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!

French Clonal Tasting Held at the Esquire Grill during Unified Week

January 28th, 2009

Sunridge Nurseries held a private tasting of French clones at the Esquire Grill on Wednesday evening, January 28, 2009, during the annual Unified Symposium in Sacramento. Sunridge collaborated with their partners at IFV (Institut Francais de la Vigne et du Vin) of France in presenting to their invited guests various ENTAV-INRA® wine clones for individual tasting. The General Manager of IFV, Jean-Pierre Van Ruyskenvelde and Engineer/Department Head, Laurent Audeguin, were available to answer questions and explain the nuances of each clone.

Some of the clones poured were Viognier Clone 642 and 1042; Cabernet Franc Clones 214, 394, and 395; Cot Clone 598; Merlot Clone 181; and Petit Verdot Clone 1058. For the first time, guests had the opportunity to taste the new Sunridge exclusive INRA varietals such as Arinarnoa (cross between Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon); Caladoc (cross between Grenanche and Cot) and Marselan (cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache).

Sunridge has a large diversity of clonal material that comes directly from the ENTAV repositories in Domaine de l’Espiguette in France. Each year during Unified, a variety of clones are brought to educate winemakers and vineyard managers about the extensive clonal selections offered by Sunridge.

The room at the Esquire Grill was crowded with animated conversation and diligent note taking by tasters. The always wonderful food prepared by the Esquire Grill was delightfully consumed as well as domestic wines representative of our special guests.

Sunridge and IFV thank all of you who attended and we hope that you left with newly acquired information about the many French clonal selections available at Sunridge Nurseries.

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.

Americans are Discovering the Delightful Tastes of Spain and Portugal

July 10th, 2008

The delightfully full-bodied wines of Spain and Portugal have been prized since the days of the Roman Empire. On the sunny mountains and plains of the Iberian Peninsula, grapes of unique flavor, subtlety and balance have thrived for thousands of years.

The wines being made today from these old-world varieties offer a new world of sensory experiences for wine lovers. Although well-known by connoisseurs, Iberian wines have only recently begun to receive the international acclaim they deserve. American wine-drinkers are just now discovering them, and at Sunridge Nurseries, we want to put you at the leading edge of this rapidly growing trend.

We are proud to offer some of the most interesting and successful indigenous Iberian varieties as a result of our exclusive right to produce and market the proprietary clones of PLANSEL, the leading private Iberian clonal program. Several of these varieties have never before been available in the United States.

The similarity in climate between the Iberian Peninsula and some grape-growing areas of the U.S. makes these clones an ideal choice for growers interested in taking advantage of consumer demand for new and exciting flavors. Our Spanish and Portuguese varieties produce highly-classified, aromatic wines, ideal for blending.

The first eleven Iberian clones have recently been released from quarantine, having been found to be sanitary and clean by Foundation Plant Services at the University of California at Davis. These varieties will be available to Sunridge customers starting in 2008, with more clonal material to be released in the future.

New Trends Rooted in Excellence

May 3rd, 2008

Sunridge Nurseries has devoted the past 30 years to growing and grafting the highest quality grape stock. In our state-of-the-art facilities at the southern tip of California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley, we carefully nurture our vines in phylloxera-free soils and use the most technologically advanced cold storage to guarantee their quality and consistent performance.

We devote ourselves not only to our grape stock, but also to researching wine trends and anticipating future consumer demands. We invest in new varieties that will enable our growers to readily meet their demands and maintain the highest profitability.

With Sunridge Nurseries you receive more than vines of superior quality. Our level of customer service and personalized attention is unsurpassed.

For more information call us at 661.363.8463.