Viticulture briefs
Sonoma's Gundlach Bundschu Winery last week installed the first floating solar array in Sonoma County, part of two solar arrays on its property.
The 30-kilowatt Floatovoltaic system provides 100 percent of the power used by the winery's water reclamation system. It consists of 162 solar panels on pontoons that float on a pond, generating enough power to fully power the pumps, monitors and other electrical needs of the water reclamation system.
Energy costs for the system previously ran around $650 a month, but are now expected to be less than $200 a year. A second solar array at the winery is an 80-kilowatt ground-mounted system that provides 60 percent of the winery's energy needs.
Workshops on vine pruning
The Sonoma County Winegrape Commission is sponsoring an free pruning workshop for vineyard workers Dec. 13. The workshop, which will be taught in Spanish, takes place from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Shone Farm, 6225 Eastside Road.
Daniel Robledo will speak on vineyard pruning practices, including how pruning weights -- the weight of the canes snipped from the vine in winter -- can guide future pruning decisions. For reservations: 522-5862 or ipm@sonomawinegrape.org.
Jackson, others to be inducted
Jess Jackson, founder of Santa Rosa-based Kendall-Jackson Winery, is one of several wine pioneers being inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame at the Culinary Institute of America. Jackson will be inducted March 14 during a ceremony at the CIA's Greystone in St. Helena.
Other 2009 inductees include wine journalist Gerald Asher, Gourmet magazine; Jack and Jamie Davies, founders of Schramsberg Vineyards; Carole Meredith, UC Davis professor and co-founder of Lagier-Meredith Winery, Justin Meyer, co-founder of Silver Oak Cellars; and Warren Winiarski, founder of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.