A few days ago, we had an unusually cold air mass move in. Vines all
over Northern Cal were affected. Vineyards with frost protection
systems fared better than those without, but many were pretty severely
frost bitten.

The press has been pretty slow to pick up on the story, but I noticed a
report on the Nor Cal NBC network tonight, and WineBusiness has put up
a couple reports over the last 2 days. No-one will know for sure just
how much crop has been lost, but some vineyards may see as much as 50%
crop loss, based on initial damage reports.

Yours truly got hit pretty hard. No frost protection systems, and we're
fairly high in elevation (about 2800'). Maybe as many as 75% of the
primary shoots were fried. Hopefully the secondary growth will carry
some fruit.

Following is a link to one of the Napa Vlley press reports, as well as
a link to a pic from my vineyard earlier today.

Rough start to an otherwise promising season.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/EarlyEd...ate=04/23/2008

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/...8085ae37d3.jpg

AxisOfBeagles wrote:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/...8085ae37d3.jpg

Ouch! My sympathies, Ric. Thanks for the update, though. That's the
first I'd heard of it. Last time I spoke with my mother, it was
sweltering in the Bay Area. Oh, well.

Best of luck to you,
Mark Lipton

--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

What will happen with vines due to frost?

Lower yields but more complexity?

No yields?


"AxisOfBeagles" wrote in message
news:2008042319575316807-me@donotreplycom...
A few days ago, we had an unusually cold air mass move in. Vines all over
Northern Cal were affected. Vineyards with frost protection systems fared
better than those without, but many were pretty severely frost bitten.

The press has been pretty slow to pick up on the story, but I noticed a
report on the Nor Cal NBC network tonight, and WineBusiness has put up a
couple reports over the last 2 days. No-one will know for sure just how
much crop has been lost, but some vineyards may see as much as 50% crop
loss, based on initial damage reports.

Yours truly got hit pretty hard. No frost protection systems, and we're
fairly high in elevation (about 2800'). Maybe as many as 75% of the
primary shoots were fried. Hopefully the secondary growth will carry some
fruit.

Following is a link to one of the Napa Vlley press reports, as well as a
link to a pic from my vineyard earlier today.

Rough start to an otherwise promising season.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/EarlyEd...ate=04/23/2008

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/...8085ae37d3.jpg

Mike Tommasi wrote:
Drastically lower yields.

In the norhtern areas of France losses have reached as high as 60% or
more in some areas. Champagne not too bad, Loire heavily hit.


I've had conversations with friends in the Bordelais who indicate
significant
crop loss there too. Pessac was mentioned...

Hope the "Beagles" will see some secondary buds.

Complexity would depend on the resto of the season...


True, but often if there is a secondary fruiting we see reduced yields
but increased concentration (predictably).

-E

Mike

Richard Neidich wrote:
What will happen with vines due to frost?

Lower yields but more complexity?

No yields?


"AxisOfBeagles" wrote in message
news:2008042319575316807-me@donotreplycom...
A few days ago, we had an unusually cold air mass move in. Vines all
over Northern Cal were affected. Vineyards with frost protection
systems fared better than those without, but many were pretty
severely frost bitten.

The press has been pretty slow to pick up on the story, but I noticed
a report on the Nor Cal NBC network tonight, and WineBusiness has put
up a couple reports over the last 2 days. No-one will know for sure
just how much crop has been lost, but some vineyards may see as much
as 50% crop loss, based on initial damage reports.

Yours truly got hit pretty hard. No frost protection systems, and
we're fairly high in elevation (about 2800'). Maybe as many as 75% of
the primary shoots were fried. Hopefully the secondary growth will
carry some fruit.

Following is a link to one of the Napa Vlley press reports, as well
as a link to a pic from my vineyard earlier today.

Rough start to an otherwise promising season.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/EarlyEd...ate=04/23/2008


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/...8085ae37d3.jpg

First and foremost - drastically reduced yield.

Concentration as a result of drastic yield is speculative. Older vines
often bear less, but more concentrated fruit. It is commonplace to cull
fruit from younger, higher producing vines in areas where the sooil and
climate is such that the vines tend to over-produce. Assuming the
grower is already managing their crop for quality, then the loss of
such magnitude is unlikely to cause improved qualiy.

As someone else pointed out, quality is really dependent on the
existing soil, climate and management practices - and on what happens
to the vines and berries the rest of the year.

Secondary canes can bear fruit (not all will), but significantly less.
If a vineyard loses 50% of the primary shoots to the frost, then
potential crop loss is likely in the nieghborhood of 30 to 35 %. Or
some such ratio. Of equal importance, with such heavy loss of primary
canes, is getting the vine to produce enough canes in correct position
for good cane production the next year.

On 2008-04-24 04:15:27 -0700, "Richard Neidich" said:

What will happen with vines due to frost?

Lower yields but more complexity?

No yields?


"AxisOfBeagles" wrote in message
news:2008042319575316807-me@donotreplycom...
A few days ago, we had an unusually cold air mass move in. Vines all over
Northern Cal were affected. Vineyards with frost protection systems fared
better than those without, but many were pretty severely frost bitten.

The press has been pretty slow to pick up on the story, but I noticed a
report on the Nor Cal NBC network tonight, and WineBusiness has put up a
couple reports over the last 2 days. No-one will know for sure just how
much crop has been lost, but some vineyards may see as much as 50% crop
loss, based on initial damage reports.

Yours truly got hit pretty hard. No frost protection systems, and we're
fairly high in elevation (about 2800'). Maybe as many as 75% of the
primary shoots were fried. Hopefully the secondary growth will carry some
fruit.

Following is a link to one of the Napa Vlley press reports, as well as a
link to a pic from my vineyard earlier today.

Rough start to an otherwise promising season.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/EarlyEd...ate=04/23/2008

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/...8085ae37d3.jpg