Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/437909
January 2015 Wines&Vines 133 vintage 2014 Pests/diseases: powdery mil- dew and bunch rot pressure was lower than normal, and insect pressure was light—making the overall pest problems lower for the 2014 season. suPPly/demand: the spot mar- ket for non-contracted fruit was soft, and prices were lower for most varieties. teChnology/teChniques: Vineyard developments started in 2014 were primarily redevelopment of existing sites with a more limited amount of new vineyard acreage being added to the area. Challenges: Continued lower rainfall has increased soil salinity, which may have future impacts if not managed. Drought did not im- pact yields as long as water was available for irrigation. Dry-land vineyards, or those with limited water, experienced yield loss com- pared to irrigated sites. nAPA CounTy monica Cooper Farm advisor – viticulture uC Cooperative extension impressions of 2014: early, fast and furious. moderate nighttime temperatures through much of February and march led to early bud break and little spring frost. moderate temperatures during the growing season preceded an early and compressed harvest. some areas suffered infrastructure dam- age from the aug. 24 earthquake; the tectonic shift fractured rock, changed groundwater flows and increased stream flows. Weather: No particular weather issues of note. We continue to monitor long-term impacts of drought. some young vines suf- fered damage during the winter of 2013-14, a result of extremely cold, dry conditions. Pests/diseases: pierce's dis- ease continues to be more widely reported. suPPly/demand: average to above-average crop levels. teChnology/teChniques: surface renewal to measure actual evapotranspiration; experimental testing of unmanned aerial vehi- cles; remote mapping of leafroll disease. Challenges: tank space and labor availability continue to be critical issues. raNDy Caparoso, LoDiWiNe.Com 2014 Silvaspoons Vineyards Verdelho grapes are pressed at St. Jorge Winery. Silvaspoons is located in Lodi's Alta mesa AVA; farmed by Ron Silva, who planted Verdelho from certified cuttings taken from his ancestral home in ilha do Pico (Portuguese Azores).