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Content:
Harvest Time!
OSU Summer Workshops: A success!
Are they Ripe Yet?
Grow Tubes Reminder
Ordering Grape Guide
Vineyard Labor and Management Survey
2005 Grape Price List
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Harvest Time!
By Dr. Imed Dami, OARDC
The harvest season is here and will be in full swing in the next couple of weeks
across the state. We picked Seyval, our earliest variety at OARDC-Wooster, on 14
September with the following fruit composition: Brix = 20.8; pH = 3.16; and TA =
0.99%. In 2004, Seyval was harvested on September 15 with the following numbers:
Brix = 19.8; pH = 3.24; and TA = 0.86%. Even though dates of harvest are about
the same, the cumulative growing-degree-days (or GDD) are about 150 units higher
in 2005 than in 2004. This has resulted in a quick accumulation of sugars but
not so fast for pH increase and TA drop. This trend would likely be observed in
many regions in Ohio since GDD accumulations are running 150-400 higher than
normal (see GDD Table below). The seemingly slow ripening can be attributed to
“above average” frequent hot days (more than 90F) observed this summer. The vine
efficiency for producing carbohydrates slows down at high temperature. Other
extremes of ripening were also observed during our visits to vineyards across
the state (see section below). Some varieties will ripen earlier than normal
due to smaller than normal crop (e.g. because of winter injury); others would
ripen later than normal (e.g. because of overcropped vines).
Fruit quality has been reported from several grape and wine producers to be
“good to excellent”…but let’s not jinx it! Sugar numbers from our research
vineyards are about normal except for pH (lower than normal) and TA (higher than
normal). Let’s hope for “back to normal” ripening period and an extended warm,
dry, and sunny days this fall like in 2004 to produce another vintage year. Have
a great harvest!!
Degree Day Accumulations (Base 50°F) for Ohio Sites 14 Sept 2005
Location Actual Normal
Akron-Canton 2681 2524
Cincinnati 3362 3272
Cleveland 2785 2487
Columbus 3184 2830
Dayton 2969 2916
Kingsville 2508 2308
Mansfield 2617 2503
Norwalk 2729 2473
Piketon 3167 3171
Toledo 2849 2463
Wooster 2751 2343
Youngstown 2465 2290
Source: Ohio Fruit ICM News
OSU Summer Workshops: A success!
By Dr. Imed Dami, OARDC
The Grape-Wine Team at OARDC conducted four workshops including a Field Day
across the state. The objectives of the workshops were: 1) to provide technical
assistance to commercial vineyards and wineries in all major grape growing
regions in Ohio; 2) to encourage growing grapes in Ohio; 3) to educate existing
growers and winemakers on best practices for producing quality fruit and wine;
4) to be exposed to “hands-on” grape growing and winemaking shared by the
producers themselves; and 5) to facilitate networking, information sharing and
interaction among producers in their “own backyard”. The workshops and field day
were a great success with over 150 whom attended these educational programs.
About half who attended are “novices” seeking to start a winery and/or vineyard
business. This is another indication of the continuous and increased interest in
the grape and wine industry in Ohio. We would like to thank our following hosts
for accommodating these programs and sharing their knowledge and experience with
attendees: southern Ohio – Kreso Mikulic (Vinoklet winery); northwest Ohio –
Claudio Salvador (Firelands Winery); northeast Ohio – David Genger (South Ridge
Vineyards) and Arnie Esterer (Markko Vineyards); and central Ohio – the
Guilliams Family (Raven’s Glen Winery). These programs were co-sponsored by the
OSU Department of Horticulture and Crop Science and the Ohio Grape Industries
Committee.
Are They Ripe Yet?
By Dr. Joseph Fiola, University of Maryland
It is critical to properly monitor and assess the fruit characteristics and
maturity to make the appropriate management, harvesting, and winemaking
decisions to produce the best quality grapes and wine possible. The following
is a set of guidelines that will help you optimize fruit quality and give you
the opportunity to make the best possible wine.
· The critical principals here are that high quality wine is the
confluence of fruit derived flavor and aroma components and for red grapes also
the reduction of immature tannins.
· These do not necessarily correspond to desired sugar and acid
ranges.
· The highest priority needs to be the quality and quantity of varietal
aroma/flavor in the fruit.
o Simply stated, to obtain a desired characteristic aroma or flavor in
the wine, it must be present in the grapes at the time of harvest!
o By regular, continuous sampling you will learn through experience the
succession of aromas, flavors and textures that each variety goes through.
o Depending on the degree of ripeness red grape characteristics can range
from green and herbaceous to fruity and jammy.
o Therefore the individual sampling must be diligent to monitor for that
aroma and/or flavor in the sample.
· The next highest priority, especially for red wines, is the texture of
the grape tannins in skin and the seed.
o These quality and quantity of the tannins determine the structure,
body, astringency, bitterness, dryness, and color intensity of the wine. Mature
tannins are critical to the production of quality red wines.
o The degree of ripeness and polymerization of the tannins will determine
the astringency and mouth feel of your wine.
§ This can range from the undesirable, hard and course tannins of
immature grapes, through to the desirable, supple and silky profile of mature
grapes.
· Procedure:
o Select a few random grapes and place them in you mouth.
o Without macerating the skins, gently press the juice out of the berries
and assess the juice for sweetness (front of tongue) and acid (back sides of
your tongue). With experience (and comparison against numbers from lab samples)
you will be able to reasonably "guesstimate" the Brix and TA level of the
grapes.
o Next gently separate the seeds for the skins and spit into your hand.
The color of the seeds gives you a clue to the level of ripeness. Green seeds
are immature, green to tan and tan to brown seeds is maturing, and brown seeds
are mature. Ripe seed tannins are desirable as they are less easily extracted
and more supple on the palette.
o Finally macerate the remaining skins and press them in your cheeks to
assess the ripeness of the skin tannins. You will be able to feel the
astringency (pucker) of the skins. The less intense the astringency the more
ripe the grapes.
§ A good way to practice is to first sample an early grape variety such
as Merlot and then immediately go to a later variety such as Cab Sauvignon, and
you will feel the difference in the astringency and ripeness.
· Of course, other factors must still be considered, such as the total
acidity and pH
o Generally you would like to harvest white grapes in the 3.2-3.4 pH
range and reds in the 3.4-3.5 range, as long as the varietal character is
appropriate as described above. Remember the enologist can do a good job
adjusting acidity but it almost impossible to increase variety character in the
wine.
· Brix or sugar level is good to follow on a relative scale but levels
can greatly vary from vintage to vintage.
o In some years the grapes will be ripe and have great varietal character
at 20 Brix and another year they may still not have ripe varietal character at
23 Brix.
· Disease/Rot - Monitor to see if the grapes are deteriorating do to
fruit rots or berry softening.
· Look at the short and long range forecast.
o If it looks good and the grapes have the ability to ripen further, then
there may be a benefit to letting them hang a bit longer.
o If the tropical storm is on the way
o When grapes are close to optimal ripeness, it is more desirable to
harvest before a significant rainfall than to wait until after the rain and
allow them to build up the sugar again afterwards.
Grow Tubes Reminder
by Dr. Imed Dami, OARDC
If you have not already done so, remove tubes right away! Grow tubes should
not be left this long or over winter as they will hinder the normal hardening
off process the vines go through in the fall and worse, may lead to more cold
injury than “untubed” vines if left through winter…We have advised grape
producers about the use of grow tubes during our workshops.
Ordering Grape Guide
by Dr. Imed Dami, OARDC
As many of you already know, our Team at OARDC has produced a new
publication entitled “Midwest Grape Production Guide” (Extension Bulletin #919).
If you are an Ohio resident, you can order the bulletin from your Local County
Extension Office. In other words, Ohioans don't have to call the Media
Distribution at OSU (only for non-residents). This publication is also now
available on-line at:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/b919/index.html and
http://ohioline.osu.edu/b919/pdf/b919.pdf
Vineyard Labor and Management Survey
by David Marrison, OSU Extension Educator for
Ashtabula County
OSU Extension is currently conducting a state-wide survey of vineyard operations
examining the labor and management needs for the Ohio Grape Industry. This
survey seeks to determine the desired technical and interpersonal relationship
skills desired by employers in the grape industry. The survey also examines the
business management training topics desired by vineyard managers. The results
of this survey will be used to develop labor management programs and curricula
for Ohio’s grape industry.
All vineyard operations in the State of Ohio will be mailed the survey during
the first week of September. Producers who inadvertently do not receive the
survey may contact David Marrison at 440-576-9008 or
Marrison.2@osu.edu to receive a copy.
2005 Grape Price List in NY
By Dr. Imed Dami, OARDC
Attached is a price list of
winegrapes published each year by Dr. Tim Martinson, Extension Viticulture
Specialist in the Finger Lakes (FL) Area in New York. Wineries in the FL are
required by state law to provide prices they would pay for different grape
varieties. This price list is sometimes used as a guide for many Ohio wineries.