Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/66137
CO VER S T OR Y (Continued from page 27) "I monitor them from home or in the field and can set parameters for the sys- tem to call me if the temperature drops or is too high." He can also check the water pressure. If pressure drops due to blockage, water running out or pump failure while he's sprinkling to counteract frost, the system notifies him. The company was recently installing a sys- tem that can open sprinkler valves remotely, too. "It beats having a guy driving around or sleeping in his car up in Pope Valley. " The technology is also there to turn on wind machines, but the water provides protection to a lower temperature, so it was implemented first. Goldberg says this allows him to make more informed decisions earlier. "In the past, I often had to turn on the sprinklers earlier than needed to be sure—and be- cause there were so many we couldn't do them all at once," he says. "It saves a ton of water and fuel." Preference for iPad Matt Lamborn of Lamborn Family Vineyards in Angwin, Calif., is also owner of Pacific Geodata (pacgeodata.com), a GPS makes it possible to view vineyard block maps using Meristem's interactive display. mapping and analysis technology com- pany. Not surprisingly, he's a big fan of the technology. Like others who use mapping, he prefers the iPad for these applications. He uses GISroam, a professional iPad-based GIS data-collection and data-use platform to map features of his vineyard to within a few vines. He also uses a smartphone to check weather. "The key to surviving weather is knowledge and prevention. We use tech- nology to assess everything that can be measured: soil, temperature, wind speed, moisture and then use the data to help au- tomate our reaction to weather that best suits the vineyards." In addition, he takes photographs of growth stages of the vine to record bud break at various locations and takes notes using Evernote. One of his new projects is to mark blocks with QR codes for easy identification. Lamborn is putting together a simple database iPhone app for people who don't need comprehensive products like those offered by Premiere Viticulture. It will include management data about blocks and harvest data and will be avail- able at simplevit.com. In addition to smartphone applications aimed at vineyard managers, many are also being developed for cellar applica- tions. Cellarhand combines some viticul- ture applications with others for the cel- lar, for example. It includes features such as a vine density calculator, yield estima- tor and even a biodynamic calculator. From talking to many suppliers of viticulture software, it's apparent that other applications are being developed or modified for use in the field on smart- phones. Who knows how long it will be before you can monitor your crop by squeezing grape juice into a smartphone accessory to read sugar, acid and pH while mapping vineyard progress? Two years ago, we told the world we could replicate the fl avors of a French oak barrel by alternative means. Experts balked, then proved our point in blind tastings, actually choosing our fl avors over those of prestigious French barrels. We didn't stop there. Today we' re offering the tools to recreate fl avor profi les of a whole range of different barrels. Whether they come from France or Kentucky, Hungary or Spain. Never before have winemakers had such a wide array of fl avor controls at their command. ® StaVın Inc, P.O.Box 1693, Sausalito,CA 94966 (415) 331-7849 f (415) 331-0516 stavin.com Wines & Vines JULY 2011 29 © 2010 StaVin Inc.