The Viti+Culture Podcast

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Episode 0019:

Finger Lakes Viticulture – August 17, 2021

As I’ve mentioned, I’m from California.  I was born and raised until I was around 11 years old in Huntington Beach, I spent a few of my teenage-hood years just outside of Rochester, NY, and then returned to California and lived throughout the state until I was around 30 years old.  Living in the mild climate of southern California skews the way you perceive seasons.  Warm and beautiful summers merely give way to mild winters.  The pool is never covered and winterized, the sun rarely gives way, and the garden is lively nearly the entire year.  Perhaps it was a form of seasonal deprivation I experienced growing up, or maybe  it is something that most people perceive, but I find myself becoming more attune to the changes in temperature and weather generally as I grow older in the Finger Lakes, and even more specifically to the way the light changes.  The light, the reflection in the leaves, the glow on the horizon, the changing times of sunrise and sunset, are the precursors that hint at coming change.  In the late winter and early spring, these changes are exhilarating and enticing.  They foretell the promise of unknowns.  As August creeps towards its end, and summer begins its wind down, it is not necessarily the temperatures that foretell what awaits, but a glowing premonition which prepares our bodies, our minds, and the plants for what is waiting days, weeks and months into the future.  The observation is empowering, it’s a primal instinct that signals to your body that you are in tune with your place.  It is also humbling.  You do not have a veto, you can not change this course, nature will always prevail.

Beginning a week ago, I commented to my wife that the light is changing, the great wind down has begun, and the phase changes of the season are set in motion.  Harvest is coming.  There is still so much time ahead of us, so much ripeness to attain, but the culmination of the 2021 growing season inches closer every minute of every day.  

In our In the Vineyard segment from 2 weeks ago, we explored via a long-form discussion with Finger Lakes winegrower Jeff Morris, a bit of how this vintage has progressed, and put it in the context of his farm and past vintages.  I hope you learned some things in that episode that shed some new light on grape growing in the Finger Lakes.  When we last spoke, we had followed the arc of record warmth and continuous hot days in June, we discussed the stretch of continuous wet weather that put disease pressure on the vineyards, and unlike our friends in California and out-west, we prayed for the rains to subside for a bit.  For the most part, they have, and we’ve been able to get the disease pressure from things like downy and powdery mildew under control, though we are keeping our eye on weather forecasts. Temperature wise, we have ebbed and flowed with some heat waves, and some cooler weather.  Throughout the last few days, cooler temperatures at night, many as low as 52 degrees have brought some respite, and daily highs have hovered in the high 70’s to low 80’s. As it stands on August 17, we are currently at one thousand nine hundred ten growing degree days.  To put that in context by looking at some past vintages, for the same date in 2020, we were at two thousand thirty seven point three.  In 2019, we had only clocked one thousand eight hundred twenty nine, and in 2016, we were also at two thousand fifteen.  In 2018, we were at two thousand eighty.  We continue to skew slightly warmer than usual.  Our current ten day outlook is showing temperatures continuing to teeter between the high 70’s and low 80’s, but with an uncomfortable return to daily scattered showers.  This doesn’t mean we are destined for a bad harvest, but we do want to start seeing less rain and more consistent dry warm weather.  From my perspective, we are shaping up to be in for a good vintage, which will reflect a general typicity for most Finger Lakes wines.  I also know, we are anywhere from a month to two months from our Riesling harvest, and a lot can happen in that period of time.    

In the vineyards, veraison is everywhere.  Early ripening red hybrids are purple, and grapes like Marquette are inching closer to building their sugar ripeness.  Vinifera grapes, for the most part, have exited or are exiting rapid cell division, and moving towards sugar accumulation.  The skins grow supply, and grapes like Riesling make their freckles identifiable as the berry grow more supple.  Harvest dates are set to reflect a fairly consistent mean this year.  I’m expecting Chardonnay to begin harvesting for sparkling wine around the middle of September, and Riesling the first part of October, and Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc to see its harvest begin later in October.  Although I put most of my emphasis on vinifera, the grape vines with a genetic lineage to Europe, harvest is set to begin as early as next week for some of the hybrid varietals grown in the Finger Lakes.  

The history of wine making in the Finger Lakes is radically different than many other parts of the world.  Our history, dating back to the 1860’s, was heavily focused on native and hybrid varietals that were harvested and made into sparkling wine.  Grapes like Isabella, Delaware, and Aurora.  Though Isabella was the first purposely cultivated grape varietal in the Finger Lakes, and is still grown here today, Aurora has a particularly interesting history.  In the world of hybrid grapes, Albert Siebel is French viticulturist legend.  From his vineyard in Ardeche, in the Rhone Valley, he developed some of the most popular hybrid grapes.  Seyval Blanc, a hybrid I work with to this day, was developed by Seibel.  Aurora, was perhaps one of his most successful endeavors.  He had originally bred and sold it as a table grape, and named the varietal in honor of the Roman goddess of the dawn.  Its propensity to spoilage after picking led to its fall from grace as a table grape, but also its rise in use for winemaking.  After having been brought to the United States in the 1940’s, it became wildly popular for winemaking and by the 1970’s, was the most popular non-labrusca grape grown in New York.  This era corresponded with the post-prohibition rehabilitation of New York wine growing, with giant brands of the industry such as Great Western and Taylor using it across their production.  

The production of these sparkling wines relied on Aurora for providing a strong acid base for the various non-varietal based wines, especially sparkling wines.  Consequently, it became practice to harvest them very early, and use them as a blending component to provide an inexpensive base for building inexpensive sparkling wines.  One of the wines from this production that had grown in popularity once again, was a wine called J Roget.  J Roget was produced by Constellation Brands at their Canandaigua facility, and as mimosa brunch culture blossomed in America’s big cities throughout the 2010’s, J Roget grew with it as the staple for restaurants seeking to use inexpensive sparkling wines for their bottomless mimosa brunch specials.  As Constellation shifted market focus, and sold off a number of brands to Gallo, this particular sku created some issues for the pending Gallo/Constellation  deal.  The Federal Trade Commission, concerned that J Roget would solidify a monopoly for Gallo in the inexpensive sparkling wine category, was a brand that the FTC refused to be included in sale of the portfolio of brands.  Consequently, its future seemed doomed, and the varietal, Aurora, began to be removed from many vineyards.  

It remains to be seen whether Gallo, who along with the purchase of the brands from Constellation acquired the largest production facility in the Finger Lakes, will be producing a sparkling wine to fill the gap that the absence of J Roget has left behind.  I’m certainly not one to question the business model of Gallo, they’ve proven to be exceptionally successful.  The corporate maneuvering of these industry giants, has put many small growers of grapes like Aurora in a bind, and part of this story will unfold as we see the future of Finger Lakes grape growing and wines unfold.  As most small Finger Lakes wineries don’t make wine from Aurora, it really is dependent upon the products they have been used for for generations to continue production.  If they don’t find a market for those grapes, those vineyards will disappear and either be converted to other hybrid or vinifera varietals, or converted into some other agricultural use.  

This background merely sheds some light on the fact that some Aurora is set to begin harvest next week.  The harvest of Aurora, like the light in the sky, is another cue that harvest is approaching.  It is also a cue this year, that the Finger Lakes wine industry is evolving.  Much of that evolution has been pioneered by small family producers, but as with varietals like Aurora and the giant brands that fed the growth of those wines, big players are set to become an increasingly dominant role once again in the region.  The status quo that was shattered in 2020 continues to change with other forces at play.  The story isn’t written, but all of us in the Finger Lakes are a character, whether large or small, in a book that is yet to be written.

If you like this podcast, please be sure to rate us 5 stars in Apple podcasts and like our videos on YouTube.  It really helps with the ratings and in introducing new folks to the show.  Be sure to tune in next week, where I speak with Todd Eichas, who along with his wife Dani, is celebrating the ten year anniversary of New Vines, a Seneca Lake winery and bed and breakfast.  A true micro-winery, Todd and Dani embrace the concept of agri-tourism, and make some of the best Gruner Veltliner in the region while they’re at it.    

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In this episode we are speaking with Erni Loosen, of Weingut Dr. Loosen and a number of other exciting projects such as Oregon’s J. Christopher, the Pfalz’ Villa Wolf, and the collaboration with Washington’s Chateau St. Michelle in the production of Eroica.  Erni’s effusive personality, decades long experience, and passion for making fine wines that respect the land, have earned him Decanter's Man of the Year Award and international recognition.  Our conversation was fun and engaging, and definitely an episode you don’t want to miss. 

Check out Loosen Brothers wines at:

https://www.loosenbrosusa.com/

Visit our website at www.VitiCulturePodcast.com, and don’t forget to share with your friends via all major social media platforms @VitiCULTUREPod

Visit Bellangelo Winery and Missick Cellars at www.Bellangelo.com and www.MissickCellars.com.

You can watch the interview on our youTube channel here:

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Welcome to one of our long-form episodes of our continuing series, in the Vineyard. For today’s show, I sit down with Jeff Moriss, owner, farmer and wine Grower for Glenora Farms.  I’ve been friends with Jeff for more than a decade, and his personal background is one of the most fascinating in the finger Lakes. In today’s show, will spend time getting to know Jeff, but will also take a deep dive discussing the various vintages in the finger Lakes as well as the prospects and the outlook for 2021. Jeff is famously told me that in farming, You can either referee a hockey match or conduct a symphony, continuing that he much prefers to conduct a symphony. His winegrowing is meticulous, many of his vineyards more than 40 years old, and his grapes go into some of the highest rated finger Lakes wines.

If you like this podcast, please be sure to rate us 5 stars in Apple podcasts and like our videos on YouTube.  It really helps with the ratings and in introducing new folks to the show.  Be sure to tune in next week, where I speak with Erni Loosen, of Weingut Dr. Loosen and a number of other exciting projects such as Oregon’s J. Christopher, the Pfalz’ Villa Wolf, and the collaboration with Washington’s Chateau St. Michelle in the production of Eroica.  Erni’s effusive personality, decades long experience, and passion for making fine wines that respect the land, have earned him Decanter’s Man of the Year Award and international recognition.  Our conversation was fun and engaging, and definitely an episode you don’t want to miss. 

Visit our website at www.VitiCulturePodcast.com, and don’t forget to share with your friends via all major social media platforms @VitiCULTUREPod

Visit Bellangelo Winery and Missick Cellars at www.Bellangelo.com and www.MissickCellars.com.

In this episode we are speaking with Johannes Selbach, of Weingut Selbach Oster, one of the Mosel Valley’s most outstanding producers of world class Riesling. Johannes and I discuss the family’s long legacy of winemaking in Germany, the importance of his relationship with his father, his approach to picking, fermenting, and building a family wine brand in a daunting new world.

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Ahr Valley Fundraiser Information: Account holder: AHR A Wine Region Needs Help for Rebuilding eV Bank: KSK Ahrweiler Kreissparkasse Ahrweiler Wilhelmstrasse 1-7 53474 Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler Germany Bank branch number: MALADE51AHR IBAN: DE94 5775 1310 0000 3395 07 - Recommend using Wise.com for all transfers

For a full transcript, visit our Substack at www.viticulturepodcast.substack.com, and full video interview available on our YouTube Channel.

Check out Selbach Oster wines at: https://www.skurnik.com/producer/selbach-oster/ https://www.selbach-oster.de/en/wine.php

Visit our website at www.VitiCulturePodcast.com, and don’t forget to share with your friends via all major social media platforms @VitiCULTUREPod

Visit Bellangelo Winery and Missick Cellars at www.Bellangelo.com and www.MissickCellars.com.

If you enjoy the content, please rate us 5 stars!

In an historic sheep barn well over a century old, Derek and Stacey Edinger of Brewery Ardennes, are making their craft beverage dreams come true, and in the process, bringing a valuable new experience to the Finger Lakes. Located in Geneva New York, just around the corning from our Geneva tasting room, the culmination of their careers in high tech, engineering, and hospitality have laid the ground work for an ambitious and exciting project.

We are currently backed up on transcript production, but they will be coming to our Substack at www.viticulturepodcast.substack.com, and full video interview available on our YouTube Channel.

Visit our website at www.VitiCulturePodcast.com, and don’t forget to share with your friends via all major social media platforms @VitiCULTUREPod

Visit Bellangelo Winery and Missick Cellars at www.Bellangelo.com and www.MissickCellars.com.

Himrod Farm Supply is our local farm shop near the winery.  It’s run by some of our local Mennonites, and considering its rather small footprint, always seems to have everything we need for the vineyard and the winery.  Whenever you visit, you’re bound to run into someone you know.  Last week, I ran into a friend who is a vineyard manager, someone I hope to bring on the show in our second season, and we were discussing the vintage so far.  We shared the fact that with some varietals, we are well ahead of last year.  We also shared some of the frustrations with the increasing disease pressure, specifically powdery mildew.  Warm temperatures and high humidity are the key ingredients for its spread.  Powdery mildew is actually a fungus, and spread by spores that seek out the living tissue, generally the leaves this time of year, to spread and propagate.  Aptly named, powdery mildew leaves a white fungus on the leaves, and will ultimately damage the leaf tissue.  This is problematic, because it will inhibit photosynthesis and ultimately impact grape development.  The increase in pressure is giving some growers flashbacks to 2018, that most challenging of vintages, where heat and moisture were at record levels and resulted in an incredible amount of difficulty in the vineyards.  

Speaking of heat and growing degree day accumulation, as of July 5, we are currently at 1047.6 growing degree days. As usual, we try to put that in context by looking at some past vintages.  For the same date in 2020, we were at 990.1.  In 2019, we had only clocked 886, and in the warm dry vintage of 2016, we were also at 934.  Recalling the zombie apocalypse vintage of 2018, we were at 1105.  We continue to skew slightly warmer than usual.  Our ten day outlook is showing temperatures continuing to teeter between the mid 70’s and mid 80’s, but with increases in the number of days with rain.  

One thing I learned very quickly when I moved to the Finger Lakes from California, was the saying that if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.  Oftentimes, forecasts for rain do not mean we will have precipitation all day.  Rather, storms will work their way through the region, dropping a quarter to a half an inch of rain and then returning to sunnier conditions.  This is one of the reasons drain tile is so important in the Finger Lakes.  To recap, drain tile is essentially perforated pipe, strategically placed throughout the vineyard and draining to a main line that then ejects the excess water into a naturally draining location.  Several things are important with regard to this.

First drain tile really helps evacuate that excess moisture, resulting in the ability to get back into the vineyard to work quickly.  In years like this, it is important that we are able to reenter the vineyard with a tractor as quickly as possible so that we can apply sprays to combat powdery mildew.  It’s also important for the vines, because, as we say, vines hate wet feet.

Consequently, drain tile must be installed in a manner that allows you to draw as much excess water out of the vineyard as possible.  In this shot from our vineyard, you can see how we installed the drain tile in a manner that helps the water drain at an angle, down hill, into the main line.  

As stewards of the land, we also must recognize that the water we drain from our vineyards will end up in Seneca Lake, as we are on the watershed for the lake.  This increases our responsibility to farm in a manner that is lake conscious, and considerate of our environment.  Excess nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, can contribute to nutrient imbalances in the lakes that will foster the growth of algaes that are dangerous for aquatic and human life.  Many people who live around the lake get their drinking water from the lake, and we always need to be sure we are protecting this resource.  

Like so many technologies, whether they be cement or aqueducts, the ancient Romans actually invented drain tile, but the knowledge wasn’t applied in the US until the 19th century.  A quick reference of the Wikipedia page on drain tile, note that Both Cato the Elder and Pliny the Elder reference drain tile for easing excess water on farmland as early as 200 BC.  It was introduced in the US in 1838, by John Johnston, not too far from here in Seneca County, where he laid 72 miles of clay tiling pipe on 350 acres.  His efforts increased his yield of wheat from 12 to 60 bushels per year, and became part of his three pronged rule for farming success, D-C-D, or dung, credit, and drainage.  

Drain tile is another feature of Finger Lakes grape growing that isn’t as common in warmer grape growing regions.  In my ten years in the Finger Lakes, there has only been one vintage where we were really concerned about drought.  Most of the time, the problem is excess water, and all the issues that stem from that.  Drain tile is one way to alleviate excess rainfall, and help us get back into the vineyard and address the other problems we face.  

If you like this podcast, please be sure to rate us 5 stars in Apple podcasts and like our videos on YouTube.  It really helps with the ratings and in introducing new folks to the show.  Be sure to tune in next week, where I speak with Derek and Stacey Edinger, founders of the newly established Brewery Ardennes in Geneva New York.  Brand new to the industry, they opened their Brewery on Memorial Day, 2021, and are already making a big splash in the region.  Their diverse experience and entrepreneurial drive are inspiring.  And if you missed it, check out our audio only special Fourth of July podcast, where I talk with Alex Robb of Rootstock Ciderworks about America’s original craft beverage, cider.    

We celebrate the 4th of July with this special release of the Viti+Culture podcast. Today, it’s all about apples, cider, and America’s original beverage.

I’ve chosen today to release this excerpt of an interview I did with Alex Robb, cidermaker at the increasingly renown Rootstock Cider in Williamson, New York, because cider apples played such an integral role as an agricultural product, as well as a beverage for social cohesion and nourishment, during the American Revolution.  

In the US, we use the term cider broadly.  Some of my earliest memories were of heading over to Kelly’s Apple Farm in Hilton, NY to enjoy a glass of fresh pressed apple juice.  But, cider for the colonists, was indeed more of the British and European consensus a fermented version of the apple crops we so closely identify with the Northeast, the Northwest, and other cool regions around the US.  

Indeed, as American mythology would have it, but for the iron screw from an apple press, used for making cider, one of the beams of the Mayflower, which had broken in a storm, would have been forced to turn back to England.  That screw helped save that beam, and cemented the history of Plymouth Plantation, the role of the colonialists in New England, and indeed, the role of apples in North America.  It has been speculated that saplings planted in barrels and seeds of apples and pears were even transported to the New World in the early days of European colonists.  

Further, we have legends like Johnny Appleseed, or John Chapman, who spread the seeds of apples throughout the Northeastern corridor as settlers headed west, providing nutrition, cider, and apple stock for further plantings.

As far as the framers of our republic goes, cider was a choice beverage of everyone from John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Ben Franklin.  In fact,  among the many amazing quotes by our own revolutionary gourmande, Ben Franklin, is this gem, “Give me yesterday’s bread, this day’s flesh, and last year’s cider.”  He was clearly a man who knew good food, and good drink.

Alex Robb has a wealth of experience in both winemaking and cider making, and I would argue, his ciders are even better because of his knowledge of viticulture and winemaking.  We enjoyed a wonderful long conversation, and I’m looking forward to sharing more of Alex’s great mind with you.  Today, however, we are focused on part of our conversation regarding America’s original beverage: cider.  Alex crafts many different styles of apple and pear ciders at Rootstock Cider, in beautiful Williamson New York, just outside of Rochester.  It’s a world of its own, populated less by people and grapevines, and more by expansive family owned orchards.  His insight into cider, and indeed the world, are a valuable contribution to the agriculture and craft beverage industry in New York.  

On this fourth of July and other great American holidays, grab a glass of Rootstock cider, have a listen, and let’s celebrate our great country.  In the midst of so many challenges, we are blessed to call the USA ours, and this country works because we believe in it.  And look for more of Alex in season 2, as we go deep into his background and his own personal philosophy.

We often say, as American as apple pie.  Perhaps, instead, we should be saying, as American as apple cider.  

Don’t forget to join us Thrusday for our weekly vineyard update, and be sure to check out our interview with Derek and Stacey Edinger, from Brewery Ardennes, debuting July 15.  And now, here’s the show.

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Visit our website at www.VitiCulturePodcast.com, and don’t forget to share with your friends via all major social media platforms @VitiCULTUREPod

Visit Rootstock Ciderworks at http://www.rootstockciderworks.com/, and Bellangelo Winery and Missick Cellars at www.Bellangelo.com and www.MissickCellars.com.

If you enjoy the content, please rate us 5 stars!

We talk with Bob Madill, one of the founders of Sheldrake Point Winery on Cayuga Lake. Born and raised in Canada, and with more than 25 years in the wine industry and a previous career in tech, he brings a unique, global perspective to Finger Lakes wine. He isn't afraid to address the difficult issues, whether they be personal, business related, or cultural.

Full transcripts available on our Substack at www.viticulturepodcast.substack.com, and full video interview available on our YouTube Channel.

Visit our website at www.VitiCulturePodcast.com, and don’t forget to share with your friends via all major social media platforms @VitiCULTUREPod

Visit Bellangelo Winery and Missick Cellars at www.Bellangelo.com and www.MissickCellars.com.

Well, 2021 continues to provide us with warm weather, adequate rainfall, and beautiful days.  After a severe thunderstorm that moved through the region on Monday, June 21, bringing with it heavy winds and pouring rain, we experienced a burst of cool temperatures.  With a high of only 66 degrees yesterday, our warming pattern returns, with highs in the 80’s today, and an expectation of 90 by Friday.  Our growing degree days are moving ahead as well, with a total of 756 as of June 22.  To put that in context, for the same date in 2020, we were at 722.  In 2019, we had only clocked 619, and in the warm dry vintage of 2016, we were also at 722.  We are skewing slightly warmer than usual, and so far, the vineyards are looking great.

Since our last vineyard update two weeks ago, everything in our vineyard and in all the vineyards I’ve seen, has moved quickly through bloom, and fruit is beginning to set.  Bloom is a precarious time.  Grape flowers do not need to be pollinated to produce fruit, and so we aren’t worried specifically about pollination, but we do hold our breath a little bit during that period because any extreme weather events can create a situation that damages the tender flowers, and may potentially impact fruit set.  Things like hail, extreme downpours and heavy winds didn’t cause us any problems this year. 

We are now in the first stage of berry development.  This is the period we refer to as fruit set, and is a period of about two months, where cell division is extremely active as the berry grows in size.  It is during this period that the berries are accumulating their crucial acids such as tartaric and malic acid, and other important physiological components such as tannins.  Over the next several months, we’ll monitor the berry size development through fruit set, lag phase, and veraison.  

Everything in our vineyard is moving along wonderfully.  The Chenin Blanc in particular look exceptionally strong this year.  As far as pests and diseases, powdery mildew is rearing its head in the region, but that has been tamped down with the appropriate sprays.  Leaf hoppers are also looking to make their presence known, and so we will be keeping an eye on that.  Although it’s not grape related, the region is suffering through one of the worst infestations of gypsy moth caterpillars this year.  The destruction in some locations around the Finger Lakes is awful.  They prefer to feed on oak leaves, and in far too many instances, have left many oak trees nearly bare.  I keep a small home orchard at my house, and it has taken alot of effort to keep my apple, pear and peach trees free of these terrible critters.  

If you like this podcast, please be sure to rate us 5 stars in Apple podcasts and like our videos on YouTube.  It really helps with the ratings and in introducing new folks to the show.  Be sure to tune in next week, where I speak with Bob Madill, a longtime leader in the Finger Lakes Wine industry, and a friend of mine.  Bob cut his teeth in the wine industry in Ontario Canada, and was a founding member of Sheldrake Point Winery in the late 1990’s.  His perspective on the world of wine is global in scope, and his contributions to increasing the professionalism and quality of Finger Lakes wines and wineries, is a fine legacy. 

If you enjoy the content, please rate us 5 stars!

We talk with Auyon Mukharji, an incredible musical talent with an ear and voice for harmonies, and a virtuoso with violin and other string instruments.  He’s a member of the band Darlingside, an indie quartet out of Boston, that captivated me and the rest of my cellar crew with their album Extra Life, Fish Pond Fish, and their joint recordings with Irish singer songwriter, Henry Jamison.

Full transcripts available on our Substack at www.viticulturepodcast.substack.com, and full video interview available on our YouTube Channel.

Visit our website at www.VitiCulturePodcast.com, and don’t forget to share with your friends via all major social media platforms @VitiCULTUREPod

Visit Darlingside at http://www.darlingside.com/, and Bellangelo Winery and Missick Cellars at www.Bellangelo.com and www.MissickCellars.com.

Be sure to check out the band’s NPR Tine Desk Concert appearance for a great 15 minute intro to them and their music at: