Wines & Vines

128 WINES&VINES Collector's Edition VINTAGE 2018 growers reporting zero fungicide applications even for highly sus- ceptible varieties. The 2018 vintage will most likely turn out to be the biggest harvest ever in Colorado. Winery demand for grapes was strong but supply much higher. A very significant amount of grapes were left hang- ing on the vines, especially Ries- ling. Overall grape prices appear to be unchanged from 2017. Very good yields meant large surplus for certain varieties, especially Riesling and many cold-hardy (aka hybrid) varieties. Other varieties with surplus production include Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Syrah, Viognier, and many others. Extreme, even exceptional, drought conditions led to early water restrictions in parts of the main grape growing areas. Some growers lost irrigation water as early as June. Nevertheless, im- pact on vine growth, yield, and fruit quality appears to have been mini- mal. Labor availability continues to be a major issue. INDIANA Ohio River Valley, Indiana Uplands AVA Bruce Bordelon Professor of viticulture Purdue University Overall, the harvest was good across the state and region. Yields were up, and quality overall was excellent. It was a warm growing season in the Midwest, and that led to a full crop of high-quality fruit. The winter was relatively cold in the northern part of the region, with temperatures as low as -20° F. That caused some bud damage to tender varieties, so growers had to adjust pruning to compen- sate for losses. The spring started slow with a cool April, but May brought record heat and vines grew rapidly. Fruit set was excel- lent due to warm temperatures. Summer was hotter and drier than normal. But beginning the last week of August, measurable rain fell statewide for six weeks. That created issues with diluted flavors and fruit rots on thin-skinned vari- eties. A very warm September and October allowed late-ripening reds to fully ripen by harvest. A very warm spring and drier- than-normal summer resulted in very low disease pressure, but Japanese beetles were extremely bad this year, similar to 2017. There was more late-season downy and powdery mildew this year than normal due to late-sea- son rainfall. Sour rot and ripe rot were not uncommon due to har- vest season rains. We are seeing more occurrences of trunk dis- eases across the region, which is a concern for growers. Widespread planting of herbicide- tolerant row crops, especially di- camba-tolerant soybeans, is leading to widespread herbicide drift. This a major concern for spe- cialty-crop growers, as they anx- iously await EPA's decision on registration for 2019. Labor also continues to be a major concern for all specialty-crop growers. Many are turning to mechanization out of necessity. Demand for locally grown fruit far outpaces supply in the Midwest. More acres are needed of all varieties. IOWA Michael L. White Viticulture specialist Iowa State University The Iowa grape harvest was nor- mal, but with some poor quality due to heavy rainfall in the eastern and northern parts of the state. Eastern and northern parts of Iowa had very high rainfall during the summer, causing disease and pest problems, specifically Japanese beetles and spotted-wing dro- sophila (fruit flies) during harvest. Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates Market Intelligence for the Wine Industry · The Gomberg-Fredrikson Report: Put your business in context with wine industry market trends. · WineData Wine Pricing Report: Make competitive price positioning comparisons. · Distributor Market Service: Gain a competitive advantage by analyzing the wholesale market www.gfawine.com • 707.940.3922 • inquiry@gfawine.com We perform extensive market research and data collection to create the wine industry's leading databases and reports. Our reports reflect real-world factors and provide business leaders consistent information on which to base decisions.

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