Viticulture & Enology Extension News – Fall 2025

Vineyard Idling – Part 1 – Winter Activities

Authors: Michelle Moyer and Markus Keller, Washington State University

Sometimes market demand, farm-specific economic decisions, or resource scarcity may dictate that vineyard production is put on hold. This does not mean that a vineyard is designated for removal, just on “standby” for a year or two until the outlooks becomes favorable (such as market or environmental trends) or a financial picture is clear as to what the next steps are. In these situations, the priority it to bring that vineyard back into production, given the cost and timeline for returns-on-investment typical with long-lived perennial crops (See the Northwest Grapes Cost of Production Calculator) .

“Mothballing” is another term that is often used for describing vineyards that are not under contract. We chose to use the term “idling” with the distinction that the period of minimal management is short – 1 to 3 years. Mothballing can describe a similar time frame but can also include longer periods of time. Management choices in the case of long-term vineyard minimal management can look very different than the options described below and will likely have a stronger economic influence in the prioritization of practices.

Management Practices

The decision, or need, to idle a vineyard may not always come with advanced warning. While some management practices help with down-the-road idling practices, it’s not necessary that you adopt such practices in a linear calendar fashion. The following practices are organized from winter to spring to summer to fall, but you can begin to adopt the practices at the time of year the decision to idle a vineyard has been made.

Dormant Pruning

There are two basic approaches to pruning vineyards when they are not under contract:

1.  Prune heavily to reduce the crop load, which might have a higher up-front cost, but can reduce additional in-season management expenses and future-season clean-up pruning; or
2. Minimally prune to save money during the dormant season, which might result in additional in-season expenses or challenges when returning the vineyard to production in the future.

The ultimate decision is based on your vineyard cash-flow, and timeline to when the vineyard might be returned to production (i.e., the next season, or in 3+ years).  Neglecting to do any pruning for more than 2 years may negatively impact the speed at which you can transition a vineyard from idle back into production (Keller and Mills 2007).

Heavy Pruning

In spur-pruned vineyards, this involves pruning vines down to 1-bud spurs (mechanically or manually). In cane-pruned vineyards, vines may be manually pruned back to the trunk head, leaving 1 or 2 bud renewal spurs only.

Benefit: Heavy pruning typically means fewer shoots (and clusters) per vine, which will minimize in-season canopy management, irrigation, and vine nutrient needs. It can also indirectly reduce disease pressure. However, in some cases, heavy pruning can result in the pushing of latent buds which may require in-season management, especially if water and nutrients are not restricted in the following spring. To help reduce the likelihood of non-count shoots developing, prune as late as possible (Poni et al. 2022), but before budbreak on the spur positions (budbreak may have occurred at the tips of the canes).

Caution: Care should be taken to not cause damage or otherwise large pruning wounds along the cordon, as that can result in “zones of death” extending into the cordon and could increase the risk of cordon infection by trunk-disease pathogens. The risk of this happens if pruning is within a half an inch of the cordon.

Minimal Pruning

In spur and cane-pruned vineyards, this involves only minimally hedging vines, or not pruning at all. This results in a mix of long spurs and canes in both spur and cane-pruned vineyards. The numerous shoots growing from these canes tend to grow less vigorously and the clusters will be dispersed over the entire canopy, but the overall cropping level will be higher than in normally pruned vines (Keller and Mills 2007; Keller et al. 2015).

Benefit: Minimal pruning, or hedging, can be done mechanically in most vineyards, reducing immediate labor costs associated with pruning. Mechanical-assisted pruning (hand-portable devices) can also be used to achieve the same minimal pruning style in smaller vineyards.

Caution: Minimal pruning is typically only done if there is an immediate need to arrest farm spending, and the intent is to bring the vineyard back out of idling in the following 2 years (i.e., only 1 to 2 seasons of idle).  It can result in excessive shoot and fruit production, which can increase in-season management costs (e.g. for shoot thinning), and will also increase pruning costs in the year that the vineyard is brought back into production.

Irrigation

Significant savings in cost and time can be achieved with modification of in-season watering strategies for idled vineyards. But while water and money can be saved in the spring and summer to modify seasonal growth, it is important to consider the value of fall and winter soil moisture for long-term vine survival.

Irrigation to Prepare Vines for Winter

Practices related to vineyard water management at the end of the irrigation season apply and are often more important in an idled vineyard given that the vines were likely heavily water-stressed in season. It is important to refill the soil moisture profile prior to the end of the irrigation season for your irrigation water source. Soil moisture is critical for reducing the risk of root cold damage and ensuring enough moisture the following season for budbreak and potential above-ground cold damage recovery (Gale and Moyer 2017; Moyer et al. 2019).

Benefit: Sufficient winter soil moisture enhances vine survival in cold climates; especially when those climates are associated with soils with lower water holding capacity and limited winter precipitation. Soils with higher sand content typically have lower water holding capacity (Chandel et al. 2022).

Caution: If a vineyard has been over-stressed, excessive early watering (i.e., late July to mid-August) may trigger vine canopy recovery and regrowth, which can result in a loss of buds available to grow next year. While rewatering is critical in eastern Washington, delaying it until just before the seasonal water shut-off time minimizes potential canopy regrowth.

Summary

Idling a vineyard is not a choice most growers wish to make, but it can be a necessity for long-term business survival. From pruning to irrigation to pest management, there are several changes that can be made during the idling process to reduce vineyard inputs while still maintaining baseline vine health. These approaches will assist in the speed at which a vineyard can be returned to normal production.

References:

Chandel AK, Moyer MM, Keller K, Khot LR, Hoheisel GA. 2022. Soil and Climate Geograhic Information System Data-Derived Risk Mapping for Grape Phylloxera in Washington State. Front. Plant Sci. 13:827393

Gale E, Moyer MM. 2017. Cold Hardiness of Vitis vinifera roots. Am J Enol Vitic 68:468-477.

Keller M, Deyermond LS, Bondada BR. 2015. Plant hydraulic conductance adapts to shoot number but limits shoot vigour in grapevines. Funct. Plant Biol. 42: 366-375.

Keller M, Mills LJ. 2007. Effect of pruning on recovery and productivity of cold-injured Merlot grapevines. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 58: 351-357.

Moyer M, Mills L, Hoheisel G, Keller M. 2019. Assessing and Managing Cold Damage in Washington Vineyards. Washington State University Extension Publishing EM042e. https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/product/assessing-and-managing-cold-damage-in-washington-vineyards

Poni S, Sabbatini P, Palliotti A. 2022. Facing spring frost damage in grapevine: recent developments and the role of delayed winter pruning – a review. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 73: 210-225.

Sustainable by Nature

Author: Melissa Hansen, Research Program Director, Washington State Wine Commission

Sustainable WA certification program gives Washington wine industry “proof” for consumers.

Washington State has the perfect climate for wine, and in particular, eastern Washington. Endless sunshine, long growing days, unique soils, cold winter temperatures and hot, dry summers with consistent winds, help keep pest and fungal diseases pressures minimal compared to other regions. These factors make wine grape production here naturally sustainable, and now, through the relatively new Sustainable WA certification program, growers can document and be recognized for their vineyard practices.

While there are many sustainable certification programs available for wine, Sustainable WA is the first program created specifically for Washington vineyards and built by industry members. It is a rigorous, science-based program, which aligns with the industry’s cornerstone of viticulture and enology research.

Program Overview

Sustainable WA was soft launched in 2021 through a few beta growers, with 2022 as the first full year of operation. The program is managed by Washington Winegrowers Association, and Nathanial Helligso serves as the Sustainable WA program manager. A governance council of Washington growers, wineries and industry stakeholders provides high-level guidance and integrity oversight to the program, approves certification standards, program changes and policies, and evaluates the program for relevance. A technical committee of industry members continually evaluates the standards for improvement. Heather Muser of Muser Consulting is the lead, third-party auditor.

One of the first big improvements to Sustainable WA was the addition of Salmon-Safe dual certification for those growers who desire such certification. The program also implemented a more structured schedule for audits and documentation deadlines and has increased direct engagement with growers to improve clarity and support.

Although a winery certification program is not yet available, wineries may put the Sustainable WA logo on their bottles of wine if 75 percent of the winegrapes in the bottle are certified Sustainable WA. Some wineries are putting the logo on the front of their bottle labels.

Sustainable WA in 2025

• Growers Certified (or in process) – 47
• Vineyards Certified (or in process) – 122
• Estimated Certified Acreage – 14,815 (30% of state winegrape acres)
• Wineries Bottling Certified Wines – 50+

Marketing and Promotion

This past year, the Washington State Wine Commission team worked in partnership with GreenRubino, a Seattle-based agency, and the Washington Winegrowers Association to overhaul the Sustainable WA website with fresh imagery, resources and information and easy to navigate messaging about the program. This was achieved and funded through a USDA Specialty Crop Block grant that was awarded to the Washington Wine Commission in October 2024.

The grant also funded a digital toolkit with ready-to-use marketing materials for retailers, distributors, wineries, and vineyards. These materials are designed for consumers and include an informational one-pager, social media graphics, banner ads, table toppers, digital graphics, posters, and more. Also, a one-page, informational resource has been created to educate direct to consumer staff and provide them with high-level messaging.

The Washington Wine Commission has begun to bring the sustainability message to key wine buyers. Earlier this summer, the Commission hosted a master class for 150 wine specialists from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and highlighted the Sustainable WA certification program. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is one of the largest buyers of Washington wine in the nation. The retailers attending reported a rise in customer interest in sustainability and that consumers now expect that in the products they buy. Through Sustainable WA, the Washington wine industry is ready to meet these expectations.

Grower Participation

What do participating growers say about the program? And, why has there been such rapid adoption, resulting in about a third of the state’s wine grape acreage to be certified in about three years? What follows are comments from three certified Sustainable WA growers who were asked to share a change they made due to the program.

Rocky Reach AVA – Elizabeth Keyser, head winemaker for Rocky Pond Estate Winery, headquartered in Orondo, believes their vineyard certification has made a huge difference, especially during the current headwinds that the wine industry faces. Their certification has given them an edge in their distribution efforts, tasting rooms, and marketing fruit to other wineries in Washington and British Columbia, Canada. As a winemaker, she thinks about winemaking practices that use minimal inputs, but now she applies parallel thinking to the vineyard, from how vineyard crews are deployed to managing hot spots of pests to focusing on soil health. The certification standards have given her a framework and systematic approach to vineyard management. Vineyard changes they’ve made include herbicide-free weed management that uses a vetch/grass for a cover crop that is mowed twice; planting a rootstock trial; and, increasing organic matter in vineyard soils, which in turn has improved water retention and made their grapevines more water thrifty.

Walla Walla Valley AVA – Sadie Drury, manager of North Slope Management, a vineyard management company in Walla Walla Valley AVA, said the Sustainable WA program forced her to take the best management practices that lived in her head and put them to paper and recordkeeping. “I’m always looking for best practices,” she said. “Now we have captured best practices for the next generation to use.” She likens the standards to a roadmap that lays the foundation for best practices, including business, human resources, and employment aspects to grape growing that are sometimes overlooked. The standards are tough and rigorous, she says, but adds that they lay the groundwork for best practices and long term sustainability.

Red Mountain AVA – JJ Williams, general manager of Kiona Vineyards and Winery in Benton City, shared that their certification with Sustainable WA was the nudge they needed to move from a 40-year system of employee paper time and punch cards to a modern payroll system that utilizes mobile phones. The new payroll system records time in and out, breaks, lunch and mandatory heat breaks and dovetails with best practices outlines in the Sustainable WA standards, he said. In addition to more transparent accounting, the information has improved their cost accounting by vineyard block and brought about a higher degree of resolution for employee timekeeping. Employee timekeeping is a universal farm challenge, he says. “We’d been eyeing this payroll system for a long time, but our Sustainable WA audit was what we needed to go ahead and do this.”

Research Supporting Sustainability

Many of the viticulture research projects supported by the Washington wine industry aim to improve vineyard sustainability. Close communication and collaboration between the Washington Wine Commission and the Sustainable WA program management help to identify emerging research gaps and tools that growers need to keep vineyards healthy and viable for the long-term.

Current research projects that support sustainable practices include developing mating disruption pheromones for grape mealybug, using UV-C light to control powdery mildew, evaluating rootstocks resistant to nematodes and phylloxera, integrating weed management strategies, to name a few.

Going Forward

A major focus in 2025 was to strengthen the program’s internal infrastructure, refine operations and processes and support existing participants. Future growth areas are the development of a winery certification, exploration of options for Canadian growers who are interested in meeting Sustainable WA standards and improve the standard and audit process. The WSWC continues its develop consumer education and content creation for promotion and marketing materials.

Visit www.sustainablewa.com to learn more about the program, its timelines and process.

WineVit® 2026

A Reimagined Event for the Washington Wine Industry

February 10–11, 2026 | Three Rivers Convention Center | Kennewick, WA

Hosted by the Washington Winegrowers Association
www.winevit.org

Washington’s annual event for wine industry education and connection is returning in 2026 with a renewed focus on delivering practical value to Washington’s grape growers, wine producers, service and supply providers,  and V&E educators, researchers, and students.

WineVit® has long been a space for the industry to come together, learn from one another, and build stronger connections. Based on direct feedback from past attendees and industry members across the state the Washington Winegrowers Association, the event host—is reshaping this event to better reflect the real needs of those working across all facets of the industry today.

What’s Changing in 2026

This year’s event will be more concise, cost-conscious, and content-driven. We’re shifting from a three-day format to a streamlined 1.5-day experience (Tuesday–Wednesday) focused on high-impact programming and meaningful engagement.

• Practical Education| Attendees will have access to more focused sessions across viticulture, winemaking and wine sales. Presenters will share data and experience-driven recommendations, operational lessons learned, and practical tools that attendees can apply directly to their work.
• Accessibility | We’re revisiting our pricing model to ensure broader access for all industry members. WineVit® 2026 is committed to offering real value—whether you manage hundreds of acres, operate a boutique winery, or your company budget is in flux.
• Streamlined Experience for Greater Impact | By condensing the event into a day and a half, WineVit® allows attendees to maximize their time away from the office, vineyard, or cellar. Fewer days means lower costs, tighter schedules, and better return on investment for attendees and exhibitors alike.
• A Revitalized Trade Show Floor | Expect a more dynamic, intimate trade show experience that draws in attendees and encourages interaction. Exhibitors will benefit from dedicated time and better foot traffic, while producers and buyers will discover new tools, technologies, and partnerships.
• Networking That Works | WineVit® 2026 will feature intentional spaces for peer-to-peer learning with formats designed to spark real conversations and create opportunities for lasting professional connections.

The Washington wine industry is known for its resilience and innovation. WineVit® 2026 aims to reflect and support that strength by delivering an event rooted in relevance, accessibility, and collaboration. This year’s theme is Thriving and Innovating in Transition, and its an event for the future of Washington wine.

Save the Date and Stay Involved

WineVit® 2026 takes place February 10–11 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, WA. We invite growers, producers, exhibitors, educators, researchers, and students from across the region to join us for a reimagined experience focused on what matters most.

WineVit® is organized by the Washington Winegrowers Association and reflects its ongoing commitment to providing high-impact education, industry connections, and resources that support the future of Washington wine.

WSU faculty, Extension professionals, and industry researchers are encouraged to engage through session participation, exhibitor presence, and community networking and outreach at the event.

Information and details are regularly being added at winevit.org.

WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local WSU Extension office.