Check out publications, organizations and digital tools that are all devoted to helping you grow great grapes. Part of the mission of the Virginia Vineyards Association is the free interchange of information and ideas with professional and amateur enthusiasts. Please contact us if you know of any additional resources that may be of interest to our members.
Tools
Track Your Vineyard Labor Costs
The Labor Tracking Worksheet can be used by growers to determine the economic feasibility of owning and operating a specialized vineyard implement in the vineyard. Just plug in your acreage and average time per acre you spend doing a task manually, and the worksheet will show you the cost per acre of doing that task mechanically in your vineyard. Download the worksheet here, or, for detailed instructions, check out this video.
Handouts from the VVA’s Summer Technical Meeting on July 28, 2021
In the Vineyard
- FRUIT CHEMISTRY: “Correlation between Skin Cell Wall Composition and Polyphenol Extractability of Pinot noir and Cabernet Sauvignon Grapes,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, January 2022.
- VIRUS: “Cluster Thinning Does Not Improve Fruit Composition in Grapevine Red Blotch Virus-infected Vitis vinifera L.,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, October 2021.
- FRUIT CHEMISTRY: “Effects of Flower Cluster Tip Removal on Phenolics and Antioxidant Activity of Grape Berries and Wines,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, June 2021.
- COLD DAMAGE: “Delaying Budbreak to Reduce Freeze Damage: Seasonal Vine Performance and Wine Composition in Two Vitis vinifera Cultivars,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, June 2021.
- VIRUS: “Vineyard Trial Demonstrates Effectiveness of Roguing and Replanting to Curtail the Spread of Grapevine Leafroll Disease,” Appellation Cornell, Cornell’s Viticulture and Enology Program, 2021.
- “Soft, Sweet, and Colorful: Stratified Sampling Reveals Sequence of Events at the Onset of Grape Ripening,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, April 2021.
- “Assessing the United States Grape Industry’s Understanding of Fungicide Resistance Mitigation Practices,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, April 2021.
- “Clone and Rootstock Interactions Influence the Cold Hardiness of Vitis vinifera cvs. Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, April 2021.
- “Effects of Viticultural Mechanization on Working Time Requirements and Production Costs,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, January 2021.
- “2020: Red Blotch Testing, Research, and Plans for the Future,” Foundation Plant Services, Oct. 14, 2020.
- “Risk of Spotted-Wing Drosophila Injury and Associated Increases in Acetic Acid in Minnesota Winegrapes,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, October 2020.
- “Evaluation of Ripening Indicators for Harvest-time Decision Making in Cold Climate Grape Production,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, October 2020.
- “Effects of Grapevine Red Blotch Disease on Cabernet Franc Vine Physiology, Bud Hardiness, and Fruit and Wine Quality,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, October 2020.
- “Terroir of Winter Hardiness: Bud LT50, Water Metrics, Yield and Berry Composition in Ontario Riesling,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, October 2020.
- Evaluation of Budbreak-Delaying Products to Avoid Spring Frost Injury in Grapevines, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, July 2020.
- “Robots Armed With UV Light Fight Grape Mildew,” Cornell University, June 3, 2020.
- Heterogeneous Benefits of Virus Screening For Grapevines in California, July 2020, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.
- Proximal Sensing and Relationships to Soil and Vine Water Status, Yield, and Berry Composition in Ontario Vineyards, April 2020, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.
- Soil Temperature Prior to Veraison Alters Grapevine Carbon Partitioning, Xylem Sap Hormones, and Fruit Set, January 2020, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.
- Vegetative, Yield, and Berry Quality Response of Aglianico to Shoot-Trimming Applied at Three Stages of Berry Ripening, October 2019, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.
- Postveraison Leaf Removal Does Not Consistently Delay Ripening in Semillon and Shiraz in a Hot Australian Climate, October 2019, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.
- Timing and Intensity of Grapevine Defoliation: An Extensive Overview on Five Cultivars in Switzerland, October 2019, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.
- “Update on Red Blotch in Foundation Vineyards,” issued Oct. 21, 2019, by Foundation Plant Services.
- Organic and Biodynamic Viticulture Affect Biodiversity and Properties of Vine and Wine: A Systematic Quantitative Review, July 2019, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.
- Elimination of the Crown Gall Pathogen, Agrobacterium vitis, from Systemically Infected Grapevines by Tissue Culture, July 2019, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.
- Preveraison Leaf Removal Changes Fruit Zone Microclimate and Phenolics in Cold Climate Interspecific Hybrid Grapes Grown under Cool Climate Conditions, July 2019, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.
- “Impact of Amigo Oil and KDL on Grapevine Postbudburst Freeze Damage, Yield Components, and Fruit and Wine Composition,” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.
Helpful Links
- Wine Grape Production Guide for Eastern North America – lead author and editor Dr. Tony K. Wolf of Virginia Tech.
- 2023 Pest Management Guide: Horticultural and Forest Crops from Virginia Cooperative Extension.
- Sunlight Into Wine; A Handbook for Wine Grape Canopy Arrangement by Richard Smart and Mike Robinson.
- Wine Business Monthly
- Wine Business Analytics
For information on the importance of clean rootstock and what to look for:
Statewide
- Virginia Wine Council
- Virginia Wineries Association
- Virginia Wine Board
- Winemakers Research Exchange
- Virginia Wine Marketing Office
Out of State and National
Piedmont Virginia Community College, Charlottesville
The only one of its kind in Virginia, PVCC Workforce Services offers Certificate Programs in both Viticulture and Enology as well as Tasting Room Management. The programs consist of non-credit classes that combine in-class instruction with hands-on learning in local vineyards and wineries. Students range from current owners and operators to novices and hobbyists. Read more …
University Programs and Institutes Around the U.S.
Cornell University, N.Y.: Viticulture and Enology program
Michigan State University Institute of Agricultural Technology Viticulture Certificate Program
University of Missouri Grape and Wine Institute
Arkansas Tech Enology & Viticulture certificates
University of California, Davis: Viticulture and Enology major
Fresno State Department of Viticulture and Enology, Calif.
California Polytechnic State University: Wine and Viticulture
Washington State University Viticulture and Enology program
Oregon State University Oregon Wine Research Institute
Community Colleges Around the U.S.
Surry Community College, Dobson, N.C.: Viticulture and Enology
Finger Lakes Community College, N.Y.: Viticulture and Wine Technology
Napa Valley College, Calif.: Viticulture & Winery Technology
Santa Rosa Junior College, Calif.: Viticulture and Wine Studies
Walla Walla Community College, Wash.: Enology and Viticulture
Yakima Valley College, Wash.: Vineyard and Winery Technology
Research Reports
Below are FY16 Research Reports funded by the Virginia Wine Board. Also visit the Winemakers Research Exchange, a research cooperative with 50-plus trial and test results available.
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- Botrytis cinerea fungicide sensitivity evaluation in Virginia crops
- Evaluation of powdery mildew quinoxyfen resistance
- The role of soil mineralogy in Potassium uptake by wine grapes
- Identifying genomic markers for fungicide resistance in grape powdery and downy mildew
- Creating amarone-style wines using enhanced dehydration technique
- Monticello winemaker’s research exchange 2015-2016
- Establish international collaborations for management of crown gall of grape, caused by agrobacterium vitis
- Understanding grapevine virus complex and development of grapevine leafroll disease management
- Preliminary data collection to understanding Pierce’s Disease ecosysytem in VA
- Investigating the lifecycle of ripe rot grape caused by Colletotrichum species
- Biological control agents for spotted wing drosophila in Virginia
- Chemical profile for possible host selection and to induce resistance against spotted wing drosophila in grape
- Vineyard site assessment final report
- Effects of harvest maturity and post-harvest storage on fruit, juice, and cider quality
- Characteristics of grapevine yellows-susceptible vineyards and potential management strategies
- Viticulture research and extension associate
- Optimized wine quality potential through fruit-zone management practices in red varieties