2 bud means cutting a young plant down to it's stem and 2 main shoots, which
will become the 2 shoots that are trained in the trellis.

Would like to know our theory on pruning. I have no idea what you are talking about when you mentioned the 2 bud pruning.

*****

I am substituting Elite for Rubigon. They are similar in price but Elite has a broader spectrum of activity. Neither Benlate or Rovral are listed on the sheet but should be available
from the same chemical supplier, Benlate comes in a two pound box and
should run about $18/pound. Rovral comes in a two pound bag for about $22/pound.

**********

Sure I remember you! I'm glad that you are expanding your endeavor. I would stay away from Pinot Noir. There are clonal differences in winter hardiness but still I would rate it as just OK, and I don't think the wine quality will be very good. Syrah on 3309 has done well here and appears to be at least as winter hardy as Cab. Sauv. If you like Italian varieties why not try Dolcetto? It appears to be very cold hardy on the right rootstock. I have some on 5BB which does well and some on 4453 which is nearly all dead. 5BB however tends to make vigorous vines. I am grafting some on 3309 to see what happens. SO4 might be a good choice also. It ripens more or less with Cab. Sauv. Also TRUE Gamay Noir might be worth trying. I have Espiguette 282 here on 3309. It tends to be low on vigor with large crops. It is somewhat susceptible to downy mildew but is relatively cold hardy. Might actually be better on some more vigorous rootstock (SO4 or 5BB or even 110R.) It ripens with Riesling after Chardonnay and before Cab. Franc.

Kendall Jackson nursery came through with nice plants at a fair ($3.15) price. They still have small quantities of Syrah 877 (a hot clone) on 3309 as well as others. Call Ernie Bowman at KJ if you are interested, 707 836 2021.

Ron,

I hope your growing season is going great. Say, I recently bought 10 acres! I was wondering if you have had any luck with Pinot Noir. I read that the Geneva clone is very winter hardy!

According to the chart below the short growing season may be attractive to us. What do you think?

Also, how is your Syrah doing? Did it make it through the winter ok?

Also, the 1. (r) - red variety (w) - white variety (a) - American (h) -hybrid (v) -vinifera
2. Vinifera vines should be grafted onto phylloxera resistant rootstocks unless grown in very sandy (80+%) soil. American & hybrid vines can be grown on their own roots. (However; Chambourcin & Seyval Blanc will benefit from being grafted).

Region Sub-I: HSU: <1700 Growing season: <130 days
Cultivars: Espirit (wh), La Cross (wh), St. Croix (ra), St. Pepin (wh), Swenson Red (rh)

Region IA: HSU: 1700-2150 Growing season 131-150 days
Cultivars:Aurore (wh), Delaware (wa), Cayuga White (wh), Léon Millot (rh), Maréchal Foch (rh)

Region IB: HSU: 2151-2600 Growing Season 151-170 days
Cultivars: Chardonnay (wv), Niagara (wa), Seyval Blanc (wh), Vignoles (wh), White Riesling (wv), Vidal Blanc (wh), Baco Noir (rh), Chelois (rh), Concord (ra), Gamay Noir (rv), Pinot Noir (rv)

Region II: HSU: 2601-3050 Growing Season 171-185 days
Cultivars: Pinot Gris (wv), Pinot Blanc (wv), Sauvignon Blanc (wv), Semillon (wv), Chardonel (wh), Gewurztraminer (wv), Norton (ra), Limberger (rv), Pinot Meunier (rv), Cabernet Sauvignon (rv), Cabernet Franc (rv), Chambourcin (rh)

Region III: HSU: 3051-3500 Growing season 186-215 days
Cultivars: Chenin Blanc (wv), St. Emilion (wv), Roussanne (wv), Viognier (wv), Grenache (rv), Malbec (rv), Merlot (rv), Petite Sirah (rv), Sangiovese (rv), Zinfandel (rv), Syrah (rv), Barbera (rv)

Region IV: HSU: 3501+ Growing season 216+ days
Cultivars: Burger (wv), Colombard (wv), Malvasia Bianca (wv), Mission (rav), Nebbiolo (rv), Ruby Cabernet (rvh),Carignane (rv)

***********

You should have already sprayed your graftings with the blend identified in
the paper. Be sure and soak the hell out of everything including the soil. I
use the blend to literally water the plants and sprayed twice with 4 gallons
each time. Give me a call about the spray program for your established
vineyard.

Subject: Grafting away

Ron: When do you spray the the newly grafted plants with the fungicide?
I need to purchase the spray material. Are you using the same as you
suggested in the papers you handed out at the Short Course or did you change
it? The first spray of the year is coming up in a couple of weeks. What
are you going to use? You discussed several different options. Currently
most of my vineyard consists of French Hybrids and some American varieties.
The only vinifera in the ground is the Riesling I have. Any suggestions
would be a great help.
The May 10 spray consists of:

Elite 45 DF
Manzate 200 DF or Dithane
Sulfur DF
Solubor
Nufilm P

My thinking would be to spray all of the French Hybrids and American
plants with this mix with the sulfur left out. I'll add the sulfur to spray
the Rieslings.

**********

Yes it's too hot for Pinot Noir, here there and everywhere in the state of Ohio.

Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 4 or Number 337 would work. 337 has better credentials and I have both if you're interested in some budwood. I don't think it has been cold enough here yet to destroy too many buds of Cabernet, but then I haven't checked recently. It's only been 1 above here.

Finally found your messages, and I'll print down and 1) see about a Leonard Order and 2) think about the winery plans.

If I get serious about field grafting, I'd either like to do the Cabernet Sauvignon #4 or #337, or an appropriate Pinot Noir Clone.

Got one or two you'd suggest?

**************

I'm just now getting organized after returning Tuesday night. It was good to
talk and compare notes. I was impressed with both Mueller tanks (expensive!)
and Independent Stave/World Cooperage. I think we will be sourcing most if
not all of our barrels from them. Their best (Boswell) barrel) is
attractive, well built and evenly toasted. Their standard barrel is not so
good and variable in quality. They have a new toasting technique which is
standard on Boswell and available on the standard barrel. My opinion: it's
worth the money.

If you need some budwood in the future let me know. I checked the vineyard
Wednesday for winter damage and everything except for Sauvignon Blanc looked
OK... even the Merlot. Sauvignon Blanc is a loser. Petit Verdot looked
better than Cabernet Sauvignon and Roussane seemed OK. There probably will be
surprises after budbreak so the jury will remain out.


Ron:
Nice meeting you this weekend. I cannot wait to plant some Syrah in the
next few years as a shore up some land for planting. Let's keep in touch.

************

3309 and 101-14 are crosses between Riparia and Rupestris species. SO4 is a cross between Riparia and Berlanderi (sp). To some degree the offspring assume the characteristics of their parents. SO4, though a slow starter tends to be more vigorous than 3309 and higher in Potassium uptake. The thing is... some varieties seem to like one family of rootstocks over another and to complicate things further, some combination though happily grafted will not do well on a certain soil or under particular climatic conditions. So what is one to do? You could start your own rootstock trials and do everyone in your area a service. (Why don't universities do this?) or make a SWAG (Scientific Wild Ass Guess). Dolcetto does well on 5BB, but is high in vigor. 5bb generally confers greater vigor than SO4. SO4 is in the same family as 5BB. So why not try SO4? Fairly simplistic of course. SO4 could work for you better than 3309 for other reasons. Higher lime tolerance, a different nematode resistance profile, etc. Who knows? I guess you are on the viticultural frontier here. Check out Pongracz, D.P. Rootstocks for Grapevines, available from the Wine Appreciation Guild and others for $30 and change.

***********

You might want to check with BFG in Xenia for soil mix. Phone 1-800-883-5234. I'm going to try Fafard mix 1P this year

*****

My Viognier doesn't look as good as I initially thought. Lots of bud damage. So it's problematical. Zinfandel is a loser from so many perspectives it's not worth consideration. 10% Viognier co-fermented with Syrah is supposed to improve color and aromatics. Hard to believe.

CO2 is too soluble in wine. N2 is much better. If you fill the barrel with water, then purge it of water with N2, then fill it with wine while maintaining a positive pressure of N2 you can keep the wine indefinitely.

*********************

I am a new grape grower and was wondering if there are any local co-op's that are in this area that could give some good guidance about soil/fertilizing/pest control in this area. I planted 25 Chardonnay SO4 vines this May. They are doing beautifully, although I have had a problem with a fungus and some beetles. I was able to get some help from the vineyard where I purchased the vines, I was wondering if there was any such group in this area. We are also new to the Cincinnati Area.

*******************

*****

I found your web page interesting. After years of appreciating wine, we
decided to start a small private vineyard for our own consumption. The past
few years we have volunteered at Slate Run Vineyard, near Canal Winchester,
Ohio, but we are still quite green. I am writing to you now because of the
location of your vineyard. We planted our micro vineyard in Gallia County,
Ohio (near Rio Grande) and about 10 miles from the Ohio River. From your
pics, it appears that you might have experienced some of the same problems.
We have about 200 vines, a variety pack of vinifera, including Syrah and
Dolcetto, and we are in our second year.
This years blight has been Black Rot. What are you using? Captan seems to
work, but not well enough. Can you offer tips?

I think black rot will be a problem every year independent of variety. Try using Nova, or better Elite 45DF with Captan or earlier in the season Manzate 200DF. Use a sticker to keep the Captan and Manzate on the foliage. Elite and Nova are locally systemic and don’t wash off. You will need to purchase (if you haven’t already) a small airblast sprayer for your tractor (about $2900). Another option is the power assisted backpack sprayer made by Solo. The larger version is the one you need and it sells for something less than $1000. Hope you have strong backs!

Good luck with your endeavor. Dolcetto looks very promising here. In fact this looks like red wine country. We are going crazy trying to build a winery and will have to custom crush in Akron, but at least we will have wine.

Some time this winter we want to get all the new growers together to consume wine and compare notes. There are seven or eight fledgling vineyards starting up in southern Ohio. Almost all are growing vinifera.

Call Mike Hacker at Royster-Clark, 1-800-333-7944, 161 Railroad Rd., Midland, OH 45148 for farm chemicals. He is informed and willing to get orchard and vineyard products for you at a fair price.

For solo sprayer call: Amy Preuss, A.M. Leonard Co. 1-888-558-8665 X124

For air blast sprayer (Rears 50 gl. pak-blast) call Kurt Ackerman, Geo. F. Ackerman Co. (419) 836-7735

********************

August 27, 2001

Question:

I have ordered the following from Double A Vineyards:

500 Cabernet Franc Clone 1 on 3309

100 Chardonnay Clone 96 on 3309

50 Syrah 877 Clone on 101-14

What are your thoughts?

Answer:

Clone 1 Cab. F. is definitely subpar. Herman Wiemar has CF332/3309 available which is much better. I think Chardonnay, for many reasons, is a loser in the Midwest. Syrah could benefit from being on 101-14, but my experience and research at Michigan State seems to indicate more winter damage on 101-14 than on 3309. By the way, it’s a buyers market now in nursery stock. Outstanding vines from Ernie Bowman at K-J cost only $3.15 each + shipping in 100 quantities.

**********************

September 18, 2001

Question:

What about Macrophoma Rot in Kentucky. It is listed as being a problem mainly with Muscadine grapes in the Compendium of Grape Diseases and can be controlled with mancozeb sprays.

Answer:

There IS cause to be concerned, macrophoma or not. I have the compendium. The symptoms match and as for control I suspect we really don’t know. I guess that’s the point. We are all facing this problem to one extent or another. I am not satisfied that this is just some amorphous “ripe rot” complex. It is too distinct and well defined for that. In science, there are always answers if you look deeply enough. I don’t have the time but I still hope to find someone with the time and intellectual curiosity to figure this out.

October 19, 2001

Question:

How did the Syrah do this season? I was going to plan 877 on 110.

Answer:

My only reservation with Syrah right now is a relatively high K level in the wines and some shriveling in the grapes which may be common. 110R may not be a good choice because of its high vigor and late maturities. 3309 is likely better.

***************

I was pleased to find your site today.  I have recently purchased 11 acres near Canal Winchester, OH (about 4 miles from Slate Run Vineyard).  I started started getting bit by the vineyard/winemaking bug about 10 years ago and now have a chance to pursue it.  I'm interested in getting vines established and in the short term selling most of the grapes while I reserve enough fruit to learn wine making.  Eventually, I would like to turn my 3200 sq ft barn into a production/storage facility and make it a business.

That said, I'm reading everything I can find and speaking to Keith at Slate Run about how to get started.  I have an endless list of questions.  Hopefully you can help lead me in the right direction (another person's experience can't hurt).

1. Who should I contact about site selection and soil preparation? Can OSU extension help here?
2. Slate Run has offered to let me order vines with him and recommends chardonnel (I think that's what he's getting). I want to make sure that I start with a variety that isn't going to cause too much pain.  Do you have recommendations?
3.  Does trellis construction depend on the variety I choose?

Answer:

Thanks for your note. Could you research the soil type and characteristics of the spot where you want to grow grapes?

Grapes are not like raspberries. They need a trunk and arms like a tree;
plus unlike a tree they need a trellis (usually wire) to hold them up. Check
your library for a book by Cox (Grape Growing). Also publications are
available from OSU (O.K.) and Michigan State University (excellent).