When to open up a claim on your grape crop insurance is important. A lot of growers say that don’t know if they have a payable loss early in the season. With grape crop insurance you are covering an average of your production per grape variety. Depending on what coverage level you have chosen this could mean you have a large deductible or small one. I agree it is hard to tell how much early season damage will affect tons harvested.
Mid May this year there was a bad freeze/frost event in the Finger Lakes region of New York. While late spring frosts are not uncommon, this one was really bad. There was widespread damage to grape vines across the Finger Lakes. The extent of the damage is not fully known at this time. But there will be a reduction in the tons harvested this year for sure.
In a situation like the above a claim should be opened immediately. More than likely, due to the severity of the frost, an adjuster will come out and inspect the vineyard. I always tell growers that they should take pictures of the frost damage that morning. It is always good to document damage as close to the time it occurred as possible.
It may be that some varieties of grapes show more damage than others. This is to be expected as some are more resistant to cold. And from what I have seen over the years with frost and freezes is that it doesn’t affect a vineyard or field evenly. You might have more damage on one side of the vineyard or more damage on the lowest part of the blocks etc. Damage varies but just because one variety or one area looks better than others doesn’t mean that you should not open a claim on that variety or block.
I know that secondary and tertiary buds will emerge in the next few days or weeks after a freeze. You should open up a claim now regardless. The damage may be less than you think and you don’t end up having a payable claim. But it is still best to get one opened up right away. Don’t wait to see how many tons you harvest before opening a claim!
Here is an excerpt from the “How to File a Crop Insurance Claim” Fact Sheet from the USDA:
Most policies state that you (the insured) should notify your agent within 72 hours of discovery of crop damage. As a practical matter, you should always contact your agent immediately when you discover crop damage.
That same night in May, that saw the frost/freeze in the Finger Lakes region, also saw damage to vineyards along the coast of Lake Erie. I received calls and emails from growers stating that they had had frost as well. Obviously, the damage was not as bad as the Finger Lakes, but frost on new buds is not something any vineyard owner wants to see. I opened claims for all of them even though the extent of the damage was not known.
I cannot stress enough the importance of opening up a claim early.
A lot of claims with grapes are relatively routine. Once the claim is opened an adjuster will come out and document the damage. You will continue to grow your crop and try to mitigate any damage received. Once you harvest grapes you will meet with the adjuster and give him your production records that show your tonnage per variety. He will then adjust the claim based your guarantee (average tons per acre per variety and the price for that variety in the county.)
In some circumstances you will need to get direction from the adjuster before doing anything.
What are your responsibilities after damage if the grapes have not matured properly and will not? What if they have been rendered unusable (smoke-taint has been a major cause of this in California)?
Here is a section from the Grape Crop Provisions that goes over this:
11. Duties in the Event of Damage or Loss.
In addition to the requirements of section 14 of the Basic Provisions, the following will apply:
(a) You must notify us within 3 days of the date harvest should have started if the crop will not be harvested.
(b) If the crop has been damaged during the growing season and you previously gave notice in accordance with section 14 of the Basic Provisions, you must also provide notice at least 15 days prior to the beginning of harvest if you intend to claim an indemnity as a result of the damage previously reported. You must not destroy the damaged crop that is marketed in normal commercial channels, until after we have given you written consent to do so. If you fail to meet the requirements of this section, all such production will be considered undamaged and included as production to count.
It is important to stay in contact with your adjuster during a claim.
A lot of things can happen to your vines that could cause them not to produce a full crop. The insurance period is long and it is important to report everything that may reduce your crop.
When you sign up for crop insurance, coverage for grapes starts on February 1 in Arizona and California. It begins on November 21 in all other states. The end of insurance unless it is otherwise specified by the USDA RMA, is October 10th in Mississippi and Texas, November 10 in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. In all other states the end of insurance is November 20th. Crop insurance is continuously in force, once signed up for, unless cancelled or terminated. Your coverage for following years, will be the day after the end of the insurance period for the prior year.
Here are the Causes of Loss per the Grape crop provisions:
(1) Adverse weather conditions;
(2) Fire, unless weeds and other forms of undergrowth have not been controlled or pruning
debris has not been removed from the vineyard;
(3) Insects, except as excluded in 10(b)(1), but not damage due to insufficient or improper
application of pest control measures;
(4) Plant disease, but not damage due to insufficient or improper application of disease control
measures;
(5) Wildlife;
(6) Earthquake;
(7) Volcanic eruption; or
(8) Failure of irrigation water supply, if caused by an insured peril that occurs during the
insurance period.
Adverse weather conditions could be anything that could cause damage to your grapes. For
example; drought, frost, freeze, excess moisture etc. Wildlife could be bird damage, deer etc.
Fire would also include smoke taint as that is a result of a fire.
Crop insurance does not cover, the inability to sell your grapes because of a buyer’s refusal or contract breakage. It also doesn’t cover losses from boycotts or pandemics. Phylloxera is not covered, regardless of the cause. Overspray or chemical damage from a neighboring farm is not covered either.
So, get those claims opened up early and stay in contact with your agent and adjuster.
In a press release dated May 5, 2023, Willamette Valley Vineyards, Brigadoon Wine Co., Samuel Robert Winery, Retraite, LLC (F/K/A Lingua Franca – LS Vineyards Holdings, LLC) and Elk Cove Vineyards Inc. announced they hired a well-known legal team to investigate filing suit against Pacific Power, a division of PacifiCorp, in the Oregon state circuit courts. The wineries issued this joint statement:
“These fires devastated our industry, and we believe it’s time we investigate seeking compensation. We are encouraged by the recent news reports that the other fire victims in the state are finally able to settle their claims against Pacific Power (PacifiCorp). We have hired the lawyers who led the $13.5 billion recovery for the 70,000 victims in the PG&E bankruptcy in California and who recently settled their lead fire victims’ claims against PacifiCorp in the Archie Creek Fire litigation in Douglas County, Oregon.”
As evidenced by the wildfires impacting the West Coast in subsequent years, coupled with the current wildfires raging in Canada impacting the East Coast and the Midwest, the issue of smoke damage to wine grapes remains an ongoing concern. During the Oregon Wine Symposium held on February 14-15, 2023, moderator Greg Urmini, operations lead for White Rose Estate in Dayton, Oregon, led a panel of winemakers and researchers to discuss smoke-impacted wine. Urmini pointed to the significance of this topic, noting, “It’s important to understand what winemakers are doing to help save their wine because we have to continue to make wines, and we want to be able to provide a good product.”
CASE STUDY: Barrel 42 & Quady North Winery (Jacksonville, Oregon)
As a founding member of the West Coast Smoke Exposure Taskforce, Nichole Schulte, winemaker and partner of Barrel 42 and Quady North Winery, has experienced trial by fire literally while dealing with multiple smoke indigents over the past decade in Oregon. Overall, she stresses the need to collaborate with local winegrowers and winemakers ahead of time so there’s a strategy already in place regarding what can be done in the winery and the vineyard.
In assessing the risk of a particular wildfire, Schulte looks at three factors. First, she observes the proximity of the smoke event to the vineyard, adding that the AQI (Air Quality Index) measurements do not provide a direct relationship between air quality and the volatile smoke-related compounds (“phenols”) floating around in the air. Also, she examines the freshness of the smoke, adding that these phenols can degrade or drop out over time.
The grapes soak up these phenols, which bind to sugar though how much sugar is absorbed by the grapes depends on the varietal and the growing stage. Some grapes ranked from highest to lowest risk for negative effects from smoke damage include pinot noir, grenache, sangiovese, cabernet franc, primitivo, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah.
While the most vulnerable times for grapes coincide with wildfire season, there’s no carryover impact in the vineyards from previous wildfire events. Preliminary indications of using barrier sprays in the vineyard show to be very promising. In addition, hand harvest reduces maceration time from harvest to the fermenter. Sort out as much MOG as you can, which means not doing a full cluster ferment. Whole berry ferments tend to produce fruity aromas and esters that can, to some degree, mask the smoke characteristics in the wine. Along those lines, there’s some indication that washing ash off the fruit clusters can help reduce the presence of smoke.
As you handle smoke-impacted grapes from fermentation to élevage, be mindful that volatile phenols will express early in fermentation. When doing trials where they separated press factions, the data showed that the compounds were still present but that the sensory profiles differed from a light to a heavy press.
When conducting experiments to see how certain barrels interact with smoke-impacted wines, they found that the higher the toast of the barrel, the more it interacts positively with the smoke impact of the wine. Also, untoasted oak chips can mask and bind up some phenols, while toasted oak can provide sweet, more complex tannins.
In Schulte’s estimation, white wine is easier to deal with since you can get the juice off the skin as soon as possible. Hand-harvest the grapes and minimize skin contact and maceration time. Press gently, keeping heavy-pressed juice segregated for possible treatment later or just to keep it out of the main juice. Be sure to discard the solids, though this can be tricky as yeast will need some solids. So, consider using solids and lees from non-impacted lots. But if you can clarify before fermentation, then there’s almost no smoke at the end. For fining, they had success with bentonite, activated carbon and PVPP, as well as Clanil SMK (Enartis), which is a blend of activated carbon, chitosan and pea protein.
Finally, wine made from smoke-impacted grapes should be bottled and consumed early. Aging these wines will not improve their quality.
CASE STUDY: Battle Creek Cellars(Portland, Oregon)
Winemaker Sarah Cabot focused specifically on fruit from Willamette Valley’s 2020 harvest. When presented with smoke-impacted grapes, her first question was whether or not to ferment on skins or go directly to the press. With white varietals, she went directly to the press. Conducting a berry analysis proved to be a good way to determine how much smoke is too much with regard to fermenting on skins.
When making white and rosé wines from smoke-impacting grapes, Cabot found that floating was an effective way to clarify the juice, though it only works if there’s a pretty significant volume. Also, the first eight to 10 gallons were discarded. She succeeded with gentle pressing and pre-fermentation, fining with carbon and bentonite with daily stirring for three days, then settling for three days. In her anecdotal sensory analysis, the pre-fining juice smelled like a campfire, though the post-fining juice smelled good. According to Cabot, spending the extra money on pre- and post-treatment before deciding to bottle is worth it in the long run.
Next, she proceeded with fermentation as usual, adding that this worked best when they chose to go through the process quickly. She took some extra measures during fermentation, finding that there was some evidence that chitosan mitigates the effect of smoke. Also, mannoproteins/polysaccharides, untoasted oak tannins and a vigorous yeast strain with a short lag phase produced high esters. Then she suggested bottling at or above three grams per liter of residual sugar, adding that the higher the sugar, the more pleasing the experience.
When addressing protocols for red wines, Cabot observed that the best sensory analysis results came when using a high temperature with a heavy mace ratio. The more heavily extracted, fruit-forward wines before smoke mitigation treatments yielded the most balanced and enjoyable wines after treatment.
Going into élevage, she kept the free run and press fractions separate, adding that the press fraction required a much heavier treatment. If there are a lot of bound compounds, a winemaker can attempt enzymatic hydrolysis in the tank. By holding the wine at a temperature of approximately 64 degrees Fahrenheit for four to six weeks with regular agitation, the results were anywhere from a 15 to 75 percent reduction in glycosylated markers and a corresponding increase in free volatile phenols on all samples analyzed. While this method proved to be effective for her, she admitted it was a pretty extreme thing to do.
Based on her experience with the 2020 vintage, Cabot concluded that it is possible to make an enjoyable, early-release wine from smoke-affected fruit at a slightly higher final production cost that people will enjoy. With red wines, especially pinot, a heavy extraction approach yielded the best post-treatment result. Also, the commonly publicized “Best Estimate Sensory Thresholds” for VPs seem accurate according to most tasters. In the event of another smoke event, Cabot would stick with the early release and early consumption wines. Also, she would repeat her decision to produce only the sub-$25 SRP pinot noirs due to insufficient data on the long-term bottle aging effects of smoke markers.
For Additional Information
Those wishing to delve further into the burgeoning research into sensory analysis that includes information on smoke-impacted wine should check out Elizabeth Tomasino’s work as associate professor at Oregon State University: Department of Food and Technology (https://foodsci.oregonstate.edu/users/elizabeth-tomasino) and the Oregon Wine Board: Wildfire Smoke Toolkit (https://industry.oregonwine.org/resources/toolkits/wildfire-smoke-toolkit/). Among the recommended labs for their work with smoke-impacted grapes include The Australian Wine Research Institute (https://www.awri.com.au/), ETS Labs (https://www.etslabs.com/) and UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (https://caes.ucdavis.edu/).
Nebraska entrepreneur and Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery owner Mike Murman spent much of his free time in the 1980s making beer and wine as a hobby. However, when the demands of family life and work travel increased, he put those hobbies on the back burner: Priorities, you know.
Years later, Murman noticed the increasing number of vineyards and wineries popping up in his home state of Nebraska, renewing his previously tabled interest in winemaking. That spark was enough of a catalyst that Murman joined the Nebraska Winery and Grape Growers Association, attending numerous seminars and workshops over the next two years.
In 2003, Murman acquired six acres of land located southeast of Lincoln, Nebraska, in Otoe County and near the township of Palmyra, for personal and family use. Primarily purchased as a place to enjoy outdoor sporting and recreation activities, the spacious acreage was close to his family residence and presented the potential for Murman to rekindle his love affair with grape growing and winemaking. The terroir consisted of glacial till, a fertile, rocky soil left behind thousands of years ago after the glaciers that once covered North America receded. Grapevines tend to like this soil mix, so in the spring of 2003, Murman planted the first vines. He approached grape growing in an organized, systematic way, attending additional classes while studying vineyard orientation, preferred soil mixes and all things necessary for grape growing. A local professor from the University of Nebraska helped with soil testing, confirming that the soil was favorable for growing grapes. All property facets met the desired vineyard success criteria except for the slope orientation, his being northward rather than the preferred southward.
A record harvest in 2006 prompted the Murman’s to share the great wine with others, and Glacial Till Winery was born. In 2008, Glacial Till Vineyard became a bonded winery, which opened to the public in the summer of 2009.
Ability to Adapt Along the Way is Critical
“We were set on proving to the world that we could make and sell world-class wine in Nebraska,” said Murman. “But we quickly found that in addition to being a very competitive market, it was difficult to change consumers’ mindsets and convince them that world-class wines can come from the Midwest region, specifically the state of Nebraska. We knew then that we wouldn’t make it by solely selling wine, so we started to host events at our production vineyard.”
“We started an event called Fermented Fridays, regularly hosting live music and food trucks on our property while featuring a local craft brewery,” said Murman. “These became very popular and successful and, for the most part, brought in more money than initially trying to get our wines on the shelves. In fact, the events became popular enough that visitors started requesting the use of our space for weddings and events. Unfortunately, we weren’t set up for that type of event, so we decided to build a venue with proper facilities to host weddings, get-togethers or any other events. It turned into another business element for us, and we continue to expand business elements when we feel it’s beneficial.”
Murman told The Grapevine Magazine that farm wineries in Nebraska can operate up to five locations, so expansion is always a possibility. In 2010, he took a storefront in downtown Ashland, Nebraska, and transformed it into the Glacial Till Cider House and Tasting Room, offering food service and event space. With subsequent expansion into adjacent available buildings, the space is now 13,000 square feet. Murman believes that any future expansion must include Omaha as a logical location, with the Tri-City area, including Hastings, Grand Island and Kearney, also in consideration.
Early Adversity Leads to a Shift in Direction
“In 2014, our area had a severe frost and freeze event causing us to lose pretty much all of our grape product,” said Murman. “In Nebraska, by law, our wines have to use at least 75 percent Nebraska-based product, so gaining access to grapes grown in-state for wine production was next to impossible. My youngest son, Craig, came up with the idea of producing a hard apple cider using pressed apple juice. After some thought and knowing that hard ciders were the fastest-growing liquor segment at the time, we started producing our hard cider using pressed apple juice from Kimmel Orchard and Vineyard in Nebraska City. Hard cider is just apple wine that’s carbonated, so we believed it would be a good fit for us and our business. We produced our first batch, and the distributor that sampled it said he would immediately buy all we had. Well, that was all we had, but right then and there, we told him we’d consider making more if there was interest.”
Glacial Till’s hard ciders proved very successful, with Murman recognized as Nebraska’s and possibly the Midwest Region’s most prominent hard cider producer. Murman said that when comparing the production and sales between his wine and cider segments, the cider business is actually outpacing the wine segment. In addition, Glacial Till’s hard cider won the Grand National Championship in the U.S. Open, the youngest cidery ever to accomplish that honor. Murman’s knowledge and winemaking history were credited with helping him win that prestigious award.
It’s Okay to Deviate from Original Plans
With his entrepreneurial background, it was maybe more natural for Murman to adapt to changes in his original plans than it may be for others. Still, he tells The Grapevine Magazine that the ability to adapt and adjust goes a long way in being successful.
“It really is important not to get stuck in your original plan,” said Murman. “Embracing the entrepreneurial spirit, remaining adaptable and remaining open enough to see, realize and embrace the fact that there may be a different path to success than you originally planned is critical. Here in Nebraska, we’re somewhat restricted from growing as fast as we might like because of the 75 percent rule. Our growth can be restricted based on the accessibility of the product. So it’s perfectly okay to take a different-than-expected path to success.”
“For example, we never intended to offer a food service, but we also knew we wanted to offer charcuterie or something comparable. COVID hit right after our new building was constructed, and it was then that we decided to open a kitchen and hire a chef because, according to the rules during COVID, places like ours could only stay open if we served food. As a result of that decision, offering food service has now become a priority for us and an important part of our business model. A third of the revenue out of our Ashland tasting room location is derived solely from our food service. It’s just another example of how being open to change and new direction can work to advance your business.”
Advice for Those Getting Started
“For any grape growers or someone looking to start a vineyard, it’s important to know what varieties do well in your terroir, as well as what varieties are in demand should you look to sell them to wineries,” said Murman. “If you’re just growing grapes for your own consumption, then by all means, grow what you want, but for business purposes, you have to know the types of grapes that are in demand and easier to sell. We researched what varieties would grow best in our area, initially planting eight to 10 varieties, some we knew to be borderline varieties. For those just starting, I think it would be beneficial to concentrate on getting more production from a smaller number of varietals already proven successful in your environment.”
Currently, Murman grows several varieties on the estate property. Red grape varieties include Frontenac, Chambourcin, St. Vincent, Marquette and a newer offering, Petite Pearl. White grape varieties include Edelweiss, their most popular white, and La Crosse, Seyval Blanc, Vignole and Traminette.
“In addition to quality grapevine choices, the vine placement matters,” said Murman. “Grapes don’t like wet feet, so it’s important not to plant in low-lying areas because they can be colder, frost-prone and more likely to retain water. Our glacial till terroir provides excellent well-drained soil suitable for grapevines. Grapes like to put down roots with the potential of reaching 20- to 25-foot depths. Since planting in 2003, we’ve never had to irrigate, and our vines do well. We periodically put down nutrients and then do routine maintenance, like mowing, pruning and all the normal expected chores to keep proper airflow throughout the vineyard. What we do have to deal with here in the Midwest is herbicide drift. It’s a concern because most surrounding farms contain row crops like corn and beans, and any herbicides applied have the potential to travel three to five miles under the right conditions. And then we’ve been through battles over the last couple of years with Asian beetles, turkeys, raccoons, birds and other wildlife problems. Some things we can control, and some we can’t. Our weather and climate are changing in that we don’t seem to get the long stretches of extreme winter weather anymore, but rather we have events that are shorter and at times more severe or impactful.”
The Future Is in theCapable Hands of Family
Murman says that he now considers himself semi-retired, serving in more of a mentor role for the vineyard and assisting with strategy and long-term planning. At the same time, his three sons handle the day-to-day vineyard and winery needs. All contribute in their own way to continue Glacial Till’s quality, consistent production of great-tasting wine and cider year in and year out. Mike’s oldest son, John, studied under his father and took additional courses to assume the role of winemaker while also running the production and vineyard operations. Tim serves as the general manager, responsible for the back office, including accounting, distribution and distributor relationships, while also looking over the event and tasting room staff. Craig, the youngest, is responsible for all of the creative and technical aspects of the winery, including TTB compliance and reporting, wine labeling, web and social presence and marketing. Glacial Till Vineyard and Craft Cider House employs approximately 15 full-time and 65 seasonal or hourly employees.
For more information or to plan a visit to Glacial Till Vineyard and Craft Cidery call:
My experience working with tissue culture techniques on grapevine dates from my first job (after my post-doctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley) at Agritope, Inc., a biotechnology company that was based in Oregon. The company owned a grapevine nursery and I was hired to start a disease testing and eradication program for their elite clones and varieties.
More recently, I have produced tissue culture plants from heritage Cabernet Sauvignon clones that were acclimated and planted in California vineyards. This spring (Argentina’s fall) I spent over a month working at a biotechnology company in Mar del Plata in Buenos Aires province. The laboratory is interested primarily in the micropropagation of different plant species such as garlic, kiwi, fruit, and ornamentals crops. Recently the lab started working with woody plants such as grapevines and invited me to spend time working and training their staff on grapevine tissue culture and diagnostic techniques.
Plant Tissue Culture
Plant tissue culture technology (growing plants in vitro) can be used for the quick propagation of grapevines but also is a technique that is used for the elimination of plant pathogens (disease causing agents). The propagation material may start in a greenhouse using either dormant grapevine cuttings or in the lab using nodal sections (portions of a shoot with at least a bud) from an actively growing plant.
In the laboratory, a process called surface sterilization is used to remove external bacterial or fungal species that can affect plant growth in culture. The cleaning process involves treating the nodal portions of the vine in a detergent and bleach solution.
After this process, the nodal sections are placed in a special media that contains nutrients and hormones that sustains plant growth. These plants are grown in sterile (autoclaved or baked) vessels at ideal light and temperature conditions. This process is known as plant tissue culture initiation. All the work is done under aseptic conditions in a laminar flow hood that keeps the environment clean and free of airborne microorganisms. If the purpose of initiating plants in tissue culture is the elimination of plant pathogens, the meristematic tissue from each of the plants can be isolated.
Plant Meristem Isolation
The plant meristem is a portion of the plant with cells that has not differentiated into specialized tissues (e.g., leaves, stems, roots) and are capable of producing a new plant (the tissue is totipotent). The meristematic tissue is also responsible for keeping the plant growing. The advantage of using the apical (the uppermost meristem dome) is that the vascular tissue has not been differentiated and it is expected that viruses (or other pathogens) are not yet present in an infected plant. By isolating the smallest possible meristematic tissue (generally the meristem dome plus a couple of leaf primordia), and growing it in tissue culture, it is expected that the new plant that is regenerated will be free of pathogens. The meristem tissue culture technique has been used for decades to produce healthy grapevine plants as well as plants from many other species. The smaller the meristem (0.1- 0.3 mm), the higher is the chance of viral elimination. However, these small meristems are more difficult to regenerate. The trick is to isolate many meristems of various sizes (0.1 – 0.5 mm) and test each regenerated plant to determine if the pathogens that were present in the original plant were eliminated. Because of the small size of the meristems, the work must be done using fine dissecting tools with the aid of a dissecting microscope under aseptic conditions. Research in my laboratory has shown that tissue culture plants have a higher virus concentration than plants grown in greenhouse or field. Therefore, the testing of plants to determine their virus status, can start very early in the process, collecting small amounts of tissue during the first transfer to fresh media.
Plant Growth and Propagation
Once a clone is obtained (always best to produce more than one) that has tested free of the pathogens of interest, the plant propagation starts. Once the regenerated plants are grown, these must be transferred to fresh media regularly (every 3-4 weeks) to replenish nutrients. With each transfer it is possible to produce 5-6 new micro-propagated plants. At some point the plants will be transferred to the greenhouse to be acclimated. Because there would be a shock for the plants to be moved from the pampered conditions in test tubes, initially the plants must be grown under misting conditions. In the growth chamber or greenhouse, the humidity must be kept very high to allow the plants to acclimate as they were “spoiled” growing in culture media. Up to this point, the plants were grown in a clean environment to ensure that pathogens or environmental contaminants were not present. The plants will continue to grow in the greenhouse up to a certain point and brought to the nursery to further propagate and/or start the grafting process. Because the potential of re-infection, it is important that plants are always protected. This is accomplished by potting the plants in clean soil and growing in a greenhouse or screenhouse with a mesh that offers insect protection.
Virus Detection and Evaluationof Candidate Selections
Many vineyards and wineries are interested in propagating their own heritage selections or clones. In some instances, these clones were introduced hundreds of years ago by families who immigrated from Europe. At that time, quarantine and plant introduction programs were not as reliable as they are presently. Consequently, many of the imported grapevine plant material carried important and deleterious pathogens. In addition, over the years of being planted in the field, even healthy vines may become infected with numerous pathogens due to the spread of pathogens from vineyard to vineyard.
Every project starts with the testing of the plant material the grower wishes to treat. Based on the results, the laboratory can opt to apply meristem tissue culture or other disease elimination techniques. Thermotherapy (heat treatment) and cryotherapy (cold treatment) are other methods that have been described and can be used in combination with meristem tissue culture and micropropagation. But by far, the meristem tissue culture is the most applied method when it comes to disease elimination for grapevines. This is because the meristem tissue culture is a technique widely accepted by growers. Although, thermotherapy is a very old and successful method, some growers do not accept its use as they are suspicious that deleterious mutations can occur in the plant material. This concept has not been scientifically proven though.
Although generally, the meristem tissue culture technique is applied for viral elimination, a bonus result is the eradication of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Because disease diagnostics have been covered in other articles I wrote, I only summarized here. Basically, the same methods that are used to detect pathogens in the field are used for the detection of viruses (or other pathogens) in tissue culture. The material being tested however, is always actively growing tissue culture plants. It is important to test the plants as soon as there is enough plant material and is generally done during the first transfer to fresh culture media (the best conservative sample are leaves with attached petioles). Because this type of tissue is sensitive to wilting (spoiling) it is important to coordinate testing with the laboratory to assure that the samples arrive in good conditions. The early testing will allow the laboratory to discard the clones that test positive for a pathogen of interest and only propagate those that are not infected.
Conclusions
The use of tissue culture propagation and meristem culture for disease eradication offers an advantage: the nursery will be starting with a clean product (not only virus tested but likely free of bacterial and fungal pathogens), grown under aseptic conditions. To preserve, this health status, it is important that plants are moved into a hermetic greenhouse (or screenhouse with small mesh) with mitigation practices to avoid the entrance of insect vectors and /or pathogens. Finally, the plants must be moved to a screened area in the field (preferably isolated from other grapevine growing vineyards).
There might be concerns from the industry that tissue culture plants could have juvenile traits (take too long or never produce fruit). These are valid concerns and the issue varies from variety to variety or even among different clones of the same variety. There are however growing techniques that can be applied at the nursery to avoid juvenility traits from happening.
The slogan from the National Clean Plant Network is to “Start clean, stay clean”. It is important to have nursery programs that produce the cleanest (disease tested) material. However, if the plants are grown carelessly, likely these plants will become reinfected. Therefore, my hope is that this article will provide guidelines to allow the planting material to remain clean after the effort and expense of subjecting the material to disease elimination treatments.
Judit Monis, Ph.D. provides specialized services to help growers, vineyard managers, and nursery personnel avoid the propagation and transmission of disease caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses in their vineyard blocks. Judit (based in California) is fluent in Spanish and is available to consult in all wine grape growing regions of the word. Please visit juditmonis.com for information or contact juditmonis@yahoo.comto request a consulting session at your vineyard.
Choosing the right equipment is one of the most important decisions a vineyard owner will ever make, especially since heavy pieces of machinery are significant investments built to last for many years. Some companies that cater to the needs of vineyards specialize in just certain, niche types of equipment, while others are one-stop shops that offer nearly everything required to grow and harvest grapes for making wine.
To help you narrow your options, here are five top companies offering vineyard equipment and what makes them stand out as suppliers in this industry.
Gearmore, Inc. is an employee-owned business specializing in implements for the agricultural and light construction industries. Based in Chino, California, Gearmore has been in business for approximately 60 years and provides quality implements through servicing tractor dealers.
Robert Giersbach, the marketing manager for Gearmore, told The Grapevine Magazine, “We have always placed a priority on vineyard implements due to the large acreage on the west coast. There are about 900,000 acres of vineyards in California, which includes table, raisin and the largest being 615,000 acres of wine grapes.”
Since growing grapes requires many types of machinery, Gearmore offers 24 unique implements for vineyards in varying widths and capacities. These include vine trimmers, leaf removers, pre-pruners and multiple pieces of spraying equipment. Gearmore also offers compost spreaders, rotary tillers, soil conditioners, weeders, cultivators and numerous other options relevant to essential vineyard work.
“The California vineyards are planted in row spacings from four to 12 feet, with six- and eight- foot rows now being the most popular. The coastal vines are using mainly trellis with vertical shoot positions, but the hotter Central Valley requires a trellis system, such as California sprawl, double cross arms or quad.”
Kingsburg Cultivator, Inc. was established near the small, rural town of Kingsburg, California in the 1950s as an agricultural equipment manufacturing and repair company. Chuck Norris from Kingsburg Cultivator said that his company offers a wide range of equipment and solutions for all seasons.
“We specialize in berm management solutions, which include our products made in the central valley of California,” Norris said. “We also import equipment out of Italy known as Orizzonti. Within our berm management division, we have mowers, blades, discs, sweeps, tillers, paddles and string weeders. We have single-sided and double-sided frames that we can mount in either the front or rear front or rear of the tractor based on the needs of the customer.”
KCI’s pruning division offers various pre-pruning solutions available in both single and double-sided frames. These options include sickle bars, disc pruners and high-speed skirters with many adjusting configurations available year-round.
“Our Orizzonti line offers different length shredders as well,” Norris said. “You can interchange flail blades or hammers in any of the shredders we offer. Our spreader division consists of vineyard models and has interchangeable attachments for different applications. We offer a KCM 58 and KCM512 with bander and spinner attachments. The spreader dimensions are five inches wide by eight inches long and five inches wide by 12 inches long. The banding configuration comes in five-, six- and eight-inch lengths. Our supersealed bander allows little to no loss in product.”
KCI has been a manufacturer of vineyard equipment for over 65 years, starting with a belt drive skirter that operated off the crankshaft of the tractor. Since then, the company has stood out because of the quality of its products, outstanding service and replacement parts on hand.
“Since the beginning of time, we at KCI have had a high expectation of product quality and durability, and we stand behind our products,” Norris said. “Customer and field service also is what sets us apart from other similar businesses. With our experienced office and shop staff, we can help our customers timely and efficiently. KCI makes sure to prepare and have replacement parts on the shelf ready for when our customers are in need. We understand that downtime is a very costly expense and always keep the customers’ best interests in mind. With us being a fabrication shop, in some cases, we can even build parts for equipment other than ours if our customer isn’t able to find the part needed. We also do field repairs of our equipment for our customers with service trucks and skilled technicians if we can’t diagnose and troubleshoot the problem over the phone.”
New Holland Agriculture, a subsidiary of CNH Industrial, brings over 125 years of experience to the industry and serves vineyards with specialty tractors and grape harvesters. Tanner Cady, a viticulture marketing specialist for specialty tractors and harvesters at the company, told The Grapevine that New Holland Agriculture’s specialty tractors come in various ranges for horsepower, width, height and traction style, specifically the T4F/V, T3F and TK4 models.
“Wine grapes range in row spacings from 3.5 feet to 11 feet,” Cady said. “We have three different tractor widths – 42 inches (T4V), 55 inches (T3F) and 63 inches (T4F) – to fit those applications. In most scenarios, height is not a problem like it is for table grapes. And depending on the size of the operation, you can choose between 80, 90, 100 or 110 horsepower for the T4F/V and 60, 70 and 80 horsepower for the T3F.
New Holland has a tractor built for vineyards planted on steep hillsides, too, the TK4 Crawler.
“This tractor is available in different horsepowers, widths and heights,” Cady said. “Depending on producers’ applications, they may want one with or without a cab, one that is 46 inches wide or 70 inches wide or lastly, one with only 80 horsepower versus 100 horsepower. The T3F also has a very low center of gravity that makes it useful on hillsides, too.”
New Holland Agriculture’s grape harvesters are available for row widths of 3.5, 4.5, 5.5 and 7.5 feet. The horsepower ranges are from 128 to 182, and three different cleaning styles are available: straight to tank, destemmer and Opti-Grape.
“Straight to tank is our most basic way of removing mog,” Cady said. “This is made up of two to four fans. Those fans are standard with all other forms of cleaning. Destemmer is our mid-range form of cleaning. It acts as a sieve while forcing grapes to fall through a mesh belt. It then collects the leaves, wood and anything else that isn’t a grape to continue down the belt and over the back of the machine onto the ground. While destemming, it also breaks up the clusters and collects the rakis while directing the grapes to the hopper. Opti-Grape is our premium sorter. This is done with what we call an ‘Air Knife.’ It uses pressurized air to discharge everything other than grapes out the side of the machine, leaving a nearly perfect sample in the hopper that is ready for the winery and requires no additional sorting at the winery.”
New Holland is unique in the industry because it is the only manufacturer to make grape harvesters and tractors under the same umbrella.
“Also, both our harvesters and tractors run FPT engines,” Cady said.” “This is particularly important when it comes to harvesters. Other grape harvester manufacturers run a third-party engine that requires separate technicians from those who will service the harvester itself — one unit and two technicians for servicing. With the New Holland grape harvesters, our technicians are trained on both the engine and the harvesting mechanisms, meaning we can service both in the same visit.”
Kubota Tractor Corp. introduced its first tractor to the U.S. in 1969 and has expanded to offer many products today, such as utility vehicles, lawn mowers, construction equipment, agriculture tractors and hay equipment. Erik Lisitza, Kubota’s product manager for specialty tractors, told The Grapevine that his company offers various power units and implements for the vineyard market.
“Kubota’s M Narrow Series tractors, which includes the M4N and M5N, are offered in both open station and cab models with three horsepower ranges and multiple transmission options, in addition to the M5N Power Krawler Narrow CAB half-track model,” Lisitza said. “Our implements for mowing, seeding and tillage are offered through our Land Pride brand.”
Kubota introduced its second-generation M5 Narrow Series at the exhibitor grounds at the World Ag Expo in February 2023, which includes two new models, the M5N-112 and the M5N-092. The durable workhorse tractor users have come to rely upon remains at the core of these latest models. However, updated comfort features and visibility enhancements are now available while using them among the rows and vines.
“Our consistent offering and being known for our simple and reliable tractors is what makes Kubota stand out as a provider of vineyard equipment,” Lisitza said. “Our knowledgeable dealer network works and lives where the vineyards are, and they know their customers and the specific needs of their industry.”
Headquartered in Tualatin, Oregon, Jacto Inc. offers high-tech products and innovative solutions for the agricultural industry and has a presence in over 100 countries. Jacto has a history that dates back over 75 years and has plants and offices in Argentina, Brazil, Thailand and Mexico.
Walter Mosquini, Jacto’s international sales manager, told The Grapevine that the primary sprayers that his company sells to vineyards are the airblast sprayers. Jacto offers 13 different models of airblast sprayers ranging from 50 gallons to 1,000 gallons.
“We also offer a mini-tower kit for four different models to provide even better coverage to the crop. The other type of sprayer the vineyard market buys from Jacto is a hooded herbicide sprayer to spray weeds between the rows while protecting the crops from chemical drift.”
Mosquini said that Jacto is unique as a vineyard equipment provider because of its global presence and long history in the industry.
“We offer many models of sprayers, from hobby vineyard operators to extensive corporate vineyards,” he said. “Our sprayers are built to withstand the heavy use found in commercial farming. Our Arbus 200 sprayer can be operated with an 18-horsepower tractor, keeping the tractor and sprayer cost at a minimum.”
Choosing Equipment for Your Vineyard
Each of these companies has something unique to offer vineyards, and the industry leaders who work for them can provide helpful advice for choosing new equipment to grow grapes.
Giersbach from Gearmore said, “When asked by growers what equipment they may need, we ask about the row width, tractor model and what operation and outcome they hope to achieve. Yet established growers usually know exactly what they need and do not require our input.”
Cady from New Holland Agriculture recommends buying equipment that does not run a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF).
“You will only find this with New Holland equipment; we maintain a low carbon footprint without the need for a DPF,” Cady said. “Also, consider your acreage, terrain, row spacing and yield when choosing a harvester or tractor. Those play considerable factors in the make-up of the equipment a producer will need to purchase.”
Mosquini from Jacto shared his company’s sprayer selection guide with The Grapevine, a guide designed to help vineyards determine the model of sprayer that will work best for their needs. The guide addresses 12 essential factors to consider, starting with the type of crop, the number of acres to be sprayed, the typical galloon sprayed per acre and pump capacity. Tractor speed, row spacing, crop height, turning area and crop density are other factors to consider.
Lisitza from Kubota advises vineyard owners looking to buy new equipment to talk with a local dealer for the best advice before making a major purchase.
“They know our equipment, and they know your business and the vineyard market. Their knowledge can help you get into the right piece of equipment for your operation,” he said.
Norris from KCI advises prospective customers to do their homework and ensure their fields are set up properly to run the equipment they are trying to purchase.
“Make sure to include photos, videos, row spacings, type of field and irrigation techniques to ensure the mechanized equipment won’t damage or cause more issues than your current practices,” Norris said. “If your field is not set up correctly but you want to move to more mechanized techniques, make changes to your field before the purchase. Also, make sure the company supports your equipment with service and parts availability. The sense of assurance when your equipment malfunctions or is damaged and parts are a call away is priceless. Reliability is very important for the product you plan to buy as well. Do research into the company producing the machine of interest. This can include looking at reviews and comments on Google, asking current owners of the machine and going to see the machine run in the field for yourself.”
Lots of time is spent selecting products to control late season pests but how much time do we spend fine tuning our sprayer for these applications? Late season spray applications can be critical in delivering clean fruit and keeping a functioning canopy post-harvest especially in areas where rainfall is common during the growing season. Effective late season spray applications can be more difficult to achieve due to a larger and denser canopy.
Understanding spray coverage requires that you understand how droplets are created. Hydraulic spray nozzles create a wide range of droplet sizes. These droplets are measured in microns with droplets from 150 to 300 microns considered the most effective at being deposited in grapevine canopies when used with air blast sprayers. Larger droplet sizes may bounce or roll off leaves while very fine droplets are more prone to drift. Theoretical spray coverage based on average droplet diameter is 30% for 100-micron droplets, 15% for 200-micron droplets and 10.1% for 3300-microndroplets. A greater number of spray droplets per unit area will have a higher probability of controlling the target pest.
Evaluating your spray coverage at any time of the season is critical but as the canopy gets larger and denser it becomes even more critical. One way to evaluate spray coverage that requires minimal effort is with water sensitive cards placed in critical parts of the canopy such as the fruiting zone. When spray droplets land on the water sensitive card, the card turns blue. Water sensitive cards should be used when the humidity is below 80% and the canopy is dry because any moisture will turn them blue. The water sensitive cards will react to moisture in your fingers, so be sure to wear waterproof gloves when placing the cards in the canopy.
Spray coverage standards do not exist for control of specific insects or diseases. Recommendations from Syngenta, one of the manufacturers of water sensitive cards, recommend 20-30 droplets/cm2 for insecticides and 50–70 droplets/cm2 for fungicide applications to provide satisfactory results. A square centimeter is about 1/6 of a square inch. The water-sensitive cards can be visually assessed for coverage through the provided viewing cards. Visual observation can help you understand coverage and see droplet size, but it does not give you any numerical information that can be used to improve spray coverage.
Water sensitive cards can be scanned and analyzed by computer programs such as the USDA’s ARS DepositScan. The program gives you percentage coverage and deposits per cm2 . While very accurate, this is a slow process and not well suited for the quick results needed for adjusting sprayers in the field.
Apps are now available that will quickly and easily analyze water sensitive cards for coverage. SnapCard is an app that is available only for Android smart devices. SmartSpray, is available for both iOS and Android smart devices. Developed for use in field crops such as strawberries, the spray card analysis portion of the SmartSpray app is a useful tool for analyzing percent coverage as well as accounting for small and large spray droplets.
(Figure 1)
grapevine canopy was sprayed (Figure 1) and analyzed for spray coverage using the SmartSpray app (Figure 2). The analysis from the SmartSpray app came back with 35% coverage with small droplets and 3% coverage with large droplets. This quick analysis shows very good coverage for this application and within the range of what we would consider good coverage. The SmartSpray app does not report droplets per cm2 so to confirm that our coverage number matched up to droplet number the same card analyzed by DepositScan. DepositScan reported 125 droplets per cm2 which is more than the target 50-70 droplets cm2 for fungicide applications. The SmartSpray app can be a new tool to quickly analyze your spray coverage in the field when using water sensitive cards.
(Figure 2)
If your water sensitive cards indicate that you are not getting good coverage there are several ways to adjust your sprayer to improve coverage.
Increase Air Flow
Lower fan speeds may have been used in the early part of the growing season to reduce drift. In the later part of the season many sprayers can be adjusted to increase fan speed. For increased late season spray coverage in dense canopies, increasing the air flow may be the easiest way to improve coverage. Deflectors that focus the air flow more horizontally or on the fruiting zone may also improve coverage. Keep in mind that excessive air flow can increase drift by pushing the spray droplets past the canopy target. Be sure to confirm coverage using water sensitive cards after increasing airflow.
Change Sprayer Output
Increasing sprayer output by decreasing forward speed or by using larger nozzles can improve spray coverage but it does require that you recalibrate your sprayer due to these changes. A higher volume can improve coverage if your droplet coverage is low based on your water card analysis. The target is still to have many small droplets in the canopy. Too much volume can run spray droplets together and cause spray run off of the leaves.
There are many action items to do in a vineyard to keep it productive and produce high quality grapes. Taking time during the season to check your sprayer coverage and then adjust as needed is one of those critical items. Larger and denser canopies may require that you take the time to look at your coverage later in the season as well. New and old tools are there to assist you in evaluating and improving your spray coverage.
Sources:
Bettiga, L.J. ed. 2013. Grape Pest Management (3rd edition). Publication 3343. University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources. Oakland, CA
Nansen, Villar, G. D., Recalde, A., Alvarado, E., & Chennapragada, K. 2021. Phone app to perform quality control of pesticide spray applications in field crops. Agriculture (Basel), 11(10), 916.
Landers, Andrew J., 2016. Effective Vineyard Spraying (2nd Edition). Effective Spraying. Geneva, NY
Zhu, Heping; Salyani, Masoud; Fox, Robert D. 2011. A portable scanning system for evaluation of spray deposit distribution. Computers and electronics in agriculture, Vol.76 (1), p.38-43
Kirk Williams is a lecturer in Viticulture at Texas Tech University as well as being a commercial grape grower on the Texas High Plains. He can be contacted at kirk.w.williams@ttu.edu
As many employers have learned over the last few years, employees are a valuable resource. The ability to find and keep employees has become a challenge for many employers in a variety of industries, including food and beverage agriculture. Therefore, keeping employees safe is a top priority.
Employers in the food and beverage agriculture industry, like vineyards and wineries, may have multiple confined spaces in which employees encounter in their daily job tasks. These include vats, tanks, storage bins, tunnels, duct work, pits, drain systems, and liquid tanks and containers. Many industry employees are required to enter these spaces as part of their jobs.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in their Permit-Required Confined Spaces standard 29 CFR 1910.146, describes a confined space as a space that is large enough for an employee to bodily enter and perform assigned work tasks, has a limited or restricted means of entry or exit, and is not designed for continuous employee occupancy. Additionally, OSHA defines a Permit-Required Confined Space as a confined space with one or more of the following characteristics: the confined space contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere; the confined space contains a material that has the potential for engulfing the entrant; the confined space has an internal configuration with inwardly converging walls or a floor that slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross section which could trap or asphyxiate an entrant; and contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard. (OSHA.gov)
The first step in protecting employees from the hazards of confined spaces is to evaluate the workplace to determine if the workplace contains permit-required confined spaces. An initial survey or workplace evaluation should be conducted to locate and identify all confined spaces. This initial workplace evaluation should be conducted by a qualified person who is familiar with the hazards and types of confined spaces. Although this is the initial step, workplace evaluation must be ongoing for confined spaces which may change over time with the addition of new processes, equipment, or facilities.
Once a confined space is identified in the workplace, the confined space should be treated as a hazardous area until a qualified person can determine the specific hazards. Additionally, the qualified person will determine if the confined space is a permit-required confined space or a non-permit confined space. Hazards an evaluator will look for include atmospheric hazards such as oxygen deficient or toxic atmosphere, biological hazards, mechanical hazards, physical hazards, and chemical hazards.
If the qualified person has found permit-required confined spaces at the workplace, the employer must notify the employees. Employees must know their workplace contains permit-required confined spaces, where the spaces are located and the hazards associated with those spaces. Then, the employer must post signage to inform the employees of the permit spaces. This signage can read “Danger – Permit-Required Confined Space, Do Not Enter” or a similar statement. The signs should be posted on the entrance or in close proximity to the entrance of the permit space.
At this point, an employer has a decision to make about their Permit-Required Confined Spaces: either allow employees to enter or do not allow employees to enter. If the employer makes a decision to not allow employees to enter permit spaces, then the employer should take effective measures to secure the spaces. Some examples of securing permit spaces to prevent entry are padlocks, bolts, chains, and wire cables.
If entry is necessary for employees to service or clean permit-required confined spaces, the employer must develop and implement a written permit-required confined space program and make the program available for employee inspection. This written program should include written entry procedures for the permit-required confined spaces along with the hazards present, and how to eliminate or control the hazards.
The written permit-required confined space program should include an entry permit. The entry permit is a document to be used for all permit-required confined space entries. The entry permit should include the date of entry and authorized duration of the entry, the location of the entry, the names of all entrants, and the work that is being conducted in the confined space. Additionally, the permit must include the names of attendants, the name of the entry supervisor, the hazards present in the space to be entered, how the hazards will be eliminated or controlled before entry, acceptable entry conditions, results of initial and periodic tests performed along with the names of the testers and when tests were performed, rescue and emergency services to contact in the event of an emergency, communication procedures between the entrant and the attendant, equipment necessary including personal protective equipment, testing equipment, communication equipment, alarm systems, and rescue equipment, other information deemed necessary for safe entry, and any additional permits such as hot work permits. Lastly, the permit should have a signature line for the entry supervisor to authorize the entry, including the date and time of the entry. The entry supervisor should communicate the contents of the entry permit to the authorized entry personnel and may wish to post the entry permit in a designated location.
OSHA requires that employers provide training for all employees who must work in permit-required confined spaces. The training should occur before the initial work assignment, when job duties change, employee performance deficiencies occur, or when the permit-required confined space program changes or operations change. Although it is not required to train all employees to the extent of the authorized entrants training, it is a best practice to inform all employees of the confined spaces present in the workplace and the hazards that accompany the confined spaces.
If entry is required in a permit-required confined space, the employer must provide an authorized entrant (the person who enters the space and conducts maintenance or cleaning operations), an attendant (a person who remains outside of the confined space), and an entry supervisor (the person who oversees the entry operations and ensures the entrants follow the permit and are safe). These personnel have specific duties that must occur to ensure safe entry into permit spaces. Their duties must be followed in order to comply with the OSHA Permit-Required Confined Spaces standard.
When the entry into the permit space is complete, the entry supervisor terminates the confined space entry. The entry supervisor can also cancel the entry of the confined space if the conditions within the space are no longer safe for the entrant. As a best practice, when the entry is complete, a debrief should be conducted with the entry personnel to determine if any changes are needed for future entry procedures. Employers are required to keep canceled entry permits for one year. Any deviations or problems with the entry should be noted on the canceled permits.
Even with a permit-required confined space program in place, emergencies can happen. It is important that local emergency responders are aware of the specific hazards associated with confined spaces in the workplace. Invite local emergency agencies to the workplace and evaluate their knowledge of confined space rescue, their rescue equipment, and their capabilities.
Having a permit-required confined space program in place will help vineyards and wineries avoid catastrophic incidents and costly OSHA citations. To learn more about Permit-Required Confined Spaces, go to osha.gov or ansi.org.
Steven R. Sawyer, ARM, MS, CSP, is the owner/operator of LSW & Associates Safety Consulting Services, LLC. Sawyer has been active in the safety industry since 1999, much of that time working with multi-faceted, high-hazard agribusinesses, developing a special expertise in grain bin engulfment and prevention; OSHA grain handling standards; lockout/tagout (LOTO); machine guarding; confined spaces; heavy equipment and specialized equipment operations; and safety program development and training.
The Southern Oregon AVA, established in 2005, consists of five distinct regions: Rogue Valley AVA, Applegate Valley AVA, Umpqua Valley AVA, Red Hill Douglas County AVA and Elkton Oregon AVA. Multiple rivers – Umpqua, Applegate, Illinois and Rogue – traverse throughout this region, thus creating a number of small valleys and hillsides and a range of mesoclimates. This region’s latitude, climate and rich terroir with elevations from 350 to 2,000 feet, average precipitation of 19 inches annually and approximately 175 frost-free days afford winemakers with a European-like growing season.
Even though Hillcrest Vineyard in the Umpqua Valley was the first vineyard to plant pinot noir grapes in Oregon in 1961 commercially, Willamette Valley’s pinot noirs tend to dominate the Oregon wine scene, thus overlooking the 70 different wine varietals produced in Southern Oregon. This includes grapes unique to the Pacific Northwest.
For example, in 1997, Earl and Hilda Jones of Abacela Winery in Roseburg were the first in the Northwest to grow and vinify the tempranillo grapes commercially. This was followed by Stephen and Gloria Reustle of Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyard in the Umpqua Valley, who planted the first grüner veltliner wine made in North America in 2003 to 2005. Also in the Umpqua Valley, Girardet Vineyards & Winery in Roseburg was the first to plant baco noir grapes in Oregon and produce a baco noir wine in 1971. Other varieties grown in Southern Oregon that are not widely grown elsewhere in the Northwest include albariño, dolcetto, grenache, malbec, and petit verdot.
According to Nichole Schulte, head winemaker and an owner of Barrel 42, a full-service custom crush winery in Jacksonville, very favorable Oregon laws allow for winemakers to be creative and have a little bit more control over the grapes that come into the winery. These laws allow for more flexibility in blending non-pinot noir wines such as the GSM (grenache syrah mouvedre) blends that originated in the Rhone region of France, as well as other blends that are not as well known.
“These wines require a bit more storytelling behind them,” Schulte said. “This is where our friendly tasting rooms and winemakers come in because they can explain what they’re doing and the intention behind that particular wine.”
While most wine regions focus on either warm or cool climate grapes, Southern Oregon can grow both warm (tempranillo, cabernet sauvignon, malbec, syrah) and cool (pinot noir, pinot gris, riesling) climate grape varieties grow very well due to the many and diverse microclimates, vineyard elevations and terroir differences across the region.
According to Rob Folin of Ryan Rose Wines in Medford, “These cooler nights and hotter days are awesome for the grapes, allowing the grapes to ripen over a longer growing season with greater concentration and balanced acid levels.” He added that they “seldom get spring frosts and only the occasional fall frost.”
A key difference between the two regions is that the Umpqua Valley relies on the ocean for its diurnal swings (warm days and cool evenings to help preserve acidity in the grapes), whereas the Rogue Valley relies on elevation for its diurnal swings. Ross Allen, president of the Rogue Valley Vintners and owner and vineyard manager at Padigan Wine in Medford, points to a few examples of how the climate and climate suitability in the Rogue Valley makes them unique as a key factor to the quality of fruit they produce.
“The Rogue Valley’s precipitation is less than the Willamette Valley and more similar to Napa, making for lower disease pressure and cleaner fruit,” Allen said. “In addition, the Rogue Valley’s growing season temperatures and heat accumulation clearly distinguish us from the Willamette and California. Also, the Rogue Valley has one of the widest diurnal temperature swings of any wine region worldwide, enabling greater potential flavor and aroma development.”
Family-owned, multigenerational vineyards dominate the landscape, with the winemakers often pouring the wine in their tasting rooms while sharing their vast knowledge of viticulture with visitors. Eric Weisinger, owner and winemaker at Weisinger Family Winery in Ashland, points to the camaraderie within fellow Southern Oregon winemakers that creates a healthy culture.
“People want each other to succeed,” Weisinger said. “Our region may not be that old but we’ve done a lot in a short period of time.”
The towns that dot Southern Oregon, such as Ashland, Grants Pass, Jacksonville, Medford and Roseburg, have emerged in recent years as wine destinations with food, art, music and a wide range of lodging options from budget motels to B&Bs nestled within a vineyard estate. Unlike more populated Western wine regions such as the Willamette Valley or Napa Valley, Southern Oregon is far away from major population centers, so one can avoid the touristy crowds that tend to congregate, especially during the weekends and holidays. While this intimacy creates a unique wine experience for the consumer, Ted Gerber of Foris Vineyards in Cave Junction notes how this region’s distance from major populations can make direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales difficult. However, some wineries, like the Weisinger Family Winery, sell almost all of their wine in the tasting room or online.
Rogue Valley AVA
This AVA is dominated by the Rogue River that flows south into the AVA at the town of Shady Cove, turns west outside of Eagle Point and flows through Gold Hill and out of the AVA northeast of Grants Pass. This region is home to Oregon’s first official winery, founded by Peter Britt in 1873. Currently, the Rogue Valley’s approximately 180 vineyards run along three valleys of this river’s tributaries: the Illinois, Applegate and Bear Creek. While this valley’s heat results in prime growing territory that naturally benefits big Bordeaux and Rhône varieties, winemakers like Jean-Michel Jussiaume of Maison Jussiaume Wines find this climate well-suited for producing sparkling wine. He moved to the United States from France in 2005 with the intent of producing handcrafted sparkling wines. In his estimation, the growing conditions of the Rogue Valley are less challenging than the region of Muscadet, where he grew up.
The Illinois Valley, the southernmost part of this AVA, receives some marine influence due to its proximity to the coast, thus resulting in a cooler, wetter climate than much of the rest of the appellation. This climate attracts vintners like Ted Gerber, who established the family-owned Foris Vineyards in 1974 with his late wife, Meri. He chose Cave Junction as the location for his winery, as it lies halfway between the pinot noir growing areas of Sonoma and the Willamette Valley. Also, this region has a very large diurnal swing with plenty of ripening for alsatian varieties. In 1977, he had the distinction of being one of six growers to receive a few dozen clones of pinot gris, pinot blanc and gewürztraminer that Oregon State University imported from France, and Floris continues to produce these varieties.
Like many other winegrowers in the Rogue Valley, Chad Day, owner and manager of RoxyAnn Winery in Medford, came from an agricultural tradition where he describes his winemaking process as farm-to-fork. Currently, Day oversees farming the vineyard and managing the winery while a cousin manages the orchards and field crops, all farmed on the same 250 acres their extended family has owned since the 1890s. While they grow 17 different varietals, their focus is on the Bordeaux and Rhône varieties that grow well in this warm region with their craft claret blend consisting of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc merlot, malbec and petit verdot. At this juncture, climate change has proven beneficial for them as the green cabernet that came from the Rogue Valley 10 to 20 years ago is now more full-bodied.
Applegate Valley Sub-AVA
Ensconced inside the Rogue Valley AVA is the Applegate Valley Sub-AVA, an area consisting of 19 wineries and a total acreage of 278,190. This valley was formed by the flow of the Little Applegate and Applegate Rivers that wind between the peaks of the Siskiyou Mountains, with Jacksonville in the southeast and Grants Pass in the Northwest. As this region receives rainfall from the surrounding Siskiyou Mountains and cooling marine temperatures from the west, this AVA receives more moderate heat than Illinois Valley, with granitic alluvial gravels as the predominant soil type.
Despite its overall warmth, this AVA poses a challenge to winemakers, as it has the shortest frost-free period in southern Oregon: 137 days compared to 150 to 165 days in other parts of the Rogue Valley. This is attributed to the higher vineyard elevations and the surrounding mountains that restrict sunlight late in the day. Also, water availability can be challenging due to little rain and moderately high heat. But according to Schulte, they are well-positioned to deal with the ongoing climate challenges.
“We have a lot of people who are creatively thinking ahead,” Schulte said. “Also we have so many microclimates here that we’re able to grow many different varietals well, so we’re not pigeonholed into any specific sort of style or varietals.”
In response to increasingly warm summers, they are among those wineries replating some of their vineyards with varieties more amenable to hotter and drier climates. As reported in the July/August 2023 issue of The Grapevine Magazine, Schulte is one of the leading experts in researching collaborative approaches to handling smoke in the vineyard and winery.
Umpqua Valley AVA
The topography of the Umpqua Valley is over 75 percent hills and mountains, which creates an extremely diverse climate and terroir. This area is known as “the land of a hundred valleys,” with three mountain ranges: Klamath, Coast and Cascades converging in the Umpqua Valley. This resulted in numerous ancient faults, folds and outcroppings, as well as 140 soil types, including silt, clay, sediments and alluvial dirt. This makes the valley one of the most diverse growing regions in the world, according to Terry Brandonborg of Brandborg Vineyard and Winery in Elkton.
Overall, the Umpqua Valley tends to be wetter than the rest of Southern Oregon, with the northern part of the appellation typically receiving the most rain. Within this AVA, one finds the Red Hill Douglas County AVA and Elkton Oregon AVA, both of which are further north with a cooler climate. The Elkton Oregon AVA lies within the northwest corner of the Umpqua Valley and is closer to the ocean. At the same time, the Red Hill Douglas County AVA is comprised of a single vineyard consisting of rich volcanic soil from the ancient, uplifted seafloor that produces pinot noir and pinot gris wines.
The overall climate is such that they can ripen bigger reds in the warmer areas of the Umpqua Valley, like Bordeaux and Rhône varieties, but still dry farm. Per Scott Kelley from Paul O’Brien Winery, who used to be the director of winemaking for Mondavi in California, “There is not another region in the U.S. that can lay claim to that.”
Also, a growing number of Umpqua Valley wineries are exploring the sparkling side of wine, including Pet-nats, such as Brandborg Vineyard and Winery in Elkton, which produces alsace-inspired white wines along with pinot noir. After getting his garage bonded as a home occupation in 1986, Brandbog moved to a rented warehouse space in Richmond, California in 1990. After he connected with wine pioneers like Scott Henry of Henry Estate Winery, he and his wife, Sue, began looking for a cooler coastal climate in 2000. After moving here, Brandborg joined the board of the Oregon Winegrowers Association, which later became the Oregon Wine Board, and then served as president of the Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Association.
Marketing Southern Oregon Wines
In Gerber’s estimation, the cooperation within the Oregon wine industry was extremely helpful to their historically small appellation. He found the marketing door opened for them with an “Oregon” appellation when they began selling in Canada, Japan and over 40 states. Along those lines, Wine Enthusiast named the Rogue Valley as one of five regions selected internationally as the wine region of the year in 2022. In recent years, the Rogue Valley Vintners and the Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Association have served as marketing organizations to bring awareness to the wines produced in Southern Oregon.
There are those who believe that award-winning wine couldn’t possibly come from a Kentucky winery. After all, Kentucky is known for bourbon and horses, right? The innovative, welcoming, award-winning gold medal folks at Up The Creek Winery would like to speak with you.
It started in the early 2000s when Up The Creek co-owner Greg Haddle began looking at property in Oregon to start a vineyard and winery in his retirement years. His brother, David, recommended he look closer to home, where his money would likely get twice the land. So, while looking at an old tobacco farm, Possum Hollow Farms, in Cumberland County, Kentucky, they both knew this was the place for their future vineyard and winery.
“It was just the feeling we got when we were there,” said Haddle. “It felt right. It felt like a place that takes all the stress away from your life and allows a person to enjoy nature as intended. Those feelings and the fact that the field layout was already somewhat parceled out due to its previous life as a tobacco farm made us believe it would work, so much so that it was the only offer we made on a property. It took about a year before we got a final contract, so the real work began in 2002.”
The old tobacco farm was tremendously overgrown, with weeds and brush topping out at 10 feet tall, so Haddle said that they first had to buy a tractor and a bush hog and start clearing the land. Gary lives on the second floor of a cabin he and others built on the property, while the lower level houses the winery.
“We started clearing the overgrown brush and weeds immediately in the fall of 2002 and planted the vineyard in spring 2003,” said Haddle. “It was a quick turnaround that was helped along with the property already being partitioned. When we initially started making wine, we relied on juice purchased from New York until our fields matured. Since then, we’ve used only Kentucky-grown products. Things we don’t grow ourselves, we get from local farms. For example, the blueberries used in our popular blueberry wine options come from a local farm maybe 12 miles from us. They’re certified organic berries, and when I need them, I can call and make an order, and the berries show up at our garage door ready to process. You can’t beat that.”
Delicious, Healthy Wine through Natural, on-the Fruit Fermentation
“It’s a real slow, healthy ferment,” said Haddle. “After the first two weeks of fermentation, we turn off all temperature controls and let the juices self-regulate, with nature taking over. We do nothing to hinder that process, letting our wine ferment on the fruit for over 90 days. In the case of our blueberries, after that 90-day natural fermentation, those blueberries are completely broken down and absorbed to provide an incredible tasting, healthier wine that is noticeably different from more traditionally fermented wines.”
“It’s just a noticeably different mouth feel you’ll experience,” said Lisa Thomas, Haddle’s assistant extraordinaire, handling everything from events to tastings through sales and beyond. “And fermenting our wine this way retains the best flavor and health benefits from the actual fruit.”
“And it works,” said Haddle. “Except for our blackberry wine, because blackberries tend to be a little less stable, all our fruit wines are fermented this way. We keep the juices intact with the fruit skins and seeds, and this method has won us Best Boutique Wine Gold Medals.”
“The naturally fermented fruit wines are all popular because they are exploding with flavor and health benefits, but our blueberry collections may be our most popular,” said Haddle. “We ferment in stainless steel tanks using oak chips. And because we are all sensitive to SO2 (sulfur dioxide), we keep its use to a bare minimum within the winery, which we believe makes a big and positive difference in our wines.”
The sweeter, liquored-up wines are generally the top sellers in Kentucky. Still, we provide wines for the different, more educated palates for the increasing number of tourists and visitors that come and stay for our great outdoor recreational opportunities. Our whites are generally semi-dry, as are our reds, which can lean towards dry. Our fruit-based wines are the sweeter ones.”
The vineyard has over 1,200 wine grapevines and 700 trellised blackberry and red raspberry bushes. The grape varietals include golden muscat, an American variety and hybrid varieties of chambourcin, seyval blanc, vignoles and marquette. Haddle and his team also produce popular wine grape and fruit blends that are only available on-premise, like their extremely popular Jalapeno Wave. All Up The Creek’s Kentucky wines display a tobacco barn on the label, signifying the winery’s farm and Commonwealth heritage.
History Provides a Bountiful Landscape
The property sits on a rock bed, so much so that there’s no drilling down available around the landscape. Haddle tells The Grapevine Magazine that the property was home to an ancient sea, entirely underwater and the resulting terroir is 335 acres of well-drained soil with dark slate, quartz-like rock, fossils, sea urchins and other shellfish and limestone. Kids love to walk the creek and discover relics from history, including fossils and geodes. Because of the natural hills and valleys associated with the landscape, Haddle estimates it would be about a seven-mile walk to get around the property navigating the ups and downs.
The vineyards are sloped to the south or face straight up the valley line for maximum sun exposure. There’s always a battle with the various vineyard pests over the grapes and berries, but it’s part of the job for the Up The Creek core group, including Gary, David, Lisa and Hailey. David manages the operation, including spraying and fertilizing schedules. Everyone pitches in to help with the crop and canopy management, including the extensive pruning, mowing and weeding needed to keep the vineyards manicured. The group manages to stay ahead of the pests by regularly picking the berries before the animals make quick work of them and netting all their grapevines to reduce product loss.
Experiencing Award WinningKentucky Wine
Up The Creek has regular open hours on Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM, but Haddle says anyone can call and arrange a visit on other days. In many instances, especially with groups or events, that’s preferred so the visitors can get the full attention and unique experience with the staff.
“The tasting room is a welcoming 1950-style, converted, three-bedroom house,” said Thomas. “It’s small, so big groups are either urged or known to call ahead. We may be outside at the picnic table for a tasting or inside at a table made by Gary. Our vineyards are well-manicured, so visitors can even stop by to go into the vineyard or fruit fields and have a picnic or relaxing break. Visitors are welcome to grab sandwiches at the nearby Amish store or stop in to grab a bottle or two and some snacks and navigate our drivable vineyard to find that perfect spot that speaks to them and have a picnic, relax and leave all of their stresses behind for a bit. We encourage a healthy mental break from our crazy world, and you will forget the world when you get here,” said Thomas. “It’s my happy place, for sure.”
The personal experience you get at Up The Creek Winery is unmatched. Vineyard and winery tours are available, including self-guided walks when weather permits. And if you should be lucky enough to be there and see a staff member walk around with a mason jar, you need to thank your lucky stars and prepare yourself for a possible first taste of one of their new creations. Yes, it really happens, said Thomas, and as their regular customers can attest to. If you know, you know, and you should be excited.
Up The Creek Winery is known to be so picturesque and peaceful that the local creative community, including painters and master gardeners, holds classes and outings on the property. You may see some of the paintings displayed throughout the winery and tasting room on consignment from the artists.
The winery is host to hayrides throughout the vineyard and farm and also offers a beautiful backdrop for events. In addition to her many duties at the winery, Thomas is a private chef for a local farm-to-table restaurant, able to construct memorable dishes and snacks for any parties or events held on the property. And visitors may even be treated to a fish fry should they be lucky enough to visit on a good fishing day for Haddle.
In the Works
“We are always trying new combinations and blends,” said Haddle. “For example, last year, we harvested our chambourcin grapes and were backlogged, so we were trying to devise a way to use some of the grapes. While brushing my teeth one morning, I thought about gathering the ripest chambourcin grapes with the best red raspberries, then mashing them all together with juice using a potato masher.”
“The result is a delicious, unique blend, and tastings are a success, so our new Rebel Red will likely be released around Christmas to help folks get their Christmas spirit on,” said Thomas. “But while we experiment, we always remember that it’s all about keeping the health benefits of wine intact. That principle is a main part of our product offerings”.
“We’re a little guy in Kentucky’s big scheme of horses and bourbon,” said Thomas. “But we did help pass a law that allows small, boutique wineries like ours to be able to deliver our products ourselves without the need for a distributor because, let’s face it, a distributor isn’t willing to waste their time and energy working for a small, craft winery like ours. Additionally, we’ve discussed coming out with a brandy. Southern Kentucky Distillery is on the horizon as a new distillery in our area, and we may partner with them on something, but of course, that could be five years away. At any rate, we’ll keep doing what we do and enjoy the fact that our beautiful little part of Kentucky is starting to get the recognition that we always knew it deserved.”
Final Thoughts
Success and happiness come in many forms, and by doing what he loves while being surrounded by his family and friends, Haddle is a happy person.
“Happiness is personal, so I don’t base it solely on the money,” said Haddle. This business can bring self-happiness and self-reward, but at the same time, it takes a special person to stick with it. But no one should give up on their dream. Our vineyards and winery are so beautiful, and I love that we are taking responsibility for the land and property while creating products that make other people happy. Being a vineyard owner means more than just making great award-winning wine. We take care of this beautiful land by being responsible gardeners and respectful stewards of our natural resources while keeping the property, landscape, and entire area a beautiful, happy place. Doing this with family and friends allows for a lot of extra personal attention to detail, providing a hometown feel and experience that simply cannot be matched at the larger commercial wineries.”
Drip irrigation systems are a critical part of vineyard infrastructure. Drip irrigation systems need maintenance to deliver water efficiently and uniformly over a long period of time. Where drip irrigation systems are used to deliver fertilizers and pesticides distribution uniformity becomes even more critical. A distribution uniformity target of at least 85% is critical to producing high quality grapes and achieving good water use efficiencies. Fall and the dormant season is a good time to examine your drip irrigation, measure distribution uniformity and see what maintenance or improvements need to be done.
Routine maintenance activities should include flushing drip lines and laterals to clear the system of contaminants. Flushing of the lateral lines and drip lines is especially critical if you have had to fix large leaks that occur once the water has gone through the filtration system. Severe leaks need to be fixed immediately but post-harvest time is a great time to fix all of the small leaks that may be occurring in your drip irrigation system. While flushing, pay attention to what kind of debris comes out of the hose ends. Is it silt, clay, organic or chemical precipitates? If you are having emitter clogging this debris could be a good tool for understanding what is causing the clogging.
Clogged or partially clogged emitters are the most serious problem in drip systems. Drip emitter output can be measured by placing containers under emitters and measuring the amount of water collected over a known time period.
Grape growers spend lots of time calibrating sprayers, fertility sampling, measuring grape ripeness but many spend little time measuring the performance of their drip irrigation system. One irrigation performance characteristic that can be measured and tracked over the life of an irrigation system is Distribution Uniformity(DU). Distribution Uniformity is a measure of the uniformity of irrigation water over an area. Lower Distribution Uniformity in a drip irrigation system can be caused by pressure losses, pressure variations or by partial plugging of emitters by physical, biological or chemical buildup. Pressure testing of the drip line via a Schrader valve or pitot tube is a good practice to incorporate prior to or during a DU test to understand your irrigation system operating pressures.
A DU Low Quarter value is calculated by dividing the average output of the lowest one quarter of the emitters sampled by the average output measured of all the emitters sampled. A DU Low Quarter test can be done by selecting forty drippers across an irrigation block. Select emitters that best represent an irrigation block and choose emitter locations where you would expect to find high or low pressures. Collect emitter output for 30 seconds. While various containers can be used to collect emitter output a 100 ml graduated cylinder will be needed to measure the relatively small amount of output. 63 milliliters per 60 seconds = 1 gallon per hour. The formula is found below.
Convert the value found to a percentage by multiplying by 100.
An acceptable DU value is between 85% and 95%. A DU value between 75% and 85% should be improved and a DU value lower than 75% needs to be improved. A system with a lower DU value is applying extra water through the emitters that are in the top 75% of output in order to supply the vineyard with water for adequate vine growth for emitters that are in the lowest 25%. The investment in time of measuring DU over a period of years can alert you to problems of partial clogging of emitters or pressure issues with your irrigation system. This gives you time to implement management activities before the problem gets worse. Some management strategies are discussed below.
Many areas of the country have issues with poor water quality. Some ions dissolved in water can lead to chemical clogging of emitters. Calcium carbonate (Lime or Scale) is one of the most common of these compounds. Calcium carbonate formation is favored with water pH of greater than 7.5 along with bicarbonate levels of 100 ppm or higher. Chemical and microbial oxidation or iron and manganese can cause clogging. Other causes of emitter clogging can be bacterial or algal growth as well as suspended solids. Testing irrigation water quality every five years is a good practice in understanding what is contained in your irrigation water.
Acidification may be necessary for irrigation water that tends to form chemical precipitates such as calcium carbonates. Depending on water quality, acidification can be constant, or it can be done occasionally to prevent chemical clogging of the drip emitters. Acids that can be used include sulfuric, hydrochloric, phosphoric or urea sulfuric acid. An alternative to acids are synthetic scale inhibitors which reduce scale formation by preventing precipitation reactions from occurring. The amount of acid needed to reduce the pH of the water can be calculated by titration using a pH meter. Analytical labs can also recommend how much acid to use per volume of water. Target pH levels for different situations are found below.
Target Irrigation Water pH levels
Continual……………………………………………….5.5-6.5
Moderate Cleaning……………………………………….4.5
Shock Treatments…………………………………………2.5
If you are doing acid shock treatments check with emitter manufacturers to make sure that emitter parts are able to tolerate these low water pH levels.
Always add acid to water; do not add water to acid. Adding water to acid can cause a violent reaction, and may cause the acid to splash on the person pouring the water. Individuals working with acids should wear protective clothing and eyewear.
Once the amount of acid needed is determined are determined, you will need to know the volume of water that is being applied per treated irrigation block. This information can come from a flowmeter or by calculating drip emitters per block. Actual drip emitter output, which you get when you do a DU test, will be more accurate than what is provided by the drip emitter manufacturer when installed.
As a If you are doing infrequent or shock acid applications, inject the amount of acid in a known amount of irrigation water that will fill the drip lines at full operating pressure. After the acid has been injected and distributed to its furthest point in the irrigation block turn the system off and let the low pH water set for several hours(overnight) to dissolve chemical precipitates. Turn system back on and flush five to fifteen drip lines at a time.
For emitter clogging caused by biological problems such as algae, moss or bacterial slimes chlorination is the preferred treatment. Depending on how severe the problem is, chlorine can be injected continuously or occasionally.
Filter maintenance is critical to prevent physical clogging of drip emitters. If you do not have automatic back flushing filter systems you will need to monitor for pressure loss across the filter using pressure gauges. A pressure loss across the filters will alert you to debris clogging the filters.
Your irrigation system is a critical piece of vineyard infrastructure that needs to be maintained like all other parts of the vineyard. Take the time to measure your drip systems performance so it can deliver water efficiently and effectively. This is especially true if you use your system to deliver fertilizers and pesticides to your vineyard.
Schwankl, Larry, Blaine Hanson, and Terry Pritchard. 2008. Maintaining Microirrigation Systems. University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources: Oakland, California. Publication 21637.
Zellman, Paul. 2016. Drip Irrigation System Evaluations: How to Measure & Use Distribution Uniformity Tests. California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. https://www.sustainablewinegrowing.org/docs/DUArticle.pdf
Kirk Williams is a lecturer in Viticulture at Texas Tech University and teaches the Texas Tech Viticulture Certificate program. He is also a commercial grape grower on the Texas High Plains. He can be contacted at kirk.w.williams@ttu.edu
