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86 WINES&VINES May 2018 GRAPEGROWING WINE EAST which lowers the rate of accumula- tion or distribution of fixed carbon would have a detrimental effect on primary bud hardiness. 8 This has important implications for viticul- tural management in cool-cold growing regions. Nurture As viticulturists, we nurture grapevines to achieve desired eco- nomic results: consistent annual yield and desired fruit quality. In cool climates, nurture requires that viticulture be utilized to fully express the cultivar's genome for all the vine hardiness factors. Cool-climate viticulture is a cul- ture of limits, and economic suc- cess will depend upon the degree to which these limits may be ame- liorated or eliminated through our choices as viticulturists. One seldom mentioned valu- able choice is rejection. Once a choice is made, it must stand up to continued evaluation and if lack- ing, be rejected. Some of these nurture components are within the control of the viticulturist, and some are not. In the Great Lakes Region, variation in growing sea- son length, growing degree days (GDD) accumulation, and precipi- tation amount and timing, differ annually. While these are not within our control, they may be ameliorated. An important question for the viticulturist seeking to maximize the expression of innate levels of cold hardiness is: "when do vegeta- tive tissues and next season's buds ascend to apex sink status?" Since the fruiting cluster is the apex sink for most of the growing season, it is crucial that the vegetative tissue not inadequately compete with the cluster for available assimilate. If there is one term that under- pins successful viticulture, it is "balance." Various authors, begin- ning with M. Louis Ravaz in 1911 and more recently Richard Smart in 1985 and Stan Howell and R.P. Smithyman in 1998 have dis- cussed concepts of balance. Those discussions have focused on vine cropping, vegetative growth, and fruit composition and quality. The concept of balance may be effec- tively applied to many aspects of viticulture. The following is a list- ing of decisions which must be made both before and after plant- ing, along with a comment regard- ing the impacts of each on vine expression of genes for cold hardiness. 1. Site selection: A potential grower must become aware of the abiotic limits for a specific loca- tion. Most important are macro- and meso-climates. Site selection is an especially important issue for regions where freeze damage is an annual concern. 2. Cultivar selection: The process of choosing cultivars for a particu- lar site must first consider the site selection. Annual winter tempera- tures of -35° C, occasionally expe- rienced in cool-climate growing regions, limit the available variet- ies to those which are cold-resis- tant, and can withstand such conditions. In addition, the root- stock selected must consider a given cultivar's susceptibility to phylloxera, and ability to achieve desired vine vegetative vigor. The time frame of ripening for a cultivar should also be considered. Late bud-burst and late ripening cultivars are often required in cool- climate regions to avoid late spring frost damage, but often require low cropping levels, which may lead to greater canopy vigor and growth. Resulting canopy shading can delay fruit ripening, increase disease in- cidence and decrease bud and cane wintering quality. The parameters necessary for survival of many cultivars have been established and researched, including growing season length, variability of length and GDD. The desire to plant a given cultivar, then, requires extensive measure- ments and knowledge about the capabilities of a site selection re- garding these parameters. 3. Vine spacing and training system: The space given between vines, width between rows, and training system utilized all have an impact on sun exposure and productivity. Numerous variations exist between the three which can lead to differences in leaf expo- sure within a canopy. These are also critical components of the yield/unit land area and the berry CULTIVAR COLD HARDINESS LEVELS Cultivar (Vinifera) Temperature °F/°C Cultivar (Hybrids) Temperature °F/°C Muscat Ottonel -6°/-20° Traminette -20°/-28° Merlot -9°/-21° Vidal Blanc -22°/-30° Pinot Gris -10°/-23° Chardonel -22°/-30° Pinot Noir -10°/-23° Chambourcin -23°/-30° Sauvignon Blanc -10°/-23° Seyval -23°/-30° Gewürztraminer -12°/-24° Vignoles -26°/-32° Chardonnay -13°/-25° Frontenac -35°/-37° Riesling -14°/-25° Frontenac Gris -35°/-37° Cabernet Franc -17°/-27° Marquette -35°/-37° Approximate warmest temperature where 80-100% primary bud kill may be expected to occur in midwinter. (Elaborated from Wine Grape Production Guide for Eastern North America. 2008. T. Wolf et al. and Zabadal T., Sabbatini P., Elsner D., 2008. Wine Grape Varieties for Michigan and Other Cold Climate Viticultural Regions. MSU Extension Bulletin CD-007.) EASTERN WINE LABS Serving the Analytical needs of East Coast Wineries WWW.EASTERNWINELABS.COM Ph 609-859-4302 Cell 609-668-2854 chemist@easternwinelabs.com AOAC Member EasternWineLab_Mar09.qxp 1/22/09 9:47 AM Page 1 Basic Hoe comes with a Hillup and a Takeaway Blade. Additional attachments include .3 Tooth Cultivator, Undercutter Blade, Rotary head, " NEW " Rolling Cultivator and "Vine Auger". The Green Hoe Company, Inc. 6645 West Main Road, Portland, NY 14769 PHONE (716) 792-9433 FAX (716) 792-9434 WWW.GREENHOECOMPANY.COM GREEN GRAPE HOE