Hot, humid weather is ideal for growing fungus but not for making quality wine. We must spray every 7–10 days and vary the fungicide each time in order to avoid allowing the fungus to become resistant to the sprays.
Given the amount rain, we must mow the vineyards in all 75 acres on a regular basis. This is almost a full-time job for one person.
Every time we have a storm, vines get knocked off their trellis and we have to go back and tie them back up. You might wonder why we don’t just tie them up with something that won’t break. Plastic, metal, or rubber ties are more secure and permanent but they don’t stretch as the vine grows. They eventually strangle the vine. So, we use twine made of a natural fiber that does decompose after about two years. And, we don’t tie it tightly. The disadvantage is that vines tied in this manner have to be retied every 12–18 months.
