Viticulture: Growers and potential growers Click here for additional Viticulture Information. 

2008 Spray Program

Winemakers:
Click here for additional  Enology Information

Considerations for Starting a Winery. Click here for the University of Arkansas 84 page paper by Justin Morris.

 

Preferred Vendor List for Growers and Winemakers

A problem faced by anyone trying to grow grapes in soybean country is the lack of local suppliers of vineyard material. The problem is compounded by the fact that many would be suppliers fail to deliver on promises. Grapevine nurseries, in my experience, are particularly irresponsible in this regard. In part that is why I do much of my own grafting and plant propagation.

Now that we are making wine, I have discovered that the (mostly) European equipment is generally overpriced and poorly represented in this country. Often it is poorly designed and manufactured. Motors burn up, gauges and seals fail, and spares are often hard to find. Documentation is limited or missing entirely. Buyer beware!

I offer the list below  with a caveat - people and organizations do evolve and change. For that reason you may experience trouble where I have previously had good luck. If things don't work out with any of these vendors, let me know and I will consider removing them from the list.

Ron's Top Ten List of Viticultural Mistakes

"The reason that site and variety selection are so important is because if we get it right in the vineyard, we are able to make honest wines in the cellar. Honest wines are wines in which the winemaker does very little, with no additions of acid, tannins, concentrates, sugar, enzymes, etc. Honest wines reflect terroir."
--Jim Law, Wine East , Jan.-Feb. 2006

At least once every several weeks someone inquires about planting a vineyard, or having planted a vineyard wants advice on improvements and/or marketing. I’ve managed to save more than a few people from making grievous mistakes, others have failed or are failing due to their having made irreversible mistakes. The following list is not meant to be all inclusive and it is in no particular order. One error by itself may not ruin your project, but several combined will guarantee its failure. Click here for Ron's Top Ten List of Viticultural Mistakes.

So you think owning a vineyard is glamorous? Saturday, July 30, 2005. A Japanese beetle decides to explore Ron's ear. It died in the far reaches of his ear next to his ear drum. A visit to the emergency room was required. 

Growers Corner:
Click here for advice on varieties and sprayers

Ron on hybrids:

We really want to grow vinifera, but we think our weather is just too rough.  We have 200 Riesling that we are very hopeful will thrive.  We are considering planting some French hybrids to offset our vinifera risk and valued your opinion on whether we should consider “own rooted” to reduce the hilling up labor.  Is this going to spell trouble in the long run?  What are the advantages or disadvantages of planting own rooted for French hybrids?