Wine Grape Workshop at Agricultural Conference Center Presented Pros and Cons

Story by Corinne Saunders

Dr. Turner Sutton, a professor in the department of plant pathology at N.C. State University, spoke on grapevine diseases and their management at the wine grape workshop Tuesday, June 2. Approximately 20 people attended the free presentations at the Watauga County Cooperative Extension. Photos by Corinne Saunders

A free, day-long workshop offered by the Watauga County Cooperative Extension on Tuesday, June 2, laid out the difficulties and demands of wine grape growing in the High Country.

Approximately 20 people attended the workshop. The topics covered included soils, site evaluation, cultivar selection, planting, vine management concerns, grapevine diseases and vineyard pest management.

Workshop speakers included Norm Oches, director of the Appalachian Center for Mountain Winegrowing; John Havlin, professor, department of soil science, N.C. State University; Sara Spayd, extension viticulture specialist/professor, department of horticulture science, N.C. State University; Dr. Turner Sutton, professor, department of plant pathology, N.C. State University; and Dr. Hannah Burrack, assistant professor, department of entomology, N.C. State University.

“I’m already a grower…quite a few people here are growers,” said Lynn Smith, owner of Planet of the Grapes Grapevine Nursery in Vilas.

“They’ve had great speakers,” Smith said. She learned technicalities about soil testing, and the presentations also included good do’s and don’ts for those considering starting a vineyard, she added.

Although the interest in growing wine grapes in the region is increasing, spring freezes, various diseases and other problems pose very real threats to any year’s harvest.

“North Carolina has one of the more challenging environments in the world for growing grapes; it’s warm and most of all, it’s wet,” said Dr. Turner Sutton in his presentation on grapevine diseases and their management.

“Most pathogens are more severe when there’s humidity,” he said.

The returns are never guaranteed with grapes, and some attendees have already experienced this distressing fact firsthand.

“A grape grower in Foscoe spoke, and the first thing he said was, ‘my whole crop was wiped out last week [due to the freeze],’” said Avi Shaki, who owns a farm in Deep Gap.

Shaki attended the workshop because he is interested in growing wine grapes, but he is hesitant to commit to the fruit.

“I thought [wine grapes] would be an alternative crop to supplement what I do…but it doesn’t sound like it’s worthwhile,” Shaki said.

The large amount of money required up front to get into the business, the fact a frost can wipe out a harvest and chemicals are all but necessary are some of the negative aspects of the crop for him.

“I can see the charm behind having a winery, and maybe [having a vineyard] will be feasible in the future, but I don’t know if it’s feasible or not,” Shaki said.
“My farm has gone organic [and] chances of returns are greatly diminished if you don’t spray [chemicals],” he said.

He has not yet decided whether he will grow grapes or not, but so far, he’s feeling more negative than positive toward it, he added.

Despite potential negative aspects, a study conducted by professors at ASU for the NC Wine and Grape Council states that the number of wineries in North Carolina has tripled since 2000. The state now boasts more than 70 wineries in 31 counties, and the industry has created more than 5,700 full-time jobs and $158 million in wages. North Carolina is the 10th largest producer of grapes and wine in the United States.