Growing, Techniques, Equipment and More! the BEST OF

GOT WINEMAKING GROW YOUR OWN GRAPES IN A BACKYARD VINEYARD! QUESTIONS? THE BEST OF

® GUIDE TO ROWING GRAPES LEARN HOW TO • PLAN & PLANT YOUR VINEYARD • CARE THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS • TROUBLESHOOT PROBLEMS • GROW THE BEST WINE GRAPES ...AND MUCH MORE!

by WES HAGEN

WWW.WINEMAKERMAG.COM SPECIAL NEWSSTAND ONLY ISSUE U.S. $6.99 • CAN. $6.99 DON’T MISS AN ISSUE! ORDER YOUR WINEMAKER BACK ISSUES

ORDER WINEMAKER BACK ISSUES AND CONFERENCE RECORDINGS TODAY AT: WINEMAKERMAGSTORE.COM LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS!

Recorded seminars from the annual WineMaker Magazine Conference are packed with valuable winemaking know-how. One hour audio CDs cover topics including kit winemaking, grape growing, techniques, equipment and more! THE BEST OF

lanting a backyard vineyard is as much an act of madness as it is an act of faith. In an era of unmatched wine availability and affordability, it would be difficult to claim that growing grapes to make your own wine is in any way economical. The best metaphor I can come up with: planting a vineyard at home is like making your own Pflat screen television. You’re not going to be able to do it cheaper and more efficiently than the Chinese . . . in fact it will probably be more expensive and have more technical issues, but in the end you will certainly know more about the intricacies of television manufacturing. A backyard vineyard is not landscaping. A backyard vineyard should never be a “crazy idea I had one night while under the influence of Napa Cabernet.” There is only one reason to plant a backyard vineyard — you have no other choice. You dream of a backyard vineyard every night. You can’t look at that quarter acre hill in your backyard any longer without imagining perfect little rows of Grenache. It may seem odd that the first thousand words in a grape growing manual would attempt to discourage backyard viticulture, but this hobby isn’t for the meek or lazy. There is nothing as glorious as a perfectly manicured vineyard, and nothing quite so pathetic as one that is neglected and rank. This WineMaker special issue is packed with excellent, detailed cultural practices and concepts for growing high quality winegrapes. But it won’t shoot thin, sucker, manage the canopy or test the fruit. It won’t do field trials or walk the vineyard on a weekend when the NBA Finals are on. A vineyard is real work and more. So if you’ve read this far, here’s why you will love this special issue:

• If you don’t have a backyard vineyard, it will give you a succinct primer for understanding how much work will be involved in the design and implementation of a backyard vineyard. • If you recently bought a property with a planted vineyard, this manual will inform your decision concerning whether to keep the vineyard or plant a few rows of azaleas. • If you already own and work your own backyard vineyard, it will give you vital tools for improving your fruit and wine. •If you are on the fence, indecisive about planting, this manual will pull no punches. It will give you an honest appraisal of the study, prep and hard work necessary to produce wine from your own property. •If you never plan to have a backyard vineyard, the information contained within these articles will inform your enjoyment and understanding of wine immeasurably.

WES HAGEN received his viticultural training from the University of California at Davis extension program. He is the Vineyard Manager and Winemaker for Clos Pepe Vineyards in Santa Barbara County, California, where he grows Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for a number of wineries, including his own. Wines made from his grapes have scored over 90 points by Wine Spectator magazine. Wes also covers the world of hobby vineyards for WineMaker magazine, writing our “Backyard Vines” column in every issue for the last decade as well as on his blog at winemakermag.com.

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 1 THE BEST OF

® EDITOR Chris Colby

ART DIRECTOR Coleen Jewett Heingartner

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Betsy Parks

TECHNICAL EDITOR Daniel Pambianchi

INTERN Jeremy Perkins

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alison Crowe, Wes Hagen, Daniel Pambianchi, Tim Patterson, Gene Spaziani, Tim Vandergrift

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Jim Woodward, Chris Champine

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Charles A. Parker/Images Plus, Les Jörgensen Photography

CANINE ASSOCIATES Heidi, Louie & Spaulding

PUBLISHER Brad Ring

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kiev Rattee

ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR Dave Green

EVENTS/MARKETING COORDINATOR Andrew Pierce

BOOKKEEPER Faith Alberti

SUBSCRIPTION CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Linda Marlowe

NEWSSTAND DIRECTOR Carl Kopf

EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD Steve Bader Bader Beer and Wine Supply • Doug Beckett Peachy Canyon Winery Frank Borrelli Borrelli Cellars • Michelle Bowen Vinquiry Chik Brenneman UC-Davis • John Buechsenstein Sauvignon Republic Mark Chandler Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission Don Gauntner LaRue Vineyard Country Wines • Pat Henderson Kenwood Vineyards Tristan Johnson MoreWine! • Steve Matthiasson Premiere Viticulture John Rauner Yakima River Winery • Gene Spaziani American Wine Society David Stevens Davon International • Tim Vandergrift Winexpert Inc. Anne Whyte Vermont Homebrew Supply SUBSCRIPTIONS ONLY EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICE WineMaker P.O. Box 469118 • Escondido, CA 92046 WineMaker Tel: (800) 900-7594 • M-F 8:30-5:00 PST 5515 Main Street E-mail: [email protected] • Fax: (760) 738-4805 Manchester Center, VT 05255 Special Subscription Offer Tel: (802) 362-3981 Fax: (802) 362-2377 6 issues for $25.00 Email: [email protected] ADVERTISING CONTACT: Kiev Rattee ([email protected]) EDITORIAL CONTACT: Chris Colby ([email protected]) FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/winemakermag TWITTER: @winemakermag WineMaker (ISSN 1087-5662) is published bimonthly for $25 per year by Battenkill Communications, 5515 Main Street, Manchester Center,VT 05255. Tel: (802)362-3981. Fax: (802) 362-2377. E-mail address: [email protected]. Periodicals postage rates paid at Manchester Center, VT, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post International Publications Mail Agreement No. 40025970. Return undeliverable Canadian address to: Express Messenger International, P.O. Box 25058, London BC, Ontario Canada N6C 6A8. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WineMaker, P.O. Box 469118, Escondido, CA 92046. Customer Service: For subscription orders, inquiries or address changes, write WineMaker, P.O. Box 469118, Escondido, CA 92046. Fax: (760) 738-4805. Foreign and Canadian orders must be payable in U.S. dollars. The airmail subscription rate to Canada and Mexico is $28; for all other countries the airmail subscription rate is $45.

All contents of The Best of WineMaker Guide to Growing Grapes are Copyright © 2011 by Battenkill Communications, unless otherwise noted. WineMaker is a registered trademark owned by Battenkill Communications, a Vermont corporation. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be returned, and no responsibility can be assumed for such material. All “Letters to the Editor” should be sent to the editor at the Vermont office address. All rights in letters sent toWineMaker will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and subject to WineMaker’s unrestricted right to edit. Although all reasonable attempts are made to ensure accuracy, the publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions anywhere in the publication. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or in whole without written permission is strictly prohibited. Printed in the United States of America.

2 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES THE BEST OF

® GUIDE TO ROWING GRAPES Starting Your Own Home Vineyard 4 A home vineyard is a big commitment. Learn everything you need to plan for — from what to look for when buying vineyard property, to . laying out your vineyard, to choosing your trellis system. Spring In The Vineyard 22 In Spring, the vineyard awakens. This is when vines are planted and when work begin in earnest. Your preparation now will be rewarded at harvest time. We’ll tell you what you should be doing this time of year. Vineyard Maintenance 40 Owning a vineyard is hard work. Depending on your situation, you may need to water or fertilize your vines. You will have to prune them and ward off pests. This section shows you how. Harvest and Beyond 62 This is it! This is what you have been waiting for all year: harvest. We’ll give you the knowledge to plan and execute your harvest when the grapes are at the peak of their ripeness. Plus: What comes next? Frequently Asked Questions 72 Home vineyardists ask Wes about the problems with their vines. From failing fruit to pesky pests, the answers to problems you may encounter in your endeavor to grow the perfect wine grape.

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 3 Photo by Wes Hagen STARTING YOUR OWN HOME VINEYARD 4 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES sound bottle of wine. Here’s my list of BUYING reasons that you should pursue vineyard land for wine production:

VINEYARD LAND • Your enjoyment of wine has peaked after decades of travel, tasting, note taking, collecting and pursuing knowl- money and disappointment. However, edge of wine. if after reading this article, you are still interested in starting a vineyard, you are • You are physically able to do hard a true believer and will likely succeed. physical labor in the vineyard, and Why do I want to grow grapes? This believe doing so will feed your soul in may seem like a simple question, but it’s a way that your current vocation could one that I force upon my new clients, not. Alternatively, you have a vineyard asking them to dig deep and discover staff that can do the work under your the truth that may lie beneath the initial close supervision. impulse of wanting to grow vines on their property. Let me be clear: The cost • You’ve been a home winemaker for a and effort to design, plant and maintain number of vintages, and have found that a vineyard is clearly prohibitive to most you just can’t get the quality of fruit that people that want a vineyard for land- you want. scaping purposes. • You believe that your passion and com- Landscaping in this mitment will lead to a sense of accom- context means that the vines plishment. You believe you can grow are planted to: better fruit than other local vineyards.

•Fill in empty space in the yard • You have been working hard to have the finances to pursue your dream. •Remind you of France or Italy There is a reason that most professional •Show your friends and neighbors you winemakers do not own their own vine- have a vineyard yards. The cost and time required for A growing quality fruit keeps them from A high percentage of my consulting • Increase property value the cellar and from promoting their business comes from wine lovers want- wines. My advice to clients is this: if you ing to buy vineyard property. The story The key here is to be honest with your- have a source of quality fruit that you is usually the same: about ten years self. There are plenty of fruit trees or can buy at a reasonable cost, you may from retirement, successful in business, other ornamentals that will be just as want to continue purchasing the fruit getting tired of pushing paper in the rat pretty (but perhaps less romantic) as a and let someone else farm winegrapes race, they want to get back to an agri- vineyard, and will require far less main- for you. cultural way of life to recapture a lost tenance, inputs and upkeep cost. This Now that I’ve scared most of you piece of their soul. Some believe that the warning comes from years of dealing away from planting a vineyard, I will best way to appreciate wine is to grow with customers who have let their vine- attempt to guide the initiated (perhaps it themselves. Others may believe that yards degrade to a point where the fruit insane) viticulturists through the process being “in the business” will give them does not make sound wine, and they feel of assessing sites for vineyard develop- more opportunities to enjoy wine. All burdened by the responsibility of vine- ment. I feel confident that you are aware potential vineyard owners have one yard ownership. of the financial and labor challenges, so thing in common, though. None expect now we will focus on the nuts and bolts the process to be so complicated, expen- The Right Reasons of looking for a vineyard site. sive and time consuming. The purpose Without the cost of land, an acre of Here are some questions you should of this article is to make full disclosure. vineyard can cost up to $20,000 to plant. ask yourself, and answers that attempt to After reading it, you should have a much For the same money you could purchase look at all sides of the issue: deeper understanding of the responsi- thousands of bottles of fine wine and fill bilities, pitfalls and economic impacts of a cellar for many years of wine drinking. Home Winemaking or buying land for vineyard establishment. Without commitment, the right help Commercial Production? If the caveats dissuade you from planting and the right piece of dirt, you may This decision will impact the size of a vineyard, I will have saved you a lot of plant a vineyard and never produce a the property you are seeking, and help

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 5 you define the region where you would temperamental and in need of constant great wine is grown and there is an exist- like to grow. Most home winemaking professional tinkering in order for them ing viticultural infrastructure with which vineyards are an acre or less, and most to produce pleasurable results. There are you can network. commercial vineyards are 5 acres or devoted individuals out there that have more. If you’re not sure which way you the time and strong back to do the work The Key Factors want to go, my usual recommendation themselves. They can minimize costs and is to start with an acre. An acre of vines grow great fruit. I suspect they are in the Get a pro involved early can be farmed by a single devoted indi- minority, though, so expect a great vine- Ask around to see who’s making the vidual, and will produce enough crop yard to cost a great amount of time best wine in the area, and then visit that in its third or fourth year to give you an and money. person with gifts of fine wine or take them out to eat. You’ll be surprised how a great bottle of Grand Cru Burgundy or a medium-rare veal chop can affect the Ask around to see who’s mak- mood of any winegrower. If they favor Budweiser and Burger King over Clos ing the best wine in the area, and de la Roche and duck confit, search for another consultant. Show them you are then visit that person with gifts of fine serious, passionate, knowledgeable and wine or take them out to eat. financially solvent and they will usually be willing to talk about your project. Bring soil samples, water samples, etc., excellent indication of wine quality from tell them your favorite style of wines and that locale. If you are going commercial Will Grapes Grow and ask them how they would proceed to make sure you have a potential audience Produce Good Wine? grow that type of wine locally. Become for your wines, or winemakers that have If you’ve reached this part of the arti- excellent customers of local wineries, agreed to buy the fruit before you plant. cle, you are a brave soul and possess a attend wine association meetings, vol- Of course you want to make sure that personality that is not frightened by a unteer at events, become an important the land is suitable for premium wine challenge. I tried to scare you off but element in the local wine community. production. Vineyards are too much you kept coming back for more! Now work to plan and install on a site that we get to the fun stuff. The details of soil Soil testing will produce mediocre wine. and water testing are included a little Easy stuff: dig a four foot deep hole further down, but for now let me offer with a shovel, or preferably, a backhoe. Time and Money the following advice: Let others spend Taking a central sample on a small back- A vineyard is not an asset. Most banks their time and money being pioneers in yard property may be enough, but if won’t even add one dollar of value to new regions. Find a place in the world you see changes in soil structure, color your property for producing vineyards, that makes wines you LOVE to drink, or native vegetation, take additional soil even successful commercial operations. where there’s available property that samples from there too. Take samples Of course, the truth is that a vineyard fits your budget and neighbors that can from 12–24” (~31–62 cm) and 24–36” does add value to a property: both real help you with your vineyard. If you love (62–93 cm) depths, label them individ- and imagined, but don’t expect to retire Riesling, you may want to look at the ually in big, 1.0-gallon (3.8-L) ziplock on the money that will be produced by Finger Lakes. Delicious native grapes bags and UPS or FedEx them off to an your new winegrape project. Set a bud- like Norton do very well in Missouri, agricultural lab. Ask for comprehensive get from disposable income, not from where you can find spectacular barbecue soil analysis for preplant winegrape investment accounts. After you set a to match. Zinfandel lovers may be able production, and also ask for preplant budget, try not to freak out when the to find a plot in the Sierra Foothills of amendment recommendations. This will final numbers double. A vineyard tends California or even Lodi (a good place cost you about $130 per sample, and to be a big money pit for the first three to be stuck, for Lodi has one of the best should be done before making an offer years, and it hurts to watch the money grower outreach programs in the world). on any property (ditto for water testing). go out constantly without any fruit com- Up and coming regions offer good value ing back to you. In general, if you are at for land: areas in Paso Robles, Santa Water testing all concerned about the cost of finding Barbara and Monterey are still transi- If you are planning on using irrigation, vineyard land, establishment and main- tioning from production agriculture to take a raw sample of the water source tenance, this is not the hobby for you. At viticulture, and offer an excellent balance and ask for an irrigation water suitability the risk of sounding elitist: if you shud- of land value and a supportive, friendly test (note that the test is for winegrape der at the idea of maintaining a Ferrari, a industry. The costs associated with vine- production). The water can be tested vineyard will likely wreck your finances; yard development should lead you to for a myriad of chemicals, nutrients, both Italian sportscars and vineyards are this conclusion: Start a vineyard where benefits and potential problems. The

6 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES following factors should be measured There is perhaps no way to make a from rains by use of a layer of straw, in the test: alkalinity, bicarbonate, dog happier than giving them the job planted grasses, sandbags or subsoil boron, calcium, carbonate, chloride, of protecting a vineyard. Each vineyard drain systems (sometimes called French copper, electrical conductivity, fluoride, problem has a specific breed that can drains). Young vineyards that ripped or gypsum requirement, hydroxide, iron, help. For my taste, a border collie is an cultivated the soil preplant are most sus- magnesium, manganese, nitrate, pH, excellent all-around vineyard dog as ceptible to this kind of erosion. Heavy potassium, sodium, SAR, sulfate, total long as you have enough property to machinery operators that specialize in dissolved solids, total hardness and zinc. keep the breed busy. agricultural grading can be hired to solve One quart (~1 L) of water is usually these problems for you before planting. required. Use a secure, sterile plastic Disease bottle with a sturdy closure, and make Know the potential mildew and rot pres- Neighbors and fellow winegrowers sure to run your well or water source for sures that occur on your potential site, We’ve gone over this, but make sure the about 10 minutes or more before taking and ask local growers what they spray, property is near existing, quality wine the sample, to assure that it has flushed what equipment they use, how often production, and that your neighbors are all contaminants. Again, I will stress the they spray, where they buy their materi- friendly and willing to share their exper- importance of personally completing als and what permits are necessary. You tise. Who knows, if you’re nice enough soil and water testing before bidding on may also want to ask local winegrowers they may even let you borrow their trac- a potential vineyard property. I suggest about disease issues such as phylloxera, tor and spray rig! not trusting samples provided from real eutypa, Pierce’s disease, nematodes, estate companies or consultants. For special insect pests and the likes so you Fencing, equipment and storage the money you are about to spend, it’s can predict potential problems in the You need a covered space to keep a worth it to do the sampling yourself, or vineyard and act to minimize impact. tractor, ATV, spray equipment, buckets, hire a viticulturist you trust to take care Finding an area free from Pierce’s dis- gloves and tools. If the property has an of it under your supervision. ease and phylloxera may be your best bet existing barn or covered area, make sure for a long term vineyard investment. it’s big enough to enclose all of your Soil and vertebrate pests future farming equipment. All chemicals Once you get the soil tests back, discuss Aspect must be kept in a locked chest or closet them with a local grower or call the lab Aspect refers to the lay of the land and and don’t forget about bulky items like to have anything mysterious explained. how hillsides are oriented to geograph- bird netting, fertilizers, picking bins, and Most folks don’t know the importance ical features and the sun. Don’t worry similar sized gear. It’s also nice to have a of cation exchange capacity or boron too much about finding that south by shaded area with a picnic table for vine- deficiency, but with the right consul- southwest facing hillside you learned yard workers to have lunch. tant, it usually comes down to adding about in France. Most sites in the U.S. something to the soil pre-plant, or using don’t need a special aspect to get ade- Follow through and installation a yearly fertilizer or compost. No soil is quate ripeness. I do believe that hillside A few final questions arise: do you want perfect, but you may want to pass on a sites tend to grow better wine as a result to try to install the vineyard yourself or site that has too many red flags on the of drainage and a reduction in vigor. Try hire a company for a pro install? Do you soil report. Know the details of your to plant on a site that is slightly elevated use the cheapest materials and replace soil’s chemistry before bidding on a and sloping, and be careful not to plant the trellising every 10 years or do you property. at the bottom of a canyon or basin-type buy the expensive stuff that may last Also, look around at the open land area that may collect cold air and frost 30? Plan on one full time worker for a and the neighbors’ open land. Is it the vines in spring. I plant my rows in 1–2 acre vineyard if you don’t plan to pocked with gopher mounds? Are there a north-south orientation, and recom- do the work yourself. It takes about 8–9 ground squirrels? Deer and no deer mend the same to my clients, unless it full time, 48 hour work-week employees fence? Turkeys? Ostriches? If there are makes the rows unsafe for tractors or 6 months to finish our farming here at more than five gopher mounds per acre, equipment. Clos Pepe, but we go overboard on fine you may have a potential problem. You tuning and human touch. There are can ask for the gophers/squirrels to be Drainage and erosion always new mechanical devices being professionally exterminated as a condi- The last thing you want after installing a invented to remove humans from wine- tion of purchase. If there are deer in the vineyard is for heavy rains to wash away grape farming, but I’m guessing some of area, deer fencing (you may be surprised your soil. Winter cover crop is a solution that sweaty hand labor is exactly what how high a deer will jump for ripe wine- that will also help the soil’s health when you dream of after 10 hours of pushing grapes) is a must. Deer fencing will also the green material is cultivated into the paper at a desk job. I do believe that the keep other animals out and your dogs ground. human factor, and passion specifically, is in. Dogs are important for a vineyard, as Note which way water and rainfall evident in a finished wine, and the more they can put pressure on birds, squirrels, will drain off of your site, and make sure of yourself you put into the vineyard, coyotes and gophers. to protect freshly turned hillside earth the better the wine will taste. ®

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 7 Exposure It is imperative to know what sections PLANNING YOUR of your property get the most sunshine, wind, and shade throughout the growing BACKYARD season — roughly March to October in the US. Sun exposure on the fruit is key to getting good flavor out of your VINEYARD grapes, so planting a vineyard among shade trees or in the shadow of a canyon is not advisable. An open, sunny, south- differently if they would have taken west facing slope is perfect. Finding the more time to read, network and plan. spot on your property that gets early Once the vines are in the ground, there’s morning sunlight, and keeps that expo- little you can do to change the basic lay- sure until late into the afternoon will out of the field. With that understood, ensure that the vines get all the sun they let’s start planning your vineyard. need to grow, stay healthy and make sugar in the grapes. Some wind will pro- Select Your Site tect the grapes against mold and mildew. In the average backyard vineyard, there Too much wind will shut the stomata is little choice in your site selection. on the leaves and cause the vine to shut There’s a small piece of dirt that is down (stop respiring) temporarily. unused, and that’s where we plant the vines. Do consider what a vine needs to Prepping the Soil grow sound fruit: good sunlight without Follow these five steps to preparing the excessive shade. soil for a vineyard: So growing grapes against a solid 1. Evaluate the soil through test pits, fence or a wall may be a bad idea. soil samples and laboratory soil analysis. Remember what Galileo said, “Wine is Get a USGS soil map and learn what sunlight, held together by water.” “soil series” you will be planting on. Also learn how that soil series impacts agri- Hillside vs. Flat culture. Dig a deep hole in the center of Hillsides, especially southwest facing your vineyard site and take soil from the hillsides in the northern hemisphere, top 12” (30 cm), from between 12” and have always been the preferred location 24” (30–60 cm), and between 24” and for growing quality winegrapes. Hillside 36” (60–90 cm). These are the depths sites are generally well drained and have that the vine will establish itself and P less frost issues in spring, as long as the grow most of its root structure. Collect Planting a home vineyard is a serious cold air has space to flow down into. a few pounds of soil from each depth project that requires study, planning, a Consider the difficulties in farming on in large ziplock bags and carefully label willingness to do agricultural labor and a hillside, though. Tractors and equip- each bag by location and depth. Make perhaps a small streak of insanity that ment take a beating. One has limited sure to fill the pit back in so you don’t comes with reaching a certain level of choices concerning row direction and trap animals or careless children. Send wine appreciation. row spacing — the slope, exposure and the bags off to a good soil laboratory. In planning your vineyard, there are the topography will dictate where you When you get the results back, the lots of considerations. The purpose of can fit the vineyard. Terracing might aspects of the soil should be described this article is to introduce these issues to be necessary, which can add thousands in context of “norms” for winegrape you, teach you some concepts, and then of dollars per acre to the establishment production. If the norms aren’t listed on turn you loose to do your own research. cost. Our vineyard is mostly hillside, the evaluation, you can call and yell at It’s vital to network with other grape and I deal with erosion and equipment the lab, or hit the internet or library to growers in your area to benefit from difficulties constantly. There are few find the normal ranges of nutrients for their mistakes and successes. Local wine sights as inspiring to the wine lover as a winegrape production. growers can point you toward vineyard hillside vineyard, but putting a vineyard You may also want to find out if hardware suppliers, good nursery mate- on a slope will nearly double the effort there are nematodes or phylloxera in rials, help you choose your vineyard required to maintain it, and will signifi- your soil. These are vine pests that can plot, your grape varieties and root stock. cantly increase the investment needed to cause havoc if you don’t plant a vine They might even help with the labor establish it. Quality fruit can be grown rootstock that can resist them. Most soil if you bring them enough wine. Most on flat ground, it just tends to be a little labs can test a soil for these pests. Ask viticulturists I’ve interviewed admit that more vigorous and might require some them about the best way to take a sam- they would have planned and planted more vine-hedging. ple, or check their website.

8 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES 2. Amend the soil with lime, nitro- another opportunity to bring a local sized pickup truck, etc., to traverse the gen, compost, etc., to make it pH bal- winegrower a few bottles of wine. Ask rows. Six to 8 foot (2–2.5 m) row spac- anced and to add necessary nutrients as how many gallons of water they apply ing is generally the tightest that allows needed. Teach yourself a thing or two per week in an average growing season, narrow tractors to work in the vineyard. about what nutrients a vine needs, and and how they apply it. You may need to One might be able to squeeze an ATV then check your soil samples to see what set up a subsoil PVC system to get the down 4 foot (1.2 m) rows, but take the needs to be added or amended. Take water to the site, you may need to invest rows to 3 feet (1 m) and get prepared to your soil samples to a respected compa- in a pump to keep pressure adequate, do all cultural practices by hand. ny that sells amendments, and they will and if you are on a hillside you will need The second number expressed rep- help you determine how many pounds pressure compensating drip emitters, resents the distance between vine trunks. or tons per acre of any given amendment around 0.5 to 1.0 gallon (2– Together, these numbers will dictate vine your vineyard may need. 4 L) per hour. Without pressure com- density per acre. This will impact both 3. If your soil proves to be hard and pensating “drippers,” the vines at the yield per plant and yield per acre, and compacted, and you can move equip- bottom of the hill will get lots of water, will also impact how the vines compete ment onto your property for the task, and the vines at the top will get none with each other for water and nutrients. rip the soil to a three foot depth to help due to increased gravity and pressure at Now that you know how to express the vines establish strong, deep root the bottom of the system. vine row spacing, the obvious ques- systems. Do this after you have spread tion remains: how does an amateur your amendments so they will be spread Trellising and Vine Spacing viticulturist best match a potential through the soil evenly. After ripping, At the risk of sounding like a broken home-vineyard site to a specific spacing disk the soil so it is uniform and relative- record, you need to visit some local vine- arrangement? The answer is not neces- ly smooth. yards before deciding on a trellising sys- sarily complicated, but does require a 4. Call a local farm supplier and tem. If I learned anything at UC Davis, good deal of thought, practice and plan- let them know you need to grow some it’s that viticulture is site specific. First, ning. First let’s look at how vine spacing cover crop to keep your new ripped, we need to understand how to decide on affects vineyard issues and wine quality, disked vineyard site from eroding. A row and vine spacing, then we can come and then we’ll help you decide what good cover crop — grasses, vetch, clo- back and discuss trellising options a bit. spacing would be well-suited to your ver, etc. — will help slow erosion, add There’s no denying it. Vineyard backyard vineyard. nutrients to the soil, attract beneficial spacing is a hot topic in wine-farming If you remember anything from this insects and, if timed right, may even circles. The debate (deciding how much article, remember this: Vineyards should choke out potential weed growth. In distance to put between individual be efficient to farm and vine spacing areas with hard winters, growing a win- vines and between vineyard rows) has should be based on the anticipated vigor ter cover crop might not make sense. become a high-interest issue with home of the vineyard. The amount of work viticulturists from the Carolinas to you will have to put into your vineyard Irrigation Malibu. There was a time when anything is dictated by how well you match vine Ask local winegrowers whether or not tighter than twelve feet (4 m) between vigor to a trellising and spacing arrange- they use irrigation, or if the rainfall in rows and six feet (2 m) between plants ment that harnesses that vigor into an your area is usually adequate to bring was considered a high density planting. appropriate “system.” in a healthy crop. The natural habi- Indeed, many of the greatest vineyards Let me give you an example. An tat of Vitis vinifera gets around 30–50 in Napa Valley are still planted on this acquaintance asked me to consult on a inches (76–130 cm) of annual rainfall. kind of wide spacing. But in the last two vineyard project gone wrong. This was Personally, I believe that an area that decades, and the last ten years specif- the worst kind of consulting job — one gets 30+ inches (76+ cm) of rain per ically, high density plantings (spacing where all the decisions had all been year is appropriate for dry farming. as close as 3 feet X 3 feet (1 m X 1 m) made — in an incorrect fashion. The Irrigation can be the most costly aspect have become widespread. Even though vineyard owner had gone to Burgundy, of vineyard development. If you don’t squeezing thousands of vines into a one- France, saw beautiful Pinot Noir vines need it, save the money. If it turns out acre planting seems a perfect strategy arranged in meter-by-meter fashion and you do need supplemental irrigation for a backyard vineyardist, there is plenty decided that he wanted the same type for your new vineyard, make sure to of evidence that high density vineyards of vineyard on a small one-acre slope install it after ripping and disking, before can be extremely problematic on most at his home in the Santa Ynez Valley in planting cover crop and put in a system soil types. California. Don’t let aesthetics drive a that takes elevation, gravity and water Viticulturists often express vine planting project, and never base your pressure into account. Most backyard spacing with two measurements, such vineyard design on the vigor and climate vineyards are on flat ground. In this as “twelve-by-six” or “eight-by-four.” of a site 6,000 miles away. situation, and if the vineyard is less than The first number represents the space The soil of the Santa Ynez site was 100 vines, you can hand water the vines between rows and dictates what kind of highly vigorous, nutrient rich and deep. with a hose, giving them enough water equipment is appropriate for the vine- The vines sprawled out with canes eight to grow every week or so. If you want a yard. Twelve-foot (4 m) row spacing will feet (~2.5 m) and longer, and the more more elaborate drip system, this is yet allow almost any kind of tractor, full- the owner tried to hedge the vines,

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 9 the more lateral shoots appeared and that will allow you to tweak your vine clusters are often sought after by high- clogged up the fruiting zone. Those spacing to a specification that pleases end winemakers, and the mythology of beautiful 3-foot (1 m) rows became you. Don’t expect miracles with root- the high density European vineyards an impenetrable jungle of shoots and stock either. They won’t guarantee low make this scenario even more attractive. foliage — you couldn’t work the vines vigor. They have a small, but measurable Many winemakers admit that smaller without a machete, and you might effect on vine growth. There are high, vines with a light crop, in balance, pro- imagine how difficult it was to get sun medium and low vigor rootstocks, and duce high quality wine, and high density exposure on the fruit, let alone find the choosing the right combination can vineyard design, if used correctly, can clusters when harvest time arrived. This save you lots of hedging or fertilizing increase vine competition and keep vine vineyardist assumed that high-density later on. Careful research and pestering vigor slightly in check. planting reduces vigor significant- vine-growing neighbors about their Soil depth, water availability and ly. Competition does exist between spacing and rootstock combinations will fertility: Deep, fertile soils with high vines, but not at a rate that will turn likely steer you in the right direction. macronutrient (NPK) levels will usually a high-vigor site into an appropriate Rootstock will also help protect your translate into high vigor vines that will location for a meter-by-meter system. vines against soil-borne pests. require wider spacing. Low nitrogen Bottom line — high density planting is Training-trellising system: As pre- levels in soil, soils that are rocky, shal- only appropriate on low to medium-low viously noted, low-vigor sites that are low, have clay restrictive layers or are vigor sites where shoots rarely grow appropriate for vertical shoot position- hillside oriented may have less vigor and more than 4–6 feet (~1–2 m) per season. ing systems are usually more adaptable may be more appropriate for tighter Sites that are appropriate for low-vigor for higher density grapevines plantings. spacing. Remember that as planting den- trellising, such as a system that uses Head trained vines require even spacing sity increases, the competition between vertical shoot positioning wires to direct that allows them to spread their shoots vines will result in a measurable reduc- all growth up and out of the way of the and not be crowded by their vine neigh- tion of vigor. Competition between fruiting zone, is usually appropriate for bors. Simple backyard trellising made closely-planted vines is mainly for water. high density planting. Medium to high of posts and wire should always allow As such, supplemental irrigation is often vigor vineyard sites are much more as much space between the rows as the required in high-density vineyards, efficient to farm with at least 8 feet (2.5 height measurement of an average vine especially near the end of the growing m) between rows (to allow a few feet for in full growth. If you use fancy quadri- season. Remember that you can tweak shoots sprawling and draping), and six lateral or split-canopy trellising, the rows the vigor of your site by judicious nitro- feet (2 m) in between plants, in order to have to give the vines ample room to gen applications to increase vigor, or by give each vine ample space to spread its grow and spread shoots to either side of applying less water in the early season to foliage and ripen a crop-load. the canopy. It should also be noted here decrease vigor. Next, let’s consider the factors that that the closer the in-row vine spacing Equipment available: If your trac- determine vine row spacing. becomes, the less “wood” or buds should tor is six feet (1.8 m) wide, your rows Cultivar: Some grape varieties are be retained at pruning for producing should be at least 8–10 feet (2.4–3 m) more vigorous than others. Pinot Noir crop the following year. The main wide. If you have an ATV with a little is generally less vigorous than Syrah or concern for the development of any sprayer on the back, it should be able to Grenache, so Pinot Noir is generally a vineyard should be designing a system fit comfortably down the row without better candidate for high density plant- that keeps canopy density at an optimal running over errant shoots. If you have ing, and Rhône varietals are better suited balance so there’s ample sun exposure no equipment, your options are unlim- on a wide-spacing arrangement, unless on the fruit and in the area where buds ited and you may want to pack some the site is extremely low vigor. Choosing determine the following year’s crop as a extra vines in to increase your land-use the correct varietal to grow on your function of sun accumulation. efficiency. First, determine your poten- property is the most important decision Fruit Shading: Shaded fruit has tial vigor by either planting a few vines you’ll make in the planning process. more problems with disease, mildew and near your house or in a garden, then Once you have a good idea of two or rot and also accumulates less sugar, has determine your optimal spacing, then three options for grape varieties for your higher pH, higher malic acid, less color take into consideration what type of backyard — try to choose the vines best and phenolic compounds and shows an equipment you have or wish to purchase suited for the climate and soil in your increased vegetal/herbaceous character. to make the farming easier. backyard, and never choose a grape sim- Keep this in mind as we progress in our Here are a few practical questions to ply by what you like to drink. Start with study of vine spacing, the main con- ask yourself: this question: what varietal is the best cern in developing vineyard spacing is How vigorous are grapevines in wine grown and made within 100 miles to keep the fruit zone open to sun and your specific soil, climate and area? In (160 km) of your house? air, eliminating cluster-shading leaves, a highly vigorous vineyard with more Rootstock: Check with your grape- lateral shoots, and over-cropped clusters than 10–12 feet (3–4 m) of shoot growth vine nursery to see if they have root- that are all jumbled together. Smaller per year, vines should be spaced a min- stocks that can influence vigor to a level vines with increased sun exposure on imum of 6–8 feet (2–2.5 m), and have

10 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES rows as wide as the vines are tall. With 6–10 feet (2–3 m) of shoot growth a year, you should have 4–6 feet (1–2 m) between plants. Medium/low vigor sites, where vine shoots grow 4–6 (1–2 m) feet per year, may be appropriate for high density planting. Spacing between plants can easily be reduced to 3–4 feet (~1 m), and row spacing is more easily based on equipment needs and height of vines in the peak of the growing season. Remember: high density vineyards are generally trained lower, so they can still have a 1:1 ratio of vine height to row spacing for shading considerations. How much time do you want to spend each week taking care of the vines? The more vines you have to Photo courtesy of Finger Lakes Association prune, position, trellis, spray and tend, You only have one chance to research local growing conditions and plan your vineyard. Once the posts are set and the vines are planted, your vine and row spacing are set. the more time-consuming your viticulture hobby will become. Carefully choose your vine-density higher than using green-growing vines. shoots but the strongest, and gently tie to match vigor — but don’t lose sight If you receive your dormant vines from the growing shoot to the training stake of the responsibility that accompanies refrigerated storage, let them acclimate with ½” (1.3 cm) green vinyl tie tape. more vines per acre. outside in the shade for about a week. Go through the vineyard every week or There is an interesting relationship Keep the vines moist and in the packing two and add green vinyl ties every 4–6” between row and vine spacing. As row material until the morning of planting. (10–15 cm) of new growth. spacing decreases, so does yield per vine. At that time, fill a 5-gallon (19-L) bucket As you might expect though, smaller halfway with water, put the vines in root Your New Vineyard row spacing increases tons per acre, first, and carry the vines 20–40 at a time If all went as planned, you should now so even though each vine is producing into the vineyard. have a thriving vineyard in your back- slightly less due to competition the yield Dig a hole 18 to 20 inches (46– yard. The shoots are climbing, the green is actually increased due to the fact that 51 cm). Do not compact the soil on the leaves are visible, and in a few years, you there’s more vines. In the correct climate sides of the hole. I know a few viticul- will start producing fruit. and soil, high density planting can have turists that sprinkle broken shards of Realize that this article is merely an a positive influence on vine balance, wine bottles in the hole before drop- overview of the issues of establishing and crop level and wine quality. Home viti- ping the plant in, to keep gophers and maintaining a vineyard. The more you culturists should be warned, though. burrowing pests from eating the roots. research each element I’ve outlined here, Trying to imitate high-density plantings Some viticulturists also dip the roots the more successful your vineyard will in your backyard may lead to more in a solution of mycorrhizae fungus, be. Don’t forget to visit local vineyards problems and poor wine quality. Choose which will increase the plant’s ability to and home growers, check the internet, a vine-spacing and trellising design that uptake water and nutrients. Trim the join a few email groups or local clubs is suited for your own soil, vigor, vari- root tips of the dormant vine and drop and do everything possible to gather etal, rootstock, trellising and equipment it in the hole, roots first. Make sure the information and professional support and you will find that your planning graft union, which is the calloused bump before ordering your vines. Every hour will reduce future labor, provide higher where the rootstock meets the “scion” of preparation that goes into vineyard quality fruit, and provide endless plea- wood, is 4 to 6 inches (10–15 cm) above establishment will save hundreds of sure in the bottle and in the glass. the final soil level. After the soil has been hours of hard labor in future seasons. compacted and replaced, you need to Viticulture has been practiced for thou- Planting Vines dig up some extra, fluffy soil to mound sands of years. Your efforts and study After your trellising and irrigation are over the exposed part of the vine. Pile will help preserve the tradition of grow- set up, you should be ready to plant the soft soil 1–2” (2.5–5 cm) over the ing grapes and making fine wine. When some grapevines. Planting usually occurs part of the dormant vine sticking out of you have learned what it takes to grow in late spring after the threat of frost the ground. When you see substantial good fruit in your neighborhood, make has passed. I suggest using dormant growth peeking out of the soil mound, sure to share your expertise with other grapevines. My rates of success with gently remove the mound and allow the aspiring, local viticulturists. Share your

dormant vines have proven significantly vine to grow as usual. Remove all the wine and share your enthusiasm. ®

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 11 BC. Unlike these first vineyard maver- icks, we have a wide array of materials, CHOOSING A designs and hardware to choose from — not to mention thousands of years of science, study and anecdote to draw upon TRELLIS SYSTEM to make wise decisions when designing a trellising system. Choosing a trellis system for your FOR YOUR vineyard is one of the most important planning decisions you will make, sec- VINEYARD ond only to picking a varietal and rootstock selection.

Trellising Options Trellis selection and spacing decisions “pre-fertilized” seeds find a moist spot should be based upon the anticipated to germinate, often in the shade of a tree vigor of the new vineyard. Vigor can or bush, and the vine begins to grow — be estimated by examining crops on very slowly for the first few years, then the same piece of ground or planting a more rapidly after the root system has vine or two and seeing how much cane developed and some leaves on the vine growth you get for a year or two before reach direct sunlight. making trellising decisions. As the vine comes out of dormancy You can also submit your soil sam- each spring, it produces growing tips ples to a lab and request a report that flanked by wiry tendrils that search for will estimate vine vigor. structures to wrap around and support the lengthening shoots. Tendrils may Styles of Trellising find the short boughs of a bush or tree Trellising systems can be divided into trunk to support the vine. These tendrils four types: will become woody and tough as the vine finishes its yearly growth, keeping 1. Head-Pruned Vines the vine permanently affixed to the tree (each vine trained to a stake) or bush it climbs. A vine may snake along the ground for many years search- 2. Vertical Systems with ing out a structure to climb. Without Shoot Positioning the support it needs to climb vertically, (orients shoot growth up into wires to it may perish from predation or never form a curtain of foliage and a fruit zone produce fruit. that is leaf-pulled for maximum sun and The vine will continue to climb, in wind exposure) a purely vegetative growing cycle, until there are dormant canes in a position 3. “California Sprawl” Systems where sunlight activates the dormant (without shoot positioning — vines are buds to become fruitful the next year. supported by trellis; all growth spreads In the wild, Vitis vinifera sylvestris (the This fact will become important later out and down with no manipulation) forest vine thatI makes wine) cannot sup- when understanding how fruitfulness port itself as it grows. By understanding in the home vineyard is encouraged. 4. Horizontally Divided Systems the needs of a wild vine, it will quickly Once the vine is mature and is able to (with shoot positioning — including become apparent why we need to trellis grow into a position where it is para- Geneva Double Curtain or Lyre systems) cultivated grape vines. We’ll also under- sitizing the host tree’s sunlight, it will stand how the shape of the trellis will “switch on” those sun canes into fruit To understand these systems, it’s impact vine yield, sun exposure, and production. The sun provides energy to critical to understand shoot positioning ultimately, wine quality. convert sunlight into sugar and to make and why it’s important. A wild vine cannot support its own the grapes tasty enough to encourage the Shoot positioning means tucking weight, especially when young, and birds to consume them. the growing shoots into sets of shoot relies on existing structures — namely The use of artificial trellising to pro- positioning wires above the fruiting zone trees — to climb up. Mature fruit is duce winegrapes outside of a forest set- to make the vine rows appear as vertical consumed by birds, who then fly away ting (viticulture) began in areas close to curtains of foliage that act as vegetative and drop intact seeds to the ground the Caucasus Mountains starting in the solar panels for grape sugar production. as waste. A small percentage of these Neolithic period from about 8000-4500 This keeps the shoots from drooping

12 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES The simplest way of training a vine is head training. This is not really a trellis, but rather a simple way of supporting the vine. Installing the stakes is easy, but head trained vines suffer problems from shading, rot and mildew as the canes end up sprawled out on the ground late in the growing season.

A horizontally divided system, like the Geneva Double Curtain system shown here, establishes two canopies from each vine. These work well for high-vigor vines, but are more difficult to install and maintain than other trellis systems.

A simple stake and wire system, sometimes called a Vertical systems, like the simple vertical cordon shown here, “California sprawl” system, is orient the vine upwards. A vertical shoot position (VSP) trellis easy to install and maintain. system tucks the shoots into a set of wires, keeping the cano- This type of trellising works py trained into a “curtain” that is accessible to spraying and well for low or moderate vigor picking. Properly spaced VSP trellising allows for good sun vines, but shading problems exposure and airflow. can result. Illustrations by Don Martin

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 13 back over the fruiting zone and helps at least 3–4’ (0.91–1.2 m) of support, of the fruiting zone. Because all growth the fruit get better sun and wind pene- fruiting wires are traditionally about is directed up into the shoot positioning tration. Remember that canes need sun- 3–4’ (0.91–1.2 m) off the ground, and no wires, the viticulturist can easily remove light, so the idea here is to maximize sun further hardware is required. leaves and lateral shoots from the fruit- exposure on the shoots and canes. ing zone, opening it up to sunlight, wind Vertical Shoot Positioning and to allow for better spray penetration. Head-Trained Vines A vertical shoot positioning (VSP) Make sure you allow for enough space Head training vines is the simplest trellis is the gold standard for mod- between the rows to give a 1:1 ratio of method of vineyard establishment. Head ern vineyards, and an excellent choice vine height to between-row spacing. training is not really a trellising method, for those who want their vineyard to and most viticulturists have abandoned have that manicured, landscaped look. Horizontally the system because of problems with Depending on the spacing, VSP trellising Divided Systems shading, rot, mildew and the difficul- can be appropriate for all levels of vigor, These systems are generally difficult to ties inherent in trying to manipulate a although moderate to high vigor sites install and quite difficult to train the vineyard canopy that is not guided by will need to be hedged during the sum- vines into, and are generally recom- fruiting wires. mer — about 6” (15 cm) above the last mended for high vigor sites and To head train a vine, place a train- shoot positioning wires — to keep the installers and workers that are trained in ing stake next to a newly planted vine canes from drooping back down into the its use. and develop a short trunk system, and fruit zone. At a high vigor site, each vine is encourage growth from a low “head” VSP is appropriate for both cordon separated into two separate canopies to with two-bud spurs retained at prun- trained (permanent arms along the retain a higher number of viable buds at ing. The vine is pruned like a rosebush, trellis where spurs are retained for fruit pruning, and to spread the vigor of the with the buds retained forming a goblet production) or cane-pruned systems vine out to all of the retained buds. This shape, with buds facing outward if possi- (where a single cane is retained on each system also maximizes crop yield and ble. Canes will grow up and then down, side of the vine and wrapped around a allows sunlight to penetrate between the and will likely end up sprawled on the wire and affixed with a twist-tie for fruit divided canopies, where a single canopy ground and shading the fruit from the production. The hardware necessary is would become overgrown and dense at outside. a little more complex, as you will need a the same level of vigor. Think of these

Whether simple or complex, a trellis system guides your vines so they can soak up the sun, plus be accessible during the growing season and harvest.

wire at 20” (51 cm) or so for irrigation, systems as a single trunk producing two Simple Stake and Wire 30–36” (76–91 cm) for fruiting, and then divided canopies, which are traditionally A viable choice for low and moderate I suggest a single wire 12” (30 cm) above spaced 3–4’ (0.91–1.2 m) apart to allow vigor sites is a simple one, two or three the fruiting wire (to assist in weaving the for sun penetration between them. wire system, with or without crossarms. growing canes into the catch wires), and Two of the more traditional divid- The vines are trained up the stakes, then two sets of double wires, spaced 4” ed systems include the Geneva Double shoots or cordon arms are retained at (10 cm) or so apart and separated by a Curtain (GDC) or the Lyre (sometimes pruning, and the only support the sys- vertical 12” (30 cm) where the growing called U-System). tem provides is for the fruiting canes or canes are tucked into during the growing The GDC system requires a stout cordon arms (on a wire). season. The pairs of shoot positioning 48” (1.2 m) stake, with fruiting wires Besides the stakes for support and wires can be attached to a wooden cross- separated 48” (1.2 m) by a crossarm a simple wire for a cordon or fruiting arm, a 4–6” (10–15 cm) pinch clip, or attached to the stake. Four separate canes, there is nothing else involved. The they can be simply nailed onto the end- healthy shoots are trained to each of the shoots grow up, out and droop down, posts and attached to wide pre-fab vine two separated fruiting wires. One shoot shading the fruit zone and making it stakes that have notches built in. trained both directions along each of difficult to get air, sun and spray expo- A well-maintained VSP trellising sys- the wires, which become the permanent sure on the fruit. Stakes should provide tem allows for unlimited manipulation cordon arms where spurs are retained

14 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES at pruning. Pruning is accomplished by es for trellising and spacing. Using a those that are willing to do the research retaining only spurs with bud positions low-vigor rootstock may allow for tight- and find expert help. Remember that facing out into the vine row. er spacing (low-vigor style) and a VSP tight vine spacing is NOT recommended system. Sprawl or even a divided canopy for high vigor sites, as vine competition Tips for Choosing A Trellis system may work fine, although the is rarely strong enough to keep high By soil samples or by growing a sample divided systems require more hardware vigor sites in check and will result in an vine, determine anticipated vine vigor. and expert installation and pruning. overly-crowded fruiting zone. Vine spacing can move to the 6–8’ Low Vigor Sites (1.8–2.4 m) range, and match the row Installation Low vigor sites can be planted at a rela- spacing to the height of your anticipated In areas where vineyards are common, tively tight spacing as the vines will not canopy height (8–12’/2.4–3.7m). you can hire professionals to install your compete for sunlight, water or nutrients. trellis system. If you have a small enough Rows can be spaced 6–8’ (1.8–2.4 m) High Vigor Sites vineyard and like to do things for and vines spaced 4–6’ (1.2–1.8 m). High vigor sites can still take a VSP yourself, you can also build your own VSP, head-trained or sprawl sys- system, but it will require a lot of sum- trellis. (See the article, “Build Your Own tems would all be appropriate, although mer hedging, lateral-shoot removal in Trellis,” in the April/May 2006 issue of VSP is my general recommendation at the fruiting zone, and a vigor-reducing WineMaker.) This requires, however, low-vigor for the ability to manipulate rootstock and careful irrigation choices some specialized tools, especially for ten- and improve the fruit-zone area of the (dryer soil at the beginning of the grow- sioning the wires. canopy. ing year will help moderate vigor). If you choose the right trellis sys- The GDC and Lyre systems are real- tem, one that matches the vigor of your Moderate Vigor Sites ly designed to match high vigor sites, vineyard site, you can get your grapes to

Moderate vigor sites offer many choic- and are generally recommended for harness the power of the sun. ®

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 15 control weeds and control pests. Our second goal is to build stores of nutri- FIRST YEAR ents. To do that, the grape grower needs to apply the right type and amount of VINEYARD CARE fertilizers to the vineyard. Watering the Vines As soil types and weather are different from location to location, prescribing a watering plan for all growers is difficult. The key here is providing moisture to the vines’ root system without making the soil overly muddy. Allow the roots to dry out between water applications. This will promote root growth as the vines sink their root systems deeper into the soil layers in an attempt to find water. Vines that are “trained” to learn that their water only comes from one place (a drip emitter or a hose) will develop a root ball near the surface of the soil and will not develop a deep and wide root system. Deep, infre- quent applications of water are, in my estimation, best for the vine. The vines “learn” that growing deeper in the soil profile helps them find water when the top of the soil is drying out. Here’s a pro tip for assessing a vine’s water status: If the tendril of a vine shoot — there are usually two growing out from near the tip of the shoot — Photo by Wes Hagen extends further than the shoot’s growing duce fruit for winemaking. During the tip, the vine has all the water it needs. first year, all clusters should be removed When the tendrils shrink back behind immediately from the vine to keep the growing tip, the vine is experienc- the vine from using nutrients to ripen ing some form of water-deficit stress. grapes. Also, the first year is not meant Cut back the water in August or early to push the vine into making fruit or September to help the vine go dormant fruiting wood in the second year, when (and help the shoot become a mature, it might not yet be ready to produce wooden “cane”) before the first fall frost. clusters. Some vines may be ready to produce fruit in the second year; others Weed Control may not. The key here is patience and Weed control is absolutely vital in the knowing when a vine has established vines’ early years. Once the vineyard is P itself to the point at which it is ready to well established, and the vines have deep Planting a vineyard takes time, effort make fruit for wine. In general, a vine root systems, weed control will not be as and planning. But your work is not is allowed to establish itself and grow critical. But, while the vines are young over once the vines are in the ground. vegetatively — producing no fruit — for and their root systems shallow, they will In order to have usable grapes by your the first two years in the ground. After be in direct competition with weeds for third year, you’ll need to carefully man- the second full year of growth, the vine sunlight, water and nutrients. As a farm- age the growth of your vines. is commonly pruned by leaving a few er with a strong bent toward sustainable, canes on the trellis wires. These canes organic practices, I do not recommend First Year Goals grow fruit in the third year. using contact or residual herbicides in a The first year of vine growth is meant to vineyard. establish a strong and vigorous root sys- Strong Roots It is certainly easier to lay a strip tem and build stores of nutrients to has- Our first goal is establishing a vigorous of Round-up through your vineyard ten growth in subsequent years. The first root system. In order to do that, the instead of hoeing it. Your vines will year of vine growth is not meant to pro- grape grower needs to water the vines, be safer and healthier, however, if you

16 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES take the time to be a farmer instead of a squirrels from nibbling young shoots. vigorous shoot for training. It is also chemical applicator. Grow tubes also discourage nibbling. vitally important to leave the other Run a mower through the center shoots growing on the vine until the of your rows, making a nice mulch that Fertilizer Application most vigorous shoot has been success- will feed the soil, and pay a neighbor The application of fertilizers is usually fully tied to the stake with 1/2” green kid to hoe the rows around the vines. necessary in a vine’s first year to help vinyl tie-tape. This is important because Also learn that planting a cover crop build stores of nutrients, especially you will break a few shoots during this rich in vetches, clover, legumes or other nitrogen, in the developing trunk and process, and you always want a back-up nitrogen-fixing plants can choke out root system. You have two ways to do shoot in case this happens. competing weeds and add vital nutrients this: applying petroleum-based fertil- After the most vigorous shoot has to your soil. izers or using organic fertilizers. Both been loosely tied to the stake with tie- Learn which plants in your area are will work well to help establish the vine. tape without breakage, then you can beneficial and which are noxious. Hoe Using a half-cup of calcium nitrate go ahead and rub off all other growing the bad and leave the good, but make (15-0-0) per vine a few times during shoots and swelling buds on the vine sure to clean out a strip of soil around the vine’s first year will definitely make with your thumb. Lash 1/2” tie-tape and under the vine so it doesn’t have to the vine grow faster and remain nice every four to six inches (10–15 cm) of compete for sunlight, water, or nutrients and green. There are also small fertil- growing shoot, and make a pass through where it is planted and establishing itself. izer packs that you can toss in the hole the vineyard every week or so and add Giving the vine freedom from weeds under the roots when planting. They tie tape as necessary. Tie the tape loosely will help the roots grow faster, and as are made to last about a year and slowly enough to stick your finger in between a consequence will give the root hairs release nutrients to the vine. Using these the shoot and the tape so it doesn’t more contact with the soil and the nutri- petroleum-based fertilizers will have no strangle the poor little vine. ents it contains. short-term negative impact on the vines; The straighter you tie the growing in fact, they will grow to be very green, shoot to the stake, the more uniform Controlling Pests vigorous and healthy. and upright the trunks of your mature Controlling pests, especially ones that However, I call calcium nitrate vines will be. If the growing shoot reach- snack on roots, is vital for the health “root crack” because I believe a vine can es the fruiting wire at the top of the of young vines. Fighting gophers is an become dependent on non-organic fer- training stake, snip off the top off the ongoing battle in many viticultural tilizers, like addictive drugs, and will be vine to promote growth out of lateral regions, and — like Bill Murray in the less likely to be happy throughout their buds on the sides of the shoot. This will movie “Caddyshack’” — you may well lives without frequent applications. help the vine start to make a “head” that have to join the fight to assure your Organic sources of nitrogen such will produce your fruiting wood from vineyard survives. as chicken manure, cow manure, fish year to year. A vineyard is like a neatly ordered emulsion, kelp extract, bat guano and If the vine fails to reach the fruiting smorgasbord for a gopher. They can others build the soil and increase biolog- wire — or the top of the training stake, follow the vine row over a few weeks or ical activity in the soil while they provide or at least 36” of growth — in its first months and snack on each vine in turn. nutrients. The nutrients that organic fer- year, I recommend cutting the vine back All they need to do is chew around the tilizers provide might be more expensive all the way so it looks like it did when root collar and it’s “game over” for that per application, but the benefits they it was first planted (one two-bud spur). vine. If you see a dead vine in your vine- provide the soil and the holistic health Do this to all stunted vines, and to any yard, tug on it a bit. If it comes up easily of the vineyard as a living system are vines that need more vigor. with a diagonal, slightly-chewed end invaluable. Providing a healthy habitat Cutting all the wood off a stunted with no roots on it, you’ve likely been for your vines to live in will help them vine allows the vine to grow easier the hit by gophers. grow quickly, stave off disease and pro- next year. You will likely get more vigor Gophers can be trapped quite easily. vide healthy fruit for making wine in and health from the vine if you cut it Or you can build a few owl-boxes in years to come. back and give it time. If your vineyard trees around your property. You will be shows low vigor, it is recommended that amazed how many rodents these birds Training the Vines you cut the entire vineyard back to two- take per night. Poisoning is another We can now return to your young bud spurs and train the future trunks in option, but you need to be careful of vineyard, where the soil mounds are the second year of vine growth. Watch secondary kill of household pets or other removed and two to four little green your young vines (especially the leaves) beneficial animals. shoots are emerging from each vine. for signs of powdery mildew. Make sure Deer, rabbits and ground squir- When the tallest shoot is about 6–10 to apply sulfur, wettable or powder, to rels can also nibble young growth in inches long, it’s time to start training keep the vines and vineyard clean of a vineyard. Fences, bait traps, dogs or that shoot up the training stake. If you mildew. If mildew becomes established a hunting permit may help with these planted each vine close to the train- in the first year, it will be more difficult problems. It is common to use a cut-off ing stake, it will not be a difficult task to manage in subsequent vintages. Your half-gallon paper milk carton around to start training the vine to the stake. hard work in the first year will pay off at

each young vine to keep rabbits and Always use the most vertically oriented, your first harvest. ®

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 17 trol, canopy management, weed abate- ANNUAL ment and harvest. POST-HARVEST (October through February) GROWING One common misconception of backyard vineyard ownership is that your CALENDAR work stops once the fruit has been harvested. The tendency is to spend every spare minute with the wine in fermenters, carboys and barrels. Spending a little time in the vineyard after harvest will guarantee that the vines are in tip-top shape before their long winter’s nap. Put the vines to bed in a state of cleanliness. Go back through the vineyard after harvest and remove all the small clusters (second crop) that might have been left behind. Also remove all fruit stems (rachis) that were picked clean by birds and other pests. Powdery mildew and other sporulating diseases need a place to go dormant in the vineyard and errant fruit clusters are some of their favorite haunts. Leaving nothing but hardened canes in the vineyard stops disease cycles. Grapevines have two major bursts of root growth during the growing season. The first (and most important) Photo by Wes Hagen

being, I do agree that awareness of the passing seasons coordinates our lives in mysterious ways. There is a right time of the year for everything, including certain vineyard practices. There is a rhythm to the way the winegrowing season advances and I would like to provide aspiring new vine- Illustrations by Don Martin yardists with a simple viticultural metro- The dormant vine should be clipped and nome that they can adjust to their own all second crop clusters and stems must be vineyard and climate. removed. I Farming winegrapes is a challenge, In college I had a good friend from and developing a plan for the upcoming is between May and August, but there is New Jersey who was convinced that year will help your backyard vineyard also a significant period of root growth Californians lacked depth of character live up to its potential. We will also after harvest. This is why it’s vital that because we didn’t have to live through define backyard grape growing strategies you give your vines a deep drink of harsh winters. Even though I disagree and offer suggestions concerning the water — up to 10–15 gallons (38– that you have to shovel snow or ice seasonal timing of pruning, watering, 57 L)/vine — after the fruit comes off. fish to reach your potential as a human fertilization, disease control, pest con- If significant rainfall occurs at har-

18 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES vest time (enough water to soak deep week should be all the water the vines into the soil profile) this practice may will need. prove unnecessary. Remember to watch for frost! After the fruit is removed from the Sustained temperatures under 32 °F vines, the vine starts to store its leftover (0 °C) will fry your shoot tips and young nutrients in the trunk and root system fruit clusters. Overhead sprinklers, or to keep the vine alive during the cold simply spending some time with a hose and harsh conditions of winter. If your spraying down the vines by hand for an vines show very low vigor, you can toss hour or so, should coat the delicate tis- a few tablespoons of a 15-0-0 fertilizer sues with water, which will freeze over- under each vine to give it some nitrogen Early spring is an exciting time of year in night and insulate the tender tissues like to chew on over the winter. the vineyard as buds break and bloom. an Eskimo in an igloo. Do not fertilize if your vines have You should then fertilize in March adequate vigor during the growing sea- that when you prune, you always want and again in late May. If your vines need son, as excess nitrogen can impede the to leave a selected number of canes an extra boost of vigor, give them some vine’s ability to go into dormancy. (cane-pruned) or spurs (spur or cor- nitrogen fertilizer or a fertilizer with a If you are in a climate where grasses don-trained) from the previous season’s bit of potassium and phosphorous. You can grow through the winter, consider growth. I suggest retaining between 12 may want to give them a small amount growing a cover crop between your (for low vigor) to 30 (for high vigor) of zinc before bloom, as it can improve rows. buds per vine during pruning. The rest For low-vigor sites, plant legumes, of the growth is pruned off and, if clovers and some rye grass for erosion possible, shredded or burned and put control and to add nutrients when back into the vineyard soil. Canes left the crop is turned over into the soil in whole on the ground can also aid mil- spring. For high vigor sites, planting dew and rot, perpetuating their yearly some fescue grass can soak up some cycle. of the excess water and nutrients. Providing competition for high vigor BUDBREAK through BLOOM vines can check excess (rank) growth. (March through June) Allow the fescue grasses to continue As the vines begin to wake and burst growth during the spring, as they will forth with new green growth, it becomes continue competing for water and nutri- obvious that we need to get back into ents as the (high vigor) vines start grow- the vineyard and begin our early spring A well thought out spraying regimen is key ing again. labor. Grapevines are meant to grow to a prosperous grape growing season. Prune the vines in the dead of in areas that have their soil profile fully winter. Most vineyards are pruned in recharged with rainfall each year. Most fruit set if applied judiciously. Vines that January and February, although some soils will be considered “recharged” with grow in balance without added nutrients vineyards can be pruned earlier or a bit 15–20 inches (38–51 cm) of winter rain- do not need to be fertilized.

One common misconception of backyard vineyard ownership is that your work stops once the fruit has been harvested. The tendency is to spend every spare minute with the wine in fermenters, carboys and barrels. later. Note in your journal when your fall. Applying 10–15 gallons (38–57 L) Always remember to spray! You should vines drop their last leaves (in the win- per plant is appropriate at or just before be applying sulfur to your vines every ter) and when the vines experience bud budbreak to leach salts from the soil and 7–14 days depending on mildew pres- swell and budbreak (in the spring). to give the vines the moisture they need sure, starting when the shoots are a few Pruning focuses the vines’ energy to start the new year’s growth. Continue inches long. Do not apply sprays during to produce fruit from specific areas of to irrigate in dry conditions. Plan on flowering, as it can impede the process the vine and keeps the vine from taking giving the vines 4–6 gallons (15–23 L) of of pollination. Mildew loves moist over more trellis space than is intended. supplemental water in any given week weather and temperatures between Fruitfulness is highest on wood that when rainfall is less than a half inch. 65–75 °F (18–24 °C). You should reap- grew the previous year. This means Rainfall of an inch or more in any given ply after measurable rainfall, as the sul-

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 19 fur will wash off and the rain can spread the bursting spores of mildew. Make sure to stop spraying sulfur after the fruit softens, as it can stay on the clusters and cause hydrogen sulfide stink in your wine. Remember that mildew cannot grow on fruit once it hits about 16–18 °Brix. For most home vineyards, a backpack-style sprayer will work fine, while larger vineyards may require a gasoline-powered sprayer that is towed behind an ATV. The key is to run a tank cleaner through your sprayer regularly and to clean the screens and nozzles after each application. Hoe out the weeds from under your vines. Keep the vine row clean

Well managed vineyards should yield clusters of healthy grapes for the bottle and glass!

grapevines. The key to a balanced can- down too quickly. opy that produces top-notch wine is Mature, evolved fruit is more flavor- to have an uncrowded fruit zone with ful and balanced than grapes that dehy- enough sun and wind penetration to drate to get sweet. As the vines continue keep the fruit from being attacked by to grow, you may need to go through mildew or rot. It should also provide them each week to remove new lateral enough shade that the fruit does not shoots, pluck a few more leaves to keep burn. Go through the vines every week the canopy open and healthy. You may or two and remove shoots that are not need to hedge the top of the vines if they supporting fruit. Each fruitful shoot are flopping down and shading the fruit. should have its own space and should If the vines still have actively growing not be crowded by adjacent shoots. shoot tips after the fruit has softened, In general, clusters should not be cut back watering to slow down vege- touching each other. You may also tative growth and promote ripening. If notice that lateral shoots may spring you need a little more ripeness at the from main shoots. These “laterals” cause end of the season, you can turn the crowding and can be removed as well. water off to give the fruit a bump of If you are using shoot-positioning sugar — however, as previously stated, wires, you can start tucking the growing it’s better to have healthy leaves making shoots between the wires to direct the sugar than to have the fruit ripen as the growth upward. result of dehydration. There are a number of trellis options: Directing the growth vertically will Keep the critters away! Ants, bees, Explore which will work best for you. help position the fruit above the cordons wasps, yellow jackets and other insects and canes so that you can remove leaves can exploit weak spots in the grape from weeds and grasses. Also, remove and have all the fruit at the same height. skins and make a mess of your clusters. noxious weeds from between the rows This is important for sun exposure and Compromised grape skins can start a rot while they are small and before they go uniformity of ripening. problem, so you need to be vigilant early to seed. Careful hoeing will allow you to in the season in controlling insect pop- decide what grows in your vineyard. You BERRY-SOFTENING ulations. Once the insects are eating the also want to “sucker” your vines, which (Early ripening through harvest) fruit it’s too late for any control strategy. means removing all growing shoots Think of this period of vine growth and Search out and destroy wasp and yellow below the head of the vine (and out of fruit maturity as the fourth quarter of a jacket hives near the vineyard before the the trunk or the dirt). The earlier you big game. You’ve trained, practiced, put fruit is sweet. You should also put out “sucker,” the easier it will be. This helps in the work and now you need to finish baits for ants to keep populations down direct the vine’s nutrients to correctly strong to win. Do whatever is necessary before the heat of summer. positioned and fruitful shoots. to keep the fruit clean and the critters Bird netting is a good way to keep Begin managing the canopy of your at bay. Don’t allow your vines to shut your fruit from “flying away.” Erect a

20 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES fence or rescue a few greyhounds to keep may result in some fresh suggestions and Woods Wine LLC the deer and other mammal pests off improvements. A Backyard Vineyard your fruit. Taking the time and effort to grow Consulting Company Be aware of the weather, but don’t your own wine grapes requires persever- freak out. Be wise when deciding when ance and character. There is something to pick your fruit. Remember that deli- extraordinary about creating wine from cious fruit makes delicious wine, so use water, elbow-grease and a piece of earth. your own sense of taste (along with Brix In a world that seems so rushed and and pH testing) to decide on a picking prepackaged, there is a slow, honest date. A pH meter won’t be drinking authenticity about continuing the tradi- your wine, so learn to trust your own tion of home winegrowing. It reminds palate. If a huge storm is coming and me of that old aphorism, “tickle the your fruit is tasting really good, you may earth with a hoe, and she laughs with a want to pick before the big rains hit. A harvest.” little rain won’t destroy your crop but it Ed Kwiek Consultant/Owner may lower the sugar content and push SUMMARY harvest back a week or so. You need to As the articles in this section indicate, (585) 730-2681 [email protected] weigh your decision to pick carefully and establishing a vineyard can be a costly WoodsWine.com try to be as patient as possible. A wise and time-consuming endeavor. For the Experience since 2000 vineyardist feels the right day to pick. committed home winemaker, however, Trust your instincts and your palate and the extra effort may bring a whole Backyard Vineyard Planning keep a grape-growing journal! new level of enjoyment to the hobby. and Installation Assistance It is not unusual for vineyardists to Any effort you make to research your at your site anywhere in make the same mistakes every year as a options and learn what has worked (or near) NY State, and result of forgetting the challenges they locally before you start installing your remote support via email faced the previous vintage. If you jot vineyard will pay large dividends in the and telephone anywhere in North Eastern and down a few notes each season, you have long run. North Central US. a better chance of tweaking your practic- In the next section of this special es and improving your wine quality with issue, we’ll discuss choosing a rootstock each year. for your vines, how to plant dormant Invite an expert over for dinner and grapevines and how to manage the early good wine. Having another vineyard part of your growing season, especially ® / owner walk through your backyard vines around budbreak. ® THE ® BEGINNER’S guide!

FEATURES 88 knowledge-packed pages of brewing & winemaking know-how!

two GREAT HOBBIES in one GREAT ISSUE! Available at better homebrew and winemaking retailers or order today by calling 802-362-3981 Online at www.brewyourownstore.com

* Attention homebrew & winemaking supply shop owners – call us today at 802-362-3981 to discuss volume discounts to resell the Beginner’s Guide in your shop!

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 21 All photos by Wes Hagen & Illustrations Don Martin SPRING IN THE VINEYARD

22 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES rescued and released a pair of gophers, the European starling, the glassy-winged CHOOSING A sharpshooter and other vineyard pests.) Starting in the late Paleolithic and ROOTSTOCK throughout the Neolithic period, mankind began to dabble in collecting wild grapes and making wine. This process became more agricultural by the 4th fun historic journey back to the prehis- Millennia BCE, when it’s clear that tory and the early scientific study of the Europeans living between the Black and grapevine. Caspian Seas were domesticating grape- Two hundred million years ago vines in their villages and planting their there was only one continent and grape- first vineyards. Clearly the history of vines as we know them didn’t exist yet. mankind growing grapes specifically for While a single land mass dominated wine goes back at least 6,000 years and the face of the earth, the grapevine was maybe as long ago as 10,000 years. We evolving and changing slowly. When the know that some of the first fired pottery continents separated (by 150 million shards that have been carbon dated to years ago they were already taking the 6500 BCE show that wine was carried distinct shapes we recognize today), the in these sealed pots — and if wine was grapevines began to adapt to the rapid- being transported more than 8,000 years ly changing environments where they ago, it’s easy to imagine that it was being found themselves. To make a geologi- made and experimented with for many cally long story short: grapevines gen- generations previous. erally evolved into three classifications: Planting a home vineyard in this American vine varieties, Asian varieties age was easy. It was all done with clip- and the European/Middle Eastern/North pings off the last year’s vintage. Slips African family of vines that most of us of dormant grapevine wood were kept use today for our wine production. moist in the fall and winter and planted Charles Darwin spent many years in the ground before spring warmed up. studying the grapevine in his laboratory When the moist soil warmed, the dor- in Kent, England, and wrote that the mant wood pushed roots out of the buds vine was one of the most perfect exam- below the ground, and shoots on the ples of evolution in all of nature. In buds in the sun. Voila! A new vineyard “The Movement and Habits of Climbing was just that easy. Plants” (1865), Darwin writes, “It is, At this point we can fast forward also, an interesting fact that intermediate past thousands of years of grape grow- states between organs fitted for widely ing and the proliferation of vineyards different functions, may be observed throughout the ancient world. In fact, on the same individual plant of . . . the we can keep our camera lens focused on common vine; and these cases illustrate Charles Darwin, who continues to be in a striking manner the principle of the protagonist of our long and involved the gradual evolution of species.” More story of how rootstocks were invented specifically, a grapevine can produce and used. England is both the culprit a cluster or a tendril from the same and the hero of this part of the story. There was aT time when grapevine vine- node — which means a vine can assess British botanists were busy collecting yards were planted with only 18” (46- its environment at any time during the American plants — cataloging and giv- cm) cuttings from existing grapevines. early growing season and produce either ing them all proper Latin names, when A few buds went under the ground and fruit for reproduction, or a tendril to an insect escaped their laboratories and few buds were left above the ground. help the vine climb to a higher, sunnier wreaked havoc on British vineyards and Vines would root on their own and a spot where reproduction would likely be then hopped the Channel to decimate vineyard was basically free to plant if more successful. the vineyards of Europe. you knew someone you could secure Grapevines get love in religious cir- The bug, of course, was phylloxera some cuttings from. Since the discus- cles, too. The Bible says that when God — a root louse that has existed alongside sion of choosing a rootstock can quickly flooded the earth, the one dude he chose American grapevines for millennia. But become bogged down in very specific to save was a viticulturist. When Noah when the insect had unrestricted access (and often boring) discussions of soil waded off the ark, the first thing he did to the unprotected vineyards of Europe, types, vigor and site specificity, let’s at was to plant a vineyard. (I won’t ask the results were devastating. Within a least jazz up the subject slightly with a the obvious questions, such as why he few decades up to 90% of all European

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 23 vineyards were destroyed by the single the view espoused in Darwin’s “On the PHYLLOXERA RESISTANCE: This is bug. The French did all they could to Origin of Species,” cannot be ignored important to understand only if there fight the scourge. But with only their in the history of winegrape production, is no phylloxera in your home area. If provincial understanding of viticulture, and moving forward into the arena of there is no threat of the dreaded vine and without Darwin to help them, they suggesting rootstocks for your vineyard, aphid, you don’t need a strong resistance tried solving the problem with methods let’s all take a moment to reflect and to it. Also realize phylloxera doesn’t do that seem ludicrous to our modern, sci- toast the man who changed the world well in sand or highly sandy soils, so if entific minds: they buried a toad at the and saved European wine, albeit indi- you’re growing on sand, and have no base of each vine “to draw the poison rectly: Charles Robert Darwin. problems with nematodes, you may be out.” It didn’t work. In the fifteen years Finding a rootstock that works lucky enough to grow grapevines on between 1874 and 1889, wine produc- in your backyard vineyard is a fairly their own, girly, tender, Euro roots! tion in France dropped by almost 70%. simple procedure. I’ve simplified the Hey, I would have buried toads too if I process down a little bit to make sure VIGOR: While the vigor of a rootstock thought it would have helped. that we won’t waste time talking about will have an impact on the growth cycle So, how does Darwin come back rootstocks that are not available to you. of the vineyard, it won’t likely be a game into the story? Without the new idea Here’s a list of the process for finding changer. Use it as a tool to moderate that animals and plants adapt to their rootstocks: vigor. On rich soils, you may want to native environments and protect them- • Find a grapevine nursery that has use a lower vigor rootstock that matches selves from native pests, it is unlikely the best selection of grapevines and your other needs (1 to three x’s in the that any scientist would have been able rootstocks that grow well in your part of column), while in a sandier or shallow to suggest the use of grafted American the country. soil, choose a rootstock that will give rootstocks for the rescue of European • Note which rootstocks are available you heightened vigor (4x’s +). Having vineyards. Scientists primed by Darwin’s from that nursery. an efficient rootstock in a poor soil revolutionary work, such as Charles • Find those rootstocks on the chart will help save you lots of fertilizer and Riley and others, understood that at http://www.californiagrapevine.com compost to get the vineyard in balance, American grapevines would have devel- /images/Chart%202.pdf. but again, don’t think the rootstock will oped resistances to phylloxera over the • Match up the “Best Soil and change a low-vigor site to a high vigor millions of years they had been living in Climate Conditions” column with the site by itself. balance with the nasty American bug. conditions in your geographic location. And amazingly, vines that had • Ask the professionals at the nursery COMPARATIVE MATURITY RATES: been separated by hundreds of millions if your decision sounds like a good one. . As with vigor, only expect about a 10% of years of geographic isolation were influence (maximum) between early fused by grafting so that a European Here’s a quick breakdown of what each and late maturity ratings. Expect an variety such as Cabernet Sauvignon column describes and why it matters: influence, but not a massive change in could grow fruit on the grafted root- performance. stock of an American vine variety. Only ROOTSTOCK: This is the given name a few American varieties showed great of the rootstock, and will be the name ADAPTATION TO DROUGHT and promise in protecting grapes in phyl- you will use to order it. The rootstock is “WET FEET”: Choose at least “fair” loxera-ravaged areas. Vitis berlandieri, V. usually expressed as a descriptive term designation for drought if you plan to riparia and V. rupestris were the stron- (ie: Harmony) or a series of numbers irrigate ion-dry, arid areas. “Wet feet” gest three candidates, and most of our and letters (ie: 5C). When describing a adaptation is more important in areas of modern rootstocks are hybridized from vineyard block, the cultivar (grape) and high rainfall where the soil may stay wet these great native grapevine varieties. All rootstock are commonly described as a for a good part of the growing season. three of these varieties can be found in single combination separated by a for- Realize that if you plant a rootstock with Texas riverbeds, but V. riparia also can ward slash, such as Pinot Noir 115/5C. poor or fair resistance to drought, that be found as far north as Quebec, and it That would denote Pinot Noir (the the vine can shut down more quickly is cold hardy to minus 40 °F (4 °C). varietal), 115 (the cultivar or “clone” of in the summer if it suffers from water So evolutionary theory saved the Pinot Noir), and the rootstock in that stress. In other words, apply extra water European grapevine, and soon French, block, or on that vine: 5C in periods of heat to keep the vine from Spanish and Italian vineyards were shutting down early. replanted using American rootstock PARENTAGE: The (usually) American and began to produce a good crop once grapevines that were hybridized or NEMATODE RESISTANCE: You may again. European vineyards are planted adapted into the rootstock in question. need to talk to a university or a soil spe- with US-based rootstocks to this day, as Note that the prefix “Vitis” has been cialist (or a local grape grower) to see if a better solution has yet to be offered or left off each variety of roostock, so for you have to worry about nematodes in proved. Such a fundamental shift in the instance, 101-14 rootstock is actually a your area. Nematodes lay their vicious way mankind viewed the natural world, hybrid of V. berlandieri x V. riparia. little eggs in your vine roots, and when

24 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES they hatch the larvae feed on the young, tender roots. American rootstock adapts by sending out new, bifurcated, roots while Euro vines have no resistance and the impacted root zone will not recover. For areas with higher nematode populations, choose a more resistant stock.

ROOTING QUALITY: Deeper, richer soils require less rooting quality, while shallow, hard soils may require at least a fair to good designation to get the vines to spread out and penetrate tough soil.

FIELD BUDDING QUALITY: This only applies if you are buying 100% rootstock vines to plant and then graft in future vintages. This is usually done in rare situations where someone wants to start the rootstock in the vineyard to get it developed/mature, but the scion material most desired won’t be available for a year or more. Buying grafted vines (with both rootstock and scions already joined and healed) is recommended.

BEST SOIL AND CLIMATE CONDITIONS: Pay special attention to this column, as making an accurate match will save you a lot of headaches down the line. Some viticulturists would argue that a list like this is only hypo- thetical. Our true understanding of rootstocks and where they belong is more anecdotal than scientific. I’m excited to have at least a starting point for matching stock to the soil/climate, and use the knowledge here, even if partially anecdotal, for best (or at least improved) results.

OTHER UNIQUE QUALITIES: You don’t likely need to go through these descriptors/recommendations until you’ve narrowed down your choices to a few rootstocks. Then check to see if this last column can tip the scales. For example, maybe you have a bit of lime in your soil or you know that crown gall can be a problem in your state. A chart of popular rootstocks, should provide enough information to make a scientific and viticulturally sound decision on choosing a rootstock for your backyard. With the right rootstock, the vines will be matched to the soil and resistant to predation by insect pests that

would destroy your roots. ®

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 25 ery wants to know what their customers need in advance. This knowledge aids PLANTING them in deciding what scion material — sometimes called clone material — to graft onto rootstock to prepare orders. DORMANT Vines that are going to be planted in an area with known soil pests, such as GRAPEVINES nematodes or phylloxera, are commonly planted on hardy, disease-resistant rootstocks. These rootstocks are bred from native vines, which are resistant to American soil pests. (See the previous article in this section for advice on chossing a rootstock.) Call a good nursery at least a few months before spring and let them know how many vines you will need. Be sure to specify that you want to purchase dormant grapevines. Make sure the type (cultivar) of vines you order —Norton, Chardonnay, Merlot or whatever variety you choose — are appropriate for your climate and vineyard. Order ten percent more vines than you think you will need. The extras will come in handy in case you need a few extra or miscounted. It’s easy to plant them, according to the directions below or nurseryman about how grapevines — but at two-foot by two-foot spacing, will grow in your specific locale. Ply the in an out-of-the-way corner of your local experts with kindness and wine, vineyard. The following year you can dig and ask every question you can come them up, trim the roots and growth, and up with. You may also need to ply some use them to replace the vines that didn’t friends with beer to get them to help out take in the “official” vineyard. over the growing season. As my favorite Call the nursery every few months wine-country truism goes, “It takes a lot and give them updates on when you’d of beer to make wine.” like the dormant vines taken out of cold storage and delivered. The best Ordering Dormant Vines time for delivery is usually in the spring EstablishingE a vineyard is an exciting I suggest that you plant dormant grape- after the possibility of hard frosts has and rewarding adventure. Like all of vines because they establish themselves passed. Dormant vines are usually dug life’s challenges, your success or fail- — start growing and adapting — in the up deep in dormancy (during the win- ure will be dictated by the amount of piece of ground where they are going to ter), trimmed, and then bundled into research, planning, effort and persever- live permanently. Green-growing grape- 20–25 vine bunches, tied together and ance you exhibit throughout the process. vines were raised in a sheltered envi- bagged. The bags of grapevines are filled If you’ve read the articles in the first sec- ronment and often die in the field from with moist wood chips and put in a tion, you know one thing is certain — exposure or shock. While many wilted large wooden crate that is also filled with there’s a lot to do before putting vines green-growing vines will sprout second- moist wood chips. into the ground. Your vineyard “system” ary buds and do fine in the long run, my needs to be in perfect working condition experience has shown me that dormant Plant Requirements before vines can be planted. You need to vines are clearly the smart choice for Plant after the worst threat of frost is install the trellising and install and test planting material. over and the ground begins to warm. In the irrigation equipment. The soil needs Purchase dormant vines early to California, this is usually around March to be tested. In addition, vineyard pests make sure the nursery has the exact or April, but will obviously be later for need to be held in check. Installing a materials you are looking for. Ordering cooler parts of the continent. Deciding vineyard is not something you do on a early assures you don’t have to settle when to plant is tricky. The earlier you whim some weekend. for “leftovers.” I recommend you order plant, the more growth you will get in Before planting a vineyard, it is dormant grapevines up to one year the first year, but there will also be a advisable to talk to a local horticulturist before planting. A good grapevine nurs- greater chance of frost damage. You can

26 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES plant grapevines all the way through late spots inside the vine’s tissue, chase spring to early summer, so don’t rush it. the delivery driver off your property, You can even plant in June or July, but wielding the diseased wood like a knife, you won’t get as much growth your first shouting threats of litigation. year. A vineyard is a long-term invest- The “head,” or top, of the vine ment, so there’s no reason to put the should have been trimmed at the nurs- vines in the ground until you and the ery to a two-bud spur. If this trimming soil are absolutely ready. not been done, just count the small, Dormant grapevines are vines that bumpy buds on the spur and cut have been grafted to rootstock, or grown through the third bud to concentrate the on their own roots, at least a year pre- vine’s growth. viously. The grapevines were put in the soil and allowed to callous and grow for Planting Dormant Grapevines a season. They were then taken out of Now that you’ve guaranteed you have the ground, trimmed, placed in moist good dormant planting materials, you wood shavings, and put in cold storage should be ready to prepare the vines for in bundles for delivery to vineyards. planting. The vines should be warmed to The cold temperatures in storage the ambient temperature of the vineyard A grapevine must be prepared before it is put — usually about 35–40° F (1.6–4.4° C ) site over five to ten days before planting. in the ground. The roots must be trimmed and the “head” clipped. — give the vines their “chilling require- However, you want the vines to remain ment” as well as keeping them from moist so they don’t dry out needlessly. growing before they are planted. For a Most vines come in bagged bundles vine to have successful budbreak and to of twenty or so. You can either open the be fruitful, it needs 250 hours per winter bags or poke holes in them. Keep them below 45 °F (7.2 °C), although many in a shaded area, still enclosed in moist regions get over 800 hours of chilling. sawdust and shavings, while they acclimate. If the sawdust dries out during Receiving Dormant Vines this process, just hose down the bags Most dormant grapevines are already until moist again. two to four years old, and are fairly Take the vines out of the bags and hearty, with trunks almost as thick as a sawdust the night before planting. Soak man’s finger. When your vines arrive, the roots in 5-gallon (19-L) buckets of I suggest you cut a few up in front of water. The tops of the vines can stick the driver or salesman to show you are out of the water, or you can soak them serious. Make sure the center of the in larger bins so that the entire vine gets vine still shows green tissue. The vines soaked. Take the vines into the field in should bend and not snap like a dry these same buckets — you can use the stick. Ensure there are uniform, bulging water in the buckets to give the planted The vine should be placed in the ground so calluses at the graft union. Hold the vines a first drink. that the graft union is four to six inches above bulging top of the vine — where the last Don’t make the mistake of taking the soil line. year’s growth has been trimmed to a too many vines into a sunny field to single “spur” — and bend it gently back plant. You do not want the vines to and forth to make sure it is still green be out of water, soil or moist sawdust and elastic. Dormant vines that break for more than an hour before they are hole digger or a narrow-bladed planting at the graft union — where rootstock planted to avoid dehydration. shovel, and another helper following meets the clone wood or scion wood Each vine should be removed from behind to plant the vines. The hole — are of poor quality and will provide the water bucket as it’s planted. Trim the should be about 6 inches (15 cm) across more headaches than pleasure. root tips with sharp pruning shears so and at least 18–20 inches (46–51 cm) When you sign the invoice saying that the root ends will be vital and fresh deep. Do not just stick a shovel in the you have received the vines in good when put in contact with soil. I usually ground, yank it back and forth to open a condition, make sure you feel comfort- take the entire root bundle in my hand, crevice and toss a vine in. Do everything able that your vines are of acceptable stretch the roots out like I was giving you can to assure the walls of your hole quality. Many times vines sold to home them a haircut, and then trim the last are loose and not compacted further vineyards are the ends of odd lots that few inches of all the roots with a quick than the soil would be naturally. nurseries are trying to get rid of. snipping motion, taking care to cut off I also recommend planting while Cut a randomly selected vine in half broken or crushed roots as well. the soil is still moist to make digging with a sharp knife, and then bend the Efficiency is key to the planting of easy. Turn on your irrigation system halves to check that they are green and dormant vines. I recommend having a until the soil is moist, but not muddy, somewhat elastic. If you see dark, gooey strong helper digging holes with a post- or wait until after a light spring rain to

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 27 only about 18 inches (46 cm) long and green growth poking out from the soil use the butt end to compact the soil as mounds. At this point, carefully loosen we fill it back in. We use the hoe end to the soil mounds on a cool, cloudy day pull dirt into the planting crevice. Pack and remove them so the natural soil well, but don’t damage the roots. level is restored. It is also important to make sure that the graft union is at least 4 to 6 Now What? inches (10 to 15 cm) above the finished Planting a vineyard is hard work, but soil level, as the vine will settle a bit in here’s some good news — once a vine is the dirt. If you are planting on root- planted and established, it’s pretty hard stock, the graft union is the bulge a few to kill. inches under the “spur” where new If you get decent rainfall and have growth will sprout on the top of the a mild winter, your vines should grow vine. If you bury the graft union, roots healthy and produce fruit for making will sprout underground from above the wine. Rainfall in the range of 20– rootstock, and the vines will prefer them 30 inches (51–76 cm) per year seems to the stock. You will soon have vines about optimal and, for best results, win- When the vine is first planted, a mound of growing from their own roots rather ter temperatures should not hover con- soil should be made over it. The soil protects than from the rootstock, which defeats stantly below 14 °F (-10 °C). If you get the vine as it acclimates. the purpose of rootstock. eighty-five percent of the vines to take If you have training stakes in the and grow, consider your home vineyard vineyard, plant the vine so that it is no planting a success. further than a few inches from the stake, Once the vines are in the ground, with the “spur” turned inward so that it you have about three years until you almost touches the vertical stake. This have usable wine grapes. During those will make it easy to tie growing shoots years, the vines will need to be cared for to the stake. and tended to. Elsewhere in this issue, I’ll tell you in detail how to care for your Review and Mounding vineyard during its first few years. For Make sure you keep the vines moist and now I’ll just supply a quick overview of cool prior to planting. Trim the roots, these critical years. make a deep hole and position the vine Once the vines sprout, you’ll have with your hand to a correct depth that to start thinking about vine training. keeps the graft union above the ground. Initially, stakes are used to support the I tell my planters I want the union four growing vines. You should start staking finger-widths above the finished soil when the longest vines reach about six level. Then sweep the soil back into the inches in length. The shorter vines in hole, packing it firmly in with the butt that bunch should be removed, leaving During the first year, a single shoot grows end of a sawed-off hoe. Don’t leave air only the longest vine to grow upward. up the stake towards the trellis wires. Other gaps in the soil. This would be an appro- At this point, some vineyards use grow shoots are clipped. priate time to water the vine to help the tubes, which are slender plastic tubes soil settle and soak the root area. that surround the vine, to thwart pests. plant. I like to pour about 0.5 gallon (~2 Once you have compacted the soil If the vine’s growth seems stunted, you L) of water into the hole before plant- back to the natural soil level, you’re still probably have less nitrogen in the soil ing and refilling to make sure the soil not quite done. You need to make a soft than the vine would prefer for full, vig- beneath the newly-planted vine is moist. soil mound over the part of the vine that orous growth. High nitrogen levels are Although it’s not standard practice, it’s protrudes from the ground. Use soft, not good for established vines that are something that we do here at the vine- broken soil — not hard clumps — and producing fruit, but young vines can yard and it seems to increase the chances cover the vine so that the whole vine benefit from the application of some of a vine establishing itself. has one to two inches of soil covering nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Drop the vine in the hole and then it. This keeps the growth buds moist If you’re lucky, the vine will reach spread the roots out so roots are facing and protected from the sun as the vine the top of the stake by the end of the the sides of the hole, as well as facing acclimates. It will also discourage rabbits first year. In the second year, your vines down into the subsoil. Packing the dirt and other pests from nibbling off new should start growing on the trellis and back into the hole, around the vine, is growth as it emerges. Loosen the top by year three you should have grapes. an art form in itself. We cut the handle of the mound if it dries and begins to And once you have grapes . . . well, you

off a standard garden hoe so that it’s clump. Within a few weeks, you will see know what comes next. ®

28 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES It is vital to hit the vines with an application of fungicide, whether it be sulfur, SPRING horticultural oil, copper, synthetics or a mix. Do this right away. Being vigilant BUDBREAK with a spraying schedule will keep massive outbreaks from hurting your crop — if you can knock down the spores before the tiny grape clusters emerge, you will save yourself a lot of grief later. Some viticulturists like to wait until there is two inches of shoot growth to begin spraying fungicides. But the sooner you can knock down those active spores, the better. With an arsenal of sulfur, a surfactant mixed in for added efficacy and perhaps a spray of two percent horticultural oil as the buds are emerging, the backyard viticulturist should be able to wage a good war on fungal disease. Copper can be extremely helpful, too, if you are in an area that has problems with downy mildew. Remember that wettable-sulfur application (which is an approved organic practice) only kills germinating spores of powdery mildew. In other words, it slows its progress but does not affect existing infections, and many scientists think it’s actually the vapors (SO2) produced by applying sulfur that head of the vine — begin to swell, or stop mildew from growing. push, and they get fuzzy and elongated. Sulfur is most effective at tempera- According to my UC Davis text- tures above 60 °F (15 °C) and less than book, “Budbreak occurs at the stage 90 °F (32 °C). Early in the season, it’s of development when green tissue important to make sure, as I mentioned becomes visible at the tip of the bud.” above, to include a surfactant in the (University of California, “Grape Pest wettable sulfur mix to make it more Management,” Second Edition, 1992.) effective. Only use this wettable mixture I have noticed in my California from 2 inches (5 cm) of shoot growth to vineyard that often the emerging tissue bloom — using it after bloom may leave is a lovely red color and, as soon as the unwanted amounts of sulfur on your Budbreak is an exciting time in the back- vine begins to photosynthesize, the tis- grapes and in your finished wine. Most yard vineyard. For months now, you’ve sue then becomes milky green. vineyard consultants would suggest the had to explain to the neighbors and hol- Taking the proper steps during and method of powder-sulfur dusting after iday visitors that your vines aren’t dead, shortly after budbreak will make your bloom and before berry-softening, when they’re just taking a nap and getting next growing season a lot easier. I’ve no more sulfur should be applied. ready to produce the next vintage. When broken down a number of issues you’ll High application rates of sulfur cou- budbreak occurs, your neighbors will have to deal with at the beginning of the pled with temperatures above 96 °F finally be convinced that your vines are winegrape growing season, explained (35 °C) can cause foliar burn, so if indeed vibrant and healthy. their importance and tried to give as you’re expecting a heat wave, keep your In my vineyard in Santa Barbara many helpful tips as possible. applications below five pounds-per-acre, County, California, budbreak occurs in or one pound of wettable sulfur (I use mid-March. When your backyard vines Start Spraying Thiolux) in 20 gallons (76 L) of water. will begin to grow again is a function The first topic I’d like to discuss in the For those who like to stay on a of the weather and the warmth of your context of budbreak is mildew and regular schedule for vineyard practices, soil. When it starts to happen, the first fungal diseases. Remember that spores applying sulfur to the young shoots once thing you’ll notice is that the buds — of powdery and downy mildew often a week should be more than enough, they almost look like soft thorns on the “overwinter” between the dormant cane even if it rains on them a little bit. If dormant canes and point away from the and the bud shield and in bark crevices. you get hit by a deluge, I recommend

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 29 The special time of budbreak marks the beginning of a brand-new vintage and reminds me that I can fine-tune my vineyard cultural practices to get a balanced vine . . .

Jack Frost Nipping Your Merlot Sustained temperatures below 26 °F (-3.3 °C) can cause irreparable frost damage to young shoots, growing tips and fruit clusters. At Clos Pepe we had to spend almost a thousand dollars per acre to set up sprinkler systems to protect our vineyard from frost, but the backyard viticulturist should be able to make due with a few hoses and a tripod-sprinkler. Keep your eye on the weather report, and when the temperature dips near 25 °F (-3.8 °C ), turn those sprinklers on Budbreak is an indication that the growing season has begun in earnest — and a signal that you need to start spraying, weeding and protecting the vineyard from pests. before the freeze to coat the young clusters with water. The water will freeze, doing a touch-up application after the through the main taproot. When I see a making a little “cluster-sicle,” and the ice storm. Heavy rain will wash sulfur off vine in my vineyard that looks stunted will insulate the grapes. and spread fungal spores from shoot to or virused, I dig up around the roots and Crystallization of water into ice shoot, cane to cane and plant to plant. look for gopher damage. Ninety percent releases energy as heat and keeps the of the time gophers are to blame. young shoots and berries from being Clear Out the Critters Although I am a sustainable farm- damaged, so be sure to keep those sprin- If the soil is warm enough to push er with lots of cute, fuzzy pets, I show klers running as long as the tempera- shoots from the dormant vine, chances no mercy to gophers. I trap them. You tures are in the 20’s. It’s not just the ice are the gophers and other mammalian may well have trouble with deer, too, that keeps the young berries safe, it’s the root-munchers are also waking up. Left so keep an eye out for large herbivores process of the water turning into ice. unchecked, gophers will treat your vine- roaming the vineyard looking for snacks. In California, if your vineyard is on yard like a smorgasbord. They’ll make According to some farmers I’ve talked top of a hill or on a slope, you might not tunnels that run right along the root sys- with, loud noises and mountain lion need to frost protect, because of cold tem, and may well kill a vine by gnawing scent are effective deterrents. air’s tendency to move downhill and

30 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES settle in low-lying areas. Keeping weeds their roots to dry out many times during and grasses mowed will help as well. The the season. A vine’s root system can get smoother and cleaner your vineyard “wet feet” if left soaking for too long. floor, the harder it will be for frost to This will cause the roots to decompose develop on the trellis and the vine. and lose efficiency, or even kill the vine. It has also been shown in studies Feed the Need of Oakville Cabernet by the University Budbreak is a perfect time to give the of California at Davis that early season vines a little nitrogen and zinc if they water-deficit irrigation (not watering the need it. Nitrogen keeps a vine vigorous vines early in the season) can keep vigor- and green. If your vines were stunted ous vines from growing too much veg- and a little yellow last year, give them etatively. This helps keep sun flecks on a little hit of nitrogen at budbreak. Ask the fruit, promotes a healthy, open can- your local nursery person to suggest a opy and creates wines that rate higher in product and application rate. For an blind tastings than vines that received a organic source, try a handful of chicken lot of early season water. manure or bat guano. You can also use a scoop of organic compost under each A Long Row to Hoe vine every year to keep the soil full of The last task for the new growing season microbiological activity and diversity. is to hoe, mow or cultivate the weeds If the vine is healthy and vigorous, from within the vine row. Weeds and do not supplement the plant with addi- grasses growing close to the vines will tional nitrogen. Too much vigor will compete for water and nutrients. I don’t cause excessive fruit shading and might recommend using Roundup® or any ripen the fruit too quickly, and might other defoliant in your vineyard because also hinder the vine’s ability to go dor- it will negatively impact the diverse life mant later in the season. within the first few inches of the soil. After the shoots have elongated and It will kill beneficial soil fungi as well the leaves are becoming fully expand- as earthworms. Although 99 percent of ed, you can give the vines zinc if they California vineyards still use defoliants, need it. Steve Matthiasson, of the Lodi- I don’t think they would if they could Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, see how it is sterilizing their soil. Some recommends applying zinc two weeks organic viticulturists go so far as to before bloom to increase berry set. imply that contact herbicides can open Zinc deficiency is easy to see in the up niche space for the phylloxera vine grape clusters or on a leaf. A grapevine pest, which is something that no one leaf looks a little like a “spade” symbol wants to do. on a playing card. If the nice round The special time of budbreak marks “bulges” on either side of the “petiole” the beginning of a brand-new vintage or leaf stem are not clearly apparent (the and reminds me that I can fine-tune my leaf loses its spade shape and becomes vineyard cultural practices to get a bal- more like a circle), you probably have anced vine and delicious wine. The more some zinc deficiency. work you put in at the beginning of the Poor berry set can also be a sign growing season, the easier it will be for of zinc deficiency, especially “hens and you to relax and enjoy the craft of viti- chicks” (grapes that are of differing size culture as the season progresses. and shape). Ask your nursery for a zinc Problems that do not get addressed product and use as directed. now will be harder to correct for as the

growing season continues. ® Water, But Not Too Much Unless you live in an area with very Special thanks to Steve Matthiasson sandy soils, or in a locale that receives of the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape less than 15 inches (38 cm) of rainfall Commission, who reviewed this article. He during the winter, your vines will have helped me understand more about the rela- plenty of water to use at the beginning tionship between viticulturist and vineyard. of the growing season. Don’t give a vine All backyard vineyardists can benefit from more water than it can use. Vines need reading the materials offered by

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 31 suckering (removal of unnecessary and EARLY SPRING basal shoots) Now let’s discuss how to accomplish VINEYARD these goals out in your vineyard: Water and Nutrition MANAGEMENT As the vines wake up from dormancy and start to grow, they are wholly dependent on the water and nutrition that is available at root-level. It is vitally important that the soil be moist to saturated. The vine will decide at budbreak just how vigorous to grow, based mostly on nitrogen availability and water status. Water is a tool that can impact vigor both ways. If your vineyard grows too vigorously and rank, it would be better not to apply water in the early spring. This may retard overly vigorous growth and may help you produce better balance in the backyard vineyard. Inversely, if your vineyard is low-vigor or stunted, heavy applications of water (and some supplemental nitrogen) can help fos- ter a more vigorous growing cycle. In most areas of the U.S., winter rains and snows will saturate the soil profile so no supplemental irrigation will be needed for the first few months after budbreak. Vines like to have their roots dry out between watering, so by using a soil The biggest change in my own vine- probe, an irrometer or a shovel, be yard management practices in the 10+ aware of the water status of your soil 3–5 seasons that I’ve grown grapes has been feet (1–1.5 m) down. Once the soil has how to handle the vineyard between dried out at 3 feet (1 m), it’s a good time budbreak and bloom. We have brought to start offering the vines some addition- our 6-person crew into the vineyard al irrigation. much earlier in the past few years, and As far as nutrients and fertilizer have found that the early work we finish go, the beginning of the season is an B is much more economical than coming excellent time to give the vines some back and trying to “fix” the canopy after NPK “breakfast” as they wake up, Budbreak represents the end of the win- it has filled the trellis. In this spirit, I but only if your vineyard needs a little ter’s “vacation” and the beginning of a hope to share some of our early-season push in vigor. NPK stands for nitrogen, vitally important managerial period in tricks in vineyard management and phosphorous, potassium. The hyphen- the vineyard. describe how getting into the vineyard ated numbers on the label of fertilizers Between budbreak and bloom, early can save you lots of hassles at the represents these components. If a label winegrowers are offered the chance to middle and end of the growing season. reads 15-15-15, the product provides get a head start on the growing season to In the early season, here is what we 15% of each of the three macronutrients make decisions and finish vineyard prac- need to accomplish: by weight of the product. tices that will dictate the relative ease • Make sure the vines have adequate Never fertilize a vineyard if the or difficulty in finishing a year’s vine water and nutrition leaves are green and healthy and the farming. The purpose of this article is to • Keep mildew and early season shoot vines are growing with adequate vigor. define and detail the practices that can blight from effecting the vines’ health Fertilization should be restricted only to be accomplished in the first few months and vigor vineyards that are struggling to produce of a vine’s growth cycle, explain why • Protect the vines from frost uniform canes with moderate vigor. If they are important to final wine quali- • Control weeds your vineyard naturally produces a clus- ty, and how to assess your early season • Set a firm foundation for canopy man- ter of fruit for every 12–15 leaves, you efforts in the vineyard. agement through shoot removal and are naturally balanced without fertiliza-

32 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES tion and don’t need to add anything. crop and poor wine quality in home grapevine, activates in two year cycles. If the vineyard is overly vigorous, you vineyards. If you have a serious ear- A heavy mildew infection in a vineyard may want to reduce any supplemental ly-season botrytis shoot blight problem may increase mildew pressure in subse- irrigation, making sure the soil dries in — brown rotting spots at the base of quent years, and will worsen until effec- late spring and early summer, which will tender shoots or the tips of the tendrils, tive control is managed. send a message to the vines; don’t get or shoot tips are turning black and dying too big and bushy! — you may need to check with your local Frost From a previous article, here is a nursery about options for botrytis control. Sustained temperatures below 32 °F generalized list of what a vine loses each Another serious issue I’ve seen in a (0 °C) can cause damage to the green, year in nutrients when you produce and number of my home-vineyard consul- growing parts of the vine, especial- harvest a crop of grapes (see Table 1 on tations is underpowered and inadequate ly young shoots and fruit clusters. page 34). spray equipment for mature canopy. If Maintaining a bare vineyard floor will Many backyard soils in the United you are stuck using a backpack sprayer help keep the cold air from “sticking” in States provide these nutrients naturally and continually have problems with your vineyard (it should move downhill to the vines, year after year. This chart mildew even when you stick to your like flowing water). Pay special attention does not imply that all vineyards need to spray schedule, the problem may well be to areas of your home vineyard that are have these nutrients added. If your vines spray penetration. To be effective, you located on low ground. When deciding produce vigorous, green growth and need to get full coverage on the vine, on a location for your home vineyard, good fruit year after year without adding including the interior of the canopy it is advisable in frost-prone climates to fertilizer, there is no need to add further when the vines have filled in the trellis put the vineyard on a hillside where the amendments later in the season. If you have an ATV cold air can flow away. Dormant vines The biggest change in my own vineyard management practices in the 10+ seasons that I’ve grown grapes has been how to handle the vineyard between budbreak and bloom.

or nutrients. Stunted, low-yielding or or a Gator-style ranch vehicle, you may are generally very tolerant (and even yellowed vines will benefit from nutrient want to look into a tow-behind sprayer fond of) cold winter weather. However, additions early in the growing season, that hooks up to the ATV/Gator battery when the vines start growing again, frost at flowering, and after harvest. Using for power. There are also gas-powered can cause all green growth to burn and natural fertilizers can benefit the existing units that do not require an exterior die. If this happens, don’t remove the nutrients in the soil. power source. But, if you are stuck with burned/frosted material. The vine will a backpack sprayer, you may want to likely recover and start growing again, Make a Spray Schedule make sure that the pressure is adequate and even produce a new (usually lighter) I’ve said it before and it bears repeating: when applying, and you may need to crop of fruit. the number one error in home viticul- spend more time covering each vine There’s a few things you can do to ture is poor spray scheduling and cover- and spraying from both sides of the help a vineyard through a potentially age. Sulfur (preferably a wettable prod- vine row. Inserting the spray gun into damaging frost episode: uct such as Thiolux) needs to be applied the canopy is another way to get better • Watch the weather carefully and to the vines starting at budbreak, and in coverage deep inside the vine’s growth. on potential frost nights, set your alarm areas where mildew pressure is high, it Make sure to wear proper clothing and for midnight to check the temperatures needs to be re-applied every week until safety equipment during sprays to keep in the vineyard. bloom. In areas where mildew pressure yourself healthy. • If temperatures drop under 32 °F is not as high, spray at 6-inch (15-cm) The first month or two after bud- (0 °C), turn on your drip system (it may shoot length, 12-inches (30 cm), 18 break is absolutely critical for mildew produce enough warmth to keep the inches (45 cm) then every 10–14 days. control. When the bud shields crack vineyard from frosting, or even better, Adding copper to the mix will add a bit open to allow budbreak, the spores turn on an overhead sprinkler system. more protection and I use a sulfur and hungrily attack the new delicate shoots. Sprinklers will coat the young fruit and copper mix for the first three or four In vineyards that had mildew issues shoot tips with water, the water will sprays here at the vineyard. the previous year, massive amounts of freeze, and the ice will insulate the tissue Powdery mildew is the enemy here, dormant mildew spores will be ready to like an igloo. Many copper spray prod- as well as botrytis. Mildew and rot issues attack the vines as the weather warms. ucts also include ice-nucleating bacteria, are likely the number one culprit in lost Mildew, much like many aspects of the which will hasten the process of the ice

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 33 Table 1: Average Nutrients Removed Per Acre (rounded off in lbs.) in a Producing Vineyard per Year (at 2.5 tons/acre, or about 5 lb. fruit per plant @ 1000 plants/acre)

Nutrient Need/Acre Need/Plant, Expressed in Organic Fertilizer

Nitrogen (N): 8 lbs. (3.6 kg) (0.128 oz. per plant, or 2.5 oz. of 5-0-0 fertilizer)

Phosphorous (P): 2 lbs. (0.9 kg) (0.03 oz. per plant or 0.64 oz. of 0-5-0 fertilizer)

Potassium (K): 14 lbs. (6.3 kg) (0.224 oz. per plant or 4.48 oz. of 0-0-5 fertilizer)

Calcium: 3 lbs. (1.4 kg) (0.05 oz. per plant or 1 oz. of 5% calcium fertilizer)

Magnesium: 1/2 lb. (0.23 kg) (0.008 oz. per plant or 1.6 oz. of 0.5% magnesium fertilizer)

forming around the plant. deal of the irrigation and rain water if saving lots of future work. The best time • Keep your vineyard rows and allowed, and can also rob the topsoil to engage in shoot thinning and removal in-between rows clean from weed and of nutrients that may eventually work is when the vines have an average shoot cover crop growth. Bare, firm, moist soil down to vine-root level. My usual rec- length of about 6 inches is warmer and provides better frost con- ommendation: keep the vine row weed- (15 cm). Some shoots will be just emerg- trol compared to a vineyard floor rank free for the first 3–5 years of a vineyard’s ing, but already you should be able to with plant growth. life, and then keep the weeds in check, discern which shoots are healthy and and never let them interfere with the growing fast, and which may be stunted Control Weeds growing canopy of the vine. The less vig- and will never catch up. The idea is to There are only a few ways to control orous the vineyard, the more important retain a certain number of healthy shoots weeds in the vine row: it is to keep weeds in check. It is also per side of the canopy. • Hand removal/hoeing (best exer- advisable to weed while the weeds are • Low vigor vines: retain 16–20 cise and best for the vineyard and the young, easily destroyed and before they shoots/vine or 8–9 shoots per side environment.) go to seed. • Medium vigor vines: retain 20–25 • Contact herbicides (do not use at shoots/vine or 10–12 per side a time when green vine tissue may be Early Canopy Management • High vigor vines: retain up to 30 contacted, as products like Round-Up I’ve saved two of the most crucial cul- shoots/vine or 15 per side. can cause permanent vine injury. Use tural practices for early season vineyard Retain the healthiest shoots and pre-budbreak herbicides according to management until last. Shoot removal remove the stunted shoots, or shoots label.) will space out the growing shoots and without crop. • Residual herbicides (pre-emer- canes on the fruiting wire, will produce a The most important element of this gence, apply before winter rains.) uniform crop, a uniform niche space for practice is to space each shoot out at • Mechanical Cultivation (tractor each cluster, will increase the effective- least 3–4 inches (8–10 cm), so that each or ATV-mounted devices such as Weed ness of sprays and leaf removal and will shoot has its own space. You can use badger, Pellenc or Kimco.) balance the fruit to leaf ratio. Suckering the width of a slender hand as a guide. will focus all of the vine’s energy to grow There should be about a hand’s space Weed removal and a clean vine in the proper space. between each shoot. row is absolutely vital to a young vine- Remove any “double shoots.” If a yard, but a bit less vital as the vineyard Shoot removal: This is a fairly expert single bud is supporting a double shoot matures and the vines stop competing operation, but with a little training, (two separate shoots with two growing at the same level as weeds for water and within a few hours, your post-budbreak tips coming from the same bud posi- nutrients. Weeds will absorb a good vineyard will be dialed in and you will be tion) pinch off the extra shoot. Retain

34 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES the longer of the two shoots if it is in a good position. Also, remove all shoots that are pointing down. They will be difficult to position up into the catch wires. Popular Varieties Excess shoot growth from the head of the vine should also be removed, If you are thinking about planting a movie “Sideways,” Merlot continues but make sure to retain a few good home vineyard, there are many grape to be a be a popular red grape. shoots for next year’s fruiting wood if varieties to choose from. You will like- One of the key varieties of Bordeaux you are using a cane-pruned system. In ly know the types of wine you enjoy, wines, it is the most-widely planted spur-trained, cordon systems, remove but you need to pick a grape variety variety in that region. It also finds every shoot and sucker that is not com- that will grow well in your location. success almost everywhere Cabernet ing out of a spur position retained at Here are some of the most well-known Sauvignon — it’s frequent blending pruning, no exceptions. You can also grape varieties and where they thrive: partner — is grown. Typical harvest thin spurs that have more shoots than Cabernet Sauvignon is one of numbers are 24–27 °Brix. necessary. In other words if you have the most popular red wine grapes. It Sangiovese is an Italian red a two-bud spur, that spur should only is planted in a wide variety of places, variety that makes well-balanced, have two shoots. but does best in warm climates. It rose refreshingly acid wine. It is almost When done carefully, shoot thin- to popularity in Bordeaux, France, never made into a “blockbuster” ning will help each vine produce canes but also produces great wine in wine, as Cab, Zinfandel or Shiraz and shoots of uniform length and vigor, California’s Napa Valley, Australia’s frequently are. It thrives in moderate which will help produce a crop of uni- Coonawarra region and in the Maipo grape-growing climates and harvest form ripeness. Each shoot will have its Valley of Chile. Under warm con- numbers are usually around 25 °Brix. own space in the canopy which will ditions, fruit can reach 27 °Brix or Acidity is typically higher than in most reduce crowding and mildew/rot/insect beyond at harvest. reds, often coming in at 6–8 g/L. pressure and open the fruit up to more Pinot Noir is a red grape that is Chardonnay is the most wind and sun exposure. not as deeply pigmented as Cabernet popular white wine in the world. Sauvignon. It is generally grown in Chardonnay grapes grow well in a Suckering: This is easy stuff. If the vine cooler grape-growing regions. Pinot variety of soil types. And, because it trunk has anything growing out of it, Noir came to prominence in the ripens early, it can grow in regions grab it and pull it sharply down. If you Burgundy region of France. In the US, with a short growing season. It is see any red buds on the trunk (future it has found success in California, planted all over the world with nota- shoots), rub them off with a gloved oregon and Washington. Pinot Noir ble regions including the Burgundy thumb. Suckering has a single focus and is best harvested around 24 °Brix. and Champagne regions in France, a single goal: Remove any green growth Zinfandel thrives in warm coastal regions of California and from the vine that does not originate grape-growing climates and is closely New Zealand. from budwood that was retained during associated with California, where The character of Sauvignon pruning for fruit production. That about 10% of all vineyard acreage in Blanc, the second most popular white means any growth not on the retained planted with Zinfandel. The grape’s wine grape, varies depending on fruiting units is removed for the purpose tendency to unevenly ripen can cause where it is grown. In cooler climates, of focusing the vine’s growth and nutri- headaches in the winery. Zinfandel it makes a light wine with a crisp ents on ripening the crop. can put on sugar in a hurry, and it is acidity. In warmer climates, it makes Budbreak signals a new year, a blank best to get it in under 26 °Brix. This a produces more rounded, melon-like slate in which we will write the story of red grape is also used to make White flavors. Unlike Chardonnay, which is another vintage, another wine. The prac- Zinfandel blush or “pink” wines. frequently oaked, Sauvignon Blanc tices that take place between budbreak Syrah is a grape frequent- is almost made “clean.” The grape and bloom are meant to balance the ly found in the balanced red wine comes from Bordeaux, but is planted vineyard and make the vine’s job easy blends from France’s Rhône Valley. In widely, including in California and — to produce enough sugar to ripen a Australia (where it is called Shiraz), New Zealand, where it thrives in vine- crop and to keep that crop pristine for it is made into big, jammy “fruit yards near the coast. wine production. Starting the growing bombs.” Syrah/Shiraz can do well Riesling is an aromatic white year off diligently and professionally in many grape-growing climates from wine grape from the Rhine area of will set the tone in the vineyard for the relatively cool to quite warm locales. Germany. It is the most widely-planted entire vintage. Build a solid foundation Harvest sugar levels get higher in grape in Germany, and also thrives in for your entire year in the vineyard, and warmer growing regions and can cooler grape-growing regions around you’ll have more time for drinking as the range from 23–28 °Brix, depending. the world, including New York’s season progresses — and better wine to Despite the bad press from the Finger Lakes and Canada.

drink in the future. ®

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 35 like dormant buds on the grapevines will start to swell and develop a cotton-like SPRING & appearance. Bud swell will continue until the buds begin to fold open as SUMMER VINES small leaves and a growing tip appears. Depending on weather, soil moisture and sunlight, the vines may begin growing slowly or rapidly. As soon as you can see a significant green color along the fruiting wood, budbreak has finished and the next phase begins. Problems that might arise during budbreak include uneven budbreak throughout the vineyard, a few vines not waking up from dormancy and vines waking up too early in the spring, becoming vulnerable to frost. With good winter rainfall, irrigation probably won’t be necessary. In drought conditions, apply 5 gallons per vine per week. (More for sandy soils, less for clay soils).

Early Shoot Growth and Fruit Emergence (Spring): Your vines have emerged from dormancy, and now the vines have a visible bounty of short green shoots. When the vines have an average shoot growth of a few inches (3–4”/7.6–10 cm), give them a good sulfur application. If you live in an area with strong mildew and rot pres- throughout summer, before it’s time to sure and the potential for hard frost in harvest your ripe grapes. the early growing season, you may want to apply some copper as well. Question: I hear about grapevines going You may notice that the young through different phases of growth such shoots are supporting small fruit struc- as bloom, budbreak, fruit set, verasion tures. Make sure those little clusters get (berry softening) and shatter. In what a good spray of sulfur too, for we want order do these phases occur, and how to keep them clean and mildew-free. do I know if there is a problem with any Reapply sulfur every 7–14 days. Mildew of them? grows most rapidly in warm, wet weather from between 70–80 °F (21–27 °C). S Answer: Understanding the cycle of vine Your vines may also be sprouting suck- growth will help your awareness of what ers. Suckers are green growing shoots Spring has sprung and the vines on your a vine needs and how you can help the that emerge from the trunk and base property are charging into this year’s vine with cultural practices (i.e. human of the vine and draw resources that are vintage. The new growing season gives interaction). meant for shoots that are bearing fruit. us the chance to improve our vineyard (Realize this is a list of growth Knock the suckers off your vines with a practices, balance our vines and nurture phases of a mature vine that has grown a decisive blow from a gloved finger. the crop. trunk and does not include the cycles of You may also want to look for As buds break, shoots climb and harvest or dormancy.) “water buds” which are swelling buds on tendrils curl, my inbox begins to fill the trunk and base of the vine that will with questions from the WineMaker Budbreak (Spring): develop into suckers. Knocking those off readership. The purpose of this article Budbreak is defined as the emergence of in the same “suckering pass” will save is to provide winegrape growers with a green tissue from the fruiting wood of you another trip through the vineyard. framework of information by which they the grapevine and signals the beginning Spring is also the correct time to can better understand the needs of the of the growing year. Before budbreak replace dead vines in your vineyard with vineyard from early spring occurs, you will notice that the thorn- dormant vines of the same type. Plant

36 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES the vines according to your nursery instructions making sure to mound some soft dirt over the scion wood so that it doesn’t dry out. Remove the soil mound after the shoots begin to emerge from the soft soil. One problem that may arise during early shoot growth is frost damage, which copper sprays can protect, but if the weather gets into the high 20’s (Fahrenheit or in the negative single digits in Celsius), damage will occur. Turning on the sprinklers will help before frost occurs, so watch your thermometers and local weather. Mildew damage and botrytis on the shoot tips is also a problem. If shoot tips and fruit begin to brown and die, make sure to spray sulfur and copper on the new shoots every week or two to take care of mildew and rot. Early sprays help to control mildew later in the season. Insect damage can cause some trou- Budbreak is when green tissue emerges from the wood, which signals the beginning of the ble in the vineyard as well. If something growing year. This stage is finished when you can see green color along the fruiting wood. is eating those tasty new shoots, throw some sticky tape in your vineyard, catch the species that’s munching the vines and ask a local nursery how to control the critters. Some vineyards can suffer from a lack of water. If you had more than 20 inches (51 cm) of rain over the winter, watering is most likely unnecessary at this point. In drought conditions, 3– 7 gallons (11–26 L) per plant is appropriate in most vineyards.

Flowering, Fruit Set and Shatter (Late Spring): After a few months of shoot growth, the small fruit clusters will shed their caps and tiny, white flowers will emerge to pollinate the grapes. This is a critical period for the vines. Warm weather and a lack of rain or extreme tempera- Flowering is when the vines’ small white flowers emerge to pollinate the grapes. If flowering tures will help the fruit pollinate and and fruit set is poor, you can experience “shatter,” when the tiny pre-grapes are not “set.” “set” into viable grapes. There’s a few things you can do to help your vines “set” more fruit. Studies show that zinc pollinate, you have had a poor set and have a successful flowering period. Do can increase yield about 10% when yield will be adversely affected. There are not spray your vines while the caps are applied pre-bloom. several potential problems during this falling and while the flowers are visible. Shatter is what happens in a year period, one being mildew and rot dam- Spraying the flowers will hamper their when flowering and fruit set is poor. age. Be careful to apply one last spray of ability to fertilize the grapes. (Think After flowering, you can tap each cluster sulfur or copper before bloom to keep how unpleasant it would be if you were lightly with your finger, and you may see the shoots clean during flowering. sprayed with sulfur while attempting to that some of the tiny pre-grapes might Shatter itself can become a problem fertilize your mate.) Make sure the vines have shriveled , browned and eventually due to weather or poorly timed spraying have enough water. Water-stressed vines fallen off the cluster. These unfertilized if more than a quarter of your poten- may abandon some fruit. Applying a grapes have “shattered.” A few shattered tial crop does not fertilize, shrivels and tiny bit of zinc fertilizer before bloom grapes are normal on each cluster, but drops off the clusters. Slow and uneven and fruit set may also help the vines if more than 25% of your grapes do not growth where vines have either been

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 37 poorly watered, fertilized, or growth is uneven due to pest pressure or vine disease can also be a problem during this period. Other problems include rank growth (when too much water or fertilizer has been applied, or rootstock is too vigorous for your site) and shaded fruit, which can be prevented by removing enough leaves in the fruiting zone to expose the fruit to sun flecking and wind (after bloom when the fruit set is complete). An open canopy will keep the fruit healthy and maximize your sulfur applications. Discover how many leaves can be removed without burning or raisining the fruit. The more leaf removal the better — unless you expose the fruit so much that it can burn of course. If rains persist (1–2 inches/2.5–5 cm per month), irrigation might not be necessary. If the soil has dried up, apply 3–7 If pollination is successful, the next phase for the grapes is fruit set, which is when they gallons (11–6 L) to each vine per week. become viable grapes. If the grapes are unfertilized, they will experience “shatter.” Fruit Growth and Berry Softening (Summer): By the time summer rolls along, your vines should have a developed canopy of shoots and leaves. You have done your best to open up the canopy by tucking shoots into trellis wires to direct all vine growth upwards (vertically). Doing this keeps all the fruit at the same height on the trellis and you can remove a few more leaves and fruitless shoots in order to open up the canopy (and fruit zone) to air flow and sun flecking. Once your vines complete berry softening, mildew is less likely to grow on the clusters and sulfur spraying stops. If you see further evidence of mildew or rot, talk to your local nursery about non-sulfur fungicide sprays that will not negatively impact wine quality. During the fruit growth phase, the fruit starts to rapidly accumulate sugar and lose acidity. Red Berry softening will occur at this grapes will start to turn from a green color to a blackish purple. White grapes turn golden. point, which means your fruit is rapidly

Discover how many leaves can be removed without burning or raisining the fruit. The more leaf removal the better — unless you expose the fruit so much that it can burn of course.

38 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES accumulating sugar and losing acidity. Red grape varieties start to turn from a green color to blackish purple. White grape varieties turn slightly golden and translucent. Birds will also notice this change and begin to flock around your vineyard. Deer, squirrels, raccoons, ostrich and other pests may arrive for a free meal as well. Use bird netting over your vines to help with your birds, and keep a dog out in the back yard to scare away larger mammal pests. You may want to dust off your lab equipment at this point and start testing the fruit for sugar and pH when the entire vineyard has gone through berry softening. Powdery mildew cannot grow on grapes once the sugar gets up around 16–18 °Brix. Uneven berry softening can be problematic if vines are of varying age and vigor. After 90% of the vineyard has changed color, it may be wise to cut off the remaining green crop and make the fruit more uniform in ripeness. Shriveling and unripe grapes could be the result of water stress or disease. If mold or mildew problems persist, visit a nursery and find a non-sulfur fungicide, as ripening grapes can pick up sulfur through their skins and leave it in the wine. Remember to check your shoots’ growing tips for water stress often. If the curly-looking tendrils extend beyond the growing tip, the water status is good. When the entire vineyard has experienced grape softening and the fruit chemistry starts changing, start testing the fruit for sugar and pH. Powdery mildew can’t grow once the sugar If the tendrils pull back behind gets up to 16–18 °Brix. the growing tips, your vines are water stressed. Another visual cue for water stress is droopy leaves. If the angle of the leaf to its stem is less than 90 degrees, you may need to apply additional water. Water use should be curtailed beyond this point of the season to stop vegetal growth and promote fruit ripening. Cut water down to two-thirds of what you’ve been applying. A few gallons (~8 L) per plant, per week, is all they need if the summer is dry. Understanding the seasonal rhythm of the vineyard is necessary for growing good winegrapes. Knowing what to expect in the vineyard, season by season, will allow you to observe the vines carefully and apply the needed materials and labor for keeping your vines healthy,

clean and balanced. ®

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 39 VINEYARD MAINTENANCE

40 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES PRUNING YOUR BACKYARD VINEYARD P Pruning grape vines during dormancy is a vital practice for keeping your vines in balance. Grape growers discovered thousands of years ago that cutting off up to 90 percent of the previous year’s growth from a dormant vine will limit the crop and vegetative growth of the vine in the following season, increasing the quality of the wine made from the vineyard. These vines require pruning. While still dormant, they must be trimmed back to limit the Simply put, pruning promotes balanced growth of new wood and the amount of grape clusters, both of which increase wine quality. vines for making good wine. The last thing we want as home winegrowers is to have a sprawling, unkempt monster vineyard in our backyard that hides fruit from sun and wind. Balanced vines depend on competent pruning, and it is my intention to offer the WineMaker readership the basic foundations and theories that govern this age-old vineyard practice. Viticulturists stress that all successes or failures in any given growing season depend first and foremost on the success of pruning. Pruning is the foundation that supports (or ruins) the entire year’s grape crop and wine. Why is pruning so vital for producing good winegrapes? What pruning options are available for backyard vineyardists? How much wood should you cut off the vine, and how much wood should remain for next year’s growth? What are “spur pruning” In cane pruning, you need to select canes growing from on or near the central trunk to grow and “cane pruning” and which is better along the wires. The best canes are at least pencil thick. Other canes should be pruned. for your vineyard? This article will famil- iarize the reader with the basic cultural a classroom and discussed “canes” and vineyard, and the professor threw some practices of grapevine pruning. “two-bud spurs.” I listened carefully and “loppers” in my hands, I stalled. There Before we get down to the nuts took good notes. I copied diagrams that is a profound difference between viti- and bolts of grapevine pruning, I have showed where cuts should be made and culture book learning and having what I to offer a bit of practical advice to the how the vines should look before and call kinesthetic vineyard sense. You can backyard vine-warrior. I remember after pruning. Easy stuff, I thought! But study books all day, but still not know studying pruning at UC-Davis. We sat in when we were taken out into the student how much pressure will snap a dormant

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 41 To understand why we prune, we must first understand that everything we do to a vine needs to be done not only for this year’s growth, but also for the following years. Everything in viticulture happens in two-year cycles. For example, the fruitfulness of this year’s crop was determined in spring of last year by the amount of sunlight that touched the “buds” on the shoots that grew into (hardened) canes. The amount of grapes a vine will produce is dictated by the previous year’s pruning as well as weather conditions in the previous spring. Those shoots that grew last year are going to be used this year to produce fruit, either as spurs or canes. Because of this two-year cycle, we want to make sure the vine gets lots of sunshine on its growing shoots. The In cane pruning, the wood that produced last year’s fruit is cut of and removed from the more sun that hits those shoots and wires. New shoots will replace this wood and the fruit will grow on them. buds, the more fruitful our vines will be the following year. Cutting off most of the previous year’s growth allows us to keep the vine from crowding itself and becoming a shade factory. We want an open, balanced vine that absorbs enough sun to renew fruitfulness for the following vintage and ripen a crop for the current vintage.

Pruning Goals Before we get into the specifics of pruning theory, let’s take a moment to review the goals of grapevine pruning for wine production.

1. Give each growing shoot adequate space to allow sunlight to bathe the leaves and the developing buds. Growing shoots should not be crowded. Some viticulturists like to see a hand’s width between each shoot. The key here is that the vine is not so cluttered with growing Here you can see the difference between a dead cane on the left and a live cane on the right. The dead cane has a brown center whereas you can se green on the live cane. shoots that it keeps sunlight and wind from reaching the interior of the canopy. cane as you attempt to wrap it on a wire. to volunteer to prune at a commercial Without knowing the level of expected vineyard. Work a half a day. Get some 2. Encourage air circulation inside the vigor in your vineyard, it might be diffi- blisters and some “feel” for the task. Ask canopy and around the fruit. Humidity cult to know how much wood to leave, questions, pay attention and get dirty. is the enemy here because it increases and how much wood to cut off. Pruning is a lot like oil painting. You the incidence of mold, mildew and other can study the Masters and visit muse- diseases. Air flow is also important, as Confidence builds in the doing and ums, but it won’t help you paint a mas- nested clusters and dense foliage will this confidence will increase each year. terpiece. For that you need to pick up a harbor insects and birds. If your kids Don’t expect to be a perfect pruner by brush and a palette. can make a fort under your vines, that’s reading a single article. a good sign that you didn’t prune and In fact, the best advice I can give is Why Prune? trellis your vine well enough.

42 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES 3. Pruning also allows the application of sprays (such as sulfur, copper and foliar fertilizer) to be much more efficient. Spraying an open canopy, where each growing shoot has a defined space in which to grow, allows penetration of those chemicals, requires less material to be sprayed, and often makes the application more effective and long-lasting.

4. Successful pruning leaves buds on the vine that will create canes and spurs for this year’s fruit production, and (just as important) will provide buds intended to create replacement shoots for next year’s pruning. Don’t forget: When you prune, you’re not only pruning for this year’s fruit production, but also for subsequent years. This is more of an issue for cane-pruned systems but this con- cept should always be considered. Here, the author trims a cane along a wire. The number of buds retained along the cane I am certain you noticed the basic depends on how much fruit you expect each vine to support. theory — prevent crowding and shading of the canopy, which in turn prevents sunlight, air and chemical applications from reaching the fruit and interior canopy. This leads us to a simple conclusion: The aim of pruning is to spread out the dormant buds in a way that will allow the future shoots to grow in their own defined space. If you keep this in mind while you prune, there will be little chance of making a serious mistake.

Pruning Theory Now that we understand the bare-bones philosophy behind pruning, here are a few technical terms to know:

Shoot: A shoot is the current season’s green growth on a vine. Each “bud” left on a dormant vine grows a shoot when the vine comes out of dormancy. Shoots become a “canopy” when more than half The cut on the cane is done through a bud, so the end of the cane is thicker than the rest of of the shoot becomes “woody.” When cane (except where the other buds are located). completely tan and hardened, a shoot is called a cane. If the wound does not weep out watery direction) around a wire on your trel- fluid, you are ready to prune. lising system. These wrapped canes will Cane: As explained above, a cane is a It is also important to finish pruning then begin to sprout fruit-laden shoots mature shoot that has become hardened before the vine starts waking up, marked from the buds in spring. These fruitful and tan. When pruning, we are cutting by swelling buds and emergence of green shoots will climb the trellis, produce only the canes. Most pruning takes tissue (budbreak). A cane is also con- leaves and a canopy to ripen the place between January and February in sidered a “fruiting unit,” if you retain hanging clusters. California, but can be attempted any it during pruning. If you use the “cane time after the vine is completely dor- pruning” system, you will choose the Spur: A spur is a “fruiting unit” just mant (no leaves, no growth). In general, best few canes to retain, cut the rest like a cane. By “fruiting unit” we mean make a few test cuts on a dormant cane. off, and wrap those canes (one each a part of a cane grown last year that will

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 43 appear at every “node” of the cane. A bud is actually considered an organ of the vine, and basically contains an undeveloped shoot tucked in under protective, overlapping “scales.” The scales help keep next year’s potential growth protected from winter frosts and hungry animals and pests. These scales become cotton-like and swollen in the weeks prior to budbreak. Interestingly, a bud can be dissected during winter and checked for fruitfulness. (Remember, the bud’s fruitfulness was determined the year before!) Dissecting a number of dormant buds (primary buds) and view- ing them under a microscope can help a viticulturist count how many grape clusters will be supported in each bud, and can actually be counted in order to approximate vineyard yield even before A twist tie affixes the cane to the wire. If the terminal cut was made through a bud, the tie the vines have begun their year’s growth. should stay attached easily. New shoots will grow from the remaining buds. Buds (or the nodes that contain the buds) also have built-in backup systems. Each “node” of a cane usually contains an amazing four buds — a primary bud for the current season’s growth, a lateral bud that can sprout that same year if conditions are correct, and a secondary and tertiary bud which usually stay dormant until the next year, when they burst forth, but usually aren’t as fruitful as the primary bud. If one bud’s shoot gets frosted, eaten or yanked off, it usually can grow another from the lateral bud or the secondary/tertiary buds if absolutely necessary. For our purposes, though, assume you will see only one shoot growing from each bud or node that you leave on the vine after pruning.

Head: The “head” of the vine is the top part of the vine’s trunk, including the area that produces the cordon “arms” (in a spur-pruned system) or (in a cane- When cane pruning is finished, this is what you are left with — a new cane trained along the pruned system) the area where canes are wire and held in place by a twist tie. Next year, this cane will be removed from the wire. retained as fruiting units, and spurs are be pruned, retained, sprout new shoots or on a permanent cordon arm where a left for producing the next year’s canes. and grow fruit this year. A spur is basi- number of evenly spaced “spurs” will be Simply put, the head is the top part of cally a one-year-old cane (last year’s retained at pruning to provide buds for the vine’s trunk where everything that growth) that has been cut back severely, this year’s fruit production. Make sure goes out on a wire and produces canopy usually so there are only one to two buds you know what a spur looks like before and fruit is attached. retained after pruning. A spur could be proceeding, because you will need to cut described as a cane cut back to a stub canes back to spurs in both the cane and Permanent Cordon: Some vineyards of a few inches in length, either on the spur systems of grapevine pruning. choose to use a system of pruning in head of the vine (in a cane-pruning sys- which a cane is laid down on the fruiting tem, to provide a place where new fruit- Bud: During dormancy, buds are a wire and is kept there permanently, year ing canes will grow for future vintages) rounded thorn-like protrusion that after year, and allowed to grow into a

44 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES permanent, woody “arm” that supports spurs (fruiting units) up and down its length. In the simplest “cordon” systems, one arm extends from each side of the head (two arms in all), and the growth from the previous year is clipped off the top of the permanent arms (like giving the vine a buzz haircut) so all that remains are one to two buds (a 2” to 4” stub) on each spur that grows on the permanent cordon arm. It is easy to see the difference between a spur-pruned (cordon) system and a cane-pruned system if the vineyard is mature. If you see thick, woody arms extending from each side of the vine that are permanently attached to the trellis, that is a spur-pruned system, and after the vine is pruned you will see small spurs sticking up from the arm vertically every few inches along its length. A cane-pruned In spur pruning, after the first cane has produced fruit, it is retained. Canes from this “side system will not have permanent cordon arm” are then trimmed to provide even spacing and two buds on retained canes. arms, but instead will have a new, one- year-old pencil-width cane laid down on the fruiting wire each year. To review: thick arms coming off the vine equals spur-pruned cordon system; new canes wrapped on the wires equals a cane- pruned system.

Pruning Your Vineyard Let’s get down to business and see if we can’t find a pruning system that is appropriate to your home vineyard. We’ll start by looking at the two most popular pruning styles, define them, describe them, go through a short “how- to” session, and then try to develop cri- teria so it’s easy to decide which system to try in your backyard.

Cane Pruning Cane pruning is a system that uses one- year-old canes (last year’s growth and only last year’s growth) as fruiting units In spur pruning, each of the new canes (spurs) should be at least a hands-width apart. If they for the current growing season. This are not, prune them off. Fruiting will come from the buds on the spurs. means that the canes that produced fruit last year are always cut off the vine first year and usually “topped” after of the future vine.) As the vine matures and new canes are chosen to be wound reaching about 30” in height or the and new canes grow from the develop- around the fruiting wires and tied down height of the fruiting wire, which means ing “head” of the vine, two healthy canes (at the end of the cane) with twist ties the growing tip of the young vine is cut are chosen each year as fruiting units, all so they don’t slip from the weight of the off to promote growth from the buds the other canes are pruned off, and the growing shoots. lower on the future vine trunk. All the retained canes are wound snugly around buds on the lower part of the shoot or the fruiting wires and affixed with 5” How to do it: The young vine (a single trunk are removed. (Leave at least the paper-and-wire “twist ties” to keep the green shoot) is trained up the stake with top three buds on the shoot to produce canes attached throughout the year. loose bands of green vinyl tie-tape the lateral shoots that will become the head Remember to cut through the last bud

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 45 There is no doubt that cane pruning requires a higher level of expertise than spur-pruning. Spur pruning is like giving a haircut. Cane pruning is like performing surgery. on the cane, which will make a “bulge” (and the future substantial weight of an To successfully cane prune a vine, the at the cut node. This bulge will keep the entire growing canopy) secure for an pruner must carefully consider which cane from slipping off the wire where it’s entire growing season. Poor wrapping canes stay and which canes are removed. affixed with a twist-tie. When I am cane and tying will make the entire cane Cane pruning is certainly more involved pruning a vine, I look at the whole vine’s (often full of shoots and fruit) flop to and time-consuming. Another con- growth before I decide where to start the ground. The number of “buds” that sideration is that the vine may have an cutting. I usually use a vine lopper (large will be retained on the fruiting canes will imbalance of clusters at the end of the pruning shears) to first cut off last year’s determine your crop level. canes and at the head of the vine, and a fruiting units right at the head, which Generally, the more buds you leave, hole where there is little fruit in the mid- will also remove most of the canes that the more fruit you will get. Some vine- dle of each cane. Spur-pruned vineyards produced fruit in the previous vintage. yards even wrap two canes each way on may spread out the canopy more evenly After extricating the wood from the wires to produce more fruit, but this than cane-pruned vines, as the spurs are the trellis, take a look at the canes that seriously increases canopy density, and evenly spread out and seem to have a remain. You should have three to five may not be advisable. more uniform growth pattern. canes coming from the spurs you left on In general, use as much cane as is the head last year. These are your choic- necessary to fill the fruiting wire that Spur Pruning (Cordon): es for fruiting units this year, but you stretches between the vines. For exam- The initial process of developing a spur- only need two canes, one for each side of ple, at 6’ (1.8 m) spacing between vines, pruned vineyard is exactly like a cane- the fruiting wire. This is vital. Use your each fruiting cane should be 3’ (0.91 pruned vineyard. Both require a trellis- imagination and try to decide which m) long, so it comes near to touching ing system with a stake in which the vine of the canes was positioned to receive the 3’ (0.91 m) fruiting cane coming off can be trained up (the first green shoot the best sunlight exposure during last the adjacent vine. lashed loosely to the stake with half-inch year’s season. You also want to choose a green vinyl tie-tape as it climbs), and at cane that is as thick as a pencil, but not Pros: Fresh canes (new one-year-old least one wire (usually between 30”and thicker than twice a pencil’s width. If the wood as fruiting units each year) are 40”/0.76 and 1.0 m above the vineyard cane gets small and brittle near the end, believed to grow higher-quality fruit in floor) that will support the permanent make sure to cut it back so it has at least some varietals than a permanent cordon cordon arms. a pencil’s width and there’s green color arm and spurs. Most of the Grand Cru in the tissue inside. “Bull canes,” or Burgundian vineyards (Pinot Noir and Train the vine up the stake the first extra-thick, even oval-shaped canes, are Chardonnay) adamantly follow a philos- year and top it at the wire, after it has less fruitful than pencil-width or slightly ophy that cane pruning makes superior grown 6–9” (15–23 cm) past the wire. thicker canes. wine, but during my last visit I saw a Let the vine push some lateral shoots After you have chosen the best two famous Grand Cru vineyard that is spur near the “head” the second year (the canes for the job and tied them to the pruned with one arm. vine may want to push lateral shoots the fruiting wires — I take into account how Cane pruning also has the benefit first year with high-vigor soils or vari- easy it will be to bend the cane onto the of removing most old wood each year, etals, which is fine) and use the best two wire without breaking it — cut the other which lessens the chance of developing canes during the second pruning. canes off the vine, but leave two small disease or burrowing insects in the cor- Wrap and attach them to the wires (two-bud) spurs on the head of the vine don arms. It is also a preferable system as if you were using a cane-pruned sys- to produce next year’s fruiting canes. for low-vigor vines that might not be tem. The difference is in the third prun- Again, it is advisable to wrap and twist- able to support the higher number of ing: Instead of removing the canes and tie the end of the canes to your fruiting retained buds in a spur system. replacing them with new ones, just cut wire before cutting off the other “extra” all last year’s growth on the arms back canes on the head. This way if you break Cons: There is no doubt that cane prun- to two-bud spurs. Space these spurs out a cane, you still have a backup or two to ing requires a higher level of expertise at least five to six inches (13–15 cm) to use. Wrap the canes fairly tightly around than spur-pruning. Spur pruning is like make sure you don’t crowd the future the wire and make sure your twist-tie is giving a haircut. Cane pruning is like shoots. Clean the head of the vine of all secure enough to keep the whole cane performing surgery. growth — leave no buds or spurs on

46 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES the head. You need no “renewal zone” the fruit. I’m not a big fan of this type the vine will become somewhat standard on the head (like in the cane system) of pruning in my neck of the woods, after many years. Minimal pruning is the to produce canes for subsequent years, although it does make world-class wines worst choice for a backyard vineyard, because all renewal happens on the cor- in the Rhône, where the vines are small but it illustrates that a vine will respond don arms. That’s it! You’re done! The and stunted enough not to have too to whatever system of pruning you use. arms stay there and grow woody and much canopy or crop load. thick, and you continue to cut back the Head pruning does have the advan- And in Conclusion... previous year’s growth to two-bud spurs tage of low start-up costs for those on a Grapevines require pruning during each year during pruning. budget, and has been used successfully dormancy to produce high-quality in many backyard vineyards with limited grapes. Prune your vines after leaf fall Pros: Ease of pruning. Training pruners or oddly shaped landscaping areas. The and before budswell. Choose a pruning is quite easy, and the skill can be learned benefit of having minimal or no trel- system that matches the vigor of your and mastered in little time. Big tree- lising may offset the lack of control the vineyard and the varieties you grow. like vines with permanent cordon arms grower has in manipulating the canopy Seek out pruning experts in your home- look cool in your vineyard. More vigor- as it grows, as is possible with more town and ask if you can assist in pruning ous varieties, such as Syrah, Cabernet, elaborate trellising systems. (make mistakes in someone else’s vine- Sauvignon Blanc like to be spur pruned. To train a young vine to a head- yard!). You can leave more buds on the plant, pruned system, start the same way as Low-vigor sites and varieties (Pinot and it can produce a little more fruit spur- and cane-pruned vines. I recom- Noir, Chardonnay and even Cabernet in and vigor than cane-pruned vines. Spur mend starting with a smaller training cool areas) may do better with a cane- pruning is recommended for most home stake (“pencil-rod” or even treated bam- pruned system in which new canes are vineyards, and is perfectly suited for boo will work, as the stake will become selected, wound and affixed to the trellis vines that are trellised on fences or walls. unnecessary when the vine’s trunk is of wire each year. Cane-pruning requires ample diameter to support itself), and as expertise, and it is suggested you spend Cons: In cool sites, spur-pruned fruiting the vine grows, choose the sturdiest sin- some time in the field with skilled prun- wood tends to be less fruitful than fresh gle shoot and train it up the stake with ers before attempting it. canes. More permanent wood (cordon loose bands of green vinyl tie-tape. Medium to high-vigor vineyards arms) may mean more habitat for bur- Top the vine, choose three to four (in warmer areas) and varietals such as rowing insects and vine pests to make a lateral shoots that grow near the top of Sauvignon Blanc (warm climate) Merlot, permanent home. the vine and prune those back to spurs Grenache and Syrah are usually suited to during winter pruning. In the next sea- a spur-pruned system, which offers ease Other Pruning Styles: son’s pruning, split the spur positions so of pruning and a classical vineyard look. Without getting too technical, we should they have two spurs coming out instead A cane-pruned vine uses new canes mention two more pruning styles that of one, and as the vine matures, try to each year, while a spur-trained vine uses are popular, but not used as often as the space the spurs so they are distributed permanent “arms” with spurs jutting out systems described above. evenly in a circular fashion around the of the top every few inches, in a regular I will give simple definitions, but head of the vine. (This is often described pattern. Experts disagree which system not pruning instructions. You should as pruning to make a hollow “bowl” produces consistently better fruit, and I be able to find more information about in the center of the vine, which will be might argue that matching the system to these pruning styles through the Internet where the fruit is cradled, and sunlight your site will result in the best solution. or any viticulture text. can reach the clusters). Other systems, such as head-trained or minimally-pruned vines, show us that Head pruning: Popular in California Minimal Pruning: Minimal pruning is there are always alternatives to the more Zinfandel vineyards of the early and gaining a foothold in areas of Australia popular systems of pruning, and that mid 20th Century (and still in practice and the Central Valley of California grapevines — regardless of how they are in some vineyards today in the Rhône, where most vineyard labor is mecha- pruned — will thrive and produce good Greece, and other parts of Europe), head nized. I do not recommend it for back- fruit as long as each shoot has room to pruning requires no trellis. The vine uses yard vineyards. grow, soak up the sun, and have fresh air a short, stout trunk as its own support The idea is that the vine will regu- circulating around them. system (a single stake is sometimes used late its own growth when left to its own Of vineyards practices that you as well). The pruning of mature head- devices. Some minimal pruning is done must do every year, pruning has the trained vines encourages the shoots to with tractor-mounted devices with saws, most influence on your grapevines. grow up and flop out, so the fruiting and the cost per acre to accomplish this Pruning determines not only how this area is in the shape of a hollow basket task is, as the name suggests, minimal. year’s vintage will do, but also the inside the “hollow” of the grapevine’s The vines will have more fruit than next year’s. After a few years of prac- center. This allows some sunlight to conventionally pruned vines, but studies tical experience, vineyard pruning will

enter the vine from the top and fleck have shown that the “architecture” of become second nature. ®

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 47 to make a difference. I find that hoeing is less work than trying to wrangle a WEEDING THE hand-held tiller in the vine row. Tractor- mounted machines that remove weeds VINE ROWS from the vine row are generally too large and expensive for home use. Using the lawnmower between rows works very well, and you can even try to clean up around the vines with it, but removing the weed at root-level is the only way to stop the cycle of regrowth.

Flaming: Flaming your weeds may be a good solution for home vineyards. Agricultural weed-burners (aka flame- throwers) are legal in most areas, but NEVER use them in dry months. They are meant to be used on green, live weeds, and generally have no effect on mature vines when used properly. Obviously, flaming weeds needs to be because both hand hoeing and or her- done according to local laws and the bicide applications are serious matters. manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure There are times in the growing year not to leave the flaming unit where kids where it is vitally important to keep might find it and invent daring games. weed pressure down, and there are times (“Billy, stop chasing your sister with when it may not be so important. daddy’s flamethrower!”). Vineyard managers agree that a 2 to 5-foot (0.6 to 1.5-meter) strip of clean Herbicide: Several herbicides can do an earth under the vine row makes for a excellent job when used correctly. But tidy vineyard that thrives. This can be if it is applied to a growing vine, it will accomplished a number of ways. do the same thing to a vine as it does to E a weed. Knocking down weeds during Even though the subjects of weed Hoeing: Why go to the gym when you dormancy is how most herbicides should removal and watering the vineyard may can get your exercise in the backyard? be used. I suggest not using not seem thrilling subject matter on Or isn’t there a spoiled 16 year-old in contact herbicide while the grapevine the surface, you may be surprised to the neighborhood that needs some $5/ has leaves. find out just how important they are hour hoeing experience to build his or to maintaining a successful, producing her character? Most backyard vineyards Livestock: Sheep and goats do an excel- vineyard. While weed removal is fairly can be hoed out in an afternoon or two, lent job of eating winter weeds, but just straight forward (get the weeds out to and the benefits to the vineyard are defi- like herbicide, they are best used in dor- reduce competition, either by tools or nitely worth the effort. mancy, as vine leaves are very, very tasty. herbicide), watering is one of those Besides getting you off the couch, Keeping a clean vineyard during the subjects where consultants rarely give hoeing will break the soil up, increase vine’s early years will help them grow precise answers. I hope to give specific irrigation penetration and mix organic strong and healthy. Keeping a clean watering suggestions for the “average matter into the soil where the vines are vineyard floor in a mature vineyard will vineyard,” and teach you how to assess growing. One of my favorite old-world keep pests away, reduce mildew or rot watering needs using seasonal rainfall, sayings is: “Tickle the Earth with a hoe and makes for a backyard vineyard that’s a few simple tools, and a basic under- and she will laugh with a harvest.” a joy to look at. standing of how many gallons per week the vines may need in dry soil condi- Mechanical removal: A weed-whacker Part II: tions. And, as strange as it may seem to or a small gas-powered tiller will work, How to Water a Vineyard put weeding and watering together in a but only to a point. The weed-whacker Irrigation is a modern blessing for single article, we will soon see that there can and will damage the trunk of the vineyards. One reason why European is a relationship between the two. vines and could easily cut through a wines vary so much from vintage to young vine. The gas-powered tilling vintage is that many of the most vaunted Part I: machines are basically useless, I’ve wine regions in the world do not allow Why Weed? found, as they are very light and do not mature vineyards to be irrigated. In this This question bears contemplation, generally dig into the soil deep enough way, the vines are wholly dependent

48 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES on the soil profile being fully charged by winter rains and then they also need supplemental rainfall in the growing season for the vines to bring in a ripe crop. Irrigation is probably the most important tool we have for manipulating the vine’s vigor and cycle so that it creates the style of wine that we desire. In some regions, like most of California, wine production would be impossible without supplemental irrigation. Other regions, such as the Willamette Valley of Oregon, generally receive enough rainfall throughout the year to produce superior winegrapes without supplemental irrigation. If you live in an area that gets around 20 inches (~50 cm) or more of winter rainfall, and an additional 10–20 inches (~25–50 cm) from April to October, your vines may not need a watering system at all. Clean rainwater is superior to irrigation (ground) water, so if you can grow a vineyard without irrigation, you can plan on cutting your installation bill by about 50%. After ten years of managing my family’s vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County, California, I couldn’t imagine farming winegrapes Leaching salts: Unless your irrigation after harvesting the vines. Vines go without using irrigation as a tool. water has salinity issues, it is important through a rapid period of root growth The question then becomes: How to flush the vines’ roots with deep irriga- after harvest. is irrigation a tool in the vineyard and tions, especially during drought periods. what should I know about watering? Heavy winter rains are needed yearly Real-time moisture: You can measure to flush all the accumulating salts away real-time soil moisture by digging a hole Deficit irrigation: There are times when from the roots, where they can attach with a shovel, using an irrometer or a having little or no water in the soil can and stifle a vine’s growth. soil probe from a farm supply store, or increase wine quality. Drying the soil out watching the relationship between the as the crop finishes flowering and set has Testing: Before applying water to your growing tips of the vines and the tendrils proven to minimize berry size, which young vines, have your water tested at (curly growths that grab onto the trellis can increase a wine’s color and concen- an agricultural laboratory to make sure wires) next to the growing tip. A vine tration (less juice and more skin in the it’s suitable for irrigation. that has tendrils that stick out farther fermenter). Soil dryness before veraison than the growing tip is generally consid- (or berry softening), will tell the vine to Limit: Never apply more water than can ered to have ample water. As the tendrils stop its vegetative growth cycle (focus- be totally absorbed by the soil within 48 pull back even with the growing tip, the ing nutrients on shoots and leaves) and hours. vine is beginning to undergo some water focus on ripening the crop. stress. In a vineyard with excessive growth Timing: In dry areas where vines are (vigor), allowing the soil to dry out early dependent on irrigation, use 3-5 gal- Sprinklers: Overhead sprinklers that in the spring, as the vine comes out of lons (11-19 L) per plant per week as a soak the vines are generally not a wise dormancy, will keep the vine from pro- starting point. March through May, 2-3 system for vineyard watering. They ducing rank growth. gallons (8-11 L) should be plenty — or increase mildew pressure, rot pressure And, of course, turning the water off none if you received good winter rains. and less of the water makes it to the the last few days (and weeks) before har- June through August may need 3-7 vines’ roots. Much of the water can vest will likely hasten ripening. Be care- gallons (11–27 L) per week. Reduce the evaporate or cause extra weed ful with turning the water off too early, irrigation as harvest nears, but keep the growth in the middle of the vine row. though. A vine without green leaves will vines viable, with leaves healthy enough Note: Weeds use irrigation too. If you not evolve the true ripeness of the fruit, to mature a crop. Dump 10-20 gallons have drip emitters, you will notice that

it will only dehydrate. (38–76 L) on each plant immediately weed growth will increase. ®

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 49 a description of some diseases and their basic effects on vines. The photographs INSECTS, VIRAL throughout the next few pages should help you visualize the common symp- & FUNGAL toms. Again, I’d like to make it clear that treating a potential vineyard disease after reading a descriptive article on the sub- DISEASES ject is not a recommended practice. Paying a university-trained vineyardist to assess your vines will almost A B always save you time, labor, and money, even if your vineyard is believed to be disease- and pest-free. This is certainly not a complete list of diseases. A more complete list, with photographs, that no viticulturist should be without, can be found in the UC Davis “bible.” This is “Grape Pest Management,” a textbook compiled by the University of California at Davis in 1992. To locate a copy at the UC Davis bookstore online, go to www. ucdbookstore.ucdavis.edu (email: [email protected]) or call customer service at (530) 752-2707.

Insect-Borne Diseases Insect-borne diseases are actually fairly easy to understand. Pierce’s disease, for instance, is caused by a bug infiltrating a vineyard and spreading disease from vine to vine during feeding. A leafhopper, snail, or wasp can contaminate a plant while feeding directly on the vine’s fruit or leaf tissue. In the case of the C D mealybug, the insect can destroy the PHOTOS COPYRIGHT REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA. USED WITH PERMISSION. sanitation of the fruit by depositing resi- Notice the progression of Pierce’s disease (a-d). The infection of a leaf or vine can be noticed due or excrement. in a small area, and will spread as shown. Eventually PD will scorch the entire plant (photo d). There are two common options for treatment that viticulturists regularly use. The first is the best solution to any problem — prevention. Keep the pests this article should get you some of the out of your vineyard to begin with using necessary tools for spotting a problem, traps, barriers such as a mesh fence, or and finding a professional to confirm chemical control agents (such as insecti- your suspicion. This professional should cides, oils or soaps). ultimately help you find a permanent The second option is based on solution. The best way to become famil- organic and biodynamic methods. This iar with these diseases is to actually see treatment is a bit more involved, and them in the field (or on the vine). Make arguably more risky. Planting cov- it a point to observe a professional viti- er-crops and allowing for a great deal I culturist in the process of diagnosing the of biological diversity in your backyard In this article, we’ll take a look at vine- problem, and participating in the course vineyard will attract a number of hungry yard diseases. It is not intended to teach of treatment. Volunteering to help a insects. Those insects, it is believed, will everyone all there is to know about spot- local viticulturist walk his or her fields is be in a constant battle of eat-or-be-eaten ting a disease, diagnosing it, and solving a very insightful experience. with other insects, and (if the theory the problem. Instead, I hope this will Without the benefit of a personal holds true) will keep any single insect serve as a short primer, describing a few “vineyard disease tour,” I hope to sup- species from “taking over” a vineyard. diseases that show up in vineyards. Also, plement the readership’s knowledge with My suggestion is that you focus your

50 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES attention on creating insect diversity in the vineyard, and if that doesn’t work, spray the hell out of those buggers. Remember that spraying will also destroy beneficial insects, which I like to avoid unless dire circumstances pre- vail. But, when things get dire, I suggest doing what is necessary (and what tech- nology allows) — destroy the pests and make some wine.

Pierce’s Disease Pierce’s disease is named after N.B Pierce, who studied the bacterial disease in grapevines as it decimated much of The mealybug produces a “honeydew” excretion and leaves a cottony egg mass on grapes the California grape industry in the first and vines. Left: mealybugs on grapes. Right: Close-up of crawlers and honeydew. half of the Twentieth Century. The good news is that the insects that carry Xylella It is common to see the symptoms of vines to attract the insects. In the morn- fastidiosa (and the bacterium itself) PD infecting the edges of a vineyard that ings, when the populations of these cannot survive the cold winters of the abuts a riparian habitat (a river). insects is at its highest, vineyardists spray Midwest and northern states. The dis- The PD bacteria clog the flow of the citrus trees. ease, therefore, is only prevalent in areas liquids within the grapevine, and can In general though, fighting Pierce’s with mild winters, along the southern eventually kill it. The progression of the disease (if it is prevalent in your locale) portion of the country from Florida to disease is fairly slow, often taking a few in a Vitis vinifera vineyard is a fight you California. Pierce’s disease, or “PD,” years to render the vine useless. Leaves are likely to lose. It should be stressed is the greatest threat to vinifera (grapes take on a scorched, dry appearance and that there are hybrid varieties of grape- of European variety) in the southern will appear uneven and stunted in sec- vines that are resistant to Pierce’s dis- regions of America. tions. Late in the season, you may see ease. If you live in a PD hot spot, check The disease is most commonly leaf blades falling off the petioles. (The with a knowledgeable grapevine nursery spread by small insects known as sharp- leaf stems remain on the vines without and discuss your options for growing shooters. The new “superbug” that the leaf.) a resistant type of hybrid grapevine for threatens California viticulture is the The easiest symptom to recognize wine production. glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), may be the uneven ripening of the wood which can fly three times as high as the — islands of brown hardened cane Vine Mealybug more common blue-green sharpshooter. wood surrounded by green unripened The vine mealybug produces a “hon- In general, the blue-green sharpshooter wood. Like most bacteria, PD prefers eydew” excretion and leaves a cottony cannot fly over six feet, but the GWSS warm climates, and the progression of egg mass on grapes and vine trunks or can fly as high as twenty feet . the disease will be hastened by warm cordons, making them less attractive All sharpshooters spread PD the weather. Sharpshooters will also breed for winemaking. The signs that could same way. There are “host” plants that faster in warm weather, increasing pop- suggest a mealybug infection are many can keep the PD bacteria alive. These ulations and the speed in which they and include: an increase in ant activity, a include blackberry, willow, coyote bush, can transmit the disease. Besides some visual confirmation of mealybugs on the elderberry and others. A sharpshooter experimental injections of antibiotics vines, white spots of honeydew, cottony feeds on these “host” plants, gets the PD with surgical screws, there presently is “ovisacs,” or the characteristic black, bacteria into its mouthparts, and then no cure for Pierce’s disease. Replanting sooty mold that will begin to grow on injects those infected mouthparts into in an area that is infested with sharp- the honeydew. If you are seeing honey- the grapevine’s tender tissues to feed shooters and host plants may not be dew from vine mealybugs on more than (suck xylem fluid). The populations of wise either. Unless you are comfortable 2% of your fruit, you should consider sharpshooters grow quickly with the with replanting every five years, it is gen- some kind of control program to reduce unlimited food source of a vineyard, erally suggested that Vitis vinifera vine- populations early in the growing sea- and hop from vine to vine, spreading yards are not viable in areas with large son. California is seeing an increase in the bacterium. Often, as the rest of the populations of PD-bearing insects. the population of these pests in recent landscape browns in summer, irrigated Temecula, California has done an years, and has been pouring money into vineyards stay green. This makes them admirable job as an industry to stay alive research. However, because the mealy- an obvious target for sharpshooters, who in the midst of a serious sharpshooter bug seems to be an isolated problem, I survive by consuming massive quantities infestation. Viticulturists there use a won’t go into too much detail here. of plant fluid. Sharpshooters like to live combination of strong spray programs Mealybugs can be controlled with in wet areas near rivers and in ornamen- and plant citrus fruits, the favored host chemical sprays such as “Applaud” tal landscapes (those that are irrigated). of the GWSS, at the perimeter of their which use a nicotine-like compound.

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 51 tion is a scoop of bait per vine. trol program. There are plenty of other insects Fungal Diseases and pests that will eat grapevine leaves Fungal diseases are commonly spread and cause vine damage. Leafhoppers, through the wounds made on the vines mites, snails, ants, bees, wasps and other during the process of pruning. If you species can cause damage to leaves and are concerned about fungal diseases, or ripening fruit. If your vines are being live in an area where rain is common at eaten by insects, do your best to con- pruning time, you may want to ask trol the populations early in the season. your local viticulturist where you can Once the vines are inundated by insect procure some “pruning paint” to sani- pests, control will be more difficult. You tize the wounds. This will minimize the may want to use some sticky traps in the risk of fungi entering the vines through spring to monitor the insect species in the wounds. your backyard vineyard. Leafhoppers and mites will, in Powdery Mildew Eutypa is a canker-type fungal disease that most parts of the U.S. where grapes are With no control, powdery mildew is spreads through fresh pruning wounds. grown, be your biggest enemy as far as the one fungal disease you can expect Wind-driven rain disperses the spores to insects are concerned. Low populations to appear on your vines. The mildew fresh wounds. Above: Leaves look tattered and scorched. Below: Canker near pruning (a number that does not result in your appears as powdery white or grey mil- wound. vines being eaten alive) will not threaten dew on the bottom of leaves or on the your vines or crop. clusters. Often a mildew infection will If you see threatening numbers start where two clusters are touching, or of leafhoppers or notice mite damage on clusters deep within a vigorous por- on your vines, try spraying a common tion of the canopy. insecticidal soap or oil to the vines. As Temperature and humidity play a major role in mildew development. The fungus grows best in conditions of high humidity between 70–86 °F (21–30 °C). Temperatures above 95 °F (35 °C) will When it kill mildew colonies, and if the temperatures in your vineyard exceed 95 °F Black measles show up as small, round, dark comes to grape- (35 °C) for more than 12 hours, expect spots on the skin of the grapes. Berries can that the mildew has been destroyed. For also crack and shrivel, or, in severe cases, vine dry up or rot. It’s believed to be a fungal control, start applying fungicide (usually disease that enters the vine through pruning diseases, pow- sulfur) on a regular schedule, and watch wounds. the bottoms of the leaves carefully for dery mildew signs of mildew infection. Reapply after rains. side of young, soft leaf and There is also a newly available phere- and bunch rot shoot tissue. mone that is being used to cause mating are like the flu disruption. When sprayed, the males Bunch Rot can’t find the females, because the hor- and the com- Bunch rot, unlike powdery mildew mone smell is everywhere in the vine- infections, is more common at the end yard. mon cold: plan of the season. This is when the grapes As noted earlier, vineyards contain- are ripening, the weather is warm and ing mealybugs can see marked increases on dealing with conditions are correct for the Botrytis of ants, including fire ants. These ants them on a cinerea, Penicillium or Aspergillus to begin protect mealybugs from their natural growing on soft fruit. Bunch rot usually enemies in exchange for honeydew. The yearly basis. appears initially as a discoloration of the best way for home gardeners or com- grapes, and is most obvious on white mercial growers to reduce mealybug varieties. Established bunch rot will start numbers is to rid the area of ants. This to give a fuzzy grey or blue appearance can be done with baits, so the vines do as the fungus begins to permeate the not have to be sprayed. In a home vine- always with insecticides, make sure to grape skin. Optimal temperature for yard, one bait station per vine (if mealy- wait a week to 10 days after a sulfur Botrytis fungal growth is 72° F (22 °C). bugs are present) would probably do the application to make sure you do not If you have problems with bunch rot, trick. Commercially, the recommenda- disrupt the efficacy of your mildew-con- using control in the early part of the sea-

52 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES son will help greatly later on. There are Black Measles also grape varieties that are somewhat The characteristic “measle” spots that resistant to bunch rot. When it comes to develop on mature fruit of the infected grapevine diseases, powdery mildew and vines give this disease its name. It is bunch rot are like the flu and the com- believed that black measles is a fungal mon cold: plan on dealing with them on disease that enters a vine through prun- a yearly basis. But, they also fairly easy to ing wounds, so the same type of precau- control with if your canopy is open and tions used for Eutypa should be helpful you keep a regular spraying schedule. in preventing black measles. When infected, the maturing grapes Eutypa Dieback on a vine will show a characteristic dark Eutypa is a canker-type fungal disease spotting, each spot surrounded by a that spreads through fresh pruning brownish or purplish ring. The leaves wounds. Rain is usually the culprit — of a vine infected with black measles spreading the spores of the fungus by also take on a very noticeable scorched splashing them from vine to vine, where pattern, which is usually most evident in they enter the vine through the pruning July and August. Treatment is difficult cuts. Symptoms usually appear as can- and fairly dangerous. Reports indicate kers (which look like darkened, dead that treating pruning wounds with sodi- wood that surrounds an old pruning um arsenite can provide control in an wound) on the spur nearest the initial already infected plant, but it is a danger- infection, and moves through the vine ous chemical and may also leave residue Leafroll is a progressive viral disease that until an entire cordon arm or trunk that can affect wine quality and safety. slows, and eventually stops, the maturation is infected. The canker also spreads It is strongly suggested that this chem- of the fruit. In the above photo, a healthy bunch of Cabernet grapes (left) is compared within the vine’s woody tissues. If you ical be avoided. If your vines become to a stunted bunch from a vine afflicted with cut through an infected vine’s trunk or infected with black measles, remove the leafroll (right). cordon arm, you will notice that only a affected vines and replant. small strip of live vine is present inside. There are a few cultural practices Viral Diseases cost of having to rip out and replant a that will reduce the chance of your vines One amazing aspect of the grapevine is virused vineyard. I will also mention in becoming infected with Eutypa. Try not the ease with which a vine can be propa- passing that there are those viticulturists to prune when rainfall is expected. This gated. There aren’t many plants that you and winemakers that believe a “little is easier said than done, as pruning is can cut during dormancy, shove a cut- virus” in the vineyard (whatever that often done in the winter, when rain is ting in the soil, and have a decent chance means) may slow vigor and result in a common. If possible, make pruning cuts of it growing into a new vine. The prob- smaller crop with more varietal intensi- in dry weather, and paint the wounds lem with grapevine cultivation is that it ty. There are plenty of ways to slow vigor with pruning wound compound, such as is so easy, and that the genetic “code” and thin the crop to a balanced level “benomyl paint.” Of course, most home of the mother vine is replicated exact- without having to rely on a virus. If a vineyardists won’t have access to ben- ly in the new plant propagated. That virused vineyard is still attractive to you omyl paint, so it is suggested that you means that any virus contained within after reading this article, I have failed in treat pruning wounds with a quick spray the “mother plant” will also be in the my duty as your vineyard tutor. of Lysol or a paste of laundry detergent, propagated plant. Many grapevine nurs- Remember that a virus cannot be being careful not to touch the dormant eries are not as careful as they should be removed from grapevines by any means. buds with these materials. If you notice in locating “certified” or “clean” wood A cutting that is infected will produce that your vines are developing the char- for creating new grapevines. A virus in a vine that is infected. There’s nothing acteristic “deadwood” Eutypa cankers grapevines is generally a nursery issue. you can do besides yanking the vine out around old pruning wounds, it’s time (Note: Fanleaf degeneration should be and starting again with clean, certified to break out the saw and do some vine considered an exception to this rule, nursery stock. Diseases caused by viruses surgery. The key is to remove only the because nematodes spread the disease that are not described here include rup- affected wood, and to stop where you between infected and unaffected vines sestis stem pitting and corky bark. As is hit healthy tissue (that is not dark and alike.) If you buy “certified” grapevine the case with preventing all grapevine “dead looking”). If the vine has been materials from a well-respected nursery, viruses, the key is to use clean (certified) infected to the point where there is no you should have little or no troubles materials when planting your vineyard. healthy wood left above the head, you from virus during the life of your vine- can cut the vine back to a short trunk, yard. I cannot stress how important it is Leafroll and train a sucker from near the bottom to buy clean material. The cost of clean This is a viral disease that will result in of the vine as the new trunk. materials is inconsequential next to the reduced yield. The reduction in yield is

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 53 Ten Signs of a Healthy Vineyard feeding on (and infecting) the “clean” This list has been ordered by my own view closer each vine gets to the same ratio, the roots. The key here is to recognize of importance. I started with twenty five more uniform your ripening will be that the bug cannot spread a virus that aspects of vineyard management, whittled 6. Informed pruning doesn’t exist. With this in mind, it is the list down to ten, and then ranked them Pruning is not a skill you can master by clear that planting clean, certified root- personally: #1 being most important. reading about it. There’s really only one way to learn: volunteer for a day at a local stock will almost ensure that your vine- 10. Organized vineyard floor vineyard and learn on their vines instead of yard will be free of this disease. If your vineyard is in a frost-prone area take your own (not my vines, though!). Choose In very few instances, nematodes are it down to bare soil. You should also keep a facility that produces your favorite local able to spread fanleaf from one infect- the vine row absolutely clean in young vine- wines and has a crew chief that has exper- yards, say 1–3 years old. At this age the tise and is willing to mentor. ed vineyard to a clean one, but this is weeds and grasses will compete for nutri- 5. Efficient canopy management certainly an exception, and a rare one ents with the young vine. This becomes less 10% sun flecking is the absolute minimum at that. Once a vineyard site has been amount of sun your fruit needs. If your of a problem when the vineyard is mature infected with both the nematode and and has deeper roots. A little weed growth canopy is so dense that less than 10% of in the vine row doesn’t bother me at all in a the sunlight hits the fruit, you can expect the virus, it is almost impossible to ever producing vineyard at least 3–5 years old. vegetative flavors in your wine (olive, bell replant without the good probability The top few feet of soil mean little to the pepper, asparagus, etc.). The general rule of subsequent infection. Allowing the vines, and as long as no weeds are intrud- is to continue experimenting to see how ing into the growing parts of the vine, you much leaf plucking you can utilize without ground to go fallow for 10 years has should be OK. compromising the fruit. proven effective. 9. Petiole angles 4. Balance Symptoms of fanleaf virus include a A petiole is a leaf stem on a grapevine — Here are a few key factors for determining disfiguring of the leaves. The “sinus” of what attaches the leaf blade to the shoot. whether your home vineyard is in balance: Vines that have plenty of water available 12–15 leaves per cluster, (see #7). Shoot the leaf becomes more “open” (where to them generally have a nearly 90 degree tips are even with tendrils at or shortly the leaf blade meets the petiole, there angle because the pressure of the fluids before fruit softens and colors up. Budbreak is usually a “v” shape, which is missing within the petiole creates firmness or tur- is even throughout the vineyard. Crop yields if infected), and the “teeth” on the leaf gidity. When water status starts to become stay fairly even year to year. Consistent deficient (the vine is drying out), turgidity is growth throughout the vineyard. blade become sharper and more elongat- lost, the leaf blade begins to droop and the 3. Correct match of varietal, rootstock ed. In severe infections, the areas next to angle shrinks. and site the veins on the leaf blade will become 8. Diversity in the vineyard habitat There is no other decision that will impact brightly banded with a creamy yellow The easiest way to explain vineyard diver- the final quality of your homegrown wine. sity is this: if there are enough bugs and Do as much research as humanly possible color. You may also notice an increasing critters busy eating each other, they have no concerning what belongs in your backyard, number of small “shot” berries on clus- time to threaten your vines. Hawk/falcon not what you’d like to grow in your back- ters, but by itself, this is not a clear indi- yard. perches, low-impact sprays that do not kill cation of fanleaf, as most “shot berries” beneficial insect populations, and foregoing 2. Grower in the field with a notebook herbicide to promote soil microbial health Knowing what your vineyard needs and are caused by zinc deficiency or uneven are all examples. what it can produce is a function of experi- fruit set. 7. Leaf to cluster ratio ence and observation. Count every leaf and every cluster on each 1. Perfect fruit on harvest day vine. Make an average (we use 100 vines, In the end, it’s all about the fruit. Planting, Conclusion but that may be overkill), and find your aver- labor, testing and harvest all culminate with Careful decision-making and monitor- age ratio of leaves to clusters. Your target a container filled with fruit in your home ing is absolutely vital to keeping your is 12–15 leaves for every cluster, and the winery ready to make into wine. grapevines healthy. Start by choosing a nursery with an excellent reputation for providing customers with certified not striking in the first few years that the diseases, there is no known cure for lea- virus-free grapevines. Plant on land that virus causes the disease, but usually pro- froll. Once again, make sure to replant has not been host to nematodes and dis- gresses until the vineyard is no longer with certified stock. eases. Be careful with your practices and producing a viable amount of grapes for your pruning. wine. Some vineyards with leafroll are Fanleaf Degeneration Help the vine help itself with an not replanted, and if the disease is not We should discuss fanleaf degeneration appropriate trellis, balanced nutrition too severe, yields are reduced, but vines because it is not purely a nursery issue, and canopy management that promotes continue to produce fruit. Symptoms and is spread by the dagger nematode, a fruiting zone that is open to wind and are usually visible on the leaves, and which is a species of roundworm that some sun flecking. are more pronounced as water stress feeds and breeds in the roots of grape- Treat your pruning wounds with a becomes apparent in late summer. vines. Once a vineyard site has been compound that will limit the spread of Leaves that show rolled shape and infested with dagger nematodes, it will fungal pathogens, especially if pruning become yellow or red are exhibiting the be a very difficult and expensive chal- must be done in wet weather. Learn the symptoms of leafroll virus, especially if lenge to keep the pests out. warning signs of mildew, rot, fungal, there is green banding next to the veins The nematode spreads the disease insect and viral diseases and act quickly

of the leaf. Like most viral grapevine by munching on infected roots, prior to if you see a problem develop. ®

54 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES to assist for a full “crush season” with HOW TO Bryan Babcock, who instilled in me a passion for vines and wine. It was while YOUR “kicking the dirt around” with Bryan BALANCE that I first understood the relationship between well-tended vines and fine GRAPEVINES wine. Bryan showed me how the workers would remove leaves around the developing clusters after they bloomed to ensure the clusters would be bathed in light. He would instruct the workers to tuck all the shoots up into the vertical shoot-positioning wires above the vines to make sure the vines wouldn’t sprawl and shade the fruit. A few months later, after making careful crop predictions, Bryan decided there was too much crop in the field. I then participated in my first “green harvest” — cutting one cluster off shoots that had two clusters of grapes. We dropped nearly half of the Pinot Noir crop on the ground that year. I figured that at $2,200 a ton, we probably dropped $30,000 worth of fruit. However, the wine was much improved as a result. This was my first lesson that winemakers have to make serious sacrifices to improve their wine. Before harvest and crush, I attended UC Davis’s three-day Varietal Winegrape Production course. I found but not so much as to burn the fruit. A myself drowning in a stormy sea of con- balanced vine is neither too stunted nor fusing lingo. These teachers used terms too vigorous. The idea of balance in the like inflorescense, interveinal chlorosis vineyard is critical. With that in mind, I and evapotranspiration. It shook my think my own viticultural training might liberal-arts intellect to the core . . . who prove instructive in communicating my knew science could be so useful later ideas about balance in the vineyard and in life? I flipped through the glossary how it can be obtained. of viticultural terminology as fast as I In 1994, I returned to my native could, trying to tread water in the tem- California. My mother and stepfather pest of valuable knowledge that stormed had purchased forty acres and they around me. One thing the professors I needed someone watch over things. In repeatedly stressed was, “Viticulture is 1996, my stepfather, Steve Pepe, hired site specific!” In a vineyard, balance is defined as a the best viticultural consultant in Santa At the end of the three days, my vine that has enough leaves to ripen its Barbara County (Jeff Newton) to plant head was swimming with facts, theory crop load evenly. The total crop load will the first half of our new vineyard. and ideas. I was energized to get back to vary with vine vigor. Low-vigor vines Before he left Clos Pepe, Jeff gave Clos Pepe and spend some time in the may produce only one ton of grapes me a valuable bit of advice. He told vineyard. I understood vineyard balance per acre, while very vigorous vines may me that if I spent five years working in in theory, but I lacked the practical skills produce eight tons (although that level the vineyard, I could be a great wine- to make it a reality at Clos Pepe. of yield makes me a bit uncomfortable). maker. I immediately began to sign up The following season (1997) was A balanced vine bears just enough fruit for extension courses offered by the our vineyard’s second year. The lessons to make intense wine, but not so little University of California at Davis. Later, I learned at Davis had led me to visit crop as to make the ripening occur too in 1996, I quit my job and went to work the bookstore before I left. These books quickly. A balanced vine will allow sun- at Babcock Vineyards and Winery. I kept me company in the evenings after light and wind to penetrate the canopy, was able to work in the vineyard and my days tending the vines as a vineyard

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 55 was honored to accept the Central Coast etrate the canopy and fleck the fruit. Wine Growers’ Association Grower of On a sunny day, at least 10 percent of Viticulture is the Year Award for the 2001–2002 sea- any cluster should be flecked by sun- site specific and sons. And now that I make commercial- light. In cooler areas, more leaves can ly salable wine from my vineyard, I am be removed around the fruit to further every vineyard increasingly motivated to grow the best expose the fruit. The key is to find out fruit I can. how much sun the clusters can take has a different I have learned some valuable lessons without burning, cracking or raisining. in my years of training that can help you Clusters exposed to sun and wind will definition of grow better fruit. So here are some of also have lower mildew and disease balance. the basics of achieving balance in your pressure. It is also advisable to give backyard vineyard. each cluster their own little space on General advice Balance means that there is a certain the canopy, so no clusters are touching ratio of leaves to every cluster of grapes. or bunched up and the crop load looks is a starting Some sources say 8 to 12 leaves per evenly spaced along the vine. Clusters cluster is optimal, while I prefer 15–20. that are touching are a perfect breeding point, but not a If there are too many leaves, try to ground for pest animals and disease, rot substitute for remove shoots that bear no fruit. If they and mildew. Allowing the sun to fleck are too tall and vigorous, hedge off the your fruit will improve color, add flavor getting to know top of the shoots. If there are too many and remove vegetal aromas and flavors clusters, remove them to make the ratio in the wine. Leaf removal is best done your vines. more balanced. right after the vine has finished bloom- I recommend removing the top ing. cluster on shoots that bear two or more Balance means little if the fruit you laborer. My life was now consumed clusters. Don’t remove all the clusters harvest is poor quality. The final mea- with grape growing. The reading helped from one shoot, leaving multiple clusters sure of balance in your vineyard is the me understand what I was seeing in the on other shoots. Balance also means quality of fruit and the quality of wine vineyard, but the actual work taught me giving each cluster equal vine resourc- that results. Here are some specific activ- many things that books cannot. es to ripen. This will help your fruit ities to help you achieve balance in your It is impossible to describe in words ripen evenly. If your vines continue to backyard vineyard. the pressure one can exert on a grow- be too vigorous, reduce fertilization or ing vine shoot without snapping it. It’s irrigation. If there are too few leaves, a. Position the longer shoots up and impossible to describe the color of a think about finding a fertilizer that adds away from the clusters — using catch healthy vine, or the texture of a leaf that nitrogen to your soil or increasing the wires in a trellising system if possible — has been wind-damaged, but not infect- amount of irrigation. and remove a few leaves from near the ed with a virus. Working the vineyard Balance can be measured by deter- fruit. Experiment to see how much sun every day for a year taught me more mining the ratio of grape yield to you can provide without burning the about plants and vines than any other pruned cane weight. To do this, weigh grapes. If your shoots grow so long that experience in my life. It also taught me the amount of grapes harvested off they droop (sprawl) back over and shade things specific to our vineyard — what each vine at harvest. Later, in the dead the fruit, hedge off the tops of the vines. our vines needed, how much water they of winter when you prune, weigh the Be wary, though, because sometimes required, how quickly our weeds grew pruned canes that you cut off. Keep hedging vines will cause the shoots to and which of them were noxious and records of both measurements and com- ‘bush out’ near the bottom. You may which weren’t. pare the grape yield (in pounds) to the have to remove a few more leaves near After working for a year in the vine- weight of the pruned canes (in pounds) the fruit if this occurs. yard, I took the same course at Davis for individual vines. You might want to again. After attending the second set do this for 10 vines per acre to get a fair- b. Make the vines look tended and of Davis lectures, I began to feel that I ly accurate ratio. orderly, and make sure your “fruiting understood the rhythm of the vineyard The yield of grapes should be zone” is open enough to get some sun season. My vines would be alright as between five to 10 times the weight of and wind inside the canopy to reduce long as I listened carefully to the cues the pruned canes. In cooler climates, mildew and disease pressure. Watch to they offered. 4 to 8 times more grapes than canes make sure the fruit isn’t being burned. As the years passed, I progressed might be more appropriate. This is a Cut some crop off half your vines, from a struggling, confused farmer to mathematical way of measuring balance make the wines from both halves sep- someone getting top dollar for his fruit. in your backyard vine that is a common arately, and taste the wines blind after My grapes have made wine that scored practice in commercial vineyards. they are finished to see if crop reduc- 90 points in Wine Spectator reviews. I A balanced vine allows sun to pen- tion increased intensity, color or both.

56 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES Cluster removal is best done after bloom ripping them off by hand (a good down- remove a few more leaves. If the wines and fruit set and before veraison, when ward yank usually works), cutting them lack intensity, try to leave less fruiting the grapes turn soft. off with pruning shears, or — if you’re wood on the vine at pruning — or really good — with your boot as you reduce the crop — while keeping the c. Keep a hand’s width between grow- walk down the rows. vine in balance. ing shoots, and remove stunted shoots Viticulture is site specific and every altogether. If the canes are too crowded d. Experiment and take time to learn vineyard has a different definition of bal- with small shoots, or shoots that bear from your vineyard. Listen to what the ance. General advice is a starting point, no fruit, remove those shoots to make vines have to say through the finished but not a substitute for getting to know more room for the good shoots to grow. wine. If there’s a problem in the wine, your vines. The final solution should be Remove basal shoots or “suckers,” and you are sure your cellar practices clear: the more time you spend in your shoots that grow from the bottom of the are sound, try to find a way to balance vineyard trying these techniques, the vine or not out of a bud that you left for your vineyard to produce better fruit. If more you will understand what is need-

shoot development. You can do this by the wines are light-colored and vegetal, ed to achieve balance. ®

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 57 SUMMER SESSION

to when we expect cap drop, flowering, cycle. If a vine was a car, it would have fruit set and bunch closure. Here are three speeds. Dormancy (parked), veg- some ways to avoid the hazards of sum- etative (getting to highway speed) and mer and to get to veraison with a tidy ripening (cruising under solar power). It canopy and a balanced vineyard. is our hope as grape growers that summer will bring the sunshine necessary Rapid Shoot Growth to grow the shoots needed for sugar To make alcohol we need sugar. To get production mode. sugar in the grapes, the vines need sun- Grapevines grow and ripen at light, water and nutrients. The engine peak performance around 87 °F (31 °C), of a vine is its leaves. Most shoots of a so these warm months are crucial to get SummerS is the workhorse of the vintage, grapevine carry one or two grape clus- our shoots grown and our ripening ini- but is often undervalued by viticulturists ters, and most varieties need at least tiated. Three to 4 feet (30.91–1.2 m) of — if summer becomes a vacation from ten leaves per cluster to get the fruit shoot growth prior to the shoots starting your vineyard, your wine will underper- ripe. Leaves absorb sunlight, triggering to lignify (or harden into wood) is about form as a result. photosynthesis. Water vapor is released optimal. With leaf nodes every 3 inches Of course, summer in California from pores (stomata) on the back of the 7.6 cm) that will give us 12–16 leaves — won’t coincide exactly with summer leaves, which keeps the “wick” inside add a few lateral shoots and we could in Michigan. So to make this article the vine (phloem) dry enough to soak easily be up in that 24–30 leaves per as instructive as possible, let’s think of up more water through root hairs via shoot that is optimal for full ripening “summer in the vineyard” as a period osmosis. This will also transport soil- of two clusters. Less than 20–24 leaves of time that starts when shoots are long borne nutrients. So before the vine can per shoot may mean the vine needs a enough to begin canopy management, get down to the work of ripening fruit, it touch more water or nutrients (mainly and extend through the period of time must first operate in a vegetative growth nitrogen for growth) — but be slow

58 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES and methodical when you change your ing a few more leaves each year until in their color. In the warmest months, watering or fertilization to make sure you find the right balance of exposure, vines should have leaves no larger than you don’t go overboard and end up with flavor, and sound fruit without burn or a man’s hand and a dull or dusty green a rank vine that makes thin wine. If you cracking. color. These are the signs of a vine that get over 5 feet (1.5 m) of shoot growth By the end of summer, your canopy is in balance. per year, you can likely cut back on the should be dialed in. There should be a If the vine isn’t growing enough watering and stop fertilizing altogether. ratio of leaves to clusters around 12–15, shoot length for ripeness, you may need shoot lengths between 3 to 5 feet (0.91 a little nitrogen along with phosphorous Canopy Management to 1.5 m), an open canopy that exposes (nitrogen mainly for vigor, and phos- Understanding canopy management fruit in a safe and site specific manner. phorous for fruit development). If the is the most important single element These three paragraphs are just an intro- leaves never get green, you may need a of managing a vineyard. Wine quali- duction. For more on canopy manage- little potassium. If the grapes are pump- ty is driven by canopy management. ment, see Dr. Richard Smart’s handbook kin shaped (after cap fall) and have no Most wine geeks think they know what “Sunlight Into Wine.” seeds, you may have a zinc deficiency. microclimate is, but most are wrong. My message here is: never apply fertil- Macroclimate is the area where you Cap Drop and Flowering izer to vines that don’t need it, and be grow your grapes — like Napa Valley or If you look closely at a grape cluster very specific with your applications to the Finger Lakes. Mesoclimate describes before flowering it appears to be a tiny promote vine balance. You can collect a a specific area, such as the Beckstoffer little green pumpkin — enclosed by a petiole sample during bloom to send to Vineyard or the Western Cayuga Lake textured protective cap. When the time a lab for nutritional analysis, and I rec- region. Microclimate gets much more is right, the caps will dessicate (dry ommend this at least every three years. specific, and the reason should be obvi- up) and fall off to expose the delicate Overly vigorous vines produce poor ous. The only climate that really matters yellow flowers underneath. Once the wines, as do vines that struggle through- to wine quality is the climate inside the caps drop and the flowers are exposed out the season. canopy and at the exact place where the throughout the vineyard, hope for warm fruit grows and ripens. You could grow weather and only light winds. Flowering Water Considerations Nebbiolo in the Cannubi vineyard in will dictate yield; so if there is a terrible Irrigation is a contentious subject in viti- Barolo, but if the fruit is hidden deep in rainstorm, high winds or hail, we can culture. Those areas that can dry farm a burly overgrowth of vine, you will not lose much of our harvest. As mentioned quality grapes without irrigation are make good Cannubi Barolo. As a result, above it is not recommended to do leaf clearly at an advantage economically, if the primary focus of canopy manage- removal from the fruiting zone before not viticulturally. The costs of establishment, then, is to promote perfect climat- flowering so those crazy hermaphroditic ing a dry farmed vineyard are reduced ic conditions for the fruit to develop and clusters can do their business in the rel- drastically, rainwater is better for plants ripen on the vine. ative privacy within the canopy. A foliar than ground water, and it can be argued During summer the focus is to get application of zinc prior to bloom has that dry farmed grapes better represent the shoots to grow, then to remove shown to increase successful flowering a vineyard’s terroir. On the other side leaves and lateral shoots to promote sun by up to 10%. I spray zinc every year of the argument, irrigation offers tools flecking and wind movement through for this purpose, a nice insurance policy to the vineyardist with an irrigation the fruiting zone. Leaf removal should with no down side, if applied according system that are unavailable to the dry commence after flowering as the fruit to label instructions. farmer. I can better control the cycle of sets. Windbreak and sun protection vine growth with irrigation or deficit from leaf shading may be helpful for Nutrient Management irrigation. I can extend the vine’s season the flowers to gently drop their magic It is important to note that grapevines for longer hang time, stave off a heat dust on the emerging ovaries, but once perform admirably in many locales in spell or encourage the vines to speed the fruit is set, they need sunlight and the US without any supplemental fertil- up their sugar accumulation. Irrigation, wind to keep flavor developing and rot/ izer. If you can produce 3–5 feet (0.9–1.5 if needed, is worth the investment to mildew at bay. Proper canopy manage- m) of cane from each shoot position and guarantee adequate water status for the ment opens the canopy to sun and wind the grapes get ripe and the leaves are a vineyard. So how do we know if your to the maximum level allowable with- dull green as they grow, allow the vines backyard vineyard needs a watering sys- out threatening the fruit with sunburn. to produce their crop without adding tem? A five-dollar grapevine from a local There should never be more than a one nutrition. Supplemental fertilization is nursery should do the trick. Plant the leaf layer between the fruit and the sky only necessary for underperforming, vine where you want to put a vineyard on either side of the vine row, so you low-vigor vines that struggle to produce and watch it for a few years to see how can start with reducing congestion that healthy shoots and keep green leaves. it grows with no supplemental water. In way. From there I recommend a slow Again, leaves do not have to be huge and most backyard situations the vines will and methodical approach over many waxy green — that is a sign of too much be much happier sucking up rainwater vintages. Expose 10% of the fruit on the nitrogen. Vines can show a little spring than municipal water, which often times morning sun side of the vine row, see fever until summer — a milky cast to has chlorine and fluorine residues. Well how the fruit reacts, and keep remov- leaves that may also seem a little yellow water is better than municipal sources,

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 59 Remember that spraying may kill more beneficial insects than pests if you’re not careful. Try to target the pest species specifically and let nature work for you, not against you! but rainwater is still the best. that all that work with triangles is finally moment a vineyard pest becomes a Summer is clearly the peak of a paying off in the real world.) management issue is when they begin vine’s water requirements. Budbreak Heat spell hazard is defined as high to threaten your healthy crop. So a few through July is a period where the vines temperatures for at least 48–72 hours grasshoppers nibbling leaves (a hole here need a constant supply of moisture to that can cause crop and vine damage. and there) is not a big deal, but a swarm get the shoots growing and the canopy Sustained temperatures in the 100+ °F of locusts skeletonizing the whole vine- established. If the vineyard achieves (38+ °C) range may reduce yield by yard — that’s a big problem and one this naturally in most years, count your as much as 3% per day if steps are not that needs to be brought to the attention blessings. Most dry farmed vineyards taken to moderate the heat stress. A of your local agricultural commissioner. rely on about 20 inches (51 cm) or more deep irrigation before the heat wave hits Populations of some pests such as of annual rainfall. You can use a rough is always a good idea to buffer the roots bees, wasps, ants, yellowjackets, gophers estimate of 15 gallons (57 L) per plant to with moisture and to cool the soil pro- and ground squirrels need to be culled make up each inch of rain lacking — but file. Mulch also seems to protect the soil early in the season before breeding putting down more than 10 gallons from getting too hot underneath, and and their numbers exceed the capacity (38 L) per plant at once is generally will also make applied water stay in the for control. For instance, gophers and a waste of water, except perhaps as a soil longer as it protects it from rapid squirrels breed twice — in spring and post-irrigation flooding. Just like the evaporation. Water can also be used by in late summer. May is a great time to suggestions for fertilization, if your vines setting up overhead sprinklers to douse knock their numbers down if you failed grow balanced without adding water, the vineyard. The sun will have to turn to control them right as they woke up in don’t screw with nature! If your vines the water into vapor before it goes to January and February. Do what you can show water stress, start with an appli- work on harming the vines. There is to remove food sources and habitat, and cation of 5 gallons (19 L) per plant and some controversy over whether a vine see how they react, then fine tune from shuts down at 104 °F (40 °C) or not. The there. Clay soils hold water longer and shut-down theory is usually taught in US COMBATING need less water than sandy or loamy viticulture programs, although research HEAT STRESS soils. is emerging from Australia that disputes • Run overhead sprinklers to bring vine Remember there are a few tricks for those claims. As the Aussies support temperatures down eyeballing water status in your vineyard. their research programs in a manner we • Moisten soil with irrigation by drip, While the vine is in vegetative stages, the don’t choose to match, my bet is on the flood, furrow or microsprinkler. Apply- tendrils on the top of the shoots should Australian research. Unchecked, these ing water three to five days before a extend significantly beyond the growing are the results of heat stress (>103 °F/39 heat event is recommended tip. This shows that the vine is attempt- °C) on a grapevine in summer: • Maintain more leaves between sun ing to climb higher and soak up more and fruit to shade and protect sunshine. When the tendrils pull back • Erratic fruit set and small berries (espe- • Build soils with mulches and composts even to or behind the growing tip, that cially in Cabernet and Merlot) that add organic carbon to the vineyard means that the vine is in water stress, • Shoot tip dieback (especially in Chenin soil. Organic carbon has shown great or that it is finishing vegetative growth Blanc and French Colombard) promise in Australia for moderating and focusing on ripening the crop. The • Burned fruit and the production of heat stress damage angle of the leaf blade (the actual leaf) off-flavors • For the pro, there are products such and the petiole (the leaf’s stem) can also • Very rapid ripening/raisining as Parasol, which reflects sun and protects vines from heat stress give us clues about the vine’s water sta- • There is evidence that groundwater tus. The leaves will wilt in water stress See the sidebar for a list of practices moderates heat stress in heat events and the angle of the blade to the stem to combat moderate heat stress. three days or shorter. There may be becomes acute. With proper water sta- very little we can do for our vines in tus, the blade will be at a right angle (or Critters and Disease extended heat spells — but sprinklers even slightly obtuse) to the petiole. (Feel If you live in a region where bugs have and canopy management are a good free to call your high school geometry struck a balance and stay busy eating start teacher at this point and let them know each other, you are very lucky. The

60 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES do your best to trap, exclude and kill the pests that threaten your vineyard. Do not kill all animals and insects in the vineyard, though. Grape Growing Regions In general, having a diverse habitat will help the vineyard as the critters will Around the world, wine grapes are grape varieties are grown there, be battling amongst themselves while grown almost everywhere environ- with Nebbiolo (red) and Trebbiano your vines grow relatively unmolested. mental conditions permit, excepting (white) being widely-planted. Try to observe your vineyard constantly countries where alcohol is prohibited. France is nearly synonymous with and see what species live there and in Grape vines require a growing season wine and any attempt to summarize what seasons the populations increase. that is long enough and hot enough to their production in a paragraph would Do your research to find out what spe- produce grapes with sufficient sugar. be fruitless. It contains some of the cies are beneficial (encourage popula- Yet, they also need winters that are most famous wine growing regions on tions), and which are pests (destroy with cool enough for them to give them the planet — Burgundy, Bordeaux and impunity). Always follow local laws and their chilling requirement. These con- Champagne — and is the home of use low-impact methods for pest control. ditions exist in two “belts” circling the many classic grape varieties, including Remember that spraying may kill more globe — from 30–40 °S and 30–50 Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, beneficial insects than pests if you’re not °N. The local climate and soil condi- Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. careful. Try to target the pest species spe- tions must be accommodating, so not Merlot and Granache are their most cifically and let nature work for you, not every bit of arable land inside these widely-planted varieties. against you! zones is suitable for growing quality Wine grapes are grown in all 50 Summer weeds should be kept wine grapes. states of the United States. California knocked down in the vine row and man- An exhaustive list of grape grow- is the leading producer, followed by ageable in between rows. Weeds should ing regions would be, well, exhausting New York, Washington State and never touch the grapes or the canopy, to read. So, instead, here are some Oregon. California has many famous but small weeds in the vine row rarely the major grape growing regions wine growing regions (including root deep enough to compete with vines around the world, with a somewhat Napa and Sonoma) and it’s output is for water and nutrients. Having some deeper look at regions of importance larger than most countries. 90% of the permanent plant growth in the vineyard in North America. wine produced in the United States is usually attractive, as it can bring in In the Southern Hemisphere, the comes from California. Wine regions beneficial insects and offer pests some- countries that produce the most wine are grouped into four large regions, thing to nibble on besides the grapevines. are Argentina, Australia, South Africa, the North Coast, Central Coast, South If the vine is the only green the pests see, Chile, Brazil and New Zealand. Coast and Central Valley. Cabernet you can guess where they’re going for Argentina produces the most Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and their meals. wine of any country in the Southern Zinfandel are all widely-planted. The major diseases that you will Hemisphere and is the fifth largest pro- New York is most famous for have to avoid in summer are mildew and ducer in the world. (Note: Production the Finger Lakes growing region. bunch rot. Both of these problems can totals vary year by year and acreages Although the best-known New York be controlled by careful fungicide pro- devoted to vineyards expands and wines are probably Rieslings, less grams you can work out with other local contracts over time.) Arguably the than 10% of the wine produced in growers, nurseries and your local college, best known Argentine grape growing New York is made from Vitis vinifera ag commissioner or other experts. Stick region is Mendoza. Argentina grows grapes. American hybrid grapes to your spraying schedule and follow a wide variety of grapes, but is best (such as Catawba) and French hybrid label instructions. An open canopy also known for its Malbec. grapes (Baco Noir) are widely grown. slows the growth of fungus, so the more The Australian wine industry has Washington and Oregon are both open your canopy is (within reason), the been growing vigorously in recent home to multiple wine-growing regions more effective your sprays become. years and Australia is now the fourth and are best know for their whites — largest exporter of wine in the world. Riesling in Washington, Pinto Gris in Conclusion Shiraz is the most widely planted wine Oregon. Oregon also produces a fair It may be a struggle to see the world grape variety there. amount of Pinot Noir. on vacation while we’re captive to the The biggest producers of wine are The southern parts of British vineyard’s needs, but summer is the time located in the Northern Hemisphere. Columbia and Ontario are home to when we pay for our wine with hard Italy produces more wine than any Canada’s wine industry, most known labor in the backyard. Summer sets the other country in the world and is also for its icewines. stage for that dance of denouement we home to some of the oldest wine-pro-

call harvest and crush. ® ducing regions. A wide variety of

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 61 Photo courtesy of Ravenswood HARVEST & BEYOND

62 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES the season, and then spraying once they RIPENESS & see a mildew or other problem appear on the fruit. Once mildew or rot is visible, your wine quality has been irrevers- WINE STYLE ibly contaminated. A squeaky clean vineyard can survive a few summer rains, so Defining Winegrape Ripeness: you don’t have to let the weather dictate How Ripe when you pick. is Too Ripe? It is clear that alcohol levels in table • Keep weeds and grasses from wine have risen significantly in the past growing into the canopy. Grass and two decades. Over the years there has weeds touching the fruit can give off been a rise in monstrously alcoholic flavors and encourage rot and mildew. wines of 16% or higher. Often, a wine Keeping a clean vine row will also that is picked at elevated ripeness shows reduce competition and may help you more “high toned” fruit in the nose and get that extra bit of sugar you need to feels heavier on the palate. When tasted make a bigger and fruitier wine. blind, without food, it seems that these wines outperform (and outscore) their • Turn the water off at the end of less-ripe competition. the growing year, pre-harvest. If you are For me, perfect ripeness lies lucky enough to have dry soil at the end somewhere between the extremes. My of the growing year, your grapes may be favorite wines (whether Seyval Blanc, able to dehydrate just a bit, dimple in Champagne or Pinot Noir) always the skins, and give you that extra sugar balance fruit, concentration, pedigree, you need to get riper flavors. elegance and acidity. If you grow grapes in an area where you can get them very • Pay careful attention to pH and ripe, there is no reason to ignore the acid levels in your grapes. In areas where potential concentration and ripeness you full maturity is difficult to achieve, you can create (as long as the wine maintains may need to use pH and total (or titrat- balance). If you live in an area where it able) acidity in your grapes as a method is a challenge to get your wines above for determining a harvest date. If the 12% potential alcohol, there are benefits sugars “stick” at 21–22 °Brix, and you to exploit as well (such as glorious acid- can’t get them higher, pay attention to ity and delicacy). As this article is meant the pH and acidity and make sure you to help winegrowers all over North aren’t picking the grapes with excessive America, let’s take a look at ripeness acidity. Balance in wine is often more a decisions at harvest and how they will function of acidity than sugar content. impact your wine style and quality. I like to see pH levels above 3.3 in red Most winegrowing regions fall into wine and above 3.1 in whites. A one of two categories: areas where it is a As harvest nears and the grapes are challenge to get grapes to ripen to 13%+ • Don’t be afraid to add a little sugar getting ripe, we growers need to start alcohol, and areas where the grapes if you need to. I suggest adding sugar making some decisions concerning the get as ripe as we would like them. Let’s to your must to bump the Brix level to style of wine we want to create. The wine break down both types of winegrowing a minimum of 22 for table wine and 19 media often gets caught up in the eno- locales, and see what we can learn about for sparkling wine. logical debate of ripeness and wine style. harvest timing and wine style. So, in this section of this grape growing • Let the fruit hang until you are special issue, I would like to bring the Areas Where Ripeness is forced to harvest. Watch the weather debate into focus. First of all, we need Difficult to Achieve carefully. A little rain won’t ruin a har- to define winegrape ripeness and dis- • Early and mid-season vigilance in vest, but a big storm or hail certainly cuss how varying levels of physiologi- the vineyard is absolutely imperative. can. Do your best to balance patience cal maturity affect the resulting wine. Keeping your vines clean from mildew and common sense. If you see that a Second, I would like to suggest some and rot early in the season will keep rainstorm is coming, but it is supposed ways of fine tuning your backyard your fruit sound longer into the season, to be followed by warm weather, you harvest timing to produce some deli- allowing you to pick riper. One common may want to ride the storm out and cious wines that perfectly suit your spe- mistake made by home vineyardists is hope the sunny weather will help your cific tastes. being lazy with spray schedules early in fruit get fully ripe before harvest.

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 63 • In areas where full ripeness is diffi- brown seeds and stems that have begun you acidulate (add acid to) the water cult to achieve, don’t forget that the goal to become woody. you use: add 10 grams of tartaric acid is to produce balanced, delicate wines If you need a bump of ripeness at per liter of water before adding it to with excellent acidity. You won’t likely the end of the season, turn the water off the must. This will keep the wine from be producing soft, monster wines with and watch the grapes carefully for signs becoming flat and uninteresting. intense color and massive concentration. of rapid dimpling or dehydration. I don’t water my musts down or Look to the low-alcohol wines from acidulate my wines. I believe the best British Columbia, Germany and Austria • Test the fruit a few times a week wines are those that are carefully farmed, as your template for success. at the end of the growing season. Rises picked at optimal ripeness and fer- in sugar content can spike in hot, dry mented without manipulation. • Cut out the problem fruit. You weather. In 2004, I saw a small home As a vineyardist and home wine- may be able to make better wine by vineyard jump from 23 °Brix to 29 °Brix maker your first priority should be to allowing the fruit to hang longer. If this in 48 hours (during an unexpected heat grow and make wines that suit your sty- means a small portion of your crop spike). It is always better to carefully listic preference. In other words, make begins to rot or have problems, focus on choose a picking date with the help of wines that are delicious to you. Pay

As a vineyardist and home winemaker your first priority should be to grow and make wines that suit your stylistic preference.

the clean fruit, remove the problem fruit lab data then to go out to the vineyard careful attention to the levels of alcohol, from the vineyard and allow the good and see your fruit has raisined. ripeness, concentration, elegance and fruit to ripen normally. Never let a few acidity in the wines you buy and love. bad clusters on the vines dictate your • Sort out the bad fruit. If your vine- Make notes, rate the wines using your picking date and maximum ripeness. yard produces fruit that is not uniformly own system and find out which elements ripe, be careful to sort out green fruit (fruit, acidity, richness, etc.) consistently Areas Where Ripeness and fruit that is raisined or too ripe. appear in your favorite wines. If you is Easy to Achieve Green fruit is not a good way to add want more concentration and richness, • Don’t let your wines become flabby! acidity to your wine — it is better to try to get a little more ripeness out of Pay attention to the pH of the fruit as do that with tartaric acid. Overripe and your vineyard using the previously it ripens and don’t sacrifice structure raisined fruit will continue to leak sugar detailed practices. If you want more ele- for ripeness. Full bodied red wines with into the must and can give your wine a gance, acidity and structure out of your elevated pH (above 3.7) lack the acidity port-like flavor. wines try to pick a little less ripe. necessary to freshen the palate between Regardless of style, the key is to take bites of food. • “Post-harvest irrigation” is wine- notes during the growing season, during Don’t be afraid to go ripe as long as speak for watering down overripe must harvest and during the winemaking pro- the wine has the acidity to balance the for wine production. This is a practice cess so that you can look over them and richness. My favorite red wines have a that is commonly used in high-end correlate your decisions with the quality pH of 3.3 to 3.6. White wines should be California winemaking, but is definitely and style of the resulting wine. Taste in the 3.1 to 3.3 range to maintain some a contentious issue. The idea is to pick the fruit at harvest and make notes on structure and zingy acidity. the fruit very ripe (26–29 ºBrix) to get the flavors — sometimes the taste of the full concentration, color and phenolic fruit will tell you more than any lab test • Use irrigation as a tool. If you are ripeness and then water the must down can. That way you can carefully tweak a able to irrigate your vineyard, don’t (to 22.5–25 ºBrix) so the alcohol level is practice or two each year, turn the water off too soon. During heat not too crazy. Most wineries use bottled change the Brix and the pH a bit in spikes a few extra gallons of water per water (spring water or the like) to water order to find the magic numbers and vine can keep the vines from shutting their must. Add water a little at a time flavors that make all your hard work down and the berries from dehydrating. and then test the sugar content carefully pay off. Understanding ripeness in your Keep the vine green and healthy to allow with a hydrometer. Pay attention to how own vineyard will allow you to make the grapes to mature, not dehydrate. The the pH and acid structure of the wine the wine that is perfectly suited for

key is to bring in fully ripe fruit with is affected. It is also recommended that your palate. ®

64 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES are also hundreds of birds, raccoons, HARVEST ON deer, goats and others that would love to get your crop into their gullet. I worked for a Santa Barbara County winemaker THE VINE who warned a local ostrich farmer (more than once) to keep his hulking birds out of his Pinot Noir vineyard. I came to work early one morning to find the winemaker holding a smoking shotgun and mumbling about ostriches and barbecue. The massive bird (dead between the rows) was a testament to the golden rule of living next to a Pinot Noir grower: DON’T MESS WITH THE CROP! Forgetting that slightly deranged episode, there are some important things to remember to keep your grapes from going the way of the dodo. First of all, let’s acknowledge the fact that we are fortunate ostriches are not common around most American vineyard sites. But starlings, blackbirds and many other types of birds are. If I did not protect my vineyard against bird damage, I would be lucky to bring in a single undamaged cluster from 28 acres. PHOTO BY IAN MACKENZIE Even though my vineyard is (to ble out a rhythm. The sound summons date) ostrich free, bird damage is the the ancient spirit of Dionysus to do his single greatest threat to my crop late in alchemical magic of turning juice into a the growing season. Not only will birds magical potion of health and pleasure. reduce yield (and perhaps eat every But before we allow the product of berry you have on your vines), but they our passion to consume us and cause also enjoy piercing the grapes after ber- poetic ramblings, let’s not forget the ry-softening to see if they are ready to hard work and structured timetable eat. If the grape is still too unripe for that allowed us to bring in good, clean consumption, the fruit is left on the fruit for fermentation. In this section, cluster with its skin pierced. A punctured I will discuss pre-harvest, harvest and grape has an even sweeter fragrance than Late summerL and fall is a busy time for post-harvest in the vineyard. usual, and will hence attract more bees, the backyard viticulturist. By September We will examine the best ways to wasps and fruit flies. Pierced fruit is also and October, those who make wine are protect your crop until it is ready to be more susceptible to bunch rot. experiencing “crunch time” in vine- picked and ways to test your fruit to Here in the Santa Rita Hills of yards and the cellar. We call friends make sure the chemistry of your wine northern Santa Barbara County, we and ask if they are interested in taking will be acceptable. We will find methods have a serious population of starlings a day off from work to help pick and for deciding the “perfect” day to pick that start circling the vineyard in early crush because the fruit just can’t wait your crop and observe picking protocol. August. Unchecked, they will descend the weekend. And of course, we test our By the time we’ve finished, you into a few rows of the vineyard by the fruit for sugar and acidity on a regular should know what to expect from the hundreds, grab a number of berries in basis, waiting for the perfect combina- winegrape harvest and have a good their mouths and fly away quickly. Entire tion of chemistry and flavor that sets off understanding of Brix/pH balance in rows can be wiped out instantaneously. that mysterious alarm inside our heads wine, as well as some strategies on how Grape-thieving birds have a “modus that says, “Tomorrow is the day to pick to make the vines happy and healthy operandi” that, if understood, can help grapes and make wine.” before they take their long winter’s nap. you combat them successfully. First, Then the magic begins. Fermenters they prefer to attack the edges of a vine- of bubbling grapes warm as if by magic Protecting Your Crop yard. This means if you can’t afford to — as if they have stored the sunshine Your neighbors, friends and family are net an entire vineyard, make sure to at from the summer and are releasing it not the only ones who know that you least net the outer rows. However, for into the liquid. Fermentation locks bub- grow the best grapes in the area. There best results and ultimate protection, it

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 65 Photo by Amand N. Kasimatis is recomended and safest to net every will also reduce time spent sorting the orate you want your setup. I recommend single vine row. We use “Lightweight, fruit as well as volatile acidity in the at least two hydrometers (one 0–35 Premium Grade Bird Netting.” This can wine because less berries will have been °Brix, and one 19–31 °Brix), a tube to be viewed at www.wildlife-control.com/ pecked and rotted. Also, expect to see float your hydrometer and a reliable pH agricul-ture.html. fewer wasps and bees on your fruit. meter. Some winegrowers also like to We use the 14 foot-wide (4.3-m) Netting may reduce deer (and other have a refractometer, which is a portable variety, cut to lengths that match our large mammal) damage, but only on device that you can drip a bit of juice on row length. We hand roll them over the interior clusters. Deer, goats, sheep, and in the field, point it at the sun, and get top of the vine so they drape down over horses won’t be easily swayed from nib- an immediate (and fairly accurate) Brix the canopy. As a further precaution, bling through the nets. A few large dogs reading. Once the fruit passes 20 °Brix, we then fasten the two loose ends at or a high fence is your best bet for large plan on testing the fruit at least once a the bottom using wire twist-ties (every mammal control. week in your little kitchen laboratory or 10 feet/3 m or so). This prevents birds a few times a week (even every day) if from gaining access underneath the nets. Testing Fruit for Ripeness the weather is warm or when the fruit is Some larger vineyards net the outside Even though we’ve discussed fruit nearly ready to pick. rows of their vineyard and then use pro- chemistry in the previous section, a few In a small vineyard where taking full pane cannons, mylar “flash” tape, and important concepts bear repeating. First, cluster samples would seriously decrease kites that look like owls to try to scare trust your palate. You should be able to the crop you harvest, remove single the birds away from the interior. determine the correct week to pick your berries from various parts of the clusters Even though netting your vineyard fruit by taste. When the fruit tastes too (in different rows and vines each time) seems to be costly and labor-intensive, delicious and ripe to let hang another to get a representative sample. Only take there is no better feeling in the vineyard day, confirm your feeling with some as much fruit as needed to make juice experience than removing the bird nets swift lab work. to float a hydrometer and cover the pH on harvest day and seeing perfect, lus- You can set up an excellent station meter’s electrode. Of course you can use trous clusters on every vine with abso- for testing grape ripeness for between the same juice for both tests, and even lutely no damage. Reducing bird damage $150 and $500, depending on how elab- save the juice — be sure to sulfite and

66 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES refrigerate the juice if you choose to save date. (Heat spikes will cause the fruit to yeasts on the grape skins will start fer- it — to throw into the fermenter when gain sugar and lose acidity quite fast.) menting your juice spontaneously. you finally pick the rest of your fruit. Or you may have to bring in the crop in Pickers should know that leaves or front of an impending storm. M.O.G. (material other than grapes) Determining A little rain shouldn’t hurt a crop need to be picked out of the buckets a Picking Date (it may reduce sugar a bit), but a deluge as they fall in. Picking shears should If you are looking for me to give you can swell the berries, reduce sweetness never be placed into a picking bucket, the universal numbers for perfectly ripe and even split the berries’ skins, poten- even during a break. (They don’t do winegrapes, the next paragraphs will tially starting rot problems. good things to crusher-destemmers or no doubt disappoint you. There are no Use common sense, a trained palate presses.) After buckets are picked, move exact specifications that suit all vine- and a bit of science to determine the best them into a cool, shady spot. Again, yards around the world. What is grow- time to harvest. remember to crush or press the fruit as ing in your backyard is probably unique quickly as possible after harvesting for to your climate, with its own Brix and Picking Day best results. pH levels. Ripe Zinfandel in Amador When a picking day has been deter- County, California can often be 27 °Brix mined, there are a few more things that Post-Harvest in the Vineyard at 3.6 pH, while ripe Riesling in the need to be addressed in preparation of After the fruit has been picked and Finger Lakes region of New York might the harvest. First make sure your buckets crushed, there are a few more details be 22.3 °Brix at 3.2 pH. are rinsed and ready and your picking that need to be attended to in the vine- I suppose we can use these two shears are clean and sharp. yard. Make sure all fruit, even bird- extreme examples as a rough guide for a You should spend some time with pecked clusters and stems, is totally picking window. (Remember that spar- your winemaking equipment. Make sure removed from the vines. Fruit and stems kling wine grapes can be picked as low it is tested and tuned up. Your barrels that are allowed to stay on the vine will as 18–19 °Brix, and that the chemistry for white wine should be swelled, rinsed increase rot and mildew pressure the fol- of red grape varietals changes as the and sanitary and your labor should be lowing year. Make sure to do a vineyard grapes soak after crushing.) Remember secured. Don’t worry if you are low walkthrough after your day of wine- also that it is common for red grapes on funds; wine from the previous year making to determine all fruit has been to “soak up” a Brix or two in the first should serve as salary for your picking harvested, a row has not been missed, 24–48 hours after being crushed and the friends. (It is best to pick your friends equipment has been gathered, buckets pH climbs a tenth of a percent or so. and grapes wisely!) and picking shears are collected and Don’t let the numbers take reign If the vineyard has tall grass between pickers aren’t passed out between rows. over your winemaking though. Your the rows, it’s good form to mow a few Give the vines a deep irrigation if rainfall taste buds should be the number one days before harvest to make the vineyard hasn’t already saturated the ground. indicator of ripeness — you are the floor navigable. Your pickers will not be After being freed from their burden winemaker, not your hydrometer! Do happy trudging through two-foot long of fruit, the vines go into a stage of root you prefer softer, richer, riper wines? grass soaking their legs with morning growth. Your vines will also continue to If so, it is recommended that you pick dew — nobody likes wet feet. activate next year’s fruit buds and turn later. Or if you prefer the delicate, aus- Grab a flashlight and remove the their stores of nitrogen and carbohy- tere, elegant European style of wine that bird nets after the sun goes down the drates into a form that can be saved for is less ripe but has firmer acidity and night before harvest to make it easy to the following growing season. tannin you should pick earlier. get to the fruit. Explain to your pickers For these processes to succeed, the It is also a possibility that you will that you’d like to have the picking done vines need to keep some leaves for pho- like a wine in the middle of these two before the sun touches a single cluster. tosynthesis. What you do not want to styles. An excellent suggestion is to pick Provide strong coffee and donuts. Set do is induce active vine growth with fer- on two dates, take extensive notes on your alarm and make sure all of your tilization — this is neither the time nor the Brix and pH numbers at harvest for flashlights have batteries. place for fertilizer. both lots, and make two separate wines. Look at it this way: You’ve spent an Harvest is a magical time in the When the wines are bottled, do blind entire year farming this fruit, protecting vineyard. Take time from your hard tastings with your friends to determine it from pests, spraying, weeding and labor to enjoy the sights, smells and which style you prefer. Most vineyardists doing canopy management. You might tastes of the crush. After the fruit is know by the fourth or fifth harvest what as well wake up really early (it’s only crushed and the vineyard is irrigated, lab numbers make the best style of wine one morning!) to get the grapes into the don’t forget the post-harvest irrigation/ for their locale and taste. winery cold and fresh. feeding of your crew. Reward them with But then again, don’t forget to taste Crushing your fruit cold will a plate stacked with cheeses (and maybe the fruit and let the “deliciousness” play improve the quality of your wine. Warm some tidbits of BBQ ostrich). And of an important role. Of course hot weath- or hot fruit produces volatile acidity and course, remember to keep their glasses

er may expedite your anticipated picking will increase the chance that the native filled with wine. ®

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 67 The fruit was harvested today and DORMANCY the vines are relieved of their fruity responsibility. Now what? First thing we want to do is turn on the water if the soil is dry. Giving the vines a deep irrigation (at least 10–20 gallons/38–76 L per plant) after harvest is key for promoting a good root flush. Roots move through moist soil much easier than hard, con- crete-like soil. Giving the soil profile a good soaking will make the vines’ job of root growth much easier and effica- cious. If for some reason harvest occurs after the leaves have all turned dead or dropped, there is no use in irrigating. The period of root growth only occurs while the vine is still active and has green leaf area — the green leaves are the engine for pushing the roots out into the soil. What else is there to do the day

Photo by Wes Hagen after harvest in the vineyard? It’s always against the chill of winter by becoming wise to walk the rows and tidy up. Pick impervious to all but the deepest win- up orphaned buckets, clippers, tools, ters. As the leaves drop and the vine etc. Also start the irrigation and bring becomes skeletal and woody, it is pro- a notebook with you and note any row tected and ready for a cold winter. As numbers with irrigation problems — grape canes mature, their buds enter a leaking emitters, leaks in pipes, missing type of dormancy in which their growth drippers, areas that appear to be getting is suppressed despite otherwise favorable inconsistent amounts of water. It’s also a conditions. But before the vine is com- good time (while the vines are still alive pletely asleep, it has a few more tricks and growing) to mark dead or stunted/ After a long period of hard work, we up its sleeve. Vines have two periods virused vines for removal and replanting all likeA some down time. The problem of swift root growth and development. in spring. Take this time to walk the is, our job in the vineyard doesn’t end The first period of root growth occurs rows and ask yourself, “What can I do at harvest. While we’re cleaning equip- as the shoot growth slows in late spring during dormancy to make this vineyard ment, loading the press, racking the juice or early summer, and the second period produce more consistent growth and and adding yeast, the vineyard is still in of root growth occurs when the fruit crop next year?” need of our attention and care. It’s easy has been harvested and the vines have a It will also be very beneficial to your to forget about tucking the vineyard moment to use their leftover energy and management practices to know how in, but the last few weeks of the vines’ nutrients to extend the root system. many pounds of fruit you harvested out growth cycle is vital to getting good fruit Dormancy is, of course, the of your vineyard. Most home winemak- next year, so let’s talk about how to put period in which we prune the grapevines ers get 140–150 gallons (530–568 L) per a vineyard to bed for the year. as well, and timing the cuts of pruning ton (2,000 lb./907 kg) of fruit, a little First let’s talk about the physiology can have a big effect on when the vines less in whites, a little more in reds. Use of a vine as it’s going into dormancy. awaken in spring. 150 gallons/ton to approximate your The purpose of dormancy is to allow the So now we know that the grapevine vineyard yield. If you made one car- vine to drop its leaves, store what’s left goes dormant to protect its succulent boy, 5 gallons (19 L) came from about of its nutrients into the trunk and root leaves and shoots against the freeze of 70 pounds (32 kg) of fruit. If you had system, and to “reset” its fruitfulness winter, that the vines require chilling twenty vines, that’s 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) by virtue of a chilling requirement. Yes, during dormancy, that the vines have a of fruit per vine. Pretty good yield, good that’s right — a vine needs about 150 swift period of root growth after harvest, work! Keep that average pounds/kg per hours under 45 °F (7 °C) (during dor- and that timing pruning is important. vine written down somewhere — you’re mancy) for the vine to become properly I’m sure you were just starting to relax going to use it! readied for a new vintage of growth and and take deep breaths after harvest, but fruit production. it’s time to get back out in the vineyard Day After Harvest Evolution has provided grapevines and get to work on making dormancy • Deep post-harvest irrigation of 10+ with the ability to protect themselves beneficial for the next harvest. gallons (38 L) per vine.

68 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES Photo by Wes Hagen

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 69 • Clean all equipment and trash out growth per season is a nice length to you start with a clean slate and can of the vine rows. shoot for. If your canes are longer than plant your cover crop in ground that that, you can cut down on water and will have no competition from weeds • Make notes on parts of the vine- fertilizer early in the season. If they are and native plants. If your native plant yard that need attention — leaks, busted stunted, under 3’ (1 m) on average, species are beneficial, you may have no wires and trellising, etc. you can increase early season watering reason to plant a cover crop, one may and add some more nitrogen-based grow naturally each year for you. A local • Mark dead/virused/underp- fertilizer. nursery or some weed identification er-forming vines for spring replanting. Another consideration after harvest books can help you identify what local is to cultivate your vine rows and plant plant species are good for your vineyard • Record your fruit yield in an aver- cover crop. A cover crop can provides and which can be classified as weeds age pounds/plant format. Now that you many benefits. and removed. have finished this checklist, take a deep First, it protects the soil against ero- breath and open a bottle of wine. The sion. Raindrops stir the soil and cause Timing Pruning vineyard will take care of itself until all soil particles to move downhill. Cover There are aspects of pruning that require the leaves have fallen! crops, specifically grasses, have evolved a lifetime to master. Understanding with the purpose of holding onto soil the complex relationship between vine After Leaf Fall by virtue of breaking a raindrop’s speed growth and pruning severity is almost When the vines are completely skele- and destructive splash, and holding the impossible to teach in a magazine issue. tal with no leaves left, dormancy has soil in place with their roots. Pruning is a craft that must be studied, begun in earnest. Choose ten vines from If your cover crop is properly cho- and most importantly, practiced each throughout the vineyard, prune each sen, the seeds you choose can provide year. The basic idea of pruning is to vine and weigh the cuttings. Remember plants that will add nutrients to your soil remove about 90% of last year’s cane the average yield weight? Now you can when they become integrated into the growth and leave the 10% in positions

Too often vineyard owners break out the Champagne a little early — with just a few extra days work, the vineyard will go into dormancy . . .

use it and make a ratio of vine yield to soil by cultivation or by dying and natu- that will promote balanced and stag- pruning weight. rally breaking down into the soil profile. gered growth that allows sun flecking For instance, legumes and clovers can and wind movement through the fruit- • Weigh all the pruned canes from add nitrogen to your soils, and even ing zone to improve fruit flavors and ten early pruned vines. Divide the total grasses will give the soil microbes some- retard mildew and rot growth. weight by ten. The quotient is your aver- thing to munch on and provide health One aspect of pruning that’s fair- age pruning weight from your vineyard. and vigor to your soil. ly easy to master is deciding when to make the first cuts. Most pruning in • Recall your average per-plant grape Advanced Pro Tip commercial vineyards in the Northern yield and make a ratio of fruit yield per Time the cover crop to compete with Hemisphere is done starting in early vine to pruning weight. weeds and unwanted native species. January. With dozens, sometimes hun- Not all home vineyardists have the dreds, of acres to finish, the crews must • The optimal value for low vigor is capacity to cultivate (disk or otherwise start early to finish by budbreak — usu- 12:1, Medium vigor is 5–10:1, and for work the soil so that it is bare and ally March or April on the West Coast. high vigor 3:1 fluffy) their vine rows before planting But how lucky you are with a small a cover crop. But there’s no harm in backyard vineyard and an amazing abili- • To use the ratios: if your ratios are knowing that proper timing of culti- ty to prune as late as you want! The later lower than those listed, you can leave a vation occurs after the first light fall/ the vines are pruned, the later they will bit more fruiting wood on the vine at winter rain. If you can cultivate the soil wake up. Vines can be pruned as early as harvest, if they are higher than what is after it’s been moistened, it will likely they can be cut and not bleed clear fluid, listed, you may need to prune a bit more cause all native and weed seeds to be or as late as when the buds on the tips of severely for proper balance. destroyed after they have been activated/ last year’s canes begin to swell. • Three to four foot (1–1.2 m) cane sprouted by the moisture. In this way, If frost is no concern in your locale,

70 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES prune as early as you’d like. But for those that worry through frost season, prune as late as makes sense. This may give you an extra couple weeks of Hybrids & Non-Vinifera dormancy during the coldest weeks of early spring. When most people think of wine, wine with an aroma that resembles they think of a fermented alcoholic Riesling. Labrusca grapes are also Common Issues beverage made from grapes, although resistant to phylloxera. in Dormancy other fruits can be made into wine. • Excessive weed growth: Grab a neigh- Almost all commercial wine is Hybrid Winegrapes borly teenager, a grandson or a nephew made from a few varieties of grapes Numerous hybrid grapes have been and pay them to mow, weed-whack, hoe belonging to the species Vitis vinifera. developed by grape breeders for out and weed the vineyard. Be careful However, there are many species of winemaking. These hybrids may be not to girdle the base of the vine with an grape, and some non-vinifera species between grapes of different species, errant hoe or weed whacker. are grown for winemaking — often or between different cultivars of the in areas where vinifera grapes do same species. Frequently, the purpose • Vines don’t go completely dor- not thrive. Likewise, there are hybrid of the hybrid was to cross a good mant: You are likely in a region that grapes that have been bred for wine- winemaking variety with another doesn’t get the proper chilling require- growing in environments that would grape that conferred disease resis- ment for grape-vines. Unfortunately, if be challenging for vinifera. If you live tance or better growing characteris- the vines don’t go dormant, there’s no in an area where growing vinifera tics. Here are some hybrid grapes that way to get around it. You will likely have grapes would be problematic, there are popular with US growers: spotty fruit production and the vines may be a grape well-suited to your Marechal Foch was developed may not survive more than a few years. location. Here are some of the major in France, but is now mostly grown non-vinifera and hybrid grapes: in the Northern United States as it is • Vines go through budbreak too more capable of surviving the cold soon: Early budbreak may be delayed Non-vinifera Winegrapes winters. This small-berried, red grape by later pruning. Wait a few extra weeks The grape species V. aestivalis can be made into a variety of wine next year, as late as when the buds at the includes one variety that has his- styles. It is related to the hybrid Léon tips of last year’s canes begin to burst. torically been used in winemaking, Millot, another red. Norton. (Norton may be a hybrid, Baco Noir is another red grape • Vine prunings get in the way of but is thought to be mostly aestivalis.) bred in France and now mostly grown walking through the vine rows: Leaving Norton is a deeply-pigmented red in the United States. It is a cross cut canes in the vineyards can cause grape that is grown extensively in the between a French vinifera and an problems. Extra rot, mildew and pest Midwest and Middle Atlantic States. American V. riparia grape. It is resis- pressure can occur as the insects and The variety Cynthiana is either a close- tant to many common fungal vineyard spores overwinter in the vineyard. Burn ly-related variety or perhaps the same diseases, including black rot, powdery the cuttings safely and according to local variety of Norton. mildew and downy mildew. laws and common sense. You can also Muscadine grapes, members Cornell University breeders have chip the pruned wood into mulch, but of the species V. rotundifolia, are recently released three hybrids for I don’t recommend putting the mulch grown in the American South and wine growers in the Eastern United back in the vineyard. are resistant to Pierce’s disease and States — Corot Noir, Noiret and phylloxera. They are largely used to Valvin Muscat. The first two are • Vines bleed clear fluid when cut: produce sweet wines, although the red grapes, and Valvin Muscat is a The vines aren’t fully dormant yet, or scuppernong (a type of muscadine) is white grape. All three are said to they are waking up. Test cuts on vines to frequently made into a dry table wine. produce higher-quality wine than be pruned should stay dry. The species V. labrusca contains similar cold-hardy hybrids. Previous a number of grapes that can be hybrids developed by Cornell include Dormancy can be a very relaxing made into wine. The red varieties Traminette and GR7. period if you put your backyard vineyard Concord and Catawba are grown Finally, grape breeder Elmer to bed with care and proper attention to primarily in Eastern United States. Swenson released several cold-hardy detail. Too often vineyard owners break The wine they produce is frequently hybrids for Midwest growers, includ- out the Champagne a little early — with described as “foxy.” Catawba is light- ing St. Croix, St. Pepin, LaCrosse, just a few extra days work, the vineyard ly-pigmented and is sometimes used Edelweiss and Swenson Red. will go into dormancy after a glorious to make a “pink” wine. The white period of root growth and will be ready variety Niagara can be made into a

to produce even better fruit next year. ®

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 71 72 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES Some vines are three years old, some only two. In following suggestions I found in books and research done on the Internet, I decided to plant Q & A my grapes at close spacings of 3–4 feet between vines and about five feet to do (right after harvesting fruit) is to between rows. I went with this spacing turn the water on. Give the vines a very for a number of reasons. My soil is a long, deep irrigation. Up to 10–12 gallons fairly heavy and fertile stoney loam- (38–45 L) of water per plant is a good clay, so I wanted to reduce vigor and start. The idea here is to moisten the root berry size by increasing competition. area as deeply as possible so the roots can I also have limited space and I know grow easily, and to give the vines all the that European spacings are close. Many moisture they need to finish their season’s wines I enjoy come from vineyards that growth. Waiting to irrigate in this manner use close spacings. is key — you don’t want to give the vines a I have never fertilized in three deep irrigation while they are supporting a years and my vineyard vigor seems to ripe crop. be excessive. I have followed the rec- Another thing you may want to do is ommended practice of allowing about to go through the vineyard and cut off any two clusters or no fruit at all on my two grapes or stems that the pickers or the birds year old vines and about 12–18 clusters missed. By removing every cluster and stem on my three year old vines. I removed you will be removing material that will all other clusters on each vine before “mummify” with mold and mildew and bloom. I have allowed more shoots to start disease cycles early in the next season grow with no fruit on them. In all the (after “overwintering”). If your vines were research I’ve done, it would seem that very stunted (little growth, not able to my vines would have less than normal support and ripen crop, etc.), you can also vigor. However, I’ve had to top the vines add a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer, of all varieties twice so far this sum- chicken manure or compost under the vine mer. Now I’m noticing that even after Q Post Harvest row. This will allow the vines to soak up a removing lateral shoots, the vines are Well, the growing season down here was small amount of nitrogen for the next sea- “pushing” new lateral shoots and many hot and furious and I can’t believe it, but son. Never add nitrogen post-harvest unless have one or two large flower clusters all of my backyard Zinfandel vines sur- your vines are very low vigor, as nitrogen on them. At first I just thought it was vived all the bugs and the heat and made can keep your vines from going completely just on my hybrid varieties, which I some nice wine this year. We’re done dormant. Besides a little gopher control, know can be excessively fruitful, but my pressing in early September and I can’t the only other thing you may want to do is Cab Franc and Riesling are doing the help but think there’s got to be some- hoe out all the weeds and plant some cover same thing. My trellis is full of foliage thing that I need to do to my vineyard crop seeds between your rows. If your vine- and it’s only July. These vines want to after harvest . . . but I have no idea what yard erodes, use deep-rooting, fast-growing just keep growing and producing more it is. Does a vineyard need anything grasses. If your vines need some nitrogen, fruit. Is this normal? Is my spacing out post-harvest? There’s a few more leaves plant legumes, vetches and clovers (such of whack? I’ve pinched off all the new than usual, as we picked early. I don’t as red clover, crimson clover, winter peas, flower clusters, but more keep coming. know if that helps. I have about 60 vines bell or fava beans) to add some nitrogen Nothing I can find describes young vines in two rows on a hill in my backyard. to your soil. Planting these seeds before the doing this. Should I be concerned or do The soil seems to have a lot of clay. rains and after weed removal will help you anything about it? to control what plants share space with the A vines. Make sure the soil in the vine row A Post-harvest is a very important and often is cultivated to give the cover crop seeds Your situation doesn’t surprise me at all overlooked time for improving vineyard a good chance of surviving and thriving. and there’s nothing “wrong” with your health. Most home viticulturists don’t Good luck. vines. The problem is that the book (and know that there is a period of rapid root Internet site) you read gives poor advice. growth immediately following harvest. Q Vine Spacing There’s this belief circulating out there in Once the vines have been freed from their I live in upstate New York and have a the novice community that close spacing “crop responsibility,” the vines put a lot of three year old, cold-climate vineyard will reduce vigor to the point that closely resources into root growth and in storing of about 85 vines and four variet- spaced vines will show a reduction in vigor whatever nutrients are left over from the ies: Cabernet Franc, Marechal Foch, and magically transform into a tidy French growing season. The first thing you want Frontenac (MN 1057) and Riesling. high-density planting that is struggling

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 73 to grow and ripen. This is just not true. get many pounds of fruit from each vine. effectively when the vine is “armored.” As Spacing might effect vigor +/- 10% or so, Also reduce watering, as that will you might guess, I am not subsidized by but not enough to change trellising options. most likely lessen vigor as well. Early season growtube manufacturers, nor am I selling It is true that close spacing can devigorate a deficit irrigation is key for keeping vigor any currently. To be fair, many well-re- vineyard due to competition for water and under control. In New York, you might not spected vineyardists find growtubes very nutrients in a small area of soil, but there have the ability to stop the spring rain, but helpful in cool and windy climates to give are many backyard soils that are far too that’s OK! Rain water is always better than the vines an advantage in their first year of rich and fertile for this type of spacing. ground water for plants and is one reason growth. Besides protecting the young vines Vigor is difficult to change from high your vines are so vigorous. from rabbits and deer, they conserve mois- vigor to low or moderate with cultural One other possibility for devigorating ture and protect the young vines and their practice. My professional opinion is that the vineyard is to plant nutrient-hungry leaves from herbicide sprays. you should yank every other vine out of the cover crop between the rows. Seed some Now back to the question. First off, ground and give yourself the 7 feet between turfgrass (such as fawn fescue or other types never move a grow tube during the growing vines that your vineyard needs. It sounds of fescue) between rows. This will “soak up” season unless you need to lift it momentar- drastic, but that way the vineyard will be a little of your excess vigor, and may make ily to remove weeds that are growing inside able to spread out to the level of vigor that the vineyard more manageable. next to the vine. Moving the tube up will it wants to. If the vines are as fruitful as shock the lower leaves. You won’t have to they sound, there will be no reduction in Q Grow Tubes remove them because they will die from crop, and the balance of the vineyard will I’ve been making wine for 25 years. I the shock of going from a sheltered, shady be more in tune with the climate. planted some new vines last year and environment to full sun. It’s like taking a For this type of situation — I have used grow tubes to cover them as they fern from your house and putting it outside to picture it in my head, which is dan- grew up. As I moved the cylinder up, in full sun — not a happy plant! No leaves gerous — I might have suggested 6–7 feet leaves were exposed on the bottom of equals no growth, so lets keep the leaves between plants and 7–10 feet between rows, the vine. Do I take these leaves off? Once healthy and green inside the tubes for the depending on how much the vines need the vine starts to run along the fruiting full first year (if you decide to use grow- to “sprawl” as they grow. If you can place wire, do I keep the leaves off the vine tubes that is). some shoot-positioning wires up high on running to the wire? You will notice that when the young the trellising system, you may be able to grapevine’s shoot reaches the top of the make the vineyard a bit more tidy, and if A growtube, it will be a bit shocked by the you “hedge” the vines during the growing Ah yes, growtubes . . . for those who may sun at the top, and will slow down for a season, you may not need to give the vines not be familiar with these, growtubes are week or two, adapt, and then start growing so much space between rows. That way the translucent tubes that you put on young quickly again. This is totally normal. My vine can grow fairly vigorously and will vines (first year) so that they grow faster suggestion is that you leave the growtubes have more room to grow when you remove and are protected against wind and ani- on the vines, in the same position all lateral shoots. Get used to having to go mals that might chew young shoots. The season, let the vine go dormant and drop through the vines every few weeks to remove benefits of growtubes are that you get a leaves by itself. Only remove the tube and leaves, and then to go back and remove quick growth spurt that is fairly straight for manipulate the canes on the trellis during the laterals/new leaves that will grow back. developing the trunk of the vine. The prob- mid-winter. It is never wise to remove Have faith — your hard work will improve lem is that the vine is convinced that it’s leaves from a young vine that is not bearing air flow and sun flecks on the fruit, remove growing in Hawaii. The weather is always fruit. Those leaves are the “factories” for vegetal character, and improve color and warm and humid in the tube, even though creating growth in your vines. Remember phenolic ripeness. Obviously, don’t fertilize, the reality of the climate may be very dif- what Galileo said: “Wine is sunlight held and know that the benefit of high vigor ferent. At some point you have to take the together by water.” means that you can get a heavy crop off tube off (always do this during deep dor- those vines with little effort. mancy), and my feeling is that it’s a bit of Q Trellis Poles Balance means that with all that leaf a shock for the vine to develop and grow in I am confused about what type of poles, area, the vines can hang a very nice crop different climates. stakes or end-posts to use for my trellis. of grapes, so stop cutting the fruit off! The My opinion is that if you don’t need The Grower’s Supply Center suggests excess vigor will be hastened by a lack of growtubes, don’t use them. Let your vines using CCA impregnated poles. Should fruit for the vines to ripen. The fact that the acclimate to the actual environment where I be concerned with the arsenate con- vines are throwing new crop in July makes they will live and produce fruit in subse- tained in this choice? me think that these vines are anxious to quent vintages. I also have a personal belief ripen grapes and make some wine next that you will have more overwintering A year. I like 15–20 leaves per cluster, so next spores of mold and mildew in a vine that Wooden end-posts are treated with chem- year count the leaves, and allow one cluster was grown in a grow-tube, as the humid icals to make them last longer in moist for each 15–20 leaves on the plant. With all environment is perfect for disease develop- soil. I’ve done some research on this subject the vigorous growth, you should be able to ment. It’s fairly difficult to spray fungicides and it seems that most concerns about

74 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES CCA (copper chromated arsenate) treated no growing tip (less than 1”). They don’t purchase fruit or concentrate from a lumber has to deal with production and seem to be growing as quickly. Is this vineyard, store or website? disposal of stockpiled wood. The copper is normal and is there anything I can do to added to the pressure treated wood as a fix it this year? A fungicide, the chromium as a bactericide My answer may surprise you. With all the and the arsenic as an insecticide. From a A commercial vineyards popping up through- purely viticultural standpoint, the amount Uneven budbreak and shoot growth are out the country, it may be more economical of “leachate” or chemical that will leak very common, and there are a few easy to purchase fruit from an excellent source. from the wood, is negligible and will not solutions that can be implemented with Most home vineyardists are surprised by effect vine growth or wine quality. I see a single hand-pass through the rows. the amount of time and labor that growing two issues here, which are repeated in most If there’s a vineyard in North America grapes consumes. My suggestion is that chemical and organic farming discussions. that has perfect budbreak and uniform you consider how much time and passion How well does the material work, and are shoot growth every year, I’d like to you can afford to expend in the process of there organic equivalents that are econom- see it, because this may be the single most planning, planting and tending a vineyard ically viable? From this point it’s a matter common quality issue in vineyards from — and if you are at all concerned about the of personal philosophy. Will untreated posts New England to Maui. This seems to be hard physical labor, sprays, testing, etc. I function? Of course, but they will rot in more of an issue in cane-pruned vineyards suggest you may be better suited as a grape the soil much more quickly and will need (spur-pruned vines seem to have a bit buyer. When I engage a potential vineyard to be replaced more frequently. Is it worth more regularity of shoot growth), but shoot client in our first meeting, I usually spend the small amount of toxicity to save fur- removal is a key step for quality in any style about a half hour trying to dissuade them ther need of wood resources? You can find of vineyard. from growing a vineyard. No joke. They are research that shows handling CCA-treated Here’s what to do: Wait until your usually surprised that a consultant would wood is safe or hazardous, depending on vineyard has an average of 6 inches of point out the potential difficulties involved who funded and published the result. The new shoot growth. Work vine by vine and in a process he or she gets paid for, but I EPA has not been able to prove that CCA- remove the shoots that do not have an would rather give full disclosure than be treated wood poses a threat to those who actively growing shoot tip, or are less than chided two years later for holding back the consume the produce, even when used to half the size of the average growing shoot. truth: vineyards require the full attention make small, raised vegetable beds. This will concentrate the vine’s resources of a family to produce usable fruit for wine. You need to weigh the issue yourself into viable and healthy shoots that are Vineyards are terrible landscaping — they and make a decision based on your own capable of producing and ripening grape need weekly love and attention to keep needs. You ask for options, and a newly clusters. If you notice that there are lots of them from turning into a sprawling, ugly, emerging process for pressure treating wood long, healthy shoots near the center (head) mildew-laden monstrosity. is called “ACQ,” or “alkaline copper quat.” of the vine and stunted shoots on the ends So who actually plants a vineyard in The new formulation, “ACQ Type D” of the vine’s cordon arms or fruiting wood, their yard? As I’ve mentioned before in this also has a built in water repellent. It’s still this usually means that there are too many issue, there is only one type of wine lover difficult to find ACQ treated endposts, but shoots in the middle. Thin out the new that should plant a vineyard: you have you can try asking for them to be specially growing shoots near the trunk of the vine, loved wine for decades, traveled the wine ordered from any outlet that regularly sells and the small shoots on the ends should world, attended tasting after tasting, and treated posts. Of course you can always catch up as the vine reassigns its vigor to made your own wine. The end game of opt for steel or powder-coated stakes or the shoots that remain. Make sure to leave wine is the home vineyard, which is a bit anchored metal endposts, which may actu- enough shoots on the vine to bring in a counter-intuitive, but thoroughly realistic. ally last longer and offer more economy decent crop, and assess each vine on an Without passion and commitment you than any wooden product. Of course noth- individual basis when it comes to average will end up with a ghost-vineyard — some ing lasts forever. Either by rust, rot or what shoot size. rusty stakes supporting skeletal vines . . . or we call “tractor blight,” you will always Removing stunted shoots every year the opposite . . . an unruly and rank hedge have to replace a few posts each year. will improve fruit quality by producing that will likely make thin plonk for all your regular-sized shoots and canes that ripen good intentions. Q Shoot Growth their crop load evenly. Good luck with your There are plenty of competent com- My vines (Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 years shoot-thinning and while you’re out there, mercial vineyard operations looking for old) are starting to wake up and bud- knock off those “sucker” shoots that appear good homes for their fruit. Buying grapes break is in full swing. One thing I’ve on the trunk and down by the ground. by the half ton or ton is surprisingly eco- noticed is that the new shoots along my Sucker shoots are a nutrient-sink and need nomical, considering the cost of vineyard pruned budwood have varying sizes. to be removed as soon as they appear. establishment and management. But you Some seem to be healthy and elongated may find it difficult to convince a vineyard with a healthy growing tip and emerging Q Purchasing Fruit to sell you less than 1,000 pounds (454 kg). leaves (about 6” long) and some seem Why go through the trouble of growing Supporting existing vineyards in your locale to be sort of stunted and leafy, but with grapes in our backyard when we can (if they exist) encourages an emerging wine

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 75 region and brings winemakers and growers you don’t use for production. If the owners and note carefully if there is a thick clay together. Most professional winemakers do complain about field sorting, remind them or hardpan layer, as it may inhibit deep not own vineyards — they’ve crunched the that you are saving them money by picking rooting. If there are areas in the potential numbers and see it as a losing proposition. your own fruit. Waiting on their crew, bins, vineyard plot where totally different plant Here’s a few tips for working with commer- etc. means you will likely not get the fruit at life is growing than other spots, you may cial vineyards: the anticipated time and day. Make sure to want to test that area separately, using the • Choose varietals that excite you as a put the empty picking bin in the back of a same protocol explained above. winemaker, but may be less popular in the truck if no forklift is available, and fill the Next, triple rinse a 1 or 2-liter plastic market. Right now on the central coast of bin there. It’s impossible to hand-lift a full bottle with the water you plan on using California there is a sale on Syrah fruit, as 1,000 pound fruit bin. for irrigation (if irrigation is necessary), fill it has been widely planted but had its thun- Bottom Line: Plant a vineyard only the bottle, cap it tightly and securely. Label der stolen by Pinot Noir. Try to make wine if you’re a wine nut with a strong back, a all samples carefully with a permanent from the varietal that grows best in your source of labor, lots of time, interest, dispos- marker, note the address, city, state, sample state, province or county. I would rather able income and you can’t get a good deal depth, etc. You may want to pay extra to make a killer Norton than a lackluster on quality fruit in your area. have the results explained to you, and Cabernet. Be smart and realize that what have pre-plant soil amendments provided really matters is what ends up in the bottle, Q Site Selection with the results. Be sure to note some- not what’s on the label. Is there a protocol for determining if my where in the package that the samples are • Call early for fruit . . . at least a year backyard will support a home vineyard? to be tested for agricultural suitability for in advance of harvest. Get on the list and if vineyard establishment. you don’t know the owner, you may want A • Interpret the results with the help of to draft a simple contract. Handshakes are Absolutely, and it can be followed in almost the lab or a consultant, and if the reports usually enough, but farmers are human all wine regions and soil types. Again, I rec- come back with hopeful results (that vines and can forget prices and commitments. ommend involving local winegrowers and will grow), you can move on to the next Call and remind the farmers of their com- experts on the project as early as possible, as part of the planning phase. mitment before the fruit softens. every area has its unique challenges, pests, Remember that the soil doesn’t have to • Ask if you can get fruit from a specific weather, etc. But here’s what you need to be perfect or filled with nutrients — some- section of the vineyard that looks healthy do to see if your dirt can grow some wine: times a deficiency of some nutrient may and well-farmed. If you’re buying a decent • Plan the area you wish to plant, mea- make the resulting wine more interesting. amount of fruit, say a ton or more, ask sure the plot. You may want to sketch out a (Of course there are deal-breakers like high if you can come out and check up on the rough plan after measuring. I often suggest boron or excessive salinity.) vineyard a few times during the growing that my clients live on a property for at • Move on to Phase 2: If the soils and season. Check your block a few months least five years before deciding whether or water look good, your family gives you after budbreak (are the shoots evenly spaced not to plant a vineyard. the thumbs up to develop the yard into a and showing uniform vigor?), at flowering • Consider where the water will come vineyard (no archery range for junior!) (how’s the weather for flowering look?), from if you need irrigation. Where are the and there are no terrible pests or blights in after fruit set (was there fruit shatter or water lines? Will I be taking over usable the area, you can start planning the actual flowering issues?) and before harvest (will parts of my backyard, or will the vineyard installation of the vineyard. you drop green fruit at 90% veraison?). be tucked into a corner or put on a hill that Bottom Line: You are better off The best winemakers visit their vineyards may have limited utility otherwise? Which developing a vineyard in an area that is a and demand solid farming. direction will the rows run? (North/south proven winner. Starting the first vineyard • Ask to do your own ripeness testing. If is my preference.) Where will you store the in a locale is an intrepid undertaking, and at all possible, test Brix and pH levels with farming equipment? one fraught with peril and the unknown. your own equipment. Vineyards are noto- • Test the soil and your water for agri- If the soil and water tests come back with rious for reporting numbers slightly riper cultural suitability. Once you know where encouraging results, the real research and than the actual fruit shows when crushed. the vineyard is going, dig an observation planning begins. Start researching pest Take large samples (at least a dozen clus- pit right in the middle. One area for soil management, local bugs, weeds, grapevine ters from random plants and locations) and sampling is usually more than enough (1 diseases and get a good idea of the yearly let red samples soak crushed for 24 hours to pit per 20–100 acres is the rule for commer- degree day accumulation in your yard to be get more accurate numbers. cial vineyards). Dig the pit at least 4 feet able to properly choose a variety of grape. • Do your own harvesting. Use a large (1.2 m) deep, and only wide enough that Try to find a site that shows compar- crew, your own picking bins, and pick you can get inside and pull some soils from ative data, like this site does for the Puget as early as light allows. Ask the vineyard 36–48 inches (91–122 cm) into a gallon Sound area: http://pswg.org/grapes.htm. owner/manager if you can sort in the field, Ziplock bag. Take a sample from 12–24 With this type of research easily accessible which means you ride the bin(s) and toss inches (30–61 cm) (initial rooting depth), online, you have resources at your fingertips out any compromised fruit. If you can and from around 36 inches (91 cm) (sub- that used to cost a ridiculous amount of field sort, you won’t have to pay for fruit soil). Take some pictures of the soil profile consulting fees to get.

76 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES Q Task Checklist emerging from the soil or rootstock, or prised if your leafing philosophy evolves. Can you describe the basic cultural prac- anywhere else except last year’s wood that tices that will need to be completed in a was retained for fruiting. This may need Canopy check: home vineyard in a normal year? to be done 2–3 times through the growing One last pass to get your shoots tucked season. Suckers are shoots that emerge from into the wires, remove late-season suckers, A unwanted parts of the vine, and are a sink fine-tune leafing and lateral removal and Instead of in-depth descriptions of each for nutrients that should be utilized by the a couple extra hedging clips will make your practice we use to culture the vines and fruitful shoots. vines very consistent from plant to plant promote wine quality, I will give a succinct — which means uniform ripening and summation of most tasks to complete in Fertilization: ultimately, better wine. a given year, starting with budbreak and Only fertilize vineyards that lack vigor or extending through harvest. Choosing which are heavily deficient in a specific macro or Fruit thinning/green harvest: practices to use is dependent on your locale. micronutrient. Most vineyards require little If there is way too much fruit out there, Knowing the basic practices, though, gives or no fertilization. The general rule is: if the your wine may be dilute. Try to keep a you a number of ingredients from which to vines are growing happy and healthy, with ratio of about 12–15 leaves per cluster for prepare your fruit for wine production each at least moderate vigor, don’t fertilize. adequate ripeness and concentration. You year. A chronological sequence of vineyard may also want to drop the last 5–10% of practices: Irrigation: green fruit on the ground after veraison to Many locales that get strong winter rains increase the uniformity of ripeness. Spraying: and/or snow and have a saturated soil Using fungicides to keep the fruit and foli- profile at budbreak will not require supple- Hedging: age free from mildew and rot. Follow man- mental irrigation. Irrigation is a complicat- Hedge the vines one last time (if needed) ufacturer’s instructions exactly — do NOT ed and divisive subject, and needs a lot of before putting the bird nets on. The vines spray overly concentrated materials and space to adequately explain. This is where need to be hedged if they fold over and expect them to have a longer impact on the local growers can help a lot — by giving shade the fruit, or if the leaf to cluster ratio vineyard. The key to fungicide application you a baseline of gallons (or liters) per week has way too many leaves. is to stay on schedule, follow labels, and to apply in spring, summer and pre-har- use protective equipment to keep yourself vest. It’s always wise to dump tons of water Netting: safe. Clean fruit is the most important step on the vineyard after harvest, when the Google “vineyard bird netting” and use it towards quality wine. vines need a good root-dousing, and it’s to your advantage as fruit starts softening smart to establish some cover crop between or changes color. Shoot thinning/lateral removal: rows to keep fall and winter rains from rob- Remove the smaller shoot on double shoots bing you of your topsoil. Fruit testing: (where two shoots emerge from the same Pay attention to how the fruit is ripening, bud — or remove the less fruitful of the Shoot positioning/canopy take Brix (sugar) readings and pH and two). Also remove shoots where the shoot manipulation: keep a notebook from year to year to help density is crowded. I like to see 3–4 inches You want your fruiting zone to be open to you understand ripening patterns. (8–10 cm) between each shoot on the fruit- wind and sun penetration, but not so much ing wire, which gives each shoot and the that the fruit burns. If the fruit gets about Harvest: clusters hanging their own niche space for 10% of the ambient sunlight, that should After you finish all this work, make some wind and sun penetration. be enough to improve flavor and eliminate wine. Wake up early on harvest day and If shoots are hosting lateral shoots vegetal aromas. crush that fruit cold! (shoots with growing tips that emerge from Putting trellis wires above the fruiting Bottom Line: Learn what your vines green shoots instead of last year’s wood), wire in order to weave the growing shoots need to be in balance, healthy, but not remove all laterals to open up the area that vertically (vertical shoot positioning trellis) overly vigorous. Keep the fruiting zone open will play host to the fruit. may be a good idea in a moderate vigor to wind and sun, but don’t let the skins vineyard, and high-vigor vineyards may spot, crack or split due to sunburn. Remove Weeding: have to be hedged a few feet above the shoots that aren’t fruitful, are suckers, Keep the area under the vines clear of trellising, which will require another later- doubles or crowd the canopy. Keep the fruit weeds, especially for young vines. Mature al-removing pass, as the vines will bush out clean, healthy and out of critters’ gullets. vineyards aren’t as impacted, and the key on the bottom when hedged. Crush the fruit in perfect condition. is to keep weeds from growing into the vines (which increases mildew pressure, can Leaf thinning: shade the fruit, and may impact flavor). Remove just as many leaves as necessary Q Basic Mistakes to open up the fruit zone to wind and sun, What are the most common errors you Suckering: but not so much that the fruit burns. This see when visiting home vineyards? Remove any growing shoot on the base, is a long learning process, and don’t be sur-

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 77 A to see red wines finished at about 3.5 pH, even medium vigor site will cause crowding, • Poor spray scheduling. Missing one spray so if your grapes come in with high pH, I rank growth, and reduced fruit and wine can wreck a vintage. Keep the fruit and would consider adding tartaric acid to the quality. canopy clean. Hand sprayers have almost must to get the pH to 3.4 pre-fermentation. So, my recommendation is at least 6’ no canopy-penetration. Consider a powered If you like softer wines, you may be perfect- (1.8 m) between rows in backyard situa- sprayer pulled behind an ATV. ly happy with higher pH. tions. You need as much space in between • Lack of follow through. A few hours If your vineyard is small enough, you rows as the anticipated height of the canopy a week may be all it takes to get the sprays can mark clusters that aren’t coloring up when it is in full growth. So if the canopy done, practices finished and to prepare the with a twist tie loose around the peduncle is expected to be 7’ (2 m) tall, go 7’ (2 m) vines for a good vintage. (where cluster attaches to cane) and harvest between rows. Low vigor sites can go with • Poor observation and reaction. If those a few weeks later. Selective picks are 3’ (90 cm) between vines, medium vigor you don’t walk your vineyard once a week a tricky business. Whatever you can do to should be 4-5’ (90-152 cm) between plants, (minimum), I can almost guarantee prob- isolate the clusters that should be omitted and high vigor can be up to 6’ (1.8 m) lems. Recognizing an issue like mildew from earlier picks will be helpful. Most clus- between vines. Allowing the vine to stretch infection or an insect population before it ter marking happens at the end of veraison. out and use that vigor to put crop on a can- becomes catastrophic is key to nipping it in The other option is to drop the last 10–15% opy is important. If you squeeze too much the bud. Walk, observe, react, fix. of green fruit at the end of veraison. It’s vigor into too tight a space, the vine will • Lack of communication with the also traditional in some regions to use the grow too much to be managed. If I had to local wine community. The more connect- second picks to make rosé wine. give a baseline for spacing in backyards I ed you are with local growers and home would start with 6 feet between rows and 4 winemakers, the better you will understand Q Vine Spacing feet (122 cm) between plants. In this system the needs of your vines and the potential of What are the minimums for vine spac- I would usually do a bilateral cordon train- your wines. Start or join a club or tasting ing? I have a typical suburban backyard ing, which means two permanent “arms,” group. Take field trips and ask questions. and want to make optimal use of the each going one way on the trellising, with Submit your wines to competitions and space I have. spurs on top to produce fruit, each “arm” learn to properly evaluate wines and distin- two feet long along the fruiting wire. guish common wine faults. A Bottom Line: Pay attention, be relent- Vine spacing should always be a reflection Q Lawn Chemicals less and make wino friends. of anticipated vine vigor. There is a mis- Are there lawn care products that can conception that more vines means more potentially damage grapevines? What Q Harvest Timing clusters and better fruit, and that is not do you do about neighbors who use What is the best way to tell if your always true. My usual suggestion on how these products? grapes are ready for harvest and what do to space a vineyard is to put a vine in the you do if some of the grapes are ready ground in the middle of the potential site, A and the rest will be in a week or so? give it water when it needs it (if the soil is As far as lawn care products, I don’t think dry 2 feet (60 cm) deep, give the vine a few you have reason to worry. High nitrogen A gallons/liters a week). With no added fer- content fertilizers might leach a little into Once a viticulturist has been growing his tilizer, train the strongest shoot up a simple your yard, but I wouldn’t expect to see own winegrapes for many years, he or she stake and measure how much growth you much effect. Most lawns feed from the top can usually choose a picking date by tast- get from a dormant bench-grafted vine in 6” (15 cm) of the soil. Vines, properly grafting grapes and recognizing the flavors that that first season. If the vine only grew up to ed and planted, don’t really even notice flag harvest-readiness. I taste a lot of fruit 2 feet (~60 cm), you have a low vigor site. what’s happening in the top 18” (46 cm) of and juice, but I also check Brix and pH as If it grew a few feet to about 5 feet (1.5 m) the soil, so there shouldn’t be much of an soon as the grapes get around 20–22 °Brix. I would call that medium vigor. If the vine issue. I’d be more worried about careless Re-check the grapes every few days in hot grew 6 feet (1.8 m) or more, you have a spraying of RoundUp or other herbicides. weather (80’s+ °F/25+ °C), every week in high-vigor situation. If you see evidence of chemical drift cool weather (70’s °F/ 20’s °C or cooler). Of course measuring the growth of one hurting your vines, just go knock on the Pay attention to the flavors of the grapes single vine can be misleading. If you can neighbors door and start a healthy and when you harvest. Record the flavors and grow three to five vines in various locations respectful conversation. numbers, and if the wine comes out great, and then make an average, that would use your notes as a reference on ripeness for be preferable. Low vigor sites are the only Q Cover Crops future harvests. kind that will allow tight spacing. Tight My 125-vine vineyard near Seattle is on Try checking the seeds for uniform nut- spacing will NOT strongly influence vigor. a very steep and sandy slope and I’d like brown color, the pulp should not be sticking You may see a 10% reduction in vigor from to overseed with clover to help stabilize to the seed. For still wine, I like Brix read- high-density planting (under 4’/122 cm the soil. I’d prefer to let the clover grow ings between 23–25, pH between 3.1 and between plants), but high-density planting under the vines as well. Do you see any 3.4 for whites and 3.3 to 3.8 for reds. I like (say 3’x3’/~90 cm x 90 cm) in a high or problems with competition for nutrients

78 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES or water from the clover? being destroyed by hoppers (white spots few passes by a very large flock of starlings. that will eventually kill the leaf and cause it Starlings have also begun to adapt A to drop off), you need to practice some form to bird netting. Ten years ago in Santa You’re in luck! Clover loves sandy soil, will of control. Barbara County, the Starlings would avoid stay low to the ground, and will actually •If less than 20% of your leaves are netted vineyards entirely. But now that increase the fertility of the soil (sandy soil being killed by leafhoppers, don’t sweat the almost every vineyard is netted, they have could always use a boost) by fixing nitrogen infestation. You may want to wear a surgi- learned to hang off the nets and probe from the atmosphere. Clover’s ability to do cal mask while doing work unless you need into the canopy with their beaks. Nets are this is nothing short of a miracle. The clover more insect protein in your diet. used in conjunction with propane cannons (and rye) have shallow roots and will not •There should be anagrus wasps in in commercial vineyards, and we often compete with the vines — in fact they will your area of Southern California that will force the flocks away with the support of a actually improve your soil’s structure and provide some natural control of the breed- twelve-gauge. Finches and small birds peck may even bump your nitrogen levels a tad. ing. Check the underside of the leaves for the fruit, but starlings load up their gullets Cultivate the soil if necessary and then seed egg clusters. If any are red that means that with as many whole berries as they can and the area at 30 lb./acre (about 1 lb. per 1000 the wasps are parasitizing the eggs. That’s then fly away. Sparrows, Robins, Pheasants square feet/0.45 kg per 93 square meters) a good thing! They don’t need social secu- and Quail are some other species that are of crimson clover seed. I would recommend rity numbers to work and they don’t want known to eat grapes. As killing birds is like- crimson or red clover which is also very lush vacations or benefits. ly not an option next to a sanctuary, I rec- and beautiful when in bloom. •July is usually the peak of the leaf- ommend netting the vineyard and tying up I’d also recommend mixing in a good hopper season. There may be more in your the bird nets on the bottom with twist ties dose of annual ryegrass seed in the mixture, neighborhood because all of you crazy to keep the birds from flying underneath. which will make a great winter cover crop winos are planting vineyards and giving Leaving a few shoots sprawling outside that will improve the texture and organic them more habitat. positioning wires can actually be helpful matter of your soil. The ryegrass seed can •Control must be achieved in May and to spread the nets wide enough that birds be mixed in at the same application rate- June during the first brood’s reproductive can’t peck at the fruit from outside the nets. 30 lb. per acre or a pound for every 1000 cycle. Horticultural soaps or oils that are square feet (0.45 kg for every 93 square listed as being effective for insect control Q Pests: Japanese meters). This is a great starter cover crop should be a good way to go. Some might Beetle for all vineyards that are looking for some also help with powdery mildew, always nice What tips do you have for someone erosion control and a boost of soil fertil- to kill two birds with one spray. trying to grow their vines organically/ ity. Both these seeds will thrive in most •You will be happy to know that there sustainably? How do you deal with soil types. They’ll love all that great, pure has never been any evidence showing that Japanese Beetles in an organic/sustain- Seattle rain. common grape leafhoppers are a vector for able vineyard? Xylella fastidiosa, the nasty bacteria that Q Pests: causes Anaheim Disease, also known by A Leafhopper the name of the gentleman who isolated I wish I could give you better news, but the Why did I and almost all of my nearby the bacteria, N.B. Pierce (who must have best strategy that I know of is to get a group backyard vineyard friends get massive had very embarrassing given names, as he of friendly, bug-hating friends together infestations of grape leaf hoppers this is only referred to as N. B. in the dozen and walk the rows and pluck and kill the year, and never before? Will we even- references I checked. My guess is that his beetles by hand. The defoliation caused by tually lose our vineyards to Pierce’s real name is Nimrod “Bubba” Pierce) Japanese Beetles encourages sunburn, and Disease because of it? Sharpshooters do spread PD, but they are a beetles that end up in the grape bins and special breed of leafhoppers. fermenters can cause an undesired flavor A in wine. Although it seems a terrible waste Consulting the UC-Davis Bible, also Q Pests: Birds of time, removing these buggers from the known as the 2nd edition of “Grape Pest What species of birds are the most vines by hand may be the best strategy. Just Management,” we learn that the grape frightening to a wine grower and what be thankful you don’t have to deal with leafhopper is more of a headache than is the best way to keep them at bay. We dozens of acres! a dagger to the heart of your vineyard. have a large Audubon bird sanctuary There’s more information in this book just a few hundred feet away. Q Organic about leafhoppers than any other insect Growing species, so let me try to distill the A What tips do you have for someone pertinent facts: Nothing is more frightening than a sky trying to grow their vines organically/ •Most vineyards can tolerate fairly blackened by thousands of Starlings. sustainably? large populations of leafhoppers without Blackbirds and other kinds of birds, includ- affecting crop level or quality. If more than ing crows, will take fruit as well, but I’ve A 20% of the leaves in your vineyard are seen an acre wiped clean of fruit in only a On a very basic level, being organic/

GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES WINEMAKERMAG.COM 79 sustainable is about promoting healthy vineyard biz. I remember my Driver’s in your area would give the correct results. soil and a diverse habitat. Healthy soils Ed textbook recommended checking tire (those built by compost, mulch and green pressure before driving your car anywhere Q Vine Spacing manure) make the vines healthy enough — same kind of deal. It would be a better I have six three-year-old Cabernet to stave off infections and diseases that world if everyone did, but few of us have Sauvignon vines, six two-year-old would affect a less healthy vineyard system. the time. Cabernet Sauvignon (both are 337 on A good start is to make your own compost 5C rootstock) and six two-year-old and apply it in a band under the vines at Q Replacing Vines Cabernet Franc (312 on 110R). They are least once every two years. Organic fertiliz- My backyard vineyard near Lake Tahoe, spaced a mere 18 inches apart. They are ers such as fish emulsion or kelp extract are California consists of about 500 vines trained up to the first wire at 2 inches also a great way to build soils with healthy (all Italian varietals), and it seems I lose and bent to the left to form an inverted microbiology. The starting point for any around twenty vines per year to gophers, ‘L.’ I have five wires total, starting at 2 sustainable vineyard is to see if the vineyard a weed whacker and sometimes for no feet above the ground and ending at 6 is healthy without adding fertilizer — some apparent reason at all. Is it unusual to feet. My problem is, if left unattended, soils are rich enough to sustain vines in lose that much of a vineyard yearly? Is with sufficient but not excessive water, I perpetuity without added nutrients. Grape there any way for me to better protect get vegetative growth on my vines start- leaves should be a dull green and smaller the vines so I can keep my entire vine- ing the second year that easily exceeds than a large human hand. Huge, shiny yard healthy and the vines of the same the top wire. Last year, I trimmed them leaves are a sign of overly vigorous vines. age? Also, I’ve read contradicting reports when they hit the top wire to stop them Another aspect of organic production is to about when is the best time for replant- from making so many leaves. allow a level of animal and insect diversity ing. Can you offer me some guidance in Being greedy, I took a small crop that guarantees that the critters are run- these areas? on the second year and am planning on ning around chasing and eating each other taking a larger crop on the third. My (and not the vines). That means allowing A two-year vines had no problem ripening some cover crop to host insects in the vine My viticultural hero, Jeff Newton once told the four to six clusters per vine that I rows, putting up owl and bat boxes for pest me that 5% of any vineyard will always kept on them. Is the growth excessive? Is control, and sometimes getting look like crap, and it will always be that there a way I can better manage the can- into the vineyard and removing pests by 5% that you look at every day. Don’t over- opy? I don’t have much room. hand. The most important aspect of look that 95% of your vineyard is balanced, organic viticulture is to walk the rows every healthy and makes great wine. A day and react before pests of nutrient defi- We replant at least a few percent of With regard to the growth being excessive, ciency become a threat to the vines or Clos Pepe — the vineyard I tend — every no. Grapevines can be naturally vigorous. the crop. year. There’s gopher damage, a few ran- When a grapevine is young it likes to stay dom vines that aren’t the right variety, in vegetative mode and climb. In the wild, Q Disinfecting some tractor blight. You can always trap, vines climb trees to compete for sunlight, Shears smoke or poison gophers to keep popula- and your vines are doing their best to com- Is it common practice to disinfect prun- tions down, but you’ll likely never get rid of pete with themselves. ing shears when moving from one vine them all. Be wise, do what you can to take This is also a good example of the fact to the next in commercial operations? I out as many gophers as seems possible, and that tight spacing does not guarantee that do this for my other horticulture activi- realize also there are soil types, deficiencies vigor will be reduced. With the vigor you ties — dip into 100 ppm bleach or spray and depths that may not allow grapevines describe, I believe six-foot spacing is more iso-alcohol to prevent cross contamina- to grow or thrive. If a vine dies in one spot appropriate than 18 inches. tion of fungi, molds and bacteria. and the next vine dies, and the next, give As for managing the canopy in a tight up on that little piece of dirt and focus your situation, sometimes less is more. I hate A attention on the spots that produce a bal- to kill vines, but you need to spread them Every book and reference I checked agrees anced vine and delicious fruit. out if possible. If you can uproot the vines with this practice — disinfecting shears As far as replanting goes, most New carefully (dig up as much soil and root between vines is a great way of keeping World growers replant in late Spring after mass as possible) and replant them at 4- to vines safe from cross contamination. But the potential of frost has passed, but in 8-foot spacing, I suspect the vines will be for some reason, I know of no commercial areas like Oregon, Washington or France, much happier. The key is to see how the vineyard farming operations that take the they often replant in Fall to get the benefit vines want to grow, and then give them the time to do this during pruning. So — if of the rainfall to soak the soil, get a bit of space to do it. Try cutting the water back you have the time and the patience for it, it growth, and then a full dormancy before early in the season too, which will reduce really is a very good way to go. Same goes their first full year in the ground. vigor slightly. Rootstocks like 5C are a bit for pruning tar — some texts recommend The take home message is that there’s sensitive to drought, and growth will taper tarring or painting all cuts for sanitation, no wrong time to replant during the grow- off late in the season without frequent irri-

but I’ve never seen it done in the California ing season, although I do think springtime gation of the vines. ®

80 WINEMAKER GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES A competition and a conference just for you... The Hobby Winemaker WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition

Enter your best homemade wines in the

® world’s largest competition for hobby International Amateur winemakers - compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in 50 categories award- ed by a panel of experienced wine judg- WINE COMPETITION es. Gain international recognition for your winemaking skills and get valuable feedback on your wines from the competition’s judging panel. Deadline to enter is in mid- March each year. For more information visit:

winemakermag.com/competition

WineMaker Magazine Conference

Join fellow winemakers from across North America for two full days packed with dozens of seminars and special events to help you make your own great wine. Each year in May we host our conference in a different wine country location. For more information visit:

winemakermag.com/conference GOT WINEMAKING QUESTIONS? The WineMaker’s Answer Book Direct from the pages of WineMaker magazine, this comprehensive collection of questions and answers from our popular “Wine Wizard” department offers advice for both the novice and the advanced hobby winemaker – and everyone in between!

Covering nearly every situation a winemaker could encounter, this 384-page guide is the perfect reference for any amateur vintner. Fully indexed and organized by themes. Find GET answers to your questions and fixes to your YOURS TODAY! problems fast.

Available at better wine supply retailers and bookstores

Order your copy now for just $14.95 online at winemakermagstore.com or by calling 802-362-3981