About 98% of spring grafts took at Hummingbird Estate, and some newly grafted Sauvignon Blanc vines already carried grapes, Jason Coates told roughly 50 attendees at Oregon’s Aug. 18 Grape Field Day.
Coates said the weak wine market makes grafting an attractive reset because it costs about the same as replanting but can deliver a full crop the next season.
2-inch rootstock, disease-free plant material and early booking of professional grafting crews are critical, he said, with growers advised to order 10%-15% extra nursery stock and avoid diseased vines.
OSU researchers used the event to widen the discussion: 10 mildew-resistant grape cultivars will be planted in 2027, while scientists also sought help tracking treehoppers and vine mealybug and testing a cellulose-chitosan smoke-blocking spray.