Common-garden study of hot-climate wine grape varieties grown under limited water in volcanic soil, Shasta County, California.
Our Research
Hot weather adaptation:
Evaluation of vine adaptation to heat and drought using spectroscopy and other analytical methods.
Smoke taint study:
Following the Park Fire, we are assessing the response of different grape varieties to smoke exposure.
The Common Garden:
By growing all grapevines in the same environment (“terroir”), our experimental vineyard helps discern which varieties offer optimal quality and productivity under the hot, dry conditions and volcanic soils at the foot of Mount Lassen.
Our location
Nestled in the Manton Valley in Shasta County, halfway between Redding and Mount Lassen (and adjacent to the Manton AVA), the Battle Creek Research vineyard provides an ideal location for studying grape adaptations to heat and drought.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE GRAPES
Why grapes?
Grapes possess physiological and morphological adaptations that readily reveal their responses to environmental conditions. The large body of established knowledge regarding grape cultivation and physiology provides a foundation for our work. Grapes are among the oldest cultivated plants, with archaeological evidence of viticulture and winemaking stretching back over 8.000 years, so have considerable cultural and spiritual value.