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CALIFORNIA San Joaquin County���Sonoma County VINTAGE 2012 four days above 100�� and minimums 6��8�� below average. Pest/Diseases: Some elevated powdery mildew pressure was identified in scattered locations. Mites came very late and light. Vine mealybug is under control; no European grapevine moths were trapped, but light brown apple moth is spreading. Supply/demand: Prices are up for white cultivars as well as reds grapes Zinfandel, Cabernet and Merlot. There is increased interest in Muscat types and for Mediterranean selections. New contracts offered. Technology/techniques: Some harvesters used LED lighting technology. One local winery used flash detente. Growers are showing interest in high-wire cordon for machine-pruned vines and solar energy. Logistics: Regulatory costs are way up. Labor supply was OK this year, while fuel and most input costs were up. Varieties: Lodi is receiving recognition for quality and value fruit. Wines are competitive with more visitors coming to the area. Growers and wineries show a need for higher yield and/or lower costs at same quality. An opportunity for Tasting Room Suppliers Paul Verdegaal Farm advisor, University of California Cooperative Extension San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties Growers report about average yields with good quality; some exceptions include sunburned/raisined fruit as a consequence of very hot summer/fall weather episodes. Relatively little spring frost damage and minimal fall rot damage as little heavy rain fell prior to the bulk of harvest being completed. Weather: Winter was very dry initially, with later spring rains. Summer and early fall were characterized by some extremely hot weather. Sunburned/raisined fruit was a significant problem in some vineyards. Pests/diseases: Mildew pressure was lower than in the past two wet years; there were few problems with botrytis as fall was relatively dry. Supply/demand: The region has significant new vineyard plantings going in, particularly in the Paso Robles area. Logistics: Irrigation water supply was a concern after the dry winter, and labor is still tight. Mark Battany Farm advisor, University of California Cooperative Extension Sonoma County A new eNewsletter from Wines & Vines: Tasting Room Focus Sell to your target audience Contact us for more details (866) 453-9701 ��� winesandvines.com SEE US AT UNIFIED, BOOTH #430 106 W in es & V i ne s JANUARY 20 13 It would be difficult to have a better year. Moderate temperatures at bloom resulted in greater fruit set. Consistent mild to warm days without a serious heat spike during early ripening produced heavier clusters. Cluster thinning happened more than once in many blocks. Pinot Noir had larger crop loads everywhere���even in very cool areas. Cabernet Sauvignon yields were back up to average. Higher yields delayed the start of harvest for many growers, but favorable weather allowed everything to reach maturity targets. Weather: Most of the county had mild daytime temperatures in August and September with cool nights. A brief warm up in the last week of September, peaking Oct. 1, caused a harvest surge that filled winery tanks again. Some areas received more than an inch of rain starting Oct. 21. The last 20% of the crop came in during the three weeks that followed, with daily high temperatures in the 60��s and 70��s. Pests/diseases: Foliar diseases were a non-issue. No European grapevine moths were trapped, and the quarantine should be removed next year except within three miles of Napa County. SEE US AT UNIFIED, BOOTH #1030 u