Veraison Update

 Hello Dear Growers!

This week's post will focus on timing of veraison, nitrogen and the subsequent 2026 harvest. 

I have been observing the current conditions and can confidently say that we are about 7-10 days behind the last two vintages.

From the 12 varieties I monitor, Osceola Muscat is the first one to start veraison- about a week ahead of NYM or L'Acadie. The Osceola berries have JUST started to soften in some sites, while L'Acadie is still dark, green, not opaque and hard to the touch.  Below are values of 3 varieties sampled on the same day for the last three years.

I can surmise that there are several factors at play here:

1. This ripening season has been wetter than the previous two vintages.

2. This ripening season has also been cooler than the previous two vintages,

3.The NITROGEN factor (VIGOUR). 

Visiting the growers over the season, I have seen very dark green canopies, long internodes, excessively long shoots, 3-4 tendills on the tips of the shoots (there should only be 2). 

This tells us that the vine's vigour is unchecked. 

Why could this be? Last season, growers added nitrogen to their vines prior to veraison. There was no rain, therefore the ground application was left on top of the soil and was not absorbed by the vine at the time. Once the rain started, that nitrogen was taken up by the vine, stored and released in 2026. If growers applied nitrogen again in 2026, all that nitrogen is now being used to grow long, thick shoots, large leaves (causing shading), big vines, and not actually using the energy to ripen the grape clusters. 

SOLUTION?

PETIOLE SAMPLES TO CONFIRM. 

For a refresher on how to execute petiole collection and the nutrient ranges please see this link:

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Grape-Petiole-Sampling-Protocol-at-VeraisonV2.pdf

Immediate Field Practice:  De-leaf more aggressively to expose the clusters to the sun and open up the canopy. 

The days are getting shorter, cooler and we are still receiving quite a bit of precipitation. De-leafing is absolutely neccessary.

Do not assume you will be getting the same brix values as the two prior vintages. Unless the weather dries out quickly and stays dry for the next month, those brix values will be lower.

What to do about nitrogen? 

DO NOT APPLY. You will most likely not need to apply any for at least the next year-UNLESS your site is routinely nitrogen deficient (very light green, small leaves, short canopies, no/ low cluster count. For reference: 

                                                 Nitrogen deficiency

                                                

                                            Nitrogen excess

Please remember: The leaves do not need to be dark green. Spot tread with urea if necessary, but ground applications are NOT NEEDED right now. 

I will continue to sample every week until the end of harvest, so you will be seeing weekly brix and acidity updates here.

If you are seeing anything unusual on your sites, or you would like a consult, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your time this week, and see you in the field!

Cheers!

-Katarina

Katarina Vucic P.Ag; MSc; DipWSET

Viticulture Specialist
Perennia Food and Agriculture
Email kvucic@perennia.ca
Office 902-678-7722

Cell 902-599-1390

Markus Keller Visit and GGANS Summer Tour 5-7 August 2026

Good Morning Growers!

This will be a quick post today to inform you of a couple of changes to the 5th and 6th August.

We had to change the 5th and morning of the 6th August- so please note: Edgemere Estate has been moved to 8am on the 6th August.

We will be meeting at Blomidon Estate at 3:30pm on 5th August. 

Please note the changes below:

5^th August:

3:30pm      Blomidon Vineyard and Winery

5:00pm.     Dinner reservation at Dicky Baxter -confirmed

6 August 2026

7:30am Meet at Tan Coffee- Main Street-Wolfville

·   8:00am: Edgemere Estate- Port Williams.

    12:30-2pm: District 33- Shelburne.

    5-6pm: Ellslea Vineyards. 925 Bains Rd. 

    7 August: GGANS Summer Tour 

    Ticket Sales Close Sunday, August 2, at 11:30pm   

    August 7 @ 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

    

    8:00 – 8:45 – Basalt Ridge – 2332 Hwy 359 8:45

    9:30 – Travel 

    9:45 – 11:20 – DenHaan Vineyard – 3551 Clarence Rd 

   11:20 – 11:30 – Travel 

   11:30 – 12:30 – Jakob Vineyard – 543 Brooklyn Rd

   12:30 – 12:45 – Travel

   1:00 – 1:40 – Lunch – NSCC Lawrencetown Campus – 50 Elliott Rd

   1:40 – 2:30 – Presentation: Dr. Markus Keller

    2:30 – 2:45 – Travel

    2:45 – 3:30 – Parlan Wines

    3:30 – 4:00 – Wine Tasting

    If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. 

    Thank you all for your time, and I look forward to seeing you next week!

    Cheers!

    Katarina

 

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Markus Keller Visit: 5-7 August

Hello Dear Growers!!

I hope you  have had a good couple of weeks. I have a few important points this week- again in terms of guest arrivals, upcoming events and dates to note down. 

Vineyard Outlook:

The weather is co-operating; we have rain coming in at very opportune moments. Flowering and berry set was a dry period, and we are getting enough moisture where the vineyards are looking great. 

There are no reported drought issues this year- hopefully it stays this way, and we have another stellar vintage. The vines are disease free; but I must mention- please keep on top of your sprays. If you stretch your sprays or omit them, the humidity and warmth are prime conditions for downy and black rot development.

Downy Mildew:

Downy mildew is most prevalent during spring and early summer, peaking specifically in the critical window from 2 weeks before bloom to 3 weeks after bloom when wet, warm weather occurs. Infections can still happen after fruit set, as berries remain susceptible for 3 to 4 weeks post-fruit set before gaining natural resistance.

Black Rot:

Peak Susceptibility: Clusters are highly vulnerable to infection from mid-bloom until 4 to 5 weeks after fruit set. 

Weather Triggers: Spores thrive in warm, humid conditions. At optimum temperatures between 18°C and 26°C, the fungus needs only 6 to 7 hours of continuous leaf wetness to cause an infection.

Latent Nature: A berry can be infected during or right after bloom, but the visible symptoms (browning and turning into shrivelled "mummies") often do not appear until weeks later between bunch closure and veraison.

Depending on your variety, we are between peppercorn size and pea-sized berries.

By this time, one botrytis spray should already be done. The next one should be before berry touch/ bunch closure. So please keep an eye on your phenological stages.

Powdery Mildew:

Powdery mildew is most prevalent during mid-summer, peaking from immediate pre-bloom through fruit set and continuing through bunch closure. Unlike downy mildew and black rot, powdery mildew does not require rain; it thrives in high humidity and warm temperatures between 20°C and 27°C. 

It is a good idea to add a powdery mildew treatment as the longer stretches of dry humid weather are perfect conditions for its development.

Keep scouting!

We are receiving reports of Japanese Beetle and Grape Berry Moth (GBM). Rachel Rix and her team from AAFC are putting down traps to see what the counts are and where the moth is centralized at the moment.

I will begin sampling at the onset of veraison and will include this info in my upcoming posts. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

MARKUS KELLER VISIT 5-7 AUGUST.

Markus Keller Bio: 

Dr. Markus Keller is the Distinguished Professor of Viticulture at Washington State University and a globally recognized expert in grapevine physiology. His extensive research focuses on how environmental factors, climate change, and management practices impact vine growth and fruit quality. He is also the author of The Science of Grapevines, a definitive textbook widely used by researchers, students, and winemakers worldwide.

5 August: Edgemere Estate Visit 3-4pm

We will be visiting Edgemere estate from 3-4pm on the 5th. If you would like to join us for an hour long visit, please let me know. We are meeting at Edgemere Estate in Port Williams at 3pm.

6 August: 7:30am-6pm

We will be touring three wineries: Mumana Vineyards, District 33, and Elleslea Vineyard. We are carpooling between the sites and would love for you to join us!

You can choose whichever option fits your schedule best:

• The full day: Highly recommended so you do not miss anything.
• A single stop: Join us at whichever location is most convenient for you.

We will spend about 1.5 hours at each site to allow time for in-depth discussions and shared learning.

Email or text me if you would like to carpool. We have space. 

7 August:        GGANS SUMMER TOUR

Join us!  take the opportunity to connect with fellow growers and vineyard managers, learn from each other in-field and take in a great lecture. 

Sign up on the GGANS website. 

Vinitech & Bordeaux Learning Opportunity

With August fast approaching, please review the GGANS website or contact Vanessa and me directly with any Vinitech-related questions.

Please keep the following important details in mind as you prepare:

• Book early: Reserve your flights and hotels soon, as spaces for this international delegation are filling up fast.
• Funding: Speak with Vanessa regarding available funding opportunities for the trip.
• Free access: The GGANS website has the discount code prominently displayed. Register on the Vinitech website- link available on GGANS website: 
• The discount code provides a complimentary ticket to the 3-day expo and all associated bus tours.
• Logistics: Full instructions regarding meeting points will be provided immediately upon registration.
• GGANS has a list of recommended hotels. if you wish to book outside that list, ensure that your stay is near TRAM LINE C. It is the most direct route to the Expo or Train Station. (Both are meeting points for visits and tours).
• Important: Only ONE registration can be done per business email. If there are two people registering from the same company, please use your own email to do it.
• Only ONE person from the company can do a specific tour. Two people from the same company CANNOT do the same tour at the same time. You or your companion will have to select a different tour. 
• All this will become clear as you register.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call or email me.

Thank you for your time this week. it is a lot to take in, so again, if you have any questions, do reach out.

This has turned out to be a busy and exciting summer. I hope you take advantage of the opportunities.

See you in the field!!

Cheers!

Katarina

Katarina Vucic P.Ag; MSc; DipWSET

Viticulture Specialist
Perennia Food and Agriculture
Email kvucic@perennia.ca
Office 902-678-7722

Cell 902-599-1390

Vinitech Sifel Expo: 28 November- 3 December 2026- Trip to Bordeaux

 Hello Dear Growers and Happy Summer!

We have had quite a busy and productive couple of weeks, so there will be quite a bit to speak about in this week's blog update.

GRAPE BERRY MOTH SIGHTINGS

We have received reports of Grape Berry Moth sightings in our vineyards. Here is a short description and a life cycle graphic so that if you do see the larvae or moth you can report it- either to me of Rachel Rix of the AAFC.

Larvae feed directly on developing grape flowers and berries, damaging clusters and reducing both fruit quality and yield. Feeding injury also creates entry points for disease-causing organisms, increasing the risk of bunch rot and other fruit rots (Duso et al., 2022; Thiéry et al., 2018).

The insect survives the winter as a pupa enclosed in a silken cocoon, typically sheltered beneath fallen leaves and other debris on the vineyard floor (Goldammer, 2018). Adult moths are small, measuring about 6–7 mm (0.25 in.) in length, with mottled brown forewings that have bluish-gray colouring toward the inner portion. The larval stage is responsible for crop damage. Fully developed larvae are green to purplish-green caterpillars approximately 1 cm (0.37 in.) long and feed on grape flowers early in the season before moving on to developing berries.

I will be out this week scouting and checking in on phenology, so please, if you have any concerns, or would like a personal visit, email or call me.

VINITECH EXPO - Trip to Bordeaux- Information

As many of you know, we recently welcomed French agricultural economist Stephane Badet to Nova Scotia. During his visit, he had the opportunity to meet with growers from across the province and experience our wine region and wine firsthand. We also held two well-attended field days, where we explored a range of timely and important topics. Thank you to everyone who participated, contributed to the discussions, and helped host our visiting group.

We all know, but sometimes need to be reminded, that our cool-climate region isn't just keeping pace with global wine trends—we're helping define them. With our exceptional terroir, expertise, innovative spirit, and passionate industry, Nova Scotia has all the ingredients to become a global benchmark for cool-climate viticulture and world-class wines.

To that end, we are going to Bordeaux late this November-early December. 

We have an opportunity to bring a delegation of NS growers and winery representatives to Vinitech Sifel where we will learn about new technology, practices, co-operative models, industry innovation and even have an opportunity to exhibit NS wine at Vinitech.

Please refer to Vinitech Sifel 2026 – Grape Growers Association of Nova Scotia for more information and registration details. Registration for the expo begins on the 10th July. 

Please Note: this is VERY IMPORTANT: the systems allows individual registrations only : 1 email address = 1 registration. That means that one person cannot register for several people using the same email address.

Email GGANS for ALL details. 

Thank you all for your time this week. If you attended the field sessions on the 16th and 18th June, please use the link following and take the survey. I value your input and it gives me direction as to how to structure future events and topics to cover: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9DGJX9Z

If you have any questions, need any further information about the Vintech trip, or would like a visit to vineyard your site, please reach out.

I look forward to seeing you in the field this summer.

Cheers!!

Katarina

Katarina Vucic P.Ag; MSc; DipWSET

Viticulture Specialist
Perennia Food and Agriculture
Email kvucic@perennia.ca
Office 902-678-7722

Cell 902-599-1390

 

www.perennia.ca

 

Join Us on June 16 & 18! – Registration Now Open

 Hello Dear Growers!

Next week is fast approaching and so are our field days!

If you are near Malagash on Tuesday, come and see us at Jost Vineyards. We will be talking vineyard practices- everything from soil health and cover cropping to disease management and shoot thinning! It is almost that time of year already. The field practice session will be followed by a cellar tour.  

      Please see the flyer below, and register using this link: 

https://www.perennia.ca/eventer/vineyard-readiness-soil-cover-crops-seasonal-strategy/edate/2026-06-16/

On June 18, we will return to the Annapolis Valley and gather at 925 Bains Road in Sheffield Mills. 

As many of you know, Stephane Badet will be joining us to lead a discussion on industry resilience, diversification, co-operative models, and how we can leverage Nova Scotia's unique terroir to support the long-term success of our grape and wine industry.

Speaking of terroir, we know that everything begins in the vineyard. Following the discussion, Steve Ells will host a vineyard tour and share insights into the vineyard practices that help maximize fruit quality and express site characteristics. From canopy management to crop balance and pest management, Steve will demonstrate how decisions made in the vineyard ultimately influence the quality and character of the wines produced.

Bring yourselves, colleagues and let's have an eventful day.

Please register for the event here: https://www.perennia.ca/eventer/rooted-in-terroir-identity-collaboration-growth-in-nova-scotia-wine-sector/edate/2026-06-18/

Lastly, looking at the weather forecast for the next few days, please make sure you keep your spray schedules tight, keep scouting and ensure that you are proactively protecting your vineyards. 

Rachel Rix from AAFC has asked to keep an eye out if anyone has issues with flea beetles. If you do, please email me. As you can see by the photo below, flea beetles are small, jumping beetles that are typically black or dark blue. They are much smaller than Japanese beetles and are known for their ability to jump when disturbed. Grape flea beetles do attack grape leaves, though the most significant damage is usually caused by adults feeding on buds in early spring while larvae can also chew on leaves and clusters, creating a characteristic "shot-hole" appearance.

 So please do be on the lookout and report it to us. Thank you.

Not wanting to end on a sour note- thank you all again for your attention, and I look forward to seeing you in the field next week. Don't forget to sign up for the events!

Cheers!

Katarina

Katarina Vucic P.Ag; MSc; DipWSET

Viticulture Specialist
Perennia Food and Agriculture
Email kvucic@perennia.ca
Office 902-678-7722

Cell 902-599-1390

 

www.perennia.ca

Upcoming Evets and Vineyard Observations

Hello Dear Growers and Happy Wednesday!

I hope you have all gad a good start to the week. 

The first spray should already be down. Most have also either seeded their cover crops or will do shortly. 

The weather this weeks looks promising, so the little lag of unseasonably cool weather is hopefully on its way out. 

We had several growers around the province send in photos over the last couple of weeks; the start of the season is looking good so far. If you are noticing any pests/ diseases in your vineyards, please send in photos and tell us what you notice. I have already observed Erineum Mite activity at a few vineyard sites this season. Kumulus and Purespray Green are both effective management options. When using sulphur products such as Kumulus, please note that certain hybrid varieties may be sensitive and could exhibit phytotoxicity. Be sure to consider varietal susceptibility before application.

Upcoming Events

Vineyard Readiness: Soil, Cover Crops & Seasonal Strategy 

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Event Details

June 16, 2026
10:30AM – 2:00PM 
Jost Vineyards, 48 Vintage Lane, Malagash

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Session Description

Join us for a hands-on vineyard learning day where growers will have the opportunity to compare vineyard practices, discuss seasonal management strategies and learn directly in the field. We’ll discuss cover crop benefits and challenges in vineyard systems, soil health and vineyard floor management, early-season pest and disease management strategies, canopy management approaches for cool climate vineyards, and compare practices across different vineyard sites and conditions.

This event is designed to encourage practical discussion, peer learning and knowledge sharing among growers in the region. Walk the vineyard, ask questions and gain insight into management decisions being made throughout the growing season. Join us in the vineyard and take part in the conversation!

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Guest Speakers

• Yvonne Schoening and Sven VonKintzel, Managers of Jost Vineyards 
• Gina Haverstock, Winemaker at Jost Vineyards and Winery 
• Stephane Badet, Agriculture Economist from Bordeaux, France

Sign up here: https://www.perennia.ca/eventer/vineyard-readiness-soil-cover-crops-seasonal-strategy/edate/2026-06-16/

Rooted in Terroir:

We’re bringing together grape growers, wineries and industry partners on this special industry field day. 

Sign up here: https://www.perennia.ca/eventer/rooted-in-terroir-identity-collaboration-growth-in-nova-scotia-wine-sector/edate/2026-06-18/

If you have any questions regarding the events, please don't hesitate to reach out. I look forward to seeing you there.

Thank you all for your time this week. Looking forward to seeing you in the field this vintage.

Cheers!

Katarina