Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/66152
WineEast the hazards of frost and freeze, growers face yet another viticultural conundrum: early bud break and risk of frost vs. the benefits of a longer growing season. Active frost prevention measures such as overhead sprinklers and wind machines are, quite frankly, too expensive for most of our small vineyards, and they only work effectively under certain condi- tions. Recent research in Ontario has demonstrated the ability of wind machines to prevent both frost and freeze damage, and they have become the active protection measure of choice. Helicopters utilize the same principle of mixing warm air with cold, but growers have told me that it is hard to find pilots who are reliable and will- ing to fly at night. However, if a skilled and reliable service can be found, this can be a great tool against frost and freeze events. When considering the expense of active measures, use the value of the grapes and/or wine against the cost of the equipment or service. In our region, we usually have only one or two serious frost nights and likewise for winter freeze events—of course, it only takes one to ruin a season. Soils and soil moisture Avoiding excess soil moisture (i.e., rainfall) at critical times of the growing season (such as shortly before and after veraison) can be as important as dodging frost and freeze conditions. Areas that receive less rainfall are highly desirable, and it may be possible to find these by careful study of historical climate data and examination of physiographic features. It's not a science yet in the wine industry, Waterloo_Nov10.qxp 8/26/10 11:36 AM Page 1 Spyglass Ridge Vineyards in the Central Susquehanna Valley boasts shallow, well-drained soils. but hopefully improvements in mapping ideal winegrowing climate areas is in our future. If vine size and balance are important to successful winegrow- ing in cool and cold climates, then soils, too, must be important. Thirty years in viticulture have proven to me that from the Mosel to Alsace, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Piedmont and elsewhere, small vine viticulture produces the best wines—reds in particular. This is a controversial topic, but I would generally observe that if a terroir Wines & Vines sePTeMBeR 2011 47 AUDREYJM529/FLICKR