Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario Certified’s Post

Check out this video of the Smart Apply precision spray and data system in a vineyard. The highest reduction in chemical and water usage comes early in the season when foliage is less dense - over 50%. But even later in the growing season, the benefits of using a Smart Apply System on your sprayer are significant. Note there is very little air borne drift. Run off is reduced up to 92% as well. As it sprays, the Smart Apply System is collecting data on chemical and water use, doing vine counts, notating the health of individual plants, as well as documenting operator performance. The system also ensures that no rows are missed or double sprayed. This data can be used for operations, regulatory reporting on chemical and water use, and for sustainability metrics. With ROI in 1-3 years, a Smart Apply Systems is a smart investment. Find a Dealer here: https://lnkd.in/gAee_nkH Constellation Brands California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance California Association of Winegrape Growers Ontario Wine Appellation Authority Ontario South Coast Wineries and Growers Association New York Wine & Grape Foundation Napa Valley Vintners Sonoma County Winegrowers Oregon Wine Board Cline Family Cellars Buena Vista Winery, Inc. Gundlach Bundschu Winery Nicholson Ranch Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Beaulieu Vineyard Cakebread Cellars Childress Vineyards Roederer Estate Frog's Leap Winery

Get to know our guy behind the grapes, Winemaker David Milner!🍇 The frenzy of harvest preparation has begun but we caught David for a Q&A about his fears, favorites, coolest vineyard sightings, biggest role models, and more. Check it out on our blog.

It was great to be a part of 67 Pall Mall's recent video feature on LBW Drinks Ltd. (Lyme Bay Winery) which is based in Devon but sources grapes from all over the country to make its award-winning still and sparkling wines: We supply Lyme Bay with grapes from nine of our vineyards including Martin's Lane Estate, Holland's Farm and Crow's Lane Estate, all situated in the Crouch Valley. In this piece I talk about the factors that make this area so special in terms of growing premium grapes...a quick summary: ☔The Crouch Valley sits in one of the driest pockets in England - average yearly rainfall is about 550-600mm but in 2022 it was as low as 220mm. That's exceptionally dry. ⛰ It's also at low altitude (around 50m or less from sea level) so the vines are at less risk of windchill (which increases the higher up you go). 🌡Situated between two estuaries - the River Crouch and River Blackwater - there is less risk of crop loss caused by spring frost damage. Temperatures don't tend to plummet so dramatically at night near bodies of water. 🍇 Crouch Valley sits in London clay, which, despite my initial reservations, means that whilst it absorbs moisture it doesn't relinquish it so easily. If we have a wet harvest, the clay will retain water and it won't be drawn up into the vine diluting the berries or splitting their delicate skins. Ultimately the clay soil gives us longer hanging time and that's absolutely key . As a result of these factors, the pinot noirs and chardonnays coming out of this area are absolutely world-class. Hopefully the amazing cinematography in this video will give you a flavour of the sheer beauty of the Crouch Valley. It's a pretty good place to have as your office! #viticulture #Englishwine #Essexwine #CrouchValley #LymeBayWinery #vineyards #vineyardmanagement https://lnkd.in/eYfQW6mg

Discovering California's South Coast We conclude the wine growing regions of California by discovering the South Coast AVA. The South Coast AVA extends from just northeast of Los Angeles to the Mexican border. The large appellation covers five counties and has several sub-appellations. The main grape varieties are Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Grenache and of course Californian favorite Zinfandel. Given its more southern location, the South Coast enjoys considerably more hours of sunshine and warmer temperatures. Where the latter is tempered by the influence of the Pacific Ocean. A mountain range also crosses the region, but more about that later. Sub-appellations Discovering California's South Coast You can discover the South Coast region in a number of places in California. The large region lies between LA and San Diego, but there are a number of sub-appellations spread throughout the other counties. Do not forget that each county may have its own appellation. A little south of the San Joaquin Valley and northeast of LA are the sub-appellations Leona Valley AVA and Sierra Pelona Valley AVA. While around Malibu we find the Malibu-Newton Canyon AVA and Saddle Rock Malibu AVA. Finally, to the east of the larger contiguous South Coast AVA lies Cucamonga Valley AVA. Desert climate In the northern part of South Coast AVA we find Antelope Valley of the Californian High Desert AVA. She only received her appellation in May 2011. This subregion is located in the Mojave Desert and the Tehachapi Mountains mark the northern western portion of this appellation. In the south lies the Sierra Pelona mountain range. The latter prevents maritime influences, giving the valley a continental climate. Viticulture is of course not possible in a desert area. But height plays an important role here. Without the cooler temperatures found at higher elevations, the climate would likely never have achieved AVA status. There are a handful of wineries, such as Golden Star Vineyards, a self-proclaimed 'high altitude micro-vineyard' at almost 915m and Triassic Legacy Vineyards at 1,230m. https://lnkd.in/eCPUhiqQ

When grapes are brought into our Research Winery, most trials are processed on our Pellenc Crusher-Destemmer. This is the same brand as many harvester machines you'll see in New Zealand vineyards. The machine can be set up to operate the same way as a harvester, so when applicable to the trial, the grapes are processed similarly to a commercial vineyard but just on a much smaller scale. We also cold macerate the grapes for an hour and a half to simulate time in gondola and truck post-machine harvest for those trials. This way our research findings are more relevant to real-world scenarios than if we processed them by hand. #bragatoresearch #nzwine #researchwinery #vintage2024

Meet Demeter Deutschland winemaker Gut Steyerberg from the Nahe region at the Cool Climate Wine Summit in January. Read more about them here: https://lnkd.in/dTqMmZAN Free B2B Trade fair sign-up https://lnkd.in/dN9sSjk3 Marlene and Wilfried Jacobus were born with a passion for viticulture. From their close connection with nature grew the "mission" for an ecological way of farming. And because at Gut Steyerberg / Weingut Fuchs-Jacobus, they don’t do things halfway, they opted for the most consistent form: biodynamic viticulture according to Demeter guidelines. The Steyerberg in the Nahe Valley – Terroir for Great Wines The soil with its minerals, the topography, and the orientation to the sun, along with the mesoclimate and its weather phenomena, are the determining factors for the character of a wine. French winemakers have coined a term for this: "terroir." Steep Slope Viticulture Means Handwork The Steyerberg is a very special terroir: with a slope between 33° and 45°, it is very steep. Therefore, it is almost too steep for machinery everywhere. Only mechanical assistance is possible between the vine rows – everything else is done by hand. #nahe #nahewein #demeter #demeterwein #organicwine #ecovin #germanwine #organic #sustainable #greatwine #coolclimatewine #coolclimatewinesummit

A new booklet lists the areas of responsibility and the best practice guidelines for the many people taking part in the harvest. See how to download your copy: https://hubs.li/Q02nGKKV0 #harvest #wineharvest #bestpractice #wine #nzwine #viticulture #theshoutnz

As we approach grape harvest season, this blog post shares some insights: "Harvest season is every winemaker’s greatest dream and worst nightmare combined. Months of pruning, ploughing, and tending vines, through sun, rain, and frost, all lead to this critical moment. But nature doesn’t wait, and the pressure to get ripe, healthy grapes into the winery is immense! Each harvest is unique, and the challenges vary across the globe—whether it’s picking Malbec under the hot sun in Mendoza or Riesling on the steep slopes of Mosel. Preparation is key: ripeness, weather, and space must be perfectly timed to ensure the best results. During harvest, long days start before sunrise, with picking, sorting, and manual labor to move the grapes efficiently into fermentation. Oh, and don’t forget the relentless cleaning—because in the winery, cleaning is everything! At the end of it all, there’s a glass of #wine in hand and the satisfaction of being part of something extraordinary." Here’s to the 2024 harvest!  #grapeharvest  

Did you know Indiana ranks 10th in the country in winery employment? Learn more about the state's winery production in this issue of InContext.

🍇 Throwback to our insightful chat with Andrew Sullivan, Vineyard Manager at Pearl Morrisette Winery. Discover how his journey from aspiring geologist to master of organic and biodynamic viticulture is shaping the future of wine in Niagara. If you missed our 2023 interview with Andrew Sullivan, Vineyard Manager at Pearl Morrisette Winery 👉 Catch up on his fascinating journey from aspiring geologist to viticulture virtuoso, and how he's influencing Niagara's wine scene with organic and biodynamic practices. #OrganicViticulture #CanadianGrowers