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June 2016 WINES&VINES 63 WINE EAST GRAPEGROWING & Winery in Albertville—were given approval to conduct field trials. Plantings began in the spring of 2014, initially with 502-10 (red Chardonnay) and 501-12 (Syrah). Each vineyard planted 150 vines of each type. White Oak also began planting 502-20 (a white Chardonnay) in spring 2015. Most of the vines (at 87.5% vinifera) received in 2015 were sent to Vintage Nurseries in Wasco, Calif., for propagation, and in March of 2016 White Oak planted 1,200 vines each of Walker's PD-resis- tant grapes 501-12 (Syrah), 502-10 (red Char- donnay) and 502-20 (Chardonnay). We will follow up with 0505-35 (Cabernet Sauvignon) and 502-38 (a red Chardonnay) in spring 2017. These new PD-resistant wine grapes produce wines that are of exceptional quality and, from our point of view, will make almost all of the Mun- son and Florida hybrids obsolete. The wines pro- duced from the PD-resistant grapes in Alabama have been very good, with little to no herbaceous or foxy characteristics. The one wine grape that looks like it will be a real superstar is 502-10. White Oak made a dry rosé (502-10) that proved to have "beautiful light pink color…strawberry notes, smooth, well-balanced, with a great acid/ sugar balance and a long elegant finish." Vineyard establishment The establishment of PD-resistant vinifera wine grapes is now under way in Alabama. The table "PD-Resistant Grapes at White Oak Vineyards" shows the selections that have been planted since 2014 and are projected through 2017. We have not planted 502-01 (which is planted at the Chil- ton County Experiment Station) because it was one of our least favorite of the resistant grapes. The photo of the two rows of Dog Ridge vines at White Oak Vineyard (above right) documents that they do not have powdery or downy mil- dew, although disease pressure was very high during the summers of 2014 and 2015. These vines will be T-grafted with 502-20 this spring. The vines on the left are in their second leaf, while the ones on the right are in their fourth leaf and are slightly smaller due to trellising. The trellis will be a divided VSP, meaning the fruit wire will be at 34 inches, the first catch wire divided 12 inches at 46 inches, the second catch wire divided 12 inches at 60 inches and finally the top catch wire divided 20 inches at 76 inches high, with four catch wires—two on each side— to hold the canes. White Oak has been experimenting with trellising to try to accommodate vine vigor. If the vines tend to have excess vigor, then they get plenty of canopy room. The rows are spaced at 11 feet, and vines are spaced 7 feet apart. When the canes exit the top wires at 76 inches, they grow at least 2 feet before they start to look down. Once they begin to look down, vigor begins to slow. There are also at least 5-foot canes and lots of leaf area to ripen up the fruit. White Oak also removes all laterals MERCIER BARRELS www.piwine.com • 800-488-7492 Presque Isle Wine Cellars is the exclusive representative for Tonnellerie Mercier French Oak Barrels in Eastern U.S., Ontario and Texas. Mercier Barrels are artisanal in quality but not in price, with customized options to preserve your terroir and enhance the quality of your wine. We use Mercier Barrels for our own wines and You Can Taste the Difference. WINEMAKING SUPPLIES FROM AWARD-WINNING WINEMAKERS SINCE 1964 CALL RANDY BRANCH AT 814- 725-1314 X 209 TO CUSTOMIZE YOUR BARRELS AND DISCOVER THE MERCIER ADVANTAGE. Vines on Dog Ridge rootstock will be T-grafted with 502-20, a PD-resistant grapevine.