"Working the Land" (Viticulture)
Viticulture: Grenache At-A-Glance
- Vigor (low/high)
- Relatively easy to grow. Moderately to highly vigorous and managed by rootstock selection, crop thinning, spacing and clone matching as well as, where legal, managed irrigation.
- Adaptability
- Performs qualitatively at its best in gravelly,stony soils and well in sandy soils (naturally moderates vigor), also limestone. Quite drought-resistant.
- Yield (potential)
- If left unchecked, high. For quality, depending on vigor and winemaker intent, green harvesting for concentration of flavor and color depth can be practiced, as high yields equal dilute flavor and low berry pigmentation. Grenache is susceptible to potenti
- Growth cycle
- Relatively early budding, but late ripening; hence need for warmer climates
- Diseases
- Susceptible to downy mildew, botrytis, Phomopsis (dead arm), grapevine bacterial necrosis, and can be susceptible to millerandage
Sustainability and California
As an agricultural industry, the California wine community has a long history of adapting to change and demonstrating its commitment to sound environmental practices and social responsibility. Building on these efforts are the educational and certification programs of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA). Established by Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers, CSWA is the most comprehensive and widely adopted wine sustainability program in the world, and– together with other important sustainability programs in regions throughout the state– has made California wine a leader in addressing climate change.