Virus Fighters, Research Vineyard, Wine Tasting, Auction

Iraq War Vet Comes Home to Wine Country

Army veteran Andrew Schultz recently completed a grapevine leafroll disease inventory for Kilpsun Vineyards.
Army veteran Andrew Schultz recently completed a grapevine leafroll disease inventory for Kilpsun Vineyards.

“The U.S. Army is a 200-plus-year-old organization,” said WSU viticulture and enology student Andrew Schultz. “They know something about leadership and teamwork. That’s why I served.”

The former radar operations sergeant served in the Army for four years, including 16 months in Iraq, before returning to civilian life, his beloved Pacific Northwest and the continuation of his college education.

“I originally wanted to be a graphic designer,” Schultz said. “But at some point I realized I didn’t want to sit in an office all day. So I joined the Army, saw the world, and decided to study the science of wine at WSU.”

Now the undergraduate is working with WSU plant pathologist Naidu Rayapati to take stock of grapevine leafroll disease in the region’s vineyards. He just completed an inventory of leafroll disease for Klipsun Vineyards on Red Mountain. In 2004, Wine & Spirits magazine named Klipsun one of 25 best vineyards in the world. The vineyard’s grapes are widely sought after by the region’s top winemakers.

Typical symptoms of grapevine leafroll disease in red varietals include reddish, fall-colored leaves.
Typical symptoms of grapevine leafroll disease in red varietals include reddish, fall-colored leaves.

Grapevine leafroll disease can cause a marked decline in grapevine vigor, grape quality and productivity, according to Rayapati. The disease can reduce yields as much as 50 percent or even more, depending on the severity of infection. A few years ago, it was estimated that nearly 10 percent of Washington’s vineyards have grapevine leafroll disease. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the disease is more wide spread than previously thought, raising alarm among industry stakeholders. Grapevine leafroll disease accounts for about 60 percent of the production losses of grapes worldwide, Rayapati said.

“It’s nothing anybody had control over,” said Klipsun’s vineyard manager, Julia Kock. “At the time these plants went in, in the 1980s, there was no effective screening process for these viruses. People believed they were planting clean material. Now we need to understand the extent and significance of the disease. The first thing to do is to take stock with a visual evaluation and to conduct some lab analyses. Then we must decide if this disease is detrimental to our site. We are pleased to be able to turn to WSU research and Naidu’s program for help.” Kock is a 2004 graduate of WSU’s viticulture and enology program.

WSU plant pathologist Naidu Rayapati
WSU plant pathologist Naidu Rayapati

Klipsun Vineyards and Rayapati partnered to inventory diseased plants in the vineyard. Together, they hired Schultz to conduct the inventory. Using visual inspection of red varieties, which show symptoms via fall-colored and spotted leaves, he created a spreadsheet, indicating diseased plants row by row. This fall and winter, he’ll enter the spreadsheet data into a GPS system in order to better visualize the spatial distribution of infected plants.

But already a pattern is clear, Schultz said. “When they’re planted side by side, you can see the spread of the virus from the old blocks into the newer ones.”

While recent research in California has confirmed that the grape mealybug spreads the virus disease, humans are probably the primary means of spread through the propagation of infected vegetative cuttings.

“Knowing what is out there is part of dealing with the problem,” said Rayapati. “This information is critical for designing appropriate strategies to tackle virus diseases in our vineyards.” The best insurance against the disease is to plant material that is certified to be virus free, Rayapati said.

Schultz will also work with Rayapati to test plant samples for leafroll viruses using PCR and ELISA procedures. Such lab-based analytical methods are the only ways to know for sure that a plant is infected. The Northwest Grape Foundation Service, which provides plant material to the industry, uses PCR and ELISA and other techniques to insure vineyard stock is virus-free.

“Connecting industry professionals with WSU students is one of the ways we make sure our graduates have the practical experience they need to be leaders in the industry,” said Rayapati.

To illustrate the point, Rayapati pointed to Landon Keirsey, an undergraduate researcher working with enologist Jim Harbertson.

“Recently, Landon pressed some grapes from infected and non-infected vines,” Rayapati said. Keirsey analyzed the juice and found that juice from infected plants was lower in sugar content than that from non-infected plants. “Landon said to me, ‘Hey! I remember you talking about this in class last year.’ It really connects the classroom with the real world.

“It’s very important for students to have field experience in order to understand how to maintain healthy vineyards for producing quality grapes. And this means working with not only scientists but growers such as Julia as well,” Rayapati said.

“The same is true for wine quality,” agreed enologist Harbertson. “We don’t know for sure what effects leafroll virus has on wine quality. When you have less sugar and more acid, there is some impact, but is it noticeable outside the lab? We’d like to investigate this more to determine if the impacts on color, tannins, acidity and ethanol are significant.”

Both Schultz and Keirsey have received undergraduate research grants that will enable them to continue their work. Keirsey continues his research on co-fermentation while Rayapati said that Schultz will investigate virus-infection rates in other vineyards.

“I love wine, I love being outdoors, I love living in the country,” said Schultz. “And this is great. I wanted to be part of a team, to have a hand in putting something together, in getting the job done. And that’s just what we’re doing.”

Learn more about Rayapati’s research by visiting his virology site.

Landon Keirsey’s work on co-fermentation is described in a previous issue of Voice of the Vine: http://bit.ly/60p7t

Learn more about clean plant material from the Northwest Grape Foundation Service Web site.

Both Andrew Schultz and Landon Keirsey, the two WSU undergraduate researchers mentioned in this article, have grants to fund their work. Learn more about undergraduate research projects in the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Research Sciences by watching this short video.

New Vineyard Will Advance WSU Viticulture Research

WSU viticulturist Markus Keller in a vineyard with students.
WSU viticulturist Markus Keller in a vineyard with students.

WSU viticulture researchers have received contributions from the wine and grape industry to fund a new eight-acre research vineyard. Vines will be planted this spring near the Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser.

Markus Keller, professor of viticulture, pointed out that, “Currently, our research vineyards are small and scattered across the research center. They’re older vineyards, so don’t reflect current practices. The new vineyard will allow us to better serve the industry in a number of important research areas.”

Expanding horizons: "The new research vineyard will greatly enhance WSU’s ability to address the industry’s research needs." --Vicky Scharlau
Expanding horizons: "The new research vineyard will greatly enhance WSU’s ability to address the industry’s research needs." --Vicky Scharlau

Once established, the vineyard will accommodate field trials with Washington’s “big-four” varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Riesling. Planned research projects will commence after the vines reach at least four years of age and include advanced deficit irrigation strategies, canopy and crop load management, as well as projects testing mechanized or automated precision-viticulture practices.

The $55,000 needed for first-year vineyard establishment came from a variety of sources all across the industry, Keller said, “with the Washington State Department of Agriculture agreeing to match the industry contributions”. The Washington Wine Industry Foundation and the Wine Advisory Committee both agreed to contribute a majority of the needed funds with the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers filling in the remaining gap.

“The new research vineyard will greatly enhance WSU’s ability to address the industry’s research needs,” said Vicky Scharlau, executive director of the Washington Wine Industry Foundation, “not to mention allowing researchers to be more efficient and produce the output we need to compete globally. Research is our future, and the industry was all too happy to assist WSU by funding this vineyard.”

Plan to Attend 9th Annual Gala for WSU Viticulture & Enology Program

Jan. 30 is the date for the next Celebrate Washington Wine auction.
Jan. 30 is the date for the next Celebrate Washington Wine auction.

Plans are well underway for the ninth annual “Celebrate Washington Wine” gala to benefit WSU’s Viticulture and Enology Program. Proceeds from the 2010 fundraising event primarily will be dedicated to providing undergraduate and graduate scholarships, and student academic exchange programs.

Event planners are working on some new features for the annual black tie dinner and auction, including an online auction and an opportunity to test your luck with a wine “grab bag.” Grab bag participants will pay a flat fee for the opportunity to select an anonymous bottle from the grab bag selection. Will your “grab” net you a nice $25 bottle of fine Washington wine — or will your luck bring you a hard-to-find $100 bottle?

So mark your calendar for Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010, to attend this intimate event held at the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery and help WSU provide the research and the highly trained workforce to support the future of Washington’s wine industry. Tickets are $250 per person, or $2,500 for a VIP table of ten. The event has sold out in past years, so make your reservations early.

For sponsorship or donation information, or to make reservations please visit http://www.wineauction.wsu.edu or call 509-335-7772.

Pour It On! Dad’s Weekend Wine Tasting Is Nov. 13

Dad's weekend wine tasting is Nov. 13 in the Holland Library atrium.
Dad's weekend wine tasting is Nov. 13 in the Holland Library atrium.

“Dads usually prefer beer,” said WSU Viticulture and Enology Club President Becca Bailey. “We’re hoping to give them a little education in wine.”

The Nov. 13 Dad’s Weekend wine tasting will be a first for the WSU V&E Club, which in the past has hosted successful wine tastings during WSU’s annual Mom’s Weekend. The club uses funds raised from such events for educational purposes in keeping with their mission to improve students’ knowledge of viticulture and enology and to promote the Washington wine industry.

“We’re planning a field trip for next spring,” Bailey said. “We want to tour several Washington wineries and network with growers and vintners, because talking to people in the industry is a good way for us to learn what it takes to succeed.”

The club is open to all students and faculty of both WSU and the University of Idaho.

Tickets for the event are $15, which includes five pours. So far, the club is pouring selections from Woodward Canyon Winery, Wawawai Canyon Winery and Milbrandt Vineyards.

“We have a bunch of students from Idaho in the club, so we’re exploring getting donations from Idaho wineries, too,” Bailey said.

The Nov. 13 tasting is being held in the atrium of the Holland Library (located next to the renovated CUB), from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door or in advance by contacting Becca Bailey at rebecca.bailey@email.wsu.edu.