What to Know Before You Plant

March 5th, 2010

Whether you’re planting acres of vineyards or a few vines in your backyard, there are simple tests and checks that will ensure you select the right vines for your project. It‘s all about site analysis. The more you know, the more your vines will thrive.

The French call it terroir, pronounced “ter-whah”.   Terroir is a way of describing the unique aspects of a place that influences and shapes the wine made from it.

Here’s what you need to consider when assessing your site - Soil, Sun, and Water

• Soil - What type of soil will you be planting in?
• Soil types
• Loam
• Clay
• Sandy
• Rocky
• Combination
• Water holding capacity and drainage
• Soil fertility

How to:  It can be as simple as digging down 12 to 24 inches, putting a soil sample in a plastic bag, and sending it to a soils laboratory for analysis. Sunridge can recommend several excellent soils labs.

Sun exposure - how much sun, shade, wind affects your site

• Full or partial sun
• Shade
• Wind

How to:  Take an account of your site - the trees on the property, how tree roots might affect your planting site, how much wind your site is exposed to.

Water - what’s in it influences the success of your vines

• Chemistry - nutrient levels

How to: Pour approximately 12 ounces of water in a bottle or jar and take it to a water analysis laboratory or your local water agency. Important things to test for are boron and iron levels which can be toxic to your vines.

Once you’ve learned more about the soil, sun, and water at your site, you can now make educated decisions about what to plant. The result will be healthy, vigorous grape vines.

Did you know? Why mustard and roses?

• The mustard seed plants you see blooming in the vineyards are there to help add vital supplements to the soil.
• Roses planted at the end of the vine rows are there to give early warning of mildew problems.

Grapevine Rootstocks for Oregon Vineyards

February 10th, 2010

If you are considering a vineyard planting in any of the number of Oregon American Viticultural Areas/Appellations, it is best recommended that a rootstock be considered in your planning.  Rootstocks are one of the most important ways grape growers can better manage for a variety of vineyard problems and improve quality.  Grape rootstocks contribute to pest and disease resistance including phylloxera and resistance to other soil-borne pests, such as nematodes.  Furthermore, the use of rootstocks can help lessen vineyard problems due to soil conditions such as pH extremes, excess salt and nutrients.  They can also improve adaptability to local climatic conditions such as shortened growing seasons, drought and excessively cool or hot growing conditions.

Important Rootstock Considerations

• Phylloxera resistance – Rootstocks are most commonly used to prevent soil pests or diseases, the most important being phylloxera and nematodes.
• Soil Adaption - Rootstocks are selected for their adaptation to particular soil and climate conditions.
• Drought Tolerance – Drought tolerance is an important consideration if irrigation will not be used.
• Modified Vigor –Choosing a rootstock that has the ability to modify the vigor of the scion is an important option.
• Advanced Maturity – The use of rootstocks on fruit ripening is of interest in cool-climate regions such as Oregon.

Rootstock Selections
The following are proven rootstocks in Oregon and perform well under our weather, soil and environmental conditions.

101-14 Mgt

• Vitis Parentage – Riparia x rupestris
• Phylloxera Resistance - High
• Nematode Resistance
  • Root Knot – Medium to High
  • Dagger – Medium to High
  • Ring - High
• Tolerance
  • Drought – Low to Medium
  • Wet Soil - Medium
  • Salinity - High
  • Lime – Low to Medium
• Influence on Scion
  • Vigor – Medium

Comments – Second most used rootstock in Oregon, requires deep soil, moist clay soils, tolerates wet soils, induces low yield-to-pruning ratios, not recommended for dry nonirrigated sites.

3309 C

• Vitis Parentage – Riparia x rupestris
• Phylloxera Resistance - High
• Nematode Resistance
  • Root Knot – Low
  • Dagger – Low
  • Ring – Very Low
• Tolerance
  • Drought – Low to Medium
  • Wet Soil –Low to Medium
  • Salinity – Low to Medium
  • Lime – Low to Medium
• Influence on Scion
  • Vigor – Low to Medium

Comments – Most widely used rootstock in Oregon, prefers deep, well-drained soil with good water-holding capacity, vines on this rootstock tend to over-crop, not recommended for dry nonirrigated sites, sensitive to latent viruses, tolerant of cold injury.

Riparia gloire

• Vitis Parentage – Riparia
• Phylloxera Resistance – Very High
• Nematode Resistance
  • Root Knot – Low
  • Dagger – Low
  • Ring - Low
• Tolerance
  • Drought – Low
  • Wet Soil –Low
  • Salinity – Medium
  • Lime – Low
• Influence on Scion
  • Vigor – Very Low to Medium

Comments – Third most used rootstock in Oregon prefers deep, well-drained, fertile and moist soils, good choice for fertile sites where low yields are desired, not recommended for dry nonirrigated sites, early maturation, scions tend to overbear.

Sunridge Nurseries announces its new Deep Root Green Pot

May 11th, 2009

Sunridge Nurseries is proud to announce its new Deep Root Green Pot. This pot, the largest in the grapevine industry at a volume of 946 cc, was first introduced at the Unified Wine Symposium in Sacramento. The Deep Root Green Pot has almost double the volume of any other green growing potted grapevine available. Green vine quality never looked so good.

This pot promotes proper root orientation, allowing the roots to descend to the bottom of the pot in a straight fashion. The ribs in the side of the pot point the roots downward towards the large opening at the bottom of the pot, which allows for “air pruning.” This process encourages the basal roots to branch  repeatedly, and prevents root balling at the bottom. Sunridge believes that the downward orientation of the roots promote the plant to excel after  field planting. Roots are not tangled or competing, so the natural downward growth continues uninhibited. The resulting root structure in an established vineyard becomes mechanically strong and stable. Sunridge, the leader  in the industry, believes that growers are looking for a healthy, viable plant that will grow fast and be easy to maintain after planting. This new product line should fill or exceed all of your requirements. After all, you only have one chance to get it right the first time, and here it is!

Jeff Koligian - Independent Viticulture Consultant

January 6th, 2009

PASO ROBLES, California

Jeff Koligian, a well-respected and experienced viticulturalist, announces his launching as an independent viticulture consultant. Jeff specializes in the selection and planting of grapevine nursery stock and the development and maintenance of vineyards.

As a third generation grape grower in California, Jeff comes from a long tradition of viticulture—starting in his family vineyard at five years old, he has been around vineyards all his life. He graduated from California State University, Fresno in 1978 with a degree in Agriculture and emphasis in Viticulture. After graduation, he operated a 640-acre vineyard in Madera. His career then moved him to Monterey County, where he eventually worked his way up to become a vineyard manager with responsibilities covering 4,200 acres of wine grapes. Several large coastal wineries have hired Jeff as their vineyard manager and key grower relations representative.

For the last twelve years, Jeff was employed by Sunridge Nurseries Inc., most recently as their grapevine technical advisor. Throughout the years, he has been an expert witness relating to grapevines and vineyard development. As Jeff explains, “After spending the first part of my career making a living by managing thousands of acres of vineyards, I have learned the importance of good vine performance. I have seen over 15 million vines planted in a broad spectrum of conditions, which gives me tremendous knowledge to recommend exactly the right plants and conditions for your vineyards.”

Jeff is well known in the industry as a graduate of the California Agricultural Leadership Program, President of the Monterey Country Grape Growers’ Association, Board Member of the Paso Robles Area Quality Alliance, Co-Chair of the Industry Advisory Board, and President of the Central Coast Ag. Task Force. With his own personal vineyard, Jeff has achieved excellent success and balance in planting all types of vines. He is currently running a grapevine performance trial on the vineyard that he owns and operates.

Jeff, with his professionalism and experience, will be a welcomed authority in advising both new plantings and as a “grapevine troubleshooter” for the industry.

Sunridge Managers Visit IFV in France

October 1st, 2008

Sunridge’s relationship with IFV (ENTAV)* goes back to early 1995, when the idea of bringing ENTAV-INRA® clones to the United States marketplace was first discussed. Over the past thirteen years, this relationship has grown and now these special clones are on the forefront of demand from the wine industry.

Both entities continually strive to share information and technical support. Each year, IFV sends technicians—experts in their fields—to check on the mother blocks of ENTAV-INRA® clones at Sunridge. We frequently have internationally renowned ampelographers, like Jean-Michel Boursiquot, and wine grape specialists, such as Laurent Audeguin and Christophe Schneider, come to California to walk our blocks, share technical data, and visit our customers.

In an effort to strengthen our education of the current French industry, as well as IFV’s current clonal selections, Sunridge also sends its representatives to France. In the past, both Glen and Craig Stoller frequently made visits. This year, Sunridge’s General Manager, Steve Maniaci, and Sales Manager, Butch McKinley, visited IFV’s repository and laboratories in Domaine de l’Espiquette, in southern France’s Montpellier region. They learned about the newest clonal selections and the on-going, extensive testing of all clones that pass through IFV’s selection process. Technical information regarding Sunridge’s current available clones was shared and future selections were considered.
Sunridge is always searching for improved and better choices for its customers. We consistently improve our knowledge of our product so we can share it with our clients. Our strong affiliation with France’s highest authority on wines and vines brings to you, our customer, the most state-of-the-art products.

*The French Vine and Wine Institute (IFV – Institut Francais de la Vigne et du Vin) is the result of the 2007 merger of two French national government organizations: ENTAV and ITV France. The French Ministry for Agriculture and Fisheries declared that this Institute would conduct studies of the entire French wine industry regarding the selection of grape plant material and protection in their repository, vine growing, vineyard management, wine making and marketing. IFV conducts its research on its experimental sites established in all the French wine regions.