Podcasts about vineyard manager

Managing pests like powdery mildew, downy mildew, botrytis, and sour rot can be a complex challenge. Andy Fles, Vineyard Manager at Shady Lane Cellars in Michigan, shares insights from his USDA Sustainable Ag Research Education producer grant project. The project compares two pest management approaches: a ‘soft' pesticide program and a conventional one. Andy conducted the experiment using his on farm sprayer, providing real-world results. Despite climate variability and fluctuating pest pressures, the soft pesticide program proved effective. The project underscores the potential of using softer chemistries to manage disease while maintaining fruit quality. Resources:         REGISTER: April 25, 2025 | Fungicide Spraying: Evolving Strategies & Grower Insights 80: (Rebroadcast) The Goldilocks Principle & Powdery Mildew Management 117: Grapevine Mildew Control with UV Light 197: Managing the Sour Rot Disease Complex in Grapes 219: Intelligent Sprayers to Improve Fungicide Applications and Save Money 235: Battling Fungicide Resistance with Glove Sampling Rufus Issacson, Michigan State University Shady Lane Cellars Secures $11K National Farming Grant Timothy Miles, Michigan State University Vineyard Team Programs: Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate SIP Certified – Show your care for the people and planet   Sustainable Ag Expo – The premiere winegrowing event of the year Vineyard Team – Become a Member Get More Subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode on the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources. Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.   Transcript [00:00:00] Beth Vukmanic: Managing pests like powdery mildew, downy mildew, botrytis and sour rot can be a complex challenge. [00:00:10] Welcome to sustainable Wine Growing with Vineyard Team, where we bring you the latest in science and research for the wine industry. I'm Beth Vukmanic executive director. [00:00:21] In today's podcast, Craig McMillan, critical resource Manager at Niner Wine Estates. With Longtime SIP Certified Vineyard and the first ever SIP certified winery speaks with Andy Fles, vineyard Manager at Shady Lane Cellars in Michigan. Andy shares insights from his USDA Sstainable Ag Research Education Producer grant project. The project compares to pest management approaches, a soft pesticide program and a conventional one. [00:00:50] Andy conducted the experiment using his on farms sprayer, providing real world results. Despite climate variability and fluctuating pest pressures, the soft pesticide program proved effective. The project underscores the potential of using softer chemistries to manage disease while maintaining fruit quality. [00:01:10] If you'd like to learn more about this topic, then we hope you can join us on April 25th, 2025 for the fungicide spraying evolving strategies in Grower Insights tailgate taking place in San Luis Obispo, California. Dr. Shunping Ding of Cal Poly will share updated results from a study on the efficacy of different fungicide programs containing bio fungicides. [00:01:34] Then we will head out into the vineyard to learn about new technologies for integrated pest management and talk with farmers from different growing regions about their program. Now let's listen in.  [00:01:49] Craig Macmillan: Our guest today is Andy Fles. He is the vineyard manager at Shady Lane Cellars in Michigan. And today we're going to talk about a pretty cool little project. He's got going looking into two different pesticide programs. Thanks for being on the podcast, Andy. [00:02:03] Andrew Fles: Yeah, my pleasure, Craig. [00:02:05] Craig Macmillan: So you have a grant from the USDA sustainable agriculture research and education program. To look at what you call a soft pesticide program for your vineyard in Michigan and comparing it to what we would call a sustainable or sustainable conventional program. What do you define as a soft pesticide program? [00:02:25] Andrew Fles: Well, that's kinda just a, a term that we applied to identify it. I didn't want to use organic because I thought that there would be a good chance we would utilize things that are considered by the industry to be very soft in terms of you know, they're not a harsh chemical or a carcinogenic, a known carcinogenic compound. [00:02:49] But something, for example, like. Like horticultural grade peroxide, which goes by several different trade names. So that's just, it's hydrogen peroxide and it is a disinfectant that turns into water and oxygen. So it's pretty Soft in terms of what it does to beneficials and, and plants and, and such. [00:03:11] We utilize some of those products already in our spray program. But combined also with, we're probably 50 percent organic in terms of what we spray out. for fungicides, pesticides, insecticides. And so we're still altering in some synthetic compounds. [00:03:28] And we wanted to compare that, what we currently do, to something that was much softer, like only soft compounds. Something that could be considered a OMRI certified organic program, or, or almost, right? Like maybe there's just one or two things that are very soft, but not technically OMRI certified. [00:03:49] Craig Macmillan: Right, and I do want to , get into the weeds on that a little bit later. Cause it's a, it's an interesting, Set a program that you've got going and I have lots of questions about them. What inspired this project? [00:04:01] Andrew Fles: I think just that continued movement towards investigating what works here in the east. You know, we, of course, get more wetting events and, and wetting periods that cause more fungal issues here compared to the west coast. And so we really, you know, we have to have an eye on sustainability. Certainly at Shady Lane, we really push for that. [00:04:25] But we also need to make sure that we have a marketable crop. We need to make sure the wine quality is, is high and acceptable for our standards. And so you know, if we're talking about, you know, every year is quite different here. We can get a, like, for example, in 2024, very wet in the first half of the year, very, very dry in the second half. [00:04:51] And, and then, which was quite different from 23 and quite different from 22 and so on and so forth. so, so some years we need to kind of step in and use a synthetic product here at this key time or, you know we need to protect our, our, our wine grape quality. [00:05:07] Craig Macmillan: What are the primary pests and diseases in your area? [00:05:11] Andrew Fles: So we have issues with the usual suspects that powdery mildew, of course. That's, that's fairly, I think if you're on top of your game, that's, it's pretty controllable. Even with soft products here it's just a spray frequency and coverage issue. [00:05:27] Downy mildew is something that can be quite challenging in certain years. [00:05:31] And there's, and there's less tools in the toolbox to use for that as well. And so you gotta, you gotta be on top of that with scouting preventative, like canopy, you know, canopy management practices that deter too dense of a canopy or, or clusters that are. hidden behind several layers of leaf. [00:05:53] Those are going to cause problems for you no matter what you're spraying, synthetic or organic, right? So, so we try and utilize all those things and and then we, we can also have issues in some years with botrytis and even sour rot and tight clustered varieties. So, so we were looking at sour rot and botrytis in the, in the cluster analysis of this portion of the , project. [00:06:18] Yeah, we have some locations can struggle with grape erinium mite. That's becoming more and more prevalent here. Wasn't an issue four years ago. Not, not really up in, up in northern Michigan anyway. So that's becoming more and more of an issue. And then we always struggle with rose chafers. It's a, it's a grub that, you know, comes out for six weeks and really terrorizes the vines. [00:06:49] And for that, for that pest, we really walk the line of the economic damage threshold, right? So, so a little, you know, we're going to see rose chafers every year. Some years are better than others. And what is our acceptable damage, you know? And so, once we see the rose chafers really getting dense in number, and also, you know, munching on a few leaves is one thing, munching on the clusters and the shoot tips is another thing. [00:07:21] Craig Macmillan: That's what I was going to ask. Yeah, I'm unfamiliar with this this pest. It, skeletonizes leaves, but it also will attack flower clusters and, and grape clusters in the early stages of development. Is that right? [00:07:34] Andrew Fles: Pretty much all green tissue. Yeah, a bunch of shoot, shoot tips leaves are probably, you know, their preferred source, I think, but anything tender. And so if, if the timing is just right where the, the inflorescences are, are you know, just coming out when the, when the beetles hatch, then they can really go for those cluster tips and, and shoot tips. [00:07:59] While we're scouting for this pest, we not only do the, you know, the density numbers and annotate that, but we look at, you know, how many are actually eating leaves versus shoot tips and clusters. [00:08:13] Craig Macmillan: Interesting, interesting. What is the design of your project and what varieties are we talking about? And what kind of variables are you measuring and how are you measuring them? [00:08:25] Andrew Fles: this is a farmer grant as opposed to a research grant. , it's tailored to folks that want to do on, on farm trials. And we want to do. Something in a significant enough volume, you know, that, that some that it would apply, it would be more applicable in the real world. [00:08:45] So for example you know, at a university they might do this randomized plots, you know, and they're using a backpack sprayer because they're, they're applying you know, three vines here, three vines there, scattered all throughout the block. And we wanted to use the sprayer that we actually use. [00:09:04] Um, and we wanted to do a bigger sections. And so what we did was we broke it up into two acre sections and we did two acres of both the traditional, the conventional program that we normally would do here and the soft treatment. So we did two acres of each in pinot noir, two acres of each in a, in a French American hybrid called ol, and then two acres of Riesling. [00:09:33] And we wanted to look at powdery, downy, botrytis, and sour rot. [00:09:38] In certain years, we can have quite a lot of botrytis and sour rot pressure in those three varieties. Because Pinot Noir of course is tight clustered. Vignole is even tighter clustered despite having that French American disease resistance package. It, it doesn't possess that for Botrytis or Sour Rot. [00:09:58] and then of course Riesling is a, is a very, it's probably the number one variety in Michigan. And as we all know, it's susceptible to Botrytis. [00:10:08] Craig Macmillan: Yeah. Big time. [00:10:10] Nice design. Great varieties to choose. I think that was really, really smart. How are you going to quantify these different variables? How are you going to measure the damage? [00:10:18] Andrew Fles: So for Powdery and Downey we just kind of did a scouting assessment. You know, how, prevalent is the infection based on how many leaves per, per per scouting event? I think off the top of my head, it was like 25 leaves. Per block that's more, I guess, anecdotal which we, and we did see that in the Pinot Noir, it was pretty clear cut that we struggled to control Downy in the soft treatment more so than in the conventional treatment. [00:10:50] It was, it was pretty clear there. And then as far as the Botrytis and Sour Rot, so that's really where the MSU team came in with the, the Rufus Isaacs lab and Dr. Rufus Isaacs and his master's PhD candidate. They did a lot of work there and, and then also the Tim Miles lab , so basically what they did is they took 25 clusters of each treatment and they did an assessment , for of course, how many berries were infected by, by botrytis and sour rot. [00:11:25] And then they also took those clusters and they hatched them out to see how many Drosophila species were there. [00:11:33] Craig Macmillan: Oh, okay. Yeah, good. That's interesting. [00:11:36] Andrew Fles: Wing drosophila here in Michigan and so really it was just the two species of traditional vinegar fly, drosophila, and then spotted wing. They did, you know, the, the statistics on that. [00:11:50] Craig Macmillan: interesting. And this is, this is a multi year project, right? [00:11:54] Andrew Fles: This was just one year. [00:11:56] Craig Macmillan: Just one year, okay. [00:11:58] And when will you have final results? [00:12:01] Andrew Fles: I have some of those already. We're going to do like a more formal presentation at a spring meeting here, a grower meeting, that's kind of co sponsored between MSU Extension and a local non profit that promotes grape and wine production in the area. So yeah, we're going to make a presentation in April on on the results and, and kind of, we're just continuing to, coalesce and, you know, tie my spray program with wedding events and then the results that they got as well. [00:12:37] Craig Macmillan: What other kinds of outreach are you doing? You're doing the meeting and you're doing other things? [00:12:41] Andrew Fles: I haven't discussed this with with Rika Bhandari as the PhD student. I suspect that she would use this in some of her publishing, you know, whether it gets published, I don't know, it's part of her Her main focus is sour rot, so this will be included in some of her presentations. [00:13:03] But I don't know that for a fact. [00:13:06] Craig Macmillan: That's exciting to get some information that's local. It's locally based and get it out to the local community as well as the broader community. I think that's really important if you don't mind I would like to get into some of the nuts and bolts of these two programs because I found that to be very interesting And then as we go talk about How that panned out for the different pests and diseases that you saw in these trials Let's talk about the soft program first You've got a dormant oil app in May and I assume you mean that there would be like JMS stylet oil or something like that [00:13:41] Andrew Fles: I think it was called bio cover. [00:13:43] Craig Macmillan: Bio cover and that's a pretty standard practice in your area I would guess [00:13:48] Andrew Fles: It is, yeah. [00:13:49] Craig Macmillan: and then the following month in June You, uh, have copper in the mix. In both the traditional and in the soft chemistry. I'm guessing that's also a common practice in your area. Probably for downy and for powdery. [00:14:06] Andrew Fles: Yeah, the copper is is something that we've been leaning towards and getting away from some of the synthetics. Which stick better to plant surfaces, we've been migrating that way anyway, these last numerous years now and so, yeah, , there are some similarities between the two programs at times it's really those key times of pre bloom and post bloom and variation that that we've traditionally. [00:14:34] Really locked in on some of the synthetic chemistries here [00:14:37] Craig Macmillan: And then also in June you have a Serenade Opti, which would be a Subtilis based material. And I believe that's also in your conventional in July. That's pretty standard practice, and that's an OMRI certified product, I believe. [00:14:52] Andrew Fles: Yes, yeah. [00:14:53] Craig Macmillan: There's some overlap there. It looks like the Rose Chaffer comes out around this time. [00:14:59] Andrew Fles: Yeah, probably it's not in front of me, but probably mid june [00:15:04] Craig Macmillan: Yeah, that's what you have here. In the traditional you've got a, a neonic, a sale. And then in the program, there's kind of a question mark here. What did you end up using in the, in the soft program for a roast chaffer? [00:15:19] Andrew Fles: Let me find it here [00:15:21] So we used neemix 4. 5 [00:15:26] Craig Macmillan: Nemix. I'm not familiar with that. Is that a Nemo based product? [00:15:28] Andrew Fles: Yeah, it's a neem oil [00:15:30] Craig Macmillan: And then in the traditional you have a neonic, a sail. Did you see a difference in Rose Chapter damage between the two? Because this is a pretty big difference here. [00:15:39] Andrew Fles: a pretty big difference in terms of [00:15:42] Craig Macmillan: Well, the modes of action obviously are very different. [00:15:45] Andrew Fles: Oh, sure, sure. Yeah, we had a little higher a little higher prevalence of rose chafers in mostly in the Pinot Noir treatments. Not so much in the Riesling, and I think that's largely because of black location. Traditionally the Pinot Noir block is our worst, one of our worst blocks in terms of rose chaffer rose chaffers are these beetles. [00:16:09] Of course, they're very similar to Japanese beetles for those listeners that, that may know that, but they really thrive in sandy soil, which is what we specialize here in northern Michigan, sandy based soil, right? [00:16:22] , and especially in un mowed fields. Right? We've really been trying to manage , our headland spaces like a prairie even more so upon joining SIP and, and learning more about making a comprehensive farm plan of, Of all of the land, right? And so we've really managed our, headlands and open fields like prairies which means minimal mowing, [00:16:47] like once a year is what we, we just mow to keep the autumn olive out. And and so we're trying to promote, you know, bird life and, and. All forms of life in these fields, which includes and sometimes an increase in rose chafers. [00:17:03] However, this 2024 was, was a. Fairly low pressure year. [00:17:09] And so I was very comfortable with, with sticking with this the soft insecticide. And we didn't feel like, you know, even though we saw this, this increase in pressure in the soft treatment, it wasn't surpassing the economic damage threshold that we are really keen. [00:17:27] And right. IPM [00:17:29] Craig Macmillan: So, true IPM. [00:17:31] Andrew Fles: IPM is very important, here, you know, where we have all these insects and it rains a lot and, you know, you got to really. Be ready to to, to scout and then react. [00:17:41] Craig Macmillan: Exactly. Yeah. And knowing what your economic injury limit is, I think it's huge. And your action threshold based on that. Tell me a little bit about the Spinosad based products. You have a couple in the soft that I assume are meant to be insecticides. [00:17:55] Andrew Fles: Yeah. The delegate. Yup. [00:17:56] Craig Macmillan: Yeah, Delegator and Trust. [00:17:59] Andrew Fles: I'll talk a little bit about intrepid as well. That's probably a foreign thing for any, any West coast listener, but that's intrepid is a it's a molting regulator and it's essentially for, in this case, for grapes, it's for grape berry moth. And this is an insect that is very difficult to do IPM on because there's a, there's kind of a morph that lives in northern Michigan that doesn't Go for the traps and so you can put traps out and it you just have no idea what's going on Because they just don't really care for the pheromones so they're really almost impossible to trap and I've talked numerous time with dr Rufus Isaacs about this and how do we you know get a handle on populations and you know They just can't get their traps to work up here. [00:18:50] We target with the intrepid, it's a, again, it's a molting regulator, so it just prevents them from developing, and it's very specific it's not a broad spectrum, so that goes on as a preventative where we have blocks near the woods, [00:19:05] because we see great berry moth coming in from wild, wild vines [00:19:10] that may or may not be in the woods, but we Where we see larva hatching is, is just kind of a perimeter. [00:19:16] So what we'll actually do is a perimeter spray. We don't even spray the whole block. We'll spray the outside row or two or three of each end. And then we just kind of blast it in. Along the, the other, you know, along the posts, the end posts. And that seems to work fairly well. [00:19:34] Craig Macmillan: Huh. [00:19:35] Andrew Fles: And then, as far as Delegate goes and Entrust those are Spinoza based products like you mentioned. [00:19:42] Those are primarily, you'll see that we put them on, well, I don't know if you can see timing, but we put them on. in September. Yeah, at the end of the season. September. [00:19:53] Yeah. Yeah. So, so those go on right around or right before even version and that is for drosophila [00:20:01] I think there's been some research recently from Cornell and then also Brock University in Canada. And I know also that Tim and Rufus have been doing trials here in Michigan as well. between the three of us out here in the, in the Northeast we're very focused on sour rot. [00:20:19] And so Michigan State along with these other folks have done these trials where they found that including an insecticide at veraison or, and then also at about 15 bricks significantly reduces sour rot infections. And that's because you're going after one of the vectors. [00:20:39] Craig Macmillan: Interesting. There's another material that I wasn't familiar with. I did a little bit of research on it. That's a product called Jet Ag, which is a hydrogen peroxide, a peracetic acid material. You have that in both the soft chemistry and your quote unquote conventional section. Is that a material you've used for a long time? [00:20:57] Andrew Fles: Yeah, we, I forget when exactly it started coming around I think probably 2015, 16 is when it was maybe released or made its way to northern Michigan and kind of coincided with with some sour rot. Issues that we have had off and on over the years with Pinot Noir or Vignole. And it's a, you know, it's a strong hydrogen peroxide. [00:21:23] It's a heavy oxidizer. It goes in and it, it, it cleans everything up. You know, it disinfects. And there's, there's some thinking as well that it, it'll kill the yeast. And some of those yeasts, the aroma is very attractive to spotted wing drosophila and regular drosophila. And so if you're, if you're kind of this is probably something that, that people, you know, that rely on native ferments might not want to hear, but you know, it really, it really disinfects the fruit which, which is key for You know, controlling sour rot. [00:21:59] And so we've used that over the years as both a preventative and a curative treatment. [00:22:05] Craig Macmillan: Right. [00:22:06] Andrew Fles: I didn't actually end up using it this year because It essentially stopped raining it was almost west coast ian here in the fall. It stopped raining in August and it didn't rain again. [00:22:19] You know, I mean, aside from like just a, you know, very, very light mist that wouldn't even penetrate the soil deeper than a centimeter. You know, so we didn't get any appreciable rain. From, I think it was maybe August 5 or 10, all the way till November 31st, or sorry, October 31st. [00:22:39] Craig Macmillan: Actually, that raises a good question. So, what is the summer precipitation like, quote unquote, in a normal year or an average year? [00:22:48] Andrew Fles: Yeah, we've been having, [00:22:49] Craig Macmillan: is it? [00:22:52] Andrew Fles: it's so variable is the, you know, we keep coming back to that. Every season is different here and it's so true even in Northern Michigan we have seen climate change affecting our summer rainfalls. So, whereas, you know, traditionally, and I say traditionally as maybe like the 80s and 90s maybe even early 2000s, you would expect to see, you know, a good four to eight inches a month. [00:23:20] you know, less, less so in, you know, in July and August is walking that more like four inch. Four inches of precipitation and you can get that sometimes in two different days [00:23:33] Craig Macmillan: Wow. [00:23:34] Andrew Fles: And that could be all or it could be spread out, you know over over several 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 different events. we had a dry June a couple years ago, I think we, I think it rained two days and amount to much. [00:23:50] And 2023, all of May we had, it rained one day. It was very dry. And so it's really been a roller coaster here in terms of what to expect as far as precipitation comes, I mean during the growing season anyway. [00:24:08] Craig Macmillan: Mm hmm. [00:24:09] Andrew Fles: It's been a challenge to know, you kind of have to have all these tools ready, right? [00:24:13] You have to have your jet ag ready. [00:24:15] If you get a bunch of infections going you got to have some of these other products ready and just , be ready for anything essentially. [00:24:24] Craig Macmillan: That, I'm just kind of reeling, I'm from California, and so like four to eight inches of rain during the growing season, it sounds like a fungal disease disaster to me. I'm impressed that you can get a crop, a vinifera crop to, to harvest with those kind of conditions. [00:24:39] Let's talk about the sustainable conventional program a little bit. Again copper appears early which would make sense. Then the insecticide portion would be a sale. It's a neonicotinoid, and then you've got a couple of fungicides in here. [00:24:55] You've got sulfur, and you've got a boscalid. Then in July again you've got a subtilis, that's serenadopty, and the, the intrepid, the IGR. August, you've got another neonic rally, and then you've got a product called ranman, or ranman. Which is a Sazofenamide, again, traditional fungicide. And then Inspire Supert, verasion, very common. And then you've got the the JetAg and Delegate, which is an antispinosid based product. When I look at this, I see a lot of very safe, very smart, very rotated fungicide chemistries here. Was this the kind of program you were using previously? [00:25:34] Andrew Fles: Yeah. And you know, it always can change a little bit. Sometimes you can't get a certain product or you can't get it in time. [00:25:42] Uh, whereas, you know, you, you're planning to use X product for your, for your kind of like You know, your, your pea sized berry spray, let's say but you, all of a sudden you have a bunch of rainfall, you know, and, and so if I was planning to use Quintech, which only covers powdery all of a sudden I have this big wedding event that was just perfect for growing downy mildew I I might switch from Quintech to and vice versa, you know, if we're, if we're into some weather, that's really favorable, it's time to push more of those serenades and you know, we've used some of the other biologicals over the years as well and, and just trying, trying to go that way as much as possible, but, you know, sometimes the weather forces your hand, like, like it did this year, you'll see in my, In my program we went into some Randman and some [00:26:35] Zampro, and those are those are very specific to to downy mildew. [00:26:41] You know, but we're still, with those products, you know, they're more expensive than something like Kaptan, you know. We Can't spray that with sip and we didn't spray it before because we don't want it on our fingers [00:26:56] The vineyard you and I don't want it in our lives So so we're always trying to go the ran man route, even though it's a little pricier, but it's very Target specific for Downey and so, you know with all the rains that we had in June and July and early July we felt like the smart play and we did start seeing some downy mildew cropping up much earlier than normal. [00:27:21] If, if we see it at all, that is. in that, at that point you want to make the call, you know, Hey, I want to get out in front of this thing. I don't want downy on my fruit. You know, if you start seeing it on growing tips, I think it was the 4th of July or the 2nd of July or something we were scouting and we were getting a lot of rain at that point and it was very humid and it was just like rain every other day for about a week there and it's like you gotta pivot and, and make the move to something that's really going to provide. control there. [00:27:52] For the soft program at that point, we were trying to use, I believe we use serenade, you know, which is more broad spectrum as far as biologicals go. We knew we wanted to keep it going after the, , the Downey with the soft chemistry. And that's why we got into the orange oil as well. [00:28:10] Craig Macmillan: Oh, interesting. [00:28:11] Andrew Fles: to, Yeah, that's, that wasn't in the proposal that I sent you, but we did pivot. I couldn't get. The cinerate it was, I was told it was on the West coast, growers were hoarding it and none of it, none of it made it over this way. I was really hoping to get my hands on some of it. [00:28:28] I've already pre ordered my 2025 cinerate. [00:28:32] Craig Macmillan: And Cinerate is a cinnamon oil based product, right? [00:28:36] Andrew Fles: Correct. Yeah. Cinnamon oil. oil. Yeah, it's another oil. [00:28:39] Yeah. Yeah. It's another one of those kind of antimicrobial oils, if you will. Um, So we pivoted to, to orange oil and thyme oil. TimeGuard has been, is a product that's been out for a number of years now. We've used it before, , we haven't really relied on it as much in the past. As, as we did with this soft treatment. [00:28:59] Craig Macmillan: Tell me a little bit more about what the outcomes have been at this point. We talked about the the pinot noir a little bit. We talked about the Rose Shafter showing up there a little bit more. At, at the end of the day, the end of the season. How did you feel about it? How did you feel about comparing the two [00:29:15] Andrew Fles: you know, it felt, it felt really good. It seemed like the soft program kept pace with the conventional for the most part. In the Pinot Noir, we had we had some more rose chaffer damage, of course, but without doing a, a full on research trial, it's hard to say that it was the treatment alone because of, as I mentioned, the location was a big factor. [00:29:38] With the downy mildew, it seemed to be a little more prevalent, certainly in the Pinot Noir on the, on the soft program that is but it never got to the point and I was, I was always ready to go in with whatever I needed to, because we don't want to have a defoliation and not being able to ripen fruit, you know, the fruit and, and especially in such a great growing year. [00:30:01] we never really resorted to. You know, breaking the glass and, and grabbing the ax and running out there and like, and it was emergency, you know, we never, we never had to do that. There was a moment there in July where, you know, where would the downy pressure we thought maybe. [00:30:19] Maybe we would have to abandon it, but then things dried up and we kept after things with with some of these, these things like thyme oil and orange oil. Getting good coverage with them is so important. But getting those on at the right time really seemed to provide enough control. [00:30:37] Craig Macmillan: Actually that's a, that's an excellent point. Let's talk about the phenology a little bit. How, for the varieties that you're growing, how big are these canopies getting? What's the spacing that they're planted on? How many gallons per acre are you using in your spray applications to get good coverage? [00:30:54] Andrew Fles: Yeah, so for the purpose of the project I stuck with 50 gallons an acre throughout the season. Which even, even for the conventional portion, traditionally I'll, I'll start with 30 gallons an acre aside from the dormant spray, of course, but like, you know, early season sprays until the canopy becomes a little denser, , I'll be at 30 gallons an acre and then probably mid July post bloom, right around bloom, perhaps , we'll ramp up the conventional to 50 gallons as well. [00:31:26] For the purposes of this, we just did 50 gallons across the board, both treatments. a lot of the canopy is well, it's really all VSP except for the vignole. Vignole is high wire cordone. And then we're talking nine by five spacing. The vinifera as well, which is pretty common around here. Double geo some spur pruning. We've really developed a kind of a hybrid system where we do a little bit of, we kind of mix cane and spur , , and alternate those in, in some of our venefera programs. [00:31:57] Craig Macmillan: And in, on the same plant? [00:31:59] Andrew Fles: Yeah. Sometimes. [00:32:01] Yeah. [00:32:01] Craig Macmillan: one side, gator the other. [00:32:03] Andrew Fles: What that does for us you know, where we get. Or we can at least, you know, and we can, sometimes we can lose a whole cane , or a lot of buds. I don't want to get too in the weeds on, on what that system is, but, but it's really developed around being able to quickly replace and adapt to cold damage. [00:32:24] And so if we need to go in and cut a trunk out, we've already got a cane growing from down low, if that makes any sense. [00:32:31] Craig Macmillan: No, that does make sense. And it's a practice that I'm familiar with from other areas in the Midwest, the North, the Northeast. Very, very smart. But that's a very different canopy architecture than you might find someplace that's all VSP. Or, you know, a double canopy situation maybe like in New York. [00:32:48] How comfortable are you now? After going through this, it sounds like you liked the softer program, you feel you got good control on most things. But if I'm understanding you correctly, you're not afraid to keep some other, other tools in the toolbox, basically. [00:33:05] Andrew Fles: Right. Yeah. And I think a big purpose of this program was to investigate some of these products. I want to highlight Problad Verde as well. [00:33:14] That's. Another one that's been out there and we've used it before as well. You know, I did a trial with Tim Miles's lab on and Rufus doing a sour rot trial in Pinot Noir in the past with pro, and it was just kind of a end of the season application of Problad with I believe we use delegate or in trust. [00:33:34] I can't remember. One of them and, this project, the SARE project was really looking at problad as being more of the backbone , of it. And, and so we ended up using that for the soft treatment pre bloom, post bloom. And then again, at version, because it has similar to jet egg, it's kind of a disinfectant, right? [00:33:57] It's this lupine seed extract that, that is a. That is a disinfectant and so it's going to go in, but because it, it's advertised anyway as having some systemic activity, [00:34:09] Craig Macmillan: Mm [00:34:10] Andrew Fles: systemic properties, that's, that's key for us in the east here. Because, hey, if we get a half inch of rain, well, it's still kind of in the leaf or it's still in some of that green flower tissue. [00:34:24] Before it opens up and blooms and so, really working problad in as instead of a kind of just end of the season toy it's really became, became the backbone of the tritus control for us in this, in this trial. And then again, looking at some of these oils, I think there's a lot of promise for. the orange oil in particular, I've, I've been seeing more and more research coming out about how you know, it does work on Downy and we did see that you know, even though we had an increase in Downy infection man, it could have been a lot worse. It was still at an acceptable level. [00:35:02] And so I think, I think I'm going to feel more and more comfortable using those products. [00:35:07] Craig Macmillan: You've demonstrated to yourself. And that's what the, that's how it works, and that's what everybody needs, to have some confidence. Which I think is really great, I was very impressed by the idea of trying things that maybe are not widely used, were not widely tested outside of maybe the West Coast, and to be able to show efficacy on your property, I think is really important. [00:35:27] I think it's one thing many of us have learned about softer materials. They may or may not work depending on what your pressure is. And that can vary region to region, but it can also vary within a region. It definitely can vary year to year, so having that flexibility that you've built into this program is very admirable. What would you say are the big picture benefits of the soft pesticide program at this point? [00:35:48] Andrew Fles: Hopefully just to increase awareness of, of how they can be effective for folks here in Michigan or, or similar climates, New York and Canada, I should say I don't think , this SARE project alone is, is going to be any sort of groundbreaking news, but I think it's just another verification and if we start to have more and more of them people will believe more and more in these products because it's just, it's at that point, it's word of mouth, right? [00:36:21] It's more and more growers are starting to back it. And, or experiment with it at least and, and see results, I think a lot of growers are very word of mouth oriented anyway. [00:36:34] So, uh, so it's very important, like, Oh, Hey, what did you try last year? And I think there's plenty of that going on in our area. [00:36:42] A bunch of us anyway, we seem to network pretty well and, and trust each other. , Oh, I use this at this key time and it really proved effective. So I think just bringing more and more awareness to these soft programs or these soft products, I should say. , and I can't really speak to the sustainability of. Farming lupin seed for for a fungicide product, you know, I can't, speak to that, but I want to believe that it's, it's a more sustainable product than, you know something that was made in a factory and, and might have petrochemicals in it. [00:37:19] Craig Macmillan: Well, it might have resistance issues as well, I think is one of the key things. And by the way, both programs I thought were very intelligent. I think like in terms of the frack rotations in the sustainable one, I thought that was really well done. Is, is there one thing that you would tell growers? [00:37:35] What's the one takeaway you would tell people from this project? You just kind of touched on one, but is there a message here for people? [00:37:43] Andrew Fles: I think the message is, you know, that we have to be really careful in crafting our. Spray program to the season that we have. If we were getting A lot more rain in September than what we ended up having I mean, we were, we were in pretty severe drought here. I think the soft program could still work. [00:38:03] But you have to choose the product and probably apply it much more frequently. You know, you have to go in and respond to those rains. , or even maybe perhaps be ready to pivot to something that is synthetic and systemic and curative. You know, maybe you have to go in with a hammer, but that doesn't mean that, you know, the majority of this growing season can't be done in a very soft way. [00:38:30] And so we're really just responding to that weather. But I think if this is our focus , to use these softer chemistries on things that we're going to drink or eat, even if it's vegetables, I think that these products are becoming better and better and there's becoming more and more of them, which is really encouraging to see you know, 10 years ago, maybe we had serenade and And you know, a couple of other products, but now, now there's, they're really becoming prevalent. [00:38:58] And so I think the take home is, is crafting that spray program with these new found tools that we have. Problads, , your crop, , your what, what should I call them? Like your aromatic oils, lack of better term, like orange oil, thyme oil, cinnamon oil. You know, I think these things do have a place. [00:39:17] Craig Macmillan: Where can people find out more about you? [00:39:19] Andrew Fles: Well, they can visit ShadyLaneCellers. com and there's stuff in there about our farm and in what we do and where we are, who we are a little bit. And then also there will be, and I could get you this information if you're interested, so this spring meeting where we're going to present the results of this believe we'll have a Zoom link option. [00:39:43] Craig Macmillan: As a reference date, this is being recorded in February of 2025. And so spring meeting will be coming up in a few months from here. I'm not sure when this will air, but even anything is fantastic. So I really want to thank you for being on the episode. Our guest today was Andy Fless, he's Vineyard Manager at Shadyland Cellars and you've been a great guest. Hey, thanks for being on the podcast. [00:40:03] Andrew Fles: My pleasure, Craig. Thanks a lot for having me. [00:40:08] Beth Vukmanic: Thank you for listening. Today's podcast was brought to you by Martinez Orchards. Martinez Orchards is one of the most trusted and respected names in the nursery business. They have earned that reputation through years of hard work, honesty, integrity, and a commitment to their customers. They provide support with their knowledgeable salespeople and highly experienced production team. They know successful plantings allow them to fulfill their promises, and they strive to build lasting relationships with their customers based on a foundation of mutual steadfast trust. [00:40:40] Make sure you check out the show notes for links to Andy at Shady Lane Plus. Sustainable wine Growing podcast episodes 117. Grapevine Mildew Control with UV Light 219 Intelligent sprayers to improve fungicide applications and save money. And 235, battling fungicide resistance with glove sampling. [00:41:03] If you liked this show, do us a big favor by sharing it with a friend, subscribing and leaving us a review. You can find all of the podcasts@vineyardteam.org slash podcast and you can reach us at podcast@vineyardteam.org. [00:41:16] Until next time, this is Sustainable Wine Growing with the Vineyard team.   Nearly perfect transcription by Descript

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Debbie Osborn, Event Manager for Wine Road about the 27th annual Wine and Food Affair, while sipping wine on the terrace at Trattore Farms. Wine Road is an association of wineries and lodgings in the Alexander, Dry Creek, and Russian River valleys of Northern Sonoma County. They host various events throughout the year to showcase these amazing AVAs. The next event is Winter WINEland, January 18-19, 2025 and tickets are on sale now. Coco and Michelle also chat with Mary Louise Bucher, owner and Master Miller at Trattore Farms, Craig Strehlow, Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Trattore, and Trattore Farms' GM, Joe Padilla. Explore their wines and olive oils at trattorefarms.com    ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.  

Our guests are Rick Riddle of the Winery at Seven Springs Farm, and JD Dalton, Vineyard Manager of Tsali Notch Vineyard, in Monroe County, TN. They will let us know of the history, taste, and the nutritional properties of this ingegenous grape to the South East and both Rick Riddle and JD Dalton will both speak on the topic of Muscadine wine.

What does it mean to farm sustainably? Sustainable farming is a collection of practices spanning from water and energy conservation, to soil health and biodiversity, and social equity. Welcome to Marketing Tip Monday with SIP Certified. We know customers are looking for wines labeled as sustainable. While our longer-form episodes help you learn about the latest science and research for the wine industry, these twice-monthly micro podcasts will help you share your dedication to sustainable winegrowing so you can show your customers that you share their values. There are so many examples of sustainability in action to point to right outside of your window: Native landscaping: minimal irrigation and maintenance needs. Cover crops: promote soil health and provide refuge for beneficial insects. Alternative energy sources: reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Owl boxes & raptor perches: birds of prey feast on vertebrate pests. One topic that sustainable farmers get asked about often is pest management. In this Sustainable Story Marketing Tip, learn how Presqu'ile Vineyards utilizes technology to manage bird pests in a more environmentally and economically sustainable way. Safely Keeping Birds at Bay Birds like finches and starlings are common vineyard pests. They damage fruit and canopies, and will even create nests in the vines. To protect their crops, vineyards typically use bird netting. While effective, netting comes with un-sustainable downsides: they break down in the sun, installation and removal necessitates a lot of labor, and they create waste over time, as nets must be replaced every few years. Presqu'ile Vineyard knew there was a more sustainable way to handle their unwelcomed feathered visitors. In 2023, they installed five bird lasers. Spooked by the beams of light, the birds stay away. But if the light beams repeat a consistent pattern, the birds will ignore the lasers and reenter the vineyard. To maintain the perceived threat, the laser beams are programmed for a variety of motions. As for the effectiveness of the lasers, Andrew Heilbrun, Vineyard Manager, says that “monitoring bird pressure visually is pretty easy. We saw very little damage this past season after installing the lasers.” On top of serving their main purpose as an effective method for bird abatement, Andrew notes that their new laser systems offer several other benefits: Removes tripping hazard for employees. Doesn't affect non-target animals. Reduces waste. More financially sustainable. The bird lasers at Presqu'ile Vineyard have proven to be a Safe Pest Management strategy with benefits that touch all 3 P's of sustainability: People, Planet, and Prosperity. Tell Your Sustainable Story We are here to help you tell your customers how your brand protects natural and human resources with the Sustainable Story program. This simple yet powerful free tool helps you tell your own personal sustainable message. And it just got better with a new online course.  Go to the show notes, click the link titled Tell Your Sustainable Story to sign up, and start writing yours today!       Until next time, this is Sustainable Winegrowing with the Vineyard Team. Resources: *** Tell Your Sustainable Story Online Course *** Apply for SIP Certified Wine Marketing Tips eNewsletter Sustainable Story | Print Sustainable Story | Electronic What's your Sustainable Story? Vineyard Team Programs: Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate SIP Certified – Show your care for the people and planet   Sustainable Ag Expo – The premiere winegrowing event of the year Sustainable Winegrowing On-Demand (Western SARE) – Learn at your own pace Vineyard Team – Become a Member

Jeremy Ligon was brought on just in time for the 2021 harvest. Barrel Oak was purchased from its' previous owners and the new ownership wanted to up the quality of the wines from their Vineyard. In my opinion, Jeremy was a significant step up and his wines reflect that. In 2014 Jeremy was recognized as one of the new upcoming winemakers in Virginia as someone to keep an eye on. He has lived up to that from what I have tasted of his new wines from Barrel Oak.There is an intriguing story he relays as to why the previous ownership had planted their Norton vines in the vineyard and why. It turns out it has a connection to Dr. Daniel Norton, who propagated the Norton seedling in the early 1820's.Jeremy got his introduction to winegrowing in his early teens when his family planted a small vineyard in Southern Virginia. The rest is history.Thanks for being a listener to the Fine Wine Confidential Podcast. For more information go to www.finewineconfidential.com

Looking for a fun group project for the upcoming slow season? Grab your team and create a Sustainable QR Tour! Welcome to Marketing Tip Monday with SIP Certified. We know customers are looking for wines labeled as sustainable. While our longer-form episodes help you learn about the latest science and research for the wine industry, these twice-monthly micro podcasts will help you share your dedication to sustainable winegrowing so you can show your customers that you share their values. A Sustainable QR Tour is a unique, educational, self-guided way for your guests to learn about your brand's sustainable practices. When you create your Sustainable QR Tour, you will: 1.       Showcase your sustainable attractions. 2.       Explain each attraction with a short video or quick written description. 3.       Bring your tour to life by posting your QR codes and making a map. By taking your Sustainable QR Tour, your visitors will: Learn about your brand's values. See sustainability in action. Enjoy an activity as they taste your sustainable wines. In this Marketing Tip, we'll walk you through all of the steps to create your Sustainable QR Tour. Step 1: Identify Your Sustainable Attractions Get your team together and talk about examples of sustainability at your property. SIP Tip: use the Sustainable Stories worksheet to get the ball rolling! Pick 5 to 10 things that can be seen and/or approached by a visitor at your property. These will be the attractions for your QR tour. Take notes about the sustainable aspects of each attraction, and why it is important to your brand. These will be used to create the content describing each attraction. Ideas to Get You Started Vineyard Attractions Vines (Value #2: Water Management) Soil and plant-based moisture monitoring devices ensure vines are irrigated when needed. Drip-irrigation systems use 20-50% less water per-acre than sprinkler systems. Owl box (Value #3: Safe Pest Management) Owls are natural predators for vertebrate pests like squirrels and gophers. Cover crop (Value #5: Habitat) Contribute to the vineyard ecosystem's biodiversity. Provide homes for beneficial insects. Prevent soil erosion. Winery/Tasting Room Attractions Solar panels/EV charging stations (Value #4: Energy Efficiency) Capturing the sun's energy means less draw from the grid. Pamphlets for charitable foundations, organizations, etc (Value #1: Social Responsibility) Socially responsible businesses give back to their communities. Your brand's Newsletter (Value #6: Business) Sustainable businesses celebrate their successes and plan for the future. 7 Values of SIP Certified table sign (Value #7: Always Evolving) SIP Certified members stay up to date with the latest sustainable winegrowing practices Step 2: Explain Each Sustainable Attraction Create Your Content Each one of your sustainable tour attractions will have its own QR code. When scanned, the code should open up either a video or a written description. Use video: Grab your phone and in two minutes or less, introduce the topic, explain its sustainable aspects, and tell the viewer why it is important to your brand. Post your videos to YouTube, or give each one a dedicated blog post on your website. Write it out: Create a blog post on your website for each of your sustainable attractions and put the information in writing. It is important that the information for each sustainable attraction is on its own page! That way, when the QR code is scanned, only the information for the appropriate attraction opens. Generate Your QR Codes Visit the published page for each sustainable attraction's content, and follow these steps to generate your QR code: Tap your mouse's right clicker anywhere on the web page. Click “Create QR code for this page.” WARNING: Don't modify the link that appears under the QR code! Click the button to Download your QR code. Rename your QR code so it's easily identifiable. SIP Tip: use a name that includes the tour stop (e.g.: cover crop video) Save your QR code on your computer. Step 3: Bring Your Tour to Life Now it's time to post your QR codes at your stops, and make a map so visitors know where to find them. Print & Post Your QR Codes You will need to print your QR codes and give them a clear, protective covering to shield them from the elements. You can use a laminator, packing tape, or clear binder inserts. Or have them printed on a material that can withstand the elements. Attach them to a sturdy surface at or in view of your Sustainable QR Tour attraction. Make a Map Your visitors will want to know where to go when they embark on your Sustainable QR Tour! Your map can be hand drawn, or you can use an application like Canva, or Adobe Illustrator to make your map. On the back of the map, list out your stops in the order they appear along the path, and give a quick hint for finding the QR code. SIP Tip: Make it a Game! Create a quiz sheet for your guests, and have them complete it once they visit all of the stops. Or, encourage them to post a picture or video from their tour experience on their social media and tag you. Put your guest's names into a pot for a monthly drawing, and get creative with your prizes! A complimentary tasting for two, a piece of SWAG from your shop, or a private tour with your General Manager, Winemaker, or Vineyard Manager are just a few ideas. Coming Up... Our next Marketing Tip will feature the final story in this year's round of Sustainable Stories from SIP Certified Members. Be sure you don't miss the inspiring story of how Talley Vineyards supports all of their employees in their professional development. We are here to help you tell your customers how your brand protects natural and human resources with the Sustainable Story program. This simple yet powerful free tool helps you tell your own personal sustainable message. And it just got better with a new online course.  Go to the show notes, click the link titled Tell Your Sustainable Story to sign up, download the worksheet, watch the videos, and you are ready to tell your Sustainable Story! Until next time, this is Sustainable Winegrowing with the Vineyard Team. Resources: *** Tell Your Sustainable Story Online Course *** Business: Niner Wine Estates Marketing Tips eNewsletter Safe Pest Management: Wolff Vineyards SIP Smart Training online course Sustainable Story Worksheet | Print Sustainable Story Worksheet | Electronic What's your Sustainable Story? Vineyard Team Programs: Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate SIP Certified – Show your care for the people and planet   Sustainable Ag Expo – The premiere winegrowing event of the year - $50 OFF with code PODCAST23 Sustainable Winegrowing On-Demand (Western SARE) – Learn at your own pace Vineyard Team – Become a Member

Rollo Crittenden is the jack of all trades for Crittenden Wines in the Mornington Peninsula. General Manager, Winemaker and Vineyard Manager, I can't image he has much free time. But Rollo is a family man at heart and today is here to tell me HOW is manages to do it all. https://www.crittendenwines.com.au Follow Over a Glass https://www.instagram.com/overtheglasspod  Host Shanteh Wale https://www.instagram.com/shantehwale/?hl=en Executive Producer Rob Locke https://www.instagram.com/foodwinedine/ Executive Producer Anthony Huckstep https://www.instagram.com/huckstergram/ LISTEN TO OUR OTHER FOOD PODCASTS https://linktr.ee/DeepintheWeedsNetwork Over a Glass is a wine & drinks podcast with Shanteh Wale exploring the personalities, stories and landscape of the wine and drinks business. An Australian Wine and Drinks Podcast from the Deep in the Weeds Network.

Rollo Crittenden is the jack of all trades for Crittenden Wines in the Mornington Peninsula. General Manager, Winemaker and Vineyard Manager, I can't image he has much free time. But Rollo is a family man at heart and today is here to tell me HOW is manages to do it all. https://www.crittendenwines.com.au Follow Over a Glass https://www.instagram.com/overtheglasspod  Host Shanteh Wale https://www.instagram.com/shantehwale/?hl=en Executive Producer Rob Locke https://www.instagram.com/foodwinedine/ Executive Producer Anthony Huckstep https://www.instagram.com/huckstergram/ LISTEN TO OUR OTHER FOOD PODCASTS https://linktr.ee/DeepintheWeedsNetwork Over a Glass is a wine & drinks podcast with Shanteh Wale exploring the personalities, stories and landscape of the wine and drinks business. An Australian Wine and Drinks Podcast from the Deep in the Weeds Network.

Join Master of Wine Mollie Battenhouse as she interviews Danny Smith, vineyard manager.

This interview is with Allen Holstein, the original owner of Holstein Vineyards and Vineyard Manager of many acclaimed vineyards in the Willamette Valley. Allen talks about the early years in the wine industry and working with some of the most prominent characters at the time. He also speaks about the challenges that the industry will have to face in the future.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Allen Holstein's house on September 27, 2017.

“We've come a long way since our opening in 2000,” says Bill Wilson, founder and co-owner of Wilson Creek Winery. “And, while much has changed here at the winery and in the valley, our focus, our mission is exactly the same as when we first started.” That focus has paid off with Wilson Creek Wines winning prestigious awards. Wilson Creek's Petite Sarah won “Best Red in the Valley,” at the annual Temecula Valley Winegrowers' Association Awards. Wilson Creek is one of only a few wineries in Southern California to receive a 90-plus ratings for its wines from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Fairly new to Wilson Creek, our Library room offers a guided sit down wine tasting of these library wines that are not offered to the general public. Wilson Creek prides itself on offering a multi-dimensional wine experience. We welcome those new to wine and take them through a wine journey as they develop and expand their palate. We also focus on wine education. Wilson Creek is the only winery in the Temecula Valley that offers training to guests in all aspects of wine making through our Wine Academies. Our Winemaker and Vineyard Manager are professors at two area colleges. Wilson Creek Winery has also been active in the community since its inception. The winery has won Temecula Valley's “Business of the Year” four times. The winery is involved with numerous charitable events each year raising thousands of dollars for charities One thing that won't change at Wilson Creek it the commitment to family. Almost the entire Wilson family has been involved with the winery since the beginning. On any given day, you will find Matriarch Rosie Wilson with her dog perusing the grounds, or any number of Wilsons at work behind the scenes. “We started the business as a family project, and everyone pitched in from day one,” says Wilson. “Through the years it has become a tradition to treat our guests as our extended family and make family a big part of the Wilson Creek experience.” Like the fine wines it serves, Wilson Creek Winery keeps getting better with age.

This interview is with Ted Casteel, the Vineyard Manager at Bethel Heights Vineyard. Casteel speaks to why the family entered the wine industry, the logistics of a family operation, and why they chose the Eola Amity Hills. Casteel elaborates on how he's seen the Oregon wine industry evolve, specifically viticulture knowledge and practices with the creation of programs like LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology), and where he sees the next generation taking Oregon wine.This interview was conducted by Rachael Woody on November 20, 2014.

Chris and Morgan sit down with Sarah Prior, Vineyard Manager, Bedrock, and Jake Neustadt, Viticulturist, Bedrock, & Owner/Winemaker, Soleras del Pacificos, to discuss the vineyard side of the 2022 wine harvest.

This interview is with Steven Westby of Witness Tree Vineyard. In this interview, Steven speaks about his college life where his interest in wine began with a project on the grapevine. He goes on to talk about working in a wine shop, backpacking across Europe, and later returning to work as a wine buyer for another store. He discusses his work as Winemaker and Vineyard Manager for Witness Tree Vineyard, shares some stories about his time there, and describes his winemaking process. Later, he talks about what he sees changing in the Oregon Wine Industry, what he sees in the future of the Oregon Wine community, and what advice he has for those interested in working with wine. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Witness Tree Vineyard in Salem on May 19, 2021.

MJ's guest today is described as the “always theorizing and experimenting Vineyard Manager” at Stolpman Vineyards since 1994, Ruben Solorzano! Ruben was crowned “the Grape Whisperer” by Wine Enthusiast (Journalist Matt Kettmann). Through Ruben's vineyard management company - Coastal Vineyard Care Associates - he controls several of the best sites from the Western edge of STA Rita Hills through Happy Canyon. Ruben focuses on innovation throughout his viticultural empire. His partnership wine brand with the Stolpman family is named in honor of his wife, “Para Maria” - For Maria.Ruben shares stories of his childhood growing up as the youngest of eleven children in Mexico. His early years working outdoors shaped his future as he tells MJ of following his older brothers to California - harrowingly crossing the border - to begin his incredible career in wine. And what a career it has been! Grab a glass and get ready to drink in Ruben's beautiful story of finding your calling in the vineyards of California! A huge thank you to Ruben Solorzano! Follow him on IG at @ruben_solorzano_ruelas_Keep up with his Para Maria wines: https://www.stolpmanvineyards.com/Wine/Para-MariaThis episode's in studio wines:2019 El Padrino de la Cuadrilla 2018 Sun & Earth GSM____________________________________________________________Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers! Don't forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at Blackwineguy.comFollow MJ @blackwineguy Thank you to our sponsor: Taub Family Selections. Taub Family Selections is a dynamic fourth generation, family-owned wine import company with a truly enviable portfolio of fine wines from 11 countries. They are proud to represent an exceptional portfolio of high quality, terroir centric and historic producers from around the world. Learn more at www.taubfamilyselections.comThank you to our sponsor: Independence Wine and Spirits - or IWS. IWS is owned by the Taub family, who have re-entered the NY wholesale market, bringing the family back to its roots in distribution where they held court from 1951 – 2004. To learn more about IWS go to: https://independencewine.comThank you to our sponsor: Grapes The Wine Company. Looking to special order that bottle you had on vacation? Need to find a bourbon your boss has never tried? How about wrapped bottle gifts for teachers, coaches or your salesforce? Grapes The Wine Company can provide all this and more! Zoom tastings, winemaker dinners, wine driven charity events, cellar consultations, stellar suggestions… they do it all. To learn more about GTWC go to: https://www.grapesthewineco.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

My guest for this episode is Drew Herman. Drew is the Vineyard Manager at JK Carriere Wines in Oregon, and, wow… listening to him makes me want to drink anything made from fruit that he helps grow. Before we recorded this, Drew gave me an outline of things that he wanted to talk about, and he titled it Microbial Democracy, and what he discusses here blows open doors of understanding about the way soil and plants work from a fundamental perspective. You will not be able to think about growing vines, or anything else, in the same way after listening to this. Drew explains how the soil has a voice. He introduces the new findings about microbial quorum sensing and signaling and how the soil is like a big ongoing chemical conversation. We then get into epigenetics and how soil microbes actually impact not only vine health but also wine flavor, and so much more. He gives specific and practical applications for this knowledge, and promotes independent science and freedom from purchased bottled solutions to viticultural problems. Beware: this episode may make you smarter, freer, and more full of wonder. A special thanks to James Endicott of Vinocity Selections for introducing me to Drew. I think once you hear what Drew has to share, you'll want to thank James too. Enjoy! Sponsored by: Centralas Wine

On June 22-23 the Sustainable Wine Roundtable held its first annual conference. The two-day online event brought together 250+ experts from across and outside the global wine industry to discuss the critical sustainability challenges facing the sector. All of the session recordings are available online.  Session Title: How is wine adapting to the climate chaos? And is it moving fast enough? Speakers: Mafalda Guedes, Corporate Brand & Communications, Sogrape Anna Hooper, Manager of Industry Policy, Australian Grape & Wine Prof. Gary Pickering, Cool Climate Oenology & Viticulture Institute, Brock University Prof. Hans Schultz, President, Hochschule Geisenheim University Luis Reginato, Vineyard Manager, Catena Zapata Moderator: Toby Webb, Sustainable Wine Roundtable  

Damien Blanchon was born and raised in the South of France where his family had roots in the Beaujolais Village region of Burgundy. He grew up with wine in his family and when he was 8  years-old he already knew this what he wanted to do--drive a tractor in the vines and be a winegrower.  He would go to school to learn the craft of winemaking and recalls a teacher tell him when he was finishing to gain his degree in Viticulture & Enology that he English would be the most important language he could learn and so he pursued an internship in the U.S.He was fortunate to answer an announcement placed by Matthieu Finot another French winemaker who was working in Virginia and took a position at Old House Vineyards in Culpeper, Va.  He would be at Old House for 5 years before being recruited by Elizabeth & Tony Smith the new owners of Afton Mountain Vineyards.  He would join them in 2011 and has been the winemaker and vineyard manager since.HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INTERVIEW:a). Damien recounts when he was young his grandfather would test him early by giving him a bottle of wine that had been tainted by the cork to see if he detected it.  He did.b). He describes how a teacher of his told him that English would be the most important language he could learn.  This promoted him to take an internship in Virginia.c). Damien talks about his unique approach to vineyard management.  He brews his own concoction of different herbs, and organic teas which he uses to spray the vines in lieu of using large amounts of pesticides and other inorganic sprays that are normally used to fight diseases in the vineyard.d). I was surprised that no research university or organization involved in grape growing had even contacted Damien to learn more about his methods and the results. e). Damien shares he thoughts on Beaujolais and admits his favorite "Cru" was Mont Brouilly.f). Damien speaks about how his Uncle was very involved in the 70's conducting trials for the viticulture department of Beaujolais changing various trellis system inspiring him.Much, Much more.  Listen to the Audio posted below or read the attached text transcript. 

Brenae takes us on a a tour of the famous Monte Rosso Vineyard and reveals the past, present and future of Sonoma wine, especially in her Moon Mountain district. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome back to another episode of The Everyday Wine Aficionado Podcast, today let me introduce you to Chris Morisoli of Morisoli Vineyard   Chris Morisoli is the Vineyard Manager at Morisoli Vineyard. Chris also serves in the California National Guard and is a member of the Rutherford Dusk Society.    Chris is also becoming a first-time vintner this year with Morisoli Vineyard's first release of the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon which will be coming out soon.   Let's dive into his wine story!   [00:01 - 09:17] Opening Segment    I introduce our guest for this episode Chris takes us on a trip to memory lane on how his family got into the wine business Chris' journey and transition to wine   [09:18 - 15:02] It Starts in the Vineyard   Wine relationships that keep the business going How relationships and vineyards create great wines Know the place to find any wine you want   [15:03 - 28:35] Another Perspective on Wine   Chris talks about an underappreciated blend that's on another level Wine latitude and longitude Creating a more classic Napa Cabernet The future of vineyards and wineries in 2022 is history Continuing to celebrate wine creation   [28:36 - 38:07] Closing Segment    Learn everything you need to grow your wine, business, or brand with Wine Business Bootcamp where I help other wine producers like yourself, master the fundamentals of digital marketing, nail their customer experience, and convert more wine tasters into their wine clubs and other offers. Just send me a dm or email at kris@krislevy.com with the subject Wine Business Bootcamp Chris plays the Tasting Round   Connect with Chris through chris@morisolivineyard.com and Instagram.  You can also visit their website https://morisolivineyard.com/.    Let's continue the Everyday Wine Conversations and connect with me through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or feel free to shoot me an email at kris@krislevy.co. You can also check out my website at ​www.​klevywineco.com.   TELL US WHAT YOU THINK! LEAVE A REVIEW + help us get the word out there! Share this podcast to someone who wants to join the wine conversations. Go ahead and take a screenshot, share this to your stories, and tag me on Instagram!    JOIN THE CLUB through this link and handpick wines every month, from up and coming wineries, winemaker owned brands and wineries with unique stories while supporting those wineries directly. You can also join our Facebook Group to connect with other wine lovers, get special tips and tricks, and take your wine knowledge to a whole new level. Tweetable Quotes:   “Drinking is history for me.  These are old vines and something you can be a part of.  Wine is so experiential, just being here and being able to taste it and walk through the vineyard is so cool.”  - Chris Morisoli

John & Maggy Kongsgaard's gardener, the luckiest SOB on the planet, Catalina Island & interview with Nick Zetts, vineyard manager, Catalina View Wines. ON THE ROAD with mrCAwine is about California's cool, aspirational lifestyle and awesome wines hosted by Chuck Cramer, a California native, living in London and is the Director of European sales & marketing, Terlato Wines. This is a wine journey covering the hottest topics in the business of California wine, chatting along the way with the people who work in wine, and make it all happen. This week's episode includes an interview with Nick Zetts, Catalina View Wines. 

In the second episode of the English Mini-series, we explore Hampshire and the English viticulture with Nick Crombie, head Viticulturalist of Hambledon Vineyards. Hambledon Vineyard is England's oldest commercial vineyard which was planted by Major General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones in 1952. In the present day, current owner Ian Kellett has a meticulous, scientific approach to wine production and has researched his vineyards to understand their micro and macroclimate.The wines are made solely Using Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir, The Champagne varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier are particularly successful alongside sparkling wines carbonated through bottle fermentation in the méthode traditionnelle. With me today is Vineyard Manager of Hambledon vineyard Nick Cran-Crombie, who talks to us about Viticulture at Hambledon and the Hampshire vineyards and the projects that are going on at Hambledon Vineyards. Interestingly Vineyards of Hampshire was the first regional English wine group to be formed, starting in 2015 with the primary aim of creating a strong, place-specific identity for the wines that almost all come from the spectacularly deep chalk soils of the county. They decided that by working collaboratively on events and creating a support network, they would have a far greater impact and a far greater chance of putting Hampshire on the map.  With NICK CRAN-CROMBIE head Viticulturalist of Hambledon Vineyard, undertook qualifications at the Royal Horticultural Society alongside landscape gardening before joining the Hambledon VineyardSome other useful links on the topic www.winegb.co.uk www.vineyardsofhampshire.co.uk www.Hambledonvineyard.co.uk https://magazine.winerist.com/england/hambledon-wines-englands-oldest-vineyard https://www.jancisrobinson.com/ocw/detail/england Reach us on Instagram lookingintowine Twitter Mattia Scarpazza Mail Info@mattiascarpazza.com

Welcome back to another episode of The Everyday Wine Aficionado Podcast! Today, I'm going to introduce Bastien Leduc. He is an amateur botanist, a budding beekeeper, a sometimes surfer, a Red Sox convert, and an avid photographer. When he is not taking care of his family, he can usually be found in the vineyard.  Bastien grew up helping his father on the family's organic vineyard in the southwest of France, where he became an advocate of agroecology. He holds a degree in viticulture and oenology as well as in organic agricultural consulting. His wanderlust led him to work in a wide range of viticultural regions—in Gaillac, the Loire Valley, Bandol, Cognac, and Bordeaux in France and in the Upper Hunter Valley, the Clare Valley, and the Mornington Peninsula in Australia. From 2007 to 2009, he served as winemaker and vineyard manager for Château Beau Rivage in the Haut-Médoc. He moved to California in 2010 to work as the Vineyard Manager for Domaine de la Terre Rouge in the Sierra Foothills before joining the Seven Oxen Estate Wines team as Vineyard Manager and Winemaker. Stay tuned until the end to learn more about his wine story! [00:01 - 07:07] Opening Segment   I introduce our guest for this episode. Bastien shares a little bit of his background.  Starting Seven Oxen. The Neal Family connection. Moving to California. Winemaking or hosting program. Bastien talks about his first vintage in 2013. Mourvèdre, Pure Grenache, Pure Cassidy, etc. [07:08 - 12:15] From the Vineyards of France to the Foothills of Paso Robles  Vineyards that were already planted and established. 26 acres: a lot of zinfandel, grenache, petite sirah, etc. Bastien shares the system of keeping separate lots. Ferment everything in separate lots. E.g. A four acres makes six different batches. The desire of having his own vineyard. Farm the vineyard organically. Follow the whole process. [12:16 - 32:30] Seven Oxen Estate Wines Bastien talks about his experience growing up in a vineyard. Making wines was part of his childhood. Global experience on wine. Harvesting. The opportunity of working in small and big wineries. Global experience on wine. Bastien's insights about geography and climate. Where you can grow grapes. Achieving the perfect nest. Keeping a balance between the grapes and wines. Maturity, acidity. Bastien explains where the concept of Seven Oxen comes from. Farming organically. A biodynamic way of farming The connection between the cosmos and the soil.  [31:48 - 36:27] Tasting Round  Bastien Leduc Bastien's Favorite Wine Petite Sirah. Bastien's Favorite Go-To Pairing  Lamb. Cassidy. Bastien's Wine Resource Winemaker friends in France and USA. Connect with  Bastien See links below  Reach out to me for more wine conversations through the links below  Subscribe and leave a review Final words  Tweetable Quotes:  “It's much more common to find people buying grapes from here and there and making their blender like the best. But for me it's has to be tied to a place that there was there was key” -  Bastien Leduc  “The way I make wines is a bit of a blend of France and California because I try to keep the wines pretty balanced.” - Bastien Leduc Don't forget to check the Seven Oxen Estate Wines websites to learn more about the wine story!  https://www.sevenoxen.com/story and https://pasowine.com/member/seven-oxen-estate-wines/   Let's continue the Everyday Wine Conversations and connect with me through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or feel free to shoot me an email at kris@krislevy.co. You can also check out my website at ​www.​klevywineco.com.  TELL US WHAT YOU THINK! LEAVE A REVIEW + help us get the word out there! Share this podcast to someone who wants to join the wine conversations. Go ahead and take a screenshot, share this to your stories, and tag me on Instagram!   JOIN THE CLUB through this link and handpick wines every month, from up and coming wineries, winemaker owned brands and wineries with unique stories while supporting those wineries directly. You can also join our Facebook Group to connect with other wine lovers, get special tips and tricks, and take your wine knowledge to a whole new level.

Our guests are Rick Riddle of the Winery at Seven Springs Farm, and JD Dalton, Vineyard Manager of Tsali Notch Vineyard, in Monroe County, TN. They will let us know of the history, taste, and the nutritional properties of this ingegenous grape to the SouthEast and both Rick Riddle and JD Dalton will both speak on the topic of Muscadine wine.

Founding winemaker Delia Viader, PhD. applies a unique approach to grape growing and wine making, challenging new world conventions while honoring old world traditions; resulting in a highly sought after and coveted cult wine – their flagship Viader Proprietary Red Blend. Delia forged the vision for this hillside estate vineyard and exceptional wine blend in 1986.Today Viader Vineyards is a thriving multi-generational family business as son Alan continues to produce world-class wines from their magnificent, mature estate vineyard on Howell Mountain. For an elevated yet welcoming level of hospitality.Born in Argentina, proprietor Delia Viader spent much of her formative years in Europe and especially in France. Delia came to the United States as a post-graduate student and holds a doctorate in Philosophy from the Sorbonne University in Paris, France and pursued advanced business Studies at three American universities: MIT, UC Berkeley and UC Davis.After MIT, she moved to California and continued business school at the University of California Berkeley. During her studies, she realized the opportunities in the United States for both starting a career and raising children in a healthy environment.Recognizing the potential of the up and coming wine region nearby, Delia soon set her sights on purchasing land in the Napa Valley and subsequently plunged into the wine business in the early 1980s. With an initial loan from her father, Engr. Walter Viader, she acquired their Howell Mountain property and set out to create a world class wine estate. Delia continued learning about winemaking through programs in Enology and Viticulture offered at University of California, Davis to better learn the practical theory behind making fine wine. All while raising four children on her own, Delia forged the vision and design for this unique estate vineyard property, wine blend and brand. Delia's story illustrates the importance of education and understanding coupled with following one's instincts. The Viader®estate and Delia's wines have consistently reflected these strengths.As a leader within the local wine community, Delia contributes her perspective and industry experience to the Napa Valley Vintners and California Wine Institute where she currently serves on the Board for both organizations. Her history with the Napa Valley Vintners dates as far back as 1990 where she and a select group of local vintner leaders helped frame the organization's strategic plan. Since then, Delia has helped spearhead Premiere Napa Valley – an annual grand tasting and futures trade auction that consistently raises more than $4 million each year, and has also contributed to Auction Napa Valley in various roles, spending a decade as part of the beneficiary vetting committee and helping to set the focus and parameters that would determine adjudication of funds.Alan spent his childhood on his family's vineyard estate on Howell Mountain. His early education in wine and formal schooling helped shape his respect for terroir-driven wines, organic farming, and diverse viticultural practices from around the world.He started working in the family vineyards at the age of nine and continued to help throughout his childhood, including working as cellarhand in the caves at Viader After high school, he pursued his passion for grape growing with a hands-on program in Sonoma where he received a degree in Viticulture Management. In 2002, Alan officially stepped in as Vineyard Manager for Viader in 2002, while simultaneously continuing his education at UC Davis, where he learned the fundamentals in winemaking. In 2005, Alan worked a harvest at Achavel-Ferrer winery in Mendoza, Argentina, which convinced him that winemaking was his calling. Alan officially stepped in as lead winemaker for Viader® in 2006. Today, he continues to oversee vineyard management operations while working in all areas of wine production together with his mother, Delia at Viader An avid adventurer and seasoned traveler, Alan continues to visit the world's best wine producers and wine growing regions throughout Argentina, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany and France. In 2013, he went to the University of Sciences Agro to study viticulture in Bordeaux, France.A hands-on experimentalist and eternal student of the vine, Alan has been at the forefront of trialing and adopting the right combination of organic, biodynamic and sustainable practices, not to mention new technology integrations that optimally benefit the quality of Viader wines. In the cellar, Alan has been equally fervent about delivering better quality results, experimenting with different blends, yeasts, fermentations, barreling, etc., always open to new ideas, trials and opportunities to responsibly deliver improved quality wines. As the right-hand to his mother & founder, Delia Viader, Alan oversees Viader production from start to finish. Having inherited his mother's passion for winemaking and expressing Viader 's unique terroir, Alan is looking forward to continuing the family business for many exciting vintages and generations to come.

Keswick Vineyards was established by Al and Cindy Schornberg in 2000 on a property that has Virginian historical roots dating back to 1727.  Stephen Barnard joined them in 2002 which was their first vintage and jumped right into making the wine.  He left in 2004 and rejoined Keswick in 2006 and has been the winemaker and vineyard manager ever since.  Stephen got his start in wine at Groot Constantia Winery the oldest winery in his native country South Africa.  First as a tour guide, then as a cellar worker and finally as the assistant winemaker.  He would eventually enroll in an intern program at Ohio State that led to his future in Virginia.  Stephen philosophy of winemaking is minimal intervention and Keswick is one of the few wineries that ferments the majority of its wines without the addition of yeast and prefers not to fine or filter any of their reds since the 2006 vintage.HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INTERVIEW:a).  Stephen explains why he left South Africa where he had a budding career as a winemaker to relocate to Virginia and take a chance in a emerging winegrowing region in the U.S.b).  Stephen details what was behind him leaving Keswick in 2004 after working for several harvests as the winemaker at Keswick he left to take a position at Rappahannock Cellars and then  later return to Keswick in 2006 where he has been since.c). The property that is Keswick today has deep historical roots that go back to 1727 but Stephen shares a modern history fact that Art Garfunkel once owned the property. d).  I bring up the idea that perhaps Petit Manseng could be to Virginia what Chenin Blanc is to South Africa only to learn that South Africa grows more Chenin Blanc that all the rest of the world.  Interesting fact.e).  Stephen speaks to why he has fallen in love with Cabernet Franc and why he believes it is the ideal grape varietal for Virginia.f). Stephen talks about the collaboration between the various vintners and the mutual feeling that they are all in this together.  When one succeeds, they all succeed.  What a refreshing interview this was.  You can check it out below and also review the transcript.

It's Monday, Let's raise a glass to the beginning of another week. It's time to unscrew, uncork or saber a bottle and let's begin Exploring the Wine Glass! Today I sit down with Bastien Leduc, the winemaker for Seven Oxen Winery in Paso Robles.   They say you never know when an opportunity will come knocking, and today's podcast is a prime example of that. When a friend of the Neal family's daughter was getting married to Bastien, the topic of wine obviously came up.  Bastien's passion was infectious and the Neal family caught it.  When the Neals purchased property on the West Side of Paso, they welcomed Bastien to the Seven Oxen Estate Wines family as Vineyard Manager and Winemaker. Music: WINE by Kēvens Official Video   Follow me on Instagram!   Follow me on Twitter! SUBSCRIBE ON iTUNES STITCHER | iTUNES | GOOGLE PLAY | SPOTIFY | PODBEAN GIVE US A RATING AND REVIEW STAY IN THE KNOW - GET SPECIAL OFFERS Thoughts or comments? Contact Lori at exploringthewineglass@gmail.com. Please like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/exploringthewineglass Find us on Twitter, Instagram , Pinterest, and Snapchat (@dracaenawines) Want to watch some pretty cool livestream events and wine related videos. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel.  Find out more about us and our award winning Paso Robles wines on our website.  Looking for some interesting recipes and wine pairings? Then head over to our wine pairing website.  Thanks for listening and remember to always PURSUE YOUR PASSION! Sláinte! Please support our sponsor Dracaena Wines - Our Wines + Your Moments + Great Memories Use code 'Explore' at checkout to receive 10% off your first order

We chat with Tom Wilkinson, Vineyard Manager at Chapel Down Group plc, about all things UK Viticulture. How do you manage workforce requirements? How mechanised are the UK's vineyards? What are the biggest problems and how are they dealt with? Does he want a helicopter? Special praise also has to go to Tom for the most dramatic pause in TBVT's short history.

Napa Valley native, Tegan Passalacqua cut his teeth in the Rhone, New Zealand and South Africa before literally planting his roots in California. Tegan started at Zin Zen Masters Turley Wine Cellars in 2003, and is currently working as Head Winemaker and Vineyard Manager. He launched his own Sandlands Wines with wife Olivia in 2011 working with a multitude of varietals practicing vine head training and dry farming. Tegan Passalacqua is a true American Vigneron living in the heart of Lodi, California, home of his Kirschenmann Vineyard and Passalacqua Farming.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Grape Nation by becoming a member!The Grape Nation is Powered by Simplecast.  

Mark & Vickie Gresge of L'Etoile & Stephen Barnard, Winemaker & Vineyard Manager at Keswick Vineyards, joined Barbara Lundgren and me on “The Virginia Wedding & Event Showcase” powered by Barb Wired! “The Virginia Wedding & Event Showcase” airs every Thursday at 10:15 am on The I Love CVille Network! “The Virginia Wedding & Event Showcase” is presented by Keswick Vineyards.

Stephen Barnard, Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Keswick Vineyards, joined me live on The I Love CVille Show! The I Love CVille Show headlines (Monday, July 27) 1. All hell broke loose last night in Richmond, Virginia amongst protesters and the police https://richmond.com/news/local/police-use-chemical-agents-flash-bangs-to-disperse-crowd-outside-of-rpd-headquarters-after-city/article_11b30f19-e70a-51f9-8e1d-ef53a1a4ba3e.html?utm_source=RTD&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Breaking%20News 2. “Home Schooling Pods” are all the rage now as some parents are turning their backs on virtual learning https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/07/23/pods-school-private-online-education-inequality/%3foutputType=amp 3. The Front Porch homeschool pod offering. Please show graphic attached. 4. Greene County parents are divided with in-person learning vs. virtual learning https://dailyprogress.com/greenenews/news/greene-county-teachers-parents-ask-school-board-admiin-to-reconsider-in-person-classes/article_58f5115a-cf9e-11ea-9a85-0722ca82b48e.html 5. Lynchburg private schools are moving forward with in-person learning https://newsadvance.com/business/local/area-private-schools-plan-for-full-in-person-reopening-see-increased-interest/article_a9a6411e-2f92-5cb7-b21f-71fc353048bf.html?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_The_News_&_Advance 6. If we return to Phase 2 in Charlottesville and Albemarle County, hundreds of folks in the restaurant business will lose their jobs https://www.cbs19news.com/story/42410765/restaurants-fear-financial-recovery-is-impossible-with-new-covid-restrictions 7. The Virginia High School League will delay all sports until December. “Winter Sports” will kick-off the high school sports season. https://www.nbc29.com/2020/07/27/no-sports-until-december-vhsl-votes-delay-start-season-due-covid-/ 8. Jerry Ratcliffe: The ACC is likely headed for an 11-game schedule featuring 10 ACC games per school. https://jerryratcliffe.com/virginia-acc-likely-headed-for-a-10-plus-one-football-schedule/ 9. Should FCS Football be played in the Spring from here on out? https://richmond.com/sports/wes-mcelroy/mcelroy-spring-fcs-football-permanently-lets-use-this-time-to-experiment/article_881eced3-3337-5b68-bbd2-baff96d9427a.html The I Love CVille Show airs live before a worldwide audience Monday – Friday from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm on The I Love CVille Network.

Andrew Caillard MW introduces us to Michael Lane, who, as Vineyard Manager has overseen the transition of Yangarra Estate from conventional farming to bio-dynamic practices during his 20+ years at the vineyard. We learn about the mix of soils on the property and the ways they have influenced the selection and cultivation of grape varieties that are now the focus of production.

About The Winelands welcomes Rudolph Steenkamp, Winemaker and Vineyard Manager Haskell Vineyards to the show. READ MORE - https://bitmedia24.com/about-the-winelands-16-an-interview-with-rudolph-steenkamp-winemaker-and-vineyard-manager-haskell-vineyards-stellenbosch/ In September 2018 Rudolph took over as Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Haskell Vineyards, and to date has made a positive impact on the farm. With new energy, passion and creativity he believes one has to return to the simplest forms of viticulture, farming the soil and not the vine, to achieve even better quality and greater depth of our already excellent Haskell and Dombeya wines. In a concise and measured way, Rudolph will convert into organic farming, a not insignificant lifestyle decision for Haskell Vineyards. This decision will not only create wines that satisfy wine lovers and connoisseurs around the world, but will also have a positive impact on the environment for us, our children and their children. CONTACT - https://www.haskellvineyards.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO ABOUT THE WINELANDS - https://aboutthewinelands.gr8.com/ KEEN TO SPONSOR THE SHOW OR BE INTERVIEWED? email visitthewinelands@gmail.com Never before in the history of our democracy has our country been confronted by such a severe situation; however, it is a situation that we will be able to overcome if we work together. Across our country, people and organisations have offered to help and the Solidarity Fund is a vehicle that will be set up to facilitate this. DONATE - https://www.solidarityfund.co.za/

The Mettler family has been farming wine grapes in Lodi for over five generations. Today, they are making award-winning wines from their own vineyards. General manager Kim Mettler and Vineyard Manager (and husband) Jason Eells talk about the passion the family has for sustainable farming and quality winemaking. And find out why Kim refers to her winemaker brother, Adam, as her “little show pony!” I invite you to drink in this episode with Kim and Jason. Wines tasted in this episode: 2017 Mettler Family Vineyards Epicenter Zinfandel Non-Vintage Mettler Family Vineyards Copesetic Red Blend

Welcome to Season 3 of Wine Crush Podcast! Where we exact the color from behind the vine of the Willamette Valley's Wine Country wineries. Hosted by Heidi Moore, wine lover and winery insurance agent at Country Financial. Enjoy, and don't forget to share, rate, and subscribe! Visit us on the web at www.winecrushpodcast.com, and on Instagram www.instagram.com/winecrushpodcast In this episode, we uncork two unique wine stories. The first comes from a daughter and mother operation rooted in tradition, adventure and good dirt. The other centers on a family-owned producer of small-lot, handcrafted, estate wines, with a special emphasis on world-class Pinot Noir. Guests Kate Taylor, Operations & Vineyard Manager, One Love Cellars Dan Warnshuis, Owner/Winemaker, Utopia Vineyard Winery Biographies One Love Cellars https://onelovecellars.com/ This adventure started in 2006, in an unfinished basement with a bumper crop of raspberries in Michigan. The fermentation obsession brought the Taylor family from Michigan and Montana to Oregon in 2010. After education, clearing land and getting to know their industry neighbors, they planted our first vineyard block in 2012. At the heart of their farming practices are sustainability, stewardship and premium quality fruit. The 16 acres of estate vines thrive at One Heart Vineyards, in the volcanic soils of the South Salem hills. One Love Cellars' Pinot Noir, Albariño, limited production Bubbles and some other wonderful whites and red blends are luscious, lively & vibrant. Delicate barrel notes on the reds lend to an appealing, lingering finish that continue to tell their distinct story. These mostly estate-grown, Northwest wines are an incredible value in a bottle and a treat for any palate. They show well solo, accent a great meal, company or stand out for a special occasion. The attention to detail in the craft and care of their wines can be tasted in each pour. Utopia Vineyard https://www.utopiawine.com/ Utopia Vineyard is the embodiment of a dream that began in the mind of its owner, Dan Warnshuis. He and his family live on the property, in that big house you'll see as you turn off of Ribbon Ridge Road. After college, Dan returned to his home in California and began a successful career in Silicon Valley. Along the way, he opened a retail store in Napa and began spending time with Napa Valley growers and winemakers. Utopia Estate Vineyard was born in 2002 after talks with Oregon growers at the International Pinot Noir Celebration led Dan on a search for a vineyard site. He found a parcel located just above the old Bergstrom farm on Ribbon Ridge that seemed ideal, and subsequent soil tests proved it to be so. The Utopia Estate Vineyard is perfectly situated at an elevation of five hundred feet in the heart of the Ribbon Ridge Appellation in the Northern Willamette Valley in Yamhill County, Oregon. It consists of a total of 16.8 acres of sloping contiguous south-facing hillsides of Willakenzie soils. Dan's first commercial vintage produced just 413 cases in 2006. It was a good start, but the 2007 was even better, winning the Grand Award of Excellence, the Gold Medal in the 2010 Oregon Wine Awards for Pinot Noir over $35. Subsequent vintages have continued to improve and the first private reserve release, Paradise, was produced as part of the 2009 vintage. In addition to world-class Pinot Noir, Utopia also produces Pinot Blanc, made exclusively from certified grapes grown in the Willamette Valley and Pinot Noir Rose. New Chardonnay plantings were added in 2010 and a well-appointed tasting room with outdoor seating was built that same year. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/winecrushoregon/message

Welcome to Season 3 of Wine Crush Podcast! Where we exact the color from behind the vine of the Willamette Valley's Wine Country wineries. Hosted by Heidi Moore, wine lover and winery insurance agent at Country Financial. Enjoy, and don't forget to share, rate, and subscribe! Visit us on the web at www.winecrushpodcast.com, and on Instagram www.instagram.com/winecrushpodcast In this episode, we uncork two unique wine stories. The first comes from a daughter and mother operation rooted in tradition, adventure and good dirt. The other centers on a family-owned producer of small-lot, handcrafted, estate wines, with a special emphasis on world-class Pinot Noir. Guests Kate Taylor, Operations & Vineyard Manager, One Love Cellars Dan Warnshuis, Owner/Winemaker, Utopia Vineyard Winery Biographies One Love Cellars https://onelovecellars.com/ This adventure started in 2006, in an unfinished basement with a bumper crop of raspberries in Michigan. The fermentation obsession brought the Taylor family from Michigan and Montana to Oregon in 2010. After education, clearing land and getting to know their industry neighbors, they planted our first vineyard block in 2012. At the heart of their farming practices are sustainability, stewardship and premium quality fruit. The 16 acres of estate vines thrive at One Heart Vineyards, in the volcanic soils of the South Salem hills. One Love Cellars’ Pinot Noir, Albariño, limited production Bubbles and some other wonderful whites and red blends are luscious, lively & vibrant. Delicate barrel notes on the reds lend to an appealing, lingering finish that continue to tell their distinct story. These mostly estate-grown, Northwest wines are an incredible value in a bottle and a treat for any palate. They show well solo, accent a great meal, company or stand out for a special occasion. The attention to detail in the craft and care of their wines can be tasted in each pour. Utopia Vineyard https://www.utopiawine.com/ Utopia Vineyard is the embodiment of a dream that began in the mind of its owner, Dan Warnshuis. He and his family live on the property, in that big house you’ll see as you turn off of Ribbon Ridge Road. After college, Dan returned to his home in California and began a successful career in Silicon Valley. Along the way, he opened a retail store in Napa and began spending time with Napa Valley growers and winemakers. Utopia Estate Vineyard was born in 2002 after talks with Oregon growers at the International Pinot Noir Celebration led Dan on a search for a vineyard site. He found a parcel located just above the old Bergstrom farm on Ribbon Ridge that seemed ideal, and subsequent soil tests proved it to be so. The Utopia Estate Vineyard is perfectly situated at an elevation of five hundred feet in the heart of the Ribbon Ridge Appellation in the Northern Willamette Valley in Yamhill County, Oregon. It consists of a total of 16.8 acres of sloping contiguous south-facing hillsides of Willakenzie soils. Dan’s first commercial vintage produced just 413 cases in 2006. It was a good start, but the 2007 was even better, winning the Grand Award of Excellence, the Gold Medal in the 2010 Oregon Wine Awards for Pinot Noir over $35. Subsequent vintages have continued to improve and the first private reserve release, Paradise, was produced as part of the 2009 vintage. In addition to world-class Pinot Noir, Utopia also produces Pinot Blanc, made exclusively from certified grapes grown in the Willamette Valley and Pinot Noir Rose. New Chardonnay plantings were added in 2010 and a well-appointed tasting room with outdoor seating was built that same year. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/winecrushoregon/message

Interviews with Brenae Royal, Vineyard Manager for Monte Rosso Vineyard, and Fernando Franco of Barboursville Vineyards, on the job of managing a vineyard.

This interview is with Allen Holstein, the original owner of Holstein Vineyards and Vineyard Manager of many acclaimed vineyards in the Willamette Valley. Allen talks about the early years in the wine industry and working with some of the most prominent characters at the time. He also speaks about the challenges that the industry will have to face in the future. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Allen Holstein's house on September 27, 2017.

This interview is with Ted Casteel, the Vineyard Manager at Bethel Heights Vineyard. Casteel speaks to why the family entered the wine industry, the logistics of a family operation, and why they chose the Eola Amity Hills. Casteel elaborates on how he's seen the Oregon wine industry evolve, specifically viticulture knowledge and practices with the creation of programs like LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology), and where he sees the next generation taking Oregon wine. This interview was conducted by Rachael Woody on November 20, 2014.

In this episode we had the pleasure of speaking with Breana Royal of Ernest & Julio Gallo.  In this episode we speak to Brenae about:  Drinking Apothic Red and watching Jeopardy Having a “seat at the table” Tending to 132 year old vines Surviving Harvest Knowing that she is exactly where she is supposed to be Brenae's Bio  Brenae Royal grew up in the town of Atwater, in California's Central Valley. “I come from a family of teachers and doctors, so when I started raising pigs, my family thought, where did she fall off?” Brenae says, laughing. When asked about her first farming memories, she recalls picking weeds and planting flowers with her grandmother. “My grandmother has a ginormous garden.” As the Vineyard Manager for the 575-acre Monte Rosso Vineyard on the eastern hills of Sonoma Valley, one the most acclaimed winegrowing sites in California, Brenae might have her grandmother beat. Brenae put her passion to action at a young age, joining 4-H at 12 and becoming an officer in the Future Farmers of America when she was 17. The program took her all over California and immersed her in a world she knew she wanted to be a part of for the rest of her life. Brenae studied Crops and Horticulture Science at California State University, Chico and during her senior year, after developing a palate for bold red wines, decided to pursue a career in viticulture. She joined E. & J. Gallo Winery in 2013 as an Operations and Viticulture Intern and quickly established a relationship with an important mentor, winemaker Deborah Juergenson. “Deb started out as one of the first few women winemakers in a very male-dominated field. It's been amazing to have her as a mentor, both professionally and personally,” Brenae says. “Viticulture is still very male-dominated, so to drive more inclusion and diversity is very much an uphill battle.” It's a battle that Brenae has done anything but back down from. Since joining Gallo, Brenae has farmed Monte Rosso Vineyard with increasing levels of responsibility. In addition to her internship, Brenae also served as Viticulture Technician for 11 months before being named Vineyard Manager in 2015. Monte Rosso is home to some of the oldest producing grapevines in California and has garnered a near- mythic reputation among winemakers. “When I started, it was intimidating. Here I am as this 24-year-old coming into to manage Monte Rosso, a world-renowned vineyard and one of the oldest in the state. It's difficult and complex. Our vines range from four months old to over 130 years old, so it's a lot to take on, but I love it,” she says. “We've brought a lot of technology and innovation to the vineyard, so much so that we can be farming up to three different wines within the same block.” Mount Peak Winery, like Brenae, is singularly focused on expressing Monte Rosso's uniqueness. “When our winemaker Mark Williams visits, it's not uncommon to hop in my truck and then hike into his favorite blocks. It's a hands-on approach to winemaking, and he's very honored to work with the fruit.” When asked how Monte Rosso's distinct terroir shows up in the bottle, Brenae quickly answers. “Acidity,” she declares, “and minerality and spice.” Part of the vineyard's mystique is that its signature qualities seem impervious to producer and variety. “You can taste Monte Rosso wines blind and recognize them immediately,” she adds. Brenae is doing everything in her power to keep it that way. “My goal is always to preserve what is special about Monte Rosso,” she says. “Hopefully it will be producing for another 132 years.” The Last Sip: When you finish your day and sit down with your favorite glass of wine, what is on your music playlist? Alabama Shakes, Bee Gee's and 90's R&B For more information: Social Media: Instagram: @_cabrenae  Resources: https://historicvineyardsociety.org/vineyard/monte-rosso http://www.gallo.com/ https://winefolly.com/update/moon-mountain-ava-mountain-cabernet/ https://www.alabamashakes.com/

On this episode of Decanted, you’ll go with us on a journey to the heart of Washington’s vine country to one of the most revered and iconic vineyards in our region. We interview Kent Waliser, Director of Vineyard Operations and Lacey Lybeck, Viticulturist and Vineyard Manager of Sagemoor Vineyards about the history, challenges, and future of their operation including a bold, long-awaited venture: Sagemoor Wines.. And, get to know Washington’s Big 13 AVAs!

Bart Haycraft, Vineyard Manager, Jackson Family Wines Los Alamos describes some of the techniques he for managing vineyard pests in his vineyards including cultivation, pheromones, beneficial insect releases, cover cropping, weather information, and scouting. References: 2: The Goldilocks Principle & Powdery Mildew Management | Michelle Moyer (podcast) 6: Fungicide Resistance in Grapes: Grower Perspective | Bart Haycraft and Others (podcast) 11: Putting the “I” Back in Vineyard IPM | Peter Goodell (podcast) Gubler-Thomas Model Highlights from the Fungicide Resistance Tailgate Meeting Organic and Sustainable Control of Vine Mealybugs | Willy Cunha & Bart Haycraft Plant Nutrition and IPM | Gregg Young SIP Certified Listen to the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources. Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.

Peter Work, Owner, Winemaker, and Vineyard Manager at Ampelos Cellars recounts how becoming a certified organic vineyard led to becoming Demeter® biodynamic certified and eventually SIP Certified®. He explains the similarities and differences between the three certifications and how that helps him farm in a way that promotes and protects the planet, his profits, and the people who work for him. References: Ampelos Cellars Demeter® Association, Inc. Organic Pest Control in Vineyards Episode 14 | Julian Malone (Podcast) SIP Certified® Sustainable and Organic Control of Vine Mealybugs in Vineyards: Two Growers, Two Approaches USDA Organic Certification Listen to the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources. Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.

This podcast is an excerpt of the talk Dr. Kent Daane delivered at the 2017 Sustainable Ag Expo. Although Dr. Daane has laboratories on the Berkeley Campus and at the Kearney Ag Center in Parlier, much of his work is conducted in the vineyard. Recognized as one of the foremost experts in California on this controlling mealybug vectors of grapevine viruses, he shares the findings from some of his most recent research from the field. References: IPM Control of Vine Mealybug | Greg Pennyroyal, Vineyard Manager at Wilson Creek Winery (Podcast) Kent Daane | UC Berkeley Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management Sustainable Ag Expo Sustainable and Organic Control of Vine Mealybug in Vineyards: Two Growers, Two Approaches Vine Mealybug: What You Should Know | UC Agriculture & Natural Resources Publication Listen to the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources. Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.

Wine Work. In The Car. Dirt and Stuff With Jake. Welcome to Episode 81, a conversation with a former goth slash punk rock frontman, a gentleman who has spent years making wines of place. Now he’s producing his own artisanal wines using the very best selection of grapes from vineyards he helped design. The results? Extraordinary. Meet Jake Busching of Jake Busching Wines. Jake grew up in Minnesota on a farm. Singing in a band as a teenager, he made his way to Richmond, Virginia where he ended up working in food at a Holiday Inn. A huge shock to a boy from the midwest. A place where he learned the value of food and its culture. Musicians and food. A match made in heaven. So many folks on this podcast got their start this way. How did wine appear? As with so many great stories, he met a girl, eventually landing in Charlottesville. A chance meeting with the owner of Jefferson Vineyards set him on his path. Initially, he initially took over farm management duties. Then Chris Hill, the Vineyard Manager, needed someone to fix stuff. He also needed help laying out a new vineyard. Michael Shaps happened to be the winemaker. The planets aligned back in 1997 at the birth of a new Virginia industry and a winemaker was born. “The farm boy in me was like the seasonality of this totally makes sense to me. Grow a crop, harvest the crop, turn it into wine. Wow! From an agricultural perspective that sounded like sign me up! This is a freak show of really interesting people!” He also found his tribe in wine, a cast of characters passionate and creative about wine without the snobby attitude. A little more rock and roll than classical symphony. Different from the early days of Napa, grape-wise, but with the same edacious feeling. Growing grapes in Virginia is never a sure thing where rain and humidity always threaten harvest. This gamble adds to that attitude of we’ll give it a shot and hope for the best. When you do get a great harvest? It’s that much sweeter. Farming Virginia grapes is also very different than in Europe where folks spend decades learning their dirt and the best grapes that grow in it, transitioning that knowledge into making wine with a team of experts including a chemist, farmer, and vineyard manager. “In Virginia a lot of our wineries…there’s a lot of money being spent in Virginia. There’s not a lot of money being made in Virginia. The wine industry is agriculture. It’s a hard thing to do. There’s a lot of wineries for sale.” Jake spent years learning how to grow grapes for various vineyards, including Jefferson and Horton. There’s a reason they call him The Dirt Guy. When he got the call from Pollak to design one from the ground up? Yes please! He applied his viticulture there, his wine growing skills. There’s a difference. Growing grapes means you’re trying to grow as many as possible. An agricultural crop. Growing wine means you’re growing the best bottles you can. There’s a reason he calls his business Jake Busching ARTISANAL Wines. A journey that began as a grape grower, eventually moved to wine grower, then on to vineyard manager, and now to winemaker. Area vineyards trust Jake, allowing him to choose which rows of grapes he wants to use to make his wines. For example, at Honah Lee Vineyard, Jake selected a certain row of grapes because they lay on a gentle south-facing slope of land. A beautiful place with a great view. A perfect site for perfect fruit. And what about those wines of his anyway? Jake currently has four in rotation, including his F8 and his Orphan which he just released with a big tasting at Tavola. He makes wines of place. Transitioning away from that, Jake wants to remain a relevant winemaker under his own artisanal label. In limited quantities, 50 cases at a time. His 2015 Viognier sold out. With good reason. It’s gorgeous. After tasting it, I went to his site and bought ALL the wine. Pair that with expert design from Watermark? You’ve got all the hallmarks of a truly great emerging wine collection. “Legacy is weird. That’s a hard thing because I’ve been building legacy for other people for 20 years. It’s hard for me to swallow that pill and say okay it’s time to put yourself on a pedestal because that’s not something I’m comfortable with at all. And so how do I do that without losing the sense of who I really am? I really want to make wine. I love it. I absolutely love it.” Jake sells his wine as an independent winemaker. Without a vineyard or a tasting room or a winery. He’s a winemaker with a need for a creative outlet. So he does it for other people. His career as a consultant began when Michael Shaps stepped in to help Pollak. Now they make wine for 16 area wineries. They also consult with wineries from everything from dirt to vineyard design. In this way small startups don’t waste grape harvests learning how to make wine. “Growing grapes is capturing sunlight, interpreting dirt through a grapevine, and having an expression of a place come out in a glass of wine. That’s what we do.” “It’s pretty easy to grow grapes and make wine. You’re not necessarily going to make any money at it, but you can do it…Selling wine is a whole different ballgame. Finding the right people to do that is critical.” Agritourism is crucial in Virginia because at the end of the day a winery is a grape farm. They have to sell their crop and they have to do it on-site. Folks don’t want to come out and buy wine when it’s raining, but that’s when it’s not busy! Every winery has a great view and there are so many producing quality vintages. So get out there. These days, Jake spends most of his time in the car, visiting up to 10 vineyards a day. His broad knowledge means he can look at your dirt, your vineyard design, your grapes, and tell you what you could do better to build a sustainable business. All that time spent in the car is good for me because he has plenty of time to listen to Edacious! When I started two years ago it was the food folks who showed up first and Jake is no exception. I hear from him regularly with suggestions for guests and improvements to content and audio. That kind of community support keeps me going, so it was a thrill to finally sit and talk with him. What happens when wineries win awards for vintages that Jake and Michael made? What’s the first thing Jake looks at when someone asks him to design a vineyard? What essentials does he teach in his wine course at PVCC? What is Man Church? What is Tannat? Listen to find out! The episode was recorded right before grape harvest, the busiest time of wine season which is happening RIGHT NOW! So send all our local winemakers your blessings for good sunny weather. The introduction was recorded on the front porch of the Garden House at Foggy Ridge Cider. Thank you, Diane Flynt, for the wonderful accommodations and lovely garden vegetables, cider, and eating apples.  Interested in escaping to a rural country retreat without television or Internet? CHECK OUT MY PICTURES AT THIS LINK and rental information on her website.  Heaven on earth! Go stay there and take some of Jake’s wine with you. Cheers! SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast: Vintage: The Winemaker's Year - watch a clip! The Coatroom - Make a reservation. Now. Will Curley will treat you right. Help Scotty Recover - My best friend has Stage 3B colon cancer. Bills are piling up. He can't work. Can you help? Share! Donate! No amount is too small. Thank you and BIG LOVE to everyone who donated and shared the Big Love Bake Sale and Big Love Birthday! Next up? Tee shirts! Look for them soon. Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to. Subscribers get new episodes instantly, while non-subscribers have to wait a few hours or days depending on the iTunes gods. Never miss a chance to be edacious! Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious! This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.

A look at the history of Pierce’s Disease and what is being done today to manage this pest in the Temecula Valley. Matt Daugherty is Cooperative Extension Specialist, Department of Entomology, UC Riverside where he studies applied population ecology and provides outreach on the ecology and management of invasive insects. Dr. Daugherty gives some history and context for the glassy-winged sharpshooter monitoring and control program in Riverside County. Greg Pennyroyal, Vineyard Manager, Wilson Creek Winery and Vineyards, gives the history of the devastating Pierce’s Disease epidemic that hit Temecula Valley vineyards in the late 1990s and how growers today are working to prevent that from happening again. Want to hear more from Greg? Listen in to IPM Control of Vine Mealybug Episode 15. References: Extension Education on glassy-winged sharpshooter and Pierce’s Disease management Monitoring for sharpshooters Glassy-winged sharpshooter management guidelines Wilson Creek Winery and Vineyards Listen to the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources. Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.

Wine Work. With Oysters. Welcome to Episode 76 and a laugh-filled conversation over wine with siblings Tim Gorman and Sarah Gorman of Cardinal Point Winery. Cardinal Point was the first winery The Hubby and I visited upon moving to Charlottesville a decade ago. Their November Oyster Roast remains my favorite food-related event. One which constantly inspires my food writing, including this humorous anecdote which continues to get reactions and comments even years later. The seeds for what would become Cardinal Point began way back in 1986 when their dad, Paul Gorman, put in his first grapes, selling them statewide. Tim and Sarah tended vines as teenagers with Tim taking over as Vineyard Manager shortly thereafter. In 2002 Paul's dream of an established winery was realized at a time when there were no others nearby. Veritas and Afton followed soon after and the seeds of a true agritourism destination on Route 151 in Nelson County were planted. Cardinal Point is a true family-owned business, a family which includes the fine folks hired to keep the vines shipshape. Folks who work tirelessly to grow the best product. Many of whom have been with Cardinal Point for years. "The idea of opening our own winery was attractive because you're stabilizing a commodity that otherwise is totally perishable. Grapes will break down the second you pick them up." ---Tim Gorman These days Tim is not only Vineyard Manager but also Chief Winemaker, one of the few in the area who does both. As a lawyer, Sarah handles legal issues, tasting room duties, as well as managing the many events and weddings which occur onsite, including summer concerts and the incredibly popular Oyster Roast. Projects like their Wine Cooperative, plus new varieties like their Hopped Chardonnay make sure the winery stays successful. Summer is an extremely busy time, both for events and its growing season. We walk through the seasons of a winery. What needs to happen and when. Did you know birds, deer, and squirrels threaten grapes? Such is life at a winery, essentially a grape farm. A lot is determined by weather. Praying for rain and hoping the rain stops. If you recall, 2016 was abysmal with over 40 straight days of showers. How does 2017 look? Pretty promising. Keep your fingers crossed. Knock some wood. As recently as a few years ago, Route 151 in Nelson County was a rural route of farms, churches, and pastoral views. Now it's a tourist destination of wineries, cideries, breweries, orchards, and farms. A true agritourism mecca. Tim is one of the founders of Nelson 151, a group of business owners in the area who hope to use their strengths to not only market more efficiently but make sure development stays within reason. How important is tourism to business in Nelson County? Extremely. Small wineries don't make enough in volume to make their mark on a national level, so getting folks to come try Cardinal Point is paramount. Without agritourism, many of the farms and wineries in the area wouldn't be able to continue using their land for agriculture. Tourism dollars help the community. It's a double-edged sword certainly, but Nelson 151 realizes that, keeping it in mind as they make decisions affecting its citizens. How does the threat of a pipeline affect things? We discuss the possible ramifications. Tasting at the winery is way better than standing in a wine shop, looking at a row of bottles, and choosing blind based on arbitrary scores which don't matter anyway. At the first sip, you immediately realize Tim's approach to winemaking is a little different. When he heard a lot of folks couldn't handle a bold tannic red, he worked to develop a softer one that's easier to drink and tastes wonderful. His Rockfish Red is a lovely blend of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot and goes great with burgers and pizza. It's a European approach with wine as a dinner beverage rather than a sacred only-to-be-corked at special events rare precious jewel. How did he develop his newest creation, a hopped chardonnay? Something that's never been done before? Sure it sounds gimmicky. But it's also extraordinary. A wine expert recently declared it, "A great expression of chardonnay." The highest compliment. "I buy by the numbers just like anybody else...but now the numbers are silly...they're just everywhere...and it usually means you're getting this boring supermarket 92." ---Tim Gorman Tim's process is fascinating a great combination of science, inspiration, inventiveness, and using what you already have readily available. Working with the land rather than against it. This is a Virginia-based winery with Virginia-grown grapes with Virginia-based winemakers who can explain why the 2016 tastes different than the 2015. No big corporations or importing done here. No big investors wondering why there isn't more consistency year to year. None of the typical white-to-red lineups of varietals like you see at corporate wineries. Again, working with terroir rather than catering to big corporate demands. "That's definitely the difference between an Ernest and Julio Gallo and a Cardinal Point. If we can develop a wine simply because it gives us more tank space? We'll do that." ---Sarah Gorman What does it take to run a family-owned business? Does every family dinner turn into a board meeting? How do they relate to the slew of awards Cardinal Point has garnered, most recently the 2017 Monticello Cup? How big a factor is terroir? How does Virginia terroir differ from other regions? Is it recognizable as a region? Why do so many ex-punk rockers now work in food? What is the story behind the statement, "These are my credentials," which appears on every bottle? We cover it all. "One thing we we're not going to do is re-enter the 2014 Clay Hill Cab Franc which did very well...we'll enter it for one season...we're trying to win a medal to help us sell that wine...but we're not trying to just keep getting awards." ---Tim Gorman "You're here to taste. You tell me which one you'd give a medal to...When you come into our winery, the last thing I want you hear you ask about is the medal...I want you to taste...if the Green is your gold medal, then buy it. It's your palate, everybody tastes (wine) differently." ---Sarah Gorman "They do change each year...this is farming...we're dry farmers, we don't even have irrigation...vintages matter, especially in Virginia...it matters in the good regions...what I like is I don't have to be beholden...I don't have to be that person making Budweiser that has to be the same every time." ---Tim Gorman We recorded this conversation in the Cardinal Point farmhouse which is available to rent. Did I mention the saltwater pool? We talk beer, hops, and even delve into the subtleties of Charlottesville roller derby. Not only is Cardinal Point the first winery I visited, it's also the first one I've talked to on the podcast! This conversation was dear to me not just because Green is my favorite summer wine but because my Critzer family originated and flourished right there on Route 151 where Cardinal Point is located. So traveling there felt like going home in more ways than one. Enjoy this episode then crack open a bottle or two of Green or your other favorite wine from Cardinal Point. We sure did! Cheers! SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast: Rent a Farmhouse - It's at a winery. It has a saltwater pool. What more reason do you need? Green - It's my favorite varietal at Cardinal Point. So much so I wrote about it. The Wild Vine - We discuss Todd Kliman's book and how it relates to Virginia terroir. Burnley Vineyard - All of us blanked on the name of this fantastic vineyard near Gordonsville! I blame the wine. Help Scotty Recover - My best friend has Stage 3B colon cancer. Bills are piling up. He can't work. Can you help? Share! Donate! No amount is too small. Thank you and BIG LOVE to everyone who donated and shared the Big Love Bake Sale and Big Love Birthday! Next up? Tee shirts! Look for them soon. Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to. Subscribers get new episodes instantly, while non-subscribers have to wait a few hours or days depending on the iTunes gods. Never miss a chance to be edacious! Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious! This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.

Greg Pennyroyal, Vineyard Manager at Wilson Creek Winery and Vineyards in Temecula, California, discusses the appearance of vine mealybug in the Temecula Valley AVA, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, and how growers, academics, extensionists, and students came together to collectively monitor and manage this pest. References: San Jacinto College Vine Mealy Bug Video Sustainable and Organic Control of Vine Mealybug: Two Growers, Two Approaches Suterra “Vine Mealybug Flares Up in Central Coast” - Wines & Vines Wilson Creek Winery and Vineyards Listen to the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources. Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.

Zach chats with Lacey Lybeck, the Vineyard Manager for Sagemoor Vineyards in Washington's Columbia Valley. Sagemoor Vineyards is comprised of five different vineyard sites (Sagemoor, Bacchus, Dionysus, Gamache, and Weinbau) and sells grapes to over 100 different wineries.