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BarrelMonkey, Similar situation for me - I help make whites at a winery, but my first time at home. Home has its own challenges - no glycol chillers and no super large primary fermentation tanks. I have made one addition of tartaric acid and will re-test this evening. I moved the wine (down to...

Very cool indeed - I will use my pH meter for the test at the end of the primary. Then I can check it vs. the color change.

ibglowin, Well said on letting the tongue be the second opinion - it is not overly acidic and in fact tastes/smells very well balanced. I did another test and it came out at 7.8. I think I am used to the more dramatic color changes at endpoint with reds. This has been a great learning...

With the TA test kit I always use. 100ml distilled, 6 drops phenolphthalein, 5ml must then 0.1 NaOH solution. I tested my Cab Sauv last week and Zin a week earlier and the tests were accurate, so the solution should be good. I am scratching my head on TA this high for grapes this late. I...

I upped the SO2 because of the high pH - so much gets absorbed there is little left. The wine actually tastes balanced, which is what surprises me. This is why I tested twice on the TA. I do want to up the acid to bring it down to the 3.8 range, which is still a bit high for whites, but at...

I picked 160 lbs of Sauvignon Blanc this weekend. The harvest is a bit late. The Brix came in at 27. The grapes were on the "done" side, but were from a good, clean vineyard and the fruit looked really good. Got everything crushed and pressed in a couple hours and checked the pH - 4.1. I...

Obbnw, is your Tempranillo ready? We harvested Tempranillo 3 week back here in Northern California. A sign of overcropping is the berries are not getting ripe. What is the Brix?

Hi Balatonwine, Perhaps an over-generalization on my part - you are correct, it is often more complicated that that. I have seen obvious correlations between keeping vineyards clean, leaf removal to allow in air-flow and the number of insects, but as you rightly point out, sometimes pest...

I never rinse grapes, but do try to remove MOG where possible during the crush. Usually in the crush most bugs will come swimming to the top - here in N. California we have mostly earwigs and spiders. If you have grapes with tight clusters it is very difficult to clean unless you separate...

I use Bonide - as in the picture you posted - for curly leave on my peaches. I'd say give it a try. I also use it in winter for my vines to control powdery mildew on the vine trunks.

I am in Antioch - East Contra Costa County. I also have a vineyard in Turlock.

I agree with Busabill - the stems/canes look like powdery mildew. This is easily fixed with sulfur here in California. My bigger concern is the curling leaves. This is not leafroll (GLD). It looks like curly leaf, but I have only seen curly leaf on fruit trees. Get some sulfur on your vines...

Hi J4shey, Just to confirm, these are on rootstocks, correct? Where did you get the vines? You mentioned PN, what clone are they?

Hi Coriba, Have a look at this page from the CDFA and UC Davis https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/ffldrs/frep/FertilizationGuidelines/Grapevines.html If you click on potassium you can drill down to application methodology and details. If only one leaf is infected I do not think it is red-blotch, but...

Gilmango, Thanks for the feedback. I have been watching Craig's list. and do work with Michael. I also have friends up in Suisun Valley so will be asking around there too.

Hi All, Does anyone know of anyone selling white wine grapes in Northern California in 2022? If I can be picky I am looking for Viognier or Pinot Gris, but am open to what is available. I use Cal Wine Broker for reds, but last year he only offered one pick of Chardonnay and I picked red on the...

Spray regimes depend on the region/climate. In a west coast dry climate, one or two sulphur applications may be enough. In areas with more humidity/rain, it is likely very different. The vines look good to me. As for thinning, as long as your source-sink is in balance you are fine with heavy...

Hi Snafflebit, Just curious, what was the charge for the petiole test? Did you do it a few times over the season or just once? Did you do nutritional/mineral analysis or also virus testing?

Eutypa tends to not go down the vine too fast. I have been advised to cut again about 4 inches below the original cut, or if it is a spur, take it off. There are dusts to cover the new cut if required. Not sure if that is what it is or if this helps.

Doesn't look like any of the major viruses (red blotch, fanleaf or leafroll). Only 2 vines? The shoots look healthy, which is good. You didn't get hit by the early frost did you?