Darwin Vander Stelt wrote:

> We had an unusually damp summer and only a few hundred degree days this
> year. My grapes are all starting to sweeten, but I am seeing a little
> powdery mildew. On 99% of the bunches, the color is good and no damage but
> the little undeveloped bunches that sometimes develop when a fruiting cane
> branches are really ugly. Shrivelled and moldy.

A suggestion would be to remove any bunches on laterals. They usually will
not ripen fully and they are just using energy that the main fruiting zone
needs. These clusters are common when you have to hedge vines because
hedging encourages laterals which often bear clusters.

>A few (out of 300 vines)
> have shed leaves on the bottom half of the canes, but the fruit looks
> fine. I use a close spacing (4 x5) and have to hedge to keep the vinyard
> open. The obvious powder on the leaves is only in the heaviest, dampest
> areas, and there you definitely smell the mildew, and I smell it in the
> bunches too, although that could be imaginary. They look fine, nice color,
> plump full berries etc. My question: Is this wine going to get a musty
> /moldy taste?

Suggest you sulphite after crush and cold soak overnight before starting
fermentation.

Here is a good reference for you:

http://members.tripod.com/~BRotter/SO2.htm

BTW - I will be in Idaho for two weeks starting next Saturday. Any
suggestions on good vineyards and wineries to visit?