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April's Contributors F Imed Dami rost protection is a critical issue for wine- grape growers across North America. Imed Dami has been interested in the topic since his days as a graduate student in Colorado. A heavy freeze in Ohio in 2009 gave Dami a great opportunity to run a trial of various prun- ing approaches to see which would help the vines recover most quickly. (See "Pruning Grapevines After Winter Injury" on page 60.) As an associate professor of viticulture in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science at Ohio State University, he has focused on developing commercial production systems to improve fruit quality as well as evaluating grapes new to Ohio to improve quality. The author of numerous papers on var- ious viticultural topics, he served as chairperson of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture-Eastern Section in 2010-11. Jean Jacobson F ermentations "wild" or cultured have their relative weak areas and are not immune to undesired yeasts, acetobacter, lacto and other compromising elements. Author Jean Jacobson says that her years of winery labora- tory work at Kendall-Jackson clearly dictate that early microscopic identification of the interlopers is the key to determining the correct course of action. In her second piece for Wines & Vines, "Upsides of Wild Fermen- tation" (page 34), consulting winemaker Jacobson writes that winemakers should prepare prior to harvest. She recommends re- viewing the off-odor descriptors and the need to smell everything with cellar and laboratory staff. A refresher course in yeast and bacterial microscopic identification is always a plus, she says. Andrew Adams he years he spent working in the cellar gave Wines & Vines staff writer Andrew Adams an intimate understanding of oak alter- natives. From coughing on oak powder while dumping a 50-pound sack into a tank during fermentation to pulling out lees-soaked bags of oak dominos from aging tanks, Adams has T hands-on experience of the many forms of oak. Alternatives have found places in nearly every stage of the winemaking process as the range of oak products and their quality have improved. Adams spoke with a variety of barrel alternative suppliers for his cover story, "Eight Questions About Oak Products " (page 24), to gain a better understanding of what products are on the market and how winemakers can best use them. April's Cover Photographer Patrick Meves captured this month's cover image at barrel alterna- tive supplier Innerstave in Sonoma, Calif. Food-grade nylon is strung through the barrel-length toasted oak staves to hold them in place. When used in a neutral barrel, the oak extraction rates are com- parable to those from a new oak barrel. 4 Wines & Vines APRiL 2012 A Member of Wine Communications Group Inc. EDITORIAL Editor Jim Gordon Managing Editor Kate Lavin Staff Writer Andrew Adams Contributing Editor Jane Firstenfeld Senior Correspondent Paul Franson Northwest Correspondent Peter Mitham Winemaking: Tim Patterson, Clark Smith Grapegrowing: Cliff Ohmart, Glenn T. McGourty Columnists Editors: Hudson Cattell, Linda Jones McKee; Writer: Richard Carey Contributing Writers Wine East Laurie Daniel, Jamie Goode, Chris Stamp, Thomas Ulrich, Wayne Wilcox, Stephen Yafa PUBLISHING President & Publisher Chet Klingensmith Hugh Tietjen Chairman Publishing Consultant Ken Koppel WEST: Jacques Brix, Vice President & Director of Sales (707) 473-0244, jbrix@winesandvines.com ADvERTISING MIDWEST: Hooper Jones Associates Inc. (847) 486-1021, hooperhja@aol.com (215) 794-3442, marshatabb@comcast.net EAST: Marsha Tabb INTERNATIONAL: Dave Bayard (973) 822-9275, dave@bayard.com Advertising Manager Christina Ballinger ADMINISTRATION Publishing Assistant Caroline Shakeshaft CIRCULATION & DATABASE DEvELOPMENT Database Manager Lynne Skinner Circulation Manager Emilee Schumer Circulation Assistant Alia Vander Lind Research Assistant Allison Bowser WEBSITE James Rust, Peter Scarborough DESIGN & PRODUCTION Web Developer Design & Production Manager Bridget Williams Ad Prepress Deborah Roberti Publishing Information Volume 93, Number 4 Wines & Vines, ISSN 043-583X, a member of Wine Communications Group, Sonoma, CA, is published monthly. Periodicals postage paid at San Rafael and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster Send address changes to our publication office: Wines & Vines, 65 Mitchell Blvd., Ste. A, San Rafael, CA 94903 Customer Service (866) 453-9704 • subs@winesandvines.com • www.winesandvines.com Subscription Rates U.S., $38.00; Canada/Mexico, $48.00 All other countries, $85.00 (for airmail add $85.00) Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. Wines & Vines does not assume responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or materials. Contributors are responsible for the proper release of proprietary and/or classified information. Wines & Vines is distributed through an audited circulation.