Wine & Grape Grower 1.12

GROWER

Wine & Grape

The NEWSPAPER for the wine and grape industry January 2012

www.wineandgrapegrower.com

Volume 1 Number 1

Newport Vineyards: Record harvest, grand expansion plans ~ Page 2 Breaux Vineyards Ltd. prunes now for shape, quality and production ~ Page 10

January 2012 • Wine and Grape Grower - Page 2

New publication for the wine and grape industry Wine & Grape Grower Founded in 1964, Lee Publications publishes targeted trade papers for the agricultural, heavy construction, aggregate, commercial horticulture, and solid waste industries. Both Country Folks and Country Folks Grower have served the agricultural and horticultural industries for many years. As our readers’ businesses change, we also diversify to fill the needs of our readers.

Viticulture is an important and growing branch of horticulture. Winemaking and the accompanying tasting rooms add value and marketing opportunities for growers across the United States. To serve this segment of the market better than we can with our more general ag publications, Lee Publications is happy to announce the launch of its latest publication - Wine & Grape Grower.

Mirroring the success of Country Folks Grower, our

(L-R) Sales Manager Dan Wren, Editor Joan Kark-Wren and General Manager Bruce Button look forward to bringing their more than 50 years of combined experience to provide another quality publication containing pertinent and valuable information, along with business contacts to our readers.

focus will be on the small to mid-size producer. Editorial content will be provided by our staff and free-lance writers and will feature vineyards

and grape growers from across the country, as well as news and information on growing, winemaking, marketing, regulations, business management

and other topics to help our readers enjoy a productive and profitable business. We also welcome pertinent editorial from readers, associations and advertisers.

Why a newspaper? General Manager Bruce Button summed it up easily, “Lee Publications believes a newspaper format provides immediate readibility and enables us to offer marketing opportunities at a more reasonable cost.” For advertisers looking to maintain a glossy appearance, inserts and a glossy section within the newspaper are available.

The initial mailing list is a combination of state and association listings, interested readers from our other papers and responders to early subscription advertising. As the paper matures it will move towards a paid subscription publication. Dan Wren, sales manager for Country Folks Grower and Wine & Grape Grower, explained, “A paid

subscription ensures a targeted and interested audience, which benefits the advertiser and reduces waste.”

In addition to serving the established wine and grape producers, we are able to reach out to our current readership in Country Folks Grower and Country Folks to educate those businesses looking to become involved in viticulture.

Advertisers can contact their current salesperson, or call 800-218-5586 for more information on being a part of this exciting new publication.

Subscriptions to Wine & Grape Grower are $12 a year, or a digital subscription is available for $12 for two years (look for the free t-shirt ad in this issue). For subscription information call 800-218-5586, visit our Website, www.wineandgrapegrower.com or contact us at Lee Publications, PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428.

Newport Vineyards: Record harvest, grand expansion plans

by Sanne Kure-Jensen 2011 will be remembered as a year of records. This year’s harvest topped 300 tons of grapes, nearly doubling 2006’s harvest of 165 tons.

The winery enjoyed thousands of visitors, largely due to the tourist magnet of Newport, RI. Annual production topped 16,000 cases of wine.

The Nunes brothers are making final preparations to expand the winery’s Tasting Room, Visitor Center and production facilities by nearly one third from 7,000 to 10,000 square feet. The newest addition to the tool barn, an Italian-made CAEB vine baler performed admirably this summer.

Grape growing and winemaking “Great wine is made in the vineyard,” Paul Nunes, coowner and vineyard manager, believes, “the best wines come from a combination of quality soil, a favorable climate and meticulously managed vines.”

The Nunes constantly monitor plant and soil health to maximize flavor, quality and yield and to minimize fertilizer, fungicide and pesticide use.

Last summer was very hot leading to moderate yields but strong bud set for this year.

This summer’s average rain conditioned the plants before the wet fall and helped avoid excessive fruit splitting or spoilage. Flushed of salt spray after Irene’s pass through

Winemaker, George Chelf, looks on while Newport Vineyard’s intern unloads grapes into the Amos De-stemmer.

Photos by Sanne Kure-Jensen Rhode Island, the vines and grapes suffered no significant damage and matured beautifully. Newport Vineyard’s experienced winemaker, George Chelf, predicts many excellent 2011 vintage wines.

Traditional techniques and modern tools maximize wine quality.

Chelf preserves grapes’ natural character and terroir by gently pressing to avoid extracting harsh tannic acids from the skins. More

than three quarters of Newport Vineyard’s Chardonnay and red wine aging barrels are made from French oak to gently “season” the wine and not overpower its taste.

In the 1970s screw-caps were associated with cheap jug wines; now wines in all price ranges and from all wine regions of the world are wearing screw caps to protect wines from Cork Taint, a chemical compound called 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole (TCA) which occurs when chlorine and mold come into contact with natural corks, oak barrels or wood pallets. Newport Vineyards has used recyclable screw caps on all its white and most red wines to provide a quality taste experience since 2006.

Newport Vineyard wines have been winning awards against stiff competition since 1998. The Rieslings have won gold medals in three of the past four years. In 2000 Newport Vineyards won the Rhode Island Historical Society “Ingenuity and Enterprise” Award for its vineyard practices, Port Wine and Ice Wine.

Expansion and Conservation Plans The winery is finalizing its plans for a grand expansion.

The new layout will offer visitors a view over the production area and across the vineyards. The production area

will be two stories tall allowing use of 22-feet high insulated tanks rather than the current 14-feet tall tanks.

The western wall of the new space will be below grade offering a modified “cave” experience with extra humidity for wine barrel storage isolated from the standard conditioned space of the Visitor Center and production facility.

Alternative energy techniques will be used for cooling and heating. A geothermal heating system, partially funded by a USDA grant, will help cool the steel wine tanks in winter and the Visitor Center in summer. Solar hot water panels will preheat the water used for production cleaning operations and supply winter warmth in the Visitor Center with radiant floor heating.

Water conservation will be maximized. Water used for washing tanks will be captured, filtered and/or treated and used for vineyard dripline irrigation. Investigations are underway on making electricity with left-over grape solids through methane digester technology.

Specialized Equipment The new Vine Baler easily removed the vine prunings from between the rows.

Traditional trimmings were chopped and left or hand-collected for composting. Vine and tree health improved Newport Vineyards - Page 4

Karl Zimmerman’s “last best great idea” has turned out to be a pretty good one, judging by the success of his family’s Shade Mountain Winery and Vineyards near Middleburg, Snyder County.

Twenty years ago, Karl and his wife Carolyn took a risk and started planting grapes on their 65-acre farm where they had previously raised beef cattle and hogs, and grew soybeans, corn and Christmas trees.

“We were searching for a sideline or niche agriculture business that didn’t require too much acreage,” Karl said.

“We heard a saying that ‘the poorer the land, the better the grapes you can grow,’ so we decided we were in the right place to give it a try.”

The Zimmermans planted grapevines on their acreage, and originally sold all their grapes to other winemakers.

Ten years into their venture, they converted their 19th century bank barn into a winery where they now make 30,000 gallons of wine in 30 different varieties each year from the 40 different grape varieties grown.

Karl and Carolyn have four children, all college graduates, who have joined the family business. Daughters Amy and Jennifer moved away from Snyder County after graduating but have returned to work side-by-side with their parents and two brothers, Bill and Ben. Amy’s husband Brian Scorsone and their children Carly and Peter, Bill’s wife Kara and Ben’s fiancée, Wendy, are often on hand to help with the business.

The business supports 10 full-time employees, including the family and several parttime and seasonal workers.

Agriculture Secretary George Greig, third from left, celebrated October Wine Month with the Zimmerman family of Shade Mountain Winery and Vineyards in Snyder County. With Greig, from left to right, are Amy Scorsone, Carolyn Zimmerman, Karl Zimmerman, Carly Scorsone and Jennifer Zimmerman.

Carolyn heads the shop and the wine tastings along with Amy and Jennifer, who can also be found among the vines picking grapes during the harvest season. They also host weddings and parties in the five-year old addition to the barn, operate three satellite stores, host a fall festival complete with grape stomping, and exhibit other festivals. The men spend most of their time in the fields and in the winery concocting the recipes.

“My parents are very

resourceful people and very self-sustaining,” said Jennifer. “My dad has an uncanny gift of being able to read situations and then tinker with an idea until he figures out the most efficient way to make something work.”

Establishing the brand: Shade Mountain’s three satellite stores are in Bloomsburg, Northumberland and Millheim. The winery’s faraway fans can also order online for mailed delivery. The information is available on its

More than 40 different grape varieties are grown by the Zimmerman family at Shade Mountain Winery and Vineyards.

Web site, www.shademountainwinery.com, and on its Facebook page.

Shade Mountain wines are award-winning, having earned several medals at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. The Zimmermans’ most recent victory was a gold medal at the 2011 show for their Sangiovese wine. They are also a member of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s PA Preferred program, the branding program that identifies products grown or produced in the

commonwealth.

Pennsylvania is home to 140 licensed wineries with 230 wine grape growers, ranking the state fourth in production with more than 62,000 tons of grapes. The industry as a whole contributes $2.35 billion to the state economy, and creates more than 10,500 jobs and has become a major agritourism attraction with nearly 900,000 visitors to wineries each year.

Gov. Tom Corbett proclaimed October as Wine Month in Pennsylvania as this is the grape harvest and wine production season. The legislature also recently declared Oct. 15 as Pennsylvania Wine Day to recognize the importance of the industry to the commonwealth.

Agriculture Secretary George Greig visited Shade Mountain recently to celebrate the industry and the Zimmermans who are strong advocates for the industry at the state level. Karl serves as president for the Pennsylvania Wine Marketing and Research Program and Jennifer is a member of the board of the Pennsylvania Winery Association.

“The fates pushed and pulled us in this direction,” said Karl of his family’s decision to change and grow their business.

The direction has not only been good for the Zimmerman family, but for those who enjoy their fine wine while experiencing agriculture firsthand, and for the industry as a whole. It has helped the next generation foster a love for agriculture that will keep Pennsylvania growing — not bad for Karl’s last best great idea.

Karl Zimmerman explains the wine bottling equipment and process to Agriculture Secretary George Greig on a visit to the winery on Oct. 11.

Page 3 - Wine and Grape Grower • January 2012

Second generation returns to Shade Mountain Winery and Vineyards

January 2012 • Wine and Grape Grower - Page 4

Newport Vineyards since removal of any potential source of fungal re-inoculation, and the need for fungicides has dropped significantly.

About 100 tons of woody material (nearly two pounds per vine over 60 acres) was baled in small round, donut-shaped bales. The baler also gathered apple tree prunings at nearby orchards. The bales were collected, stacked, loosely covered and will dry for six to eight months. The Nunes have ordered an Italian-made CAEB pelletizer for spring delivery and use.

The winery pellets will be heating nearly a dozen local homes in the 2012/13 season as well as supplementing the winery’s heating needs.

Purchasing specialized technology and equipment is not new to the Nunes brothers. In 2008 they purchased a German-made Braud Hedger to shape the vine rows. The Hedger

Continued from Page 2

creates a narrow vineyard canopy which maximizes sunlight on the grapes and leads to optimal ripening.

The extra airflow through the leaves helps minimize fungal disease pressure.

The Hedger shapes the rows for processing by a high-speed Braud Harvester which works at the speed of 80 laborers. It can harvest one acre or four tons per hour. This machine paid for itself in just two years.

Something for Everyone Besides offering visitors and customers educational tours and awardwinning wines, the Newport Vineyards facility includes a Gift Shop offering wine accessories, specialty gourmet foods, gift baskets along with vineyard logo apparel.

Custom-printed labels are available for Private Reserve Wines. Stock or custom designs are available.

Each summer, Newport Vineyards hosts family picnics, movie showings, performances of Shakespearean

works and three fall celebrations.

They also offer vineyard and winery site rentals.

Cover photo by Sanne Kure-Jensen A Braud harvester shakes grapes free from vines and shoots them into waiting bins on a trailer behind a tractor driven by Tony Perry.

A Braud Harvester driven by Paul Nunes, owner and vineyard manager, shakes grapes free from vines and shoots them into waiting bins towed behind a tractor driven by Tony Perry.

Photos by Sanne Kure-Jensen

The Bi-Monthly Newspaper for all segments for the Wine and Grape industry (518) 673-3237 • Fax # (518) 673-2381 Wine & Grape Grower is published monthly by Lee Publications, P.O. Box 121, 6113 St. Hwy. 5, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428.

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Size, style of type and locations of advertisements are left to the discretion of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. We will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. The publisher reserves the sole right to edit, revise or reject any and all advertising with or without cause being assigned which in his judgement is unwholesome or contrary to the interest of this publication. We assume no financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisement, but if at fault, will reprint that portion of the ad in which the error appears.

Michael Walton, assistant winemaker, adding winemaker’s yeast to a batch of Chardonnay in the Tank Room at Newport Vineyards.

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation has initiated a new program focusing on getting New York wines better established in the New York City market. The initial phase of the program will be concentrated in the first three months of 2012 as a launching pad for additional activities in the future.

The statewide trade organization headquartered in Canandaigua, NY, has retained First Press Public Relations in Manhattan to create and coordinate the multifaceted program, which will involve initial market research; “cellar visits” to the main wine regions

by New York City media and trade representatives; a multi-day market visit to New York City by participating wineries; media outreach and advertising; and a dedicated Web site for New York wines in New York City.

“We are very excited about this promotion, and about working with First Press on it,” said Foundation President Jim Trezise. “New York wines are poised to be a bigger part of New York City’s renowned culinary landscape, and First Press’s experience, talent and savvy will propel us in that direction.”

Among many clients in the wine and food sectors, First Press has represented the Napa Valley Vintners Association, Wine Institute of California, Cakebread Cellars, and others.

Over the past several years, the quality of New York wines has improved dramatically, with many now routinely receiving scores of 90 or above in major wine consumer magazines and winning top awards in international wine competitions. Still, they remain vastly under-

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represented in their major home state market, which also happens to be the world’s most competitive.

“We’re not urging New Yorkers to buy New York wines because they’re local, but because they’re high-quality products at reasonable prices,” said Trezise. “But the added benefit of buying really good, affordable New York wines is that these consumers are also supporting their own state economy.”

Thirty-eight New York wineries from various regions will participate in the promotion, including 21 from the Finger Lakes region, nine from Long Island, five from the

Hudson Valley, two from the Niagara region, and one from the Thousand Islands region. All New York wineries were invited to participate.

Finger Lakes participants include Anthony Road Winery, Atwater Estate Vineyards, Chateau LaFayette Reneau, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars, Eagle Crest Vineyards, Fox Run Vineyards, Glenora Wine Cellars, Heron Hill Winery, Hosmer Winery, Inspire Moore Winery, King Ferry Winery, Knapp Vineyards & Winery, Lakewood Vineyards, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, Pleasant Valley Wine

Company/Great Western Winery, Red Newt Cellars, Sheldrake Point Vineyards, Standing Stone Vineyards, Swedish Hill Winery, Thirsty Owl Wine Company, and Wagner Vineyards.

Long Island participants include Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard, Bedell Cellars, Channing Daughters, Macari Vineyards, Martha Clara Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Paumanok Vineyards, Raphael Vineyard, and Wolffer Estate Vineyard.

Hudson River region wineries are Benmarl Winery, Brotherhood Winery, Clinton Vineyards, Millbrook Winery,

and Stoutridge Vineyard.

Niagara region wineries are Leonard Oakes Estate Winery and Spring Lake Winery; and from the Thousand Islands region is Thousand Islands Winery.

About a year ago, the Foundation sponsored a statewide strategic planning exercise to get industry input on potential programs, and a focus on the New York City market was one of the top priorities. This threemonth program is intended to set the stage for a long-term effort to earn New York wines the place they deserve in the fine restaurants, wine bars, and wine shops of New York City.

Wine industry awarded grant to promote clean vines The Washington Wine Industry Foundation (WWIF) was awarded $248,750 to complete the Washington State Clean Plant Campaign as part of 20 projects funded through the Washington Department of Agriculture’s $3.1 million from USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grants.

The federal block

grant program was designed to provide funds to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops: fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, nursery crops and floriculture.

The WWIF grant is for a research and education project, including a survey of Washington grape certified nurs-

eries to analyze for diseases as well as a statewide disease prevention campaign targeting new plantings by wineries and growers.

Diseases cause significant economic damage to farm businesses in the Washington grape and wine industry. The Clean Plant Campaign will help protect the $3 billion contribution made each year by the Washington grape and wine industry to the state economy. The industry also contributes nearly $5 billion to the

national economy.

Grapevine disease, spread by propagation of infected cuttings as well as pests, is a major threat and constraint to the health and longterm sustainability of the industry and a threat to the state’s only reliable source of clean plants: nurseries.

Project partners include Washington State University plant pathologist Naidu Rayapati and WSDA plant services manager Tom Wessels.

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Page 5 - Wine and Grape Grower • January 2012

New York Wine & Grape Foundation launches New York City promotion

January 2012 • Wine and Grape Grower - Page 6

Economists help cool-climate wine regions make their mark

by Amanda Garris What gives an upstart wine region the traction to develop into a world-renowned producer of wine?

Miguel Gómez, assistant professor at the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, is working to identify the keys to success for the newest cool-climate wine regions in the eastern United States.

“Small- and medium-sized wineries are important for rural development because of their multiplier effect — they draw tourists who patronize other businesses, such as hotels, restaurants, gas stations and farm markets,” said Gómez. “Our goal is to figure out what factors increase the survival and growth of wineries in their first five years and then translate them into business practices and plans for re-

gional development.”

The four-year project, funded by a $498,000 grant from the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative of the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture, is a joint effort among Gómez, Michigan State University professor Brent Ross and project director Fabio Chaddad from the University of Missouri.

New York, Michigan and Missouri are all home to emerging clusters of wineries in nontraditional wine regions.

“These states’ wine regions feature new wineries that are small and face common challenges to survive and grow,” said Chaddad. “They are not direct competitors and can learn a lot from each other.”

New York’s Finger Lakes region and Oregon’s Willamette Valley are their role models for success. In

New York, the team will focus on three of New York’s newest wine regions — the Niagara Escarpment, Lake Champlain and the Thousand Islands — where the number of wineries ranges from five to 15.

According to Gomez, one of the main challenges is the relative isolation faced by a small group of wineries in a rural area. Most rely on tourist traffic visiting their tasting rooms for the majority of their wine sales. For this reason, the success of any individual winery may depend not just on its business practices but on partnerships with local businesses, home municipalities and other attractions in the area.

“By the study’s end, we will be able to offer collective action strategies that foster regional development and help the young wineries,” said

Gómez. “This can include actions as diverse as working with municipalities to provide better roads for tourist traffic and working with festival organizers to develop links between the wineries.”

New wineries may also be inexperienced in marketing, which can be tricky because cool climates restrict grape varieties that can be grown.

“Many of these regions are growing grape varieties that may be less familiar to consumers, such as the coldhardy Frontenac,” said Gómez. “It would be very difficult for a single winery to promote the legitimacy of a new wine region with new types of wine, but a regional branding effort that emphasizes the new varieties can turn that novelty into an advantage.”

The economists will use surveys and interviews to analyze which business prac-

tices reduce transaction costs, increase grape and wine quality and promote winery success, including the terms of contracts between grape growers and wineries.

They will also take on the challenges of wine distribution, evaluating tasting-room sales and options for diversification into nonlocal markets, local festivals and restaurants.

“Wineries currently share quite a bit of information about the methods they use in grape growing and winemaking, much of which is facilitated by Cornell Cooperative Extension,” noted Gómez. “We’d like to see the same level of information exchange about business practices as well, to help these wineries move from the startup phase of their lifecycle into the growth phase.”

Amanda Garris is a freelance writer in Geneva, NY.

Research is the key: Pierce’s Disease Research Symposium

by Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary I had the pleasure of welcoming a gathering of research scientists, grape growers, winemakers and officials to Sacramento for the 2011 Pierce’s Disease Research Symposium.

This event gives researchers from California universities and their colleagues from across the nation and around the world an opportunity to accelerate and fine-tune their work by sharing insights, discoveries and technical information.

Their work is the centerpiece of a program that began back in 1999 when the grapevine pest the

glassy-winged sharpshooter was found to be spreading Pierce’s disease in Southern California vineyards. State, federal and local officials have worked diligently with growers and other stakeholders for more than a decade now to keep sharpshooter infestations in check, and these are valuable efforts, to be sure — but this symposium serves as an annual reminder that the key to the long-term success of this program, and of many similar efforts to manage and eradicate agricultural and environmental pests, is research.

Summaries of research projects and

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Page 7 - Wine and Grape Grower • January 2012

North Jersey wine: Against the odds

The newly established vineyards at Sangre Del Romano, consisting of grafted Riesling and Cabernet Franc grape varieites, have survived extreme cold and prolonged periods of moisture in the soil.

Photos by Tamara Scully

by Tamara Scully Kelly and Charles Cart are growing their vineyard and winery while also growing a family.

Recently blessed with twins, the Carts were able to celebrate with a bottle of their own wine from their fledgling Sangre Del Romano Vineyard and Winery. But while the vineyard is planted and the winery is in production, the farm itself has not been permitted to host visitors or open its sales room. And without pub-

lic access, the Carts aren’t exactly sure how they will sell their wines.

Meeting federal and state of New Jersey requirements associated with establishing an on-farm winery and adhering to Sussex County health regulations has not been an obstacle, according to the Carts. Although renovating the former horse barn into a wine making facility, complete with a separate sales, tasting and storage area, did take an outlay

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The renovated horse barn is now home to the fully operational wine making facility at Sangre Del Romano Vineyard and Winery. The sales and tasting room, located in the left of the building, has not received needed Township approval to open, however. of money in order to a parking lot, outdoor wineries. A farm winery to sell the jelly while meet all sanitation, lighting and other con- must have at least they waited for final apsafety and building reg- cerns are those that the three acres of vine- proval to make their ulations, and licensing Right to Farm Act defers yards, or other fruit own wines. A few weeks requirements. to local municipalities production acreage later, the approvals Obtaining municipal and have proved, thus specifically for the mak- were granted, and the approvals to open their far, to be insurmount- ing of the wine, on site first wines, made from farm to the public, able for the Carts. or adjacent to the win- purchased grapes, were though, remains a The Cart’s vision of a ery. All activities asso- made and bottled. problem. small farm winery, com- ciated with making the Then the next setIt’s one problem the plete with tasting room, wine must occur at a li- back, which remains Carts never even outdoor space for enjoy- censed on-farm facility. ongoing, occurred. dreamed would occur. ing the farm and hosting The Carts’ renovated Hampton Township deTheir land meets re- on-farm events, remains barn is now home to nied a permit to open a quirements for farm- in limbo several months fermenting bins and sales venue on the land assessment and after they received all storage vats, taking the farm, with a list of rethey qualify as a com- necessary approvals for grapes from harvest to quirements the Carts mercial farm, but under making and bottling aged and bottled wine. are not sure they can New Jersey’s Right to wines for commercial The first minor set- meet. Without approval Farm Act, they must sales. The wines have back occurred after the to open the farm to the still adhere to munici- been bottled, but sales Cart’s first plot of public, the Carts would pal ordinances for the have yet to be made. grapes, Concords, were have to look into other construction of a farm Getting Established ready for harvest, but off-farm sales venues. market. Issues concernA New Jersey farm In New Jersey, there the wine making facility ing the type and size of are different classes of was not yet granted fi- winery is permitted to nal permits to operate. have a tasting room as Without being able to well as to make direct utilize their Concords sales from the farm.

— they could have The winery can also do Totally thornless and does not sucker mixed them with other, limited selling via other Yields 10-20 gallons per plant!

Proven producer since 1975! purchased grapes for a sales outlets, including Grows from Alaska to Florida sweet dessert wine — farmers’ markets, and ALL 50 states the Carts were left with is limited in production Just one Doyle Thornless Blackberry yields more than 30 ordinary plants! a crop quickly going to based on the exact liLarge, Sweet, Juicy Berries—sooo good! cense obtained. waste.

Adapts to patios and “But to get off the The Carts turned the small yards—a ground and go, you need grapes into jelly, inbig plus stead, via an arrange- people to come here,” No other blackberry compares to ment with the Sussex Charles Cart said. the Doyle!

Breaking into wine County Vocational and Great for Technical High School. sales in a retail outlet commercial growers While the students ben- would be too difficult efited from the hands- for a small operation on experience of craft- like theirs, he said, and Now w sellingg Neptune’ss Harvestt andd Liquidd Fencee growthh stimulants.. ing a retail food product selling at farmer’s marand getting it ready for kets would mean a lot of market, the Carts bene- time and hours spent fited from having ac- away from home. The cess to the school’s entire experience of commercially-licensed farm wine, Cart said, kitchen, enabling them Wee recommendd andd selll Chappy’ss powerr Organicss Mycorrhizall Roott Booster

North Jersey 8

January 2012 • Wine and Grape Grower - Page 8

Sustainable practices focus of grape annual convention Washington’s wine industry has grown over 400 percent over the past 12 years. With rapid growth, sustainable management practices are increasingly important to the long term viability of growers and wineries.

The 2012 Annual Meeting of the Washington Wine Grape Growers will focus on educational sessions that address sustainable practices. One session is devoted to unveiling Winerywise, the new online Washington Guide to Sustainable Winemaking Practices, which has been a three year project of volunteers from wineries across the Northwest.

The convention, again held in Kennewick, WA, at the Three Rivers Convention Center, runs Feb. 7-10 and is designed to specifically target the needs of growers, wineries, and marketers.

Mythbusting, one of last year’s most popular sessions, examines controversial vineyard and

winery practices. This year, the session explores whether high alcohol wines taste better and score higher, with comments from Steve Heimoff, the Wine Editor of Wine Enthusiast. The session will also examine whether lower yields are better for making superior wines, with comments from Nick Dokoozlian, the vice president of viticulture for E&J Gallo Wines.

To address the industry’s strong crop of “next generation,” this year’s Professional Development session features acclaimed author and negotiator, Rhonda Hilyer who will present Success Signals, a formalized approach to understanding and interpreting different communication styles, improving relationships and minimizing potential conflict.

Vineyard Pests and Diseases will focus on insect management strategies, scouting, and controls from three different grower

viewpoints along with disease management discussions linking the disease and grape biology with control options and resistance management.

This year’s Grand Tasting will focus on Merlot and feature Doug Frost, a Kansas City author who is only one of three in the world who is both a Master Sommelier and a Master of Wine. According to USA Today, “Frost likely knows as much as anyone in the world about how to make, market, serve and identify wines.”

The annual GRAPE Political Action Committee friend and fundraising lunch features gubernatorial candidates Attorney General Rob McKenna (R) and Rep. Jay Inslee (D).

The event is open to those interested in the growing of wine grapes or making of wine. For additional information or to register, visit the WAWGG website at www.wawgg.org .

North Jersey from 7 includes visiting the farm and connecting with the land and locale. This built-in audience of wine trail enthusiasts, as well as locals who would appreciate a “homegrown” bottle, want to stop by the farm for a complete experience.

Growing Grapes Two regions of New Jersey — South Jersey and the Musconetcong River Valley in Central part of the state — are most climactically suited for growing grapes.

Other regions suffer from fewer hours of sunlight, colder temperatures, earlier and later frosts, wetter weather and clay soils.

All of these drawbacks have not stopped new farm wineries from growing throughout the northern region.

The Carts consulted with other wine grape growers in the region — and there are at least a half dozen in Sussex and the northern portions of neighboring Warren County — to better understand the challenges of growing grapes in anything but an ideal environment. Then they took the plunge.

Aside from the native Concords, the other vines at the Cart’s Sangre Del Romano Vine-

yard and Winery are not yet of bearing age.

So far, they have planted three acres of traditional wine grape varieties including Riesling and Cabernet Franc.

These vines are grafted from a root stock that can thrive with higher moisture content, and is more tolerant of a heavy clay soil, Cart said. He choose Riesling and Cabernet Franc believing that the climate isn’t that dissimilar to the German climates where they are routinely cultivated.

“I know our climate is going to be the worst,” Cart said. And the growing season is about 15 days short of ideal ripening days, even for the selected grape varieties, so he admits it will be a challenge.

With a full week of temperatures hovering around minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit last winter, the Carts lost 10 percent of their vines.

This season’s extremely wet weather did not cause mold issues, despite having fields saturated with water for sustained periods. With the right rootstock, and selectively choosing varieties most suitable to their microclimate, the Carts are cautiously optimistic that their vine-

yard will thrive, despite the challenges.

Ultimately, they expect a yield of three tons of grapes per acre, and hope to exclusively use their own grapes for making Sangre Del Romano wines. They also hope to diversify into fruit wines and hard cider, potentially leasing more acreage from Kelly Cart’s father to establish a variety of other fruit.

But unless they obtain approval from Hampton Township, they may never fully realize their small farm winery dream.

“I want to make good quality wine,” Cart said. “ I want to be able to sell it.”

Sangre Del Romano Vineyard and Winery can be contacted via its website, www.sangredelromano.com, or by phone at 973-948-3604.

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Page 9 - Wine and Grape Grower • January 2012

Country Folks

January 2012 • Wine and Grape Grower - Page 10

Breaux Vineyards Ltd. prunes now for shape, quality and production

by Jon M. Casey For Breaux Vineyards Ltd. of Loudon County, VA, winter is the ideal time to prepare its grapevines for next year’s growing season. With 105 acres of grapes to care for, Breaux’s work crew is busy at the task of hand pruning the vines following the pre-pruning work that was done in late October and November. It comes as no surprise, that the use of a Rinieri tractor-mounted, reciprocating trimmer to take care of the pre-pruning job, makes the handwork easier and done in a timely way, especially in a vineyard of this size and complexity.

“Once the harvest is in and the plants go dormant, we are busy prepruning with the Rinieri CRL,” said David Pagan Castaño, winemaker for Breaux Vineyards.

“Shayne Weister oversees the equipment operation and he and his team get the vineyard ready for the hand pruning that is taking place now. This year, they did an excellent job, since our late summer and fall was so wet this year.”

Shayne explains that they have used the prepruning trimmer the past two years and have found that it works especially well on their hilly terrain.

“We not only prune the tops of the vines with this trimmer, but with the hedging attachment we prune the sides as well,” he said. “We give the Rinieri equipment a real workout. In the two years that we have had it, we have put over 900 hours on this tractor; nearly all of that time is using this trimmer and hedger. It really does make our follow up trimming go more smoothly.”

“We like the way we can control the trimming bar,” he added. “By being able to position it the way it is needed for each row of vines, the cutting process can be simple and easy to do. We rely upon this tool a lot for pre-pruning.”

David agreed. He said that the pre-pruning gets their 18 varieties of grape vines prepared for the workers to do the more refined hand pruning process, one of the more important phases of the

grape growing process.

Breaux’s work crew was busy hand pruning as we toured a field of Vidal vines near the entrance to the vineyard.

David, who comes from a family of winemakers, recalled how his grandfather started making wine in his garage in Yecla, Spain two generations ago. From there, he founded what would become Bodegas Castaño, one of Southeast Spain’s most prominent wineries.

David said that after obtaining his degree in Enology and Viticulture from Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain, he went on to earn his master’s degree, with postgraduate classes at the prestigious Ecole Supérieure d’Agriculture d’Angers & De Toulouse, France. From there, he began his official career in winemaking at Bodegas Castaño.

More recently, he worked in Sonoma vineyards as a way to understand the California expression of Chardonnay.

He also spent time in Marlborough, New Zealand to study the qualities of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. He said that his experiences in the Cotes-du-Rhône region of France and Mallorca, Spain allowed him to craft the classic Rhône and Bordeaux varieties, where he learned how to bring out the special characteristics of the land where they are grown.

David said that because the workers learn by practice in the fields, he devotes a lot of time to training them as to how he likes to have the vines prepared. “It’s very important to me to have a

David Castaño says that he is looking for new growth to appear every five inches or so, to fill in the empty spaces between the vines.

Photos by Jon M. Casey

A worker selects a vine that he will tie to the trellis. connection with the vineyards,” he said. “For me, as a winemaker, quality fruit is something I can’t compromise on. It’s one of the reasons why I chose to join Breaux Vineyards,” he said.

“Right now, we are working on preparing the vines for next year,” he noted. “We hand prune starting in mid-December and work through January and February. We want to make sure that the areas that are void of

vines are filled with new, productive canes. We are looking for healthy buds that will give us good clusters of grapes for each of the varieties.

Once the plants are in full bloom, the work turns to canopy maintenance, with its own pruning management techniques.”

“Quality starts today,” he said, referring to the science behind good

Vineyards 11

by Jon M. Casey For grape growers who are looking for that piece of specialty machinery that makes their work go a little more smoothly, Bill Reiss, owner of BDi Machinery Sales Inc., says that he has the right equipment to do the job. The company, once known as Buy Direct Internationally, has served growers for more than 15 years, in four specific areas of production. Today, BDi supplies specialty equipment not only to nursery operators, row crop and vegetable producers, and orchard and small fruit growers, but also to vineyards like Breaux Vineyards Ltd. as well.

BDi specializes in equipment made in countries where grape growing and wine production has been an agricultural leader for centuries. Countries like France, Austria, Italy, Germany and Australia are home to much of the equipment that BDi offers. Reiss personally selects these products for their high-tech, specialized capabilities.

One group of BDi products is uniquely designed for grape growers and vineyards, a product group that includes the Rinieri line of trimmers, leaf thinners, and grounds management tools like the TRC Mower/Shredder, the PrePruner, and the reciprocating CRL Trimmer. It’s from this product group that Breaux Vineyards has come to depend upon the right equipment to do their prepruning and canopy

trimming in recent years.

“We are able to supply equipment from quality manufacturers who build specialty products for the industry,” Reiss said. “In the past, these products were not routinely available to the grape grower here on the East Coast. Internationally, vineyards have been using many of these products for years, however here in the Atlantic region; some of these items are new. With the grape industry growing here every year, these vineyards are requesting specialized kinds of machinery for spraying and canopy management.”

In a recent visit to his warehouse and office facility in Macungie, PA, Reiss demonstrated the Rinieri Double Reciprocating Trimmer attachment mounted on a Kubota tractor, much like those in use at vineyards throughout the U.S. Mounted on the optional Rinieri R1 rotating frame, the dual-bladed trimmer was especially easy to control with the joystick-style handle that is mounted in the tractor cab.

Reiss says that when installed in this configuration, the trimmer is as easy to use as a handheld trimmer. With the multi-directional control of the trimmer, vineyard operators are able to preprune and trim their vines at an efficient, productive rate of speed.

Moving at 1.5 to 2 mph with continuous cutting, the pre-pruning process can take place quickly and easily. With the

spring-loaded bumper return, trellis posts are not a problem as the trimmer moves aside when coming in contact with the post. It springs back, ready to continue cutting automatically.

For growers who are looking for a full lineup of manual, pneumatic and electronic pruning equipment, BDi is able to serve those needs as well. “Our latest electronic pruner is the INFACO Electrocoup F3010,” he says, as he puts on the self-contained harness and cutting system for a demonstration in his shop.

“This is very light weight and the self-contained battery pack will supply a full work-day’s worth of power to the pruner.

Unlike the pneumatic powered pruners, the Electrocoup features two modes, a proportional mode where the blade follows the travel of the trigger speed, and a Pulse Mode that prunes with a more traditional speed and power. This pruner gives the worker full control when it comes to making those precise cuts that are so important during the pruning process.”

For growers who prefer the pneumatic style of pruner, BDi offers the Paterlini line of pruners that have stood the test of time for precision cutting and reliability. Coupled with a portable compressor, workers are able to head to the field for a day’s work with less hand and muscle fatigue.

“We also recommend the new Paterlini ‘Safe

Vineyards from 10 pruning practices. “As we prune the plants for the next growing season, we are looking for shape, production and quality. If we do an excellent job now, during the growing season, our work will be more productive and we will find that we have better quality grapes for our winemaking. Our plants will provide us with the quality we seek.”

Vineyard history and management Breaux Vineyards, formerly known as Grand Oak Farm, was purchased in 1994 by Paul Breaux. The 404-acre farm is located near Purcellville, VA, about an hour west of Washington, DC. The operation is managed and operated by Jennifer Breaux Blosser, daughter of the owner, and she oversees events and sales of the operation. Her husband, Chris Blosser, is the general manager of the op-

eration, one of the five largest vineyards and wineries in the state of Virginia.

The vineyard’s first commercial vintage was in 1997, and today, the winery produces more than 10,000 cases of wine that includes a variety of favorites such as Merlot, Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, Barbera Seyval Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and Chamborcin. 2011 awards include a Silver at the 2011 Decanter World Wine Awards for Breaux’s 2007 Meritage, a Bronze for their 2007 Cabernet Franc Reserve, and a commendation for their 2010 Viognier. They also won a “Best in Class” at the L.A. County Wine Competition for their 2001 Merlot.

For more information on Breaux Vineyard Ltd., they can be reached at 800492-9961 or visit their website at www.breauxvineyards.com.

Hands’ system that eliminates the risk of accident,” he says. “This electronic device instantly switches off the pneumatic power to the pruner when one hand comes too close to the other. The electronic wristband sensors worn by the worker are connected electronically to a solenoid on the airline that shuts off the air to the pruners, instantly.

This safety system is lightweight and easy to use.”

BDi sells primarily to East Coast states serving New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Maryland, Virginia and the Carolinas. “We serve customers all over the country,” he says. “We specialize in new, innovative ideas. New vineyard practices are going to require a different kind of machinery and we will be there to meet those needs.”

“We are in place to serve these new vineyards with the kind of products and service that can help them do a better job, right from the start,” he says. “We have the experience and expertise to help make them more profitable and better growers.”

“We offer technical advice and take parts orders to help keep producers effective at all times,” he says. “We take calls 24/7. We are here to serve.”

With Reiss looking to the future of BDi and the unique way they discover and market niche machinery and specialty products, Reiss is looking to find an innovative person to mentor as BDi

continues to grow in the years ahead. “I would hope that an open minded entrepreneur would enjoy getting involved with BDi,” he says.

For more information on BDi and their product line, contact them at 800-808-0454 or online t a www.BDimachinery.net.

Bill Reiss demonstrates the ease of use of the Rinieri trimmer control, a joystick mounted in the cab of his tractor.

With the INFACO Electrocoup F3010 electric pruner, Bill Reiss says that a worker can prune the entire day between battery charges.

Photo by Jon M. Casey

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Page 11 - Wine and Grape Grower • January 2012

Grape growers find the right equipment for the job at BDi Machinery Sales Inc.

January 2012 • Wine and Grape Grower - Page 12

Growing Cabernet Franc Wine Grapes good-quality wines more consistently than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Growth Habits Commonly cordon trained and spur pruned, Cabernet Franc also may be head trained and cane pruned. It is easily hedged and a good candidate for mechanical pruning if not cane pruned. Clusters are tighter than Cabernet

A popular red winegrape. Can be considered the most suitable red vinifera variety in very cool climates. It is a parent to Cabernet Sauvignon, and it is the preferred red grape variety in one of France’s most northern grape growing areas, the Loire Valley, because it is the most cold hardy V. vinifera variety. The fruit ripens earlier and may produce

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Sauvignon due to greater berry set.

Cabernet Franc is similar to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot but differs by smaller, compact, and mostly cylindrical clusters.

In the continental U.S. Budbreak is average between Chardonnay (early) and Cabernet Sauvignon (late) in Oklahoma, and therefore can be susceptible to frost damage.

Vine tends to be more cold hardy than Cabernet Sauvignon, but is highly vigorous and fruit does not tend to ripen evenly.

Not recommended for Oklahoma, but may be the most suitable red vinifera for cool climates.

In the northeast U.S. Cabernet Franc should be considered as an alternative or a supplement to Cabernet Sauvignon. It is the

most cold hardy Vitis vinifera variety tested in this region. The fruit ripens earlier and has produced quality wines more consistently than that of Cabernet Sauvignon. Care must be taken to manage vine vigor, crop load and canopy density to reduce the occurrence of methoxypyrazines that cause "bell pepper" aromas in the wine.

In the midwest U.S. Cabernet Franc is one of the best red vinifera varieties for the Ohio River Valley and Great Lakes Region. It is cold hardy enough for good sites and ripens dependably in most years.

In more southerly areas with warmer growing seasons, it tends to lack color and may not be the best choice.

In the southeast U.S. This variety has steadily gained popularity in the east. It breaks bud earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon and ripens a week earlier—in mid-September in North Carolina. The earlier budbreak may be a concern on more frost-prone sites. The vine has a greater cold hardiness than Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit has some rot resistance and yields are good. It is highly vigorous, requiring wider spacing and/or divided

canopy training. Demand is currently high.

In the mid-Atlantic U.S. Cabernet Franc has gained acreage in this region within the last few years.

Strengths. Cabernet Franc produces good yields if properly managed. The fruit has good rot resistance. Fruit ripens 3 days to 10 days earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon and is fairly resistant to bunch rots. Cabernet Franc is a relative newcomer to Virginia viticulture, but demand for the fruit is anticipated to remain steady or increase in future years.

Weaknesses. Vegetative growth is often excessive. Leafroll virus is prevalent in much of the propagative stock and can reduce yields, fruit quality, and perhaps the cold hardiness of affected vines.

Leafroll is present in as much as 30 percent of the commonly available Cabernet Franc planting stock.

Leafroll symptoms become obvious in mid- to latesummer as a downward rolling of leaf margins and a reddening of the interveinal regions of leaves. It is advisable to seek disease-free certified nursery stock or to collect budwood from vines that were marked

during the growing season as being visually free of leafroll symptoms. The purchase of “certified disease-free” nursery stock has not always prevented the introduction of leafrollaffected vines. As with Cabernet Sauvignon, bunch stem necrosis can reduce yields.

In California This can be a higheryielding variety than Cabernet Sauvignon due to greater fruit set.

Late and uneven veraison is common, thus cluster thinning at this time is usually warranted to enhance ripening uniformity. Occasionally set may be reduced by shelling (shatter); however, this occurs much less severely than in Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Recommended Links The National Grape Registry (NGR) contains information about varieties of wine, juice, and table grapes, raisins, and grape rootstocks available in the United States. Growers, nurseries, winemakers and researchers can find background information and source contacts for those grape varieties in this single convenient location.

Visit http://ngr.ucdavis.edu for more information.

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E-mail announcements of your regional event(s) to: jkarkwren@leepub.com We must receive your information, plus a contact phone number, by the second Monday of the month for inclusion in the next months issue. *** JAN 24-26 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium Sacramento Convention Center, Sacramento, CA. Call 530-753-3142 or e-mail info@cawg.org.

FEB 1 Wine Grape Section at the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, PA. 9 am - 4 pm. Register at the door.

Full details at www.mafvc.org/html.

FEB 2-4 Virginia Vineyard Association Annual Winter Technical Meeting Omni Hotel, Charlottesville, VA. Two days of practical information for growers and wine makers and research information from VA Tech.

Topics to include research updates, legislative updates, trade show and annual VVA business meeting. On Internet at www.virginiavineyards association.com/index.php

Horse Equipment

or email classified@leepub.com

Calendar of Events

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FEB 3-5 North Carolina Winegrowers Association Annual Meeting Winston-Salem, NC. On Internet at www.ncwine growers.com.

FEB 9-12 Midwest Grape and Wine Conference and Trade Show St. Charles, MO. On Internet at www.midwestgrape andwineconference.com.

FEB 20-21 Ohio Grape and Wine Conference Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, Columbus, OH. New grape grower session, marketing, viticulture and enology sessions and trade show. On Internet at www.oardc.ohio-state. edu/grapeweb/pageview.asp ?id=783.

FEB 25 Grape Expectations Forsgate Country Club, Jamesburg, NJ. This is the annual viticulture and enology meeting for the NJ wine industry. Contact Dr. Gary Pavlis, 609-625-0056 or e-mail pavlis@aesop.rutgers.edu.

FEB 26 Maryland Wine and Grape Industry Annual Meeting Clarion Hotel, Oxon Hill.

Registration and program can be found at www.mary landgrapes.org/events/ann ualmeeting.shtml.

MAR 1-3 Finger Lakes Grape Growers Conference and NY Wine Industry Workshop Holiday Inn, Waterloo, NY. For the first time the wine industry workshop will be combined with the grape growers meeting. On Internet at http://flg.cce.cornell.edu.

MAR 6 Pennsylvania Winery Association Annual Meeting Lancaster, PA. Viticulture, enology, marketing topics with the annual business meeting and awards banquet. Call 717-234-1844.

On Internet at www.pennsyl vaniawine.com.

MAR 7 Eastern Winery Exposition Lancaster County Convention Center & Lancaster Marriott, Penn Square, PA. On Internet at www.eastern wineryexposition.com.

MAR 9 Lake Erie Grape Growers Convention SUNY, Fredonia, NY. A grower oriented meeting that covers juice and wine grapes.

On Internet at http:// lergp.cce.cornell.edu MAR 9 New Grape Grower Workshop Marriott Hotel, Lancaster, PA. 8 am - 5 pm. An intensive and comprehensive overview of what is needed to start a commercial wine vineyard in the Mid-Atlantic region. $125 per person.

MAR 27-29 Wineries Unlimited Richmond, VA. This is the biggest winery conference and trade show in the East.

On Internet at www.wineries unlimited.com.

3.

MAIL IT IN Fill out the attached form, calculate the cost, enclose your check or credit card information and mail to: Wine & Grape Grower Classifieds PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428

$9.25

$9.55

$9.85

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$10.45

$10.75

$11.05

$11.35

$11.65

$11.95

$12.25

$12.55

$12.85

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$14.05

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Name:(Print)______________________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________________________ classified@leepub.com City:_____________________________________St.:_______Zip:___________ Phone:_____________________________Fax:__________________________ FOR BEST RESULTS, RUN Cell:_________________________E-mail:______________________________ I have enclosed a Check/Money Order YOUR AD FOR TWO ISSUES! Please charge my credit card: Cost for each Issue: $9.25 for the first 14 words, American Express Discover Visa MasterCard 30¢ each additional word.

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Page 13 - Wine and Grape Grower • January 2012

( 800 ) 836-2888

January 2012 • Wine and Grape Grower - Page 14

Eastern Winery Exposition The Eastern Winery Exposition (EWE), a new wine industry trade show specifically designed for the needs of the Eastern wine industry, has announced that its first month of online registration produced 72 attendees registered for seminars and exhibits. EWE also has 121 exhibiting companies occupying 154 booths.

The Eastern Winery Exposition offers two days of seminars and a trade show in the Lancaster County Convention Center and Marriott Hotel in Lancaster, PA, March 7-8.

Seminar session topics are focused on viticulture; enology; money, marketing and management; and industry new-

comers. Speakers include renowned industry experts such as viticulturist Lucie Morton, crop spray expert Dr. Andrew Landers, wine economics professor Gerald White, awardwinning winemaking consultant Tom Payette, and many others.

In addition to the Exposition, two related meetings take place on adjacent dates; the Pennsylvania Wineries Association will meet at the Convention Center on Tuesday, March 6, and a New Grower's Workshop coordinated

by Mark Chien of Penn State will meet on Friday, March 9, also at the Convention Center.

As part of its commitment to the Eastern industry, the Eastern

Winery Exposition will hold a raffle during the event to benefit the scholarship program of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, Eastern Section.

The Eastern Winery Exposition offers a variety of registration options. From single session passes, to Exhibits Hall only, to a Full Conference package. Online registration is available via the website: www.easternwineryexposition.com Eastern Winery Expo Schedule and Events Tuesday, March 6 (* indicates separate registration required) 8 a.m.-5 p.m.: Pennsylvania Winery Association Annual Meeting* 6-7:30 p.m.: Welcome

WRITERS WANTED

Wine and Grape Growerisislooking looking for Wine and Grape Grower for self-motivated writers self-motivatedfree-lance free-lance to contribute to their writers to contribute to their national publication to the monthly trade paper.

Winehorticulture & Grape Industry.

Knowledge of the industry a must.

Articles could include educational topics as well as feature articles.

Please send resume to Joan Kark-Wren jkarkwren@leepub.com or call 518-673-0141

Wine Reception, Open to all Eastern Winery Exposition Conference attendees (KEY: EO1-5: Enology; MO1-5: Money/Management/ Marketing; NO1-2: Newcomer; VO1-5: Viticulture) Wednesday, March 7 8–8:30 a.m.:Plenary Session: Winegrowing and the Internet, Presented by Tom Payette 8:30-9:30 a.m.: • N01: Newcomer Workshop: Starting Successfully, Speakers: Tom Payette (VA), Brian Roeder (VA), Richard Carey (PA) • V01: Growing Cabernet Franc for Fine Wine Speakers: Mark Chien (Penn State), Adam McTaggart (VA) 9:30-9:45 a.m.: Coffee Break 9:45-11 a.m.: • N02: Winery Sanitation: the Prerequisite for Quality, Speakers: John McClain, McClain Ozone, Tom Payette (VA) • V02: Benefits and Mechanics of Close Vine Spacing and Cane Pruning, Speaker: Lucie Morton (VA) 11:05 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: • M01: The American Wine Consumer in 2012: Summary of the Wine Market Council Annual Report, Speakers: Linda Jones McKee, Wines & Vines • V03: Considering

Economic Sustainability in Your Cultivar Choices, Speakers: Ed Boyce (MD), Tina Hazlitt (NY), Stephen Rigby (PA) 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m.: Exhibit Hall open 12:15-1:15 p.m.: Buffet Lunch Social 2:15-3:30 p.m.: M02: Guide to TTB Winery Online Tax Payments, Permits, Speakers: Rick Chow, Teresa Kampsen, TTB 2:15-3:15 p.m.: E01: New Packaging, Closure Technology Evaluation, Speakers: Richard Carey (PA), Shep Rouse (VA) 3:15-3:55 p.m.: Break 3:55-5:10 p.m.: E02: Comparing New and Established Microbiology Technology & Products, Speakers: Michael Jones, Lisa Van de Water 3:40-5 p.m.: M03: Understanding Small Winery Economics, Speaker: Dr. Gerald White, Professor Emeritus, Cornell University 7-9 p.m.: First Annual EWE Industry Celebration Dinner, Including “Ten Winery Success Stories” Thursday, March 8, 2012 8:30-9:50 a.m.: • E03: Optimizing Varietal Fruit Character in Red Hybrids, Speakers: Ian Barry (NY), Joe Fiola (UMD), Chris Granstrom (VT), Brad Knapp (PA) • V04: Bird Netting

and Control Options, Speakers: Jerry Forest (PA), Peter Oldak (NH), Michael Schmidt (Spec Trellising), Jeff White (VA) 9 a.m.-2:15 p.m.: Exhibit Hall open 9:50-10 a.m.: Coffee Break 10-11:45 a.m.: • E05: Optimizing Varietal Fruit Character in Cabernet Franc, Speakers: Adam McTaggart (VA), Tom Payette (VA), Shep Rouse (VA) • M04: Wine Club Workshop, Speakers: Theresa Dorr, Active Club Management, Patty Held, Patty Held Consulting, Derek Whittington (IA) 11:45 a.m.-2 p.m.: Lunch Buffet in the Exhibit Hall 2-4 p.m.: V05: Vineyard Spraying Workshop, Speakers: Bryan Hed, (Penn State), Andrew Landers (Cornell), Lucie Morton (moderating) 2-3 p.m.: M05: Effective Social Media Networking, Speakers: Derek Whittington (IA), Donniella Winchell (OH) 3-4:20 p.m.: EO4: New Winemaking Technology, Speakers: Carl DiManno (Wine Secrets), Jerry Forest (PA), J.L. Groux (ON) Friday, March 9, 2012 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.: New Grape Grower Workshop* Visit www.easternwineryexposition.com

This winter, the Finger Lakes Grape Growers’ Conference

is going to be held in conjunction with the New York Wine Indus-

try Workshop, March 1-3, 2012, at the Holiday Inn in Water-

loo, NY. The FLGP and the Enology Extension

Program will be developing this year’s program with an eye both

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towards information that will be relevant to each of their specific cleintele, but also for topics that are important to both growers and winemakers, as well as the industry as a whole.

The conference will include one day focused on enology topics, one day on viticulture, and the middle day will have a little bit of everything for attendees to choose from. The New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s annual Unity Banquet will be held during that same timeframe as well.

There will still be a trade show during the conference, which will be held Friday, March 2.

More information is available at http://cals.cornell.ed u/cals/grapesandwine/outreach/enology/workshops.cfm.

Bill To Me

Exp. Date __________

Amt. Paid Acct. # __________________________________________________ Signature ______________________________________ Date ______________

If your business provides products or services for the grape growers and wine makers, please contact us for information on marketing opportunities to this important segment of agriculture.

You can reach us at P.O. Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 or call 800-218-5586 • Fax 518-673-2381 • Email: dwren@leepub.com

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Page 15 - Wine and Grape Grower • January 2012

Finger Lakes Grape Growers Conference and New York Wine Industry Workshop

January 2012 • Wine and Grape Grower - Page 16