Growers may be finally getting a break after years of suffering through a weak economic market for grapes....
Growers venturing into the winery business should be vigilant in complying with regulations, according to Cyndee Smolik and Nancy Headland, partners in Uncorked Compliance at Paso Robles. ...
“Grapevines are growing well, thanks to the unseasonably warm weather we’ve had for the month of March,” says Jennifer Hashim-Buckey, UC Cooperative Extension Kern County farm advisor at Bakersfield. ...
With spring coming fast, growers need three eyes —should one to watch the thermometer, another to observe the sky, and a third to monitor the crop for potential disease problems....
Weed control in a high value crop such as wine grapes is still relatively inexpensive when the overall production system is considered, according to Karen Klonsky, agricultural and resource economics specialist, UC Davis. ...
As labor becomes increasingly scarce, growers keep looking for new ways to mechanize vineyard operations. Mechanical grape harvesters are widely used, and now growers and vineyard managers are evaluating other mechanized practices....
Bud break has begun and is widespread in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir throughout Sonoma County, according to Duff Bevill, owner of Bevill Vineyard Management, Healdsburg, Calif. ...
Water will still be an issue in many areas in ’08, but overall, it is definitely looking better. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has increased its allocation of 2008 State Water Project (SWP) water for long-term contractors from 25 percent to 35 percent of requests. ...
In addition to the usual cast of pest characters that warrant attention, vine mealybug (VMB) deserves a little closer attention this year based on last year’s problems....
So far, so good. Early results from bud dissection are indicating everything is a “go” right now for the ’08 crop. From table grapes in Kern County to wine grapes in Sonoma, there just aren’t too many surprises in store at this point....
Prospects for wine grape growers are better than they have been in several years. However, most in the industry are quick to urge against irrational exuberance going forward....
The only thing more fickle than a wine connoisseur is a wine grape grower. But, it’s not the producer’s fault — he or she is only trying to project where the next wind will blow and capitalize on that whim with quality fruit balanced with good yields....
It’s not a pretty sight in a lot of vineyards down south — but it could have been worse. At least that’s the assessment of some vineyard/winery owners who are just now getting back in touch with civilization. ...
As the vines go dormant, winemakers are eyeing the crush and assessing the creative possibilities. They won’t have as much to work with this year, since yields were down. But quality is still the buzz. ...
The popularity of the Syrah variety in California led to widespread plantings in the 1990s, and now much of that acreage has come into production. But, the variety has been plagued by mysterious maladies, and no one yet has definitive answers....
The Grape Line, Sponsored
by Chemtura Corporation
