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Mori_Nov05.qxt 9/19/05 3:29 PM Page 1 CO VER s T OR y SUPPLIERS OF QUALITY VIRUS CERTIFIED GRAFTED GRAPEVINES Deadline for Custom Grafted Order For Spring Planting is January of Previous Year For Further Information & Pricing Please Call or Write 1912 Concession 4 GovtLiaison_Dir08 11/29/07 2:00 PM Pag APPROVALS TTB LABEL Low per-label costs Gov't. Liaison Negotiations or Footwork Reasonable Hourly Rates TRADEMARK SEARCHES As Low as $185 Your trade names or designs are searched at the U.S. Patent Office to help establish valuable ownership Over 100 years' total staff experience handling every government liaison need for industry. or avoid costly legal liability. Phone or write for details. Phone: (703) 524-8200 Fax: 525-8451 TOLL-FREE 1-800-642-6564 Major Credit Cards Accepted www.trademarkinfo.com Since 1957 200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 321 Arlington, Virginia 22203 28 Wines & Vines MARCH 201 1 For your nearest dealer, contact: • Tough – holds vines & branches securely to 12, 12-1/2 & 13 gauge wire. • Long-lasting – UV stabilized for resistance to sunlight deterioration. • Reusable. • Available in 2 lengths – 2-1/2" & 3-3/4". • Packaged in lots of 1000. Agfast_Feb08 1/8/08 2:58 PM Page 1 R.R. #2 Niagara-on-the-Lake Ontario, Canada LOS 1J0 Phone: 905-468-0822 Fax: 905-468-0344 training of trellised vines and trees. Lateral tying and BRANCHLOK™ vMech and jumped to 800 acres. In 2007, we bought our fourth machine. (Oxbo now calls it the Korvan 2220.) We think that Merlot is actually better with machine farming. I think that some- times the period of vine overload between berry set and fruit thinning produces a smaller berry size. This only works in the years when fruit thinning is necessary. It is the same concept as deficit irrigation, only the grower doesn't have to deplete the deep moisture in the soil. W&V: What are the advantages to me- chanical farming? "The biggest danger is to thin too much because of lack of data." —Hank Ashby, French Camp Vineyards Ashby: If a grower routinely shoot-thins, leafs and fruit-thins when needed, he can save up to $1,500 per acre. The savings are great, but the most important advantage is the built-in "insurance policy" of hav- ing 200% crop potential until late April (shoot-thinning), then 130% to 140% from April to July (through bloom). There are many things that can happen that we can't control during this time frame. We were able to replace 60 workers with each vMech. The crew of each ma- chine is three operators and two counters for shoot-thinning and fruit-thinning. W&V: What are the downsides? Ashby: To mechanically farm, you must first have a mature vineyard that is fairly uniform. The trellis should be in good condition. It is important to build a history of harvest berry weights. The biggest danger is to thin too much because of lack of data. The damage factor in fruit thinning is also an un- known that only experience can deter- mine. (Damage factor is the amount of fruit that is damaged and will later dry up but looks OK right after thinning.) The variables are variety, thinning equipment and timing. The manufacturer's recom- mendations will help, and money spent on a consultant is money well spent. A resident of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Laurie Toll-Free: 877.552-4828 909.451.2299 • Fax: 909.593-8309 Daniel has been a journalist for more than 25 years. She has been writing about wine for publi- cations for nearly 15 years and has been a Wines & Vines contributor since 2006. To comment on this article, e-mail edit@winesandvines.com.