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VINTAGE 2013 Pests/diseases: Rain during bloom and set caused early botrytis infections in vinifera varieties. Dry weather at harvest kept rots from getting really ugly. June and July lost crops. The majority of the industry controlled those early problems, however, and had top-quality grapes to harvest. Supply/demand: Yields in labrusca varieties were some of the highest in years. Most growers had above-average crops across varieties. Some fruit didn't find homes. Weather: The exceptional weather in September and October turned this vintage around, and growers that were once pessimistic are now anticipating wonderful wines from the 2013 vintage. For growers in New Jersey, this year resembles 1978 in Bordeaux, which was characterized as "the miracle year" by wine writer Harry Waugh due to its rocky start and wonderful wines. Technology/techniques: Some Concord growers with very heavy crops employed mechanical thinning to reduce vine stress and improve sugar levels at harvest. Logistics: High yields had many wineries scrambling for tank space. Hans Walter-Peterson Viticulture extension specialist, Cornell University New Jersey The long, warm fall turned the 2013 vintage into an exceptional one in New Jersey. Quantities were down a little due to poor fruit set in some cases, and some small producers that weren't on top of their sprays during the rainy period in Pests/diseases: Spotted wing drosophila is being monitored, and its effect on grapes in New Jersey is being evaluated. Supply/demand: Grape prices are up with many wineries looking for grapes. Sales are brisk, and vineyard development is being encouraged. Varieties: New Jersey is testing many grape varieties in its vineyards. Viognier, Barbera, Tempranillo and some of the Portuguese varieties are doing very well. Gary C. Pavlis Professor, Rutgers University North Carolina The 2013 growing season started and finished late. Cool weather delayed bloom. Final quality was generally good. Color on most red varieties was excellent. Harvest was three to four weeks late due to cool weather. Weather: Most of the state received annual rainfall totals by mid-July. There were few cloud-free days between bud break and Sept. 1. September was the saving grace for those who still had fruit. Pests/diseases: Botrytis found on pea-size Chardonnay berries. Vitis vinifera growers who did not spray at shortened intervals had no leaves and/or crop by season's end. Supply/demand: It was no problem selling grapes of reasonable quality in 2013. There was a shortage of Muscadine grapes. Challenges: There were reports of some vine death due to water-logged vines. Varieties: Getting into vineyards to maintain good spray coverage was challenging. Sara Spayd Extension viticulture specialist, North Carolina State University When you need regulatory guidance or licensing assistance anywhere in the USA Trust the experts COMPLIANCE SERVICE of AMERICA www.csa-compliance.com 800-400-1353 Daily wine industry news at winesandvines.com See us at Unified booth #2006 Win es & Vin es ja n ua ry 20 14 129