In the most recent edition of Wines and Vines, we learn that the availability of labor is a problem that’s going to continue, according to Keith Striegler, who moderated a session about winemaker experiences with vineyard mechanization during the recent Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento. Striegler, grower outreach specialist for E. & J. Gallo Winery, noted in his introduction that more vineyard operations and practices are being mechanized, and mechanized pruning, shoot thinning and leaf removal change vineyard appearance. “When you make a change in the vineyard,” he said, “you have to have a buy-in by the winemakers in the winery, or you won’t get very far.” He then introduced the four panelists, who came from different regions and grow grapes for wines with different price points. Andrew Meggitt, winemaker, vineyard manager and co-owner of St. James Winery in St. James, Mo., discussed how St. James got into mechanization. When Meggitt first arrived at St. James from New Zealand in 2002, the winery produced 60,000 cases. Today, it is the largest winery in Missouri, farming 185 acres and producing 250,000 cases, with 65% of the grapes grown on St. James’ property. The winery plans to plant an additional 55 acres this year and another 50 acres in the two succeeding years. St. James Winery began a mechanization experiment in 2004 that lasted until 2009 using side-by-side rows in a block of Chardonel grapes. Meggitt reported that initially they found some variation in the fruit, but in 2010, the vineyard crew began doing a follow-up by hand to the mechanized pruning. “That cleaned up and opened up the canopy,” he said. “The ripening zone is more even.” In 2012, the winery made the decision to convert their entire vineyard property to mechanization for four reasons: lack of labor, increased efficiency, improved fruit quality and improved fruit consistency. “We couldn’t find labor,” Meggitt stated. “Mechanization improved the timing of vineyard operations—for pruning, bud rubbing, hedging, leaf removal, shoot thinning and positioning, cluster thinning and harvesting. Our spray bill dropped 30%, because we were getting light into the canopy, and that helped with the presence of all the diseases.” All the grapes used by the winery—whether grown in Missouri, Arkansas or Michigan—are grown in mechanically manipulated vineyards. “We’re growing flavors in the vineyard and producing higher margin wines, but we’re still learning how to do this. We’ll improve. Technology will improve,” Meggitt said. “We’ve improved the bottom line for the vineyard; that wasn’t our goal, but it helps.” Check out our full line of stainless steel wine barrels.
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