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WineEast Cold plateau Vineyard Cold-air drainage 25ºF 30ºF 35ºF 40ºF 35ºF 30ºF 25ºF cess, consider the effects of climatic hazards on quality, economics and the sustainability of the vineyard. Relatively warm air Cold air "ponding" above tree line Illustration of local elevation effects on air drainage. risk assessment must occur. Cool/cold viticulture is always on the razor's edge, and it never takes much to push a vintage into the gut- ter. To be quite frank, the easiest and most prudent vineyard deci- sion is to plant varieties that are fully adaptable to the local climate conditions—those that will survive the winter and ripen in the fall. Many new growers want to make classic European wines, even at great peril. Most do not fully comprehend the dangers those vines will face and the extra effort and expense that will be necessary for them to thrive if, in fact, that is a possibility. For the risk averse, the traditional and new cold-hardy hybrids are the wise and safe choice. Their names are not easily recognizable to the consumers, but they can make very high-quality wines. During the planning pro- GreenHoe_NewAd_1/4_9/22.qxp 9/28/09 9:30 AM Page 1 If at all possible, find other growers in your area who understand the local climate conditions. Unless you are in a well-developed vineyard region like the Niagara Peninsula, North Fork of Long Island or the Fin- ger Lakes, you may not be able to find a nearby grapegrower, so look for a crusty orchard grower who has an intimate understanding of the local conditions and can tell you every frost event in the past 50 years. This kind of information, while anecdotal, can be extremely valuable. There are also excellent viticulture consultants that can help you determine the climate conditions of your site and assist you with the assignment of proper varieties, vineyard design, prevention strategies, etc. I have a general belief that as a wine consumer I would almost always prefer a ripe hybrid wine to an unripe vinifera wine. In many areas where both are planted, winegrowers and consumers are confronted with this choice. Cold-hardy hybrid varieties developed at Cornell University, the University of Minnesota or by adventurous and talented grape breeders such as Elmer Swenson of Wisconsin usually have a shorter growing season and are more disease resis- tant, in addition to their cold hardiness. As a group, the new hybrid varieties—especially the red wines— have a tendency towards high to very high acidity and often some level of what I describe as a "grapey" or native flavor—anywhere from overt to subtle. At the University of Minnesota, Peter Hemstad is breeding red varieties away from high acid and toward more vin- ifera-like character, Marquette being the most recent and notable GREEN GRAPE HOE Specialized Tools For Vineyards Weed Control and In-Row cultivation Basic Hoe comes with a Hillup and a Takeaway Blade. Additional attach- ments include .3 Tooth Cultivator, Undercutter Blade, AS GOOD AS IT GETS. Green Hoe with Rotary Head Attachment Rotary head, "NEW" Rolling Cultivator and "New" Brush Rake for removing trimmings out from under the trellis. 6645 West Main Road Portland, NY 14769 PHONE (716) 792-9433 FAX (716) 792-9434 WWW.GREENHOECOMPANY.COM Natural Corks Champagne Corks Twinline Corks Bartops VISION® G-Cap® Wine Stopper Screw Cap Sales Representatives Chris & Liz Stamp info@lakewoodcork.com Lakewood Cork 4024 State Route 14 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 lakewoodcork.com 607-535-9252 607-535-6656 Fax Wines & Vines AUGUsT 2011 53 TONY WOLF, VIRGINIA TECH