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January 2018 WINES&VINES 75 VINTAGE 2017 HoytShepston_Monthly09 10/31/08 4:44 PM Life is simpler when it's just BOTTLES BARRELS & BOOTS ( ( ENJOY 10% OFF WITH CODE WV12 WWW.REDBACKBOOTS.COM ( 8 7 7 ) 9 0 5 - B O O T C A L L U S T O O U T F I T YO U R C R E W NEW MEXICO Gill Giese, Ph.D. Extension viticulture specialist New Mexico State University Early harvested varieties in the northern growing regions yielded good to excellent crops with good acidity. Some vineyards experienced frost damage early, although they were able to harvest some second- ary crop. Yields in the southern por- tion of the state were a bit smaller relative to 2016, although overall quality was good with some isolated incidence of bunch rot in minimally managed canopies. February was unusually warm with relatively early bud break, followed by more than a week of 100° F days in June, shortly after berry set, and the slightly hotter temperatures per- sisted throughout the season. Some growers north of Albuquerque were hit with spring frosts and later by isolated hail storms. However, weather at harvest was, for the most part, unusually dry both north and south (July and August are consid- ered "monsoon" season in New Mexico), making for ideal picking conditions. Rains continued late and hampered harvest in some late-rip- ening varieties, but it did not bring hail that is common in many years. Overall, there was increased inci- dence of bunch rot and some pow- dery mildew exacerbated by higher than average precipitation, but in- sect pressure was not an issue. Grape prices were unchanged or a bit lower than the previous year, with demand stable. Overall yields were down with a few exceptions. Some growers used a new scale device to weigh grapes early in the harvest process in order to stream- line tank space allocation logistics. Some growers installed and used weather stations to better inform harvest decisions and organize labor earlier to ensure adequate help. There were no major issues getting pickers, as most picking occurred after August, when most of the de- mand for chili pickers was fading out. Many larger plantings increas- ingly utilized machine harvest. Al- though irrigation water was plentiful, it required constant treatment. Spring frost caused some damage, especially with early budding variet- ies such as Chardonnay, although secondary crops were substantial. Nematodes continue to be a threat, causing reductions in vine health and yields. TEXAS Texas High Plains AVA, Texas Hill Country AVA and Texoma AVA Ed Hellman Professor of viticulture Texas Tech University The 2017 Texas wine grape harvest set a new record, although precise numbers are not yet available. Fa- vorable weather and new vineyard acreage, especially on the Texas High Plains, combined to produce the record crop. All regions es- caped spring frost damage, and good weather during bloom cre- ated large crop potential. A few vineyards on the Texas High Plains had yield reductions from a sum- mer hail storm, and some vine- yards experienced bunch rot following rain during harvest. But ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° Demand for grapes was high in most areas of the state. Some vineyards experienced extreme herbicide drift that re- sulted in reduced yields. Dean S. Volenberg Viticulture and winery operations extension specialist University of Missouri Grape and Wine Institute