Rootstock....is that even a question?

When we were planning our vineyard, which now seems like a million years ago or at least a million calluses ago, one of the big questions was "Are you going to use rootstock or not?" I just want to plant grapes, what's up with this rootstock inquiry?

So I check it out on our handy, dandy CSU Vinticulturist website. Horst, the University grape dude in town, highly recommends we plant rootstock. The only thing I know at that time looking at the websites is......it is WAY more expensive than non. What is rootstock?

What the CSU website says is:

"Rootstocks were first used in European vineyards in the late 1800s to combat devastating phylloxera outbreaks. The vineyards began to use phylloxera resistant grape plants as rootstocks. These plants were native to North America, where the pest was naturally occurring.

Today, rootstocks can be helpful in vineyards that have limiting factors. Rootstocks can be used to improve vigor, increase production, and help sustain the health or survival of the vineyard. Careful consideration should be given to match the rootstock characteristics with the site limitations, therefore taking full advantage of the rootstock."

Hmmm...sounds like a good idea, and if the CSU guys likes it........so I ask all our neighbors "rootstock or non?" All of them said non-rootstock. Excuse me? Sounds like Horst may need to be a little more influential.

I inquired with the other vinters further....and here's what they said. It's more expensive. Gotchya. Phylloxera danger is extremely low in the US. Gotchya. They don't necessarily improve vigor. Gotchya. And the clincher...if you loose the vine down to the ground due to the winter freeze, you no longer have a Malbec grape, you have a rootstock grape. OOH, really gotchya.

So if we did go with rootstock, lose the vines down to the ground like we did oh 60% of them this past season, then we'd be having to regraft all 900 vines that didn't make it. No thank you!

Thus, we planted pure, unadulterated 2-year old Malbec vines. And I feel good about it.

When I run into Horst, I never bring it up and neither does he. I figure it'd be better that way.

Remember Imbibe and Enjoy!