Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/74662
VINT A GE 2010 Pests/Diseases: Disease pressure was high all season, with pow- dery mildew in particular being problematic with some cultivars, but crop health overall was good. Supply/Demand: Grape prices in Missouri have remained rela- tively stable for most varieties over the past few years, as has demand. Andy Allen Extension viticulturist, University of Missouri NEW MEXICO With harvest finishing in late October in the northern part of the state, New Mexico growers can look back on another success- ful year. The production of grapes increased approximately 10% over the record crops of 2009. This increase is due to good 2010 yields and new vineyards coming into production. Most expan- sion in acreage in previous years has taken place in southern counties. Weather: Vineyards throughout the state were in good condi- tion at the beginning of the 2010 growing season. Harvest was delayed two to three weeks due to cooler spring temperatures and strong spring winds. Supply/Demand: Demand for grapes from the wineries was weak. Price pressure increased partly due to good crop yields in neigh- boring states. Varieties: The interest in Mediterranean red varieties continues. Winemakers have shown renewed interest in Chenin Blanc and produce fresh, crisp wines. Bernd Maier Viticulture extension specialist, Cooperative Extension Service OHIO Statewide, this was Ohio's best growing season in decades. Summer was especially hot and dry, with the Ohio River Val- ley reporting near-drought conditions. Elsewhere, moisture was adequate. Yields were thinned by a spring frost. The result was exceptionally high sugars, even in reds, which is unusual for our cool-climate region. Whites such as Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris showed excellent character. ZAP 20 Wines & Vines Ad_hiR1.pdfPage 1 9/24/10 11:40:57 AM JANUARY 27 – 29 SAN FRANCISCO PROUDLY SPONSORED BY Weather: The spring frost wreaked havoc in some marginal growing areas, but the long summer made for fully mature fruit development in the best sites. Pests/Diseases: With the unusually dry season, expenses for vine- yard disease protection were down 15%-20% for most growers. Supply/Demand: Yield was low for native variety growers, who lost as much as 80%-90% of their crop due to spring frosts. Even in the best vinifera sites, tonnage was off 15%-20%. Tools/Techniques: In the Grand River Valley, wind machines are ever more visible. Statewide, all new plantings are tiled each row, and clonal selection to match sites is critical. Logistics: It was an exceptional year with few vineyard chal- lenges beyond the normal. Varieties: The biggest challenge: More Ohio fruit planted to meet an exploding consumer demand for locally grown wines. Our wineries saw record traffic in 2010. Donniella Winchell Executive director, Ohio Wine Producers Association OKLAHOMA Professor Andrew Snyder, president of OGGWMA reported a record crop for all varieties. Dr. Eric Stafne of Oklahoma State University reported, "Spring rains contributed to some poor pollination, but this was not evident in all cultivars. Very hot temperatures, especially hot night temperatures, led to uneven ripening in many red cultivars. Brix levels ran higher than nor- mal due to the hot weather." Weather: Oklahoma had a cool, gradual warm-up that held back early bud break, with no late frost. There was abundant spring precipitation. Summer was hot, with no meaningful precipitation July through October. Pests/Diseases: Fungal disease pressure was very high. Anthra- cnose, black rot and downy mildew were all worse than normal. Supply/Demand: The Aug. 17 Oklahoman reported that 20%- 25% of the grape crop would probably be left on the vine due to poor sales. Varieties: Merlot, Shiraz, Malbec, Sangiovese and Cab Franc were mediocre to poor. Chambourcin, Cynthiana and Chardonel were good performers. Harry Flynn, Ph.D. Secretary, Oklahoma Grape Growers and Wine Makers Association TEXAS ZINFANDEL AD VOCATES & PRODUCERS TICKETS 530.274.4900 ZINFANDEL.ORG ZINFANDEL FESTIVAL 102 Wines & Vines JAnUARY 2011 Banner year due to new bearing acreage and absence of bad weather. Pre-harvest estimates projected a near-record of 8,900 tons, a 44% increase over 2009, but that appears conservative. Good to excellent yields on most varieties, fruit quality gener- ally good to very good. Sugar accumulation excellent, but pH sometimes higher than desired. High Plains reds developed their typical deep color. Weather: The long, cool winter delayed bud break 10-14 days, avoiding frost injury. Excellent weather during bloom led to heavy fruit set; hail damage nearly nonexistent. Ripening and harvest conditions were very good. Supply/Demand: Grape prices remained strong while the big crop met winery demand for the first time in several years.