Best Vineyard Trellis System for Hot Climate?

[Mgoldy]

I'm planting a small vineyard (35 vines) in Nor Cal and the summer temps get up to 110 degf. I'm thinking about using a California Sprawl, but hoping someone here has some advice.

Cheers! And Thanks!

Mike

 

[Snafflebit]

Sprawl is used in the Central Valley, mainly because it is a simple trellis and shades the fruit from extreme sun and heat. It is not known to produce the highest quality wine grapes. But don't count it out either.
VSP will probably be just as easy to build for 35 vines and provide you the most flexibility and ease of spraying one layer of leaves rather than reaching around in the canopy.
Ground moisture, variety, slope, shading, vine management, etc enters into the choice.

 

[meridaen]

I take it that 'California sprawl' is just a single fruiting wire?

I'm in a warm-to-hot climate here Mgoldy and most if not all of the commercial guys do the same. There's some pretty special producers around these parts too, all single fruiting wire.

 

[GSMChris]

There is an interesting article in the San Francisco Chronicle this morning. Should be on SFGate.com soon.

What a grower in Napa is doing to combat heat is growing a two layer vineyard - red is grown up high and then White wine grapes hide in the shade of the red wine canopy down lower.

Good article - I’ll come back and post a link here when it appears. In the mean time, here is a photo of the vineyard:

 

[GSMChris]

And here is a photo of the trellis system going in

 

[Snafflebit]

I take it that 'California sprawl' is just a single fruiting wire?

I'm in a warm-to-hot climate here Mgoldy and most if not all of the commercial guys do the same. There's some pretty special producers around these parts too, all single fruiting wire.

It is not quite as simple as a single wire cordon, which is also used in California for raisins. Typically, the trellis is two wires at the top that the shoot grows between or is positioned between and that is the extent of positioning. The cane continues to grow and flops over.

 

[Denden5136]

Hi Mike,
A couple questions. What area of Northern California (it's a big place)? What varieties?
I did VSP for my vineyard (Contra Costa County) with Zinfandel, Mourvedre and Sauv. Blanc.

I also have 20 vines on a single wire ( resulting in roughly the equivalent of California sprawl in shape) planted 22 years ago at my parent's place in the Central Valley, where it does indeed get HOT. The Cabernet Sauvignon is very vigorous in the sandy soil and with the huge canopy I have troubles with powdery mildew even if I trim, leaf pull and spray sulfur. The Pinot Noir (don't ask why I planted PN in the Central Valley - it was a long time ago) actually does well on a single wire as long as I keep the canopy open. The vines are much less vigorous. Variety should be considered.

I am partial to VSP because you can do a lot with it to impact shading, and open the canopy easily. Also, at harvest time it is a joy to pick. Just my thoughts.....

 

[Joe B.]

I have various varieties on different rootstocks and deal with 100+ temps also (Sierra Foothills). I use a modified VSP with cross arms. I let the vigor of the particular variety/rootstock combination dictate the length of the cross arms used. Row orientation is also a factor. I went north south and do some careful leaf pulling on the eastside and none on the west. GSM thanks for the information on the red/white combination.