Wines & Vines

130 WINES&VINES Collector's Edition burst (about 10 days later than his- torical average) and no spring frost. Summer was really hot but humid, and after veraison there was a lot of rain. The disease pressure was high. This was likely due to large and powerful storms (rain and wind) in late August through mid-September, which likely damaged the berries and provided excellent conditions for fungal dis- ease (powdery mildew, downy mil- dew, botrytis and sour rot). Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot suf- fered the most; Merlot and Cabernet did better. MINNESOTA Annie Klodd Extension educator University of Minnesota Extension Growers and winemakers I sur- veyed were generally satisfied with Brix, pH and TA for most of their varieties this year. Quantity was below average and variable throughout the state. The saying I heard repeatedly was: "Quantity was low, but quality was high." Bud break started two weeks late due to an April 15 blizzard and 9 to 22 inches of snow across southern Minnesota. Temperatures quickly rose and remained high through July, so we had high growing de- gree day accumulation going into veraison, which started July 29 in central Minnesota. We had two major rain events during harvest, with a period of hot temperatures sandwiched between. In the south- west, we had precipitation 50% to 75% above average overall, includ- ing several heavy rain and hail events in June, July and Septem- ber (during peak of harvest). South- central and southeast regions had average precipitation until veraison. Then heavy rain in September, one to two weeks before ripening for critical varieties like Marquette and Frontenac, caused substantial splitting, berry shatter, bunch rot and berry shrivel. This led to sub- stantial yield losses for some grow- ers and resulted in overall precipitation to rise to 25% above average for the southeast. Bunch rots (botrytis and sour rot) and downy and powdery mildew appeared to have the largest impact this season. I also observed a sig- nificant amount of phomopsis and anthracnose lesions, but they did not have a notable impact on yield. Flea beetles were heavy during bud break, and Japanese beetles were severe in some parts of the state. Spotted-wing drosophila is wide- spread throughout the state, but it is not believed that they have a large impact on intact clusters. We cautioned growers to spray for dro- sophila after rain events to reduce their impact on split berries, since they can contribute to sour rot and other off flavors. Starting in 2016, we have been dealing with reports of bunch stem necrosis in Mar- quette, but I have also observed it less frequently in other varieties in- cluding Prairie Star and Frontenac Gris. We are starting to study grapevine trunk diseases, and one of our major goals is to determine the extent to which trunk disease is contributing to cordon decline, which is a common cause of lost yield in Minnesota. MISSOURI Dean S. Volenberg Viticulture and winery operations extension specialist University of Missouri Grape and Wine Institute In Missouri, grape quality was ex- cellent for all cultivars, including Vignoles, Norton, Chambourcin and others. Depending on location in the state, yield was average or below. Lower yields in some areas are attributed to extended drought periods. This year, Missouri experi- enced one of the coldest Aprils on record. This resulted in delayed bud break, 10 to 14 days on aver- age later than normal. Record-high temperatures occurred at the be- ginning of May. Bud break for most cultivars occurred near May 1, and bloom occurred three weeks later. Degree day accumulation was sim- ilar to 2017, which is greater than the 30-year average. Fungal diseases were depressed when high heat (temperatures greater than 90° F) occurred and VINTAGE 2018 You know how good your Zinfandel is... Promote your wines to leading Zinfandel enthusiasts and extend your winery's relationship in the market. JoinUs! We are champions of Zinfandel— America's Heritage Wine Become part of our proud legacy zinfandel.org • 530-274-4900 Zinfandel Advocates & Producers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. ZAP is dedicated to advancing public knowledge of and appreciation for American Zinfandel and its unique place in our culture and history. Oak Barrels, Barrel Alternatives & Amphorae (707) 257-3582 • sales@bouchardcooperages.com www.bouchardcooperages.com Celebrating 40 Years of Serving the Wine Industry

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