AI in the vineyard: AIn’t it worth the pricetag?
Not all data is useful, but some is… Two years ago, I wrote an article on AI in the vineyard for WBM. Feel free to read that article here…if you want. Otherwise, my basic argument was that although AI will eventually play a role in how we farm grapes, it’s a long way off compared […]
Why you should be irrigating right now…even with the rain
Why you should be irrigating right now…even with the rain Hear me out Up and down the California Coast, we got some rain last week. Up North, places got around 1.3” with up to 2” closer to the ocean. Down south in Paso Robles, we’re looking similar numbers of between 1.5” and 2”. So, one […]
2025: a year in review
An optimal vintage for whoever is buying If this year is defined by a singular emotion, it’s anxiety. That’s nothing new in farming, however I’m talking about anxiety over the abysmal grape market rather than any natural phenomenon. Many of us were so busy scrambling for buyers, we may have forgotten to notice just how […]
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire
Let’s look at some maps Last week I was in the middle of writing a post about how great this year was turning out. I thought, just as long as growers can avoid something disastrous, this could be a great vintage. Within 24 hours, the Pickett fire grew from a small blaze north of Calistoga […]
White wine takes center stage
Growing high quality white winegrapes The conversations I have about quality tend to focus on red wine. This is especially true in California, where Napa Cabs have historically garnered high prices, followed up by Coastal Pinot noirs and red Rhones. Honestly, in most places I’ve been where the climate allows for ripening red grapes, the […]
Direct measurement of evapotranspiration (ET)
Who (or what) is this eddy you keep talking about? Efficient water management has never been more critical for agriculture and specifically for viticulture. High-end viticulture needs to manage water to not only cut costs, but to keep quality high in a market of oversupply and buyers who hold the upper hand over the grower. […]
An honest look at no-till
It’s not for the faint of heart Going no-till certainly has been picking up steam in recent years, and overall it’s a good thing. When I first got involved in viticulture back in 2010 I was living in Italy. Like a lot of Medditerranean viticultural areas, there was a tendency to disc everything all the […]
Planning on automating irrigation this year?
Read this first! As agricultural consultants in California, irrigation consulting during the growing season is our bread and butter. A lot of times, especially in vineyards with lighter soils where I recommend short and frequent irrigations, I know my desired schedule amounts to a tall order. Not everyone can feasibly do two hours, three times […]
A diamond is forever, just like this bad market isn’t
An interview with Christian Klier of Turrentine Brokerage These are lean times. Or at least, they sure seem that way for many a grapegrower. As a viticulturist, market analysis is out of my wheelhouse. I wanted to sit down with someone who could give me a better idea about where the market is actually headed. […]
What does a prolonged heat wave mean for the vintage?
It could be worse… We are wrapping up a particularly hot July. The last time I had to write about heat stress was 2022, so this year seems to be making up for 2023’s persistent coolness. We all remember 2022. We had a couple hot days in late June that did quite a bit of […]