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W i n e s & V i n e s M AY 2 0 1 4 91 WineEast among New York City wine professionals. The goal was to elucidate the effects of cluster thinning on yield components, fruit composition, late-harvest wine quality, financial net returns and willingness to pay among New York wine professionals—and by doing so, to enhance decision-making acuity among wine grape growers using or considering cluster thinning. Vineyard site and experimental design This field experiment was conducted from 2008 to 2010 at a commercial vineyard on the east side of Cayuga Lake in King Ferry, N.Y., in the Finger Lakes AVA, on a soil type classified as Cazenovia series with a silt loam structure (USDA-NRCS soil maps). Vines were Vitis vinifera L. cv. Riesling cl. 239, grafted on 3309C rootstock, planted in 1984 in a north-south row orientation on a west-facing slope, with 4.5-foot spacing between vines and 9 feet between rows. Vines were cane-pruned and trained to the Pendelbogen vertically shoot-positioned system. The cooperating commercial grower managed the vineyard. Three cluster-thinning treatments were applied when berries were pea-sized: low crop (one cluster per shoot), medium crop (1.5 clusters per shoot), and high crop (two clusters per shoot). An additional control treatment (i.e., unthinned) was maintained (two-plus clusters per shoot). Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block with four replicates. Each cluster- thinning treatment was nine vines, with the inner seven used for data collection. In 2008 primary shoots were thinned to 27 per vine, which was the lowest density counted before thinning. In 2009 and 2010, primary shoots were thinned to 36 per vine. Clusters located distally nearest the shoot apex were removed first, and the lowest clusters were left intact. Harvest and yield components Vegetative and yield component data were collected on a per-vine basis. Vines were harvested by hand in consort with the late harvest schedule of the cooperating com- mercial grower: Oct. 29, 2008, Oct. 28, 2009, and Nov. 3, 2010. Yield per vine, total yield and average cluster weights were recorded. In the spring, vines were pruned to three remaining canes with 40 nodes per vine, and the prunings were weighed. Winemaking and basic juice chemistry In 2009 and 2010 grapes from all field replicates were combined with like cluster- thinning treatments and processed on the day of harvest. Grapes from each separate cluster-thinning treatment were whole- cluster pressed in a 40-liter stainless steel hydraulic bladder press. Duplicate 200mL juice samples were collected from each separate cluster-thinning treatment field replicate and frozen at -20°C for later analysis. Pressed juice from the field rep- licates were then combined with their like cluster-thinning treatments, treated with 50mg per liter sulfur dioxide added as po- tassium metabisulfite, and allowed to settle for 12 hours at 4°C. After settling, the juice was racked according to cluster-thinning treatment into duplicate 19-liter glass car- boys. Carboys were chaptalized to 22° Brix if necessary, and juice was inoculated with Sales Representatives Chris & Liz Stamp info@lakewoodcork.com Lakewood Cork 4024 State Route 14 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 lakewoodcork.com 607-535-9252 607-535-6656 Fax Natural Corks Champagne Corks Twinline Corks Bartops VISION ® Wine Stopper G-Cap ® Screw Cap As good As it gets. Wine Packaging by Naylor WPN is a premier supplier to over 2,000 wineries, and wine & spirits shops. Our automatic bottom wine carriers are the perfect sturdy solution for your retail sales! Wine Packaging by Naylor 4138 Vineyard Rd. Stewartstown, PA 17363 (800) 292-3370 sales@naylorwine.com Ask about discounts for Wine America & Ohio Wine Producer members. www.naylorpackaging.com Naylor Wine Cellars is a lifetime member of Wine America, Pennsylvania Wine Assoc., Ohio Wine Producers and the NY Wine & Grape Foundation. WINES & VINES DIGITAL EDITION View this issue on your tablet, smartphone or online at winesandvines. com/digitaledition