News and Announcements!

Rick Dunst, Viticulturist, Double A Vineyards, Inc.

Choosing an appropriate training system for your vineyard is one of the most important decisions you will make; that decision will affect potential productivity and profitability for the life of the vineyard. The most appropriate training system for your vineyard is based primarily on growth habit and the need for optimum fruit exposure, and is affected by vine vigor and winter hardiness. Our Business Management Specialist, Danielle Huber, has published a new set of diagrams on our website depicting the establishment of Top Wire Cordon (TWC), Vertical Shoot Positioned (VSP), and Mid Wire Cordon (MWC).  This article will discuss the critical steps in vineyard establishment for these training systems.

Top Wire Cordon is used primarily for downward-growing (procumbent) cultivars such as many native Vitis Labruscana varieties. It can also be appropriate for some more upright-growing cultivars such as many French-American hybrid varieties, especially those with hardy trunks and fruit that does not need optimum fruit exposure in order to produce high quality fruit and wine. As compared with VSP training, TWC training is much more efficient as it requires much less hand labor and fewer cultural manipulations. TWC training employs a single fruiting wire at 5’ to (preferably) 6’ above ground level, on which a semi-permanent cordon is trained, and often a lower wire at about 30” above ground which is used for training purposes and to establish a straight trunk. If desired, a 7’ long bamboo stake, or equivalent, can be used as a substitute for the lower wire.

Rick Dunst, Viticulturist, Double A Vineyards, Inc.

As Double A Vineyards has grown over the years, we have received more and more questions from growers regarding crop protection programs for vineyards and where to purchase products.  We are pleased to announce the introduction of a line of crop protection products that is now available to our customers.  There are several grape diseases that can cause crop loss directly, through infection of fruit, or indirectly, through loss of leaf area.  Various insects feed on grape flowers, fruit, leaves, and roots, resulting in decreased productivity.  Weeds can compete with grapevines for water and nutrients resulting in reduced vine capacity.  While the use of cultural methods of pest control are encouraged, responsible use of pesticides is often necessary to produce full yields of high quality fruit. Currently available pest management solutions to these common vineyard problems are listed at the end of this article.

Danielle Huber, Marketing Specialist, Double A Vineyards

How does it go again?  “Rally up the troops!”  Or is it “All hands on deck!”  Whatever it may be now is the time where we need everyone on board for a non-stop, full speed ahead, shipping extravaganza. From now until the end of May each of the employees at Double A Vineyards lives and breathes shipping, and if they happen to squeeze any sleep in there, they dream shipping too. I’m sure many of you who are located in the upper North East like we are, are thinking to yourselves, vines already? Well, keep in mind Double A Vineyards ships their products all over the country (except for California, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington -due to state regulation). So many of our friendly warmer weather states are ready to get them in the ground! Now, while this all may sound a bit exaggerated, it’s really not at all. From now until the end of shipping we will have as many (or as little) as 300 orders being sent out each Monday. These orders could be comprised of 5 vines for a small home grower or 5,000 vines for one of our larger commercial growers. Whatever it may be, we’ve got to be ready to get our hands dirty.

Shipping Update

2013 Shipping for bare-root plants has concluded for the season. Plant orders will resume July 1st for shipment Mid-March through May of 2014. (Books, Accessories, Chemicals, and Chemical Application Accessories can be ordered on a year round basis). 

Warranty/Return Policy:

Warranty:Warranty applicable only to rooted vines and plants. We are not liable for crop loss or damage from causes beyond our control. We will gladly replace any stock which proves to be untrue to variety or fails to grow the year that it is planted. We are not responsible for losses sustained over the winter. Under no circumstances is our liability greater than the cost of the stock purchased. It is mutually agreed that this is the total extent of our liability involving any matter concerning our product. All claims must be submitted by August, 15th of the year the product is delivered. For losses in excess of 10% we require notice within 30 days of planting so we can verify practices. Only applicable to vines planted by June 1st.