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70 WINES&VINES March 2017 GRAPEGROWING WINE EAST 251 Gambee Road, Geneva, NY 14456 Phone: 315-759-2118 Toll free: 888-234-6752 Fax: 315-789-1848 Email: cjennings@vancemetal.com Website: www.vancemetal.com Quality Rugged 12 gauge, Custom & Stock Stainless Tanks Catwalk Systems • Pump Over Carts • Custom Hoppers, Chutes & Bins PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA DAILY WINE INDUSTRY NEWS winesandvines.com clip the catch wires between each vine to ensure that the shoots don't cross over into the next vine's area, which could cause un- wanted shade for the growing zone. Troxell added that due to its more aggressive growth, Clone 1 usually requires more mechanical hedging to remove lateral growth than 376. In 2016, Clone 1 was hedged two more times than 376. The timing of the hedging is deter- mined by the presence of birds. The vineyard is directly in the path of bird migrations, and the Sauvignon Blanc is completely netted over the entire vine as soon as some sweetness develops, and certainly by véraison, which ends hedging practices for the season. Troxell and her crew roll up the netting as they hand-pick the fruit and let it drop to the ground; nets are mechanically removed all at once following harvest. Bedell usually hand-picks the white cultivars, since the winemaker, Richard Olsen-Harbich, likes to ferment that fruit as whole cluster. She esti- mated the soon-to-be-picked Sauvignon Blanc would yield 3-4 tons per acre, near or slightly above its normal yield. As with a number of cool-climate white varieties, the biggest thing to watch for when growing Sauvignon Blanc in New York is the high potential for botrytis or any kind of bunch rot, according to Troxell. The tighter fruit clus- ters need more maintenance, such as leaf re- moval to encourage good air circulation and looser clusters. Beyond that, however, Troxell thinks that Sauvignon Blanc is well suited for Long Island. "It wants to grow very upright, which makes the canopy management easier, requiring less labor," she said. Based on the time she has spent in vineyards in France and on Long Island, Troxell said she sees striking similarities from the maritime influences. Winemaking: The winery, which produces about 12,000 cases annually, began producing Sauvignon Blanc as a varietal wine in 2013 (previously it was used only in blends). Olsen- Harbich has worked with this grape on Long Island since 1984, and said, "I felt like it needed its own voice here." He emphasized that clonal selection is very important at Bedell, as they want to produce the highest quality fruit pos- sible given their climate and terroir. Olsen-Harbich mentioned that their blend of Sauvignon Blanc clones gives them both a green grass, more acidic character combined with a riper, more tropical fruit style, which he prefers. "My inspiration for Sauvignon Blanc here is more Sancerre-like, looking at those wines as what the quintessential result can be, growing it properly," he said. He noted that his style is not overtly grassy but crisp, with lime and citrus tones leading to tropical character. Bedell Cellars covers its Sauvignon Blanc with nets to protect grapes from migratory birds.