Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/751050
38 DECEMBER 2016 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com T echnology exists for an almost completely mecha- nized vineyard, but there's often hesitation by growers and winemakers concerned about the potential impact on wine quality. The Washington State Wine Commission is supporting new research to address these concerns, comparing wine quality in hand-pruned, mechani- cally pruned and mechanically thinned grapes. This has the potential to save the Washington wine industry millions in labor costs and also help address labor shortages. Preliminary results are encouraging, says Jim Harbertson, Washington State University associate professor of enology, who is leading the research. "It appears that the outcome is not how you get there (in terms of yield), but that you get there." The Washington wine industry is focused on the premium wine market. Because changes made in the vineyard can positively — or negatively — impact wine quality, the state's wine industry is mindful of potential wine quality effects when new viticulture practices and tech- nology are considered. Vineyard mechanization, while not new, is becoming increasingly relevant with today's tightened supply of skilled labor. It may be romantic to think that each vine is carefully tended by human hands, but for many farmers it's just not realistic. More than 55,000 acres of wine grapes in Washington need to be pruned, thinned and picked each year at the same time horticultural tasks must be done in other labor-intensive crops like cherries, apples and hops. Potential savings Mechanical harvesters, introduced in the 1960s, now pick more than 80 percent of Washington's wine grapes and save the wine industry nearly $20 million each year in labor costs. Hand harvesting can GOOD TO KNOW Vineyard mechanization: Is grape quality impacted? New research has the potential to save wine grape growers millions in labor costs. by Melissa Hansen