challenge with over 8,000 wineries in the U.S. alone. California now becomes the 50th state to allow sweepstakes and contests for wine, beer and spirits licensees.

Dr. Eric Stafne awarded the eXtension Community of Practice Achievement Award Dr. Eric Stafne, Assistant Extension Professor Mississippi State Experiment Station, will be awarded the eXtension Community of Practice Achievement Award for his work as a member of the Grape Community of Practice (Grape CoP).

Just a note, this isn’t a typo — eXtension (with the X capitalized, and pronounced like “E-Extension”) is a term of art coined by Cooperative Extension to describe a new internetbased approach to maximize the reach of extension agents with diminished resources.The Grape CoP is an interactive web-based learning

environment delivering some of the best, most researched viticulture knowledge from the recognized landgrant university experts across the United States.

“This community of practice is made up of a nationwide group of professionals with experience in grape production,” stated Stafne. Expertise within the Grape CoP includes integrated pest management, plant pathology, food science, distance education, variety selection, canopy management and rootstocks, to name a few.

Stafne’s award recognizes that his leadership, creativity, and hard

work have all brought the Grape CoP to a pivotal point in the history of Cooperative Extension and eXtension. As today’s Cooperative Extension looks at organizational change, new audiences, dynamic content, and social media’s impact on society, eXtension will be an important tool to assist in the transformation of its work and definition of the role of cooperative extension in the knowledge marketplace.

The National Grape & Wine Initiative (NGWI) has been a long-time supporter of the creation and development of the Grape CoP as an ex-

tension resource for viticulture and research findings. “While the Grape CoP is intended for professionals in the field of viticulture, hobbyists or consumers also will be able to access information about any aspect of growing and producing grapes,” said Vicky Scharlau, NGWI Chairman.

The Governing Committee and eXtension staff stated Stafne’s individual contributions to the Grape CoP have been critical to Cooperative Extension’s ambition to create a 21st Century Learning Network.

Source: National Grape & Wine Initiative, September 2012.

Leticia Chacón-Rodriguez of Treasury Wine Estates confirmed as ASEV President for 2012-2013 DAVIS, CA — Leticia Chacón-Rodriguez now heads the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) after being confirmed by the board as president. As of July 1, she leads the 12-member board to build on the success of Past President Sara Spayd of North Carolina State University.

“It is a privilege to be able to serve as president of the ASEV board of directors and follow in the footsteps of past presidents like Dr. Sara Spayd,” said Chacón-Rodriguez.

“The board has a great responsibility to continue the strong tradition of moving the industry and membership forward through the exchange of information and the support of research and education. I’m excited to say we have an intelligent, hard-working group of people at the forefront whose shared research is vital to new developments in enolo-

gy and viticulture.”

A member of ASEV since 1998, ChacónRodriguez was an ASEV scholarship recipient in 1998-1999 and elected to the Board in 2008. She has been a winemaker at Treasury Wine Estates in Napa since 2007 and is currently senior winemaker for their Napa Bottling Center. She was previously employed by E&J Gallo Winery, Golden State Vintners, and Allied Domecq in her home country of Mexico. Chacón-Rodriguez is also a member of the California Enological Research Association and the Technical Review Committee with the American Vineyard Foundation.

James Kennedy of California State University, Fresno, was confirmed as first vice president, and Lise Asimont of Francis Ford Coppola Presents was elected as second vice president. Jim Harbertson of Wash-

ington State University continues as secretarytreasurer, Linda Bisson, University of California, Davis, as AJEV science editor and Andy Walker, University of California, Davis, as technical program director. Newly elected directors include Mark Greenspan of Advance Viticulture Inc, Nichola Hall of Scott Laboratories and Hildegarde Heymann of the University of California, Davis.

ASEV is a nonprofit professional society dedicated to the interests of enologists, viticulturists and others in the fields of wine and grape research and production throughout the world.

Membership includes professionals from wineries, vineyards, academic institutions and regional organizations. More information on the ASEV, its programs and annual meeting can be found online at www.asev.org.

Page 15 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • October / November 2012

Governor Brown signs into law sweepstakes and contests bill for wine, beer and spirits licensees

October / November 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • Page 16

At Viticulture 2013…

“The Big Picture” and Northern Grapes Symposium Anchor Three-Day Conference A global perspective from some of America's top market researchers and a special symposium on growing, vinifying, and marketing cold climate northern grape varieties and wines are the anchor presentations to a three day conference and trade show on February 6-8 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.

Viticulture 2013 is sponsored by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation in conjunction with Cornell Cooperative Extension, and is the premier grape and wine industry conference and trade show in the eastern United States organized by a state association. The last event, in 2010, drew nearly 1,000 attendees from over 20 states and several foreign countries, including several world-class speakers.

“The Big Picture” will kick off the conference on Wednesday morning with presentations in the first session by John Gillespie, President of the Wine Market Council; Danny Brager, Vice President of The Nielsen Company; and Dr. Greg Carpenter of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. The three are widely regarded as the best mar-

ket researchers in the country, and their combined presentations will yield valuable insights into the main trends of today's wine market and how to take advantage of them. In a separate breakout session that afternoon, the trio will again team up to offer insights on how to market wine to both Millennials (20-somethings) and Baby Boomers (their parents).

The second portion of “New York in the Big Picture” will feature California wine journalist Dan Berger providing a perspective on where New York stands in terms of reputation and distribution; a representative of Constellation Wines U.S. on that company's status and plans; and Steve Kronberg from National Grape Cooperative/Welch Foods discussing the evolution of the market for grape juice.

A special feature of Viticulture 2013, also on the opening day, is the Northern Grapes Symposium beginning with a luncheon featuring cold climate varietal wines. The Symposium throughout the afternoon is the result of a special grant which involved collaboration among

scientists in many states which grow extremely cold hardy grapes, including in New York's “North Country” regions of the Thousand Islands and Champlain regions.

Three different sessions on viticulture, enology and marketing will be presented by collaborating scientists from various states.

But that's only the beginning.

Among many other hot topics presented by experts from Cornell University and other institutions as well as outside consultants include: • Marketing New York Wines in New York City • Restaurants and Locapours: Does “Local” Really Matter?

• The Business Climate for Grapes and Wine • Succession Planning for Vineyards and Wineries • Working with Media • What's Legal and What's Not • Riesling Reflections: The State of the Grape • Dry Rose Production • The World Beyond Riesling: Other Varieties • Winery Wastewater • Renewable Energy

• Sustainability Programs • Integrated Pest Management • Price, Quality and Economics • Introduction of New Cultivars • National Clean Plant Network Presentation • Frost Protection Methods • Innovative Packaging • Wine Flavor and Perception Viticulture 2013 also includes a major trade show with over 100 booths involving many different types of vendors from mechanical harvesters to insurance providers, tank manufacturers, label designers and many more. In addition, Viticulture 2013 provides three days of great networking opportunities for growers, processors, suppliers, and others to do business or just share a glass together.

The modest price of attendance is only $295, and includes three days of seminars, breakfast and lunch each day, the Unity Banquet, and access to the Trade Show. More information about Viticulture 2013 is available at www.vit2013.com, or by emailing Jennifer Cooper (jennifercooper@nywgf.org).

Franc from 11 position, although high wire is possible • Head/cane or cordon/spur are used. Spur in CA, cane in Gironde, canes should be <2 feet • Fruit wire height: 24-36 inches • Top of VSP canopy: 6-6.5 feet • On more fertile sites, a divided system like Lyre or Scott Henry is suitable • Above M-D line 2 trunks, below 1 trunk • Supplemental drainage and drip irrigation “If you’re going to farm at the highest level,” Chien added, “you need to be prepared for all conditions. Unfortunately, our conditions are more variable than just about any other wine growing region in the world.

That’s the cross we have to bear and we have to be prepared for it.”

Cabernet Franc Viticulture CF tends towards big canopy and potential crop that must be carefully managed. Balance prune in winter, then manage wine vigor/size.

• Shoot thin early • Shoot position aggressively • Leaf and lateral removal, morning side first, afternoon later, tunnel if necessary. Note: early leaf removal (pre-bloom, 5-7 leaves by Poni and Hed), may reduce cluster size and weight and improve fruit metrics and chemistry • Hedging - depending on the amount of rainfall • Nutrient additions only as indicated by vine or test, be especially vigilant of nitrogen • Water only in drought conditions • High quality, full bore, season-long IPM program • Careful crop estimation and cluster thinning if necessary • Fruit zone management, especially cluster position, wing removal, multiple passes to remove unripe berries/clusters • Critical post-veraison [the onset of ripening, where grapes change color] viticulture (disease, birds, leaves, temperature, etc) Cabernet Franc Yields

“This is a very fine threshold for high quality wines,” Chien said. Fine wines: 2-3 tons per acre, or 2.0 to 3.5 pounds per vine. “Too heavy yields obviously will dilute the wine and result in unpleasant green, herbal flavors. Production wines: you can have bigger vines, lower vine density, more leaves, and more fruit, and make more wine.”

Methoxypyrazines CF is an indicator variety for the green flavors, bell pepper, dill, asparagus that are considered ill-suited to high quality red wine production. MPs [wine and grape odors] must be managed carefully in site selection, vineyard design and management. Dr. Gavin Sacks, enology researcher at Cornell, has done yeoman’s work on MPs. Canopy management can help to reduce the total amount of accumulated MPs. Harvesting Cabernet Franc “Mid to late season ripening is in late September to mid-October range in SE PA,” Chien said. “It is easy to pick by hand. Machine harvest with medium shaking causes light juicing. You really do have to protect grapes from birds, deer and other threats, especially because of the propensity for fruit rot. It needs late season protection, as well, from downy and powdery mildews.”

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Emerging ‘super-hardy’ varieties earn awards Twenty-five wine experts gathered Aug. 7 in East Lansing for the 35th annual Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition. Judges included wine experts from around the country, including Doug Frost, who is both a Master of Wine and Master Sommelier; three Master Sommeliers; and internationally known authors, winemakers and wine educators.

Leading the group through the day was food and wine writer Christopher Cook, who judged at the competition for 12 years before becoming its superintendent in 2001. Cook is also a judge at wine competitions throughout the United States and abroad.

Emerging cold-hardy grape varieties were well represented in the competition. Medals were awarded to five wines made from “super-hardy” grapes, including gold medals for a 2011 Marquette from Burgdorf’s Winery in Haslett, and 2011 “Sunshine,” a blend of super-hardy white grape varieties, from Flying Otter Winery in Adrian.

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For veteran judge Joe Borrello, one highlight of this year’s competition was the “best array of sparkling and dry white wines in my 34 years of judging Michigan wines.” Borrello is president of Tasters Guild International, which sponsored the Best of Class Dessert trophy. Dr. Richard Grant Peterson, of Richard Grant Wines, was also impressed with the sparkling wines. “Michigan is competing on the world stage,” he said, “with both traditional and charmat methods of production.”

Judges were impressed by the quality of red wines from the exceptional 2010 vintage. G.M. “Pooch” Pucilowski, owner of University of Wine, in Sacramento, CA, tasted “an amazing flight of Meritage wines (Bordeaux variety red blends).” And Brian Cain, with Great Lakes Wine & Spirits, tasted “a remarkable flight of red blends that are easily the best on the market in the $8 to $12 range.”

Fifty-two of the state’s 94 wineries entered a record 448 wines for this year’s competition, which is open only to wine and spirits produced from Michigan grapes and other fruit. Gold medals were awarded to a wide variety of wines -- from bone-dry reds to sweet and luscious late harvest wines -- from all of Michigan’s major grape-growing areas. At the end of the day, judges awarded the top “Best of Class” awards to six wines from a group of 64 gold medal winners, including four double gold.

The top award-winners are: • Best of Class Dry White: Chateau Fontaine - 2011 Pinot Blanc • Best of Class Dry Red: Shady Lane Cellars - 2010 Blue Franc • Best of Class Sparkling Wine: L. Mawby - Blanc de Blancs • Best of Class Semi-Dry White: Fenn Valley Vineyards - 2011 Vignoles Reserve • Best of Class Dessert Wine: Lawton Ridge Winery - 2011 Late Harvest Vignoles • Best of Class Fruit Wine: Chateau de Leelanau - Cherry Wine In addition, L. Mawby won a Judges’ Merit Award for Blanc de Noirs, a method champenoise brut sparkling wine made from Pinot Noir grapes.

This award is given to a wine that comes close to winning Best of Class and which the judges want to honor for its quality.

The competition was co-sponsored by the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center and by the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council, which is administered by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.

For more information about the wines and wineries of Michigan, contact the council online, by phone at 517-241-4468 or visit www.michiganwines.com for more information, to purchase tickets, and for a complete list of the medalwinning wines.

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Page 17 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • October / November 2012

Michigan Wine Competition results announced

October / November 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • Page 18

Unified Wine & Grape Symposium Jan. 29 - 31, 2013 • Sacramento Convention Center • Sacramento, CA Built with the joint input of growers, vintners and allied industry members, the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium is held annually in Sacramento, CA and is the largest event of its kind in the western hemisphere. Serving as a clearinghouse for practical information important to wine and grape industry professionals, the Unified Symposium

also hosts a trade show with over 650 suppliers displaying their products and services to the more than 12,400 people who attend annually.

Each year a team of experts from the wine and grape industry create a program to address the current industry needs which features a diverse lineup of professional speakers. Tuesday through Thursday

8th Annual Texas Fall Fest & Wine Auction Nov. 16-17 The 8th Annual Texas Fall Fest & Wine Auction benefitting the Texas Wine and Grape Research and C.A.S.A., invites all Texas wineries to participate this year by submitting wine selections for the Friday and Saturday evening events.

Friday, Nov. 16 is the “Sunset Stroll/Farm to Market Wine

Fair” being held at the Horseshoe Bay Resort Yacht Club Ballroom. The event is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Local artisanal producers will be participating in the Friday evening stroll.

Saturday, Nov. 17 is the “Formula 1 Wine and Food Trail” at the Main Street Shops in Marble Falls beginning at 2:30 p.m.

The trail is followed by the Reception and Celebrity Dinner at Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott Ballroom at 6 p.m. Featured will be Executive Chef Josh Watkins and Chef Gilbert Moore.

For more information visit www.txwines.org or call 817-421-3201.

California wineries show sales slump and social media bump in Q1 According to Survey by Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium NAPA, CA — An early reading of survey results showed that winery tasting room and e-commerce sales slumped but social media metrics increased for California wineries participating in a research project commissioned by the Direct to Consumer Wine Symp o s i u m . www.dtcwinesymposium.com Each quarter, wineries take a 10-minute survey which is analyzed by Ross Goodwin, managing partner of Bennett Valley Group, research partner for the 2013 Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium. Comparing figures for the beginning and ending of Q112 against last year’s survey of September 2011 versus September 2010: • Tasting Room sales growth slumped from 15 percent to 10 percent growth • E-commerce sales growth also decreased from a robust 25 percent to about 20 percent • Twitter follower growth rose from 4 percent to over 12 percent • Facebook likes growth also jumped from 4 percent to over 6 percent.

“This is an early indicator, of course, and it covers Q1, a slow quarter. So we will see if these trends hold up in later reports,” said Brian Baker, 2013 Chairman and

V.P. of Sales and Marketing at Chateau Montelena winery. “The DTC Winery Check Up is a deal for data-hungry wineries. Participants receive free quarterly reports comparing their DTC programs to their California peers,” he added. Wineries may sign up at any time and provide quarterly data for 2012 at www.dtcwinesymposium.com/survey.php Bennett Valley Group is reviewing more than 18 separate metrics and will report them in two ways. First, participating wineries will receive a confidential, free report approximately 30 days after each quarter-end.

Second, the aggregated results for all wineries

will be presented during the Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium on Jan. 24, 2013. No wineries will be identified in the January presentation; it will only include aggregated data. For questions about the report, contact Ross Goodwin at 707-799-3124 or ross@bennettvalleygroup.com.

About the Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium The DTC Wine Symposium is presented by and a fundraiser for Free the Grapes! and Coalition for Free Trade. These two organizations have worked successfully with local winery associations and industry representatives to increase the number of legal direct shipping

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mornings will begin with a general session each day addressing the global wine market, the state of the industry and consumer trends respectively. There will also be a session in Spanish with a wine tasting on Thursday morning. Breakout sessions in the afternoons will carry the morning general session themes in four areas of focus: grapegrowing; winemaking; business; and marketing and public relations.

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October / November 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS WINE & GRAPE GROWER • Page 20

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OCT 2 First Annual Virginia Wine Summit Richmond Marriott Hotel, 500 East Broad St., Richmond, VA. Panels, tastings and discussions will be held throughout this day long event, featuring keynote speaker and British wine

authority Steven Spurrier.

On Internet at www. virginiawinesummit.com OCT. 19 Small Scale Commercial Wine Making School Nebraska City, NE. School hosted by Five Rivers RC&D. On Internet at www. nercd.org/council-oftwelve/five-rivers/whatwere-doing-five-rivers/ OCT 27 NYIWA-New York International Wine Auction Turning Stone Casino, Convention Center, Verona NY. 17th annual charity wine auction benefiting the Herkimer ARC. Features, auction of fine lifestyle items, trips, dinners and boutique and large format wines. International wine tasting and silent auction 57 pm. Five course gourmet dinner paired with wine and live auction 7-10 pm. Contact Dominic Frank, 315574-7353 or e-mail

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On Internet at www.nyiwa.com NOV 1 Making It In Michigan conference Lansing, MI. Conference held at the Lansing Center from 7:30 AM-4PM. Call 517-353-7185 or email mckin134@msu.edu.

On Internet at www.makingitin michigan.msu.edu NOV 4-5 Grape Camp Fredericksburg, TX. Camp is located at Lady Bird Johnson Park Pavilion in Fredericksburg. More information online. On Internet at www.txwines.org NOV 28 International Cold Climate Grape and Wine Conference Germany. Details soon: International Association for Northern Viticulture.

JAN 21-23 Northwest Michigan Orchard & Vineyard Show Acme, MI. Show held at Grand Traverse Resort, 100 Grand Traverse Resort Village Blvd, Acme, MI. Call 231-946-1510 or email nwmihort@msu.edu.

JAN 23-24 Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium South San Francisco, CA. Symposium held at South San Francisco Conference Center, 255 South Airport Boulevard.

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JAN 25-26 Florida Grape Growers Association Annual Conference More information online at www.fgga.org JAN 29-31 Unified Grape & Wine Consortium Sacramento Convention Center, Sacramento, CA. On Internet at www.unified symposium.org FEB 5 2013 WAWGG Annual Meeting Three Rivers Convention Center, 7017 W Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick WA. Visit their website for more information. www.wawgg.org Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers Annual Meeting & Trade Show On Internet at www. wawgg.org FEB 6-8 Viticulture 13 Conference & Trade Show Rochester, NY. Viticulture 2013, the huge industry conference and trade show that occurs every three years, will take place on February 6-8 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. Sponsored by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation and Cornell Cooperative Extension, “Vit 13” will build on the success of Vit 10 in terms of world-class speakers addressing today’s hot topics. Contact Jim Tresize @ jimtresize@nywgf.org or Tim Martinson @ tem2@ cornell.edu.

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FEB 7 Midwest Grape & Wine Conference & Trade Show St. Charles, MO Convention Center. On Internet at www. midwestgrapeandwine conference.com FEB 8 North Dakota Grape Growers Association Annual Conference Bismarck, ND. See website for details. www.ndgga.org FEB 14-16 2013 TWGGA Annual Conference and Trade Show San Marcos, TX. Conference will be held at the Embassy Suites San Marcos Hotel, Conference Center and Spa. More information online. On Internet at www.txwines.org FEB 13-15 Michigan Grape & Wine Conference East Lansing, MI. Conference held at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center.

On Internet at www. michiganwines.com/page.ph p?menu_id=77 FEB 15-17 North Carolina Winegrowers Association Annual Conference Winston Salem, NC. Conference held at Embassy Suites at the Twin City Quarter in Winston Salem. More information online at www. ncwinegrowers.com FEB 21-23 Minnesota Grape Growers Association (MGGA) Cold Climate Conference Crown Plaza, St. Paul. MN.

On Internet at http:// mngrapegrowers.com/ conference FEB 21-23 Minnesota Grape Growers Association Annual Conference St. Paul, MN. Conference held at the Crowne Plaza St. Paul Riverfront Hotel. Conference features 30% more exhibitors in one continuous hall and more networking and social opportunities based upon overwhelming response in the 2012 survey.

On Internet at http:// mngrapegrowers.com/ conference MAR 6-7 Eastern Winery Exposition Lancaster County Convention Center & Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, PA. On Internet at http:// easternwineryexposition.com Eastern Winery Exposition Lancaster, PA. Expo to be held at Lancaster County Convention Center at Penn Square. More details online at www.easternwinery exposition.com MAR 12-14 Wineries Unlimited Greater Richmond Convention Center, Richmond, VA. On Internet at www. wineriesunlimited.com Wineries Unlimited Richmond, VA. Convention to be held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. On Internet at www. wineriesunlimited

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SWEEPSTAKES

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Armillaria root rot in grapes

by Jay W. Pscheidt, Oregon State University Symptoms Mildly symptomatic grapevines have shorter canes than healthy grapevines. Severe symptoms not only include shorter canes, but also include dwarfed and chlorotic leaves.

Diagnostic mycelial fans can be seen beneath the bark of the root crown of infected plants. Mycelial fans are thick, white layers of fungus that adhere to the root bark and/or the wood beneath the bark. These structures can often be observed in symptomatic vines by digging down about a foot below the soil line and using a pocketknife to remove thin layers of bark from the root collar.

The Armillaria fungus also makes black, shoestring-like structures called rhizomorphs, which are occasionally found within the bark and/or extending into surrounding soil. Rhizomorphs may look like roots on the outside but are obviously made up of fungal mycelium when cut open in cross-section.

The disease negatively affects vine mineral-nutrition status and fruit quality.

Cause Armillaria mellea is a fungus that infects grapevine roots, killing the cambium, and decaying the underlying xylem. Armillaria mellea is native to many areas where it occurs on the roots of forest tree species including Douglas fir, madrone, oak, willow, and yellow pine. It also attacks black and red raspberries and trailing berries.

Other agronomic hosts include currants, gooseberries, nut trees, roses, strawberries, stone fruits and many rosaceous plants. The host range includes over 500 species of woody plants, making its common name of “oak root fungus” slightly misleading.

This fungus may form mushrooms at the base of infected vines in fall and winter. Mushrooms produce wind-blown spores, but these spores are not a significant means of infecting healthy vines. The fungus spreads vegetatively (using a microscopic, threadlike structure called mycelium), below ground, which leads to the formation of groups of dead and dying plants called “disease centers.” The fun-

gus can survive on woody host roots long after the host dies.

Armillaria mellea mycelium decomposes root wood for nutrients as it grows. When infected plants are removed, infected roots that remain below ground serve as a source of inoculum for vines planted in the same location.

Infections occur when grape roots come in direct contact with partially decayed tree roots and are colonized by mycelium. Infection can also occur when grape roots contact rhizomorphs (black, shoestringlike fungal structures) that grow out from partially decayed roots and through the soil. Once vine roots are infected, whether they are living or dead, they serve as a source of inoculum for neighboring vines. The infection process takes months to happen. Spread between neighboring vines may take more than 10 years to occur.

Cultural Control When clearing a new site of native forest trees and shrubs or infected plants (disease centers) there are several precautions to take.

First, girdle large trees be-

fore removal to hasten decay of roots. After removing above-ground vegetation, clear the soil of stumps and large roots. Deep-rip the soil in more than one direction to bring large roots to the soil surface. If possible, remove all roots greater than 1 inch in diameter from the soil. Try to burn all woody debris and leave the ground fallow for at least 1 year.

Trenches lined with vertical plastic sheeting may help to prevent infection if inoculum is coming in from an adjacent stand of infected vegetation. If using drip irrigation, move drip-line emitters away from the trunk and place between vines after the first year of planting.

Once vines are infected, there is little that can be done to control Armillaria root rot. Remove and destroy severely infected vines, being careful to remove as much root material as possible from soil. Permanently removing soil in a 3-ft radius around the crown and main trunk root area has been effective in California. If practical, do not replant where infected vines have been removed. Be sure to keep root

collars free of soil, especially in vineyards with high gopher populations.

Chemical Control Pre-plant soil fumigation is most effective if the soil has been thoroughly cleared of woody debris. Methyl bromide fumigation has been found to provide the most effective, albeit limited, control. Methyl bromide is more effective if soil is extremely dry. It works better on fine soils with few rocks. Contrary to soil fumigation for nematodes, soil should be as warm and dry as possible.

Fumigation in late summer before any rain is best. Apply fumigant as deeply as possible; some spot fumigation may be necessary a few years after planting.

Methyl bromide is being phased out of use, so other fumigants might be used.

Sodium tetrathiocarbanate is registered for control of Armillaria root rot. This alternative fumigant is a liquid that breaks down into carbon disulfide gas. Make applications 1 to 4 weeks before planting when soil moisture is at or near field capacity.

Source: www.extension.org