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VINTAGE 2013 Powdery mildew was mostly absent. Vineyards experienced very little fruit rots. Supply/demand: Grape supply and demand seems to be in good balance in most areas, however there are some shortages of high-quality vinifera grapes in southeastern Pennsylvania. Technology/techniques: Wineries enlisted more use of sorting technologies on the crush pad than in years past. Logistics: Labor availability is always a problem in eastern vineyards. Varieties: White hybrid and vinifera wine quality should be excellent. Reds mostly succeeded, but some were affected by storms Oct. 11-12. Mark Chien Viticulture educator, Penn State University This report and similar harvest reports for the 2012 and 2011 vintages can be found in the digital editions of Wines & Vines available at winesandvines.com/digitaledition. Virginia The state experienced excellent ripening weather for early to mid-season ripening grape varieties, but a prolonged coastal storm affected some late-hanging varieties. Cool ripening temperatures allowed for nice acid retention across varieties. A mid-May frost, high incidence of late-season bunch-stem necrosis and elevated rates of vertebrate animal feeding in vineyards limited yields in a year when demand for fruit was very high. Weather: Bud break was around the third week of April in the northern Shenandoah Valley (Chardonnay). March and April were cooler than average; June and July were wetter than average, and September and October were drier than average except for the four-day period of rain Oct. 10-13. Pests/diseases: Our 17-year periodical cicadas appeared in much of the northern Piedmont. Damage to young vines was pronounced in the midst of training trunks and cordons and with some cane pruned vineyards. GrapeParts4Less.com Supply/demand: Virginia growers experienced very high demand for fruit due to continued growth of the Virginia wine industry. Technology/techniques: More and more Virginia vineyards are exploring the advantages of allowing grasses to grow beneath the trellis, and the Virginia Vineyards Association summer technical meeting focused on steep-terrain grapegrowing, as more vineyards in the state are planted on slopes up to 30%. Logistics: Labor availability was quite tight, especially before and after a large rain event in early October. Varieties: A cooler ripening period allowed most varieties to ripen adequately while retaining more acidity than typical for Virginia. Perhaps the most common recurring complaint heard this season was the depredation caused by vertebrate animals, particularly birds, raccoons and even bear. Tremain Hatch Viticulture research/extension associate, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Fine Wine Begins With Mueller ® Paying Too Much For Picking Rods? Established in 1940, Paul Mueller Company designs and manufactures stainless steel processing equipment reflecting the superb craftsmanship and strict attention to detail that make our products the most desired among today's prominent winemakers. • Fermentation, storage, champagne, dejuicing, and pomace removal tanks • Premiere stainless-steel wine barrels • Accu-Therm® plate heat exchangers • Temp-Plate® heat transfer surface • Integrated and modular systems • Falling film chillers • Field fabrication • Process piping • Custom design Now You Have A Low Cost Source! GrapeParts4Less.com supplies quality American made picking rods, closures, and parts for all major grape harvester brands. Call 559-277-7382 or visit our website. Mastercard or VISA accepted. Se habla Espaňol. Call us at 1-800-MUELLER or e-mail sales@paulmueller.com for all your winemaking needs! GrapeParts4Less.com Your Low Cost Source For Quality Harvester Parts ©2013 Paul Mueller Company See us at Unified booth #913 GP4L_W&V_April_2012.indd 1 See us at Unified booth #1301 2/27/12 11:59 AM 380-8 Win es & Vin es ja n ua ry 20 14 131