Vine status

We hedged our Chardonnay vines this week. Still behind on canopy management, as you can see in the picture above. Hybrids and table grapes are a bit more consistent with fruits. Vidal is BB-size, some others, e.g., Chardonel, Frontenac, were at pea-size berries, and some of the table grapes are 1/2 inch in size.

Due to uneven growth and development, even within the same block, you probably need to be diligent with fungicide rotation to avoid relying on the same material, as we discussed in the last virtual meeting. Speaking of which, we will have our monthly meeting next Thursday (7/2) at 1 PM. Please join us. If you have not had a chance yet, please see my previous post on pre-bloom/bloom disease management.

Disease risks 6/17-6/24/2026

NEWA is an Agricultural Weather Station Network, and we are part of the team. Here is a snapshot from last week showing the number of days with risk for each disease: Ph = Phomopsis, PW = Powdery mildew, BR = Black rot, and DM = Downy mildew. N/A means there is no data or issues with the NEWA. I am waiting to hear back from the weather station company about fixing the one in Stafford. The Downy Mildew model is not working this week. Please see the forecast table below for your reference.

Last week’s rain [which we (= Winchester) did not receive as much as we hoped, again] increased the risks of black rot , especially in the southern part of the state. As we discussed in the previous virtual vineyard meetings, we still need to maintain our vines to ensure healthy canopies that support bud formation for next year, cane or spur selection, and winter survival.

Downy mildew forecast

Please click the table above to enlarge. It looks like there is a chance of rain over the weekend, which results in a moderate risk of downy mildew infection. Please refer to my previous post about downy mildew management. 

The downy mildew forecasting effort is supported by the Virginia Wine Board.