Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/668668
www.goodfruit.com Good Fruit Grower MAY 1, 2016 31 "It's almost like I was meant to be here, and all the blessings — It's a beautiful place and people who work here are happy. It's just such a special place," Nye told Good Fruit Grower in advance of her April retirement. "But I'm getting too tired. It's a demanding job." Ste. Michelle viticulturist Kari Smasne has been pro- moted to vineyard manager at Canoe Ridge, and pro- duction supervisor Pedro Flores has been promoted to assistant vineyard manager. Smasne began her career with Ste. Michelle as an intern in 2004, working her way up through viticulture positions. Most recently, she has supported the winery's Cold Creek and Col Solare vineyards. Flores, meanwhile, began working with Ste. Michelle in 1987, helping to develop various vineyard sites, and became a team member at Canoe Ridge under Nye in 1991. Getting started Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard sits 10 miles west of Paterson, Washington, on virgin ground close to the river. The south-facing slopes tend to be frost free and heat up quickly for early ripening. The first year, Nye learned about planting and trellis- ing. The second year, she learned about training up the vines. "And the third year, I learned about harvesting, so when Jack Kelly said I would grow with the vineyard, he was right," she said. The vineyard has grown to nearly 600 acres, including a mother block certified clean of viruses and diseases, and 10 varieties of grapes, mostly reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, Petite Verdot, Mouvedre, Chardonnay and Viognier. Each of the vines has been one of Nye's "babies." The vineyard is undergoing a renovation in sections; where Chardonnay had been planted on a south slope, Cabernet Sauvignon is replacing it to take advantage of the longer growing season. A Malbec block is being planted on a steep hill high above the winery, and Smasne planted her first four "babies" in that block. "I'm excited. It's going to be an adventure, and I'm happy and blessed to come in to such a great situation," she said. "Everyone is so welcoming and so helpful, not only knowledgeable but helpful and wanting to see the next person succeed. It feels good." Smasne has a step up on her, Nye said, because she's been a viticulturist for 12 years. "She's worked with a lot of different growers, bringing a lot of different knowledge and experiences," she said. "I tell her she's going to be better than me." For her part, Nye helped secure third-party LIVE and Salmon Safe certification for the vineyard in 2009. During her tenure, three wines made Wine Spectator's Top 100 list — the 2006 Canoe Ridge Estate Cabernet, 2004 Canoe Ridge Estate Chardonnay and 1999 Canoe Ridge Estate Merlot — and she likes to point out that a third of the grapes from a fourth Top 100 wine (2013 "The Pundit" It's all in the water S o what enables Washington wines to stand out in a crowded marketplace? The difference is all in the water, said Mimi Nye, longtime vineyard manager at Chateau Ste. Michelle's Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard. She retired from that job in April. Canoe Ridge has gotten acclaim with many varieties, but it's not just that particular site that stands out, she said. The Horse Heaven Hills appellation, which includes Canoe Ridge, and Washington state in general benefit from irri- gation that other wine regions just don't have available. Different varieties require different amounts of water; Chardonnay needs more water to make the kind of wine you want, whereas Cabernet Sauvignon benefits from water stress, she said. Having the ability to manage that water is key to growing premium wines. "A lot of places where they grow grapes, they grow a few varieties well, but here in Washington, we can grow a lot of varieties well," she said. "A lot of places in the world will have a great vintage one year and a lousy one the next year. Washington is very consistent year after year, largely because of irrigation." Some places, such as France, historically barred irrigation, letting Mother Nature play her part, Nye said, "which is very romantic and all, but it's not necessarily good for the wine." Washington, conversely, can adapt to changes of the seasons and apply water accordingly, she said, and that's key to growing so many different varieties and consistently producing premium wine. —S. Dininny courtesy ste. Michelle's/AndreA Johnson PhotogrAPhy Mimi Nye has managed Ste. Michelle's Canoe Ridge Vineyard near the Columbia River since it was first planted on the bluffs of southern Washington in the early 1990s. "A lot of places in the world will have a great vintage one year and a lousy one the next year. Washington is very consistent year after year, largely because of irrigation." —Mimi Nye 888.638.1955 www.cultivaipm.com sales@cultivaipm.com Pomcho can be purchased at your local retailer, contact us for more details. Pomcho is a trademark of Cultiva, LLC. SureSeal is a trademark of Oregon State University. Always read and follow label directions. ©2016 Cultiva, LLC. Vi s i t c u l t i va i p m .co m to f i n d o u t m o re. R E D U C E D E S I CC AT I O N S T R E S S I m p rove p l a n t f u n c t i o n R E D U C E P H YS I O LO G I C A L D I S O R D E R S R u ss e t i n g , c ra c k i n g , s p l i t t i n g , f l e c k i n g , a n d l e n t i ce l m a r k i n g R E D U C E M A R K E T LO S S E S I m p rove p a c ko u t s w i t h q u a l i t y I N C R E A S E P R O F I TA B I L I T Y S U P P L E M E N T T H E C U T I C L E P ro te c t f ro m d e hyd ra t i o n a n d d i s e a s e