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VINT A GE 2011 Logistics: Some wineries worked overtime to free up tanks for the new vintage or bought more tanks. Varieties: Nicely balanced wines, particularly whites. karel Bush Promotion specialist, Michigan Grape & Wine Industry Council mISSouRI Across the state, crop size was near or slightly below normal in 2011. Some areas in the western part of the state experienced a reduction due to severe winter temperatures in early February. Ripening conditions in the post-veraison period were near ideal with sunny, dry and moderate to warm temperatures, resulting in excellent quality and a somewhat early harvest. Weather: The early season was characterized by frequent heavy rains and flooding in many parts of the state. The season turned very dry and hot leading into veraison. Temperatures moderated post-veraison. Pests/Diseases: Spring disease pressure was high, particularly for phomopsis and black rot. Powdery mildew pressure also was high. Supply/Demand: Grape prices overall have remained fairly steady for the past few years. Demand was improved from 2010, with most growers selling their fruit. Varieties: All major varieties performed well in 2011. Andy Allen Grapes are harvested to create ice wine for Suttons Bay, mich.-based Black Star Farms, which also makes pear and cherry dessert wines. partially due to 10 days of very warm weather in early October. Weather: Cool weather early in the season, but lots of sun in July and August. Warm weather in early October led to sub- stantial Brix increases at a critical time. A frost-free October also helped. Supply/Demand: Demand continues to increase. Because of low yields in 2010, wineries had a hard time meeting demand; very high quantities in 2011 should help offset this. Mercier_Jan11.qxp 11/11/10 6:40 PM Page 1 Extension associate for viticulture, University of Missouri neW mexICo The 2011 harvest proceeded without any unusual challenges. The lack of a sufficient monsoon season prolonged the already severe drought but led to a swift harvest. Compared with 2010, yields were down between 50% and 70%, with some areas hav- ing a complete crop failure due to a cold spell in February and several late frost events after bud break. Weather: Unusually low temperatures during the third week of February caused significant damage in the otherwise mild grow- ing areas in southern New Mexico. Late frosts caused additional damage and reduced yields. for ASSOCIATIONS General Suppliers Search Online USA West Coast Contact: Ken Deis 707.567.5711 mercierbarrels@gmail.com Pacific Northwest: Bruce Felix 503.419.7942 info@pacificwinemaking.com USA East Coast: Doug Moorhead 814.725.1314 doug@piwine.com QSEE US AT UNIFIED, BOOTH #928 126 Wines & Vines JAnUARY 2012 ONLINE SEARCH QSEE US AT UNIFIED, BOOTHS #430 & 818 Associations Facilities Finance IT Solutions Publications Safety Sales & Marketing WWW.WINESANDVINESBUYERSGUIDE.COM DAVID L. FOX