From Jim Silver, General Manager, Peconic Bay Winery:
"Here’s a picture of our Block 1 Chardonnay on Oregon Road being grafted over to Pinot Noir 777 and Pinot Noir 667 (2.2 acres), and Cabernet Franc #2 and Cabernet Franc #4 (2.3 acres) by a two man crew flown in from St. Helena, CA.
They can graft 500 vines per day and were the same crew that replaced an underperforming block of merlot with beautiful new malbec and petit verdot tops.
We’ll see fruit as soon as next year, and the survival rate of the vines is 90% or better. Any casualties are replaced next year."
The pinot will become a part of winemaker Greg Gove's new methode champenoise program (the first -- made in 2009 -- will be released in 2013). The cabernet franc will nearly double the winery's acreage of the grape.
This site has a easy-to-understand explanation of the t-bud grafting technique being employed by Peconic Bay.
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