Handling Bad Weather at a Winery

Actions that Need to be Taken at a Winery

Abstract

As an employee for a winery in Napa Valley I have been getting prepared for harvest time.  While in charge of protecting the crops I noticed a change in the weather and there is potential risk for high hail in the next couple of days.  The hail can damage my crops and the owner wants me to take proper action to protect our crops.  In response to her request I have written an action plan addressing what actions should be taken place and what the consequences will be if nothing is done.

    Good grapes can be damaged by bad weather.  A hail storm can do extensive damage to crops if  they are hit by frozen rain.  The leaves can be punctured and the fruit can be pulverized, so much so that it turns to pulp.  If the leaves or fruit get damaged they can form a disease, which will infect the whole plant and make for bad wine.  If the grapes get damaged then you get low return.  The consequences can be severe and no one can prevent the weather from happening.  The best thing to do is to think of spending the least amount of money as possible.  If the hail storm is early enough in the season then there is time to regrow and it shouldn't effect the wine that much.  Thinking outside of the box maybe a plastic sheet can be placed and tied down to shield the grapes.  But this might take some extra costs unless there is extra lying around. 

    The best action to take is not to prevent it but to damage control. According to the Department of Environmental Studies “Damaged plants are more susceptible to pests and disease. In particular Botrytis rot can infect any damaged tissue and if weather conditions are wet toward the end of the season the crop can be extensively infected”(Recovery from Hail Storms – Grapes Section, para. 7).
It is important to access the damage immediately after the storm and prune any damaged fruit, stems or leaves.  A disease like Botryis can cripple a crop especially it is late in the season.  After the hail storm I would also spray the fruit with an organic mix of dish soap and other ingredients to extra help prevent disease.  If we do not have the sufficient materials to protect the vines from getting damaged then we can definitely control the damage from getting worse.

References:

Department of Environmental Studies (2012) Recovery from Hail Damage – Grapevines Retrieved July, 20 2014 From: http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/agriculture-and-food/horticulture/wine-and-grapes/recovery-from-hail-damage-grapevines