Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/66152
WineEast can be found that supports small and balanced vines (i.e., well- drained, low-fertility soils and modest, timely rainfall—or lack of it), then lower yields per vine can help to promote and even accelerate fruit maturity. The key is soil moisture, whether it is measured as plant available water or total available water. Getting the vine to change gears from vegetative growth to fruit-ripening mode is tremendously important in all climates, but much more difficult in cool and moist ones. Small to medium vines require soils that are well to excessively well drained and have low to moderate nutrient levels, along with other size-regu- lating features such as soil pH, cation exchange capacity and organic matter. These are the same requirements for fine wine production in warm regions that, at least in theory, should impart similar effects on vine behavior and fruit quality in cool and cold areas. Many vineyards will be planted on soils that do not have optimal drainage or fertility, so other means will be necessary to impose balance on the vines. These may include choice of rootstock, cover crops, vigor diversion methods, severe hedging and divided canopies, to give just a few examples. In warm and dry years vine performance will be manageable, but in cool, wet years, wine qual- ity and cold hardiness will be more difficult to achieve. In cool/cold vine cultivation, growers should plan for the worst conditions and be grateful for the occasional fine vintages. Soil is always at the heart of site selection, but there are many other important secondary considerations that comprise a good site. In selecting a site in a cool to cold region, the grower is attempting Grapegrowing Soil is always at the heart of site selection, but there are many other important secondary considerations that comprise a good site. to lower the risk of a frost or freeze event that will compromise wine quality in any given year, good or bad. If bare soils help with frost prevention, it seems likely that stony soils will assist even further by gathering heat during the day and radiating it at night. The shale soils of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Val- ley may offer this advantage. Other favorable site characteristics include convex landforms, slopes, correct aspect and local and absolute elevation. Among these, local topography may be the most important factor for avoiding frost/freeze, and avoiding low spots in the vineyard may be the single most important feature a grower can seek when selecting a site. Cold air and water accumulate in low-lying areas, and both increase frost/freeze risk and hamper vine acclimation. Even virtually imperceptible depressions in a field can TitanRack_Nov09.qxd 9/29/09 10:50 AM Page 1 Why Pay Freight From California? A DIVISION OF TITAN TUBE FABRICATORS, INC. TITAN-RACK Double Bar Two Barrel Rack Portable Four Barrel Rack Double Bar Steel Barrel Racks From St. Louis Mention this code: BGW11VE to receive 10% OFF entire order! • Move more Barrels, cut handling time • Utilize air space, save floor space • Prevent product damage • Powder coat paint SAVES MONEYin Freight • Central Location Over 30 years of experience in solving material handling needs 5739 NATURAL BRIDGE AVE. ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63120-1696 TELEPHONE (314) 381-2828 FAX (314) 381-5908 1-888-WE-R-RACKS (1-888-937-7225) www.titanrack.com email: komoran@titanrack.com 48 Wines & Vines sePTeMBeR 2011 Removable Center Rack Half Rack Let Our Central Location, ST. LOUIS, Save You BIG Money