All vines are trained to a cordon-pruned vertical shoot positioned (VSP) canopy. Rows are spaced 8 feet apart and the vines 3 1/2 to 8 feet depending on root stock, variety and the soil fertility. Spurs are pruned to fifteen to sixteen buds per meter for a nominal crop of 5 tons per acre. The number of buds is adjusted upward or downward from that number to maintain a balance between vine canopy and the crop load. If needed, the crop is reduced during crown suckering in the spring and early summer and later at veraison.

Sustainable practices are followed in all vineyards. Weed removal under the vines is obtained with in-row cultivators in the organic blocks and in most of the sustainably farmed block. Only in years of heavy insect pressure are any sprays used. Powdery mildew is controlled with sulfur until some 60 days before harvest when synthetic chemicals are used if needed. Timing of applications is governed by the Gubler model with data from weather stations located in the vineyards. The Ackley vineyard has been CCOF organic since 2005, Smith blocks 18 (sauvignon blanc) and 23 (cabernet sauvignon) since 2007, and Smith block 26 (riesling) should be certified in 2008. 

Leaf removal is practiced on the shady sides of the white grapes. Typically, no leaf removal is needed in the red varieties since the VSP system naturally furnishes sufficient opening to allow the desired 15% of the clusters to be exposed to the sun.

Irrigation is carried out exclusively with a drip system. Deficit irrigation is practiced after the canopy is fully developed. The stem water potential is allowed to decrease to about -13 Bar between irrigations for the red varieties and to about -12 Bar for the white varieties. Deficit irrigation is not practiced in the red varieties after veraison.

All grapes can be picked at night for delivery early in the morning. We use our own Nairn bow rod harvester and are able to harvest without delay when requested by the winery.