Trial Evaluates Optimum Time to Harvest Dry Petit Manseng
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GRAPE PRESS Winter 2020 The Quarterly Newsletter of the VIRGINIA VINEYARDS ASSOCIATION Vol. 36 No. 4 Spotted Lanternfly President’s Corner Advancing in Virginia Annual The area in Virginia infested by spotted lanternfly (adult Meeting seen at right) has grown from one square mile in June 2018 to 108 square miles in October 2020. Virginia Tech fruit entomologist Douglas G. Pfeiffer provides an in-depth To Focus on review of the pest and control measures. Page 11. Soil Health By Nate Walsh Walsh Family Wine he VVA will host our first virtual Winter Technical TMeeting on the mornings of Feb. 25 and 26, 2021. With the uncertainly of public health, we want to focus exclusively on curating an informative, interesting, and constructive presentation while still doing our part to keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible. We are aware that the networking and social aspects Photos courtesy of Douglas G. Pfeiffer of the VVA’s technical meetings Among cultivated crops, grapes are at the highest risk, being a highly preferred host, second only to have always been a big part of the the tree-of-heaven (TOH). Above, young TOH sprouts after mature TOH was cut down. allure. We can’t mimic them this year, but what we can do is pare the presentations down to their core, with an information-packed, WINEMAKERS RESEARCH EXCHANGE no-filler event. On Feb. 25, we will present a half-day collection of seminars Trial Evaluates Optimum Time focused on soil health, both See PRESIDENT on page 2 To Harvest Dry Petit Manseng INSIDE By Joy Ting complex, with many layers of hormonal control Research Enologist and Coordinator, determined by both genetic and environmental Winemakers Research Exchange factors (1–4). A number of processes are at work during berry development that eventually t is not easy to define when grapes are truly lead to ripeness (see Figure 1 on page 9). mature. The plant’s definition of maturity Sugar accumulation begins after veraison and I(the seeds are capable of germinating and continues rapidly up to a point, but eventually ready for dispersal) may be different from the levels off. Water is used to transport sugar Moving On one used by viticulturists (sugar, acid, and into grapes, leading to rapid enlargement of aromas have developed to be able to produce a berry size during this time. Tartaric and malic Our Regional Reports detail some pleasing wine). (1,2) acids are formed early in berry development, successes in a trying 2020 and The changes in primary and secondary look at preparations for next year. metabolites in grapes during ripening are See PETIT MANSENG on page 8 PAGES 3-7 virginiavineyardsassociation.org PRESIDENT'S CORNER (cont.) PRESIDENT, from page 1 Exchange, the new Sentinel Vineyard Project, and more. These presentations will be on Feb. broadly speaking and through a viticultural 26. We will also present our annual Grower VVA BOARD lens. As vineyards mature into their “middle of the Year award. Registration for the Winter age,” so to speak, growers find it more and Technical Meeting will open in mid-January 2020 more important to focus on aspects of growing — but please save those dates now. that promote consistent vine health and During the meeting, we’ll also announce President yields. The nourishing of healthy soils, while the results of balloting for three open VVA Nate Walsh admittedly still existing in a bit of a gray area board positions — president, treasurer, and [email protected] for Virginia viticulture, should be of concern one at-large member. While the deadline for to anybody planning to farm an individual plot nominations will have passed by the time this Past President for decades. issue of Grape Press is published, please do not hesitate to reach out to the board to learn more Tom Kelly As always, the Winter Technical Meeting will feature updates on new research in Virginia, about becoming active within the VVA if you [email protected] as well as on Spotted Lanternfly, disease and have an interest in helping to serve the Virginia spray management, the Winemaker’s Research grape growing industry. Vice President Todd Henkle [email protected] IN MEMORIAM Treasurer Skip Causey [email protected] Secretary Paul Krop, Good Luck Cellars Emily Belcher aul Krop, winemaker and [email protected] Pco-founder and co-owner of Good Luck Cellars in At-Large Board Members Kilmarnock, passed away on Oct. Jeanette Smith 28. Paul was an active member [email protected] of the Virginia Vineyards Association and a familiar face Maya Hood White at VVA meetings. He was also a [email protected] frequent and valued contributor to the VVA’s quarterly newsletter, Advisor Grape Press. Dr. Tony K. Wolf An orthopeadic surgeon, Paul [email protected] co-founded Atlantic Orthopaedic Associates in 1983, and was Business Manager recognized for professional excellence by his peers, who Tracy Kirkman elected him President of the info@virginiavineyards Virginia Orthopaedic Society association.org and presented him with the Virginia Orthopaedic Society Grape Press/Website Editors Career Award. Bob Garsson & Chris Garsson In 2011, Paul and his wife, editor@virginiavineyards Katie, opened Good Luck Cellars association.org after spending six years planting and tending vines and building a winery that produces award- Special thanks for this issue to: winning wines. Douglas G. Pfeiffer, Learn more about Paul. Rachel Lagergren, Grayson Poats, Monique MacEachin/Good Luck Cellars Joy Ting, Dean Triplett VVA Mailing Address P.O. Box 168 Waterford, Va. 20197 The Virginia Vineyards Association (VVA) provides Grape Press for general information purposes only. The views and info@virginiavineyards opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect any official position or policy of the VVA and are not a VVA endorse- ment of products, practices or services. Before adopting any practices discussed here or purchasing any product or association.org service, users should exercise due diligence and seek professional advice when appropriate. 2 REGIONAL REPORTS NORTHERN VA. “For my vineyard, quality across the board was very nice...” By Dean Triplett Starting around Sept. 9, daytime temperatures As was the case when I wrote my last Greenstone Vineyard dropped into the 60s and 70s and into the regional report, I haven’t had much of a 50s at night, straight through October. These chance to meet up with my fellow growers due s 2020 comes to an end — and cooler day and night temperatures allowed for to the Covid-19 situation. What I have heard not too soon, many would say — nice flavor development. from growers, however, seems to mirror my it’s time to look back on our just- Toward the end of September, sugar and experiences regarding fruit quality and yields. completed harvest. One winemaker acid production started slowing to a crawl and One very good thing I have heard is AI’ve talked to here in Loudoun County then hit a plateau in October. Flavors, however, that visitation at many of our wineries has described this growing season as a good one continued to develop slowly but nicely. To put increased significantly this fall. With the for fruit — if you had any. the weather situation in perspective, August overall beautiful weather of September and The frost events of last spring really hit a was the eighth warmest month on record and October, many people here took off for wine number of vineyards hard up here. Not as hard precipitation was 216 percent above average. country. Wineries for their part have been as many of the vineyards in Central Virginia, While September temperatures were above doing an excellent job of maintaining social but bad enough. However, if you were lucky average, it was the coolest September since distancing of their guests. like me, this year’s harvest was a very good 2013 with precipitation 58 percent of normal. One winemaker I talked to said that at her one. October temperatures were above average, but winery, Mother's Day is usually the busiest For my vineyard, quality across the board still the coolest since 2018, and precipitation day of the year. With Mother's Day pretty was very nice and quantities were higher than was 109 percent of normal with less than 3 much a bust this year, Labor Day turned out average on nearly all my varieties. And this inches of rain. At my vineyard, the first freeze to be the busiest day she has ever had! With was in spite of a rather challenging pre-harvest arrived on Nov. 18, when it got down to 30 the approach of winter weather, however, it period. degrees. As I write this piece at the beginning will be interesting to see how wineries cope. However, as wet as August was, September of December, that is still the coldest day I’ve turned into a very good month for ripening fruit. experienced this growing season. See NORTHERN on page 4 Over 35,000 SOLD Worldwide! When one cold night can ruin an entire year’s work... SUPERIOR WIND MACHINE SERVICE, INC. It’s best to play it safe. 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