Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/662797
26 APRIL 15, 2016 Good Fruit Grower www.goodfruit.com Better Performance, Fewer Applications, Better Cherries. THE RAIN IS COMING. BE PREPARED! Parka is a food grade, transparent and tasteless cuticle supplement. Adding Parka to your program has demonstrated to substantially reduce rain splitting and improve quality at harvest and beyond. The unique elasticity of Parka allows a simple 2 application program starting at straw color while avoiding reactive sprays closer to harvest. Save time, money and headaches. Visit cultivaipm.com to find out more. 888.638.1955 www.cultivaipm.com sales@cultivaipm.com Parka can be purchased at your local retailer, contact us for more details. Parka is a trademark of Cultiva, LLC. SureSeal is a trademark of Oregon State University. Always read and follow label directions. ©2016 Cultiva, LLC. Wahluke Slope Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates' Cold Creek Vineyard, first planted in 1973 near Mattawa, Washington, underwent a 184-acre expansion from 2007 to 2014. Of that, 132 acres are in Cabernet clones, accord- ing to vineyard manager Joe Cotta. "We know clones bring different attributes that can contribute to different wines," Cotta said, adding that despite the challenges, clones offer another tool to improve quality and gain an edge on the competition. Clones planted at the site include 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 21, 33, 169, 412 and 685. For the most part, all are planted the same way: 8-by-5-foot spacing on VSP. Overall, the most commonly preferred clones at Cold Creek have been Clones 6 and 8, which are the lowest and highest yielding clones at the vineyard. "I'm grateful to have Clone 8. It makes up one-third of our Cab expansion, and it's just very versatile," he said. Clone 6 produces the smallest cluster weight and very loose clusters. "If we struggle with any of them, we struggle with this one if we want to get a high yield, but obviously, it's highly preferred," he said. Cotta advised against thinning these two clones, as they are very easy to predict. Clone 10 is also assumed to make high tier wines every year, he said, and Clones 169 and 33 will compete more as the vines get older. Clones 8, 15, 21 and 685 are the highest yielding clones, and 2, 4 and 412 are all middle of the pack. Cotta said his only do-over would be less Clone 2. "We prefer different clones in different years — not across the board, but you do see that variability," he said. "The advantage is always there. There are always some clones that stand above the rest, and that allows you to improve your high-tier blend." Horse Heaven Hills Jake Cragin is viticulturist and assistant manager for Winemakers LLC's Horse Heaven Hills properties, Alder Ridge Vineyard and Canoe Ridge Vineyard, with about 421 acres dedicated to Cabernet. The majority of acreage is Clone 8, both for high-yield production and from feed- back from winemaker clients. Other clones include 2, 21 and 33, with the latter prov- ing the least successful. "It's been slow growing, we've