2016 East Coast Vintage Weather Thread

It’s been a few years so thought I’d try again. Growers, vintners and anybody interested in wines of the eastern United States please feel free to join this conversation.

It has been a very mild winter in the east with above normal temps and very little snow. Although currently we are digging out from our first snow of the year, 26 inches on my farm. And in spite of the mild November and December, January did turn cold with our lowest temp hitting 0 F. Rough pruning is complete and we have just got started fine pruning. All is on hold right now until we can dig out and get back into the vineyards.
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Good to see you here, Jeff! I know that the warm temps really pushed your pruning schedule back.

Two days ago the high reached 56F resulting in some of the snow pack melting. Now it’s 15F and the remaining foot+ is rock solid. Still cannot get to vineyards, 200 feet up and 1/8 of a mile away. 50s are predicted over the next few days so hopefully on Monday we may get back to it. Tomorrow I’m off to C’ville for the annual VVA Winter Technical meeting.

Jeff, good to have you back posting.
Could you please comment on how the last couple of vintages have gone for you, and also about which varietals VA growers seem to be having the most success with?

We had been really warm in Southern Maryland so I hadn’t even started rough pruning of my little hobby vineyard. Now, I still have snow cover keeping me out. No worries yet as it only takes me two weekends to prune everything. After pruning is finished, I was planning to bud over a small section of Syrah that I have not been happy with and having never done this before I have no idea how long this will take so hope that the weather cooperates and I can get the pruning wrapped up in February.

Hi Tom, Sorry for this late reply. Since 2011, we’ve enjoyed a string of good to great vintages. All different from one another, 2012 and 2014 being on the cooler side and 2013 and 2015 being a bit warmer. I have been very pleased. With regards to varietals, Petit Manseng stands out and I believe there is increasing interest in Italian varietals, ones that maintain acids well in warmer conditions.

Jeff, when you say increased interest in Italian varieties you are talking growers and winemakers right? is there growing consumer interest?

I really like the way Aglianico has worked for me. I am planning to bud my Syrah over to more of this. I have to manage canopy for sunburn but it’s fairly rot resistant if it doesn’t sunburn. I had planned to get rid of my barbera due to susceptibility to late season rots, especially after hornet/yellow jacket damage but the past few years have been much better so I am keeping it. Most likely it’s me doing a better canopy management job. The Sangiovese has been somewhat disappointing mainly because it has been so inconsistent and I have in the past ended up with low pH low TA fruit. All three of the above are more prone to downy than any of the other reds I grow and also more prone than most of the whites.

The petit manseng is practically indestructible.

Both but no idea regarding consumer interest.

With a forecast of an arctic blast arriving over this weekend bringing sub-zero temps, we have changed pruning tactics. Now leaving extra long and number of canes plus renewal canes from the base. After event passes will calculate percent bud kill and start again. Possible winter snow storm also in the cards for early next week.

Temps in the coastal plains only got down to high single digits overnight. I don’t expect too much of a problem at those temps. Especially since I pulled my Merlot out at the end of the season. Everthing else has managed these temps before when dormant.

Forecast was off a bit. Good thing. Only got down to 8 F and the winter storm is only 3 inches snow plus some ice/sleet on top. It has been to 0 F this winter so PD has been kiiled or weakened and buds are fine so far.

Pruning wrapping up, only a couple blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon to go. Lots of tying now plus getting an acre of land ready for planting this April. Here is a shot of how we fill out the trellis, cane pruning 23 year old Sauvignon Blanc vines, divided canopy and 8 foot spacing. Glen Manor Vineyards on Instagram: "Cane pruned Sauvignon Blanc. Looks crazy but it works for us."

A few inches of snow overnight. Too early to worry but I don’t want a third straight year of late bud burst.

32F tonight and then 6 days above freezing, low to mid 70’s during the day and 50s and 60s at night. This will move things along. Buds are tight and unless we feel some extended 80’s heat, bud break here is a month and a half off.

Here is a shot of our last snow, a dusting, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Will be planting next month just below the vines on the far left.
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We had 3 straight days above 70 F and more predicted for next week. Some weeping but buds are still tight. Still looks like bud break is a month away. This guy is ready for spring.
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Today working on a new vineyard block and finishing up tying Cabernet Sauvignon. Buds are all still very tight. Snow and 29 F in the weekend forecast.
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I am sure he isn’t ready for hunting season…

I’m seeing bud swell on 2nd leaf chard. Everything else is still tight.

Two shots of our new block, today and yesterday:
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It’s on. The Chardonnay has its first leaves. Only the Viognier seems like it’s even close.