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86 WINES&VINES April 2015 GRAPEGROWING WINE EAST EASTERN WINE LABS Serving the Analytical needs of East Coast Wineries WWW.EASTERNWINELABS.COM Ph 609-859-4302 Cell 609-668-2854 chemist@easternwinelabs.com AOAC Member EasternWineLab_Mar09.qxp 1/22/09 9:47 AM Page 1 Trellis Supplies • Notched Metal Post, Wood • Anchors • Wire • Tools • Gripples • Dura-Line Training & Tying Supplies •Tree-fix • Wire ties • AgLoc • Klip-on • Grow Tubes • Training Stakes • Tying Products Wildlife Control • Bird netting • Side Applied Netting • BirdGard • Scare Devices • Deer Fence & Deterrents Spring Pruning and Tying Supplies FINGER LAKES TRELLIS SUPPLY BUY ONLINE! www.fingerlakestrellissupply.com 315-904-4007 4041A Railroad Ave. info@fingerlakestrellissupply.com Williamson, NY 14589 Excellent for spraying: VINEYARDS, vegetables, orchards, nurseries, Christmas trees, mosquitoes, cattle, chicken houses, etc. Low Maintenance High Performance Motor Models available S a l es C om pa n y – Mist Sprayers – References available in your area American Made We offer a complete line of low volume mist blowers. For free brochure contact: Swihart Sales Co. 7240 County Road AA, Quinter, KS 67752 785-754-3513 or 800-864-4595 www.swihart-sales.com noted that the latter has not been necessary with the east-west rows, while the north-south plantings have required thinning. One differ- ence is in the amount of buds left: The east- west vines have six buds on the flat cane, with two buds spurred, while the north-south have eight buds plus two, resulting in more fruit that has to be thinned at times. "Site selection is critical with a moderate- to late-ripening varietal such as Cabernet Franc. You need to be on a warmer site," Mer- warth said. The lessons learned about sites, planting density, trellising and vineyard ori- entation will be employed in the future, as Merwarth expects to add another 5-7 acres of Cabernet Franc, using more of Clones 214 and 623 to balance the amount of 327. At another site further north, he also will use more east- west plantings. Regarding harvest parameters, he said, "I don't look at numbers, I go strictly on taste. In the Magdalena vineyard blocks we have very good consistency," which usually allows Merwarth to harvest from row to row without timing considerations. However, he has found the western end of the east-west plant- ing to have occasional disease pressure, along with somewhat heavier leaf density, and the fruit can exhibit some green charac- ter. If faced with this, he will have these grapes picked before the rest. The grapes are hand picked: All 74 acres were hand picked in 2014, and 96% in 2013. This has changed over the years, as machine picking was done 80% of the time before 2006. The vineyard has a 15-person crew that works year-round, thanks to the winery's nursery business, which sells 275,000-300,000 plants annually. Merwarth believes that crew consistency is a key to the vineyard's ability to grow fine wine grapes. Having the same people pick, plant, trellis and maintain the vines provides a type of "ownership" in the vineyard. Granted, this is a luxury not often afforded by wineries in the region. While Cabernet Franc is grown throughout the Finger Lakes, not just along Seneca Lake, those entrusted with the task of producing a consistent, quality red vinifera wine are learn- ing what clones to plant, where to plant them, how to trellis and maintain the vines, and when to harvest the grapes. Cabernet Franc's history in the Finger Lakes is not a long one, but it is likely to become a bright one. WE Ray Pompilio has been writing about the Finger Lakes wine industry for more than 25 years. He lives in Ithaca, N.Y.