EVERETT, Wash. — The mild climate of the Puget Sound AVA (American Viticultural Area) favors production of delicate wine grape varieties such as Madeleine Angevine, Siegerebbe, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. In addition to location winemakers know that excellent wine begins with carefully tended vines.
Washington State University Snohomish County Extension is presenting a workshop on spring and summer vineyard care on Saturday, May 14, from 10 to 2 pm at The Vineyard at Lee Farms near Silvana, Wash.
Good spring and summer vineyard care is crucial to getting a good harvest of high quality wine grapes. The workshop will cover the principles of good canopy and crop load management, manipulatting and/or thinning shoots to maximize quality, cluster thinning, pest management including powdery mildew and botrytis control, and the use of micronutrient sprays to enhance yield and quality.
Instructor Gary Moulton is the former manager of the fruit research program at the WSU Northwest Washington Research and Extension Center. He holds a Master’s from WSU in plant pathology specializing in fruit diseases. He has authored several WSU Extension publications and produced a highly regarded video on pruning fruit trees.
Established in 2004, The Vineyard at Lee Farms has carefully tended plantings of Siegerrebe, Pinot 777, Pinot Precoce, Ortega, and Agria grapes. The vineyard’s small size provides complete control over every aspect of winemaking, from soil to bottle, allowing the Lee family to create small batches of handcrafted wines with minimal infrastructure.
Cost for the workshop is $65 per person and includes a catered box lunch. To register online, visit http://www.BrownPaperTickets.com/event/136802 or download the form at snohomish.wsu.edu/ag/workshops/Viticulture2011.pdf and mail with your check. Directions to Lee Farms will be provided with paid registration.
For registration information, contact Karie Christensen at 425-357-6039, e-mail klchristen@cahnrs.wsu.edu. For more information on the workshop, contact Andrew Corbin, corbina@wsu.edu or 425-357-6012.