Winter Kill

Central Washington’s biggest viticultural problem can be winter kill from severe arctic outbreaks.  These tend to occur on average two out of every ten years.  During the winter of 1995-96 we had two weeks of severe cold and our thermometer here in Trinidad (an old ghost town above Crescent Bar between Quincy and Wenatchee) registered -10 F.  Many vineyards throughout the state were severely damaged although we only experienced two percent bud damage.  In the winter of 2002-03 we had a very brief two day arctic outbreak which damaged some vineyards, mostly those planted in flat locations and here on our hillside we were once again fine.

This brings us to the winter of ’08, not quite yet the winter of ’09.  We have obviously been experiencing an arctic outbreak over the last week and a half.  Our lowest temperature here was -1 F.  According to the weather forecasts this will be the last day of cold for this weather pattern and milder temperatures are coming.  Thus I went out this morning and cut a few canes in the Grenache.  I chose the Grenache because it is arguably the most winter tender variety in the state.  I have even had a viticulturist with more than 30 years of experience growing grapes on Red Mountain tell me that there is no way White Heron can keep Grenache alive.  The vines are currently eight years old.  In a completely unscientific manner I cut the ends off of several canes on several plants.  I then cut the buds in half with a razor blade.  The interiors of the buds were a beautiful bright green, no sign of the frozen black centers in damaged buds.

We prune our vineyard very carefully which means that we like to start pruning in January.  With no sign of winter kill we can start pruning in the near future.  Had there been winter kill we would have to modify our pruning in order to increase the number of buds left.  As it is, full steam ahead.  Of course there is always the risk of another arctic outbreak in the new year.