Get Ready: The VVA Winter Technical Meeting is Feb. 21-23. See Page 8 for details. PRESS Winter 2018 The Quarterly Newsletter of the VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION Vol. 34 No. 4

President’s Corner Use 2018 as A Learning Experience By Nate Walsh Walsh Family

t’s hard to know what to write about after a season like 2018. IWe’re a few months on the other side of what for many of us was the most difficult and frustrating season of our careers. It was an attack on things we often generalize as being mutually exclusive: quantity and quality. Whatever sanity I possess is predicated by my fondness for Rafael Sanchez “learning from” experiences such as this. I feel I learned more this year GROWER OF THE YEAR: Grape Press caught up with Bill Tonkins (shown here, left, during the 2018 ), than in any previous , both to talk about his role as manager at Veritas Vineyard & . See the Q&A with Bill on page 5. about winegrowing in Virginia and about decision-making when faced with such difficult options. I learned that my definition of “worst” levels of rainfall, in terms of Understanding Fruit Rot total mm during particularly sensitive periods for the vine, was in fact not Is Key to Minimizing It See PRESIDENT on page 2 By Dr. Bruce Zoecklein approximately right vs. precisely wrong. Professor Emeritus, Virginia Tech We have evolved since 1985, but wet INSIDE harvests and fruit rots remain. Those that oren Kierkegaard reminded us that life believe that they cannot face yet another year Discovering must be lived forward but can only be of annual events, such as our summer rains, Jim Law looks at traveling the long Sunderstood looking backward. In 1985, perhaps should not be growing in road to finding an identity. the year I arrived in Virginia, the mere rumor Virginia. PAGE 4 of an approaching hurricane would send most Our goal must be to enhance our growers to the field to begin harvest. Those understanding of the constraints to producing Nominations Are Open few who dared to let fruit hang must have had fine in our region. I believe that luck is Know someone who deserves to be the motto — if you are not living life on the the residue of design. Having a and VVA’s next Grower of the Year? edge you are taking up too much room. HACCP plan (hazard analysis PAGE 8 Generally, we have learned that delaying critical control point) can aid in minimizing harvest until optimum maturity pays off, the negative influences of fruit rot both in the Be Regulation Savvy even when the rot potential due to rain is field and in the winery (see Enology Notes at It pays to be familiar with all required great. Such choices are not easy or clear cut fees and inspections for your vineyard. and may represent the dichotomy of being See FRUIT ROT on page 9 PAGE 12

virginiavineyardsassociation.org PRESIDENT’S CORNER (cont.) VVA BOARD 2018 Take Time to Analyze the Season PRESIDENT, from page 1 of vineyard management. Which isn’t to say President that our decisions are to blame for difficulties Nate Walsh the worst at all. I learned that I have some in years like this, but bad weather, in all its [email protected] philosophical issues with the level of spray forms, helps to highlight problem areas and material required to push fruit to ripeness, force us to improve. Or maybe this is all just Vice President or near-enough ripeness, my way of looking for the in a year like this, or even silver lining. Todd Henkle about the definition of what It also strikes me that it [email protected] constitutes relative ripeness. is years like this that help I learned that the differences highlight the importance of Secretary between our “better” and continued Virginia-focused Jim Benefiel “worse” sites were as research in winegrowing. [email protected] emphasized as ever this year, This edition of Grape which is not something I Press will be released in the At-Large Board Members would have predicted. final weeks of 2018, as the Skip Causey Financially this was VVA is preparing to open up a difficult year for our [email protected] registration for our Winter growers, and that’s as good Technical Meeting on Feb. Carrington King a motivation as any for 21-23 in Charlottesville (see [email protected] aiming a magnifying glass page 8 for details). More at our current approaches NATE WALSH than ever, I would argue that Advisor to site selection, or after a frustrating season it selection, and our farming in general, and Dr. Tony K. Wolf is important and healthy for our industry to thinking about where we can continue to get together to decompress a bit, and focus on @vt.edu improve and mitigate risks. what we can do to mitigate this kind of loss In a way, it is finding ways to succeed in in the future. Business Manager years such as this that will determine the Meeting in February is a poignant time for Tracy Kirkman health and growth of the industry. grape growers — we’re at a good distance [email protected] Unfavorable weather often underscores to reflect on the previous vintage, and also problems we would prefer to ignore: already planning for the season that is Grape Press/Website Editors mismatched , poor sites, a laxness upcoming. Bob Garsson [email protected] Chris Garsson [email protected] The VVA Website Helps You Stay Current! Who’s selling grapes or equipment VVA Mailing Address on the VVA Exchange page? Are there P.O. Box 168 viticulture workshops I should know Waterford, Va. 20197 about? Stay up to date by visiting [email protected] virginiavineyardsassociation. org, which now offers more features, resources and tools for grape growers Special thanks to: in the Commonwealth. Jim Law, Dean Triplett, And if you’d like to see your vineyard James S. Turpin, Dr. Bruce showcased on the website, send us a Zoecklein photo of your vines, your grapes or your harvest. Photos can be emailed to [email protected] along with details about the photo and who gets the credit for taking it (please be sure you have the rights to have the photo published).

The Virginia Vineyards Association (VVA) provides Grape Press for general information purposes only. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect any official position or policy of the VVA and are not a VVA endorse- ment of products, practices or services. Before adopting any practices discussed here or purchasing any product or service, users should exercise due diligence and seek professional advice when appropriate.

2 REGIONAL REPORT

NORTHERN VA.: “Early varieties did fairly well in our region ...”

By Dean Triplett the foliar treatments sooner, so as to give and one at . Greenstone Vineyard the new growth more opportunity to take I think it’s safe to say that Mike’s up the nutrients. experiences were shared by the vast he first snowfall of the year, Fruit set was impacted by the rain majority of those of us on the panel about 5 inches worth, hit on we had during bloom. Poorly filled and in the audience. Ben works in close Nov. 15, but the season came to clusters and shot berries were common conjunction with Mike and echoed many an official end for me on Sunday, in the vineyards he managed. Mike also of his observations. Ben’s vineyard was TNov. 11, with the first hard freeze. The noticed higher than normal Grape Berry one particularly hard hit by the May hail vineyards have been put to rest and it’s Moth damage this year in some of his storms. time to reflect a bit about the season we vineyards. (I had the same problem Joy has had the interesting opportunity just lived through. in sections of my vineyard, primarily to see the progression of harvest in After talking to a number of growers near wooded edges of my property). He Virginia, starting in the southern portion and winemakers in my region, the applied the initial GBM insecticide at the of the state and moving northward. Many general consensus is that we’ve all seen first post-bloom spray. Mike feels that of the vineyards in the southern regions, better years. “Difficult” might sum it up striking the first generation of GBM when which normally harvest earlier than we nicely, come to think of it. they’re first noticed will go a long way in do, were able to get many of their reds After a long, wet slog through the protecting the clusters from damage from in before the really bad weather arrived. summer trying to keep ahead of the subsequent generations. He plans on As they harvested in the central region, rampant growth, disease threats, insect spraying no later than the tail end of pre- it was kind of a mixed bag. Some mid- issues and more, we got to a soggy bloom next year if the situation seems to season reds were brought in more or less September. be repeating itself. in time at varying degrees of ripeness. Early varieties did fairly well in Mike experienced the same Downy Others got caught up in the rain. Those our region. Later varieties were more Mildew problems that we all did. He of us in the northern portion of the state, problematic. There will be lots of feels that while Potassium Phosphite normally being some of the last to harvest made this year in the northern region. If (Prophyt, Phostrol, etc.) showed some in any year, got hit with the full effects of they’re handled well, I think we’ll see a reach back effect on established DM the weather. number of very nice Virginia rosé wines spores, he feels that it needs to be used in Joy observed that in spite of the from this vintage. Hopefully it can all be conjunction with another DM fungicide unfortunate weather, she’s seeing signs sold! with a different mode of action to be that the wines statewide may be better I attended the Loudoun Wine Growers really effective for Downy. than many initially thought likely. Doug Association fall meeting on Nov. 5 at In really wet years like 2018, Fabbioli of Fabbioli Cellars made the North Gate Vineyard. I was fortunate sometimes three different chemicals comment that perhaps living through the enough to sit on a panel discussion of used in the same spray might make sense harvest of 2011 helped us fare better in viticulturists to discuss the past season economically. 2018. Lessons learned. and lessons learned. With all the rain at veraison came Looking forward to next season On the panel with me was Tremain Botrytis infection in split berries. He makes me scratch my head. Should we Hatch, Viticulture Extension Agent, usually targets bloom, bunch closure and anticipate a season wetter than what we’d Virginia Tech; Ben Sedlins, vineyard veraison sprays but feels this year they call “normal”? manager at Walsh Family Wine; Mike just couldn’t overcome the conditions. If so, should we be a bit more Newland, owner of Sycamore Springs Berries swelled and split, and thin lines aggressive in our early season leaf/shoot Vineyard; and Joy Ting, enologist and of Botrytis infection formed along the thinning? Will the bad weather at bloom coordinator at the Virginia Winemakers splits. this past year cause poor fruit set in Research Exchange. Mike printed up a Judicious leaf pulling in the fruit zone 2019? Should we rough prune differently very nice synopsis of the season that he’s early on gave good exposure to sun, wind because of this possibility? given me permission to summarize. and spray treatments. Mike feels this was How aggressive do we get with insect On May 10, a hail storm moved through the main reason he was able to control issues? (This one’s always a huge problem the Bluemont/Purcellville area. Several Botrytis to the degree he did. for me especially when sustainability is vineyards experienced damage to the Mike noticed Spotted Wing Drosophila taken into consideration). young growth. Northgate lost between 40 damage in some varieties that grew As always, there are more questions and 60 percent of the new growth/crop quickly. He feels careful scouting of the at this point than answers. Though the in several of their varieties. As the vines vines is paramount in detecting their weather and climate are changing around recovered, Mike noticed foliar stress, presence. Spraying when they are first us, in some ways I guess some things particularly in the . Applications noticed is required, otherwise damage never change. Here’s to grape growing in of Megafol and Tracite were made one to can quickly get out of hand. Mike plans the mid-Atlantic, a wonderful Christmas three weeks after the event. In hindsight, on applying two preventative targeted and New Year to us all, and to a kinder Mike feels that he should have applied sprays for this pest, one at bunch closure 2019!

3 IN THE VINEYARD Discovering Terroir in Virginia By Jim Law decision-making. One can discover a wine’s Linden Vineyards “The potential promise terroir by letting only the vineyard speak. eographical identification plays of great wine can be 3. Ethereal Terroir: A wine consistently a critical role in wine distinction exhibits unique aromas, flavors, and texture and marketing: Virginia wine, obsessive, but it is that no other wine can duplicate. Most of Loudoun County, Middleburg perhaps the fastest path us are still in the process of finding our GAVA. All make for easy and convenient functional terroir, but after many years of messaging and packaging. But what are the for a new region to find its working with certain exceptional blocks boots on the ground (or in the mud as was there begins an acknowledgment of inherent the case in 2018) uncovering? identity.” uniqueness. This requires decades of We’ve now been growing grapes and diligent, “nose to the grindstone” attention. making wine in the modern phase of Virginia Some of us are getting a glimpse of wine for over 40 years. While in the history Ripening occurs in the “sweet spot” of ethereal terroir possibilities. When we do, of winegrowing this is a blip, for me it is, mid-September to mid-October when the it drives us to make economically unwise well, a lifetime. It is an impossible task to days are warm and the nights are cool. viticultural decisions such as removing understand a virgin terroir in such a short Grape chemistry is correct, meaning only healthy, but qualitatively underperforming time frame, but we can lay the framework in extreme weather conditions would sugar vines only to replant in a better way. for subsequent generations. or acid manipulations be considered. This The potential promise of great wine can Terroir discovery can be broken down to allows for the evolution from science and be obsessive, but it is perhaps the fastest three phases. numbers-based winemaking to palate-based path for a new region to find its identity.

1. No Terroir: There’s no there there. Either the land is not well suited for grape growing, or the wrong varieties are planted, or the management is inappropriate, or a combination of all three. The land is solely a vehicle for production where low inputs (labor) and high yields are required for success, which is measured by profitability. In this case, grapes become a commodity and a wine’s identity revolves around variety rather than place. High capacity soils (fertility and water availability) are ideal for these production vineyards, but creative and interventionist management is often a necessity due to excessive vine vigor. Examples include divided trellising, frequent hedging, extreme leaf pulling and copious spraying. In the cellar the grapes provide the canvas on which the winemaker’s hand paints the picture using additives and clever techniques. Varietal character is the goal and the winemaker’s signature defines the wine.

2. Functional Terroir: Balanced vines make balanced wine. To even begin to consider terroir influences in a wine, certain fundamentals are required in matching vines, soils and climate. Pre-plant decisions dictate the vineyard’s success. Less propitious terrain is avoided. A balanced vineyard is one in which the allotted trellising space is filled with minimal hedging required. Shoot tips cease growth around véraison. Leaf, lateral and crop removal is in the realm of fine-tuning rather than a major operation.

4 IN THE VINEYARD

Grower of the Year Bill Tonkins: Keeping Track And Staying Ahead in the Field

“Weather is a challenge, but it is also what makes VA wines interesting.”

role changes from actually doing the tasks to one of ensuring that they get done, and it is a matter of having enough people to get things done when they need to be done. Mechanization has helped, and we have a wonderful leaf remover now. But there are times when we need to remove suckers, or shoot thin, or shoot position, that we just do Photos by Chris Garsson not have enough people when needed. And yes, we do have trouble keeping up at these ill Tonkins, vineyard manager at Veritas Vineyard & Winery, Afton, was times. honored in February as the Virginia Vineyard Association’s 2018 Grower of How have your labor needs changed the Year. A past president of the VVA and a gubernatorial appointee to the over the years? And how do you recruit Virginia Wine Board, Bill moved to Afton, Va., in 2008 with his wife, Diane, vineyard workers? after a long and successful career in the British Army. Since becoming vineyard We are fortunate enough to have a core of B seven full-time vineyard workers and they manager in 2010, he has overseen the growth of Veritas, an awarding-winning are truly magnificent. I will augment them as winery, from 20 to 55 acres of vines, in addition to managing other vineyards for necessary during times for sucker removal, Veritas and planting his own vineyard of grapes, which he lovingly calls etc., but on the whole we can manage and we are able to bring in up to six tons a day Aftonshire. Recently, Grape Press visited Bill at Veritas (above) to discuss his second during harvest, which suits Emily (Pelton), career as a viticulturist. the winemaker. But when we need to bring more in due to advancing hurricanes, it can What do you like most about what you just to check that they are OK and have a full be a problem because everyone else is doing do? plate of tasks and everything they need to do the same thing. I just love the opportunity to be outside and the tasks that I have set. I am most focused the fact that I live in a most beautiful part of on the spray program, and I get involved Your first career was in the British the world. I’ve driven a desk for most of my with ordering the chemicals and decisions on Army. How did you happen to come to the life and traveled all over the world, but this what and when to spray, which — weather U.S.? keeps me fit, and I have lived nowhere more permitting — is daily throughout the growing It was timing. Patricia (his sister) and beautiful than here. The changing seasons season. I also do my fair share of machine Andrew (Hodson) bought this farm, and are something to behold, and there is always work, spraying, hedging and leaf removal. at the time they purchased it, there was a something new to see and do to keep things I thoroughly enjoy . It can be very vacancy for a British Army Exchange Officer under control. In particular, I like having a satisfying, particularly cane pruning where in Harrisburg, Pa., as the technical advisor great team working for me who willingly get you select the best cane to lay down and to the U.S. Defense Distribution Centre on and do what is needed. ensure that there are replacement buds for Commander. I thought, that would be nice, renewal canes. to get to see more of them, so I took the What’s a typical day like in the appointment there. They planted in 2000. vineyard? Veritas has grown to be pretty large. Do They started off with 12 acres, and that As Dr. (Tony) Wolf would say, it depends. I you have any trouble keeping up? start my day by visiting members of my team I find that the larger we get, the more my See GROWER on page 6

5 IN THE VINEYARD Meeting Challenges in the Field GROWER, from page 5 parents, Kenneth and Marjory. most of life out in Europe during the Cold Also, back then, when Mark Chien was War. And we would drink wine with meals. was their goal, to have only 12 acres. They the viticulturist at Penn State, Patricia and It wasn’t necessarily very good wine — I planted mainly Bordeaux varieties of red Andrew would come up and stay with us in can remember Liebfraumilch, Mateus Rose, grapes: Cab Franc, , Petit Verdot and Pennsylvania and we would go to meetings Blue Nun, and wines like that. These were . They also planted , that Mark organized. The Eastern Wine Expo all wines that my mother had in the fridge. and Viognier, and some happened to be up there in Lancaster County, As children, although it’s quite alien here in and Traminette. and I would go along with them to those America to allow children to drink wine, we meetings. I got interested in grape growing would have wine with our meals. And then in What do you remember about those first from there. 1983, Diane and I took a real interest in wine, few years? I have literally done everything that there and we would have cheese and wine parties. Well, in those years, Di and I would just is to be done at one time or another. And I We would research the wines we gave to our come down on weekends to help lay out the still get involved in repairing a wire or putting guests and that was fun. vineyard. We helped Patricia lay out the one in a new anchor wire or something like that. And one thing I’ll never forget: as a junior behind the farmhouse, which is called the I remember going and borrowing our first officer, being put in charge of the mess Tonkins vineyard. Diane would drive the auger from Chris Hill. And we learned how . A daunting task for a young tractor, I would pound the posts. I learned to put it on a tractor, drill holes, and that type officer especially when you are working for a lot in that year about just how to lay out a of thing. Brigadier General Lord Vivien whose father vineyard. We also got involved in planting fought at Waterloo. And he had expensive the vines, and I remember helping to plant the When did you get interested in wine? tastes. Our mess bills were very expensive Merlot up on the KenMar field there when I As a child, I was brought up with wine. My first came in. This is named after Andrew’s parents were in the armed forces, and I spent See GROWER on page 7

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6 IN THE VINEYARD

GROWER, from page 6 at that time. The British Army always had a great selection of Ports and wines. I would always say to Andrew that I’ve been a “I thoroughly member of the best country club in the world. And really, our messes have always had good enjoy wine cellars. pruning. As for viticulture. I’ve always been interested in being outside. I had driven a It can desk for the last 30-odd years before that, but I’ve always enjoyed being outside. If there’s be very been any success in it, it’s because Veritas satisfying, had people like Chris Hill and Lucie Morton to advise them. I think if I can do one thing particularly well, it’s to follow instructions, although Di cane would disagree! I do go out of my way to do what I’m told but sometimes you get told after pruning ...” things go wrong. And I say if you had only said so, I would have done it right the first time. But there you go.

What resources were most important to you in getting started? I started here in the vineyard in 2010, and and Emily will join us, and we’ll check for with berries splitting, a lot of problem with then in 2011, I was president of the VVA. bud necrosis and see what we think we’re rot, all of those things. But I think we’ve Getting involved with the VVA in whatever going to get and how we should prune it — mastered it now. capacity you can I thought was very beneficial whether to leave as many buds as we can, because if I had a question, I’d pick up the or not, as the case may be — whether we How were you able to master it? phone and call Tony Wolf and ask him. And should have two cordons or one cordon. And The Spotted Wing Drosophila has been a he knew who I was, and he’d do the best to invariably, we’re wrong. real problem, but once we started managing answer the question. And the same with all We’ve been down about 60 percent of our them with insecticide and stayed on top of the of his staff, whether it be Mizuho Nita on primary buds some years and we still got a spray program, the rots did not spread as they diseases or someone else. And they were so great . Some years we might get four had in the past. I was always very reluctant to understanding — they don’t treat you like an tons an acre and the next year we might get use insecticides, but I think they’re better than idiot. I can’t overemphasize the importance of half a ton an acre. Over at Ridge Run, I’m any fungicide for combatting the spread of rot, being involved with the VVA. doing cane pruning, and we have two cordons, particularly as a result of wetness. Also, Patricia and Andrew helped. If I and we’re laying down four canes as opposed And it is not as though I am recklessly need something, I’ve got it. Andrew always to just the two canes. doing it. I have bees within 100 yards of my introduces me as the field marshal. And Here (at Veritas), we were going to cane vines, and the trouble with bees is that if you he says often, “Bill used to work for the prune everything, and have it just three feet allow fruit to get damaged, then the insects government you know; so money is no apart. But we’ve moved to five-foot spacing are in there. But if you keep it clean, from object.” And there is no doubt about it, that for Viognier and cordon trained the vines. the outset, there is nothing for them to go in you can spend a lot of money just managing This is so we can spur prune the vines and the vineyard for, and they stay away. This the vineyard. keep more shoots than necessary. The problem year is a prime example. We’ve had all this is that afterward you have to go through and rain, all this threat from berry splitting and rot What are your favorite varieties to grow? thin out the shoots that don’t have any fruit spreading, and just by keeping on top of the Well the easiest variety to grow is Petit clusters on them. fruit, my bees have been fine. Manseng. Whenever I have had a shortage of And we do all right. In poor years, because labor or a shortage of time, it is an area I’ll of the way we manage the fruit zone, we are You maintain a pretty rigorous fungicide neglect. I allow it to sort of overgrow, and I probably getting on average two tons a year. spray schedule as well, right? will leave the leaf removal to last. Because of So, if anything, that is my least favorite, but it I can’t afford to lose a spray. People talk the grape and the thick skin and the high acid, is the most interesting. about waiting until you get Powdery Mildew, it is not a problem, and we make great wine but I can’t afford to do that because I know it at the end of the day. And I am excited by the How about the reds? will take a week to spray the entire vineyard fact that people are starting to make dessert My favorite to drink is Cab Franc. I just anyway. So I spray every 7 to 10 days whether wine out of it. love Cab Franc. I drink wine regularly and it needs it or not. I’m a just-in-case man, not a The least favorite to grow, but the most as far as I’m concerned, Cab Franc is a very just-in-time man. The military taught me that. interesting is the Viognier. It’s my least quaffable wine on a day-to-day basis. But as This year we did very well. Our yields were favorite to grow because I’m not getting far as growing is concerned, Petit Verdot has as good as any other year. The only fruit we consistent yields. But what makes it to be my favorite variety because I grow it in were down on this year is the Traminette. I interesting is that every year we will go out my own Aftonshire vineyard, and I think I’ve don’t know why, I think it was just poor fruit and have a little get-together, select some mastered it. We did have a lot of problems canes. Chris Hill will come over and Andrew with PV early on, a lot of problems with rain, See GROWER on page 8

7 IN THE VINEYARD INDUSTRY NEWS

GROWER, from page 7 set. We also lost just over an acre of Cab VVA Members Gear Up Franc and the reason is that we had other fruit with more of a priority to bring in, so we just left that out. It is in a vineyard For an Educational Winter that doesn’t always produce the best Cab Franc, and so therefore it wasn’t a priority. The Virginia Vineyards Association will hold its annual So out of our 55 acres, we lost one. Winter Technical Meeting Feb. 21-23 in Charlottesville After this year, are you more hat: The Winter Technical offers workshops over three days and opportunities confident about letting fruit hang Wto meet and socialize with fellow grape growers, educators and industry reps. through late-season storms? Where: The Charlottesville Omni Hotel. A block of rooms is reserved for members, Yes, and in 2015, we were brave and who should book by Jan. 21 to obtain the special rate. Call 434-971-5500 or click let it hang through the storm. But we were here. Be sure to mention that you’re attending the VVA meeting. fortunate enough that we got some very nice weather after it. Sometimes you get Agenda: The schedule is slated to include a grape disease management workshop lucky. This year, we didn’t. We got one conducted by Dr. Mizuho Nita of Virginia Tech on Feb. 21; presentations on storm after another. a number of topics on Feb. 22-23, including avoiding winter injury, climate predictions, mealybugs, retraining cold-injured Merlot vines, and research updates; a So, is weather the greatest challenge 6:30 p.m. wine reception on Feb. 22; a VVA member business meeting and luncheon in Virginia wine viticulture? on Feb. 23; and a special grapevine pruning workshop on Feb. 20-21 (see below). Yes, but it is also what makes Virginia Meeting registration: Registration will open the first week of January. Dues must wine interesting. Because wines from be paid by the end of January in order to receive the member rate for the meeting. To California, wines from Argentina, wines register and for more details as they become available, go to the VVA website. from Chile — where they don’t have the problem with rain—are the same every year. High alcohol, hot wines, whereas in Virginia, every year is different. And it makes it far more interesting. So, Nominations Open for 2019 Grower of the Year if I would say one thing, weather is a he Virginia Vineyards Association is seeking nominations for the 2019 Grower challenge, but it is also what makes VA Tof the Year, which will be presented at its Winter Technical Meeting on Feb. 22. wines interesting. The recipient must be an active VVA member with at least seven years of experience managing or operating a commercial vineyard of at least five acres. The nominee must What’s your favorite memory of life be an active participant in the Virginia viticulture community with a track record of in the vineyard? service to our industry, and the nominee must have the respect of his or her peers. Laying out the vineyards. You can look Please submit nominations to [email protected] by Jan. 10. out on top of Bold Mountain, and up there I tried to follow the contour of the land. If you follow the contour, it’s not a straight block. For example, on the northern slope, I just kept the vineyard on the Italian Consultant to Lead a slope, so it’s not a perfect square by any means. It just follows that contour. And I ‘Conservative Grapevine Pruning’ Workshop Feb. 20-21 can remember doing the hat: Alessandro Zanutta, an Italian consultant and expert with dormant on the south-facing slope and following Wgrapevine pruning, will introduce us to “conservative pruning” of grapevines. the contour of the land there by eye. And The conservative pruning techniques are used in many viticultural areas of the world then I stood down at the bottom, some (such as Italy, and California) thanks to its benefits in terms of vine longevity 350 feet lower, and looked up. You can and production quality. Conservative pruning considers dormant pruning to be one just see that line following the top of the of the most important practices of grapevine management, determining vine health hill and it’s quite beautiful. and grape quality. It differs from standard pruning as it is based on the concepts of And I can remember, standing there respecting the natural branching structure of the plant and the continuity of the sap with my 30-foot pole, guiding this 80- flow, separating pruning cuts (and wood desiccation zones) from the main vascular year old gentleman with his D-8 tractor transport tissues. The prevalence of trunk and cordon diseases is reduced through the who was ripping the rows. He couldn’t application of small cuts and protective measures with this annual operation. see my flags because the bulldozer was Who should attend: The workshop will benefit those who prune grapevines and those so big. So I would stand at one end who wish to learn how small changes in the way we’ve done things for years might and he would drive straight toward me, pay long-term dividends. ripping the row. And I did that with this guy for two days and in the end, we Where and when: The workshop will be held Feb. 20-21 at King Family Vineyards put all the posts in and it was just great. in Crozet immediately prior to the Virginia Vineyards Association’s Winter Technical That’s probably the most satisfying thing. Meeting on Feb. 21-23 in Charlottesville. There will be both indoor and field aspects to Standing down here and looking up and the workshop, which is limited to 40 people. Additional details, registration information thinking, yeah, I got that right. and costs will be announced on the VVA website as they become available.

8 INDUSTRY NEWS How to Prevent, Mitigate Fruit Rot FRUIT ROT, from page 1 Comparison Between Virginia Musts www.vtwines.info). An understanding of the nature of fungal Parameter ‘Clean’ Grapes Sour Rot degradation and fungal metabolites is essential to crafting fine wines in a warm 18.5 21 ≥ 16.0 and humid growing environment such as ours. Titratable Acidity (g/L) 8.0 6.5 5.0 Grapes are susceptible to a number of fungal complexes, including bitter rot, black Tartaric + Malic acid 7.2 5.2 4.4 rot, sour rot, ripe rot and Botrytis cinerea. (g/L) Temperature, moisture, insects, and the presence of fruit wounds have a strong pH 3.3 3.5 > 3.4 influence on a kaleidoscope of potential fruit rots and what organisms dominate. In Gluconic acid (g/L) 0.5 1-5 ≥ .5 addition to yield losses, fungi can negatively impact a wide range of grape, and therefore, Acetic acid (g/L) 0 1.1 ≥ 1.5 wine parameters, including color, aroma and flavor properties. Glycerol (g/L) Trace 1-10 Trace Botrytis infection followed by warm, sunny, windy weather can cause berries to Ethanol (%, v/v) 0 0-trace ≥ 0.2% dehydrate, increasing the sugar concentration. This is the so-called pourriture noble, or Laccase (µg/mL) Trace 0.1-8 trace to 0.5 noble rot. In our environment secondary Glucan (mg/L) 0 247 65 infection by other microbes usually follows. Under wet conditions, molds such as Source: Zoecklein et al., 2000 Penicillium, Mucor, and Aspergillus spp., as well as other fungi and yeast, may overgrow Botrytis; referred to in France as vulgar rot compounds that can significantly taint the and those that break down pectin, the cellular (pourriture vulgaire). resultant wines. glue, such as cutinase, polygalacturonase, Wounds and breakdown of grape skins glucanase, cellulase, phospholipidase. provide substrates for the growth of yeasts Effects of Fruit Rot Each of these can oxidize must and wine and bacteria, and may produce a condition On Fruit and components including aroma/flavor and called pourriture acide, or what we know as It is safe to say that for most Virginia phenolic compounds. sour rot. winemakers fruit rot in 2018 caused a certain My lab demonstrated that the yeast Sour rot is generally a complex of limited amount of stress, much in the same species and strains associated with sour rot microorganisms from various species: vein that the Pacific Ocean contains a certain possessed the ability to break down grape Alternanaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, limited amount of water. aroma compounds (McMahon et al.,1999). Diplodia, Penicillium, Rhizopus yeast, Early on we evaluated the effect of several The enzyme laccase produced by Botrytis Acetobacter and other bacteria. fruit rots on the chemistry of Virginia-grown cinerea presents a particular hindrance for The pungent odor of sour rot comes from grapes. As can be noted in the chart above, winemakers because, unlike most enzymes, acetic acid produced by the Acetobacter fruit rots can have significant influence on it is resistant to sulfur dioxide, cannot easily bacteria. Sour rot is strongly influenced by must composition. be removed, and is active in the presence of the presence of Drosophila fruit flies and A universal question arises — how much alcohol, including in bottled wines berry wounds. rot does it take to detrimentally impact wine Fungal enzymes can cause the oxidation Ripe rot is a bunch rot caused by species quality? of a large variety of phenolic compounds of the fungus Colletotrichum. This malady The answer is complicated due to including anthocyanins and tannins, occurs predominantly in regions such as the variations in rots and the incidence releasing other phenolic compounds. Ripe Virginia that have warm, wet conditions (percentage of clusters with visual rot), rot, for example, produces wines that during the later stages of fruit maturation. severity (percentage of rot per cluster) are particularly bitter as a result of grape Ripe rot causes shriveling and fruit collapse. and the production of metabolites. The skin breakdown and release of phenolic As the disease progresses, reddish brown determination of potential impact of rot compounds. circles develop on the fruit. These circular is best made based on the analysis of Additionally, oxidizing enzymes produced lesions grow in size, eventually covering metabolites. by fruit rots destroy a wine’s reductive the entire berry. Fungal bodies contain small strength. Reductive strength is essentially a pink-colored spores. Some Important Rot Metabolites measure of the ability of a wine to age well. In addition to the typical visual disease ► Laccase and Other Oxidizing Enzymes Reductive strength and longevity are an symptoms, ripe rot degrades fruit color and Rots can produce a substantial array of produces various volatile and non-volatile enzymes, such as laccase, esterase, lipase, See FRUIT ROT on page 10

9 IN THE VINEYARD Ways to Guard Fruit and Juice FRUIT ROT, from page 9 characteristics of the wine excessively, dealing with rot-compromised fruit even prior to the completion of alcoholic frequently choose to add pectinolytic important wine quality feature (See Enology fermentation! We have seen that occur this enzymes and glucanase enzymes to help Notes #169). season. abate clarification problems.

► Glycerol ► Ethyl Acetate Aroma/Flavor Glycerol is a type of alcohol produced by The volatile character or “acetic nose” Wine aroma compounds can be lost as a molds. Owing to its relatively-high specific is not exclusively the result of acetic acid result of the oxidizing effect of fruit rots. gravity (density), it may contribute to the production. Esters, most specifically ethyl Zoecklein et al., 2000, demonstrated that sour overall perception of wine body or fullness acetate, contribute significantly to this rot reduced the concentration of Riesling when fruit glycerol levels are high. Most of defect. Ethyl acetate formation by yeast can grape aroma compounds (terpene alcohols) the glycerol produced by molds will remain create the characteristic odor of “finger nail by 37% and increased the concentration of inside the defective berry despite berry polish remover.” oxidized aroma compounds (terpene oxides) dehydration and heat, due to the fact that by 75.9%. glycerol is not particularly volatile. ► Galacturonic Acid Equally important is the fact that most Glycerol itself possesses no significant Molds can cause an increase in the fruit molds can produce off aromas and problem for the winemaker but can be used galacturonic acid content as a result flavors. Infected fruit can contribute sensory as a barometer of fruit rot. Musts from of enzymatic breakdown of cell wall characteristics such as earthy, vegetal/ healthy berries usually contain less than 1 herbal-like, mushroom and moldy, etc. g/L of glycerol, while musts from infected Off-flavor compounds include a wide berries contain 5-30 g/L glycerol, depending range such as geosmin (the so-called on the nature of the rot. “A very small mushroom alcohol) and the ketone concentration of rot can 1-octen-3-ol, detectable at extremely low ► Gluconic Acid concentrations. Rot-infected fruit can contain a relatively have a large impact. It is high (25 g/L) level of gluconic acid as a Practical Considerations result of glucose metabolism. Since this acid not the incidence of rot, Even though the season is over it may is not utilized by yeast or bacteria, it may but the level of various be wise to review the steps utilized to help be used as an indicator of fruit deterioration. minimize the effects of fruit rots. (After all, Gluconic acid levels in “clean” fruit, and in rot metabolites that no matter how late it is, it is never as late as wines made from clean fruit, are near 0.5 determines the impact it will be later on!) g/L, whereas in wines produced from fruit ► Have a viticulture and winemaking infected with B. cinerea, levels range from on wine quality. The best HACCP plan. 1 to 5 g/L. rule of thumb: no rot is ► Crop level: Avoid over-cropping, The ratio of glycerol to gluconic acid which could delay maturity. indicates the “quality” of the rot. Higher acceptable.” ► Carefully review your spray programs ratios indicated the growth of true noble rot, in the context of your HACCP plan. Some whereas lower ratios generally suggest sour success has been reported by using sulfur rot or ripe rot complexes. dioxide spray (in pH adjusted water) to components. This acid may be transformed help limit sour rot. It should be noted that ► Acetic Acid by enzymatic oxidation to form an insoluble although this material has GRAS status Acetic acid or vinegar is a normal salt, calcium mucate. with calcium (Generally Regarded as Safe by the Food byproduct of yeast and bacteria. When acetic levels greater than 40 mg/L in the water and Drug Administration), it is not an acid bacteria and yeast are combined with used for cleaning tanks and other equipment approved vineyard material. Additionally, fungal growth, high levels of this volatile run the risk that rot-compromised fruit will some have used ozone treated water as a acidity can be produced. produce wines with this insoluble salt. We vineyard spray. Rot complexes may show significant have seen this in Virginia. ► Control Drosophila fruit flies and variations in acetic acid content in the fruit. wounds. Hall et al (2018) reported that Acetic acid is volatile at normal vineyard Clarification Difficulties and Instability insecticides targeting fruit flies significantly temperatures and can be detected by scent Fruit rots can form protective colloids in reduces sour rot severity. during a vineyard stroll. juices and wines, inhibiting clarification. ► Fruit culling: Cull as much visible In some cases, fruit enters the winery Pectins (complex sugars that hold plant fruit rot out as possible in the field. showing limited visual rot, only to have tissues together) are hydrolyzed or broken ► Sort fruit at the winery: A very small excessive acetic acid produced during down by mold-produced enzymes, with the concentration of rot can have a large fermentation due to the large concentrations formation of soluble pectins and glucans impact. It is not the incidence of rot, but of bacteria. (glucose polymers). the level of various rot metabolites that Several species of Lactobacillus present In wine, alcohol causes pectin and determines the impact on wine quality. The are very efficient in converting grape sugars glucan chains to aggregate, thus inhibiting to acetic acid, thus raising the spoilage clarification and filtration. Winemakers See FRUIT ROT on page 11

10 IN THE VINEYARD

FRUIT ROT, from page 10 to about 100 to 150. If the juice is not fermentation. This helps to remove wine clarifying add enzymes or more enological from the primary lees. best rule of thumb: no rot is acceptable. The tannin. ► Rack immediately post-fermentation. current generation of optical sorters allows ► Cold settle: Adequate cold settling ► Consider short vatting reds (separating separation based on color, among other with the use of pectinolytic enzymes will the skins from the juice during the early things, which can help eliminate rotted help lower the level of rot metabolites. stages of fermentation), avoid cold soak berries. ► Tannin addition: Enological tannin and extended post-fermentation . ► Rinse fruit: Wineries may consider additions help the juice clarify and bind Use short vatting, and possibly délestage, to rinsing the fruit with water (containing with some of the rot-produced enzymes. help remove fermenting wine from lees. a wetting agent) if the fruit delivered to Tannins can act as oxygen buffers and ► Fining agents. Addition of fining agents the winery is high in rot. That may aid in may bind with enough protein to lower such as PVPP to the juice or young wine lowering some of the rot metabolites. This the bentonite requirement needed for wine will help to remove oxidized phenols. Other practice can slightly lower the Brix level as protein stabilization. This is an important agents can be used to lower the concentration a result of dilution. consideration for rather delicate varieties of some rot-derived volatile metabolites. ► Muté production/cryoextraction: such as and Sauvignon Blanc. These agents include deodorizing carbons, Mutés (juice held, or mutéd, from ► Pectinolytic enzymes: The addition of caseinate, bentonite, etc. fermentation) can add life and freshness pectic enzymes aids in clarification, which back into the base wine. A small quantity of is particularly important if juice is produced References muté produced from non-degraded fruit can from compromised fruit. Hall, M., G. Loeb and W. Wilcox. (2018). help recover aroma, while masking some of ► Yeast inoculation: Inoculate with Fruit flies play a role in sour rot complex. the spoilage and oxidized notes which may a high volume of a vigorous, not too Wines and Vines, January. have resulted from rots. nitrogen-dependent yeast. Use more than McMahon, H., B. Zoecklein, K. ► : Whole cluster press whites the standard 24 g/hL or 2 lb/1000 gallons. Fugelsang and Y. Jasinski. (1999). by discarding the initial juice. Press very Make sure the starter is properly prepared, Quantification of glycosidase activities in lightly and take press fractions. Short vat and understand that oxygen is a yeast selected yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. J. red grapes. nutrient. Industrial Microbio and Biochem. 23: 198- ► pH adjustment: Adjust the juice pH ► Co-ferment: If you are planning on 2003. — the lower, the better. Expect about 2.0 an MLF co-fermentation, make sure you Sadoughi, N. (2016). Effect of Ripe Rot g/L TA will drop out during fermentation check with your suppliers regarding yeast of Grapes (Colletotrichum spp.) on the or shortly following completion. High pH and MLF strain compatibility. If you do not Chemical Composition and Off-Flavour values may lead to both biological and desire an MLF (including from indigenous Compounds in Grapes and Wine. Thesis oxidative problems. spoilage lactic acid bacteria) consider the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre. ► Sulfur dioxide: Keep the initial sulfur use of lysozyme. School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences dioxide level low during pressing. You ► Fermentation temperature: Begin Charles Sturt University. want the low molecular weight tannins to the fermentation at a slightly warmer Zoecklein, B., J.W. Williams, and S.E. polymerize or bind together. Then raise temperature to help lower the concentration Duncan. (2000). Effect of sour rot on the the sulfur dioxide, depending on the fruit of undesirable aroma characters, and to composition of White Riesling (Vitis condition and pH. assure a rapid yeast fermentation. viniferia L.) grapes. Small Fruit Review. ► Ascorbic acid: The addition of ► Mid-fermentation : Rack mid- Vol 1. 63-77. ascorbic acid to the juice or wine can limit the extent of oxidation caused by rot- derived enzymes. ► Test YAN: Test the YAN (yeast Winemaking Consultant assimilable nitrogen) content and make Winemaking Consultant adjustments accordingly. Rots deplete YAN www.winemakingconsultant.com and micronutrients. As such, the addition www.winemakingconsultant.com of a complex nutrient formulation is wise. Thomas J. Payette 4 Most fruit rots use grape ammonia nitrogen, Thomas J. Payette reducing the levels available for wine Over twenty-five years of winemaking in Virginia, Napa and East Coast yeast metabolism. Additionally, thiamine Over twenty-five years winemaking (vitamin B1), and pyridoxine (vitamin B6) are depleted. This is a primary reason Multiple Governor’sexperience Cup Winner why wines produced from rot-infected grapes generally require supplementation 2011 Wine Productivity Trophy with nitrogen and vitamins to help avoid "1999 Winemaker of the Year" protracted fermentations, sticking, and Phone : 540.672.0387 possible sulfur-like off odor formation. [email protected] Low thiamine levels can also be the result Winemaking solutions focusing on: of excessive addition of sulfur dioxide Winery and vineyard start-ups to the must, binding and inactivating this Still and sparkling wines important yeast growth promoter. ► Measure the NTUs for whites: General winery issues Ferment fairly-clean juice. Measure the Food Science Degree – Virginia Tech NTUs (nephelos turbidity units) and adjust

11 INDUSTRY NEWS Do You Know What’s Expected of You? Be Familiar with State and Federal Regulations “... Whatever the agency, By James S. Turpin Department of Agriculture and Consumer Virginia Wine Collective, Services (VDACS). On the vineyard side, the key is to be organized, Virginia Wineries Association these include pesticide regulation including be prepared, and record keeping, training, application safety, urs is a highly regulated industry. and storage. For wineries, VDACS has maintain good records. Whether you are a grower responsibility for prepared food sold at the Remember, if something or a winery of any size, your winery if there is no restaurant license. operations are subject to a wide Finally, VDACS can do operational is not recorded in writing, Ovariety of taxes, fees, and regulations from a inspections on behalf of the Federal Food it did not happen.” number of agencies. Some you might expect, and Drug Administration (FDA). However, others might be a surprise. in some cases, the FDA can conduct its Just because you have not been inspected own inspections for the Food Safety does not mean that you are not subject to Modernization Act and the Bioterrorism responsible for the collection of sales and use these rules, fees, or regulations. Believing Preparedness and Response Act. Generally, taxes including certain local taxes. These can that you are too small or that no one knows FDA inspections should be considered more be filed electronically. The Department also about you is not an excuse. Failure to be serious and intense than those conducted by collects payroll taxes including withholding prepared and comply can be costly. VDACS. for income taxes and unemployment. Even As an example, recently a Virginia winery The role of the Virginia Department if you use a payroll service, you are still was fined over $10,000 by the Occupational of Health has been increasing. Among responsible for the timely payment of all Safety and Health Administration for a its responsibilities are well inspections taxes. variety of violations. Many of these had and drinking water safety; septic field Finally, the Virginia Department of nothing to do with worker safety, but instead approval and inspections; and food safety Transportation (VDOT) is responsible involved record keeping. inspections if you hold a restaurant license. for enforcement of truck weights. This is As our industry becomes larger and more The Department of Health is structured on important if you are a grower moving grapes visible, we attract more attention. You need a regional basis creating different emphases to wineries. VDOT is also responsible for to be prepared. and levels of enforcement. enforcement of the farm use plates which are Here are some examples of the 29 tests, Labor issues are another important level limited to mileage and uses. fees, or regulations from nine different of regulation. These are administered by the These are only examples and not an all- agencies. This is not all inclusive. It merely Virginia Department of Labor. Among the inclusive list of the wide variety of rules represents some higher profile examples. areas of responsibility are worker safety as and regulations that govern the vineyard and If you are a winery, you are probably well as wage and hour requirements. This winery industry. I have also not addressed already aware of both the number and includes enforcement of some migrant any local regulations. variety of rules and regulations administered workforce rules and regulations. The bottom line — whatever the agency, by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control However, primary jurisdiction for the key is to be organized, be prepared, Authority (VABC). immigration-related issues remains at the and maintain good records. Remember, if After an initial approval from the Federal federal level. something is not recorded in writing, it did Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), the granting of The Virginia Department of Taxation is not happen. the actual license is done by VABC. These include license renewals, excise tax reports, inventory reports, operational issues such as license and staff postings, current ownership information, building modifications, advertising restrictions, and off-site remotes. These are just some examples. If you have any questions, reach out to your local agent. Quarterly or annual taxes are due to both TTB and Virginia ABC. This includes excise VINEYARD TRACTORS AND SPRAYERS and state sales taxes. New Holland - Kubota - Durand Wayland If you self-distribute, you should be aware of the Virginia Winery Distribution Company (VWDC) rules and process. This Tim Gano includes record keeping and designated Cell: (540) 533-5667 spaces, as well as product registration. 121 Indian Hollow Road Winchester, VA 22603 Whether you are a vineyard or a winery, you are subject to a number of regulations 540-667-2244 under the jurisdiction of the Virginia www.winchesterequipment.com

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