CleverRoot

4 6 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t IN THE VINEYARD with John Terlato VINEYARD HEALTH Soil health and associated nutrient levels provide us with another area of experimentation within our vineyards. Usually, if there's a nutrient deficiency within a vineyard—nitrogen, for instance—we could apply traditional treatments or a broad com- posting regimen to manage that deficiency. But some winegrowers are applying an alterna- tive and completely natural method of nitrogen amendment: the installation of temporary en- closures (in this case, chicken-wire fences) and chickens in the area of deficiency. The chickens' droppings are high in nitrogen, delivering a high concentration to that targeted area—and avoiding the need for a broader, potentially wasteful applica- tion. It's precise and efficient farming. We will eventually use this application in our own vineyards, as it's an example of a completely natural and thoughtful approach to soil management, which came about through clever experimentation. Terlato Wines is experimenting with site- specific planting densities, which can often take five to seven years from fruit to bottle before its effects are realized. DENSITY OF PLANTING I'm especially fascinated by experimentation in the area of vineyard planting density. There are two broad schools of thought around this topic. In a highly vigorous vineyard site, plant the vines far apart and allow them to draw on the nutrients and vigorous soil, or, alternatively, plant the vines close together (higher-density plant- ings) and let them fight for nutrients. Theoretically, one root system delivering all its resources to a single cluster of grapes would yield the most intense, highest-quality grape cluster. But that wouldn't be practical from a farming, production or financial perspective. So where does one place the fulcrum in terms of density? That's where experimentation comes in. On our family-owned vineyards, we're experimenting with site-specific planting densities: the width between each row and the distance between the vines. We can also experiment with plant height, which affects the amount of light available and duration of shade cast. These are super-lengthy experiments: When we plant a test section, it takes three to four years before we have viable fruit. Then, it's another two to three years before we have finished wines that offer a clearer indication of the effects of our experi- ments. But when we arrive at the proper density for a specific grape variety in a specific vineyard location, the long wait will have been worth it.

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