Wine-Grower-News #8

June 28, 2007                                                  .

Information included in this issue includes:
 
Robert Curttright of Whisky Run Winery Passes Away
Downy Mildew is Showing Up on Leaves and Clusters
TTB Winery Record Keeping & Labeling Seminar, July 13, 2007 at DMACC
2007 MGGA Annual Picnic & Educational Symposium, Sat. July 14, 2007
Iowa’s First Swine Festival, July 14, 2007 at DMACC (Where Cork Meets Pork)
Mid-American Wine Competition, July 14 & 15, 2007 at DMACC
Third Annual Iowa Wine Festival, Saturday, August 25, 2007 at Indianola
IWGA Annual Conference Booked for Feb. 8 & 9, 2008 at DMACC
Used Winery Equipment WWW Resources
Christmas Tree Shearing Knives for Hedging, Topping & Skirting
Turkey Baster Works Well for Measuring Small Amounts
Green is Going Mainstream
Cool Wine Quotes
Missouri Now at 71 Wineries
Screw Cap Survey by California Wine Club
Neeto-Keeno WWW Stuff
 
 
Robert Curttright of Whisky Run Winery Passes Away
 
Robert Curttright owner/winemaker at Whisky Run Winery passed away in his home at the age of 68 on Friday, June 22, 2007.  Bob decided that he was going to build a winery in Brownville, Nebraska after retiring as the CEO of the Omaha Transit Authority.  The very unique Whisky Run Winery  opened in 2002.  A 100 year old barn that serves as the retail sales facility was hauled into Brownville and placed over Whisky Run Creek.  Underneath the site lies a cave that was used as a  pre-prohibition brewery. The wine is made in a state of the art winemaking facility.  I always recommended to people who were considering a winery to visit Whisky Run Winery.  Whisky Run Winery was done right. Bob will surely be missed!     http://www.whiskeyruncreek.com/
 
Downy Mildew is Showing Up on Leaves and Clusters
 
The wet weather over much of Iowa in May and mid-June has created a perfect weather pattern for Downy Mildew (DM) to prosper.  The DM fungus (Plasmopara viticola) overwinters as resting (oospores) in the soil on decaying leaf material. DM will affect all green parts of the vine. Most French (Vitis vinifera) varieties are very susceptible to DM with American varieties fairly tolerant. French hybrids vary in the intermediate zone of tolerance.  Primary infections can occur with as little as 0.1” of rainfall and at temperatures down to 52F.  Infections can rapidly spread as humidity and rainfall increases. The idea temperatures for infection range between 64 – 77ºF. 
 
Initial symptoms normally show up on the leaves as light green to yellow blotches that turn brown to reddish over time.  White cottony growths can sometimes be seen on the lower side of the leaves under humid and warm conditions.  The primary period of berry infection occurs approximately mid-May to mid-June.  Berry stem infection can still occur through June.  Late berry infections can occur after veraison during periods of high humidity.
 
A good preventative spray program with products like Abound, Pristine, copper compounds, Ridomil, and Mancozeb is the best defense against this disease. But,.. what to do if you already have it in the vineyard? The phosphoric acid products (phosphite and phosphonate) are excellent preventative and clean up products. Common commercial names for these products include Phostrol, Agri-Fos, Fosphite and Phosphyte.  There has been a lot of research that shows that these products will clean up light infestations and stop the spread of heavier infestations.  They are also fairly cheap and of very low toxicity.  Yep, that’s right, cheap, low toxicity and very effective.  Don’t see that very often!
 
Dr. Wayne Wilcox of Cornell University writes an annual grape disease update that makes for excellent reading about all the major diseases including DM.  I would bookmark this site
here: http://iccve.missouri.edu/extension/wilcox-disease-management-2007.pdf
 
Three excellent Downy Mildew publications can be found below:
 
1. Downy Mildew, Ohio State Univ: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3013.html
2. Downy Mildew, Michigan State Univ: http://www.grapes.msu.edu/downymildew.htm
3. Downy Mildew, Illinois State Univ: http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/vista/pdf_pubs/705.pdf
 
 
TTB Winery Record Keeping & Labeling Seminar, July 13, 2007 at  DMACC
 
What: IWGA TTB Winery Record Keeping & Labeling Seminar
When: 9AM -4:30 PM, Friday, July 13, 2007
Where: Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), Ankeny, IA
Registration: RSVP by July 6, contact the Iowa Wine Growers Assn at 800-383-1682
Cost:: $20 IWGA members, $25 non-members. 
            (Includes coffee, pastries, & handouts. Lunch is on your own.)
Agenda: 9 AM Daily Records & Operational Reports
              10:30 AM Break
              10:45 AM Excise Tax & Excise Tax Returns
              Noon  - Lunch
              1 PM  Wine Labeling
              2:30 PM Break
              2:45 PM Questions & Answers
              4:30 PM Adjourn
 
2007 MGGA Annual Picnic & Educational Symposium, Sat. July 14, 2007
 
What: 2007 Minnesota Grape Growers Association’s Annual Picnic
Where: Cannon River Vineyard, 36862 County 57 Blvd, Dennison, MN
When: 11AM, Saturday, July 14, 2007
Agenda: Calsota Supply will demonstrate new mechanical bird netting machine
              Midwest Vineyards & Wineries, A Fast Growing Economic Engine, by Craig Tordsen of
                          ISU’s Value Added Agriculture program.
              Rodenator Demo by Bob Bruno
As in past picnic events, everyone is asked to bring a dish to share. Refrigeration and electricity for crock pots, etc. will be provided.  Bring your favorite beverages.  It will be great fun with fellowship and a learning experience to boot.  Further information: http://mngrapes.org/?page_id=33
 
Iowa’s First Swine Festival, July 14, 2007 at DMACC (Where Cork Meets Pork)
http://swinefestival.com/
 
Mid-American Wine Competition, July 14 & 15, 2007 at DMACC
http://www.dmacc.edu/ici/winecompetition.asp
 
Third Annual Iowa Wine Festival, Saturday, August 25, 2007 at Indianola
http://www.iowawinefestival.org/
 
IWGA Annual Conference Booked for Feb. 8 & 9, 2008 at DMACC
 
Mark you calendars!  The next Iowa Wine Growers Annual Conference has been scheduled for Friday & Saturday, February 8 & 9, 2008. It will be held in Building 7 on the DMACC campus in Ankeny, Iowa.  Kudo’s to IWGA board member Drennan Fischer for negotiating a deal with DMACC we could not refuse.  DMACC was very generous with their offer.  The DMACC facilities are excellent for hosting this event. Details will come soon.
 
Used Winery Equipment WWW Resources:
 
1. Winebusiness.com:   http://www.winebusiness.com/UsedEquipment/
2. Beverage Industries Corporation, Cheraw, SC:
    http://www.beverageindustries.com/index.html
3. VinXchange: (new & used with15,000 categories of wine equipment)
     http://www.vinxchange.com/home.asp
4. Wine Trade Worlds: http://wine.tradeworlds.com/
5. Wine Country Classifieds site:  http://www.winerysite.com/class/
6. Transition Equipment Company: http://www.transitionequipment.com/
7. Sound Brewing Systems: http://www.soundbrew.com/
 
Christmas Tree Shearing Knives for Hedging, Topping & Skirting
 
Tis the season to manage our grape canopies.  Part of this management involves topping the canes at approx. 8-12” above the top wire on our vertical shoot positioned (VSP) trellis systems, skirting the canes approx. 12” above the ground on our downward positioned trellis systems and hedging those wild canes that stick out the sides of the canopy and will not submit to positioning.  We normally would like to leave at least 12-15 nodes on those canes with grape clusters. 
 
Seeing that nobody in the state currently has a mechanical hedging machine mounted on their vineyard tractor, this is vineyard chore that is easier said than done.  Hand pruners, battery operated hedge trimmers, tree pruners, and gas powered weed wackers are commonly used to get this done. For me, Christmas tree shearing knives work very well for this chore.  I like to use the serrated blades versus the straight steel blades because the serrated blades will stay razor sharp for several years.  The straight steel blades need to be sharpened several times a day.  These knives normally come with combinations of 10 -18” handles and 12 to 24” blades.  They normally cost anywhere from $32 to $45 each.  I personally like a handle around 14” and a blade around 18”.  The serrated blades are “VERY” sharp.  I strongly recommend wearing long pants when using them.  Leg protectors can also be purchased for around $25 to $30 each.
 
PS:  They work well on trees, bushes and hedges around the yard too!
 
Three companies you can purchase Christmas tree shearing knives:
 
1. Evans Christmas Tree Supplies, Mobile, AL:
   http://www.surveyorsupply.com/evansc/Default.asp
2. Shelton Mfg & Sales, Coon Rapids, MN: 763-433-2854
3. Kelco Inc., Melbridge, Maine
    http://www.kelcomaine.com/default.htm
 
Turkey Baster Works Well for Measuring Small Amounts
 
How many times have you used the glug-glug method when measuring a small amount of pesticide or spray adjuvant for your small hand held sprayer or 20 gallon sprayer on the 4-wheeler?  Don’t lie, we all do it!  Try using a large plastic turkey baster with a pull off rubber bulb. They normally are 8-10” long, 2” in diameter and hold about 2 - 3 ounces. They really work well in sucking out just the right amount of product without spilling anything.  Have a small container of clean rinse water available to rinse out the baster between products.  So easy that it is probably illegal.  Oh yeh, one other thing. Best keep it out of the kitchen. 
 
Green is Going Mainstream
(6-30-07 Wine Spectator, page 59)
 
In California, at least 1,165 vineyards and wineries have assessed the sustainability of their farming practices and are reducing their use of chemical pesticides, according to a 2006 report from the California Sustainable Wine Growing Alliance. These businesses account for 33 % of the state’s 522,000 acres of winegrapes and 53% of its annual production of 273 million cases.  Out of 15,600 planted acres in Oregon in 2006, about 23% were certified sustainable, organic, or biodynamic as of March 31, according to the Oregon Wine Board. This number is expected to reach 33% in 2007.
 
Cool Wine Quotes
 
Wine is a constant proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. - Benjamin Franklin
Both to the rich and poor, wine is the happy antidote for sorrow. - Euripides.
What though youth gave us love and roses, age still leaves us friends and wine. - Thomas Moore
A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine. - Anthelme Brillat Savarin
No thing more excellent nor more valuable than wine was ever granted mankind by God. - Plato
Wine is a civilizing agent. - Clifton Fadiman
A waltz and a glass of wine invite an encore. - Johann Strauss
Wine is bottled poetry. - Robert Louis Stevenson
Eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart. - Ecclesiastes 9:7
Come quickly, I'm drinking stars. - Dom Perignon
Drink no longer water but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake. - St. Paul, 1 Timothy 5:23
I like champagne because it always tastes as though my foot's asleep. - Art Buchwald
Good wine is a good familiar creature if it well used. - Shakespeare
A jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and thou. - Omar Khayyam
 
Taken from Tennessee Wines: http://www.tennesseewines.com/wine_quotes.htm
 
Missouri Now at 71 Wineries
(June, 2007 Missouri Wine Newsletter)
 
Missouri now boasts 71 wineries, up from 64 in May of 2007 according to the June edition of “Missouri Wines Newsletter”.  Subscribe to this free newsletter here: http://www.missouriwine.org/
 
Screw Cap Survey by California Wine Club
(6-26-07 Business Wire, Ventura, CA)
 
The California Wine Club just announced the results of a June survey of its 15,000+ members regarding screw caps.
The  survey showed:
 
            1. 50% viewed wines with screw caps having the same quality as corked wines.
            2. 35% viewed wines with screw caps being of less quality than corked wines.
            3. 2% viewed wine with screw caps as be of higher quality than corked wines.
            4. 10% would not drink wines with screw caps.
            5. 65% would not be disappointed if served a screw capped wine in a restaurant.
 
A 2006 AC Nielson survey showed that U.S. sales of wines with screw caps were up 25% in 2006.  You can learn more about the California Wine Club here: http://www.CAwineclub.com
 
Type “Screw Cap” in Business Wire Search Engine to read article: http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/index.jsp

Neeto-Keeno WWW Stuff
 
            1.Bum Wines: http://www.bumwine.com
            2. Oklahoma Grape Growers list of educational resources. VERY Extensive:
                http://www.oklahomawines.org/edulinks.htm
            3. Spanish Dictionary of Agriculture & Agriculture Mgt. Univ. of CA: Dictionary Search,
                Downloadable Dictionary & Audio Tapes: http://danr.ucop.edu/ag-labor/
            4. Halo Notch Vineyards, 97 acres with 30 acres of vineyards “For Sale” $2mm in Tennessee:
                http://www.halonotch.com/

 
Past issues archived here: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/ag/newsletters/winegrowers.html

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