The grape and wine industry may benefit from what appears as one of the driest years on record in the South Plains.
"This year is awful dry," said Vijay Reddy, owner of Reddy Vineyards, "we've been watering since December."
But the lack of water is not yet a problem, mostly because during growing season, "grapes don't like moistures on their leaves," said Neal Newsom, owner of Newsom Vineyards. "The moisture on the leaves triggers fungus."
Lack of moisture in the air because of the drought and the heat reduce grape-plaguing diseases, said Greg Bruni, vice president and executive winemaker at Llano Estacado Winery. The Lubbock area has not recorded heavy rains since October.
While other farmers have called the drought a nightmare, vintners have survived.
"While cotton farmers work with thousands of acres, a big vineyard in Texas is 100 acres," Bruni explained. "Vineyards don't have to look too much for water to irrigate their crops, and the aquifer is not drying up. We're not irrigating as many acres."
Vineyards need about two-thirds of what cotton fields need and about half of what peanut farms require.
"A drought actually helps," said Newsom, "but this drought is too deep."
If rains continue to stay away from the area, grape growers could feel the pain of their counterparts because of a lack of water to irrigate.
Up to this point, the drought has benefited vineyards, Newsom explained. And like other farmers in the area, those growing grapes have to pump their water from the Ogallala Aquifer.
"All that water is not free," Newsom said. "We could use some rain."
Growing grapes isn't perfect, even with ideal weather for the present.
The challenges affect some more than others. The wind, dust and a late freeze in May have raised farmers' concerns this year.
Winds have not helped pollination for some types of white grapes.
"We know now some types will not produce very well," said Newsom. But other farmers, like Reddy, say this is a good year.
"My crops are already looking 98 percent better than previous years," Reddy added. A good year for grapes is a good year for wines, he added.
Grapes already started growing in April and will continue to ripen until September or October, when they will be harvested.
During harvest season, the lack of rain is also good because the water lowers the sugar in the fruit and delays harvesting.
The good environment for grapes the Texas High Plains is having is definitely not the case for other areas in the country, even for some in the state, said Reddy.
In California, for example, snows and late precipitation have vintners shaking their heads. Plant growth in some areas of California is a month behind, leaving those at wineries across the state worried about the supply.
Comments (3)
Add commentExcellent information! Thanks, Lubb A-J!
I have often asked for a comparison of water use for vineyards and other crops. Since our area is so good for vineyards, I hope more farmers will go to grape growing instead of growing crops we can't eat or don't need to promote more cattle feeding. I would prefer to see cattle and fowl growing in pastureland/grass rather than being fed in "meat factory" conditions.
More vineyards and food crops should slow the depletion of the Ogallala aquifer. Also, I have one question .... what about government subsidies? Are food crops, vineyards specifically, eligible for subsidies similar to cotton and corn? If not, maybe that needs to change.
We were in the Fort Davis area before and during the Rock House Fire. We wondered why enough cattle weren't grazing to keep the grass pretty well consumed -- the grass was very tall and dry -- the fire was not a surprise to the ranchers -- it was just a matter of when. They knew it was coming because of conditions. If it hadn't been human started, a lightening strike probably would have started it.
We read while there that ranchers who raise grazing cattle have a hard time competing (prices) with the "meat factories" where animals live in crowded conditions (especially in Mexico and Argentina), are fed purchased feed mixtures and hormones, and are given antibiotics to keep disease from spreading through the crowded feeding pens.
Perhaps we omnivores need to demand different subsidy policies so we can get the healthy meat we need/want? I have to SEARCH to find meat with no antibiotics or additives (hormones).
Subsidies are NOT the answer
If you want to purchase meat that is less economical to produce, you should have a harder time finding it and pay more for it.
No, Opinionated,
I also do not like subsidies. What I was saying is that if subsidies are paid at all, they should go for food crops we eat and not for fiber that stays in warehouses from one crop to the next or for feed for cattle in feeding pens or high fructose corn syrup or ethanol, etc. As long as generous subsidies are paid for cotton and corn, it is understandable that that is what will be grown -- I probably would, too, if I farmed. Most of our farms are equipped for those crops, so changing over to food crops that require less water will need incentives. All I am saying is that the incentives to grow other crops should be switched from crops we don't need as much to those we do -- and that use less water.